cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Juxtamembrane tryptophans of synaptobrevin 2 control the process of membrane fusion

Synaptobrevin 2 (Syb2), syntaxin (Sx1A), and SNAP-25, generate a force to induce fusion pore formation. The v-SNARE, Syb2, is anchored to the vesicle membrane by a single transmembrane domain. Here we show that 2 tryptophans (W89/W90) located in the juxtamembrane domain of Syb2, which stabilize the transmembrane (TM) domain position, control the ratio of spontaneous vs. stimulated membrane fusion events in chromaffin cells. Changing the 2 hydrophobic tryptophans to neutral alanines promotes spontaneous membrane fusion, faster transmitter release kinetics and complete release from individual vesicles. The results indicate that the two tryptophans act as a fusion clamp making fusion stimulus-dependent.
Electron-phonon based local mode descriptions of displacive transformations

As a general approach to the problem of precursive behavior in alloys that undergo a displacive transformation, defect theories are becoming increasingly popular. However, the microscopic origin of the proposed defects is usually not considered. Yu and Anderson have argued that properties of strong-coupling superconductors, such as the A-15 compounds, imply a breakdown of Migdal's theorem (the adiabatic, or Born-Oppenheimer approximation for separation of electrons and phonons) in these systems. The electron-phonon coupling is so strong that it must be incorporated already in zeroth order. This is the basis for local phonon models, in which the electron-phonon coupling provides an effective double well potential for a localized group of atoms. The Yu-Anderson model and an analogous local Jahn-Teller model are reviewed in connection with displacive transformations in strong-coupling alloys.
Anti-Interleukin-10R1 Monoclonal Antibody Enhances Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Induced T-Helper Type 1 Immune Responses and Antitumor Immunity in a Mouse Orthotopic Model of Bladder Cancer

Purpose: Proper induction of the T-helper type 1 immune response is required for effective bacillus Calmette-Guerin immunotherapy for bladder cancer. Interleukin-10 down-regulates the T-helper 1 response and is associated with bacillus Calmette-Guerin failure. We investigated whether blocking interleukin-10 receptor 1 would enhance the bacillus Calmette-Guerin induced T-helper type 1 immune response and anti-bladder cancer immunity in a mouse model.Materials and Methods: Splenocytes were incubated with bacillus Calmette-Guerin or bacillus Calmette-Guerin plus control IgG1, anti-interleukin-10 receptor 1 mAb or anti-interleukin-10 neutralizing mAb, followed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of interferon-γ production. Bladder RNA was extracted after intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin plus intraperitoneal IgG1 or anti-interleukin-10 receptor 1 mAb and analyzed by reverse transcriptase and/or quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Urine was collected and analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ...
Sexual differences in responses to cross-species call interference in the green treefrog ( Hyla cinerea )

Many species gather in choruses to advertise and search for mates, creating noisy social environments that may impair effective communication. These challenges may be further compounded in mixed-species aggregations, where signals from different species overlap and mate-searching females may perceive heterospecific signals in more attractive relative timing positions. I conducted playback experiments with green treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) to test the effects of cross-species call interference on sexual communication and found that the sexes responded differently to conspecific and heterospecific calls. Females differentiated between call types and preferentially approached the conspecific call, indicating that they were not negatively affected by cross-species call interference. By contrast, males did not differentiate between conspecific and heterospecific calls irrespective of the presented call type and males avoided call overlap and called shortly after the offset of any interfering call. I suggest that the observed sex difference is a function of the time frames that the individual has to evaluate the call before initiating a behavioral response. Slower behavioral responses, like phonotaxis that allows for a repeated sampling of a call during approach, may facilitate finer discrimination. Fast behavioral responses, like timing one’s call relative to the call of a rival, may limit processing and result in higher permissiveness. As a result, similar call timing behavior in response to conspecific and heterospecific signals may be an artifact of strong selection for fast and precise call timing in the conspecific context and may essentially trap males into wasting time and energy interacting with heterospecifics.
Incorporating brain research findings into standard treatment: an example using the Matrix Model.

One way to promote the goal of broadening the application of research to applied treatment is through the development and dissemination of empirically supported clinical treatment manuals. NIDA and NIAAA have published a series of manuals that delineate specific psychotherapies and/or behavioral approaches designed for the treatment of drug and alcohol abuse. This article describes a manualized treatment approach, the Matrix Model, which incorporates several of these psychosocial interventions with some basic explanations of recent brain research to form a comprehensive, multi-component model of outpatient stimulant abuse treatment. A large multi-site trial sponsored by CSAT compares the Matrix Model of outpatient treatment with treatment as usual in 7 sites where methamphetamine is a significant problem. The translation and adaptation of the Matrix manual for cocaine users in Mexico and methamphetamine users in Thailand will offer opportunities to evaluate this approach with very diverse populations of stimulant users.
Crystal and molecular structure of (Z)-5,6-dihydro-8(7H)quinolinone thiosemicarbazone

