cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of HPV16, HPV18, p16, and E6/E7 MRNA in Nasopharyngeal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) associated head and neck cancers, particularly oropharyngeal cancers (OPC), have a superior prognosis to HPV negative cancers. A literature review did not find any studies that analyzed HPV 16, HPV 18 DNA and p16 in the nasopharynx subsite, although it has been reported in the oropharynx. The detection of HPV DNA and p16 in the nasopharynx could have implications for the treatment of NPC. To date no one has reported the detection or concordance rates of HPV associated markers in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: A literature search was undertaken on Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library to identify studies that used PCR and ISH for detection of HPV DNA and p16 in the nasopharynx. We included studies published between 1992 and 2017 that reported the prognostic impact of HPV DNA and/or p16, treated HPV and p16 as categorical variables with at least 10 patients who tested for p16 and/or HPV16/HPV18 DNA in NPC, irrespective of HPV status. We then collected information from many parameters, and performed a meta analysis to produce pooled prevalence estimates and explored sources of heterogeneity Results: 21 studies published between 1992 and 2017 were selected for meta analysis, with sample sizes ranging from 10 to 1328. The total (random effects) pooled detection of any HPV marker in NPC patients was 19.7% (95% CI: 12.56 to 28.00). The total (random effects) pooled detection of p16 positivity in NPC patients was 23.98% (95% CI: 14.82 to 34.54). The total (random effects) pooled detection of HPV DNA in NPC patients, detected by ISH, was 14.43% (95% CI: 10.13 to 19.33) and for HPV DNA in NPC patients including E6/E7 was 18.13% (95% CI: 11.45 to 25.94). The total (random effects) pooled detection of HPV DNA in NPC patients was 18.13% (95% CI: 11.45 to 25.94). The total (random effects) pooled detection of EBV positivity in NPC patients was 76.21% (95% CI: 66.40 to 84.80). Heterogeneity was high for all of the results. The attributable fraction of p16+ and HPV DNA+ in NPC is 0.029. The attributable fraction of EBV positive and HPV negative in NPC is 0.827. The attributable fraction of EBV negative and HPV negative in NPC is 0.0639. The attributable fraction of EBV negative and HPV + in NPC is 0.085. The attributable fraction of EBV positive and HPV + in NPC is 0.023. The attributable fraction of HPV positive and mRNA+ in NPC was 0.115. The attributable fraction of p16 in NPC was 0.123. Discussion: This is the first study that contributes to the concordance and detection rates of HPV related markers in NPC. Limitations: Most of the studies included were of Asian extraction. Most of the papers also did not test for E6/E7 RNA and therefore we are unsure of the amount of active E6/E7 RNA in NPC.
Classification of Parkinson’s disease Using Pitch Synchronous Speech Analysis

Human speech production is a complex task that demands synchronized cognitive and muscular functioning. Assessment of a Parkinson’s disease (PD) patient’s speech using computational methods is a growing field of research. Existing methodologies aim at extraction and usage of features from speech to capture perturbations due to PD. In this paper, we propose a novel methodology for feature extraction and analysis. Features are extracted from each pitch cycle of the speech and variances of the features are used for analysis making this a pitch synchronous methodology. Dimensionality problem is addressed by feature selection, which is followed by an unsupervised k-means clustering to perform classification. A dataset containing 40 participants, 22 (7 female and 15 male) PD and 18 (12 female and 6 male) healthy controls (HC) is used for evaluation. The promising results yielded from this study provides support for our hypothesis that pitch synchronous speech analysis can be useful in PD analysis.
Differential mucins gene expression between respiratory human paramyxovirus infections (VIR5P.1142)

Mucin (MUC) proteins are the main component of mucus and constitute part of the innate immune response. High production of mucins and mucus is characteristic in inflammatory lung diseases. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Human Metapneunovirus (hMPV) are RNA viruses belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family and represent the most important cause of severe lung diseases such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis in young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Although these viruses are close-related, the host immune response elicited by them is widely different. In this work we evaluated the lung gene expression of secreted (MUC2, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC8 and MUC19) and cell surface (MUC1, MUC3, MUC4, MUC13, MUC15, MUC16, MUC20, MUC21 and MUC22) mucins by qRTPCR in human epithelial cells infected with RSV or hMPV. Our data indicate that the MUC expression by RSV and hMPV differ significantly, as we observed a stronger induction of MUC8, MUC15, MUC20, MUC21 and MUC22 by RSV infection at 48 and 72 h than by hMPV. On the other hand, the expression of MUC2, MUC5B and MUC1 was dominated by the infection with hMPV at the same time points. No significant MUC5AC, MUC19, MUC3, or MUC13 expression was observed after any of the infections. Together, these data indicate that RSV appears to be a stronger inducer of MUC response than hMPV and suggest that MUC expression contribute to the differential immune response induced by these two major human respiratory viruses
LHX2- and LDB1-mediated trans interactions regulate olfactory receptor choice

