cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leptin activates MAPK signaling in human breast and prostate cancer

Abstract Introduction: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. Leptin is a 16 kD peptide hormone secreted by adipose tissue with higher circulating concentrations reported in obese people. In addition, recent studies indicate that leptin is mitogenic, as well as pro-angiogenic, in reproductive tissues. We have demonstrated that exogenous leptin leads to increased proliferation of breast and prostate cancer cells in vitro. However, the mechanism behind this effect is unknown. We hypothesized that increased cancer cell proliferation in response to leptin occurs via alterations in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) signal transduction pathways. Methods: Two cancer cell lines, ZR-75 (breast) and DU145 (prostate), were cultured using standard techniques. Cells were treated with human recombinant leptin (40 ng/ml) for 48 h. This dose of leptin simulates circulating levels in obese humans. After treatment, cells were harvested and analyzed via immunoblot for Akt and ERK phosphorylation, measures of PI3K and MAPK activity respectively. Results: Western blot analysis revealed that PI3K activity was not altered by leptin stimulation in either cell line tested. However, after treatment, ERK phosphorylation was increased in both the ZR-75 (approximately 4-fold) and DU145 (approximately 2-fold) cell lines, indicating an angiogenic response to leptin exposure. Conclusions: These preliminary results indicate that MAPK activation may play an important role in leptin-induced cancer cell proliferation. Moreover, it suggests that high levels of circulating leptin could act in vivo as a growth factor in the progression of breast and prostate cancers, thus establishing a link between the risk of obesity and carcinogenesis.
Composition and Digestibility of Alfalfa and Orchardgrass Hemicellulose Monosaccharides by Holstein Steers

This research was to determine hemicellulose monosaccharide composition of alfalfa and orchardgrass hay and to compare digestibilities and in situ rates of disappearance of alfalfa and orchardgrass hay hemicellulose monosaccharides in Holstein steers. Orchardgrass contained more xylose and less galactose than alfalfa. Mannose in orchardgrass was more digestible than that in alfalfa, and uronic acids tended to be more digestible in orchardgrass. Xylose to glucose ratios were higher in orchardgrass than in alfalfa and were higher in feed than in feces. Xylose to arabinose ratios increased linearly with in situ removed time for alfalfa; however, orchardgrass ratio did not change significantly during the 72-h in situ studies. Xylose to glucose ratios increased with in situ fermentation time for both alfalfa and orchardgrass hay. Alfalfa hay had a higher rate of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber digestibility as compared with orchardgrass hay; however, no significant differences were detected in extent of cell wall digestion.
CAD for double patterning lithography

Nanopatterning with 193nm lithography equipment is one of the most fundamental challenges for future scaling beyond 22nm while the next-generation lithography, such as EUV (Extreme Ultra-Violet) lithography still faces tremendous challenges for mass production in the near future. As a practical solution, double patterning lithography (DPL) has become a leading candidate for 16nm lithography process. DPL poses new challenges for overlay control, layout decomposition, and physical design compliance and optimization. In this paper, we will discuss challenges and some recent results in DPL aware timing analysis, layout decomposition, and layout optimization.
Strengthening intergenerational/intercultural ties in migrant families: A new intervention for parents

The development of intergenerational/intercultural conflict secondary to differential rates of acculturation between migrant parents and their children has been repeatedly noted in the literature. It has been shown to be associated with negative mental health consequences for both parents and children. However, currently, very few community-based interventions address this risk factor. The paper describes SITICAF (Strengthening of Intergenerational/Intercultural Ties in Immigrant Chinese American Families), an 8-week parenting program which aims to prevent and reduce this conflict. In a pilot study, SITICAF was tested with 15 immigrant Chinese American parents. In spite of the small sample size, pre–post assessments showed the parenting intervention to be effective in improving the intergenerational relationship, increasing the participants' sense of parenting responsibility and control of child, and sense of coherence. Also, a stronger sense of parenting control was associated with a better intergenerational relationship, which, in turn, was associated with an increase in the child's esteem. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Coronary patency and its relation to contractile reserve in hibernating myocardium

