cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
#FAITHANDFITNESSCOLLIDE: SPREADING THE WORD OF MULTILEVEL MARKETING IN CHRISTIAN WOMEN’S FITNESS INSTAGRAM POSTS

With the emergence of the coronavirus in 2020 led to the closing of gyms and churches, along with the “she-cession” in which women disproportionately left the workforce (Hammer, 2021), Christian women with an interest in fitness increasingly turned to home-fitness-based multilevel marketing (MLM). MLM companies like Beachbody, for example, saw a 300% increase in subscribers in 2020 (Haithman, 2020). Although MLMs encourage their distributors to think of themselves as “independent entrepreneurs,” these companies demand fealty -- putting Christian women who participate in a double bind: bound to company, family, and God, they must still position themselves as free agents and strong women in order to build their “fitness ministry” (Coach 8, 2020) and close the sale. We extend Sullivan & Delany’s (2017) framework of “evangelical entrepreneurial femininity” by asking how fitness complicates or shepherds the relationship between the independent entrepreneur, the MLM, and the patriarchal foundation of her religious practices. Our initial research suggests that Christian women navigate the potential shame of occupying a masculine economic role and a muscular body by reframing Beachbody as an opportunity to fulfill God’s plan, (re)inhabit the home, and encounter the Divine through their uplines. References: Haithman, D. (2020, May 18). Beachbody sees gains. Retrieved from https://labusinessjournal.com/news/2020/may/18/beachbody-sees-gains/. Hammer, B. (2021, January 25). How to fix women's jobs during the covid-19 pandemic. Sullivan, K. R., & Delaney, H. (2017). A femininity that ‘giveth and taketh away’: The prosperity gospel and postfeminism in the neoliberal economy. Human Relations, 70(7), 836-859.
Chapter 6 Raman Scattering of Amorphous Si, Ge, and Their Alloys

Publisher Summary This chapter emphasizes Raman scattering as a sensitive probe of changes in the phonon states in a-Si, a-Ge, and their alloys, particularly those arising from small changes in short-range order. These changes, which are difficult to measure accurately in diffraction studies, have theoretically been shown to modify substantially the phonon density of states and thus the Raman spectra. As such, the Raman spectra provide a means of studying amorphous solids prepared under a wide range of deposition conditions to assess local structural order and its variation. The observation of a correspondence between changes in the depolarized VH Raman spectra in a-Si and a-Ge and the optical gap further emphasizes the importance of small changes in short-range order on near-band-edge electronic states. However, further theoretical studies of the relation between changes in phonon and electron states due to modifications of short-range order are required. In addition, the influence of variations in the Raman coupling parameters with short-range order requires further theoretical analysis. Experimental studies that determine more accurate changes in the radial distribution function, particularly in a-Si, as well as the phonon density of states, are of fundamental importance. Such studies will allow a more quantitative measure of structural disorder variations to be determined in future Raman scattering studies.
Factors Affecting Mobile Commerce Adoption: A Cross-Cultural Study in China and The United States

Mobile communication technologies have penetrated consumer markets throughout the world. It is likely to make a deep influence on business activities, consumer behavior, and national and global markets. Thus the identification of factors that impact mobile commerce adoption will have significant value. This paper identified nine factors affecting mobile commerce adoption by consumers, based on recently published research. Multiple comparisons in China and United States were conducted to clarify the applicability of these factors in the two regions. A survey was conducted on 190 individual mobile commerce users in China and US. We found significant differences among the antecedents and their impact on consumers’ intentions to use mobile commerce. The study also draws a number of practical insights and provides vendors seeking to enter the Chinese and US marketplace with specific information about m-commerce users’ perceptions and intentions.
The Way We Were

Since 1827, when Dr. Richard Bright observed albuminuria, and correlated its occurrence with renal disease, clinical medicine and the life insurance industry have been relying on tests for albumin to assess renal disease. At the second annual meeting of the Association of Life Insurance Medical Directors of America in 1891, the paper presented was entitled "Albuminuria in Persons Apparently Healthy, and a Consideration of Its Relation to Life Insurance." The paper described the Heller’s nitric acid test for albumin. The author concluded that persons who had albuminuria are not good risks, and do not have normal life expectancy.
Self-efficacy mediates the effects of topiramate and GRIK1 genotype on drinking

Previous studies indicate that topiramate reduces alcohol use among problem drinkers, with one study showing that the effect was moderated by a polymorphism (rs2832407) in GRIK1, the gene encoding the GluK1 kainate subunit. We examined whether the interactive effect of medication and genotype (1) altered the association between daily self-efficacy and later-day drinking; and (2) had an indirect effect on drinking via self-efficacy. In a 12-week, placebo-controlled trial of topiramate, we used daily interactive voice response technology to measure self-efficacy (i.e. confidence in avoiding heavy drinking later in the day) and drinking behavior in 122 European-American heavy drinkers. Topiramate's effects on both self-efficacy and drinking level were moderated by rs2832407. C-allele homozygotes treated with topiramate showed higher levels of self-efficacy and lower levels of nighttime drinking across the 12-week trial. Further, the interactive effect of topiramate and genotype on mean nighttime drinking levels was mediated by mean levels of self-efficacy. By modeling topiramate's effects on nighttime drinking across multiple levels of analysis, we found that self-efficacy, a key psychologic construct, mediated the effect of topiramate, which was moderated by rs2832407 genotype. Thus, it may be possible to use an individualized assessment (i.e. genotype) to select treatment to optimize the reduction in heavy drinking and thereby provide a personalized treatment approach.
Nineteen-year survey of maternal mortality at the Cook County Hospital.

