cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myopic shift in a pseudophakic eye with an accommodating IOL following vitrectomy with gas tamponade.

Abstract Purpose To report the case of a patient with Crystalens, an accommodating posterior-chamber intraocular lens (IOL), who experienced a myopic shift following subsequent vitrectomy with gas tamponade. We propose a hypothesis as to why this myopic shift occurred and analyze its validity based on current literature. Observations A patient had cataract surgery with implantation of a Crystalens AT-50AO +21D. Preoperative A-scan measured anterior chamber depth (ACD) to be 3.69 mm. The refraction was emmetropic following cataract surgery. Nine months later, the patient required pars plana vitrectomy with gas tamponade for a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, followed by vitrectomy, membrane peel, and air/fluid exchange for epiretinal membrane. The retinal repair was anatomically successful, however, the patient experienced a −1.0 D myopic shift. ACD measurement following vitrectomy was 5.08 mm. Conclusions and importance Myopic shift following vitrectomy with gas tamponade in pseudophakic eyes is widely reported. This patient's myopic shift was assumed due to anterior movement of the Crystalens caused by a gas bubble placed during retinal detachment repair as this is the prevailing theory in the literature [1]. However, a comparison of the patient's ACD measurements does not support the above hypothesis. Further study is needed to determine the mechanism of myopic shift seen in pseudophakic patients following vitrectomy, specifically those with gas.
The Role of HA and Has2 in the Development and Function of the Skeleton

Hyaluronan (HA) is present throughout the body, including all the bones and cartilages of the skeleton, where it may fulfill both a structural and metabolic role depending on its molecular size. In mammals, HA is produced by three hyaluronan synthases (Has), of which Has2 is the predominant form in cartilage and bone. HA can be degraded by hyaluronidases (Hyal) and free radicals. Mammals possess five hyaluronidases, of which Hyal1 and Hyal2 are thought to be predominant in cartilage and bone. The structural role of HA in cartilage is dependent on its ability to form proteoglycan aggregates, whereas its metabolic role involves intracellular signaling induced by interaction with receptors such as CD44 and RHAMM. Such signaling differs between high-molecular-weight HA and its fragments. HA and its fragments play a major role in endochondral bone formation and possibly intramembranous bone formation, as they can regulate the differentiation and action of chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts. Cartilage-specific depletion of HA synthesis has been studied in floxed Has2 mice that have been crossed with mice expressing Cre under control of either the Prx1 or the Col2a1 promoter. Such deletion of Has2 gene expression results in a chondrodysplastic phenotype, in which all endochondral bones of the skeleton are severely truncated. The phenotype is characterized by severely impaired longitudinal growth of the bones due to abnormal organization and differentiation within the growth plates, particularly in the process of chondrocyte hypertrophy. The Col2a1-driven mice also exhibit defective modeling of the endochondral bone.
Just Another Day in the Neighborhood: Collective Female Donation Practices at the Hospital of Saint John in Brussels

This chapter examines female donations given to the thirteenth-century hospital of Saint John in Brussels that help to reveal the greater transitive nature of female pious gifts in the high Middle Ages. Practices, such as the alienation of property to religious institutions, which were once available to only noblewomen, were adopted by women living in urban centers. Some of the urban women donors occupied an elite status, i.e., wife of the castellan, alderman, or knights, while others came from the more common ranks. The donations at the hospital of Saint John provide a reassessment of traditional male and female spaces within the city structure. They demonstrate that female donors were as typical and as powerful as their male counterparts.
Protonation Studies of Molybdenum(VI) Nitride Complexes That Contain the [2,6-(ArNCH2)2NC5H3]2- Ligand (Ar = 2,6-Diisopropylphenyl).

[Ar2N3]Mo(N)(O-t-Bu) (1), which contains the conformationally rigid pyridine-based diamido ligand [2,6-(ArNCH2)2NC5H3]2– (Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl), is a catalyst for the reduction of dinitrogen ...
Private Archives: Relationship with the State Archives

The relationships between the state archives and various types of private archives are of diverse character. The way they are handled depends, to a large extent, on the willingness to cooperate on the part of non-public institutions and their archives, but also on the real interest of the state archives in the problems of broadly understood private archives.
Factors related to suicide's unpredictability: a qualitative study of adults with lived experience of suicide attempts.

Purpose: In recent decades, suicide prevention initiatives have increased substantially, yet the suicide rate has continued to rise, and suicide deaths are still generally perceived as unexpected. ...
MS-Based Biomarker Discovery in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid for Lung Cancer.

