cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solute’s Perspective on How Trimethylamine Oxide, Urea, and Guanidine Hydrochloride Affect Water’s Hydrogen Bonding Ability

While the thermodynamic effects of trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), urea, and guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) on protein stability are well understood, the underlying mechanisms of action are less well characterized and, in some cases, even under debate. Herein, we employ the stretching vibration of two infrared (IR) reporters, i.e., nitrile (C≡N) and carbonyl (C═O), to directly probe how these cosolvents mediate the ability of water to form hydrogen bonds with the solute of interest, e.g., a peptide. Our results show that these three agents, despite having different effects on protein stability, all act to decrease the strength of the hydrogen bonds formed between water and the infrared probe. While the behavior of TMAO appears to be consistent with its protein-protecting ability, those of urea and GdnHCl are inconsistent with their role as protein denaturants. The latter is of particular interest as it provides strong evidence indicating that although urea and GdnHCl can perturb the hydrogen-bonding proper...
Effects of chronic ethanol ingestion on arachidonic acid metabolism in rat tissues and in vitro effect of ethanol on cAMP in platelets.

Abstract Effects of chronic ethanol ingestion (3 weeks) on the capacity of peritoneal macrophages, lung and heart tissues, to metabolize endogenous arachidonic acid (AA) in rats, and the in vitro effect of ethanol on 3′–5′ cyclic adenosine monophosphate (CAMP) levels in rat platelets were studied. Peritoneal resident macrophages were stimulated by calcium ionophore (A23187) and levels of 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE), leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and PGE2 were measured by radioimunoassay. There were no differences in levels of the eicosanoids synthesized by macrophages between the ethanol treated and the control group. There were also no differences found in levels of the eicosanoids synthesized by heart or lung homogenate between the two groups. These results suggest that chronic ethanol ingestion does not alter the capacity to synthesize the eicosanoide from the endogenous precursor in tissues studied here. Preincubation of ethanol with platelet rich plasma resulted in a dose dependent increase in cAMP levels. The well documented inhibitory effects of ethanol in vitro on aggregation and AA metabolism in platelets may be due to the enhanced cAMP levels.
Filament-Level Modeling of Aramid-Based High-Performance Structural Materials

Molecular statics and molecular dynamics are employed to study the effects of various microstructural and topological defects (e.g., chain ends, axial chain misalignment, inorganic solvent impurities, and sheet stacking faults) on the strength, ductility, and stiffness of p-phenylene terephthalamide (PPTA) fibers/filaments. These fibers can be considered as prototypes for advanced high strength/high-stiffness fibers like Kevlar®, Twaron®, New Star®, etc. While modeling these fibers, it was taken into account that they are essentially crystalline materials consisting of stacks of sheets, with each sheet containing an array of nearly parallel hydrogen-bonded molecules/chains. The inter-sheet bonding, on the other hand, was considered as mainly being of van der Waals or p-electron character. The effects of various deviations of the PPTA fiber structure from that of the perfectly crystalline structure (i.e., microstructural/topological defects) on the material’s mechanical properties are then considered. The results obtained show that while the presence of these defects decreases all the mechanical properties of PPTA fibers, specific properties display an increased level of sensitivity to the presence of certain defects. For example, longitudinal tensile properties are found to be most sensitive to the presence of chain ends, in-sheet transverse properties to the presence of chain misalignments, while cross-sheet transverse properties are found to be most affected by the presence of sheet stacking faults.
Radiotherapy before and after radical prostatectomy for high-risk and locally advanced prostate cancer.

Abstract Objectives Men with localized high-risk prostate cancer carry significant risk of prostate cancer–specific mortality. The best treatment approach to minimize this risk is unclear. In this review, we evaluate the role of radiation before and after radical prostatectomy. Methods and materials A critical review of the literature was performed regarding the application of external radiation therapy (RT) in combination with prostatectomy for high-risk localized prostate cancer. Results Up to 70% of men with high-risk localized disease may require adjuvant therapy because of adverse pathologic features or biochemical recurrence in the absence of systemic disease. The utility of adjuvant RT among men with adverse pathologic features are well established at least regarding minimizing biochemical recurrence risk. The optimal timing of salvage radiation is the subject of ongoing studies. Neoadjuvant RT requires further study but is a potentially attractive method because of decreased radiation field sizes and potential radiobiologic benefits of delivering RT before surgery. Salvage prostatectomy is effective at treating local recurrence after radiation but is associated with significant surgical morbidity. Conclusions Combining local therapies including radical prostatectomy and RT can be a reasonable approach. Care should be taken at the initial presentation of high-risk localized prostate cancer to consider and plan for the likelihood of multimodality care.
Optimal control techniques applied to PPM signal design