Abstract 1. 1. Maternal deaths following delivery of 104,123 live babies in nineteen years at the Cook County Hospital are reviewed. 2. 2. In spite of inadequate facilities and limited nursing personnel, the maternal mortality has dropped from 150 per 10,000 live births in 1934 to 7.9 in 1951 (Fig. 8). 3. 3. Reasons for the increased safety of motherhood are discussed. These include the sulfonamides, blood banks, the antibiotics, better prenatal care, increased awareness on the part of both physician and patient as to the necessity of prompt investigation of abnormal signs and symptoms. 4. 4. The greatest hope for further lowering of maternal mortality lies in the complete elimination of deaths due to toxemia. Proper prenatal care, plus convincing physicians that mortality from toxemia is practically zero if convulsions are prevented, could accomplish this.
Codability and cost in the naming of motion events

With the introduction of Talmy’s (1985; 2000) typology for the linguistic encoding of motion events, the domain of motion event cognition has emerged as particularly tractable for the empirical examination of linguistic relativity. The current paper contributes to this literature, focusing on the differential encoding of one aspect of a motion event – manner of motion – and the potential for cognitive differences related to its encoding. When describing motion events, speakers of satellite-framed languages, such as English, have been found to be more likely to encode manner information than are speakers of verb-framed languages, such as Spanish (SLOBIN 2004). Building on this finding, the current study asks whether English speakers also experience lower cognitive costs when accessing manner information than do Spanish speakers. Pushing the connection farther, the study includes a range of manners varying in codability, allowing for a replication of the cross-linguistic correlations between codability and cost as tested within each linguistic population. The findings from both the cross-language comparisons and the within-language comparisons demonstrate a clear connection between codability and cognitive cost, suggesting an influence of language on the thought processes of speakers as they encode the motion events they see.
Plaque Radiotherapy in the Management of Retinoblastoma: Use as a Primary and Secondary Treatment

Background: Radioactive episcleral plaque brachytherapy is a treatment method for selected retinoblastomas. The authors have used this technique since 1976 as both a primary and a secondary treatment method after other methods failed to achieve tumor control. Methods: A review of the records of 400 consecutive children with retinoblastoma showed that solitary plaque radiotherapy was used as a method of management in 103 cases. The authors' overall experience was evaluated, and the results between primary and secondary plaque therapies were compared in these 103 cases. Results: Of the 103 tumors, the mean basal diameter was 7 mm, and the mean thickness was 4 mm. Overlying vitreous seeds were clinically apparent in 50 cases (48%). The mean proximity of the tumor margin to the optic disc margin was 6 mm and to the foveola was 6 mm. The mean follow-up period was 40 months. In 89 cases (86%), the tumor was controlled by one plaque application, whereas in 13 cases (13%), tumor recurrence after initial tumor shrinkage necessitated subsequent treatment. Final visual outcome was good in 63 cases (62%), poor in 30 (29%), enucleation in 9 (9%), and unknown in 1 case. The poor vision was due to foveal retinoblastoma (with or without amblyopia) in 25 cases (83%). Eight of the nine enucleated eyes were treated initially with external beam radiotherapy then later with plaque radiotherapy. In 31 cases (30%), plaque radiotherapy was used as a primary treatment to the tumor, while in 72 cases (70%), it was a secondary form of management after failure of other methods to control the tumor. Statistical analysis showed that tumors treated with plaque radiotherapy as a primary measure were more likely to be larger in base ( P = 0.01) and thickness ( P = 0.01) than secondary treated tumors. The secondary treated retinoblastomas were more likely to have vitreous seeds ( P = 0.02) than the primary treated tumors. The rate of tumor control and patient survival was similar between the two groups. Conclusion: Plaque radiotherapy is very effective in treating selected retinoblastomas with a high rate of tumor control and patient survival. It can be used successfully as a primary or a secondary treatment for tumors that have not been adequately controlled by other therapeutic methods.
Purification and Properties of a β-Aspartyl Peptidase from Escherichia coli

Abstract β-Aspartyl peptidase from Escherichia coli has been purified 110-fold in a four-step procedure. Its molecular weight is estimated at 120,000 by gel filtration. The peptidase appears to be specific for β-aspartyl dipeptides, with maximum activity for β-l-aspartyl-l-leucine. The pH optimum is 7.5, but reactions were carried out at pH 8.0 because stability is even greater at the higher pH. The peptidase does not require metal ions for activation and is not a sulfhydryl enzyme. The apparent Km is 8.1 x 10-4 m for β-aspartylleucine.
Genetic and epigenetic architecture of sex-biased expression in the jewel wasps Nasonia vitripennis and giraulti.

