cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
N,N-dimethylacetamide regulates the proinflammatory response associated with endotoxin and prevents preterm birth.

The proinflammatory response leads to various types of pathologic pathways, including the development of preterm birth. Preterm birth occurs in 12% of deliveries in the United States and causes more than 70% of perinatal morbidity and mortality. The most common cause of spontaneous preterm birth is intrauterine infection in the mother. There is accumulating evidence indicating that the release of proinflammatory cytokines plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of inflammation-associated premature delivery. We found that the common organic solvent, N , N -dimethylacetamide (DMA), prevents endotoxin-induced preterm birth in timed pregnant C57BL/6 embryonic day (E)15.5 mice and rescues their pups from spontaneous abortion at doses many-fold lower than those currently used clinically and in a dose-dependent fashion. We also provide histologic evidence that DMA suppresses the endotoxin-triggered proinflammatory response by significantly attenuating inflammatory cell infiltration of placental tissue. Furthermore, immunoblotting analysis of placental tissue harvested from our murine models revealed DMA-mediated regulation of expression of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor α, and IL-6, and increased expression of the regulatory inflammatory cytokine IL-10. By using in vitro studies, we provide evidence that DMA suppresses macrophage function and that this small molecule prevents nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kB. These results suggest that DMA represents a newly discovered, nontoxic therapy for a broad range of inflammatory disorders.
Black cat got your tongue?: Catwoman, blackness, and the alchemy of postracialism

This article explores the character Catwoman in the comic book Batman, the graphic novel Catwoman, and in her many media re-incarnations on television and in popular films. I examine the racialization, de-racialization, and sexual representation of the character Catwoman, while casting attention to how race – specifically Blackness – as well as sexuality and gender shapes production, perception, and interest among a wide variety of fans. In her television and feature film premier from the mid-twentieth century to the twenty-first century, I argue that Catwoman became a dubious mixture of 1960s civil rights protest, racial inclusion, and post-racial cultural politics. My analysis of Catwoman thereby provides an understanding of the impact gender, race, and sexuality has on production and consumption, and I aim to intervene in studies on comic book and graphic novel fandom where a female character's racial fluidity has yet to enter the scholarly discourse on comic books.
The Role of Community Nurture in Adolescent Interest in College Attendance

adolescent depression conducted in a convenience sample of community pediatric offices with access to integrated behavioral health services. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded for key themes. Interview questions addressed parental barriers to uptake of care for depression within an integrated behavioral health system. Results: Several key themes emerged from the interviews. PCPs thought parental barriers were more salient to accessing care than teen barriers. Parents were seen as responsible for prioritizing depression care for the teen, and without this, teens would not have the means (e.g. transportation, finances, parental social support, etc.) to obtain care. PCPs reported some parents refused to accept the diagnosis, instead telling the child, especially boys, to deal with their problems on their own e even refusing care after the PCP, in a private conversation with the parent, exhorted the importance of treatment. One PCP described, “I’ve had parents look at me straight in the eye and be like, ‘No. They’re fine. See you later.’” PCPs described some parents who had difficulty identifying the presence of depressive symptoms and others who would attribute symptoms to normal adolescence or a situation such as a divorce. Some PCPs expressed frustration at parental skepticism about treatment. Other barriers identified by PCPs included parental inability to access care due to work requirements, lack of support, feeling overwhelmed, or having “chaotic” home situations including family discord or violence. PCPs often equated structural barriers like transportation with a parent not prioritizing care. PCPs contrasted this with examples of good family support they believed would enable adolescents to attend follow-up appointments and have a “life coach” at home who could help with monitoring for side effects and watching for increased suicidality when starting antidepressants. Conclusions: PCPs working in an environment with integrated behavioral health services reported that when adolescents do not access care it is often due to parental barriers. PCPs commonly noted attitudinal barriers such as not accepting the diagnosis and attributing symptoms to part of normal adolescent development as well as skepticism about treatment. PCPs believe these negative attitudes may also explain purported underlying structural barriers. Interventions which assist PCPs in eliciting and addressing parental barriers are needed to improve the uptake of adolescent depression care. Sources of Support: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality T32HS019486-01.
Repetition Suppression for Spoken Sentences and the Effect of Task Demands

We examined whether the repeated processing of spoken sentences is accompanied by reduced bold oxygenation level-dependent response (repetition suppression) in regions implicated in sentence comprehension and whether the magnitude of such suppression depends on the task under which the sentences are comprehended or on the complexity of the sentences. We found that sentence repetition was associated with repetition suppression in temporal regions, independent of whether participants judged the sensibility of the statements or listened to the statements passively. In contrast, repetition suppression in inferior frontal regions was found only in the context of the task demanding active judgment. These results suggest that repetition suppression in temporal regions reflects facilitation of sentence comprehension processing per se, whereas in frontal regions it reflects, at least in part, easier execution of specific psycholinguistic judgments.
A multiplex PCR method for the identification of commercially important salmon and trout species (Oncorhynchus and Salmo) in North America.