The genome is partitioned into topologically associated domains and genomic compartments with shared chromatin valence. This architecture is constrained by the DNA polymer, which precludes interactions between genes on different chromosomes. Here we report a marked divergence from this pattern of nuclear organization that occurs in mouse olfactory sensory neurons. Chromatin conformation capture using in situ Hi-C on fluorescence-activated cell-sorted olfactory sensory neurons and their progenitors shows that olfactory receptor gene clusters from 18 chromosomes make specific and robust interchromosomal contacts that increase with differentiation of the cells. These contacts are orchestrated by intergenic olfactory receptor enhancers, the ‘Greek islands’, which first contribute to the formation of olfactory receptor compartments and then form a multi-chromosomal super-enhancer that associates with the single active olfactory receptor gene. The Greek-island-bound transcription factor LHX2 and adaptor protein LDB1 regulate the assembly and maintenance of olfactory receptor compartments, Greek island hubs and olfactory receptor transcription, providing mechanistic insights into and functional support for the role of trans interactions in gene expression. Specific interchromosomal contacts in olfactory sensory neurons form a super-enhancer that controls the expression of a single olfactory receptor in each neuron.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Use within 24 Hours of Heart Transplantation in Children: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes

Purpose Primary graft dysfunction following heart transplantation (HT) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of pediatric patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support post-HT. Methods This study utilized an existing data linkage between the PHIS and SRTR databases from which pediatric HT recipients were identified (2002-2016). Post-HT ECMO support was identified by billing codes within one day of HT. Logistic regression was performed to assess risk factors for ECMO post-HT. Kaplan-Meier analyses assessed in-hospital mortality and post-discharge survival. Results A total of 2,820 patients were included with 224 (7.9%) requiring ECMO post-HT. Risk factors independently associated with the need for ECMO included age Conclusion There are identifiable risk factors associated with the need for ECMO in the post-HT period. Length of time on ECMO post-HT is strongly associated with the risk of in-hospital mortality. While patients who require ECMO post-HT demonstrate worse overall survival, those who survive to discharge have comparable outcomes to patients who did not require ECMO.
Phototoxicity Assessments of Field Sites in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, USA, and Heavily Weathered Macondo Crude Oil: 4 Years after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill resulted in the release of large amounts of crude oil into waters of the Gulf of Mexico (USA). A significant portion of the oil reached coastal waters and shorelines where aquatic organisms reside. Four years after the spill, oil remains in small quantities along the coast. Given the high volume of oil coupled with the high ultraviolet light intensities of the Gulf of Mexico, continued polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon phototoxicity may be occurring in the Gulf region. The objective of the present study was to determine the potential for phototoxicity at 5 field sites (oiled, remediated, and unoiled) in Barataria Bay (LA, USA) to caged mysid shrimp and sheepshead minnows and to evaluate the phototoxic potential of field-collected oil water accommodated fractions (WAFs). Water chemistries were similar between field-collected oil WAFs and ambient waters, excluding the most oiled field site. Field bioassays indicated no phototoxic risk of heavily weathered crude oil under the highly turbid conditions present during the study. Laboratory WAFs of field-collected oil resulted in phototoxicity to mysid shrimp, suggesting a potential for phototoxicity of heavily weathered crude oil remaining in the Gulf of Mexico. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1811-1819. © 2019 SETAC.
On a Rational Model Interpolation Technique of Ultra-Wideband Signals

A regressive rational function interpolation technique for noisy frequency domain data is presented. This technique is based on using a modified ARMA model to fit the transfer function of the underlying noisy spectral data. The coefficients of the model are then calculated based on minimizing a weighted least square criterion iteratively. This procedure incorporates the singular value decomposition technique to accurately estimate the order of the model and at the same time to suppress the noise components, which corrupt the actual data samples. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the interpolation technique.
Professional Development for Online Post-secondary Faculty

Post-secondary faculty members teaching online can benefit from professional development in the form of workshops, one-on-one consultations, peer-to-peer mentoring, and other formal and informal training opportunities. Building on evidence around faculty preference and insight, a proposal is made for a competency based professional development course that guides faculty through an application-and task-based series of activities to create or accelerate an online course in an international context.
Context and social exchange: perceived ethical climate strengthens the relationships between perceived organizational support and organizational identification and commitment

Effective human resource management involves maximizing the value gained from human resource practices and policies. Past research shows that practices and policies are beneficial because they stre...
A multidimensional scaling and sample clustering to obtain a representative subset of training data for transfer learning-based rosacea lesion identification