There is extraordinary diversity in sexual dimorphism (SD) among animals, but little is known about its epigenetic basis. To study the epigenetic architecture of SD in a haplodiploid system, we performed RNA-seq and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of adult females and males from two closely related parasitoid wasps, Nasonia vitripennis and Nasonia giraulti. More than 75% of expressed genes displayed significantly sex-biased expression. As a consequence, expression profiles are more similar between species within each sex than between sexes within each species. Furthermore, extremely male- and female-biased genes are enriched for totally different functional categories: male-biased genes for key enzymes in sex-pheromone synthesis and female-biased genes for genes involved in epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Remarkably, just 70 highly expressed, extremely male-biased genes account for 10% of all transcripts in adult males. Unlike expression profiles, DNA methylomes are highly similar between sexes within species, with no consistent sex differences in methylation found. Therefore, methylation changes cannot explain the extensive level of sex-biased gene expression observed. Female-biased genes have smaller sequence divergence between species, higher conservation to other hymenopterans, and a broader expression range across development. Overall, female-biased genes have been recruited from genes with more conserved and broadly expressing “house-keeping” functions, whereas male-biased genes are more recently evolved and are predominately testis specific. In summary, Nasonia accomplish a striking degree of sex-biased expression without sex chromosomes or epigenetic differences in methylation. We propose that methylation provides a general signal for constitutive gene expression, whereas other sex-specific signals cause sex-biased gene expression.
Community-Driven Place Making

Abstract In neighborhoods throughout major American cities, grassroots efforts in community revitalization are reshaping the public processes and institutional framework involving the design and development of public space. Treating the public realm as both a physical space and an expression of relationships between multiple institutions, organizations, and individuals, this study examines the social and political epistemologies and processes behind the creation of a waterfront park in Oakland, California. It also presents a framework of community-driven practice in the making of the public realm, based on converging theories of social movements and planning and a critique of the current participatory design model.
End of the Line?: A Case Study of a Cataloging Department Achieving BIBCO Status

The Cataloging and Metadata Services Department of the Pennsylvania State University Libraries successfully achieved full participation in the Library of Congress’ Monographic Bibliographic Record Cooperative Program of the PCC (BIBCO) in 2010. Reaching this goal means that the catalogers at Penn State are now fully engaged in all of the cooperative cataloging initiatives overseen by the PCC, as well as participating in cooperative quality control efforts for three formats within the OCLC Enhance Program. This article describes the journey toward achieving both BIBCO status and full participation in all cooperative programs and the importance for doing so. It also serves as a means to invite other institutions to take the next steps on their journey toward full participation in cooperative cataloging, or to join us in these important efforts.
Persistence of the smallholder, withering away of the small farmer: Comments on Bhaduri, Rahman and Arn

Bhaduri, Rahman and Arn's article on the persistence of small farms in the April 1986 issue of The Journal of Peasant Studies is reviewed. The article raises a number of critical points for understanding the effects of capitalist penetration of land‐holding patterns in Bangladesh. It is argued that the discussion would benefit from a refined methodological and definitional focus to avoid misrepresenting processes of polarisation. Particular attention in this review is given to a critique of the construction of the land stability ratio and to the conceptualisation and definition of the term ‘small farm’.
the economy of a Lisu village1

I describe the economic inputs and outputs in this Northern Thai hill village in terms of three spheres: subsistence, consumption, and reciprocity. I examine in detail the place of markets for opium, tabor, and consumer goods, and the relations among the three spheres. I develop a set of path models to test certain assertions against statistical data from the village and conclude that the political and social form of the village is in part a consequence of the availability of labor for hire, the market for opium, and the availability of lowland goods. I further conclude that interactions with these markets are shaped by internal ideological and political aspects of the village.
Adjuvanticity of an IL-12 fusion protein expressed by recombinant ΔG-vesicular stomatitis virus

The remarkable immunomodulatory and adjuvant properties of rIL-12 have been well described. Many early studies documenting the adjuvanticity of IL-12 were performed using the murine model of Listeria monocytogenes infection. In this report, we describe the construction of an attenuated recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV-deltaG) that encodes a single-chain IL-12 fusion protein (IL-12F), and the use of this virus as an expression vector to produce large quantities of IL-12F. VSV-expressed IL-12F (vIL-12F) was then co-administered to mice along with a poorly immunogenic listerial antigen preparation as a vaccine regimen and the resulting immune responses were monitored. The vIL-12F was found to have adjuvant properties similar to those observed for rIL-12. Co-administration of vIL-12F and listerial antigen elicited powerful cell-mediated immune responses that conferred long-lived protective listerial immunity. These studies demonstrated that VSVdeltaG-IL12F-infected cells secrete bioactive single-chain IL-12, and laid the foundation for studies using VSVdeltaG-IL12F as a vector for delivery of IL-12F in vivo.
Failure of effective insemination of young female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