The purpose of this study was to develop a species-specific multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method that allows for the detection of salmon species substitution on the commercial market. Species-specific primers and TaqMan R � probes were developed based on a comprehensive collection of mitochondrial 5 � cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) "barcode" sequences. Primers and probes were combined into multiplex assays and tested for specificity against 112 reference samples representing 25 species. Sensitivity and linearity tests were conducted using 10-fold serial dilutions of target DNA (single-species samples) and DNA admixtures containing the target species at levels of 10%, 1.0%, and 0.1% mixed with a secondary species. The specificity tests showed positive signals for the target DNA in both real-time and conventional PCR systems. Nonspecific amplification in both systems was minimal; however, false positives were detected at low levels (1.2% to 8.3%) in conventional PCR. Detection levels were similar for admixtures and single-species samples based on a 30 PCR cycle cut-off, with limits of 0.25 to 2.5 ng (1% to 10%) in conventional PCR and 0.05 to 5.0 ng (0.1% to 10%) in real-time PCR. A small-scale test with food samples showed promising results, with species identification possible even in heavily processed food items. Overall, this study presents a rapid, specific, and sensitive method for salmon species identification that can be applied to mixed-species and heavily processed samples in either conventional or real-time PCR formats.
SOURCE OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF SOYBEANS AND SOY PRODUCTS

Soybeans, defatted soy flour, soy protein concentrates, and soy isolates possess appreciable antioxidant activity in lipid-aqueous systems. The antioxidant properties of soybeans, defatted soy flour, and soy protein concentrates are due primarily to polyphenolic compounds. Antioxidant activity of soy protein isolates are also due to polyphenolic compounds but other compounds also exert a marked antioxidant effect. Polyphenolic antioxidants of soy were found to be isoflavones, chlorogenic acid isomers, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid. These compounds occurred primarily as glycosides. The isoflavone aglycones were identified as genistein (5,7,4′-trihydroxyisoflavone), daidzein (7,4′-dihydroxyisoflavone), and glycitein (7,4′-dihydroxyd-methoxyisoflavone. The compounds have antioxidant activity but not to the same extent as flavonoids with the dihydroxy configuration in either the α or β ring.
Fast fade-out operation on MPEG video

This paper presents an algorithm for DC-only fade-out operation on MPEG compressed video. The operation has no restriction on picture coding type (I, P or B) or GOP structure. The fade-out process can start at any frame and end at any frame. The DC-only approach assures an independent processing of the frames regardless of the coding dependencies among them. We take advantage of the temporal dependencies inherited from MPEG sequence to process the MPEG stream sequentially. An error-correction scheme is proposed to cope with the accumulated fade-out error due to adaptive quantization employed by MPEG. We also discuss syntax manipulations required to perform the fade-out operation directly in the MPEG domain. Real time fade-out can be achieved.
Deficient DNA damage signaling leads to chemoresistance to cisplatin in oral cancer

Activation of the cellular DNA damage response (DDR) is an important determinant of cell sensitivity to cisplatin and other chemotherapeutic drugs that eliminate tumor cells through induction of DNA damage. It is therefore important to investigate whether alterations of the DNA damage signaling pathway confer chemoresistance in cancer cells, and whether pharmacological manipulation of the DDR pathway can re-sensitize these cells to cancer therapy. In a panel of oral/laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell lines, we observed deficiencies in DNA damage signaling in correlation with cisplatin-resistance, but not with DNA repair. These deficiencies are consistent with reduced expression of components of the ATM-dependent signaling pathway and, in particular, strong up-regulation of Wip1, a negative regulator of the ATM pathway. Wip1 knockdown or inhibition enhanced DNA damage signaling and re-sensitized oral SCC cells to cisplatin. In contrast to the previously reported involvement of Wip1 in cancer, Wip1 up-regulation and function in these SCC cells is independent of p53. Finally, using xenograft tumor models, we demonstrated that Wip1 up-regulation promotes tumorigenesis and its inhibition improves the tumor response to cisplatin. Thus, this study reveals that chemoresistance in oral SCCs is partially attributed to deficiencies in DNA damage signaling, and Wip1 is an effective drug target for enhanced cancer therapy.
β-Cell Deficit Due to Increased Apoptosis in the Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide Transgenic (HIP) Rat Recapitulates the Metabolic Defects Present in Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by defects in insulin secretion and action and is preceded by impaired fasting glucose (IFG). The islet anatomy in IFG and type 2 diabetes reveals an ∼50 and 65% deficit in β-cell mass, with increased β-cell apoptosis and islet amyloid derived from islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). Defects in insulin action include both hepatic and extrahepatic insulin resistance. The relationship between changes in β-cell mass, β-cell function, and insulin action leading to type 2 diabetes are unresolved, in part because it is not possible to measure β-cell mass in vivo, and most available animal models do not recapitulate the islet pathology in type 2 diabetes. We evaluated the HIP rat, a human IAPP transgenic rat model that develops islet pathology comparable to humans with type 2 diabetes, at age 2 months (nondiabetic), 5 months (with IFG), and 10 months (with diabetes) to prospectively examine the relationship between changes in islet morphology versus insulin secretion and action. We report that increased β-cell apoptosis and impaired first-phase insulin secretion precede the development of IFG, which coincides with an ∼50% defect in β-cell mass and onset of hepatic insulin resistance. Diabetes was characterized by ∼70% deficit in β-cell mass, progressive hepatic and extrahepatic insulin resistance, and hyperglucagonemia. We conclude that IAPP-induced β-cell apoptosis causes defects in insulin secretion and β-cell mass that lead first to hepatic insulin resistance and IFG and then to extrahepatic insulin resistance, hyperglucagonemia, and diabetes. We conclude that a specific β-cell defect can recapitulate the metabolic phenotype of type 2 diabetes and note that insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes may at least in part be secondary to β-cell failure.
Effects of Phosphonic Acid Analogues of Glycerol-3-Phosphate on the Growth of Escherichia coli: Phospholipid Metabolism