Optimal control techniques are used to derive necessary conditions for designing optimum waveforms for pulse-position modulation communication systems. Nonlinear modulation threshold effects are incorporated directly into the design by introducing constraints on the side-lobe peaks of the autocorrelation function. The search is performed over the class of signals satisfying constraints on the average power, peak power, and bandwidth. The optimum signal in this class is the one whose autocorrelation function has the sharpest central peak while the side-lobe peaks are below the specified constraint level. The necessary conditions are obtained by treating the correlation constraints as functional constraints on the state-variables and applying Neustadt's abstract variational theory. The conditions are in the form of differential-difference equations of the advanced and retarded type which appear to be extremely difficult to solve analytically.
Briefing: Islam, democracy and public opinion in Africa

HOW DO RELIGIOUS ORIENTATIONS, ESPECIALLY ATTACHMENTS TO ISLAM, affect public support for democracy in sub-Saharan Africa? Reasonable people are divided on this important, timely, and politically loaded question. Some influential observers allege that Islam and democracy are incompatible. For example, Huntington argues that, because the Koran rejects the distinction between religious and political authority, Islamic civilization cannot easily co-exist with democracy.1 And Kedourie holds that mass suffrage, elections, and representation are 'profoundly alien to the Muslim political tradition'.2 Others disagree. Esposito and Voll stress the diverse spectrum of conservative and progressive tendencies within Islam, including new movements that seek to reconcile religious resurgence and democratization.3 Filali-Ansary goes even further, claiming that values of freedom and accountability, normally identified as Western concepts, can be found in early Islam.4 Recent research on public opinion tests these competing visions against contemporary facts. Rose concludes from survey evidence in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan that 'being a Muslim does not lead a person to reject democracy or endorse dictatorship'.5 Along similar lines, Tessler finds that the Islamic beliefs of 'the Arab street' in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Palestine (Gaza and West Bank) discourage the emergence of a democratic political culture 'only to a very limited extent'.6 Data are available from the Afrobarometer a cross-national survey research project, Round 1 of which was conducted between mid-1999 and
Solutions to Second-order Three-point Problems on Time Scales

In the first part of the paper, we establish the existence of multiple positive solutions to the nonlinear second-order three-point boundary value problem on time scales, u ▵▿ (t)+f(t,u(t))=0, u(0)=0, &#x1d6c2;u(&#x1d6c8;)=u(T) for t∈[0,T]⊂╥, where ╥ is a time scale, &#x1d6c2;>0, η∈(0,p(T)⊂╥, and &#x1d6c2;η<T. We employ the Leggett-Williams fixed-point theorem in an appropriate cone to guarantee the existence of at least three positive solutions to this nonlinear problem. In the second part, we establish the existence of at least one positive solution to the related problem u ▵▿(t)+a(t)f(u(t))=0, u(0)=0, &#x1d6c2;u(η)=u(T), again using a fixed-point theorem for operators.
Whealing Response of Human Skin to Ultraviolet Light and the Histamine Theory of Allergic Reactions.

Summary(1) The spectral response to light in a case of Urticaria solare may be connected with the pigmentation mechanism. (2) A process which produces a relatively non-diffusible whealing substance is probably responsible for the whealing in the case in question.The preceding observations, which will be reported in detail elsewhere, do not support the point of view that histamine or a readily diffusible H-substance of low molecular weight is responsible for the skin response to ultraviolet irradiation.
Protein kinase C Mediates Translocation of Type II Phosphatidylinositol 5-Phosphate 4-Kinase Required for Platelet α-Granule Secretion