Rosacea is a common cutaneous disorder characterized by facial redness, swelling, and flushing, and it is usually diagnosed by a dermatologist after a visual examination. Qualitative human assessment often results in relatively high intra- and interobserver variability, which can negatively affect patient outcomes. Computer-assisted image analysis may improve visual assessment by human observers because it enables quantitative, consistent, and accurate analysis. Here, we combine classical multidimensional scaling (MDS) with deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to create an efficient framework to identify rosacea lesions. MDS is utilized to determine an appropriate amount of training data, which are used to train Inception-ResNet-v2 to classify facial images into rosacea and non-rosacea regions. Using a leave-one-patient-out cross-validation scheme with 128 × 128 non-overlapping image patches, the method resulted in a class weighted average Dice coefficient (DC) of 82.1% ± 2.4% and accuracy of 85.0% ± 0.6%. While this average performance is almost identical to our previous results (81.7% ± 2.7% and 84.9% ± 0.6% for DC and accuracy, respectively), with the new scheme, we use approximately 90% less data to train the system. We also report the results of quantitative experiments with overlapping patches with a stride of 50 pixels. With the same experimental setup, speedups of 25.6 times (128 × 128), 23.4 times (192 × 192), and 23.2 times (256 × 256) have been observed when the network is trained with the entire training data as the baseline. The class weighted average DC for this experiment with the proposed method is 83.9% ± 2.1% as in the case of 192 × 192 pixels overlapping patches, while it is 84.4% ± 2.2% when the entire set is trained at each fold. We conclude that the proposed method can be an efficient way to train deep neural networks using only a small subset of the training data.
Principal professionalism in the time of COVID-19

In this paper, we describe the impact of COVID-19 on principals and their work. Drawing on prior research undertaken prior to the onset of the pandemic, we describe how principals were already grappling with difficult tensions associated with their expertise, autonomy, normative orientation and rewards that may have real implications for their work moving forward and how, in the current context of uncertainty and change we believe the issue of principal professionalism requires our collective attention and action.,Over the last year, we undertook a multistate qualitative study of 17 school leaders to explore how principals working in traditional public schools conceptualize the principal profession and their role within it. Briefly, we found that the principalship is an “emergent profession” characterized by shared but individually determined knowledge and skills; a normative orientation of service; confused notions of external expectations and rewards and ongoing tensions among all of these elements.,Professionalism may be a surprising lever for improving the capacity of school leadership. Through our research, we identified that little is known about professionalism as it relates to the unique work of school leaders, but that understanding more about it could lead to greater knowledge of how to encourage and retain them. In the current context of uncertainty, chaos and change, the pressure on leaders to stay in the role and to succeed has never been greater. Thus, it is critical that principals have the capacity to exert professionalism over their work and to have greater say in elements of it, recognizing that some decisions must be made at district, state and federal levels.,While many studies investigate how teachers of various backgrounds and in different contexts think about teaching as a profession (e.g. Anderson and Cohen, 2015; Stone-Johnson, 2014b; Torres and Weiner, 2018; Hall and McGinty, 2015), we had difficulty identifying studies focused on principals and using frameworks of professionalism to understand how these activities reflect larger shifts in the profession itself. This is despite the changing nature of principals' work, which, like the work of teachers, has been and continues to be largely influenced by the increasing role of neoliberal principles and policies in education. The public nature of the work of school leadership and the potential to support students, families and the communities in which they live brings in sharp focus the necessity of greater understanding of it during the COVID-19 crisis.
Energy-Efficient Spatially-Correlated Data Aggregation Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

This paper addresses the problem of minimizing the energy consumption of data gathering from a set of Internet-of-things (IoT) devices using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The spatial correlation among the data of the IoT devices is considered. A framework is provided, in which a subset of devices are selected to contribute, and the optimal path that the UAV should follow, along with the aggregation points at which the UAV stops and aggregates the data in an energy-efficient fashion is also considered. In this framework, an optimization problem is formulated to minimize the energy expenditure of the IoT devices and UAV while the latter tours to aggregate the required information from the former. A solution based on a greedy algorithm is provided, in which the optimization problem is decomposed into two complementary sub-problems. The first sub-problem selects the contributing devices using a genetic algorithm. The second sub-problem optimizes the locations of the data aggregation points and assigns the active devices to each aggregation point. Simulation results show that the proposed framework can save significant energy.
The Discovery of Quasi-stellar Objects behind M31 and M33

We report the discovery of 11 newly found quasars behind the stellar disks of the spiral galaxies M31 and M33 in the fields covered by the Local Group Galaxy Survey. Their redshifts range from 0.37 to 2.15. Most are X-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared sources. We also report the discovery of five normal background galaxies. Most of these objects were observed owing to their anomalous colors, as part of a program (reported elsewhere) to confirm spectroscopically candidate red supergiant plus B-star binaries; others were discovered as part of our identification of early-type massive stars based upon their optical colors. There are 15 previously known quasars in the same fields, for a grand total of 26, 15 behind M31 and 11 behind M33. Of these, only eight were discovered as part of surveys for quasars; the rest were found accidentally. The quasars are well distributed in the M31 and M33 fields, except for the inner regions, and have the potential for being good probes of the interstellar medium in these stellar disks, as well as serving as zero-point calibrators for Gaia parallaxes.
A Tensegrity-Graph Optimization Framework for Estimating Intracellular Stiffness

Abstract In this paper we present a formulation for estimating intracellular stiffness using tensegrity principles. We demonstrate that the new tensegrity model, based on random graphs over dense nodes, can predict well known mechanical characteristics of epithelial and mesenchymal cells.
Role of MIF in coordinated expression of hepatic chemokines in patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis

Background The chemokine system of ligands and receptors is implicated in the progression of Alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH). Finding upstream regulators could lead to novel therapies.MOTHODS. The coordinated expression of chemokines in livers of healthy controls (HC) and patients with AH in two distinct cohorts of patients with various chronic liver diseases. Studies in cultured hepatocytes and in tissue-specific knockouts were used for mechanistic insight into a potential upstream regulator of chemokine expression in AH. Results Selected C-X-C chemokine members of the Interleukin-8 (IL-8) chemokine family and C-C chemokine CCl20 were highly associated with AH compared to HC, but not in patients with liver diseases of other etiologies (NAFLD or HCV). Our previous studies implicate Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) as a pleiotropic cytokine/chemokine with the potential to coordinately regulate chemokine expression in AH. LPS-stimulated expression of multiple chemokines in cultured hepatocytes was dependent on MIF. Gao-binge ethanol feeding to mice induced a similar coordinated chemokine expression in livers of wild-type mice; this was prevented in hepatocyte-specific Mif knockout (MifΔHep) mice. Conclusions This study demonstrates that patients with AH exhibit a specific, coordinately expressed chemokine signature and hepatocyte-derived MIF might drive this inflammatory response. .
Identifying Protective Factors for Bullying and Guiding School Mental Health Practitioners Around the World: A Tribute to Dr. Dan Olweus

This special issue is dedicated to Dr. Dan Olweus (April 18, 1931–September 20, 2020), a pioneer in research on school bullying. This special issue aims to bring together scholarly works of bullying researchers around the world to identify protective factors that potentially inhibit the development of bullying and peer victimization and buffer against the adverse psychosocial outcomes of bullying involvement.
Recent advances in bovine reproductive physiology

The intent of this review is to give practitioners of the art and science of bovine reproduction a view of recent research findings in reproductive physiology. In some cases, practical applications of these findings have been suggested. In many cases, it has been left to the ingenuity of the practitioner to utilize the new information effectively.
Loss of REDD1 prevents chemotherapy-induced muscle atrophy and weakness in mice.

BACKGROUND Chemotherapy is an essential treatment to combat solid tumours and mitigate metastasis. Chemotherapy causes side effects including muscle wasting and weakness. Regulated in Development and DNA Damage Response 1 (REDD1) is a stress-response protein that represses the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) in complex 1 (mTORC1), and its expression is increased in models of muscle wasting. The aim of this study was to determine if deletion of REDD1 is sufficient to attenuate chemotherapy-induced muscle wasting and weakness in mice. METHODS C2C12 myotubes were treated with carboplatin, and changes in myotube diameter were measured. Protein synthesis was measured by puromycin incorporation, and REDD1 mRNA and protein expression were analysed in myotubes treated with carboplatin. Markers of mTORC1 signalling were measured by western blot. REDD1 global knockout mice and wild-type mice were treated with a single dose of carboplatin and euthanized 7 days later. Body weight, hindlimb muscle weights, forelimb grip strength, and extensor digitorum longus whole muscle contractility were measured in all groups. Thirty minutes prior to euthanasia, mice were injected with puromycin to measure puromycin incorporation in skeletal muscle. RESULTS C2C12 myotube diameter was decreased at 24 (P = 0.0002) and 48 h (P < 0.0001) after carboplatin treatment. Puromycin incorporation was decreased in myotubes treated with carboplatin for 24 (P = 0.0068) and 48 h (P = 0.0008). REDD1 mRNA and protein expression were increased with carboplatin treatment (P = 0.0267 and P = 0.0015, respectively), and this was accompanied by decreased phosphorylation of Akt T308 (P < 0.0001) and S473 (P = 0.0006), p70S6K T389 (P = 0.0002), and 4E-binding protein 1 S65 (P = 0.0341), all markers of mTORC1 activity. REDD1 mRNA expression was increased in muscles from mice treated with carboplatin (P = 0.0295). Loss of REDD1 reduced carboplatin-induced body weight loss (P = 0.0013) and prevented muscle atrophy in mice. REDD1 deletion prevented carboplatin-induced decrease of protein synthesis (P = 0.7626) and prevented muscle weakness. CONCLUSIONS Carboplatin caused loss of body weight, muscle atrophy, muscle weakness, and inhibition of protein synthesis. Loss of REDD1 attenuates muscle atrophy and weakness in mice treated with carboplatin. Our study illustrates the importance of REDD1 in the regulation of muscle mass with chemotherapy treatment and may be an attractive therapeutic target to combat cachexia.
Immobilized Glucose Isomerase for the Production of High Fructose Syrups

High fructose syrups have a substantial potential market as substitutes for other sweeteners such as sucrose invert. The use of immobilized glucose isomerase for the conversion of glucose to fructose has been discussed previously (1,2).
Problems with the Use of Drugs in the Psychotherapy of Psychotic Patients

(1963). Problems with the Use of Drugs in the Psychotherapy of Psychotic Patients. Psychiatry: Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 289-296.
Real-time model-based fault diagnosis for switching power converters

We present the analysis, design, and experimental implementation of a fault diagnosis method for switching power converters using a model-based estimator approach. The fault diagnosis method enables efficient detection and identification of component and sensor faults, and is implemented on the same computation platform as the control system. The model-based estimator operates in parallel with the switching power converter, and generates an error residual vector that can be used to detect and identify particular component or sensor faults. This paper presents an experimental demonstration for a 1.2 kW rack-level uninterruptable power supply (UPS) dc-dc converter for data center applications. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate fault detection and identification for various component and sensor faults in the converter. Moreover, we show that the proposed fault diagnosis design and analysis methods are applicable to a broad class of converter topologies and fault types.
Closed Itemset Mining and Non-redundant Association Rule Mining.