Abstract The effects of glycerol-3-phosphate, 3,4-dihydroxybutyl-1-phosphonate, and 2,3-dihydroxypropyl-1-phosphonate on the metabolism of Escherichia coli strains 8 and 1908 were determined. These strains lack the membrane-bound glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and are constitutive for the glycerol-3-phosphate transport system. Such cells were more sensitive to growth inhibition by the four-carbon phosphonate than by glycerol-3-phosphate. The three-carbon phosphonate did not appear to inhibit cell growth. The incorporation of labeled precursors of lipid, protein, ribonucleic acid, or deoxyribonucleic acid into bacterial cells was measured in the presence of either glycerol-3-phosphate or one of its phosphonic acid analogues. The phosphonic acid analogues inhibited the uptake of labeled acetate into the lipid fraction to the greatest extent. The incorporation of [33P]PO4 into phospholipids was strongly inhibited by 3,4-dihydroxybutyl-1-phosphonate but was only slightly affected by 2,3-dihydroxypropyl-1-phosphonate. Glycerol-3-phosphate inhibited the incorporation of labeled uracil to the greatest extent during the first 20 min; however, this effect was largely reversed after 90 min. Only 3,4-dihydroxybutyl-1-phosphonate altered the distribution of labeled acetate into the phospholipids of strain 8, decreasing the percentage of counts in the phosphatidylglycerol fraction. The three-carbon phosphonate probably alters acetate incorporation by affecting the acetyl-coenzyme A pool, whereas the 3,4-dihydroxybutyl-1-phosphonate has a definite effect upon phospholipid metabolism. It is suggested that l-glycerol-3-phosphate:cytidine monophosphate phosphatidyltransferase is the probable site of action.
Piston Stokes flow in a semi-infinite channel

Abstract The piston flow is bounded by rigid walls at y =±1, x >0 and generated by the uniform translation of the end wall x =0. After Katopodes, Davis and Stone [3] constructed a solution in terms of biorthogonal eigenfunctions, Meleshko and Krasnopolskaya [1] used a variation of an asymptotic technique developed by Meleshko and Gomilko [2] to examine the pointwise convergence of the non-orthogonal series. However, they overlooked the nonuniqueness of their solution and the consequent solvability condition which is shown here to necessitate a minor modification without significant harm to their contribution. To cite this article: A.M.J. Davis, C. R. Mecanique 330 (2002) 457–459.
Physical activity intensity and cardiovascular risk by ankle–brachial index

A low ankle-brachial index (ABI) is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events and mortality. Physical inactivity in individuals with a low ABI may further increase their risk for cardiovascular events. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the intensity of free-living physical activity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by ABI status. During 2003-2004, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey included an accelerometer module and collected ABI data. Individuals were classified as having a normal (1-1.4) or low (< 1) ABI. The Framingham risk score (FRS) was used to determine CVD risk. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the association of total accelerometer counts and time spent at various physical activity intensity levels with FRS by ABI groups. Individuals with a low ABI spent less time engaging in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) (9.1 min/day vs 13.2 min/day; p = 0.06) when compared to those with a normal ABI. There were no differences in light intensity physical activity (LPA) or sedentary behavior between ABI groups. Total accelerometer counts were inversely related to FRS. MVPA, but not LPA, was inversely related to FRS in both normal and low ABI groups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, these findings suggest that even modestly higher levels of physical activity may be beneficial for secondary risk prevention in this high-risk group.
Lost: One Gene Concept. Reward to Finder