To better understand the molecular mechanisms of platelet granule secretion, we have evaluated the role of type II phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 5-phosphate 4-kinase in agonist-induced platelet alpha-granule secretion. SFLLRN-stimulated alpha-granule secretion from SL-O-permeabilized platelets was inhibited by either antibodies directed at type II PtdIns 5-phosphate 4-kinase or by a kinase-impaired point mutant of type IIbeta PtdIns 5-phosphate 4-kinase. In contrast, recombinant type IIbeta PtdIns 5-phosphate 4-kinase augmented SFLLRN-stimulated alpha-granule secretion from SL-O-permeabilized platelets. SFLLRN-stimulated alpha-granule secretion was inhibited by a protein kinase C-specific inhibitor peptide or bisindolylmaleimide I. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-stimulated alpha-granule secretion was inhibited by anti-type II PtdIns 5-phosphate 4-kinase antibodies or the kinase-impaired point mutant of type IIbeta PtdIns 5-phosphate 4-kinase and augmented by recombinant type IIbeta PtdIns 5-phosphate 4-kinase. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that type II PtdIns 5-phosphate 4-kinase remained associated with SL-O-permeabilized platelets when incubated in the presence, but not the absence, of SFLLRN. This SFLLRN-induced translocation of type II PtdIns 5-phosphate 4-kinase was blocked by either the protein kinase C-specific inhibitor peptide or bisindolylmaleimide I. In addition to stimulating alpha-granule secretion, both SFLLRN and PMA enhanced the association of a fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled peptide derived from the PtdIns (4,5)P(2)-binding domain of gelsolin to permeabilized platelets. Agonist-induced recruitment of the PtdIns (4,5)P(2)-binding domain was inhibited by neomycin, bisindolylmaleimide I, and anti-type II PtdIns 5-phosphate 4-kinase antibody. These results suggest a mechanism whereby protein kinase C-mediated translocation of type II PtdIns 5-phosphate 4-kinase leads to the recruitment of PtdIns (4,5)P(2)-binding proteins.
A note on approximation techniques used for process optimization

Abstract The need for increasingly complex models for process simulation has led several researchers to develop more efficient steady-state simulation strategies. In a common approach, rigorous physical property calculations are replaced by simplified ones which approximate locally the behavior of the rigorous ones. Periodically the rigorous models are executed to check if the simplified ones are still accurate enough, and, if not, parameters for the simplified ones are adjusted so both the rigorous and simplified models again predict the same values locally. Convergence is assumed when no adjustments are needed for these parameters and the simplified model is converged. This approach works well for phase equilibrium and even general process simulation problems. Some researchers have extended this approach to optimization problems as well. In this note we discuss problems which arise when adapting this approach for process optimization problems. We also present three examples where the use of simplified models can lead to detection of false optima or convergence failures.
Exploration in Semantic Space: A Personal Diary1

Following a brief bit of personal history about the origins of the author's interest in the measurement of meaning (M), three models of M—spatial analogue, factor analytic measurement, and underlying behavior theoretic—are described and integrated. Extension of the semantic differential technique (SD), which was developed during the 1950s and applied to many samples of American English speakers and to some 25 language-culture communities around the world during the 1960s, is reported. Evidence for the universality of Evaluation, Potency, and Activity as affective features of M is given, along with a discussion of the powers and limitations of this technique. Application of comparable SDs in the development of a 620-concept Atlas of Affective Meanings for 23 cultures is described, along with the problems of interpretation.
Killing 2 birds with 1 stone

Tellam and colleagues (page [4535][1]) have covalently modified an oncogene to increase its efficacy and safety as a DNA cancer vaccine. Cancer immunotherapy offers the potential to eliminate malignant cells with minimal side effects. Finding appropriate target antigens for this approach is critical
Building decision trees for characteristic ellipsoid method to monitor power system transient behaviors

This paper presents the idea and initial results of building decision trees (DTs) for detecting and identifying various transient dynamic events using the characteristic ellipsoid method. In this paper, the objective is to determine fault types, fault locations and clearance times in the system using DTs based on ellipsoids surrounding system transient responses in the system operating parameter space. The New England 10-machine 39-bus system is used to generate a sufficiently large number of transient events in different system configurations. Comprehensive transient simulations considering three fault types, two different fault clearance times and various fault locations were conducted in the study. Bus voltage magnitudes and monitored reactive and active power flows are recorded as the phasor measurements to calculate characteristic ellipsoids whose volume, eccentricity, center and projection of the longest axis on the parameter space coordinates are used as indices to build decision trees. The DTs performance is tested and compared for different sets of phasor measurement units (PMUs) locations. The results demonstrate that, depending on the number and location of PMUs in the model, the proposed approach is capable to detect the fault type, location, and clearance time in up to 99% of the cases which are not included in the training set used to build the DT.
Youth Gang Desistance: An Examination of the Effect of Different Operational Definitions of Desistance on the Motivations, Methods, and Consequences Associated With Leaving the Gang

Following a noticeable absence, studies of gang desistance have begun to appear in the literature. Spurred by results from panel studies that gang membership is a transitory stage for the majority ...
Academic Delay of Gratification, Self-Efficacy, and Time Management among Academically Unprepared College Students:

This study examined the associations between academic delay of gratification, self-efficacy beliefs, and time management among academically unprepared college students participating in a summer-immersion program. This study also examined whether the relation of self-efficacy with time management is mediated by academic delay of gratification. Analysis indicated that self-efficacy was directly associated with time management, as delay of gratification served to mediate this effect partially. Self-efficacy emerged as the strongest positive predictor of academic achievement.
Insulin improves heart function and metabolism during non-ischemic cardiogenic shock in awake canines