Abstract Female Aedes aegypti mated somewhat less readily at 1 day than at several days after ecdysis and retained genital contact more briefly. Semen was generally present in the genital atrium after mating but was absent from the copulatory bursa of the younger females. Such young females frequently became separated from the males when frozen during mating, but when contact was retained the bursae were usually filled. Bursae of 5-day-old females were more distended during mating than were those of females at 1 day of age and this may have been due to a change in the physical properties of the seminal mass. A clear fluid which accumulated in the bursa during the second day after ecdysis appeared to be responsible for this change. Previously mated females resembled day-old females in each of these traits. These observations demonstrated that females were inseminated during mating regardless of age or mating status but that only mature females, mated for the first time, retained semen effectively.
Rett syndrome deserves your attention

Excitement was generated by the recent report from Guy and colleagues regarding the potential for reversing the devastating consequences of Rett syndrome (RS) [1]. Guy and her colleagues successfully engineered a mouse model of RS, allowing them to activate the responsible gene, methylCpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2), once the mice had developed features associated with the absence of this gene. Their findings support the notion that RS could be reversible in affected girls and women and should stimulate additional efforts to identify fundamental treatment strategies. As such, now more than ever, RS deserves your attention. Despite significant clinical and neurobiologic advances in recent years, physicians, related healthcare professionals and educators remain relatively uninformed about RS. This commentary is designed to alert the neurologic community to the critical need for timely diagnosis and relevant intervention strategies for this unique disorder.
Comparing phonation threshold flow and pressure by abducting excised larynges.

Objectives/Hypothesis: This experiment studied a new aerodynamic parameter, phonation threshold flow, along with phonation threshold pressure, by varying prephonatory glottal width in canine larynges ex vivo. Goals were to examine phonation threshold flow as a measurable parameter sensitive to physiologic changes in the vocal folds and compare the relative sensitivities of phonation threshold flow and phonation threshold pressure. Methods: Ten excised canine larynges were tested on a bench apparatus for subglottal pressure and airflow at phonation onset. Metal shims simulated abduction levels ranging from 0.0 to 4.0 mm. For each glottal configuration, airflow through the larynx was increased until the vocal folds began vibrating, and onset airflow and pressures were recorded. Results: One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) found significant differences in the aggregate phonation threshold flow means over the latter portion of the width domain (1.0–4.0 mm). Phonation threshold flow increased as posterior glottal width increased and was modeled linearly. One-way ANOVA of phonation threshold pressure means was insignificant, with a P value of .941. Conclusion: Results showed phonation threshold flow to be more sensitive to posterior glottal width changes than phonation threshold pressure. Therefore, phonation threshold flow could be a more effective indicator than phonation threshold pressure for those vocal diseases related to abduction.
Reflective interaction in secondary classrooms: An impetus for enhanced learning

Abstract Secondary teachers are confronted with complex societal and educational issues. Instructional approaches should reflect the diversity and the contributions that each student makes to the learning environment. Problems outside the school setting such as drug abuse, teen pregnancy, and gang membership along with students’ reading abilities and willingness to cooperate in their learning are factors that make lesson planning a complex endeavor. Yet the unique community of learners in secondary classrooms is an arena from which teacher and students can work together to discover what learning strategies and conditions offer the best environment for learning content material. The purpose of this paper is to examine the research regarding reflective interaction between teachers and students in the context of secondary literacy instruction. Another purpose is to propose a conceptual framework for reflective action that secondary teachers can use to design instruction and enhance learning within each class...
Local excision of stratified T1 rectal cancer

Abstract Background Local excision has been accepted therapy for T1 rectal cancers. A recent study demonstrated that primary tumors with deeper submucosal invasion were associated with a higher rate of lymph node metastases than those with shallow invasion. Our aim was to determine the effect of the depth of submucosal penetration on recurrence and mortality rates following transrectal excision of T1 tumors. Methods This was a 34-year retrospective review of patients who had transrectal excision with clear margins for T1 rectal cancer. Tumors were stratified into submucosal (SM) levels, and recurrence and mortality rates were determined. Results Of 101 patients with T1 rectal cancer undergoing local excision, 31 had a full-thickness transrectal excision. Eight (26%) of the 31 patients developed a local recurrence, 2 of whom had both a local and distant recurrence. Four patients (13%) died from metastatic rectal cancer. Conclusions The recurrence rate for transrectal excision of T1 rectal cancer is high. It may be beneficial for patients with early rectal cancer to have postoperative chemoradiation therapy or a more radical surgical procedure.
Stress in electrodeposited CoFe alloy films