Molecular and developmental biology are increasingly central topics for philosophy of biology and the concept of the gene is at the heart of these disciplines. In this collection, the outcome of two workshops at Berlin’s Max Plank Institute for the History of Science, some well-known philosophers and historians of genetics develop analyses of the gene concept found in their earlier work, and others offer new proposals. Several authors also reflect on what it means to study the concept of the gene. The resulting volume is both an excellent introduction to recent work in this field and a valuable contribution in its own right.
Predictors of Symptoms Are Different From Predictors of Severe Exacerbations From Asthma in Children

Background Asthma therapy is typically prescribed and titrated based on patient or parent self-report of symptoms. No longitudinal studies have assessed the relationship between symptoms and severe asthma exacerbations in children. The goal of our study was (1) to assess the association of asthma symptoms with severe asthma exacerbations and (2) to compare predictors of persistent asthma symptoms and predictors of severe asthma exacerbations. Methods The Childhood Asthma Management Program was a multicenter clinical trial of 1,041 children randomized to receive budesonide, nedocromil, or placebo (as-needed β-agonist). We conducted a post hoc analysis of diary cards that were completed by subjects on a daily basis to categorize subjects as having persistent vs intermittent symptoms. We defined a severe asthma exacerbation as an episode requiring ≥ 3 days use of oral corticosteroids, hospitalization, or ED visit due to asthma based on self-report at study visits every 4 months. Results While accounting for longitudinal measures, having persistent symptoms from asthma was significantly associated with having severe asthma exacerbations. Predictors of having persistent symptoms compared with intermittent symptoms included not being treated with inhaled corticosteroids, lower FEV 1 /FVC ratio, and a lower natural logarithm of provocative concentration of methacholine producing a 20% decline in FEV 1 (lnPC 20 ). Predictors of having one or more severe asthma exacerbations included younger age, history of hospitalization or ED visit in the prior year, ≥ 3 days use of oral corticosteroids in the prior 3 months, lower FEV 1 /FVC ratio, lower lnPC 20 , and higher logarithm to the base 10 eosinophil count; treatment with inhaled corticosteroids was predictive of having no severe asthma exacerbations. Conclusions Patients with persistent symptoms from asthma were more likely to experience severe asthma exacerbations. Nevertheless, demographic and laboratory predictors of having persistent symptoms are different from predictors of severe asthma exacerbations. Although symptoms and exacerbations are closely related, their predictors are different. The current focus of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program guidelines on the two separate domains of asthma control, impairment and risk, are supported by our analysis.
The 5S rRNA and the rRNA intergenic spacer of the two varieties of Cryptococcus neoformans

The intergenic spacers (IGS) separating the 23S-like and 16S-like rDNAs of the two varieties of the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans were amplified, cloned and sequenced. The C. neoformans var. neoformans IGS was 2421 nt with 5S rRNA at positions 1228–1345 3′ of the 23S-like rRNA. The C. neoformans var. Gattii IGS was 2480 nt with 5S rRNA at positions 1268–1385 3′ of the 23S-like rRNA. For both varieties the 5S rDNA genes were in the same orientation as the 16S-5·8-23S genes and encode a 118 nt molecule of identical sequence. Phylogenetic comparison of C. neoformans 5S rDNA with that of other fungi placed this fungus in close relationship with other basidiomycetes including Tremella mesenterica, Bullera alba, and Cryptococcus laurentii. A secondary structure model for the deduced 5S rRNA was constructed by comparative sequence analysis. Polymerase chain reaction-amplified IGS of 12 C. neoformans var. neoformans strains revealed extensive size variation ranging from 100 to 300 nt. Size varia...
Kinetic Family Drawing Test for Evaluating Families Having Children with Muscular Dystrophy

The kinetic family drawing test is suggested as a diagnostic procedure for evaluating interpersonal dynamics in families with muscular dystrophy. Through such testing, attitudes and conflicts of children with dystrophy and their normal siblings are evoked and compared. The use of this projective method can aid in programing treatment for these families.
Dressing your online auction business for success: an experiment comparing two ebay businesses

Businesses can choose who they want to be online. Product and company attributes that are directly perceivable in the real world can be manipulated to make a favorable impression on online buyers. This study examines whether creating a more professional online e-image can signal consumers about unobservable product or company quality, and whether this signal influences their willingness to transact with the company, and ultimately the prices they are willing to pay for the company's goods and services. An empirical study is presented that examines two online auction businesses utilizing different company names and auction listing styles to sell items in parallel over the course of one year. The findings suggest that increasing the quality of an auction business's e-image does increase consumers' willingness to transact with the business, and increases prices received at auction. The study also demonstrates the ability to use eBay as an experimental laboratory for testing a variety of hypotheses about purchasing behavior online.
Service-Oriented Robotic Swarm Systems: Model and Structuring Algorithms