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) is a lung fluid. BALF is extracted from the lungs by a bronchoscope. The first step is to instill saline liquid into the lungs followed by extraction. The extracted liquid is depleted from cells by low spin centrifugation. The biochemical content of BALF is mainly composed of phospholipids and proteins and to less extent nucleic acids (DNA, miRNA, mRNA). The proteins, mRNAs, miRNAs, and lipids mirror the pathophysiological state of the patient and are consequently regarded as a rich source of biomarkers with already some examples of established clinical applications. Recently, in Proteomics Clin. Appl. 2019, 13, 1900028, Sim et al. established a novel MS-based proteomics protocol for BALF lung cancer sample analysis by combining antibody-based depletion of high abundant BALF proteins, high pH peptide fractionation, and label free quantitation on a high resolution Orbitrap Fusion instrument. They demonstrate an improvement in BALF sample coverage compared with some previous published methodologies. Notably, the result from the study supports the hypothesis that BALF more than serum reflects the lung cancer proteome and for this reason is a promising source for lung cancer biomarkers.
Phase II study of Radium-223 dichloride combined with hormonal therapy for hormone receptor-positive, bone-dominant metastatic breast cancer.

Background Radium-223 dichloride (Ra-223) is a targeted alpha therapy that induces localized cytotoxicity in bone metastases. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of Ra-223 plus hormonal therapy in hormone receptor-positive (HR+), bone-dominant metastatic breast cancer. Methods In this single-center phase II study, 36 patients received Ra-223 (55 kBq/kg intravenously every 4 weeks) up to 6 cycles with endocrine therapy. The primary objective was to determine the clinical disease control rate at 9 months. Secondary objectives were to determine (a) tumor response rate at 6 months, (b) progression-free survival (PFS) durations, and (c) safety. Results The median number of prior systemic treatments for metastatic disease was 1 (range, 0-4). The disease control rate at 9 months was 49%. The tumor response rate at 6 months was 54% (complete response, 21%; partial, 32%). The median PFS was 7.4 months (95% CI, 4.8-not reached [NR]). The median bone-PFS was 16 months (95% CI, 7.3-NR). There were no grade 3/4 adverse events. Conclusions Ra-223 with hormonal therapy showed possible efficacy in HR+ bone-dominant breast cancer metastasis, and adverse events were tolerable. We plan to further investigate the clinical application of Ra-223 in these patients. (NCT02366130).
Hierarchy in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Sequence-defined nucleic acids and proteins with internal monomer sequences and arrangement are vital components in the living world, as a result of billions of years of molecular evolution. These ...
TLR Stimulation Produces IFN-β as the Primary Driver of IFN Signaling in Nonlymphoid Primary Human Cells.

Several human autoimmune diseases are characterized by increased expression of type 1 IFN-stimulated genes in both the peripheral blood and tissue. The contributions of different type I IFNs to this gene signature are uncertain as the type I IFN family consists of 13 alphas and one each of β, e, κ, and ω subtypes. We sought to investigate the contribution of various IFNs to IFN signaling in primary human cell types. We stimulated primary skin, muscle, kidney, and PBMCs from normal healthy human donors with various TLR ligands and measured the expression of type I IFN subtypes and activation of downstream signaling by quantitative PCR. We show that IFNB1 is the dominant type I IFN expressed upon TLR3 and TLR4 stimulation, and its expression profile is associated with subsequent MX1 transcription. Furthermore, using an IFN-β-specific neutralizing Ab, we show that MX1 expression is inhibited in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that IFN-β is the primary driver of IFN-stimulated genes following TLR3 and TLR4 engagement. Stimulation with TLR7/8 and TLR9 ligands induced IFNB1 and IFNA subtypes and MX1 expression only in PBMCs and not in tissue resident cell types. Concordantly, IFN-β neutralization had no effect on MX1 expression in PBMCs potentially because of the combination of IFNB1 and IFNA expression. Combined, these data highlight the potential role for IFN-β in driving local inflammatory responses in clinically relevant human tissue types and opportunities to treat local inflammation by targeting IFN-β.
Hot or not.

Electrical stimulation of the human cortex, undertaken for brain surgery, triggers percepts and feelings. A new study documents an ordering principle to these effects: the farther removed from sensory input or motor output structures, the less likely it is that a region contributes to consciousness.
The problem of humanization: Affect and investigative mindset in U.S. capital mitigation:

This article has two goals. First, I demonstrate the challenges that “humanization” poses for the defense as an ideal of sentencing mitigation in U.S. capital trials. Capital case procedure largely...
Cheap talk comparisons in multi-issue bargaining

Abstract Bargaining over two issues as a bundle permits credible cheap talk about their relative importance even when interests are directly opposed on each issue. The resulting communication gains can exceed the gains from bundling previously identified in the monopoly pricing literature.
Imaging ahead of and around the bit in a desert environment: DrillCAM field trial with wireless geophones and top-drive sensor

Abstract Advanced seismic-while-drilling (SWD) technologies are being utilized to steer drilling operations and provide high-resolution subsurface images around and ahead of the bit. We present a c...
The Test Re-Test Reliability of A Novel Single Leg Hop Test (T-Drill Hop Test).