Abstract CoFe alloys with 50–70% Fe have the highest magnetic moment of 2.4 T. There have been numerous research and development studies dedicated to achieving 2.4 T soft magnetic films by electrodepositing CoFe and CoFeNi alloys. The high tensile stress of the electrodeposited high moment films is one of the key causes slowing down the implementation of CoFe alloys. There have been few reported studies on the structure and stress evolution during the deposition of CoFe film either by vacuum processes or solution processes. This work reports on the preliminary finding related to the tensile stress in electrodeposited CoFe films as a function of grain size, alloy composition, and other deposition parameters. The residual tensile stress was found to increase with decreasing grain size in the film, which was accompanied by the increase of iron content in the films. Pulse plating study demonstrated to have little effect on film stress. Solution temperature was found to be highly effective in reducing tensile stress in the film, which is speculated to be attributed to the increased grain size from elevated deposition temperatures.
Passively Q-switched transverse-diode-pumped Nd(3+):YLF laser oscillator.

The design and performance of a diode-pumped Nd3+:YLF laser oscillator is described. A simple transverse-pump geometry in which a lensing duct efficiently couples the two-dimensional diode-pump array radiation to the YLF rod is employed. Using a color-center LiF crystal as a passive Q switch, we have produced burst-mode pulse trains that have a total energy of 115 mJ at a 30-Hz pulse-repetition frequency. The Q-switched pulse-train energy is 71% of the optimized free-lasing pulse energy, which is 163 mJ. Using an unstable cavity with a graded-reflectivity output coupler, we have generated Q-switched pulses that have 12-ns duration and near-diffraction-limited spatial profiles.
Pedicle skin flaps in ponies: viable length is related to flap width

The relationship between pedicle flap width and viable length was characterised for skin flaps of the flank in ponies. Four dorsally based, pedicle type skin flaps of 20 cm in length and 3, 6, 9 or 12 cm in width were created in a random sequence on one flank in each of 10 ponies. Flap survival length was assessed by skin texture and appearance, depilation of hair and wound healing at 14 days after surgery. There was considerable variation between animals in the viable length of flaps of the same width; however, a significant difference in the viable length of flaps of different widths was detected (P = 0.002). The viable length of the 3 cm flaps was significantly different from that of the 12 cm flaps (9.69 +/- 1.1 cm vs 12.97 +/- 1.0 cm, mean +/- se P less than 0.05). There was a positive correlation between flap width and viable length (r2 = 0.141, P = 0.017). There was no effect of flap order (cranial to caudal positioning relative to the other flaps) on viable length (P = 0.286). The results of this study demonstrate a significant relationship between flap width and viable length, confirming a previously unsupported assumption that flap width and viable length are related. These findings suggest that the clinician should employ broad pedicles when using local flaps to reconstruct skin defects on the flank of the horse.
Increasing Nursing Treatment for Pediatric Procedural Pain

Procedural pain management is an underused practice in children. Despite the availability of efficacious treatments, many nurses do not provide adequate analgesia for painful interventions. Complementary therapies and nonpharmacologic interventions are additionally essential to managing pain. Owing to the increasing awareness of inadequate nursing utilization of pharmacologic measures for procedural pain, this paper focuses only on analgesic treatments. The aim of this review was to examine how varying degrees of quality improvement affect nursing utilization of treatments for routine pediatric procedural pain. A comprehensive search of databases including Cinahl, Medline/Pubmed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Psycinfo, and Cochrane Library was performed. Sixty-two peer-reviewed research articles were examined. Ten articles focusing on quality improvement in pediatric pain management published in English from 2001 to 2011 were included. Three themes emerged: 1) increasing nursing knowledge; 2) nursing empowerment; and 3) protocol implementation. Research critique was completed with the use of guidelines and recommendations from Creswell (2009) and Garrard (2011). The literature reveals that nurses still think that pediatric pain management is essential. Quality improvement increases nursing utilization of procedural pain treatments. Although increasing nursing knowledge improves pediatric pain management, it appears that nursing empowerment and protocol implementation increase nursing compliance more than just education alone. Nurses providing pain management can enhance their individual practice with quality improvement measures that may increase nursing adherence to institutional and nationally recommended pediatric procedural pain management guidelines.
Subcutaneous brow lift with precise suture fixation and advancement.