Objectives: Recent clinical studies suggest that contractile reserve may occur in a minority of viable, chronically dysfunctional segments with reduced resting flow (hibernating myocardium). We hypothesized that epicardial artery patency might predict which segments have critically reduced subendocardial flow reserve and limited contractile reserve. Methods: Pigs were chronically instrumented with a fixed stenosis on the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) to produce hibernating myocardium. At least 3 months later, flow at rest and during adenosine vasodilation (microspheres), ventricular function and contractile reserve (contrast ventriculography), and 18F-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) deposition (ex vivo tissue counting) were quantified. Results: Hibernating myocardium (regional dysfunction with reduced resting perfusion) was present in animals with an occluded ( n = 40) or patent ( n = 19) LAD. Viability was confirmed by histology and FDG deposition. In collateral-dependent hibernating myocardium, subendocardial flow did not increase above baseline levels during epinephrine or adenosine stimulation, consistent with exhausted subendocardial flow reserve at rest. This was associated with limited contractile reserve and regionally increased FDG deposition. In contrast, subendocardial flow reserve was present in hibernating myocardium distal to a patent artery. Contractile reserve during epinephrine infusion in this group was significantly greater than in animals with an occluded artery. Conclusions: The physiology and metabolism of hibernating myocardium was dependent upon stenosis severity and its effects on subendocardial flow reserve. In collateral-dependent hibernating myocardium, contractile reserve was limited in the setting of exhausted subendocardial flow reserve, thus supporting the hypothesis that metabolic imaging may be preferable for determining viability distal to a complete occlusion.
MINUS3 - A General Purpose Data Acquisition System at LBL's 88"-Cyclotron and Superhilac

MINUS3 is a general, multi-tasked data acquisition package operating on the ModComp IV/25 computers at both the 88"-Cyclotron and SuperHILAC. It currently can acquire data via three different channels: interrupt; serial DMA link; and remote slave units for histogram type data. Two additional acquisition paths, CAMAC (with programmable differential branch drivers) and MODACS (for multiple CPU linkages and control) are scheduled to be added in the near future. The package operates in a prioritized, time-available mode which permits it to dynamically adapt to microscopic data rate structures due to beam characteristics at different accelerators. Special hardware has been added to the graphics system to provide enhanced high-speed interactive capability. The program framework is also designed as a parasitic environment in which users may, in parallel, attach their own specialized and independent code.
Oxidation of aryloxyaminoalcohols with activated dimethylsulfoxide; a novel C-N oxidation facilitated by neighboring group effect

Abstract Oxidation of aryloxy-β-aminopropanols ( 1 ) with “activated” dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was found to provide a convenient “one-pot” method to synthesize aryloxy-β-aminoketooximes ( 3 ), without isolation of the unstable ketones 2 . Assignment of Z and E stereoisomers of oximes 3 was based on 1H-and 13C-NMR studies. Spontaneous isomerization of 3 was also observed and discussed. Dioxime derivatives 6 and 7 were first isolated as by-products in the oxidation of compounds 1 and an improved synthetic method for 6 was developed. The novel C-N oxidation step involved in the formation of 6 from 1 was rationalized on the basis of neighboring group effect.
First stages of diamond nucleation on iridium buffer layers

Abstract During the first stages of epitaxial diamond nucleation by the bias-enhanced nucleation procedure on monocrystalline iridium films the metal surface shows a characteristic roughening. Two different types of furrows and ridges along 〈100〉 and 〈110〉 develop. From atomic force microscopy images a typical structure height of 3 nm is deduced. Transmission electron microscopy indicates {111} faceting. In addition, after 45 min of nucleation 5–10 nm large structures are found with a typical distance of 100–300 nm showing a bright contrast in scanning electron micrographs. While a subsequent 30 min growth step results in a similar density of diamond grains with a size of approximately 100 nm, prolonging the biasing step does not increase the size of these nucleation centers. It is shown that under the present bias-enhanced nucleation conditions large diamond grains are etched. The fact that diamond can nucleate under conditions under which diamond cannot grow has strong implications on the nature of the observed nucleation centers and on theoretical models describing the nucleation process.
Novel small-molecule inhibitors of anthrax lethal factor identified by high-throughput screening.

Anthrax lethal factor (LF) is a key virulence factor of anthrax lethal toxin. We screened a chemolibrary of 10 000 drug-like molecules for their ability to inhibit LF and identified 18 novel small molecules with potent LF inhibitory activity. Three additional LF inhibitors were identified through further structure−activity relationship (SAR) analysis. All 21 compounds inhibited LF with an IC50 range of 0.8 to 11 μM, utilizing mixed-mode competitive inhibition. An evaluation of inhibitory activity against a range of unrelated proteases showed relatively high specificity for LF. Furthermore, pharmacophore modeling of these compounds showed a high degree of similarity to the model published by Panchal et al. (Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 2004, 11, 67−72), indicating that the conformational features of these inhibitors are structurally compatible with the steric constraints of the substrate-binding pocket. These novel LF inhibitors and the structural scaffolds identified as important for inhibitory activity repres...
Immunization against Trypanosoma cruzi: Adjuvant effect of glucan

Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease, infects humans and animals in tropical, subtropical and some temperate regions of the western hemisphere. At present, there is no effective vaccine for T. cruzi infection. Glucan, a β-1,3 polyglucose biological response modifier, possesses significant adjuvant activity. The present study investigated the adjuvant activity of particulate glucan when combined with a vaccine of glutaraldehyde-killed T. cruzi culture forms. ICR/HSD mice (20 g) were injected s.c. with glutaraldehyde-killed T. cruzi on days 21, 14 and 7 prior to challenge with 50 T. cruzi blood forms. Particulate glucan (1 mg/mouse) was administered s.c. either alone or in conjunction with T. cruzi vaccine. Isovolumetric dextrose served as control. Dextrose, glucan or T. cruzi vaccine as single treatment regimes showed 100% mortality with 20.5, 21.4 and 21.6 day median survival times, respectively. In contrast, glucan administered with T. cruzi vaccine showed an 85% (P<0.01) survival at 275 days post-challenge. In addition, the number of T. cruzi observed in the blood of glucan—T. cruzi immunized mice was lower than the appropriate controls. However, immunized mice which survived at 275 days were positive for the presence of T. cruzi by xenodiagnosis. Histopathologic evaluation of glucan—T. cruzi mice revealed no parasites or cardiac pathology, but a mild splenic hyperplasia and inflammation of skeletal muscle were noted. In subsequent studies, mice were immunized with the same regimen of glucan—T. cruzi and challenged with 500 or 5000 T. cruzi. Glucan significantly (P<0.05) increased survival as denoted by 60% and 50% survival in the glucan—T. cruzi group vs 0% in controls. These data indicate that glucan will exert significant adjuvant activity when administered with a killed T. cruzi vaccine. Additionally, glucan — T. cruzi immunization will exert significant protection over a wide challenge range.
Species differences in the deamination of dopamine and other substrates for monoamine oxidase in brain

Cortex and caudate specimens from human, non-human primate and rodent brains were examined for their ability to deaminate dopamine and for their sensitivity to irreversible monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. Using inhibition curves obtained with clorgyline, deprenyl and pargyline to estimate the relative proportions of MAO-A and MAO-B activity, dopamine was found to be deaminated predominantly by MAO-A in rat cortex and caudate. In contrast, dopamine was primarily an MAO-B substrate in human and vervet cortex and caudate. When clorgyline inhibition curves with tyramine or dopamine as substrate were compared in human, vervet and rat cortex, more pronounced species differences were found with dopamine than with tyramine. In all three species caudate tended to be more sensitive to inhibition by low concentrations of clorgyline than was cortex, suggesting a higher proportion of MAO-A activity in caudate. Similar species differences were also found when MAO-A activities were estimated using serotonin (5-HT): β-phenylethylamine (PEA) ratios (5-HT/5-HT + PEA). These ratios with selective substrates were highly correlated with clorgyline inhibition curves obtained with tyramine as substrate across 29 brain regions and tissues from different rodent and primate species (r=0.85, P<0.001). Data from both the substrate ratios and the clorgyline inhibition curves confirmed the relative predominance of MAO-B activity in primate brain regions (70–85%) as compared to rat brain regions (45%). Smaller species differences were observed in liver. Species differences in the proportion of brain MAO-A and B activities and in the deamination of dopamine and other substrates for MAO may have important implications in regard to the widespread use of rodent rather than primate models in the study of biogenic amine metabolism and of drugs affecting amine function.
Surgical Technique: Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for Unstable Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis

Failure to reduce displacement of the epiphysis after an unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) can lead to femoroacetabular impingement, labral damage, and early degeneration of articular cartilage. Surgical dislocation of the hip has provided us with a safe means to reduce and fix the epiphysis after an unstable slip. This article details the surgical technique for open reduction and internal fixation of the unstable SCFE, using the surgical hip dislocation approach. Early results are promising and demonstrate the safety of surgical hip dislocation used for the unstable SCFE, reproducing the safety of the procedure for elective applications. This method should be considered for any unstable SCFE, especially as surgeon experience improves.
Traveling and evanescent parts of the electromagnetic Green’s tensor

The angular spectrum representation of the electromagnetic Green’s tensor has a part that is a superposition of exponentially decaying waves in the +z and -z directions (evanescent part) and a part that is a superposition of traveling waves, both of which are defined by integral representations. We have derived an asymptotic expansion for the z dependence of the evanescent part of the Green’s tensor and obtained a closed-form solution in terms of the Lommel functions, which holds in all space. We have shown that the traveling part can be extracted from the Green’s tensor by means of a filter operation on the tensor, without regard to the angular spectrum integral representation of this part. We also show that the so-called self-field part of the tensor is properly included in the integral representation, and we were able to identify this part explicitly.
Etanercept for Psoriasis in the Pediatric Population: Experience in Nine Patients

Psoriasis commonly affects children and adolescents, and the need for safe, effective therapy is a special consideration in the pediatric population. In recent years, the use of targeted immunomodulatory biologic agents has been increasingly studied for the treatment of psoriasis. Of these, etanercept, a tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonist, has been approved for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in adults, and while it is approved for use in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, formal studies are needed to demonstrate its safety and efficacy for childhood psoriasis. We present our preliminary experience of treating nine pediatric patients with generalized, recalcitrant psoriasis with etanercept therapy.
Dyeing equilibria: interaction of direct dyes with cellulose substrates