The crystal structure of (Z)-5,6-dihydro-8(7H)quinolinone thiosemicarbazone has been determined by X-ray diffraction techniques in order to confirm the identity of this analog of the antineoplastic agent 2-formylpyridine thiosemicarbazone and to determine the nature of the hydrogen bonding in the solid state. The crystals are pale yellow, space groupP21/n, witha = 7.682(3),b = 10.168(8),c = 14.795(5) A, β = 103.11(4) °, andZ = 4. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined to a finalR value of 0.017. The molecule is quite planar, with the obvious exception of the central saturated carbon, and this, along with a short C-C bond at the point of attachment of the side chain, appears to be due to an interaction with the pyridyl ring. The molecules are arranged in pairs held together by mutual intermolecular S⋯N hydrogen bonds. There is also an extensive system of intramolecular N⋯N hydrogen bonds.
Compositions of Granophyre, Myrmekite, and Graphic Granite

Intergrowths of quartz and feldspar form three distinct types that differ in bulk composition as well as texture, occurrence, and genesis. Granophyric intergrowths involve quartz and alkali feldspar, intergrown on scales from submicroscopic to 1 or 2 mm. Approximately equal amounts of quartz, NaAlSi 3 O 8 and KAlSi 3 O 8 participate in most of these intergrowths, which have a truly granitic composition. Granophyric intergrowths occur as mesostasis, groundmass, and megacrysts, and result from relatively rapid simultaneous growth of quartz and alkali feldspar from a melt, vapor, or devitrifying glass. Myrmekite is an intergrowth of vermicular quartz in plagioclase, which forms a few volume percent of many igneous and metamorphic rocks. The intergrowths rarely exceed 1 mm in diameter. Myrmekite may form by sodium and calcium metasomatism of K-feldspar, or possibly by exsolution. The occurrence of rare calcic myrmekite in mafic rocks remains unexplained. Graphic granite is an intergrowth, on a scale of 1 mm to 1 m, of subhedral skeletal quartz prisms in an alkali feldspar or sodic plagioclase host, which occurs in granitic pegmatites and rarely as megacrysts in granites. Compositions of two types (averaging Qz 27 Or 52 Ab 19 An 2 and Qz 37 Or 5 Ab 51 An 7 ) as well as the texture suggest simultaneous crystallization of quartz and feldspar from a fluid. In each kind of intergrowth, one of the two phases grows commonly in crystallographic continuity with an earlier nucleus or substrate.
Perfusion MR imaging: basic principles and clinical applications

Dynamic contrast-enhanced perfusion MR imaging provides hemodynamic information that complements traditional structural imaging and is increasingly used in clinical practice to diagnose, manage, and understand brain tumors. Relative cerebral blood volume maps derived from perfusion MR imaging data provide quantifiable estimates of regional blood volume that can be used to grade gliomas, differentiate different brain tumor types, and distinguish tumors from non-neoplastic lesions. There are a few minor limitations of the dynamic contrastenhanced perfusion MR imaging technique-susceptibility artifacts, relative rather than absolute quantification of cerebral blood volume, and the inaccurate estimation of cerebral blood volume in patients in whom the blood-brain barrier has been severely disrupted or destroyed. Despite the minor potential pitfalls of the technique, inclusion of perfusion MR imaging as part of a routine evaluation of brain tumors can lead to improved diagnostic accuracy, understanding of tumor pathophysiology, and detection and quantification of tumor angiogenesis. With further work, perfusion MR imaging could be used to assess existing and novel cancer therapies that target blood vessels.
Justice, Inequality, and the Market: Soviet Sociology in the Transition to Capitalism

This essay examines the role played by Soviet sociology in the USSR’s transition to capitalism. It analyzes the discipline’s contribution to the critique of Soviet socio-economic life during the 1980s, identifying the emergence of two divergent viewpoints within Soviet sociology over the relationship between inequality, the market, and the goals of a socialist society. The essay explores how these viewpoints intersected with the implementation of economic reforms by the Gorbachev regime, arguing that the dominant forces within Soviet sociology ultimately helped the party-state bureaucracy craft the legitimizing ideology of perestroika by insisting that growing social inequality and market-based mechanisms of distribution were the very embodiment of socialism. After enduring a politically fraught and semi-pariah existence for much of its history, Soviet sociology enjoyed a belle epoque as it helped the ruling elite navigate the transition to capitalism.
Temporality in Medical Work: Time also Matters

CSCW has long been concerned with the distribution of activities in time and in space, but the problems of distributed work have often taken analytic and technical precedence. In this paper, we are interested in the issue of temporality in collaborative work. In particular, we want to examine how the temporal organization of action is experienced by those who are involved in it. To investigate this phenomenon, we conducted a field study of medical workers in a surgical intensive care unit. Through this study, we highlight the temporal organization of the work. In particular, we introduce and describe three temporal features --- temporal trajectories, temporal rhythms, and temporal horizons --- that emerge from and influence the work of healthcare providers as they attempt to seek, provide, and manage information during the course of their daily work.
Relationship between membrane-bound protein kinase C activity and calcium-dependent proliferation of BALBc 3T3 cells