Background: Current aesthetic literature reflects a renewed interest in the subcutaneous brow lift. The authors believe that this trend is based on the principle that the most direct approach to elevating the brows is subcutaneous dissection with skin advancement. Furthermore, the addition of progressive tension sutures (PTSs) to the subcutaneous brow lift permits precise fixation of brow position, controlled advancement of the forehead flap, and elimination of dead space. Objective: The authors report on the use of active suture fixation of the brow and advancement of the forehead flap to accomplish a precise, effective, and sustained brow elevation. Methods: Dissection was carried down to the frontalis muscle with a reversed bevel incision. Corrugator resection was performed by incising the galea transversely in the glabellar region and then identifying, isolating, and resecting the muscle. The first PTS was placed to secure the midline subcutaneous tissue to the superior edge of the transected galea. Then a PTS was placed from the subcutaneous tissue or deep dermis of the flap deep to the anticipated brow peak. The brow was anchored in an elevated position with additional PTS placed medially and laterally. Results: A consecutive series of 80 patients underwent the described procedure, with average follow-up of 13.5 months. One case of transient epidermolysis occurred, resulting in a small area of partial alopecia. Three patients had extruding sutures. Upper eyelid excision was required in 5 patients, and in 1 patient unilateral revision was performed to improve symmetry. Conclusions: This approach simplifies the forehead lift and allows the surgeon to directly and precisely control the position of the brows, while shortening convalescence and reducing complications.
Activation of Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase (CaM-kinase) IV by CaM-kinase Kinase in Jurkat T Lymphocytes (∗)

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CaM-kinase IV), a member of the CaM-kinase family involved in transcriptional regulation, is stimulated by Ca2+/CaM but also requires phosphorylation by a CaM-kinase kinase for full activation. In this study we investigated the physiological role of a CaM-kinase cascade in Jurkat T human lymphocytes through antigen receptor (CD3) signaling. Total and Ca2+-independent CaM-kinase IV activities were increased 8-14-fold by anti-CD3 antibody. This CD3-mediated activation involved phosphorylation since the immunoprecipitated CaM-kinase IV from stimulated Jurkat cells could be subsequently inactivated in vitro by protein phosphatase 2A. CaM-kinase IV immunoprecipitated from unstimulated Jurkat cells or CD3-negative mutant Jurkat cells could be activated in vitro 10-40-fold by CaM-kinase kinase purified from rat brain or thymus, whereas CaM-kinase IV from CD3-stimulated wild-type Jurkat cells was only activated to 2-3-fold by exogenous CaM-kinase kinase. CaM-kinase IV activation was triggered by Ca2+ acting through calmodulin since activation could also be elicited by ionomycin treatment, and CD3-mediated activation was blocked by the calmodulin antagonist calmidazolium. These data are consistent with a CaM-kinase cascade in which CaM-kinase IV is activated by a CaM-kinase kinase cascade triggered by elevated intracellular calcium in Jurkat cells.
Explaining Commitment: States and the Convention against Torture

Why do states commit to international human rights treaties that may limit state sovereignty? Existing arguments focus on either the fear of domestic democratic instability or on international norms. We focus instead on the variation in three kinds of costs that states must pay to commit: policy change, unintended consequences, and limited flexibility. We use a discrete time-duration model to test all of these explanations on state commitment to the international Convention Against Torture, one of the most important international human rights treaties. We find strong evidence for the importance of norms and all three types of costs, but no evidence supporting state desires to lock in the benefits of democracy in the face of domestic democratic instability.
Angiosperm-like pollen from the ammonite-dated Oxfordian (Upper Jurassic) of France

Abstract Two species of angiosperm-like pollen are described from an outcrop of lower Oxfordian Oxford Clay at Normandy, France. An Oxfordian age is established by ammonites (Quenstedtoceras mariae zone) and substantiated by associated age-diagnostic dinoflagellates. The angiosperm-like taxa are determined to be in place by their state of preservation and unique morphology. The more abundant taxon, Stellatopollis pocockii n. sp., closely resembles the pollen of extant Lilium bulbiferum in size and sculpture, but also closely resembles similar but smaller pollen found in the Lower Cretaceous. Stellatopollis Doyle 1975 is emended to include a wider range of Early Cretaceous reticulate monosulcate grains with crotonoid sculpture. A diporate species, Multimarginites sp. A, closely resembling the pollen of extant Bravaisia and Sanchezia (Acanthaceae) in size and sculpture is described and compared to a similar morphotype (Cornetipollis) from the late Triassic Richmond basin of Virginia The genus Multimarginites Germeraad, Hopping et Muller 1968 is emended as di- or triporate and polyplicate, since its multimarginate “colpi” are non-apertural harmomegathic furrows. The significance of these unusual pollen types in pre-Barremian strata is discussed and they are placed in perspective with angiosperm-like pollen and megafossils from the Late Triassic of North America. The new combination Carollina chateaunovii (Reyre) nov. com. was made.
Changes in RNA metabolism and accumulation of presumptive messenger RNA during transition from the growing to the quiescent state of cultured mouse fibroblasts.