The traditional Freundlich equation used to correlate direct dye sorption on cellulose is compared to the Langmuir equation for correlating the same data. Results taken from six different direct dyes are presented that show a much better correlation of the data is obtained with the Langmuir equation indicating that the interaction of dyes with the substrate is rather specific. The specific nature of the sorption process is compared to acid dye sorption on aminised cotton which also is shown to be Langmuir type. Explanation of the sorption of mixtures of direct dyes is also discussed as being better interpreted in terms of the Langmuir sorption.
Detection of sentinel lymph nodes in minimally invasive surgery using indocyanine green and near-infrared fluorescence imaging for uterine and cervical malignancies

Abstract Objectives Our primary objective was to assess the detection rate of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) using indocyanine green (ICG) and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging for uterine and cervical malignancies. Methods NIR fluorescence imaging for the robotic platform was obtained at our institution in 12/2011. We identified all cases planned for SLN mapping using fluorescence imaging from 12/2011–4/2013. Intracervical ICG was the fluorophobe in all cases. Four cc (1.25 mg/mL) of ICG was injected into the cervix alone divided into the 3- and 9-o'clock positions, with 1 cc deep into the stroma and 1 cc submucosally before initiating laparoscopic entry. Blue dye was concurrently injected in some cases. Results Two hundred twenty-seven cases were performed. Median age was 60 years (range, 28–90 years). Median BMI was 30.2 kg/m2 (range, 18–60 kg/m2). The median SLN count was 3 (range, 1–23 ). An SLN was identified in 216 cases (95%), with bilateral pelvic mapping in 179 (79%). An aortic SLN was identified in 21 (10%) of the 216 mapped cases. When ICG alone was used to map cases, 188/197 patients mapped, for a 95% detection rate compared to 93% (28/30) in cases in which both dyes were used (P = NS). Bilateral mapping was seen in 156/197 (79%) ICG-only cases and 23/30 (77%) ICG and blue dye cases (P = NS). Conclusions NIR fluorescence imaging with intracervical ICG injection using the robotic platform has a high bilateral SLN detection rate and appears favorable to using blue dye alone and/or other modalities. Combined use of ICG and blue dye appears unnecessary.
Clinical and radiographically/neuroimaging documented outcome in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Object. Although transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is an increasingly popular surgical technique, there are a limited number of studies in which investigators have stratified outcome data with respect to surgical indications or documented radiographically proven and clinical results with respect to disc space height (DSH). The authors conducted a study to evaluate the long-term outcomes after TLIF with respect to surgical indication and radiographic/neuroimaging results. Methods. Thirty-three consecutive TLIF-treated patients underwent follow-up investigation for a mean of 37 months. Isthmic spondylolysis was present in eight patients, recurrent disc herniation in 14, and degenerative disc disease (DDD) in 11. The operative technique involved the placement of interbody structural allograft, pedicle screw instrumentation, and morcellized autograft in the anterior interbody space and the contralateral intertransverse gutter. Surgery was performed at L4‐5 in 16 patients, L5‐S1 in 14, L3‐4 in two, and both L4‐5 and L5‐S1 in one patient. Preoperative symptoms were back pain (in 91% of cases), leg pain (in 94%), sensory loss (in 67%), and motor deficits (in 30%). Postoperatively, back pain was improved in 67% of the patients, unchanged in 27%, and worsened in 7%. Leg pain improved in 80% of patients, was unchanged in 10%, and worsened in 10%. Outcome, as measured using the Prolo Functional and Economic Scales, improved from a score of 4.9 to 7. In patients with spondylolysis and recurrent disc herniation outcomes were better than in those with DDD only. There was no correlation of outcome with symptom duration, patient age, or level of surgery. In an independent review of pre- and late postoperative radiographs no significant differences in lordosis angles, Cobb angles, or DSHs were found. Fusion occurred in all cases. Conclusions. The TLIF procedure was associated with good clinical outcomes and a high fusion rate but no change in the DSH. Patients who present with spondylolysis and recurrent herniations experience better outcome than those with degenerative disease alone.
SEISMIC HAZARD ANALYSIS USING DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING IN THE SCEC COMMUNITY MODELING ENVIRONMENT

The Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) exemplifies the type of large, geographically distributed collaboration becoming more common in scientific research. The SCEC community is more than 400 scientists from more than 50 organizations throughout the country and abroad who work together on the problems of earthquake science. To support this distributed community and improve its ability to transform basic research into practical applications, SCEC has initiated a Community Modeling Environment (CME) under the auspices of the NSF Information Technology Research (ITR) program (jordan et al. , 2003). The goal of the SCEC/CME is to develop a collaboratory that can aid practitioners in selecting, configuring, and executing the complex computational pathways needed for physics-based seismic hazard analysis. In conjunction with the CME project, SCEC and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have jointly developed OpenSHA (Field et al. , 2003), an open-source, object-oriented software framework for probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA). OpenSHA provides users with a number of well accepted and widely used PSHA software components, including attenuation relationships and earthquake rupture forecasts (ERF's). Earlier this year, we began integrating into the OpenSHA system one of the most sophisticated ERF's ever developed, the WGCEP-2002 model for earthquake probabilities in the San Francisco Bay area (WGCEP, 2003). This task presented us with some software development challenges that called for distributed computing. We investigated and evaluated a variety of technologies, and the lessons we learned in obtaining a useful and robust solution may be of interest to our colleagues. Three factors motivated an implementation based on distributed computing: First, the WGCEP-2002 ERF is written in FORTRAN, and we wanted to access it from our existing, Java-based, OpenSHA applications. Second, this ERF requires a lot of computer cycles and memory. Third, and most significant, the OpenSHA framework was explicitly designed for scientific collaboration. The OpenSHA …
The effect of intertrial interval food presentions on pigeons' delayed matching to sample accuracy.

Parallel effects of temporal variables on autoshaping and on delayed matching to sample performance suggest that delayed matching, like autoshaping, might depend upon the within-trial expectancy of reinforcement relative to the overall expectancy of reinforcement in the session. This possibility was assessed by presenting free food at different times during a 30-sec intertrial interval (ITI) in a delayed matching to sample procedure with pigeons. In three conditions a single free food presentation occurred, either early, mid-way, or late in each ITI; in another condition, three food presentations occurred during each ITI, one at each time location. Relative to a baseline condition, in which free food never occurred during the ITI, only food presentations late in the ITI produced a significant disruption in accuracy, and this effect occurred only at the longest of three delays tested. Three free food presentations in each ITI disrupted accuracy only to the same degree as a single, late, ITI food presentation. Thus, accuracy was affected by the temporal location rather than the frequency of ITI food presentations. These effects appear to differ from those of ITI food presentations on autoshaping and do not seem to be understandable in terms of changes in the background expectancy of reinforcement. It was suggested instead that food presented late in the ITI might disrupt subsequent memory processes.
Alternate-2 Disjunction in the German Cockroach

The evidence in support of two types of alternate disjunction in translocation heterozygotes from the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), is reviewed. When unique cytomorphological features occur in the translocation figure, the two types of alternate disjunction are identifiable regardless of the angle of observation. Photographs supporting this contention are presented for alternate-1 and alternate-2 disjunction in T(7;12)/7;12 . Other evidence in support of the existence of alternate-2 disjunction is also presented.
Long and short of nuclear effective field theory expansions

Nonperturbative effective field theory calculations for NN scattering seem to break down at rather low momenta. By examining several toy models, we clarify how effective field theory expansions can in general be used to properly separate long- and short-range effects. We find that one-pion exchange has a large effect on the scattering phase shift near poles in the amplitude, but otherwise can be treated perturbatively. Analysis of a toy model that reproduces {sup 1}S{sub 0} NN scattering data rather well suggests that failures of effective field theories for momenta above the pion mass can be due to short-range physics rather than the treatment of pion exchange. We discuss the implications this has for extending the applicability of effective field theories. (c) 1999 The American Physical Society.
Immature single-positive CD8+ thymocytes represent the transition from Notch-dependent to Notch-independent T-cell development

Early in T-cell development, cells proceed through stages that are critically dependent on signaling through the Notch receptor. As cells mature, thymocytes transition from being Notch dependent to being Notch independent, but the stage of development during which this transition occurs is unknown. We used an in vitro differentiation system in which thymocytes can be cultured in the presence or absence of a Notch ligand to identify the stage of development in which thymocytes transition from being Notch responsive to Notch non-responsive. We identified the immature single-positive (ISP) CD8(+) stage of T-cell development as being this transition point. ISP thymocytes were responsive to Notch, but ISP cells responded to Notch ligation in a manner that was distinct from the response by double-negative (DN) thymocytes. Fewer ISP thymocytes proliferated and more ISP cells died in culture than DN thymocytes. Further, fewer double-positive (DP) thymocytes generated by culturing ISP thymocytes were in the S, G2 or M phase of the cell cycle as compared with DP thymocytes derived from DN thymocytes. These data indicate that the DP population created varied depending on the input population. In summary, the data presented here indicate that ISP thymocytes responded to Notch differently than DN thymocytes and ISP thymocytes represent the transition stage from Notch-dependent survival and proliferation to Notch-independent survival and proliferation.
Dimensions of Concern: A Method to Use Cognitive Dimensions to Evaluate Interfaces