DEFINITION Let I be a set of binary-valued attributes, called items. A set X ⊆ I is called an itemset. A transaction database D is a multiset of itemsets, where each itemset, called a transaction, has a unique identifier, called a tid. The support of an itemset X in a dataset D, denoted sup(X), is the fraction of transactions in D where X appears as a subset. X is said to be a frequent itemset in D if sup(X) ≥ minsup, where minsup is a user defined minimum support threshold. An (frequent) itemset is called closed if it has no (frequent) superset having the same support. An association rule is an expression A ⇒ B, where A and B are itemsets, and A ∩ B = ∅. The support of the rule is the joint probability of a transaction containing both A and B, given as sup(A ⇒ B) = P (A ∧ B) = sup(A ∪ B). The confidence of a rule is the conditional probability that a transaction contains B, given that it contains A, given as: conf(A ⇒ B) = P (B|A) = P (A∧B) P (A) = sup(A∪B) sup(A) . A rule is frequent if the itemset A∪B is frequent. A rule is confident if conf ≥ minconf , where minconf is a user-specified minimum threshold. The aim of non-redundant association rule mining is to generate a rule basis, a small, non-redundant set of rules, from which all other association rules can be derived.
NEAR-MISS EFFECTS ON RESPONSE LATENCIES AND WIN ESTIMATIONS OF SLOT MACHINE PLAYERS

The present study examined the degree to which slot machine near-miss trials, or trials that displayed 2 of 3 winning symbols on the payoff line, affected response times and win estimations of 12 recreational slot machine players. Participants played a commercial slot machine in a casino-like laboratory for course extra-credit points. Videotaped sessions were later coded to assess trial types and participant response latencies and win estimations for each participant. Results show that all 12 participants emitted verbalizations suggesting near-miss trials were of a higher approximation to a win than non-near-miss losing trials. Of the 12 participants 8 also demonstrated higher response latencies following losing trials than following winning trials. Variations across participants’ response latencies were attributed to the presence of and response to near miss trials. The implications of the near-miss on game preference, resistance to extinction, and the development of a behavioral treatment for pathological gamblers are discussed.
Sliding Autonomy for Complex Coordinated Multi-Robot Tasks: Analysis & Experiments

Autonomous systems are efficient but often unreliable. In domains where reliability is paramount, efficiency is sacrificed by putting an operator in control via teleoperation. We are investigating a mode of shared control called “Sliding Autonomy” that combines the efficiency of autonomy and the reliability of human control in the performance of complex tasks, such as the assembly of large structures by a team of robots. Here we introduce an approach based on Markov models that captures interdependencies between the team members and predicts system performance. We report results from a study in which three robots work cooperatively with an operator to assemble a structure. The scenario requires high precision and has a large number of failure modes. Our results support both our expectations and modeling and show that our combined robot-human team is able to perform the assembly at a level of efficiency approaching that of fully autonomous operation while increasing overall reliability to near-teleoperation levels. This increase in performance is achieved while simultaneously reducing mental operator workload.
Early adolescent substance use in Mexican origin families: Peer selection, peer influence, and parental monitoring.

Abstract Background Because adolescents vary in their susceptibility to peer influence, the current study addresses potential reciprocal effects between associating with deviant peers and use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD), as well as the potential buffering role of parental monitoring on these reciprocal effects. Method 674 children of Mexican origin reported at fifth and seventh grade (10.4 years old at fifth grade) on the degree to which they associated with deviant peers, intended to use alcohol, tobacco or other drugs (ATOD) in the future, and had used controlled substances during the past year. Trained observers rated parental monitoring from video-recorded family interactions at the first assessment. Results Youth who intended to use ATODs during fifth grade experienced a relative increase in number of deviant peers by seventh grade, and youth with more deviant peers in fifth grade were more likely to use ATODs by seventh grade. Parental monitoring buffered (i.e., moderated) the reciprocal association between involvement with deviant peers and both intent to use ATODs and actual use of ATODs. Conclusions Parental monitoring can disrupt the reciprocal associations between deviant peers and ATOD use during the transition from childhood to adolescence.
Cell-, age- and stage-dependent distribution of connexin43 gap junctions in testes