Abstract Extracellular calcium-deprivation inhibited the proliferation of BALB c 3T3 cells and this inhibition correlated with a loss of protein kinase C activity from the particulate fraction. Addition of calcium induced proliferation of the cells with the DNA synthetic activity returning to the control rate at 18 hours following calcium addition. The level of protein kinase C activity in the particulate fraction was monitored at various times after calcium addition and increased in parallel with the DNA synthetic activity.
The free radical theory of aging: A critical review

Abstract Although the free radical theory of aging was proposed several decades ago the involvement of radicals in the aging process remains obscure. Considerable progress has been made in detecting oxygen free radicals in biological environments and such radicals are now known to be generated during a variety of metabolic processes. The failure to achieve substantial lifespan extensions with antioxidants casts doubt on the validity of the theory as originally formulated. Further doubts about the theory arise from studies with cultured cell aging models, which fail to exhibit an expected sensitivity to the oxygen concentration in their growth environments. Only one nutritional manipulation, caloric restriction, is known to exert substantial life-extending effects; however its relationship to free radicals has not been resolved. Thus, present knowledge does not argue for a predominant role of free radicals in aging. However, compelling evidence exists for the involvement of free radicals in life-shortening diseases, including autoimmunity, cancer, atherosclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. Further studies of the effects of normally-occurring free radicals are warranted; quantitative data on damage associated with these species may reveal that previous analyses failed to identify critical cellular targets.
Ultimate Causation of Aggressive and Forced Copulation in Birds: Female Resistance, the CODE Hypothesis, and Social Monogamy

SYNOPSIS. Except in ducks and geese (Anseriforms), aggressive or forced copulation in birds is rare. The rarity of forced copulation in birds theoretically is due to morphological and physiological mechanisms of female resistance that place fertilization most often under female control. Traits theoretically associated with resistance by females include: digestive epithelium lining the section of the cloaca receiving sperm and powerful doacal musculature used to eject contents, including waste material and sperm. These traits suggest that the Immediate Fertilization Enhancement Hypothesis may be an inadequate ultimate explanation for forced copulation when it occurs. Ideas in Heinroth (1911) and Brownmiller (1975) suggested an alternative, the CODE Hypothesis, which says that aggressive copulation creates a dangerous environment for females. This, in turn, fosters male mating advantage via social monogamy, because selection sometimes favors females who trade sexual and social access for protection from male aggression. Thus, theoretically, "trades" of protection for copulation favor the evolution of social monogamy even in species with little or no paternal care. Individual males may accrue selective advantages through direct benefits, kin-selected benefits, or reciprocal altruism. The CODE hypothesis for social monogamy predicts variation in extrapair paternity from preferred mates, variation in male reproductive success, and variation among females' post-insemination resistance mechanisms as functions of variation among females' vulnerabilities (ecological and intrinsic) to aggressive copulation. Observers will base intraspecific tests on variation among females in their vulnerabilities to male aggression against them.
Upcoming naval space missions for remote sensing of the oceans, atmosphere and space

The U.S. Navy is permanently forward-deployed and depends critically on precise knowledge and predictability of global environmental conditions from under the ocean, throughout the atmosphere and into near-Earth space. To satisfy global mission needs, the Navy depends on spaceborne remote sensing platforms to characterize and monitor each of these environments at wavelengths from the microwave to the ultraviolet. In the next five years, the Navy, in partnership with other agencies, will be launching a number of experimental, operational and quasi-operational remote sensing satellite instruments. Traditionally, the Navy has used remote sensing in the microwave spectrum to characterize the sea surface wind speed, temperature, ice conditions and other land and atmospheric applications. This year the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) will launch the first in a series of operational Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounders (SSMISs) aboard their Block 5D3 satellites. Also this year, the Air Force Space Test Program (STP) will launch the WindSat passive microwave polarimeter to test new techniques for determination of the sea surface wind vector. Along with SSMIS the next block of DMSP satellites will include the first of five Special Sensor Ultraviolet Limb Imagers (SSULIs) developed by the Navy for remote sensing of upper atmospheric density profiles and ionospheric electron density profiles. These data will aid the Navy and DoD in tracking objects in Earth orbit and help characterize the radio frequency environment for communication, radar, navigation and other applications. To characterize the littoral regions using hyperspectral. imagery, the Navy is developing the Naval EarthMap Observing satellite.
Complete enzymatic deglycosylation of native sex steroid-binding protein (SBP or SHBG) of human and rabbit plasma: effect on the steroid-binding activity.