# Background Functional training and testing are an important part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program stressing the neuromuscular system in ways that simulate athletic performance to help determine criteria for return to sport. There are numerous single leg hop tests that have been used for these purposes, however, the validity and clinical relevance has been questioned. Many of the functional performance tests assess only the sagittal plane or forward direction and may only partially assess a person’s athletic abilities. There is a need for reliable and valid functional tests to assess in a multi-directional manner. # Purpose/Hypothesis The purpose of this study is to determine the test re-test reliability of a novel multi-directional timed single leg hop test (T-Drill Hop Test) for use in rehabilitation and performance assessments. # Study Design Cross-sectional reliability study. # Methods Fifty healthy recreationally active college age subjects, (23 males and 27 females) between the ages of 18 and 35, (mean age 23.48 with SD 3.82) consented to perform the test. The subjects hopped along a 10ft. x 10ft. “T” shaped course. Subjects performed two timed maximum effort trials of the T-Drill Hop Test on each leg with an interval of 3-7 days between the two testing days. Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) were calculated to determine intersession reliability. # Results The inter-rater reliability (ICC’s) for the entire group of 50 subjects ranged between .98 and 1.00 suggesting excellent reliability. The bilateral comparison, utilizing paired t-tests, of the T-Drill Hop Test demonstrated no significant differences between the time scores for the dominant and non-dominant legs for either males or females (p>.05). # Conclusion This study demonstrates the T-Drill Hop Test has excellent test re-test reliability. These results are important prior to validation and utilization as a clinical functional performance test. # Levels of Evidence Level 2
Innovation behind the frontier: strategies of technological laggards

Conventional wisdom holds that technological laggards should catch-up with technological leaders and warns of the consequences of falling behind. Like leaders, laggards also advance their technology, but scarce scholarly attention has been paid to understanding laggards. Using a 17-year panel data set from the global flat panel display industry, we find that laggards pace technological advances. A laggard technology strategy suggests a unique approach to managing technology competition from behind the frontier, such that laggards are largely exempt from the perennial pressure to 'innovate or die'.
Targeted agents recommended by the CNS TAP tool compared to those selected by a tumor board in a molecularly-driven clinical trial in children and young adults with DIPG.

2048Background: Genetic sequencing of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and diffuse midline glioma (DMG) biopsy specimens has revealed genomic heterogeneity, fueling an interest in individual...
Quantifying the spatiotemporal dynamics of recharge in a composite Great Lakes watershed using a high-resolution hydrology model and multi-source data

Abstract Understanding the timing, location and rates of recharge is important for sustainable groundwater management and effective management of groundwater-dependent ecosystems. This paper explores the spatiotemporal distributions of large- and small-recharge events in a composite watershed in the Great Lakes region and examines the impacts of climate, land use/land cover, soils, and topography on simulated recharge. Novel aspects of the work include recharge estimation using an integrated hydrologic model and constraining the model using field observations of baseflows in both perennial and intermittent streams in the region as well as the United States Geological Survey (USGS) streamflows, groundwater heads, and satellite-based evapotranspiration (ET) products. Simulated high (low) recharge values were associated with high (low) elevations and regions of low (high) ET. The temporal dynamics of recharge are dominated by interannual climate variations, but are also affected by land cover types and soil types. Recharge occurred year-round in agricultural lands but intermittently in forested lands with both recharge and discharge occurring at different times within the same grid cell. Major recharge pulses were associated with spring snowmelt and also occurred in summer and fall and sometimes in late fall but there was considerable variability from year to year depending on the dominant land use and climate. Our approach based on the use of an integrated hydrologic model combined with multi-source data can be used in larger areas and is suitable for studying climate change impacts on groundwater resources.
Analysis of energy separation inside a Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube using RANS based CFD

Abstract The primary aim of this study was to investigate the role of turbulent structure in energy separation inside Vortex Tube. The important flow features were identified using RANS based CFD. The flow was divided into two parts above and below the cross-over region which is the radial location where the axial velocity is zero i.e., the flows above and below this region are oppositely directed. The Reynolds stress analysis revealed the stresses to be maximum at the cross-over region. In addition, the reversing and expanding core flow was found to have a temperature drop greater than that computed assuming an isentropic expansion process. This was also confirmed in the Control Volume (CV) analysis of the energy in the core flow wherein the core flow at the outlet of the CV was found to have experienced an energy loss compared to when it entered the CV. This was then correlated with the assumed work and heat interactions across the control surface bounding the CV of the core flow. The energy difference in the core flow computed by the two methods were found to agree within an accuracy of 10 %, thus validating our assumptions regarding the presence of heat and work transfer between the core and annular flows. The analysis also revealed that the turbulent shear work to be the dominant mode of energy transfer between the core and annular flows, comprising about 80 % of the energy transfer, and remaining 20 % attributed to heat transfer.
The curious history behind a biologic-enriched cat food: Hyperimmune avian IgY as a means of oral adoptive passive immunization.