Immunocytochemical data demonstrate that the distribution of gap junction connexin43 (Cx43) in rodent testes is dependent on cell type, testis maturation, and stage of the mature seminiferous epithelium. Western blotting and indirect immunofluorescence microscopy using anti-peptide antisera to Cx43 revealed abundant Cx43 in rat and mouse testes and mouse TM3 and TM4 cells. Cx43 mRNA was detected in rat testes and mouse TM4 cells by Northern blot analysis. Cx43 was localized by immunogold electron microscopy to gap junctions on Sertoli cells and Leydig cells. A punctate distribution of Cx43 was observed on peritubular cell surfaces following indirect immunofluorescence of detergent-permeabilized tubule segments. In cryosections from testes of immature (to 30 days) rats, and mature rats and mice, Leydig cells showed a punctate surface distribution of Cx43 following indirect immunofluorescence. A diffuse cytoplasmic fluorescence was also seen in spermatocytes and spermatogonia. Cx43 staining associated with Sertoli cells was age- and stage-dependent. Over 90% of the tubules in immature tests (22-30 days) contained Cx43 in the region of Sertoli-Sertoli occluding junctions and in the adluminal compartment. In mature rat testes, however, Cx43 immunostaining was detected in only 60% of 1195 tubule sections where it was abundant proximal to the Sertoli cell occluding junctions. All strongly stained tubules were from stages I-VIII, while negatively stained tubules were at stages IX-XIV. Cx43 immunostaining in mature mouse testes was also stage-dependent with all positive tubules at stages VI-VIII. In contrast to Cx43, Cx26 and Cx32 were detected by immunofluorescence only in the apical regions of the seminiferous epithelia in 90% of tubules from mature rats. Consistent with the observed Cx43 immunostaining, octanol-sensitive in situ dye-coupling was observed between Leydig cells, between peritubular cells and between Sertoli cells, suggesting the occurrence of functional gap junctions in these cell types. These observations provide evidence for extensive gap junction-mediated communication between a variety of testis cell types important to the support of spermatogenesis.
Synthesis of high proton conducting nanoparticles by emulsion polymerization

Abstract High ion-exchange capacity (IEC) sulfonated polystyrene nanoparticles were synthesized by an emulsion copolymerization of styrene, divinyl benzene and sulfonated styrene (SS). The effects of varying the counterion of the sulfonated styrene monomer, the SS concentration, the surfactant and the addition of a crosslinking agent on the ability to stabilize the emulsion nanoparticles to high IEC were studied. Water-insoluble nanoparticles, 20–160 nm in diameter, with IEC as high as 5.2 meq/g were achieved using sulfonated styrene with a quaternary alkyl ammonium cation, a non-ionic surfactant and a crosslinking agent in the emulsion formulation. That IEC corresponds to fully sulfonated crosslinked polystyrene.
Development of atherosclerosis in Balb/c apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

Abstract Background Since its creation in 1992 by gene inactivation via gene targeting, the apolipoprotein E “knockout” mouse has become the most widely used rodent model for the study of atherosclerosis. Commercially available apolipoprotein E(−/−) mice are bred on a C57BL/6J background. The goal of the present study was to investigate the development of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice generated on a Balb/c background. Methods We compared serum cholesterol concentrations and the development of atherosclerotic lesions in heterozygous Balb/c [apolipoprotein E(+/−)] mice fed regular rodent chow, Balb/c apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed regular chow, and Balb/c apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet for up to 30 weeks. Expression of the chemokine JE (murine homologue of MCP-1), as well as the adhesion molecules E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, in the aortas of knockout mice fed a high-fat diet was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Balb/c apolipoprotein E-deficient mice develop atherosclerotic lesions in a reproducible temporal and morphological pattern. Total serum cholesterol concentrations in Balb/c apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed regular chow or a high-fat diet, respectively, closely parallel those reported for C57BL/6J apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. The expression of all three adhesion molecules in the aorta follows a similar temporal pattern, peaking in the first 15 weeks, whereas JE concentrations peak around 23 weeks. Conclusion The availability of Balb/c apolipoprotein E-deficient mice will facilitate the study of atherosclerosis in a mouse strain that can concomitantly develop other pathological states that are not readily inducible in mice with the C57BL/6J background.
SU-FF-T-579: Comparison of Helical Tomotherapy and Mixed Beam Treatment Plans for Superficial Parotid Cancers

Purpose: To compare helical tomotherapy (HT) with mixed beam therapy (electron and IMRT) plans for a superficial parotid treatment. Method and Materials: Mixed beam and HT dose plans were developed for a patient with a superficial parotid gland tumor. Seven mixed beam plans included a 7‐field photonIMRT plan optimized on top of a single en‐face, 16‐MeV electron beam dose distribution. The ratio of photon to electron beam weights (at depth R100) were 1:0 (IMRT only), 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 0:1 (electrons only). Planning objectives for HT plans were set as closely as possible to those in the mixed beam plans, and were determined using our clinical planning protocol for head and neck cancers. The resulting dose distribution from each plan was evaluated using multiple dose metrics for the planning target volume (PTV) and normal tissues.Results: Dose homogeneity, D95%‐5%, was best for HT (0.94 Gy), and worst for electrons (7.19 Gy), but improved with mixed beam (0.99 Gy for 1:3) to nearly equal that of HT. Conformity index was 0.69 for HT and 0.78 for IMRT, but improved with mixed beam (0.80 for 2:1). Mean dose to the contralateral parotid was 16.0 Gy for HT and 20.1 Gy for IMRT, but improved with mixed beam (9.8 Gy for 1:4). Similar normal tissue results were found for the spinal cord, eyes, lens, optic nerves, and contralateral eye. Conclusions: Utilizing IMRT in mixed beam therapy improves dose homogeneity while taking advantage of the finite electron range to spare nearby critical structures. In this case, mixed beam therapy plans were comparable with or superior to HT and IMRT for the PTV and normal tissues.Conflict of Interest: This work was supported in part by TomoTherapy, Inc.
Human genetics. What is good about cystic fibrosis