In this paper, we consider the design issues in building robotic swarm systems as a service and develop a multi-level service-oriented robotic swarm (SORS) framework. First we consider how to support easy composition of services into workflows to accomplish user tasks. We identify a set of primitive virtual services for this purpose. Virtual services are not physical robotic swarm actions, but are high-level primitive services geared toward easy specification of the workflows of many tasks. To realize virtual services, SORS incorporates the layers of planning services and micro services to plan and control the swarm of robots. Two example micro services and the detailed algorithms in their implementation are given in the paper. Also, a case study system is developed to show the use of virtual services to specify the workflow for an example task and to illustrate the design of micro services to realize virtual services.
A Case Study Combining Online Social Media and Video to Teach News Literacy

With the rise of information availability and the speed at which it can be disseminated, it is now the consumer’s job to exercise more discernment and to become more skeptical about the information coming across their screens. This is a major point in the argument to adopt a relatively new academic discipline known as News Literacy. A subset of media literacy, News Literacy focuses solely on the consumption of news items—whether it is a blurb from a friend, a blog, or a reputable news source. The News Literacy course seeks to equip news consumers with a set of tools to help them determine the reliability of incoming information. This allows them to access the news before they perpetuate it to their own social networks. To test the efficacy of certain aspects of the News Literacy course, such as verification of information disseminated through social networks, the researchers developed an interactive learning activity to enable students to experience the process via a fictionalized story. This article will explain the reasoning behind the activity’s development and will also report the results of the first case study executed in a News Literacy class at Stony Brook University in the spring of 2014.
Latent Membrane Protein 2A-Mediated Effects on the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Akt Pathway

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent membrane protein 2A (LMP2A) is expressed on the membranes of B lymphocytes and blocks B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling in EBV-transformed B lymphocytes in vitro. The phosphotyrosine motifs at positions 74 or 85 and 112 within the LMP2A amino-terminal domain are essential for the LMP2A-mediated block of B-cell signal transduction. In vivo studies indicate that LMP2A allows B-cell survival in the absence of normal BCR signals. A possible role for Akt in the LMP2A-mediated B-cell survival was investigated. The protein kinase Akt is a crucial regulator of cell survival and is activated within B lymphocytes upon BCR cross-linking. LMP2A expression resulted in the constitutive phosphorylation of Akt, and this LMP2A effect is dependent on phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity. In addition, recruitment of Syk and Lyn protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) to tyrosines 74 or 85 and 112, respectively, are critical for LMP2A-mediated Akt phosphorylation. However, the ability of LMP2A to mediate a survival phenotype downstream of Akt could not be detected in EBV-negative Akata cells. This would indicate that LMP2A is not responsible for EBV-dependent Burkitt's lymphoma cell survival.
Political Insecurity and the Diffusion of Financial Market Regulation

Explanations for the international spread of financial market liberalization have emphasized either “top-down” mechanisms (globalization, pressure from international organizations and the United States) or “bottom-up” mechanisms focusing on domestic coalitions (derived from configurations of economic interests). In contrast to these broadly structural approaches that deemphasize the choices of individuals, this article focuses on the micro-mechanisms of diffusion by emphasizing the incentives facing office-seeking leaders. It argues that politically insecure leaders are potent agents of diffusion because they are particularly likely to “learn” the lessons of financial market reformand emulate the liberalizing practices of others for two reasons. First, the hefty economic boom often associated with financial liberalization provides a tempting way to buttress their near-term grip on power. As they observe other nations in their region experiencing a boom, leaders fearful of losing office will jump on the li...
Exploring Inequalities in Health Care Coverage by Degree of Rurality in Western North Carolina

The purpose of this study is to examine whether or not there is poorer geographic access to health care in more rural counties. Possible inequalities in health care access and utilization were examined for populations living in twelve counties in the mountain region of North Carolina with different degrees of rurality, defined by Beale Code groupings based on urban population size and adjacency to a metro area. Several measures of availability, geographic accessibility, and utilization of practitioners were employed in the study. Data were derived from the U.S. Census, public and proprietary physician databases, and a household survey of 1,059 households. Overall, with some small exceptions, there was little difference in access by degree of rurality at the Beale Code level of analysis. Some types of access were better for more rural populations and some were better for less rural populations. Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) guidelines for population to primary care physician ratios, and Health and Services Administration (Bureau of Health Professions) guidelines for travel time and distances were met for the majority of the population. The related issues of how to measure rurality and appropriate geographic scales of analysis are discussed.
Diffraction of plane waves from a multilayered film with a grating surface

The study of Crego Rustgi [ J. Opt. Soc. Am. B7, 877 ( 1990)] of the reflection of p-polarized waves from a periodically rough multilayered surface, which consists of a thin dielectric film on top of a metallic film with a grating underlayer, is extended by adding higher-harmonic terms to the fundamental profile function of the grating. It is observed that the angles of incidence at which field-enhanced peaks and reflectivity dips occur shift toward smaller values and that the magnitudes of these dips and peaks increase as higher harmonics are added.
Endoglin phosphorylation by ALK2 contributes to the regulation of prostate cancer cell migration