Abstract Mouse fibroblasts maintained in tissue culture regulate total protein and ribosomal RNA synthesis co-ordinately with changes in the cellular growth state. Here we show that changes in the rate of synthesis of nuclear non-polyadenylic acid-containing RNA and the rate of accumulation and breakdown of cytoplasmic ribosomal RNA also accompany the transition from the resting to the growing cellular growth state, while the rate of synthesis of nuclear poly (A)-containing RNA and the rates of accumulation and breakdown of cytoplasmic poly(A) containing RNA (presumptive messenger RNA) are, however, only marginally changed. The small net increase (20% to 30%) in the amount of presumptive mRNA is considerably less than the observed increase in protein synthesis (two to threefold) during this transition. We also isolated and characterized extra-polysomal poly(A)-containing ribonucleoprotein particles from quiescent cultures that were similar to those particles obtained by treatment of polyribosomes with EDTA. These experiments suggest that the early increase in protein synthetic activity when quiescent, cultured cells are induced to grow is partially caused by an increased attachment of pre-existing mRNA molecules to free ribosomes.
Epidemiological trends in electronic cigarette exposures reported to U.S. Poison Centers

AbstractContext. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported an increase in electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use in both adults and adolescents. Poison Center calls provide data on exposures pertaining to e-cigarette devices and components (including nicotine-refill cartridges), potentially identifying epidemiological trends in reported exposures over time. Objective. To characterize the trends in e-cigarette exposures reported to United States (U.S.) Poison Centers between 01 June 2010 and 30 September 2013. Methods. We obtained data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) for all exposures involving e-cigarettes reported to the National Poison Data System (NPDS) by U.S. Poison Centers and described trends in exposures over time, demographics, geographical characteristics, clinical effects and outcomes, management site, and exposure route. Results. A total of 1,700 exposures were reported to Poison Centers during this time. The most frequent age groups were...
Reversibility of β-Amyloid Self-Assembly: Effects of pH and Added Salts Assessed by Fluorescence Photobleaching Recovery

The 40-residue peptide isoform β-amyloid (Aβ1−40) is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Although found in the tangles and fibrous mats that characterize the brain in advanced stages of the disease, the toxic form of Aβ is believed to be oligomers or “protofibrils”. Characterization of these fairly small structures in solution, especially in the presence of the much larger assemblies they also form, is a daunting task. Additionally, little is known about the rate of Aβ assembly or whether it can be triggered easily. Perhaps most importantly, the conditions for reversing assembly are not fully understood. Fluorescence photobleaching with modulation detection of the recovery profile is a sensitive and materials-efficient way to measure diffusers over a wide range of hydrodynamic sizes. The method does require attachment of a fluorescent label. Experiments to validate the use of 5-carboxyfluorescein-labeled Aβ(1−40) as a representative of the unlabeled, naturally occurring material included variation of pho...
Rapid low temperature hydrolysis of starch to sugars in maple stems and in maple tissue cultures

Abstract Maple stem and root tissues have been grown in sterile cultures as undifferentiated callus. This material is easily manipulated and is well suited for laboratory experiments. A decrease of 40% in the starch content of the tissue culture cells in 48 hr at 4 °C has been demonstrated, as compared with the controls at 27 °C. No decrease in the starch content of the tissue culture cells was observed after 48 hr at 3 °C, as compared with the controls at 27 °C. The starch content of the tissue culture cells is similar to that found in the tissues of trees in nature. Day-to-day changes in the starch content of trees in nature do not correlate well with the average daily temperature. Low temperatures in the laboratory induce starch hydrolysis in the starch-glucose, fructose, sucrose system in the maple tissue culture cells.
Expression of eukaryotic translation initiation factors 4E and 2α is increased frequently in bronchioloalveolar but not in squamous cell carcinomas of the lung

BACKGROUND When resting cells are stimulated by growth factors, an increase in protein synthesis follows that depends in part on two key eukaryotic translation initiation factors, 4E and 2α (eIF-4E and eIF-2α, respectively). In the normal cell, expression and activity of both factors are increased transiently, whereas they become elevated constitutively in oncogene-transformed cultured cells, and overexpression of either initiation factor in rodent cells makes them tumorigenic. In this study, the authors investigated an association between the expression of these translation initiation factors and lung carcinogenesis. METHODS The authors analyzed the expression of the protein synthesis initiation factors eIF-4E and eIF-2α by immunohistochemistry in bronchioloalveolar (BA) and squamous cell (SC) carcinomas of the lung. Western blot analysis was performed to validate the specificity of antibodies in detecting their cognate proteins. RESULTS Both eIF-4E and eIF-2α were increased frequently in BA carcinomas, whereas only rarely did SC carcinomas demonstrate elevation of these translation initiation factors. An analysis of cyclin D1 expression did not show a strict correlation with the expression of eIF-4E and eIF-2α. CONCLUSIONS Increased expression of either one or both translation initiation factors may facilitate accelerated growth and division of neoplastic cells in BA carcinoma of the lung. However, the current findings suggest a possibility that increased cell growth and proliferation in SC carcinoma may be achieved through a mechanism independent of increases in eIF-4E and eIF-2α expression. Cancer 2001;92:2164–71. © 2001 American Cancer Society.
TU-C-BRB-04: Development of a GPU-Based KV CT/CBCT Dose Calculation Package