The remarkably high level of cystic fibrosis mutations among Caucasians may be due to a reduction in heterozygotes in the severity of the diarrhea caused by enterotoxic bacteria.
Tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)dichloro-ruthenium(II) modified carbon paste electrodes for electrocatalytic detection of DNA

Abstract Tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)dichloro-ruthenium(II) (TBRu) containing carbon paste electrodes (CPEs) exhibiting electrocatalytic response toward nucleic acids are described. The electrocatalytic action of the TBRu modifier results in a dramatic enhancement of guanine oxidation response of ssDNA. The influence of the paste composition, operating potential, DNA concentration, and other variables is described. The analytical advantages accrued from the electrocatalytic action of TBRu are demonstrated using flow injection amperometry (FIA) and square-wave voltammetry (SWV). Detection limits of 24 and 500 ppb are obtained using the FIA and SWV operations, respectively. The FIA response is highly linear (R2=0.999) and reproducible (R.S.D. of 1.65%, n=25). The attractive behavior of the carbon paste electrocatalytic detector holds promise for on-line monitoring of nucleic acids.
Wetting and non-wetting near critical points in solids

Abstract A phenomenological qualitative theory of elastic effects is used to examine wetting near critical points in the solid state.
The Apical Determinants aPKC and dPatj Regulate Frizzled-Dependent Planar Cell Polarity in the Drosophila Eye

Planar cell polarity (PCP) is a common feature of many vertebrate and invertebrate epithelia and is perpendicular to their apical/basal (A/B) polarity axis. While apical localization of PCP determinants such as Frizzled (Fz1) is critical for their function, the link between A/B polarity and PCP is poorly understood. Here, we describe a direct molecular link between A/B determinants and Fz1-mediated PCP establishment in the Drosophila eye. We demonstrate that dPatj binds the cytoplasmic tail of Fz1 and propose that it recruits aPKC, which in turn phosphorylates and inhibits Fz1. Accordingly, components of the aPKC complex and dPatj produce PCP defects in the eye. We also show that during PCP signaling, aPKC and dPatj are downregulated, while Bazooka is upregulated, suggesting an antagonistic effect of Bazooka on dPatj/aPKC. We propose a model whereby the dPatj/aPKC complex regulates PCP by inhibiting Fz1 in cells where it should not be active.
Early Retinal Activity and Visual Circuit Development

Does spontaneous retinal activity prior to vision play a role in the establishment of visual maps? In this issue of Neuron, two separate papers by Huberman et al. and Hooks and Chen demonstrate a role for early spontaneous retinal activity in the establishment of ocular dominance columns and synaptic refinement at retinogeniculate synapses.
Minority Business Access to Mainstream Markets

As minority-owned firms have penetrated the broader national marketplace—selling goods and services to corporate as well as government clients—the issue of capacity has surfaced. Particularly in go...
Which claw-free graphs are strongly perfect?

A set S of pairwise nonadjacent vertices in an undirected graph G is called a stable transversal of G if S meets every maximal (with respect to set-inclusion) clique of G. G is called strongly perfect if all its induced subgraphs (including G itself) have stable transversals. A claw is a graph consisting of vertices a,b,c,d and edges ab,ac,ad. We characterize claw-free strongly perfect graphs by five infinite families of forbidden induced subgraphs. This result-whose validity had been conjectured by Ravindra [Research problems, Discrete Math. 80 (1990) 105-107]-subsumes the characterization of strongly perfect line-graphs that was discovered earlier by Ravindra [Strongly perfect line graphs and total graphs, Finite and Infinite Sets. Colloq. Math. Soc. Janos Bolyai 37 (1981) 621-633].
Variation in Adolescent Helpfulness toward Parents in a Family Context

Adolescent voluntary helpfulness toward mothers and fathers was examined as a function of gender, age and pubertal status, and parental behavior. A random sample of 85 adolescents (44 males, 41 females) and their mothers and fathers participated. Parents completed the Parent Report of Helping Behavior, a new instrument designed for this study. Adolescents completed the Children's Report of Parental Behavior Inventory and were interviewed about their pubertal status using Tanner's stage classification. Results generally showed that parents received more help from daughters than from sons and that mothers, in comparison to fathers, received more help. Between late childhood and middle adolescence, parents reported less helpfulness, and adolescents perceived less parental acceptance. Different combinations of age and pubertal status in different dyads predicted these developmental changes. Parental acceptance was positively related to adolescent helpfulness. Results are discussed in terms of gender role soci...
Parasagittal compartmentation of cerebellar mossy fibers as revealed by the patterned expression of vesicular glutamate transporters VGLUT1 and VGLUT2.