Abstract IgY, the avian homolog to mammalian IgG, has therapeutic potential as an orally absorbed, transmucosally excreted, antigen-specific antibody. A new cat food product, admixed with anti-Fel d 1 IgY derived from hyperimmunized hen egg yolks, is intended to treat allergic rhinitis indirectly via specific neutralization of Fel d 1. Polyclonal IgY as a trans-species oral passive immunization modality offers new potential for multiple other therapeutic possibilities for atopy and beyond.
SOCIAL SETTING: EFFECT ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND CATECHOLAMINE PARAMETERS ELICITED BY STRESS IN THE RAT

ABSTRACT Rats subjected alone to electric footshock show an increase in tail blood pressure (bp). Conversely, when shocked in pairs, they show a decrease in tail bp. The decrease in bp appears related to catecholamines (CAs) as it is abolished by peripheral and central administration of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) or by locus coeruleus lesions. The increase in bp in the isolated animal paradigm is abolished with adrenalectomy. Under certain conditions there is a 50-100% increase in whole brain cAMP in rats shocked when paired.
Robot-inspired biology: The compound-wave control template

Biologically inspired robots perform many interesting and useful behaviors, but to effectively emulate their biological counterparts, robots often need to possess many degrees of freedom, complicating their mechanical design and making it difficult to apply standard control and motion planning strategies. To address this complexity, the robotics community has derived low-dimensional parameter-based controllers that naturally coordinate many degrees of freedom such as the serpenoid curves used to control snake robots. Controllers utilizing this parameterization for snake robots have been able to induce behaviors similar to that of the robots' biological counterparts. A similar concept, called a control template, is used in the study of animal movements. However, much of the prior work on control templates has been limited to in-plane motion. In this work, we extend the usage of control templates to three dimensions to both better model and understand biology, as well as to help us gain better intuition into how we can use pre-existing control paradigms to create new behaviors for biologically inspired robots.
Variable ordering for the application of BDDs to the maximum independent set problem

The ordering of variables can have a significant effect on the size of the reduced binary decision diagram (BDD) that represents the set of solutions to a combinatorial optimization problem. It also influences the quality of the objective function bound provided by a limited-width relaxation of the BDD. We investigate these effects for the maximum independent set problem. By identifying variable orderings for the BDD, we show that the width of an exact BDD can be given a theoretical upper bound for certain classes of graphs. In addition, we draw an interesting connection between the Fibonacci numbers and the width of exact BDDs for general graphs. We propose variable ordering heuristics inspired by these results, as well as a k-layer look-ahead heuristic applicable to any problem domain. We find experimentally that orderings that result in smaller exact BDDs have a strong tendency to produce tighter bounds in relaxation BDDs.
Grain Rotation as a Mechanism of Grain Growth in Nanocrystalline Materials

Grain-boundary (GB) properties in a polycrystalline system are generally anisotropic; in particular, both the GB energy and mobility depend on the GB misorientation. Moreover, in nanocrystalline materials, in which the grain size is less than 100 nm, grain rotations leading to the coalescence of neighboring grains via elimination of the common GB between them may provide a new mechanism for grain growth. Here we investigate the combined effect of curvature-driven GB migration and grain-rotation grain-coalescence on the kinetics, topology and morphology of grain growth. A stochastic velocity-Monte-Carlo algorithm based on a variational formulation for the dissipated power is implemented. The presence of both growth mechanisms introduces a physical length scale RC into the system, enabling the growth process to be characterized by two regimes. If the average grain size is smaller than RC, grain growth is dominated by the grain-rotation-coalescence mechanism. By contrast, if the average grain size is greater than RC, growth is dominated by curvature-driven GB migration. The values of the growth exponents, different for the two growth regimes and different from a system with isotropic GB properties, are rationalized in terms of the detailed growth mechanism and the continuous change of the fraction of low-angle GBs in the system. An extended von Neumann-Mullins relation based on averaged GB properties is proposed and verified.
The Metaphysics and Metastructure of Appearance and Reality in Arun Joshi’s The Last Labyrinth

Arun Joshi, comparatively a younger Indian novelist, has been following in the footsteps of philosophical novelists like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.1 The moral problems of Rattan Rathor, the protagonist of The Apprentice, are expanded and intensified in the figure of Som Bhaskar, the “antihero” of The Last Labyrinth. Both characters confront the problems of alienation and identity with one significant difference: whereas Rattan Rathor finds an answer to his moral guilt and returns to the community, Som Bhaskar fails to find answers to his moral and cultural alienation and cannot return to society.The tragedy of Som Bhaskar is the tragedy of modern man who, being at odds with himself and his cultural environments, is confronted by moral and psychological fragmentation and by a persistent struggle between the two worlds, the two types of hunger—“Hunger of the body. Hunger of the Spirit” (11).2 The dramatic conflict between the two intricate worlds of appearance and reality as portrayed in The Last Labyrinth constitutes the basis of fictional discourse and the structural principle of the narrative.
Standard Voting Power Indexes Don't Work: An Empirical Analysis