Purpose: The rapid evolution of x‐ray Computed Tomography(CT) technology has led to tremendous benefits, as well as a serious concern about the excessive radiation doses. To quantify the patient‐specific risk from CT scans, fast and accurate dose calculation is a prerequisite. The goal of this work is to develop a GPU‐based Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculation package, gCTD, to assess radiation dose received by a patient in CT/CBCT scans.Methods: We have developed the MC dose calculation code on GPU architecture under CUDA platform. Photon cross section data of various interaction types in kV energy range are obtained from PENELOPE database. Woodcock transport technique is used for simulating photon transport without voxel boundary crossing. Electrons are not explicitly simulated, due to their small range (less than voxel size) in the kV energy region. During the simulation, a large number of GPU threads are launched and each of them is simulating one photon transport. High performance random number generator and hardware linear interpolation of cross section data are utilized. Source energy spectrum and fluence map after a bowtie filter are also modeled. The developed gCTD package is tested using an NCAT digital phantom and a realistic head‐and‐neck cancer patient under a CBCT scan. Results: With one billion source photons simulated, the average relative uncertainty is 0.47∼0.67% in high dose region where the dose is above 30% of the maximum dose. High computation efficiency has been achieved on an NVIDIA Tesla C2050 GPU card, such that the computation can be finished in 58∼128 sec depending on the voxel size. Conclusions: The developed gCTD package has achieved high computation efficiency on GPU for the computation of radiation dose received by a patient in a CT/CBCT scan. Clinical implementation of such a package will facilitate the patient‐specific CT dose monitoring and management. This work is supported in part by the University of California Lab Fees Research Program. GPU cards are partly provided by NVIDIA.
Hybrid Intraoperative Pulmonary Artery Stent Placement for Congenital Heart Disease

Percutaneous branch pulmonary artery (PA) stenting can be challenging, especially in patients with stenosis of the right ventricular (RV) outflow tract or tortuous PA branches. In these cases, a hybrid procedure deploying PA stent(s) during cardiac surgery provides an alternative to relieve branch PA stenosis. The Mayo Clinic Congenital Cardiac surgical database was used to identify all patients having hybrid PA stent procedures. Retrospective analysis of clinical data, procedural details, and outcomes was performed. Between January 1997 and November 2006, 24 patients (15 females), median age 15 years (range 3 to 67 years), had hybrid PA stent procedures. A total of 27 stents were deployed. A left PA stent was placed in 13, right PA stent in 8; 3 patients had bilateral PA stents. Primary cardiac diagnoses were pulmonary atresia (9), tetralogy of Fallot (7), tricuspid atresia (2), and others (6). Maximum balloon diameters ranged from 8 to 16 mm (median = 12 mm). Concomitant surgical procedures performed were RV to PA conduit replacement or RV outflow tract reconstruction (14), pulmonary valve replacement (7), and others (3). Two procedures were performed following complications of percutaneous procedure. There were no deaths or PA damage. There were 2 cases of distal stent migration. Repeat stent dilations within 6 months were performed in 3 patients. In conclusion, hybrid PA stenting can play an important role in the management of congenital heart disease with complex branch PA anatomy. It also can be used as an emergency rescue procedure following complications of percutaneous transcatheter procedures, such as stent embolization. Hybrid procedures were safe and effective in most patients, although stent positioning remains critical. Intraoperative fluoroscopy and active suture fixation of the proximal stent may reduce the need for late reintervention.
PROMIS(®) pediatric self-report scales distinguish subgroups of children within and across six common pediatric chronic health conditions

To conduct a comparative analysis of eight pediatric self-report scales for ages 8–17 years from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) in six pediatric chronic health conditions, using indicators of disease severity. Pediatric patients (N = 1454) with asthma, cancer, chronic kidney disease, obesity, rheumatic disease, and sickle cell disease completed items from the PROMIS pediatric mobility, upper extremity functioning, depressive symptoms, anxiety, anger, peer relationships, pain interference, and fatigue self-report scales. Comparisons within the six pediatric chronic health conditions were conducted by examining differences in groups based on the disease severity using markers of severity that were specific to characteristics of each disease. A comparison was also made across diseases between children who had been recently hospitalized and those who had not. In general, there were differences in self-reported health outcomes within each chronic health condition, with patients who had higher disease severity showing worse outcomes. Across health conditions, when children with recent hospitalizations were compared with those who had not been hospitalized in the past 6 months, we found significant differences in the expected directions for all PROMIS domains, except anger. PROMIS measures discriminate between different clinically meaningful subgroups within several chronic illnesses. Further research is needed to determine the responsiveness of the PROMIS pediatric scales to change over time.
A Late Woodland red ocher burial cache from Madison County, Ohio

An isolated human burial was discovered on a private property in Madison County, Ohio in the spring of 2009. The remains were recovered by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations and sent to The...