An enzymatic procedure for the complete removal of the N-linked and O-linked oligosaccharide side chains of the sex steroid-binding proteins (SBP or SHBG) of human and rabbit plasma under native conditions is described. Deglycosylation was catalyzed by N-glycanase, neuraminidase, and O-glycanase and was monitored by SDS-PAGE, lectin blotting, and molecular weight analyses by electrospray mass spectrometry. Digestion of rabbit SBP with N-glycanase generated a major 39,777-Da protein and two minor ones of 39,389 and 39,545 Da. The molecular weight of the major protein agrees with the molecular weight calculated from the sequence of the sugar-free polypeptide monomer (39,769 Da: Griffin, P.R., Kumar, S., Shabanowitz, J., Charbonneau, H., Namkung, P.C., Walsh, K.A., Hunt, D.F., & Petra, P.H., 1989, J. Biol. Chem. 264, 19066-19075), whereas the other two are deglycosylated proteolytic cleavage products lacking the TQR and TQ sequences at the amino-terminus. The N- and O-linked side chains of human SBP were removed by sequential digestion with N-glycanase and neuraminidase/O-glycanase. A 38,771-Da protein was generated, which agrees well with the molecular weight of the sugar-free polypeptide monomer (Walsh, K.A., Titani, K., Kumar, S., Hayes, R., & Petra, P.H., 1986, Biochemistry 25, 7584-7590). N-deglycosylation of human and rabbit SBP has no effect on the steroid-binding activity, but removal of the O-linked side chains of N-deglycosylated human SBP results in an apparent 50% loss of steroid-binding activity and an increase in the Kd for the binding of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone from 0.3 mM to 0.9 nM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Micromachined Quartz and Steel Pressure Sensor Operating Upto 1000°C and 2000 Torr

This paper describes microdischarge-based pressure sensors which operate by measuring the change, with pressure, in the spatial current distribution of pulsed DC microdischarges. These devices are well-suited for high temperature operation because of the inherently high temperatures of the ions and electrons in the microdischarges, and are designed to allow for unequal expansion of electrodes and substrate during high temperature operation. These sensors use three-dimensional arrays of horizontal bulk metal electrodes embedded in quartz substrates with electrode diameters of 1-2 mm and 50-100 ?m inter-electrode spacing. The sensors were operated in nitrogen over a range of 10-2,000 Torr, at temperatures as high as 1,000°C. The maximum measured sensitivity was 5,420 ppm/Torr at the low end of the dynamic range and 500 ppm/Torr at the high end, while the temperature coefficient of sensitivity ranged from -925 ppm/K to -550 ppm/K.
Voltage stability constrained load curtailment procedure to evaluate power system reliability measures

This paper reports a method to evaluate composite power system reliability indices incorporating the voltage stability margin criteria. To compute the load curtailment evaluation, an optimal power flow (OPF) computation algorithm, considering the steady state voltage stability margin constraint is developed. A steady state voltage stability indicator is first discussed for its applicability as a suitable indicator for representing stability margin from the collapse point. The load curtailment formulation is then evolved and described in the OPF's objective function. A criterion based on the voltage stability indicator is then incorporated as an additional constraint into the OPF. A numerical example has been used to illustrate the effect of the algorithm on the composite system reliability evaluation. The expected energy not served (EENS) and down time is computed, both analytically and by the Monte Carlo Simulation.
Landmark clinical trials: a new journal series.

In this issue of the journal, we will be initiating a formal series of papers on landmark clinical trials. These were commissioned as part of Project ImpACT (Important Achievements of Clinical Trials, www.projectimpact.info), whose goals are to find and profile the most important clinical trials in all of medicine and public health since the streptomycin trial in 1948. Clinical trials represent an extraordinary social-scientific enterprise, and anyone who has been a part of one knows that the real experience of their conduct and the lessons to be learned are rarely apparent from the published record. Such lessons are often passed down as an oral tradition, meaning that their import is often lost to the vast majority of clinical trialists, clinicians, and researchers. We will try to capture these stories in this series. We are particularly pleased to initiate the series with an article on the Salk vaccine trial written by Harry Marks, whose career is summarized in the appreciation published in this issue. Karen Robinson, PhD, will serve as the series editor.
Recruiting Expert Teachers into High-Needs Schools: Leadership, Money, and Colleagues

Teacher quality experts are urging policymakers to identify and target expert teachers and entice them to teach in high-needs schools. To understand what this might take, expert teachers in Arizona were surveyed to understand their job-related preferences to inform future recruitment policies. Findings should inform others about the important factors educational policymakers might consider when thinking about recruiting expert teachers into high-needs schools. These factors include the quality of the principal; salary, bonuses, and benefits; and the degree to which expert teachers can work in multiple roles to enhance student learning.
Induction of lysosomal phospholipase A2 through the retinoid X receptor in THP-1 cells.