Voting power indexes such as that of Banzhaf are derived, explicitly or implicitly, from the assumption that all votes are equally likely (i.e., random voting). That assumption implies that the probability of a vote being decisive in a jurisdiction with n voters is proportional to 1/√n. In this article the authors show how this hypothesis has been empirically tested and rejected using data from various US and European elections. They find that the probability of a decisive vote is approximately proportional to 1/n. The random voting model (and, more generally, the square-root rule) overestimates the probability of close elections in larger jurisdictions. As a result, classical voting power indexes make voters in large jurisdictions appear more powerful than they really are. The most important political implication of their result is that proportionally weighted voting systems (that is, each jurisdiction gets a number of votes proportional to n) are basically fair. This contradicts the claim in the voting power literature that weights should be approximately proportional to √n.
Subcellular Location of O-Acetylserine Sulfhydrylase Isoenzymes in Cell Cultures and Plant Tissues of Datura innoxia Mill

O-Acetylserine sulfhydrylase (OASS; EC 4.2.99.8) catalyzes the formation of L-cysteine from O-acetylserine and inorganic sulfide. Three OASS isoenzymes that differ in molecular mass and subunit structure are present in shoot and root tissues and in cadmium-resistant and cadmium-susceptible cell cultures of Datura innoxia Mill. Different OASS forms predominate in leaves, roots, and suspension-cell cultures. To determine the subcellular location of the OASS isoenzymes, purified mitochondria, chloroplasts, and cytosolic fractions from protoplasts were obtained. The isoenzymes are compartmentalized in D. innoxia cells, with a different isoenzyme predominant in the chloroplast, cytosol, and mitochondria, suggesting that they serve different functions in the plant cell. The chloroplast form is most abundant in green leaves and leaf protoplasts. The cytosolic form is most abundant in roots and cell cultures. A mitochondrial form is abundant in cell cultures, but is a minor form in leaves or roots. Cadmium-tolerant cell cultures contain 1.8 times as much constitutive OASS activity as the wild-type cell line, and 2.9 times more than the cadmium-hypersensitive cell line. This may facilitate rapid production of glutathione and metal-binding phytochelatins when these cultures are exposed to cadmium.
Interactions of Thymidine, Hyperthermia, and cis-Diammine-1,1-cyclobutane Dicarboxylate Platinum(II) in Human T-Cell Leukemia

Using JM and MOLT3, two human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines, we investigated the ability of 24-h thymidine exposures to enhance the cytotoxicity of cis-diammine-1,1-cyclobutane dicarboxylate platinum (II) (carboplatin). Clinically achievable thymidine concentrations (for 24 h) significantly enhanced carboplatin killing. Unexpectedly, thymidine-carboplatin enhancement was as great at a relatively low 200-micrograms thymidine/ml as at the clinically much more toxic range of 1000 micrograms/ml. For a constant thymidine concentration (500 micrograms/ml), thymidine-carboplatin interaction increased with longer thymidine exposures until about 16 to 24 h. Thymidine and 41.8 degrees C hyperthermia (for 1 h) together enhanced carboplatin killing significantly more than did hyperthermia-carboplatin or thymidine-carboplatin combinations. These results show that relatively brief, presumptively nonmyelosuppressive thymidine exposures can significantly increase carboplatin killing. Carboplatin-thymidine killing can then be further augmented by 41.8 degrees C hyperthermia.
Historical Dispossession Through International Law: Iraq in Historical and Comparative Context

International law does not permit the confiscation of property during war time, but that has not stopped the United States from confiscating private property during the US led invasion of Iraq in 2003. However, a blind eye turned to this problem by the international community is nothing new. In fact, international law has historically been unequally applied to countries representing the interests of European powers since the beginning of colonial and imperialist conquests. This article argues that the reason behind the unequal application of the law stems from facilitating the political expediencies and hegemony of conquering states over weaker and vulnerable states. This is seen in US jurisprudence which has forsaken international law where incompatible with national policy during war times. It is further argued that the Eurocentric view of middle eastern culture creates self-righteousness from the west allows the infractions to go unpunished. Without giving the conquered nation the power to control its their own property, a country, like Iraq, will have difficulty regaining sovereignty. As a result, the legitimacy of the process may not be sustainable.
Format Integration and Serials Cataloging

Summary Format integration has achieved some goals: Seriality of nonprint materials can be expressed. Materials in several physical formats can be described. Archival control of non-print materials can be designated. Content designation has been standardized. Validation routines have been simplified or eliminated. Documentation has been much reduced. Format integration also brings new problems and issues. Bibliographic records are more complex, partly due to the nature of the material, but also due to new fields. Format specialists must learn new cataloging rules and content designation. Optional fields can impede shared cataloging. Local systems may be unable to correctly use some of the new codes. Format integration runs counter to the proposed use of a single record for multiple versions. Catalogers have a great deal to consider in formulating policies.
Creating a Self-Administered Event History Calendar