Producing useful and usable software often requires continuous and iterative evaluation. This paper introduces a novel usability evaluation method based on the Cognitive Dimensions of Notations framework. The target of our evaluation is Herbal a suite of tools designed to simplify agent development by providing a high-level language and maintenance-oriented development environment. The method introduced here uncovers dimensions of concern, which are used to measure the usability of Herbal and to identify areas for improvement in the design. In this article, we demonstrate how we used dimensions of concern to effectively evaluate and improve usability, and we discuss ways in which our method can be adapted, extended, and applied to improving the usability of other interactive systems.
Living in Alternative and Inner Worlds: Early Signs of Acting Talent

In an exploratory, qualitative study, 11 professional actors were interviewed about their childhoods to investigate the early predictors of acting talent. To control for verbal talent, scientists-turned-lawyers were selected as a comparison group. Participants were asked about their families, schooling, and training, as well as about their early propensities for play and imagination, their orientation towards fiction, and their emotionality and attunement to others' mental states. Actors' childhood memories differed from those of the lawyers in the following respects. The actors recalled greater engagement in alternative worlds (imaginary and fictional worlds) and in inner worlds (emotional and other mental states). Not surprisingly, then, they were also more likely to recall feeling different from others and unable to engage fully in school. Unlike the lawyers, the actors recalled practicing for their adult roles as early as age 4—by inventing and directing plays in their backyards. Unlike lawyers, actor...
Listening to the third voices of Pangasinan students: designing and enacting culturally sensitive curriculum

This response builds upon Marie Paz Morales’ “Influence of culture and language sensitive physics on science attitude achievement” by exploring how an expanded understanding of the ubiquitous nature of adolescent literacy practices and identities challenge traditional notions of “in school” and “out of school” cultural spaces. Listening to the “third voices” of adolescents can promote a deeper understanding of the complex literate lives of Pangasinan students and inform both the official and the enacted culturally sensitive curriculum. To hear the literate lives of adolescents is to push back against politically dehumanizing and “de-literacizing” neo-liberal educational policies and practices which privilege a singular, whitewashed view of literacy in order to standardize curriculum and instruction, preserve power in the hands of the powerful, and exacerbate socio-economic, racial, ethnic, and linguistic divisions.
Regulation of endothelial cell myosin light chain kinase by Rho, cortactin, and p60(src)

Inflammatory diseases of the lung are characterized by increases in vascular permeability and enhanced leukocyte infiltration, reflecting compromise of the endothelial cell (EC) barrier. We examine...
Precise Genome Editing of Drosophila with CRISPR RNA-Guided Cas9

The readily programmable CRISPR-Cas9 system is transforming genome engineering. We and others have adapted the S. pyogenes CRISPR-Cas9 system to precisely engineer the Drosophila genome and demonstrated that these modifications are efficiently transmitted through the germline. Here we provide a detailed protocol for engineering small indels, defined deletions, and targeted insertion of exogenous DNA sequences within one month using a rapid DNA injection-based approach.
A statement synthesis of emotional eating and body size recognition: advancing nursing science related to obesity research

Aim A discussion of a statement synthesis of the relationship between the concepts of emotional eating and body size recognition. Background The interrelatedness of the concepts of emotional eating and body size recognition is poorly understood; however, both factors significantly impact weight management. Nurses can be instrumental in developing more effective weight management interventions as a critical step in helping to ameliorate the public health burden of obesity. Design This discussion article reports a literary statement synthesis. Data sources Five quantitative research studies from 1996 - 2014 were identified, which examined the relationship between the concepts. Implications for nursing A relational statement delineating the direct association between the amount of self-reported emotional eating and an adult individual's recognition of their body size was constructed. Construction of a relational statement about emotional eating and recognition of body size is a step in the nursing theory-building process. Conclusion The constructed relational statement will guide future research and nursing theory development and may ultimately help to construct more effective weight management interventions.
A Proposed Supplemental Teaching Model For Enhancing Students Understanding Of Sarbanes Oxley

The Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 brought about major changes in how accounting firms conduct audits of publicly traded companies. Corporate officials have additional responsibilities in the areas of internal controls and financial reports. In addition there is a new organization responsible for established auditing standards for publicly traded companies, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Accordingly, there are new requirements and responsibilities for auditors of publicly traded companies. In effect, the emergence of separate auditing standards for publicly traded companies and for companies that are not publicly traded is creating two distinct fields of auditing. These changes require a different approach to teaching auditing to accounting students. This article proposes one approach to teaching these significant changes for entry level auditors.
Giving Traction to Management Theory: Today#s Service- Learning

Service-learning represents perhaps the most effective teaching tool available to the contemporary management professor. It can provide students with valuable academic, practical, and introspective...
Q: Should i order an anti-CCP antibody test to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?