Endoglin, a transmembrane glycoprotein that acts as a transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) coreceptor, is downregulated in PC3-M metastatic prostate cancer cells. When restored, endoglin expression in PC3-M cells inhibits cell migration in vitro and attenuates the tumorigenicity of PC3-M cells in SCID mice, though the mechanism of endoglin regulation of migration in prostate cancer cells is not known. The current study indicates that endoglin is phosphorylated on cytosolic domain threonine residues by the TGF-β type I receptors ALK2 and ALK5 in prostate cancer cells. Importantly, in the presence of constitutively active ALK2, endoglin did not inhibit cell migration, suggesting that endoglin phosphorylation regulated PC3-M cell migration. Therefore, our results suggest that endoglin phosphorylation is a mechanism with relevant functional consequences in prostate cancer cells. These data demonstrate for the first time that TGF-β receptor-mediated phosphorylation of endoglin is a Smad-independent mechanism involved in the regulation of prostate cancer cell migration.
Technology Instead of a Textbook: Alternatives for the Introductory Biology Classroom

Technology is playing an increasingly important role as a teaching and learning supplement in modern classrooms. Potential benefits of the Internet, CDROMs, course web sites and other computer-based resources include increased communication among students and between instructor and students (Dowden & Humphries 1997; Hedges & Mania-Famell 1998-9), enhanced explanation of difficult concepts through multimedia (Fifield & Peifer 1994; Dori et. al. 1994-5), and exposure of students to the World Wide Web as a research tool (Baggott et. al. 1999). Biology in particular benefits from the application of technology in the classroom since rapid advancements in the field make it nearly impossible for textbooks to remain current. This is especially true when teaching introductory biology to nonsciencemajor students. Instructors can often engage this potentially hard-to-reach audience by discussing the most current events in biology-cloning, DNA fingerprinting, reproductive technologies, genetically modified foods, AIDS, etc.-subjects that are most relevant to students' lives and interests. Additionally, technology such as a content-heavy course web site offers the opportunity to focus the curriculum from the full range of possibilities to the specific subset appropriate to that introductory course. Many biology instructors are seeking to take advantage of these benefits by using technology as an increasingly integral part of the teaching experience (King & Hildreth 2001). This raises the question of how far this process can go. Can technology in fact replace more traditional modes? Or, on the other hand, can too much technology harm the learning experience? This paper describes a series of classes wherein technology usage was taken to its ultimate degree: as a replacement for, rather than a supplement to, a traditional textbook. First, the development and implementation of the technologies will be discussed. Data will be presented on student opinions of their effectiveness: what advantages and disadvantages the technology offered compared to more traditional media. The shortcomings of this technology will be addressed along with practical suggestions for reducing these obstacles.
Coming to terms with tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in the lung

Lung diseases such as emphysema, interstitial fibrosis, and pulmonary vascular diseases cause significant morbidity and mortality, but despite substantial mechanistic understanding, clinical management options for them are limited, with lung transplantation being implemented at end stages. However, limited donor lung availability, graft rejection, and long-term problems after transplantation are major hurdles to lung transplantation being a panacea. Bioengineering the lung is an exciting and emerging solution that has the ultimate aim of generating lung tissues and organs for transplantation. In this article we capture and review the current state of the art in lung bioengineering, from the multimodal approaches, to creating anatomically appropriate lung scaffolds that can be recellularized to eventually yield functioning, transplant-ready lungs. Strategies for decellularizing mammalian lungs to create scaffolds with native extracellular matrix components vs. de novo generation of scaffolds using biocompatible materials are discussed. Strengths vs. limitations of recellularization using different cell types of various pluripotency such as embryonic, mesenchymal, and induced pluripotent stem cells are highlighted. Current hurdles to guide future research toward achieving the clinical goal of transplantation of a bioengineered lung are discussed.
A Simple Model of a Diaphragm-Type Chlorine Cell

A simple model for a diaphragm-type chlorine cell is presented and discussed. The model consists of an earlier model with a simple, but important, extension. The extension is the inclusion in the model of a measurable property of the diaphragm, referred to as the MacMullan number (NMac) or resistivity ratio of the electrolyte filled diaphragm relative to the electrolyte (1). It is shown theoretically that the product of NMact and the diaphragm thickness (the “effective” diaphragm thickness, NMact) is actually the important diaphragm characterizing parameter and not NMac or the diaphragm thickness separately.
Attachment to God, adult attachment, and spiritual pathology: mediator and moderator effects

In this exploratory study, we examined moderated mediation models grounded in psychoanalytic and attachment theory regarding the correspondence between adult attachment and Divine–human relating in a sample of graduate students in the USA. Results supported the correspondence hypothesis as positive correlations between adult attachment dimensions and attachment to God dimensions were observed. An interaction effect was observed as spiritual grandiosity moderated the indirect effect between insecure adult attachment and insecure God attachment dimensions through spiritual instability. Results therefore provided support for the theoretical notion that spiritual dysregulation can function as a mechanism of the attachment correspondence that varies as a function of spiritual grandiosity. Findings are discussed in the context of advancing existing theory on implicit models of attachment correspondence and the nature of the association between spiritual insecurity and spiritual grandiosity.
Can We Trust the Social Security Trust Funds