Many studies ask respondents for information from their past. Unfortunately, this information can be hard for respondents to remember. Event history calendars (EHCs) aid respondents’ memories by giving visual cues that help them place past events on a timeline. Most literature on EHCs focuses on interviewer-administered tools. For example, Freedman et al. (1988) describe the EHC as a large grid within a survey tool. One grid dimension lists the components being studied while the other dimension lists the time units. The interviewer fills in the cells as the respondent reports the events. Information from respondents’ pasts was critical to our recent research project. The goal was to understand the reasons individuals enlist in the Army. Of particular interest were “older” recruits: those who could have enlisted at age 18 but instead enlisted later. In addition to responses to survey questions, we wanted to collect detailed academic, social, and economic information from the time participants left high school to the time they enlisted to understand what happened in these individuals’ lives that prompted them to enlist later. With Army guidelines allowing enlistment up to age 42, this could be 25 years of history for some participants. Cost and time constraints prevented us from using a one-on-one, interviewer-administered model for collecting EHC data, so we designed a version that could be self-administered in group sessions.
Rice Biotechnology: Progress and Prospects

Considerable progress has been made in the development of cellular biology and molecular genetic techniques that can be applied to the genetic improvement of rice. Tissue culture techniques such as anther culture, embryo rescue, and use of somaclonal variants have contributed to the release of new rice varieties. These technologies are of proven benefit to rice breeding and through research are becoming applicable to a broader range of rice cultivars and breeding objectives. Most molecular genetic techniques are still at an early stage of development but progress has been more rapid with rice than any other cereal. Species specific probes and genetic maps of rice have been produced and increasingly are being applied in breeding. Further development of these tools into a map-based system for cloning rice genes is underway. Regeneration of fertile plants from protoplasts has been achieved for both japonica and indica rice. This is the basis of rice genetic transformation systems that now exist in several laboratories. Transgenic rice plants containing alien marker genes are scheduled to be field tested this year. Several experiments are underway to introduce potentially useful cloned genes into rice. Numerous other research projects are aimed at identifying, constructing and cloning a wide variety of genes from plants, microbes and animals which might instill useful traits if introduced into the rice genome. This paper reviews the progress to date and describes several promising research projects.
12 – IMPROVING THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF ANTICANCER AGENTS — THE ROLE OF PHARMACOGENETICS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of pharmacogenetics in improving the efficacy and safety of anticancer agents. The role of pharmacogenetics in the optimization of the efficacy and safety of cancer chemotherapy is important in oncology. The enzymes involved in cancer chemotherapy, including TPMT, DPD, TS, ABC group of transporters, UGT, MTHFR, and cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) are elaborated. TPMT catalyzes the S-methylation of thiopurine drugs such as 6-mercaptop-urine (6-MP), 6-thioguanine, and azathioprine to inactive metabolites. TPMT enzyme activity and immunoreactive protein levels in human tissues are controlled by a common genetic polymorphism. Molecular analysis of TPMT genotype is able to identify patients at risk for acute toxicity from thiopurines. DPD catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the catabolism of pyrimidines such as thymine and uracil and the fluoropyrimidine, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). 5-FU is used in the treatment of breast, head, neck, and colorectal cancers. The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family comprises several drug transport proteins. The CYP3A enzymes account for approximately half of the metabolism carried out by cytochrome P450 enzymes. It is found that once the functional significance of a drug disposition pathway has been established, anticancer agents can be optimized and individualized by pharmacogenetic approaches into the routine care of patients receiving anticancer drugs.
Prayer is Serious Business: Reflections on Town of Greece

In his dissent in Marsh v. Chambers, which upheld the practice of chaplains delivering public prayers in state legislative chambers, Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., observed that “prayer is serious business – serious theological business.” This two-part essay returns to that simple but important insight in discussing the Supreme Court’s recent return to the question of legislative prayer in Town of Greece v. Galloway. The first part is based on remarks I delivered as part of a panel discussion held several months before the Supreme Court handed down its ruling in Town of Greece. I proposed that the Court should overrule Marsh, or at least not extend its reach to local governmental bodies. But I also argued that, if the Court was unwilling to draw such bright lines, it should resist the temptation to parse individual prayer practices to make sure that they remained inoffensively “non-sectarian.” The second part of the essay was written after Town of Greece came down. It contends that both the majority opinion and Justice Kagan’s principal dissent failed spectacularly to appreciate that “prayer is serious business.” The majority listed a litany of purposes for public prayer, but neglected to include the most obvious – to pray. And the dissent repeatedly discussed the audiences for various public prayers, but ignored the most obvious intended audience – God. The two opinions are actually remarkably alike in reducing civic prayer to political declarations of identity. For Justice Kennedy, the prayers recited in the Town of Greece reflected a patriotic and inclusive national identity that transcends specific religious expressions. For Justice Kagan, the prayers were sectarian and exclusionary. But, at the end of the day, that is mere quibbling.
Remedial measures for traffic-induced vibrations at a residential site. 2. FEM simulations