This test is highly specific, though it may be redundant for a patient who has documented rheumatoid arthritis and who is seropositive for rheumatoid factor.
Associations of social anxiety and self-esteem across six months for persons living with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

OBJECTIVE Social anxiety is commonly found in schizophrenia and is linked with heightened symptoms and lower self-esteem. The purpose of this paper is to examine how social anxiety and self-esteem influence one another over time. METHODS We have assessed social anxiety, symptoms, and self-esteem at two points, six months apart, for 39 participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. RESULTS Concurrent measures of social anxiety and self-esteem were closely correlated with one another. Multiple regressions indicated that baseline self-esteem was significantly correlated with social anxiety six months later, independent of the influence of social anxiety at baseline. Social anxiety at baseline did not predict self-esteem at six months when baseline self-esteem was controlled for statistically. CONCLUSIONS Lower self-esteem may be a risk factor for the development of social anxiety in individuals with schizophrenia. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.
Transitioning to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics: A Mixed Methods Study of Elementary Teachers’ Experiences and Perspectives

This mixed methods study explored elementary teachers’ (n = 73) experiences with and perspectives on the recently implemented Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-Mathematics) at a high-needs, urban school. Analysis of the survey, questionnaire, and interview data reveals the findings cluster around: familiarity with and preparation to use the standards; implementation of the standards, including incorporation and teacher change; and tensions associated with enactment of the standards. Notably, the teachers believed in the merit of the standards but were constrained by their inadequate content knowledge, limited aligned curricular resources, lack of student readiness, and a perceived mismatch with ELLs. The results illuminate the professional needs of teachers during this critical time of transition to the standards and also add to the scant research on this national-scale reform in mathematics education. This article features a Research to Practice Companion Article. Please click on the supporting information link below to access.
Protection of cattle against Babesia major by the inoculation of irradiated piroplasms.

Two experiments were carried out on Babesia major in splenectomised calves. In the first one, the parasite was titrated and a linear relationship was observed between infective dose (10 2 –10 7 parasites) and onset of disease. In the second experiment aliquots of 1·2 × 10 10 parasites were irradiated at doses of 24, 28, 32, 36 and 40 krads and inoculated into groups of calves, while control calves received l·2 × l0 7 or 1·2 × 10 4 parasites. Animals which received parasites irradiated at 24 or 28 krads had mild reactions and were immune to homologous challenge. Animals receiving parasites irradiated at the higher dose levels had limited ability to resist the challenge.
Catecholamine modulation of magnesium plasma levels in the rat.

Epinephrine (0.3 microgram/min) or isoproterenol (0.2 microgram/min) were infused for 40 min in rats to determine the role of catecholamines in the short-term control of plasma magnesium levels. Phentolamine (0.2 and 1 mg/kg) or propranolol (5 mg/kg), injected i.p. 10 min following the beginning of the infusion with catecholamines, were used to block alpha- or beta-adrenoceptors. Epinephrine alone elevated the systolic while decreasing the diastolic blood pressure and initially increased heart rate by 8% to 455 +/- 25 beats/min. Plasma potassium declined by 24% but magnesium levels remained constant. Following 0.2 mg/kg of phentolamine, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased by 40% and 55% to 95 +/- 11 and 39 +/- 3 mmHg, respectively. Potassium levels were further reduced by 8%. Administration of this dose of phentolamine increased magnesium levels by 8%. Magnesium levels were elevated by 19% to 2.38 +/- 0.20 mEq/l after 1 mg/kg of phentolamine, possibly due to excessive hemodynamic derangements. Propranolol reversed the hypokalemic and hemodynamic effects of the epinephrine infusion without altering plasma magnesium. Similarly, propranolol abolished the tachycardia and hypokalemia elicited by isoproterenol without affecting magnesium levels. These results suggest that catecholamines play no major role in the short-term control of plasma magnesium in the rat.
The state and potential of diamond in efficient direct energy conversion

The transformation of thermal into electrical energy through thermionic energy conversion allows high conversion efficiencies as the hot and cold side are separated by a vacuum gap. Electrons released through thermal excitation from a cathode are collected by a counter-electrode with lower work function, ideally about 0.5eV, which can define the conversion efficiency. Converter electrodes based on diamond could achieve optimum work function values for emitter and collector by exploiting donor states introduced by nitrogen at 1.7eV and phosphorus at 0.6eV below the conduction band minimum, respectively. With the ability of diamond surfaces to attain a negative electron (NEA) affinity a surface barrier for electron emission can be mitigated and through single crystal material its stability at elevated temperatures enhanced.
Cognitive and behavioral features discriminate between Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Objective To compare the cognitive and behavioral profiles of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cognitively impaired patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and to determine the individual measures that best discriminate the two patient groups. Background Neuropsychologic studies of patients with AD and PD have generated debate over the distinction between "cortical" and "subcortical" dementias, with some studies showing significant differences and others showing little difference in the cognitive profiles of these groups. Studies evaluating behavioral differences between the patient groups have been somewhat more successful in adequately discriminating these syndromes. To address this issue, we examined cognitive and behavioral profiles of patients with AD and cognitively impaired patients with PD on two frequently used assessment instruments. Method Patients were diagnosed according to published and accepted criteria for AD and PD. Eighteen patients with AD and 18 patients with PD, matched on age and education, were administered the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale and Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (formally Frontal Lobe Personality Scale). Results The two groups did not differ on overall Dementia Rating Scale score or total Frontal Systems Behavior Scale score. However, examination of subscale scores revealed that the patients with AD performed significantly worse than the patients with PD on the Memory subscale of the Dementia Rating Scale, and patients with PD were rated as being more apathetic than the patients with AD on the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale. When these two variables were entered into a discriminant function analysis, an overall classification accuracy of 86% was demonstrated, with 89% of the AD group and 83% of the PD group correctly classified. Conclusions These findings suggest that even though global cognitive dysfunction and behavioral disturbance may appear similar in patients with AD and cognitively impaired patients with PD, specific measures of these functions that are sensitive to the underlying neuropathology of each disease do differ significantly.
Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of differently heat-treated binder jet printed samples from gas- and water-atomized alloy 625 powders