In the next year, lawmakers will consider different options for Social Security reform. In order to adopt the best policies, they must have all the facts. Unfortunately, much rampant confusion exists about how the Social Security trust funds operate. Some question whether the bonds held as assets in the trust funds are "real," while others misleadingly claim that the existence of trust funds means that Social Security does not face a financial problem. The truth is while the trust funds hold real assets, Social Security also faces real financial problems.
Merleau-Ponty and the Present of Belonging

This paper focuses on the issue of time, in particular, on the dimension of the present, in Merleau-Ponty's philosophy. The purpose is to make an argument for how belonging - conceived temporally as a belonging to a 'present-ness' that encompasses the horizons of a people, a set of values, mores, institutions, a locality to which one is attached - can be sustained amidst the dispersions of a life spent within the passing of time; a temporal life whose pace and the vulnerabilities posed by it have been heightened by the accelerations of late-modernity. I call this mode 'creative belonging' in that it refers to a commitment to a particular community that does not foreclose engagements with pluralistic possibilities and democratic innovation. I do so by first tracing Merleau-Ponty's transition from a phenomenological notion of pre-personal time to an ontologically creative time qua Bergson and then drawing on his concept of a 'dimensional present' as a description of how the present coheres with timeﾒs differentiating impetus. On my account, the 'dimensional present' can be regarded as the temporality that makes possible and sustains a creative belonging.
Effect of Naphthalene, Butylated Hydroxytoluene, Dioctyl Phthalate, and Adipic Dioctyl Ester, Chemicals Found in the Nests of the Formosan Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) on a Saprophytic Mucor sp. (Zygomycetes: Mucorales)

Fungi are commonly found associated with termites and their nests. Four chemicals that have been isolated from the nests of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, were evaluated to determine their effect on a common nest fungus, a saprophytic Mucor sp. Butylated hydroxytoluene, dioctyl phthalate, and adipic dioctyl ester were not found to affect the growth of this fungus. At high concentrations, naphthalene inhibited the growth of this Mucor sp. through its presence in the surrounding air. The possible use of naphthalene by termites to control fungi is discussed.
High-resolution anoscopy or expectant management for anal intraepithelial Neoplasia for the prevention of anal cancer: Is there really a difference?

BACKGROUND High-resolution anoscopy has been shown to improve identification of anal intraepithelial neoplasia but a reduction in progression to anal squamous-cell cancer has not been substantiated when serial high-resolution anoscopy is compared with traditional expectant management. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare high-resolution anoscopy versus expectant management for the surveillance of anal intraepithelial neoplasia and the prevention of anal cancer. DESIGN This is a retrospective review of all patients who presented with anal squamous dysplasia, positive anal Pap smears, or anal squamous-cell cancer from 2007 to 2013. SETTING This study was performed in the colorectal department of a university-affiliated, tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS Included patients had biopsy-proven anal intraepithelial neoplasia from 2007 to 2013. INTERVENTIONS Patients were treated with high-resolution anoscopy with ablation or standard anoscopy with ablation. Both groups were treated with imiquimod and followed every 6 months indefinitely. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The incidence of anal squamous-cell cancer in each group was the primary end point. RESULTS From 2007 to 2013, 424 patients with anal squamous dysplasia were seen in the clinic (high-resolution anoscopy, 220; expectant management, 204). Three patients (high-resolution anoscopy, 1; expectant management, 2) progressed to anal squamous-cell cancer; 2 were noncompliant with follow-up and with HIV treatment, and the third was allergic to imiquimod and refused to take topical 5-fluorouracil. The 5-year progression rate was 6.0% (95% CI, 1.5-24.6) for expectant management and 4.5% (95% CI, 0.7-30.8) for high-resolution anoscopy (p = 0.37). LIMITATIONS This was a retrospective review. There is potential for selection and referral bias. Because of the rarity of the outcome, the study may be underpowered. CONCLUSIONS Patients with squamous-cell dysplasia followed with expectant management or high-resolution anoscopy rarely develop squamous-cell cancer if they are compliant with the protocol. The cost, morbidity, and value of high-resolution anoscopy should be further evaluated in lieu of these findings.
Principal Component Analysis of Fertility Changes: United States, 1950–1960

(1970). Principal Component Analysis of Fertility Changes: United States, 1950–1960. Sociological Focus: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 21-35.
Public budgeting in America: a twentieth century retrospective