The cerebellum receives sensory signals from spinocerebellar (lower limbs) and dorsal column nuclei (upper limbs) mossy fibers. In the cerebellum, mossy fibers terminate in bands that are topographically aligned with stripes of Purkinje cells. While much is known about the molecular heterogeneity of Purkinje cell stripes, little is known about whether mossy fiber compartments have distinct molecular profiles. Here, we show that the vesicular glutamate transporters VGLUT1 and VGLUT2, which mediate glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicles of excitatory neurons, are expressed in complementary bands of mossy fibers in the adult mouse cerebellum. Using a combination of immunohistochemistry and anterograde tracing, we found heavy VGLUT2 and weak VGLUT1 expression in bands of spinocerebellar mossy fibers. The adjacent bands, which are in part comprised of dorsal column nuclei mossy fibers, strongly express VGLUT1 and weakly express VGLUT2. Simultaneous injections of fluorescent tracers into the dorsal column nuclei and lower thoracic–upper lumbar spinal cord revealed that upper and lower limb sensory pathways innervate adjacent VGLUT1/VGLUT2 parasagittal bands. In summary, we demonstrate that VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 are differentially expressed by dorsal column nuclei and spinocerebellar mossy fibers, which project to complementary cerebellar bands and respect common compartmental boundaries in the adult mouse cerebellum.
High Numerical Aperture Diffractive Optical Elements for Neutral Atom Quantum Computing.

The viability of neutral atom based quantum computers is dependent upon scalability to large numbers of qubits. Diffractive optical elements (DOEs) offer the possibility to scale up to many qubit systems by enabling the manipulation of light to collect signal or deliver a tailored spatial trapping pattern. DOEs have an advantage over refractive microoptics since they do not have measurable surface sag, making significantly larger numerical apertures (NA) accessible with a smaller optical component. The smaller physical size of a DOE allows the micro-lenses to be placed in vacuum with the atoms, reducing aberration effects that would otherwise be introduced by the cell walls of the vacuum chamber. The larger collection angle accessible with DOEs enable faster quantum computation speeds. We have designed a set of DOEs for collecting the 852 nm fluorescence from the D2 transition in trapped cesium atoms, and compare these DOEs to several commercially available refractive micro-lenses. The largest DOE is able to collect over 20% of the atom’s radiating sphere whereas the refractive micro-optic is able to collect just 8% of the atom’s radiating sphere.
An improved radiative transfer model for estimating mineral abundance of immature and mature lunar soils

Abstract An improved Hapke’s radiative transfer model (RTM) is presented to estimate mineral abundance for both immature and mature lunar soils from the Lunar Soil Characterization Consortium (LSCC) dataset. Fundamental to this improved Hapke’s model is the application of an alternative equation to describe the effects of larger size submicroscopic metallic iron (SMFe) (>50 nm) in the interior of agglutinitic glass that mainly darken the host material, contrasting to the darkening and reddening effects of smaller size SMFe (
A Geometric Ultraviolet-B Radiation Transfer Model Applied to Vegetation Canopies

The decrease in stratospheric ozone (O3) has prompted continued efforts to assess the potential damage to plant and animal life due to enhanced levels of solar ultraviolet (UV)-B (280-320 nm) radiation. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate an analytical model to simulate the UV-B irradiance loading on horizontal below- canopy surfaces, as influenced by vegetation.
Test-Retest Intervisit Variability of Functional and Structural Parameters in X-Linked Retinoschisis.

Purpose To examine the variability of four outcome measures that could be used to address safety and efficacy in therapeutic trials with X-linked juvenile retinoschisis. Methods Seven men with confirmed mutations in the RS1 gene were evaluated over four visits spanning 6 months. Assessments included visual acuity, full-field electroretinograms (ERG), microperimetric macular sensitivity, and retinal thickness measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Eyes were separated into Better or Worse Eye groups based on acuity at baseline. Repeatability coefficients were calculated for each parameter and jackknife resampling used to derive 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results The threshold for statistically significant change in visual acuity ranged from three to eight letters. For ERG a-wave, an amplitude reduction greater than 56% would be considered significant. For other parameters, variabilities were lower in the Worse Eye group, likely a result of floor effects due to collapse of the schisis pockets and/or retinal atrophy. The criteria for significant change (Better/Worse Eye) for three important parameters were: ERG b/a-wave ratio (0.44/0.23), point wise sensitivity (10.4/7.0 dB), and central retinal thickness (31%/18%). Conclusions The 95% CI range for visual acuity, ERG, retinal sensitivity, and central retinal thickness relative to baseline are described for this cohort of participants with X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS). Translational relevance A quantitative understanding of the variability of outcome measures is vital to establishing the safety and efficacy limits for therapeutic trials of XLRS patients.