An acidic phospholipase A2 (LPLA2) was recently purified and cloned. THP-1 cells were used to characterize the gene induction of LPLA2. THP-1 cells were stimulated with several differentiation agents. The LPLA2 mRNA and activity increased in cells treated with phorbol ester but not with vitamin D3, interferon-γ, or granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor. All-trans-retinoic acid enhanced mRNA expression and enzyme activity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The natural 9-cis and 13-cis isomers of retinoic acid enhanced transcription and activity. Two classes of nuclear receptors, the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and the retinoid X receptor (RXR), mediate retinoic acid signaling. Specific RAR and RXR agonists were used to identify the nuclear receptor responsible for LPLA2 induction by retinoic acid. Treatment with the RAR agonist 4-[E-2-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetra-methyl-2-naphthalenyl]1-propenyl benzoic acid (TTNPB) resulted in a small and statistically significant increase of the mRNA expression and activity of LPLA2. The RXR agonist methoprene acid worked as well as all-trans-retinoic acid at increasing both mRNA and enzyme activity. The methoprene acid and TTNPB effects were not synergistic. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonists 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 and troglitazone failed to induce LPLA2 activity and mRNA. Thus, an RXR-dependent pathway controls LPLA2 gene activation by retinoic acid in THP-1 cells.
Heterogeneous nucleation of crystallization of high polymers from the melt. III. Nucleation kinetics and interfacial energies

In the melt crystallization of isotactic polypropylene, poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(butene-1) in contact with substrates, the existence of a fixed number of nucleating sites on the substrate surfaces has been established. When these sites become active successively (the transient in the number of nuclei is long) during crystallization, pseudohomogeneous nucleation on the substrate occurs. Nucleation rates for poly(butene-1) and poly(ethylene oxide) on substrates and in bulk have been measured. These data can be used for comparing the nucleating ability of substrates. Estimates of the variation of bulk nucleation rates from one volume element to another as well as for repeated crystallization within a given volume element have been included. Finally, the temperature coefficients of heterogeneous nucleation rates have been combined with the temperature coefficient of spherulitic growth rate of poly(butene-1), to yield values of the interfacial energy parameters appearing in the theory of heterogeneous nucleation. The quantitative characterization of the nucleating ability of substrates by this method is an improvement over the mere use of nucleation densities or nucleation rates.
Implementation of MOSFET based capacitors for digital applications

To compensate for the growing effect of process, temperature and voltage variations in digital ICs, several dynamic approaches have been proposed. These approaches require the use of capacitors to offset the effects of variations. Although MOSFET based capacitors are a natural choice, such capacitances vary significantly depending on the applied voltage. In this paper, we propose techniques to make the capacitance of MOSFET based capacitors relatively constant over the applied voltage. We study approaches that are based on gate as well as diffusion capacitors. We study the trade-off (in terms of capacitance variation, requirement of a bias voltage and area efficiency) of all the proposed schemes. Simulation results are presented for two process technologies. We show that by using our techniques the capacitance variation across applied voltage can be reduced from 75% down to 3% for a 70nm process technology.
A version of Runge's theorem for the Helmholtz equation with applications to scattering theory

Soit D un domaine borne simplement connexe dans le plan R 2 qui est du genre etoile par rapport a l'origine et a une frontiere ∂D qui est C 2, α, ou C 2, α est l'espace des fonctions deux fois continument differentiables de Holder d'indice α. On montre qu'une solution u∈C 2, α(C) de l'equation de Helmholtz Δu+k 2 u=0 dans D peut s'approcher dans l'espace C 1 (D) par une fonction d'onde de Herglotz entiere
Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence of Phycobiliproteins from Heterogeneous Plasmonic Nanostructures

We report here the use of plasmonic metal nanostructures in the form of silver island films (SiFs) to enhance the fluorescence emission of five different phycobiliproteins. Our findings clearly show that the phycobiliproteins display up to a 9-fold increase in fluorescence emission intensity, with a maximum 7-fold decrease in lifetime when they are assembled as a monolayer above SiFs, as compared to a monolayer assembled on the surface of amine-terminated glass slides of the control sample. The study was also repeated with a thin liquid layer of the phycobiliproteins sandwiched between two glass substrates (and a SiFs and a glass substrate) clamped together. Similarly, the results show a maximum 10-fold increase in fluorescence emission intensity coupled with a 2-fold decrease in lifetime of the phycobiliproteins in the SiF-glass setup as compared to the glass control sample, implying that near-field enhancement of phycobiliprotein emission can be attained both with and without chemical linkage of the proteins to the SiFs. Hence, our results clearly show that metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) can potentially be employed to increase the sensitivity and detection limit of the plethora of bioassays that employ phycobiliproteins as fluorescence labels, such as in fluoro-immunoassays where the assay can be tethered on the surface of SiFs, and also in flow cytometry where analytes in the liquid phase could potentially flow through channels coated with SiFs without actually being attached to the silver.
Austria-Hungary and the Brusilov Offensive of 1916