Reviewing the development of budgeting in America in the twentieth century, this article assesses where public budgeting is as it approaches the twenty-first century. Five periods are identified in American budgeting, drawing upon the work of Schick and Rubin: control, management, planning, prioritization and accountability. Budgeting in the 1990s is described as characterized by accountability and a “new” performance budgeting emphasis. The authors argue that the budget reform movement is still alive and well in American government, with local governments once more leading the way.
Assessing and Treating Insomnia Related to Alcohol Use Disorders

Insomnia is a frequent complaint and may persist despite abstinence in patients with alcohol use disorders (AUDs). The association of insomnia with relapse and suicidal behaviors underlies the importance of proper assessment and treatment, which is the focus of this review. Contributory factors to insomnia in AUD patients include premorbid insomnia; effects of alcohol on sleep regulatory systems; co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and other sleep disorders; other substances and medications; stress; environmental factors: and suboptimal sleep hygiene. Polysomnography is recommended to rule out other sleep disorders (e.g., sleep apnea and periodic limb movement disorder) when suggested by history or treatment-resistant insomnia. Sleep will improve in most patients with sobriety, which remains the first line of treatment. Nevertheless, insomnia may also be thought of as a comorbid disorder with AUDs, requiring its own treatment for many patients. Randomized controlled studies support efficacy with behavioral therapies and medications. Melatonin agonists as well as sedating antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and antipsychotics are potentially effective and non-addictive.
Spilling over: An exploratory study of the correlates of strain-based work–family conflict among police officers in India

Existing research has suggested that work–family conflict is associated with a host of negative consequences. One dimension of work–family conflict, known as strain-based conflict, occurs when work...
TRANSFORMING RURAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ZIMBABWE THROUGH TECHNOLOGY: LIVED EXPERIENCES OF STUDENT COMPUTER USERS

A technological divide exists in Zimbabwe between urban and rural schools that puts rural based students at a disadvantage. In Zimbabwe, the government, through the president donated computers to most rural schools in a bid to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban schools. This phenomenological study purpose was to understand the experience of using computers for Advanced Level students at two rural boarding Catholic High Schools in Zimbabwe. The study was guided by two research questions: (1) How do Advanced level students in the rural areas use computers at their school? and (2) What is the experience of using computers for Advanced Level students in the rural areas of Zimbabwe? By carrying this study, it was possible to understand from the students’ experiences if computer usage was for educational learning or not. The results of the phenomenological study showed that students’ experiences can be broadly classified into five themes, namely worthwhile (interesting) experience, accessibility issues, teachers’ monopoly, research and social use, and Internet availability. The participants proposed teachers to use computers but not to monopolize computer usage. The solution to the computer shortage may be solved by having donors and government help in the acquisitioning of more computers. Keywords: digital divide, teachers’ monopoly, mobile technology, rural high schools, Zimbabwe
An Efficient Frame Detection Synchronization Technology for IEEE 802.11a Wireless LAN System

An efficient frame detection synchronization technique suitable for IEEE 802.11a wireless LAN system is presented.This algorithmbases on the correlation technique with a thresthold comparison mechanism and takes advantage of the cross correlation of short preamble.
Toward a methodology for the comparative study of political corruption

Robust explanations of political corruption demand that research progresses beyond purely theoretical analyses and single case studies. In this article, we highlight problems of definition, operationalization and measurement of corruption that have restricted the number of truly comparative, empirical studies of the phenomenon. We suggest a few steps that might help researchers overcome methodological obstacles in their study of corruption. We introduce and evaluate one example of how the phenomenon might be comparatively operationalized and measured. While not beyond criticism, the corruption index we present will undoubtedly help light new avenues toward more comprehensive explanations of comparative political corruption.
Dielectric relaxation of some sphercidal molecules

In the course of the investigation of the relations between microwave absorption and molecular structure in liquids, a question arose as to the effect of dipole orientation, in non-spherical molecules, on relaxation time. In order to investigate this effect, the critical wavelengths and viscosities of trioxane, pyridine, paraldehyde and collidine were measured at a number of temperatures. The results at 60°C. are given in the following table.
Aggregating and Analyzing Daily Drinking Data in Clinical Trials: A Comparison of Type I Errors, Power, and Bias.

Objective:Statistical analyses in alcohol clinical trials often use longitudinal daily drinking data (e.g., percentage of drinking days) to test treatment efficacy. Such data can be aggregated and analyzed in many ways. To assess how statistical analytic decisions may influence substantive results, the current report compares different aggregation methods (e.g., computing percentages of drinking days vs. using daily binary indicators of drinking) and statistical methods (i.e., least squares regression, linear mixed-effects models [LMM], generalized linear mixed models [GLMM], and generalized estimating equations [GEE]) for testing the effects of treatment on drinking outcomes in clinical trials.Method:A simulation study repeatedly resampled daily drinking data from the treatment period of the Combined Pharmacotherapies and Behavioral Interventions for Alcohol Dependence (COMBINE) Study at different sample sizes. Treatment effects in each data set were modeled using different aggregation and statistical me...