For pt.1 see ibid., vol.19, p.3, (1991). This is a companion paper to an experimental investigation, reported earlier, of traffic-induced vibrations at a site where several complaints were lodged by homeowners residing near a roadway. The objective of the previous paper was to investigate experimentally the factors influencing the level of these vibrations and their relative quantitative importance. The present paper reports on the results of the analytical part of the study in which the role of pavement/subbase characteristics, effectiveness of vibration screening by concrete walls and soil improvement were investigated using finite element simulations
Long‐Term Trends in Relative Earnings Mobility

Objectives The extent of individual mobility across hierarchical ranks of the income distribution is a critical factor in interpreting the sociopolitical significance of well-documented increases in cross-sectional inequality. The objective of this study is to replicate two earlier investigations of mobility, allowing one to discern trends in mobility rates and patterns. Methods Mobility was measured using data from NLSY79 (where NLSY is National Longitudinal Survey of Youth) for the years 1989–2004. Results Results show that hierarchical (relative) mobility has remained substantial and pervasive from the 1970s through the 1990s for male workers, with no evidence of any attenuation. In view of the increased distance between (absolute) income ranks, this observation is both surprising and reassuring. Conclusion Despite substantial increase in cross-sectional inequality, long-term mobility rates have not changed since the 1960s.
Advancing Adult Learning in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

This report presents available evidence on adult education and training in Europe and Central Asia (ECA), differentiating two separate types: continuing vocational education and training (CVET) for the employed, sought either by employers or individuals, and retraining and second chance education for the non?employed. This paper presents available evidence on the extent and patterns of lifelong learning in ECA. It argues that advancing adult education and training in ECA is important not only to meet the new skills demands but also to respond to a rapidly worsening demographic outlook across most of the region. While it is not equally important for all ECA countries, adult education and training should be high on the agenda of those ECA economies that are closest to the technological frontier and facing a demographic decline, such as the new European Union (EU) member States and Russia. The paper lays out a framework for government action to advance adult learning in ECA through a mix consisting of policy coordination between government and the enterprise sector, a sound regulatory regime and appropriate financial incentives.
An Experimental Study on Bond Strength of Reinforcing Steel in Self-Consolidating Concrete

An experimental investigation was conducted to compare the bond strength of reinforcing steel in self-consolidating concrete (SCC) with conventional concrete (CC). This study investigated two different compressive strengths of SCC as well as CC. The experimental program consisted of 24 pull-out specimens as well as 12 full-scale beams (three for each concrete type and strength). The pull-out specimens were based on RILEM recommendations, and the beam specimens were tested under a simply supported four-point loading condition. The CC test results served as a control and were used to evaluate the results from the SCC pull-out and beam specimen tests. Furthermore, a comparison was performed between results of this study and a bond database of CC specimens. These comparisons indicate that SCC beams possess comparable or slightly greater bond strength than CC beams.
A Novel Long-Range PCR Sequencing Method for Genetic Analysis of the Entire PKD1 Gene

Genetic testing of PKD1 and PKD2 is useful for the diagnosis and prognosis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease; however, analysis is complicated by the large transcript size, the complexity of the gene region, and the high level of gene variations. We developed a novel mutation screening assay for PKD1 by directly sequencing long-range (LR) PCR products. By using this method, the entire PKD1 coding region was amplified by nine reactions, generating product sizes from 2 to 6 kb, circumventing the need for specific PCR amplification of individual exons. This method was compared with direct sequencing used by a reference laboratory and the SURVEYOR-WAVE Nucleic Acid High Sensitivity Fragment Analysis System (Transgenomic) screening method for five patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. A total of 53 heterozygous genetic changes were identified by LR PCR sequencing, including 41 (of 42) variations detected by SURVEYOR nuclease and all 32 variations reported by the reference laboratory, detecting an additional 12 intronic changes not identified by the other two methods. Compared with the reference laboratory, LR PCR sequencing had a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 98.5%, and an accuracy of 98.8%; compared with the SURVEYOR-WAVE method, it had a sensitivity of 97.1%, a specificity of 100%, and an accuracy of 99.4%. In conclusion, LR PCR sequencing was superior to the direct sequencing and screening methods for detecting genetic variations, achieving high sensitivity and improved intronic coverage with a faster turnaround time and lower costs, and providing a reliable tool for complex genetic analyses.
Identification of two alternatively spliced transcripts of STEP: a subfamily of brain-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatases

Abstract A brain-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase termed STEP 46 (striatal enriched phosphatase) was previously isolated and characterized. Immunological studies with a STEP monoclonal antibody recognized several STEP-immunoreactive proteins, and suggested that additional STEP-related polypeptides existed. This study reports the isolation of two alternatively spliced transcripts of the STEP gene. One of these, STEP 20 (with a predicted molecular mass of 20 kDa) was further characterized and found to lack the conserved tyrosine phosphatase domain. Northern analysis detected a 2.8 kb STEP 20 message in mouse brain. The second alternatively spliced transcript, STEP 61 , has a 5′-extended open reading frame that encodes a protein with a predicted molecular mass of 61 kDa and contains a single tyrosine phosphatase domain. The exon-intron organization responsible for the novel STEP 20 and STEP 61 sequences was determined in the mouse STEP genomic DNA. We propose that the original STEP 46 along with STEP 20 and STEP 61 are members of a brain-enriched subfamily of protein tyrosine phosphatases, and that STEP isoforms may have distinct functions within the central nervous system.
Long-distance Axonal Transport of AAV9 Is Driven by Dynein and Kinesin-2 and Is Trafficked in a Highly Motile Rab7-positive Compartment