The opening battles of the First World War in the summer of 1914 produced disparate results for Austria‐Hungary and her ally, Germany. Habsburg forces suffered serious military defeat at the two ba...
The differential expression of lamin epitopes during mouse spermatogenesis

The presence of lamin proteins in mouse spermatogenic cells has been examined by using an anti-lamin AC and an anti-lamin B antisera which recognize somatic lamins A and C, and somatic lamin B, respectively. Anti-lamin B binds to the nuclear periphery of all cell types examined, including Sertoli cells, primitive type A spermatogonia, preleptotene, leptotene, zygotene and pachytene spermatocytes, and round spermatids. In sperm nuclei, the antigenic determinants are localized to a narrow domain of the nucleus. However, after removing the perinuclear theca, anti-lamin B localizes to the entire nuclear periphery in a punctate pattern, suggesting that it is binding to determinants previously covered by the theca constituents. On immunoblots anti-lamin B reacts with a ∼ 68 kD polypeptide in all germ cells and, to a lesser extent, with four additional polypeptides present only in meiotic and post-meiotic nuclear matrices. Anti-lamin AC also reacts with the perinuclear region of the somatic cells in the testes, in particular, those of the interstitium and also the Sertoli cells of the seminiferous epithelium. In contrast to anti-lamin B, anti-lamin AC does not bind to the germ cells at any stage of spermatogenesis. In addition, nuclear matrix proteins from isolated spermatogenic cells do not bind anti-lamin AC on immunoblots, suggesting the lack of reactivity is not due to the masking of any antigenic sites. These data demonstrate that germ cells contain lamin B throughout spermatogenesis, even during meiosis and spermiogenesis when the nuclear periphery lacks a distinct fibrous lamina. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Acupuncture as a Treatment Modality in Dermatology: A Systematic Review

Abstract Objectives: Acupuncture is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine that has been used to treat a broad range of medical conditions, including dermatologic disorders. This systematic review aims to synthesize the evidence on the use of acupuncture as a primary treatment modality for dermatologic conditions. Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register was performed. Studies were limited to clinical trials, controlled studies, case reports, comparative studies, and systematic reviews published in the English language. Studies involving moxibustion, electroacupuncture, or blood-letting were excluded. Results: Twenty-four studies met inclusion criteria. Among these, 16 were randomized controlled trials, 6 were prospective observational studies, and 2 were case reports. Acupuncture was used to treat atopic dermatitis, urticaria, pruritus, acne, chloasma, neurodermatitis, dermatitis herpetiformis, hyperhidrosis, human papillomavirus wart, breast inflammation, and fa...
Differential effects of tango versus Dance for PD in Parkinson disease

Over half of the general population does not achieve recommended daily levels of physical activity, and activity levels in people with Parkinson disease (PD) are lower than in healthy older adults. Dance can serve as an adjunct to traditional treatments to improve gait, balance, and quality of life in people with PD. This study directly compares a tango dance intervention and a dance intervention based on the Dance for PD model which integrates multiple dance styles. Eleven people with PD participated in a community-based mixed styles dance intervention called Dance for Parkinson’s (D4PD). Participants in the D4PD group were matched to participants in an ongoing community-based exercise study who participated in tango dance. The groups received 12 weeks of intervention, attending one-hour group classes twice a week. Participants were evaluated off anti-PD medication before and after intervention. Measures of balance, repeated sit-to-stand performance and endurance (Mini-BESTest, four square step test, five times sit to stand, six minute walk time) improved from pre to post similarly in both groups. Motor sign severity (MDS-UPDRS-III) and functional mobility (TUG) improved in the tango group and worsened in the D4PD group. Gait velocity was not affected by either intervention. Direct comparisons of different interventions are critical for developing optimal exercise interventions designed to specifically target motor impairments in PD. Tango dance interventions may preferentially improve mobility and motor signs in people with PD, compared to D4PD.
Nutritional regulation of hepatic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase: transient activation of transcription

Hepatic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH; EC 1.1.1.49) is subject to nutritional and hormonal regulation. Previous work has shown that increased amounts of mRNA encoding G6PDH can account for the increase in enzyme activity. The results of this study demonstrate that transcription of the G6PDH gene is transiently elevated after ingestion of a high-carbohydrate diet. However, the increased rate of transcription cannot totally account for the increased G6PDH mRNA. The half-life of the G6PDH mRNA appears to be about 4-5-fold higher during ingestion of a high-carbohydrate diet. Thus increased transcription as well as mRNA stability are each partially responsible for the nutritional regulation of G6PDH mRNA.
gCube v1.0: A Software System for Hybrid Data Infrastructures

gCube is a software system enabling the realization and operation of hybrid data infrastructures capable of supporting the notion of Virtual Digital Libraries (VDLs) / Virtual Research Environments (VREs), i.e., collaborative, web-based working environments through which community of practices members are provided with the entire spectrum of resources (data, services, and computing facilities) needed to accomplish their research tasks in an effective and efficient manner. gCube is currently used to govern the infrastructure set up by the European integrated project D4Science (Distributed colLaboratories Infrastructure on Grid Enabled Technology 4 Science).
Introduction: Mainstreaming Indigenous Geography