Abstract In this study, we investigate the effect of powders resulting from different atomization methods on properties of binder jet printed and heat-treated samples. Air-melted gas atomized (GA) and water atomized (WA) nickel-based alloy 625 powders were used to binder jet print samples for a detailed comparative study on microstructural evolution and mechanical properties. GA printed samples achieved higher sintering density (99.2%) than WA samples (95.0%) due to differences in powder morphology and chemistry. Grain sizes of GA and WA samples at their highest density were 89 ± 21 μm and 88 ± 26 μm, respectively. Mechanical tests were conducted on optimally sintered samples and sintered plus aged samples; aging further improved microstructure and mechanical properties. This study shows that microstructural evolution (densification, and carbide, oxide and intermetallic phase formation) is very different for GA and WA binder jet printed and heat-treated samples. This difference in microstructural evolution results in different mechanical properties with the superior sintered and aged GA specimen reaching a hardness of 327 ± 7 HV 0.1 , yield strength of 394 ± 15 MPa, and ultimate tensile strength of 718 ± 14 MPa which are higher than cast alloy 625 values.
Judaism, Sufism, and the Pietists of Medieval Egypt: A Study of Abraham Maimonides and His Times, by Elisha Russ-Fishbane, New York, Oxford University Press, 2015, xii + 273 pp., US$125.00 (hardcover), ISBN 978 0 1987 2876 4

In the early 13th century the Jewish community of Egypt was embroiled in a controversy after Abraham Maimonides (d. 1237), head of the community and son of the philosopher Moses Maimonides (d. 1204...
Quantification of a latex agglutination assay for bacterial pathogen detection in a low-cost capillary-driven fluidic platform

Bacterial contamination of water, for example by Escherichia coli, is a major cause of preventable diseases in rural developing communities. With the lack of infrastructure and experienced laboratory professionals, careful water sampling and analysis becomes inaccessible in these resource-limited environments. There is a need for a low-cost and equipment-free detection platform for detecting pathogens within fluid samples. Latex agglutination assays have been widely used in biology and medicine for its simplicity and specificity. However, conventional agglutination tests have their shortcomings, including the subjectivity in determining the degree of agglutination and the non-quantitative output. We propose a miniaturized device capable of quantifying the E. coli contamination levels in fluid samples. The detection employs the latex agglutination test, where functionalized latex particles form agglutinates with specific antigens in the fluid sample. Channels fabricated using adhesive tapes coated with hydrophilic materials are used to drive the fluid sample through a detection zone, where an image analysis algorithm quantifies the degree of agglutination using images obtained by a smartphone. The use of capillary-driven flows eliminates the needs for an external active pumping system and other equipment typically necessary for interfacing fluidic chips. This aspect of our device could resolve the issues with lack of trained personnel, which is a major and severe constraint in deploying health technology in these regions.
Estimation of genetic parameters in two maize recurrent selection programs

Recurrent selection is a cyclical breeding procedure that focuses on improving the mean performance of a population by increasing the frequency of favorable alleles, while maintaining adequate genetic variability for continued selection. Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic (BSSS) is a maize population that has undergone continuous recurrent selection for more than 50 years as the base population for two independent selection programs (intraand inter-population). This study was designed to estimate the mean performance and important genetic parameters in BSSS after: seven cycles of half-sib (HS) progeny selection [BSSSCO vs BS13(S)C0], six cycles of S2-progeny selection [BS13(S)C0 vs BS13(S)C6], and 11 cycles of reciprocal recurrent selection (RRS) [BSSSCO vs BSSS(R)C11]. A Design II (cross-classified) mating design was constructed to give direct estimates of additive and dominance variance in the individual populations. Fourteen sets of 4 male by 4 female matings for each of the four populations were evaluated in a randomized incomplete block (Reps/Sets) experiment grown in six environments.