Objectives: This study was undertaken to examine in-situ heart function and metabolism during insulin treatment of verapamil-induced cardiogenic shock in awake canines. Methods: Twenty mongrel canines were instrumented to monitor myocardial substrate uptakes (glucose, lactate, free fatty acids, oxygen [MVO2]), as well as left ventricular (LV) end-systolic elastance (Emax), LV efficiency (LV minute work/MVO2), and Tau. Shock was induced by graded intraportal verapamil infusion followed by randomized assignment to one of 4 treatment groups: saline control (3.0 ml/kg/min, n =5), epinephrine (5 μg/kg/min, n =5), glucagon (10 μg/kg/min, n =5) or insulin (1000 mU/min, n =5) with dextrose to clamp arterial [glucose] ±10% of basal concentrations. Results: Insulin treatment significantly increased Emax (34±3 vs. 17±3 mmHg/mm, saline control), and shortened Tau (9±3 ms) compared to saline control (42±5 ms), epinephrine (20±4 ms) and glucagon (35±8 ms). With insulin treatment, mechanical efficiency increased to 20 097±2070 vs. 12 424±1615 mmHg·mm/ml O2/100 g in controls. Simultaneously, insulin increased myocardial lactate uptake (35±2 vs. 17±4 μmol/min/100 g, saline control), but did not increase glucose uptake. Epinephrine and glucagon decreased mechanical efficiency compared to saline controls, coincident with increased myocardial fatty acid consumption, but without increasing lactate uptake. One dog died early with glucagon treatment before the first death in the saline-treated group. Conclusions: Insulin improves systolic and diastolic heart function during aerobic shock and accelerates in-vivo myocardial lactate oxidation.
Urquhart and probability: The transition from librarianship to library and information science

In this article, I analyze the role of Donald J. Urquhart in the creation of modern library and information science. Urquhart was one of the chief architects of information science in Britain and founder of the National Lending Library for Science and Technology (NLL), which evolved into the present-day British Library Document Supply Centre (BLDSC). In particular, I focus on the part played by Urquhart in the development of that branch of information science termed bibliometrics, the application of mathematical and statistical techniques to information phenomena, pursuing both historical and practical aims. The article is intended not only to trace the history of the probability distributions applicable to library use and other facets of human knowledge but also to demonstrate how these distributions can be used in the evaluation and management of scientific journal collections. For these purposes, the paper is divided into three parts of equal importance. The first part is statistical and establishes the theoretical framework, within which Urquhart’s work is considered. It traces the historical development of the applicable probability distributions, discussing their origins on the European continent and how Continental principles became incorporated in the biometric statistics that arose in Britain as a result of the Darwinian revolution. This part analyzes the binomial and Poisson processes, laying out the reasons why the Poisson process is more suitable for modeling information phenomena. In doing so, it describes key distributions arising from these processes as well as the various tests for these distributions, citing the literature that shows how to conduct these tests. Throughout the discussion, the relationship of these distributions to library use and the laws of information science is emphasized. The second part of the article analyzes the pioneering role of Urquhart as a conduit for the entry of these probability distributions into librarianship, converting it into library and information science. He was the first librarian to apply probability to library use, utilizing it not only to establish and manage the scientific journal collections of the NLL but also to evolve his Law of Supralibrary Use. Urquhart’s work is portrayed within the context of a general trend to adopt probabilistic methods for analytical purposes, and a major premise of this article is that his law and the probabilistic breakthrough, on which it was based, were most likely in Britain, which was one of the few countries not only to develop but also maintain the necessary scientific preconditions. The third—and concluding section—discusses how Urquhart’s Law forces a probabilistic reconceptualization of the functioning of the scientific journal system as well as the law’s practical implications for journal sales, collection evaluation and management, resource sharing, and the transition from the paper to the electronic format.
Itraconazole and Clarithromycin as Ketoconazole Alternatives for Clinical CYP3A Inhibition Studies

High-dose ketoconazole (400 mg q.d. for ≥5 days) has been the gold-standard strong cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) inhibitor in drug development drug–drug interaction (DDI) studies. In 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) advised against using this ketoconazole regimen following review of clinical safety reports. We systematically evaluated 19 strong CYP3A inhibitors from regulatory guidances and a literature database to identify itraconazole (200 mg b.i.d. on day 1, q.d. on days 2–6) and clarithromycin (500 mg b.i.d. for 7 days) as acceptable ketoconazole alternatives. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2014); 95 5, 473–476. doi:10.1038/clpt.2014.41
Typed Higher-Order Narrowing without Higher-Order Strategies