Changing the name and reconceptualizing group goals signaled recognition of the evolving roles of geographers as learners, teachers, researchers, and activists, not only in the United States but also in many Native places throughout the world. Instead of passive studies, reflection was needed. Instead of working alone to create independent research questions, academics were to engage with Indigenous groups and for sovereign tribal nations. Instead of seeing research and education as neutral, they were recognized as powerful with the potential to be connective or destructive. Specifying these goals in ways that could enhance the overall potential of Indigenous geography was seen as important. Geographers are not alone in rethinking these matters. Changes within the discipline also reflect larger currents in intellectual thought about Indian country and throughout Native and Indigenous studies more generally. Books such as Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples and Donald L. Fixico’s The American Indian Mind in a Linear
Cardiomyopathy in Childhood Cancer Survivors: Lessons from the Past and Challenges for the Future

Childhood cancer survivors are at substantial risk for cancer treatment-related cardiomyopathy. Identification of those at highest risk has presented a longstanding challenge for survivorship researchers. To date, risk stratification approaches to screening and subsequent intervention have largely been driven by demographic and treatment-related exposures, possibly missing an opportunity for a more personalized approach. A growing body of literature suggests associations between cardiomyopathy and a number of genetic and acquired risk factors, supporting a need to incorporate these data into existing surveillance and intervention approaches. Efforts to reduce or eliminate modifiable cardiovascular risk factors are needed; however, the impact of these modifications remains to be seen. Moreover, challenges surrounding identification of effective cardiomyopathy treatment strategies in cancer survivors are ongoing. Despite these uncertainties, more accurate identification of those at highest risk and implementation of early and effective interventions for those with disease will lead to improved outcomes for childhood cancer survivors.
Why We Need an International Day

The phenomenal pace of technological advancessweeping across the world is in serious need ofsufficient numbers of scientists and engineers,science and technology educators, healthprofessionals, economists, political scientists andpolicy experts, i.e., scientists in all sectors. Thesesectors also include law and library science......
A cross-sectional analysis of the association between marijuana and cigarette smoking with metabolic syndrome among adults in the United States.

Abstract Aim To assess the relationship between marijuana use, cigarette smoking and metabolic syndrome among adults in the United States who reported they use marijuana or cigarettes in comparison to non-marijuana and non-cigarette users. Method We conducted multiple logistic regression analyses using data from the 2011–2012 United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to estimate relationships between cardio-metabolic risk factors and increasing years of smoking cigarette or marijuana use. Statistical adjustments were made for both demographic and endogenous factors related to recreational substance use. Results Each year increase in marijuana use was significantly associated with increased odds of metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.09), and hypertension (OR = 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.07) adjusting for both demographic and endogenous factors related to recreational substance use. Each year increase in cigarette smoking was significantly associated with increased odds of hypertension (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.06) and hyperglycemia (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.05) after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion The results of this investigation suggest that increased years of marijuana or cigarette use are important factors in metabolic health; and consequently calls for the need to consider the potential negative effects of marijuana or cigarette for metabolic syndrome and its associated cardio-metabolic risk components.
Congenital Primary Essential Cutis Verticis Gyrata.

The patient present herein is unique because, unlike most cases of primary CVG, he presented with congenital asymmetric folds extending on to the forehead and has no associated medical problems. As discussed, most cases of primary CVG occur postpubertal, rarely occurring at birth. Only 10 cases of congenital primary CVG have been reported, of which 9 were reported in girls with Turner's syndrome and the other was of a female infant with a normal karyotype but severe developmental delay and hypotonia, making these all nonessential cases.3,8 This is the first documented case of congenital primary essential CVG in the literature. Because of the location and size of the folds, complete excision with primary closure was performed. To achieve an optimal closure, undermining in the subgaleal plane was done to maximize advancement of the adjacent soft tissue. Care was taken to reapproximate the hairline to avoid distortion, and multiple adjacent Z-plasties were created within the hair-bearing scalp to hide the future scar.
The Analysis of Pregnancy Outcome after in Vitro Fertilization-embryo Transfer

Objective To analyze the pregnancy outcome after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVF-ET).Methods The clinical data of 1 753 cycles and 634 pregnant women after IVF-ET were analyzed retrospectively.Results Among the 1 753 cycles, there were 634 clinical pregnancies(36.2%),in which 605 intra uterine pregnancies(95.4%) and 29 ectopic pregnancies(4.6%).492 single pregnancies(77.6%) and 142 multiple pregnancies(22.4%).98 normal deliveries(21.7%) and 353 with hysterotokotomy(78.3%) among 451 full term deliveries. 89 miscarriages(14.0%) and 3 induced labors(0.5%);65 on-going pregnancies.Conclusion IVF-ET technology benerfits infertility patients while it may bring the complications of miscarriage ,ectopic pregnancy and multiple pregnancy.
Thinking of engineering ethics in engineering education

In this paper it was discussed that heccessity and importance of engineering ethics education in higher engineering education. Relative method was presented.
Communication strategies to reduce cancer disparities: Insights from African-American mother-daughter dyads.