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors can move along axonal pathways after brain injection, resulting in transduction of distal brain regions. This can enhance the spread of therapeutic gene transfer and improve treatment of neurogenetic disorders that require global correction. To better understand the underlying cellular mechanisms that drive AAV trafficking in neurons, we investigated the axonal transport of dye-conjugated AAV9, utilizing microfluidic primary neuron cultures that isolate cell bodies from axon termini and permit independent analysis of retrograde and anterograde axonal transport. After entry, AAV was trafficked into nonmotile early and recycling endosomes, exocytic vesicles, and a retrograde-directed late endosome/lysosome compartment. Rab7-positive late endosomes/lysosomes that contained AAV were highly motile, exhibiting faster retrograde velocities and less pausing than Rab7-positive endosomes without virus. Inhibitor experiments indicated that the retrograde transport of AAV within these endosomes is driven by cytoplasmic dynein and requires Rab7 function, whereas anterograde transport of AAV is driven by kinesin-2 and exhibits unusually rapid velocities. Furthermore, increasing AAV9 uptake by neuraminidase treatment significantly enhanced virus transport in both directions. These findings provide novel insights into AAV trafficking within neurons, which should enhance progress toward the utilization of AAV for improved distribution of transgene delivery within the brain.
Medial supracondylar stress fracture in an adolescent pitcher

We report the occurrence of a medial supracondylar stress fracture in an adolescent pitcher. To our knowledge, this fracture has not been described in the literature, and awareness of this entity allows initiation of therapy and precludes further unnecessary work-up. The radiographic, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging appearances are reviewed and the mechanism of injury is discussed.
Revolution on the American Gridiron: Gender, Contested Space, and Women’s Football in the 1970s

ABSTRACTScholarship on the 1970s ‘women’s movement’ in the USA has grown in recent years. However, this area has yet to fully incorporate women’s athletic experiences. This paper brings together these two areas of scholarship through analysis of women’s experiences playing professional football in 1970s America. Women athletes articulated little connection between football and the larger feminist campaign for corporeal autonomy and equality and some pronounced a distinctly antifeminist identity. My intent is not to force the feminist mantle on these women or to contest their self-descriptions. Rather, I seek to locate their experiences within the larger women’s movement using historian Anne Enke’s idea of ‘contested space’ (Finding the Movement, 2007). Drawing on interviews with 13 women on three different teams during the 1970s, I argue that while women football players did not explicitly align with the feminist movement, they were a part of the larger revolution in women’s social rank. Football players ...
Induction of tolerance to renal allografts across single-haplotype MHC disparities in miniature swine.

We have previously demonstrated that a 12-day course of cyclosporine A (CsA) leads to the induction of tolerance to renal allografts in 100% of recipients selectively mismatched at class I for both haplotypes, and in 71% of recipients selectively mismatched at class II for both haplotypes, but in 0% of recipients mismatched for two haplotypes at both class I and class II. We have postulated that the mechanism by which tolerance is induced may therefore require matching for either class I or class II antigens. One might predict from this hypothesis that tolerance would also be induced in donor-recipient combinations sharing one full haplotype (e.g., AC-->AD), which mimics the clinically relevant transplant combination of parent to offspring. We have therefore investigated the effects of the CsA regimen on renal transplants in this combination. Without immunosuppression, such kidney allografts were uniformly rejected (n = 12; 10.6 +/- 2.4 days). In contrast, a course of CsA (10-13 mg/kg/day) during the first 12 postoperative days induced long-term acceptance of the allograft in 67% (4/6) of recipients. Some acceptor animals also showed specific unresponsiveness to donor antigens as measured by in vitro assays and by failure to develop anti-donor antibodies. Tolerance was confirmed in four of these animals by failure to reject a second transplant SLA-matched to the first kidney donor without additional immunosuppression. These results suggest the feasibility of inducing specific tolerance across a single-haplotype mismatch in the majority of the cases, which could have clinical implications for living-related transplants.
Environmental e-governance

In this brief paper I outline the key areas in which e-Governance would be useful in environmental democracy. The paper briefly discusses what environmental democracy means. It lays out a human rights and instrumental argument in favor of access to information, public participation and access to justice (referred to collectively as 'access rights") in environmental matters. The paper identifies four barriers to promoting access rights and points to success stories from around the world suggesting how these barriers might be overcome. Much of the paper is based on "Voice & Choice: Opening the Door to Environmental Democracy" published in 2008 by the World Resources Institute. The paper also briefly examines recent research findings that concern access rights for the poor and e-Governance.