We describe a new approach to higher-order narrowing computations in a class of systems suitable for functional logic programming. Our approach is based on a translation of these systems into ordinary (first-order) rewrite systems and the subsequent application of conventional narrowing strategies. Our translation is an adaptation to narrowing of Warren’s translation, but unlike similar previous work, we preserve static type information, which has a dramatic effect on the size of the narrowing space. Our approach supports sound, complete, and efficient higher-order narrowing computations in classes of systems larger than those previously proposed.
StaticTrust: A Practical Framework for Trusted Networked Devices

Given the proliferation of malware and malicious activities, the integrity of communication systems is an ever growing concern. In this work, we propose StaticTrust, an integrity measurement framework which enables a system to evaluate the integrity and state of a remote client prior to providing trusted communication services. StaticTrust is designed for a specific class of network devices that have software images that change infrequently and require tight configuration control (e.g. routers, switches, trusted gateways, or high-low guards). StaticTrust exploits the relatively static nature of these communication systems and uses a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to measure the state and provide identity verification for the device. This framework, coupled with the attestation and dynamic firewall exception services we authored, enables remote parties to confirm the integrity of clients, thereby limiting the effects and the proliferation of malware in a compromised system. We implement a prototype of the StaticTrust framework and measure the performance of our system to show that our design choices for constructing the software image result in efficient measurement and verification of system integrity.
From waiting to relating: parents' experiences in the waiting room of an occupational therapy clinic.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding ofparents'perceptions of outcomes of occupational therapy intervention using a sensory integration approach. METHOD Interviews with parents regarding their childrens participation in occupational therapy were analyzed using grounded theory. RESULTS The parents' experiences of sitting in the waiting room while their children received occupational therapy emerged as a powerful outcome theme. Through their interactions with other parents, this particular group of parents gave and received naturally occurring support for parenting children with sensory integrative dysfunction. Additionally, by virtue of repeated experiences of waiting, parents moved to positions of liminality, shared weekly rituals, engaged in downward social comparison, and reframed their views of their children. CONCLUSION Implications are proposedfor expanding the definition of family-centered intervention; attending to the meaning of the cultural world of practice; and directing future research related to how a physical setting, such as a waiting room, might shape naturally occurring support and social interaction.
No Data Required: Why Intelligent Design Is Not Science

Intelligent Design (ID) proposes that biological species were created by an intelligent Designer, and not by evolution. ID's proponents insist that it is as valid a theory of how biological organisms and species came into existence as evolution by natural selection. They insist, therefore, that ID be taught as science in public schools. These claims were defeated in the Kitzmiller case. However, ID's proponents are still influential and cannot be considered a spent force. The question addressed here is whether ID's claim of scientific legitimacy is reinforced by quantified results. That is, do they have any data, or do they just argue? The ID articles that I analyzed claimed to present real science, but they rarely referred to data and never tested a hypothesis. Argumentation, however, was frequent. By contrast, peer-reviewed articles by evolutionary biologists rarely argued but referred frequently to data. The results were statistically significant. These findings negate claims by ID proponents that their articles report rigorous scientific research. Teachers will find this article helpful in defending evolution, distinguishing science from non-science, and discussing the weaknesses of ID.
Experimental determination of the triplet exciton intermolecular interaction matrix element and the exciton-phonon scattering rate in molecular crystals

Abstract An experiment method involving the temperature dependence of the intensity of trap emission is employed to determine the sign and magnitude of the nearest-neighbor intermolecular interaction matrix responsible for the triplet exciton transport and the number of wave vector states comprising the triplet exciton band in 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene. These quantities are utilized to obtain T 2 ( T ) from previously reported ESR data. Using T 2 ( T ) which is related to the rate of exciton inelastic scattering, the excition transport coherence length is calculated.
Activated NOTCH2 is overexpressed in hepatoblastomas: an immunohistochemical study.