Introduction Mothers and daughters share a powerful and unique bond, which has potential for the dissemination of information on a variety of women's health issues, including the primary and secondary prevention of breast and cervical cancer. This study presents formative research from a long-term project examining the potential of mother-daughter communication in promoting cancer screening among African-American women.
Air toxics and early childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia in Texas, a population based case control study

Traffic exhaust, refineries and industrial facilities are major sources of air toxics identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) for their potential risk to human health. In utero and early life exposures to air toxics such as benzene and 1,3-butadiene, which are known leukemogens in adults, may play an etiologic role in childhood leukemia that comprises the majority of pediatric cancers. We conducted a population based case–control study to examine individual effects of benzene, 1,3-butadiene and polycyclic organic matter (POM) in ambient residential air on acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) diagnosed in children under age 5 years in Texas from 1995–2011. Texas Cancer Registry cases were linked to birth records and then were frequency matched by birth month and year to 10 population-based controls. Maternal and infant characteristics from birth certificates were abstracted to obtain information about potential confounders. Modelled estimates of benzene, 1,3-butadiene and POM exposures at the census tract level were assigned by linking geocoded maternal addresses from birth certificates to U.S. EPA National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment data for single and co-pollutant statistical analyses. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were applied to evaluate associations between air toxics and childhood leukemia. In adjusted single pollutant models, odds of childhood leukemia among mothers with the highest ambient air exposures compared to those in the lowest quartile were 1.11 (95 % CI: 0.94–1.32) for POM, 1.17 (95 % CI: 0.98–1.39) for benzene and 1.29 (95 % CI: 1.08–1.52) for 1,3-butadiene. In co-pollutant models, odds ratios for childhood leukemia remained elevated for 1,3-butadiene but were close to the null value for benzene and POM. We observed positive associations between 1,3-butadiene and childhood leukemia in single and co-pollutant models whereas effect estimates from single pollutant models were diminished for benzene and POM in co-pollutant models. Early life exposure to 1,3-butadiene rather than benzene or POM appears to increase early childhood risk of acute lymphocytic leukemia.
Thrombin Mediated Tyrosine Phosphorylation of PKCδ in Human Platelets Occurs in a Calcium- and Src Family Tyrosine Kinase- Dependent Manner.

Protein kinase C (PKC)-δ is a novel PKC that has been shown to be tyrosine phosphorylated upon stimulation with agonists in platelets. Tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ has been shown to occur in a Fyn-dependent manner downstream of glycoprotein VI (GPVI) signaling in platelets. Although thrombin causes tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ in platelets, the mechanism of this event is not elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether G-protein signaling pathways utilize similar pathways as GPVI in tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ. Protease activated receptor (PAR) -1 selective peptide, SFLLRN and PAR - 4 selective peptide, AYPGKF caused a time- and concentration-dependent increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ in human platelets. However, AYPGKF failed to cause tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ in Gq-deficient mouse platelets. Both U73122, a phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, and dimethyl-BAPTA, an intracellular calcium chelator, inhibited the tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ downstream of the PAR activation suggesting a role for Gq/PLC pathways and intracellular calcium in mediating this event. Inhibition of PKC isoforms using GF109203X potentiated the tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ. The Src family tyrosine kinase inhibitors, PP1 and PP2 inhibited the tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ suggesting a role for Src family tyrosine kinase members in this event. We also found that both Lyn and Src are physically associated with PKCδ in a constitutive manner in platelets. Finally we found that there was a time-dependent activation of Src following activation of platelets with thrombin. Thus, the precomplexed Src and Lyn tyrosine kinases get activated following PAR stimulation resulting in the tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ. All these data indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ downstream of thrombin occurs in a calcium- and Src-family kinase dependent manner in human platelets.
Data-Driven Generation of Rubric Parameters from an Educational Programming Environment

We demonstrate that, by using a small set of hand-graded students, we can automatically generate rubric parameters with a high degree of validity, and that a predictive model incorporating these rubric parameters is more accurate than a previously reported model. We present this method as one approach to addressing the often challenging problem of grading assignments in programming environments. A classic solution is creating unit-tests that the student-generated program must pass, but the rigid, structured nature of unit-tests is suboptimal for assessing more open-ended assignments. Furthermore, the creation of unit-tests requires predicting the various ways a student might correctly solve a problem – a challenging and time-intensive process. The current study proposes an alternative, semi-automated method for generating rubric parameters using low-level data from the Alice programming environment.