ABSTRACT Hepatoblastoma is a pediatric malignancy characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of immature hepatocytes (hepatoblasts). This disease is diagnosed primarily in children younger than 5 years and is disproportionately observed in former premature infants. Cytogenetically, hepatoblastoma is characterized by numerical aberrations, as well as unbalanced translocations involving the proximal region of chromosome 1q. The NOTCH2 gene has been mapped to this locus, and it is well established that the NOTCH gene family is an important regulator of several developmental pathways. Specifically, the NOTCH2 protein is known to delay hepatoblast maturation during early hepatic organogenesis, and the reduction of NOTCH2 expression correlates with the differentiation of hepatoblasts into hepatocytes and biliary cells in the developing liver. We hypothesized that NOTCH2 is involved in the pathogenesis of hepatoblastoma by maintaining a population of undifferentiated hepatoblasts. We studied the immunohisto...
The use of recursive simulation to support decisionmaking

Recursive simulation is the technique of having simulated decision makers themselves use simulation to inform decision making. In past research, these recursive simulation runs have evaluated the possible outcomes given that a decision was made one way or the other, allowing a simulated commander to consider the consequences of the alternatives. However, this allows only a reactive benefit, since the issue must first be framed in terms of a decision to be made. We explore other possibilities. It raises issues of how to represent the information about the future from projections not tied to a specific decision. Also considered is how the explicit details of what is projected might be conveyed back to the current planning context in order to make possible proactive actions.
Independent terrestrial origins of the Halosphaeriales (marine Ascomycota)

A phylogenetic study of marine ascomycetes was initiated to test and refine evolutionary hypotheses of marine‐terrestrial transitions among ascomycetes. Taxon sampling focused on the Halosphaeriales, the largest order of marine ascomycetes. Approximately 1050 base pairs (bp) of the gene that codes for the nuclear small subunit (SSU) and 600 bp of the gene that codes for the nuclear large subunit (LSU) ribosomal RNAs (rDNA) were sequenced for 15 halosphaerialean taxa and integrated into a data set of homologous sequences from terrestrial ascomycetes. An initial set of phylogenetic analyses of the SSU rDNA from 38 taxa representing 15 major orders of the phylum Ascomycota confirmed a close phylogenetic relationship of the halosphaerialean species with several other orders of perithecial ascomycetes. A second set of analyses, which involved more intensive taxon sampling of perithecial ascomycetes, was performed using the SSU and LSU rDNA data in combined analyses. These second analyses included 15 halosphaerialean taxa, 26 terrestrial perithecial fungi from eight orders, and five outgroup taxa from the Pezizales. In these analyses the Halosphaeriales were polyphyletic and comprised two distinct lineages. One clade of Halosphaeriales comprised 12 taxa from 11 genera and was most closely related to terrestrial fungi of the Microascales. The second clade of halosphaerialean fungi comprised taxa from the genera Lulworthia and Lindra and was an isolated lineage among the perithecial fungi. Both the main clade of Halosphaeriales and the Lulworthia/Lindra clade are supported by the data as being independently derived from terrestrial ancestors.
Ab interno trabeculectomy: a comprehensive review

PURPOSE To summarize the original literature on ab interno trabeculectomy with the Trabectome system and to review its efficacy and safety in the treatment of glaucoma. METHOD A literature search in PubMed was performed on ab interno trabeculectomy with the Trabectome system, and clinical relevant information was reviewed and summarized. RESULTS Ab interno trabeculectomy with the Trabectome system on average lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) to the mid-teens, and decreased the number of required glaucoma medications. Greater preoperative IOP correlated to a greater percent reduction in IOP. The success rates varied among studies, and the definition of success differed by authors. Intraoperative blood reflux was found in nearly all cases. Incidences of early hypotony and IOP spikes were low. No cases of endophthalmitis, wound leak, aqueous misdirection, choroidal hemorrhage or effusions, and irreversible visual acuity decrease ( ≥ 2 Snellen lines) have been reported. Available studies had a significant amount of data overlap. Only limited data on long-term results was available. There was no randomized controlled trial to date. CONCLUSIONS Ab interno trabeculectomy with the Trabectome system is an effective and safe surgical approach for patients with various types of open angle glaucoma. On average, the procedure at least in the short term lowers IOP to the mid teens regardless of preoperative IOP with or without the aid of topical medications.
Pilot study of denileukin diftitox alternate dosing regimen in patients with cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphomas.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the safety and efficacy of an alternate dosing regimen in rare primary cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma variants. Methods This is a prospective, single center, pilot study of denileukin diftitox (Dd) in patients with persistent or recurrent cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphomas and mycosis fungoides (MF) variants, excluding Sezary syndrome (SS). Dd was administered at 18 μg/kg per day for 5 days and once weekly for 24 weeks, with response by modified skin weighed assessment tool. Results Eight patients, with a median age of 76 years (range, 44-88 years), were treated between December 2003 and July 2008. Five (62.5%) of 8 patients responded, including 3 patients with CD30+ anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) with 2 complete responses, one ongoing at 8 years. One patient with CD8+ and 1 patient with natural killer T cell lymphoma (NK-T) had partial responses. Progressive disease occurred in 1 patient positive for human T-cell lymphotropic virus and 1 patient with ALCL. Vascular leak syndrome (VLS) occurred in 6 (75%) of 8 patients during or just after cycle 1. Three were grade 3, and 2 of these resulted in study withdrawal. Other adverse effects included nausea or vomiting (n = 3), fatigue (n = 1), back pain (n = 1), transaminase elevations (n = 3), and elevated creatinine (n = 1). Conclusions Dd with an alternate dosing schedule was active in this small study of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas.
Transformations in Trade and the Constitution of Gender and Rank in Northeast India

I examine transformations in long-distance trade in a highland community in northeast India over a period of 35 years. I link changes in demand for trade goods to shifts in the political subjectivities of the Wancho as they are incorporated into the Indian state and to the consumer choices made by chiefs and commoners, women and men as they utilize opportunities to alter patterns of labor inhering in the local conceptions of gender and social rank. [consumption, trade, gender, labor allocation, hill tribe, northeast India]
“Doing the Best We Could With What We Had”: USFS Range Research in the Southwest

"Doing the best we could with what we had": USFS range research in the Southwest. DOI:10.2458/azu_rangelands_v27i3_Olberding
Heparanase enhances ERK signaling and invasion of endothelial cells

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 3099 Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) are ubiquitous molecules expressed on the cell surface and in extracellular matrices, and play diverse roles in a number of biological events by regulating growth factors and adhesion molecules. Recently, the importance of HSPG and its modifying enzyme, heparanase (HPSE), have been implicated in the development of cancers such as multiple myeloma. HPSE is a heparan sulfate degrading-enzyme that generates small but still active heparan sulfate fragments, and the expression level of HPSE correlates with poor prognosis of several cancers. Our lab has demonstrated that when myeloma cells are engineered to express high levels of HPSE, they exhibit a dramatic increase in tumor size and in the number and size of microvessels as compared to controls. However, the mechanism by which HPSE regulates myeloma tumor behavior remains unclear. To examine this, conditioned media from the CAG myeloma cell line expressing either HPSE or a enzymatically inactive mutant form of HPSE were harvested and incubated with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The conditioned media from HPSE-expressing cells significantly enhanced ERK signaling and promoted the invasion of endothelial cells in boyden chamber assays. These effects were abolished by treatment of conditioned media with bacterial enzymes that extensively degrade heparan sulfate, suggesting that the heparanase generated fragments of heparan sulfate present in the media are at least in part responsible for stimulation of the HUVEC cells. This is also supported by the finding that conditioned media from cells bearing HPSE lacking enzyme activity do not stimulate the HUVECs. In addition, use of heparin-agarose to remove heparan sulfate-binding growth factors from conditioned media of HPSE-expressing cells completely abolished ERK signaling and invasion of endothelial cells. Together these results indicate that the dramatic increase in myeloma tumor size and microvessel density occuring in mice inoculated with cells expressing high levels of HPSE are likely due to fragments of heparan sulfate generated by HPSE. These fragments appear to regulate ERK signaling and invasion of endothelial cells by facilitating the activity of heparan sulfate-binding growth factors.
Introduction to long-term cultures of normal B lymphocytes.

Over the last 15 years, the pathways involved in the maturation of cells within the B lymphocyte lineage have become increasingly well understood. It is now apparent that sIg+ B cells derive from a large pool of immature precursors that may constitute 25% or more of normal adult bone marrow (1). Their progeny are seeded to peripheral lymphoid tissues at rates sufficient to replace 5% to 10% of all mature B cells each day (2, 3). Upon reaching the periphery, the majority of immunocompetent cells die rapidly with a T 1/2 = 24 hr (4, 5) unless they are salvaged by antigen-specific or nonspecific stimuli. Even with continuing stimulation, it appears that the life span of these rescued cells would not exceed that required for an additional 30 to 50 rounds of replication (6). Within the broadly-sketched outline of B cell growth and clonal senescence, there exists a multitude of sequential decision points that contribute to the extensive phenotypic and functional heterogeneity observed within the pool of peripheral B lymphocytes.
The Discursive Terrain of Resource Conflict in Ecuador

The discursive landscape in Ecuador is marked, on the one hand, by an antagonistic and dialogic interaction between official claims and the critical discourses of a variety of distinct but overlapping social movements, namely the environmental, anti-mining, anti-oil and indigenous movements. On the other hand, these same dialogic encounters manifest themselves between different elements of the state itself, generating a politically productive ambiguity around what constitutes the official position on resource extraction and environmental policy. Both the increasingly tense conflict between movements and the state, most recently in the form of the heightened criminalization of protest, and the discursive ambivalence of the Correa administration, point to the centrality of language and meaning as sites of political contestation, as the uneven terrain of domination and resistance. That the positions that constitute this terrain are not only fundamentally relational, but dynamic, is demonstrated by the unforeseen and inventive uses of both official and critical discourses. Formulations that originated as critiques of the state find themselves unexpectedly incorporated into the latter’s repertoire of justification. At the same time, social movement organizations continually reclassify and redescribing state activities, shifting the site of conflict to a new set of terms: thus the neoliberal state becomes the extractive state and ‘sustainability’ is revealed as a codeword for the expansion of mining activity. This rewriting of the terms of debate is a continually unfolding process that coalesces around salient terms, and that at certain conjunctures erupts into physical confrontations, arrests, roadblocks, and paramilitary deployments. These latter serve as a new ground for political conflict, a new economy of stakes and risks, of possibilities and defeats, and demands a new language to render the emerging array of forces intelligible.
Heparan sulfate regulates the number and centrosome positioning of Drosophila male germline stem cells

Heparan sulfate (HS) regulates the number and asymmetric division of germline stem cells (GSCs) in Drosophila testes. Hub-specific HS controls both stem cell number and functioning of the centrosom...
Entrepreneurship education: Process, method, or both?

Transformative changes are happening in Higher Education Institutions worldwide in entrepreneurship education. These changes are conceptual as well as technological due to the upheaval in the global, social, political, and technological environment. We argue that the process theory of Alfred North Whitehead best explains why entrepreneurship education does not always have the same results on our students in the classroom and after they graduate. In the education of entrepreneurs, we hold that it is change that is the cornerstone of reality-our entrepreneurship students are in the process of becoming something they previously were not. Implications and comparisons of the process theory applied to entrepreneurship education are discussed.
Landscape Irrigation Systems

As with turf irrigation, the goal of landscape irrigation is aesthetic. Plants (trees, shrubs, groundcover, and flowers) can be irrigated to just survive or to thrive, to maintain plant biomass or to have vegetative growth. Research on landscape plant water requirements has been limited, and many systems are not adjusted to match seasonal changes or changes in plant canopy area. The largest water user in many cities is irrigation so improved irrigation management is critically important in water stressed regions. Although traditional landscape drip irrigation systems have proven to be unreliable, new systems are more reliable: multiport emitters mounted on PVC pipe, inline drip irrigation tubing, and bubbler irrigation systems. Another key to successful system performance is the proper design and installation of the control zone. The typical control zone has a ball valve, solenoid valve, filter, and pressure regulator installed in a valve box. This chapter focuses on the installation methods and components in landscape irrigation systems.
Flex and the Interconnected Mesh Power System (IMPS)

Flex is essentially a double-sided wiring technology. It is certainly possible to multilayer flex, but this adds considerably to the cost and deviates from the theme of this book, which is foldable flex. Once multilayered, flex is no longer foldable. So this chapter will concentrate on what can be done, electrically, with one sheet of double-sided flex, with fine lines and laser-drilled vias. For discussion purposes, assume a fabrication capability for 50 pm line and space, and 50 p.m laser drilled vias in 150 pm catch pads.
Maternal sedation during scheduled versus unscheduled cesarean delivery: implications for skin-to-skin contact.

Abstract Background Early maternal skin-to-skin contact confers numerous benefits to the newborn, but maternal sedation during cesarean delivery could have safety implications for early skin-to-skin contact in the operating room. We compared patient-reported and observer-assessed levels of sedation during unscheduled and scheduled cesarean deliveries. Methods Laboring women undergoing unscheduled cesarean delivery with epidural anesthesia, and scheduled cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia were enrolled. Sedation levels, measured using patient-reported (1=least sedated to 10=most sedated) and observer-assessed (0=most sedated to 5=least sedated) scales, were evaluated at baseline and 15, 30, 45, and 60min following a T4 sensory level. The primary outcomes were patient-reported sedation at 45min and the areas under the sedation curves. Results Patient-reported levels of sedation were greater at 45min in laboring women undergoing unscheduled (median 7.5, IQR 5–9) versus scheduled cesarean delivery (median 4, IQR 3–6) (difference in medians 3.5, 99% CI 0 to 5). Observer-assessed sedation was not different between groups. The area under the time curve for patient-reported sedation was greater in the unscheduled group, median difference 162 score min (95% CI 52 to 255). The area under the time curve for observer-assessed sedation was greater in the unscheduled group, median difference 26 score min (99% CI 0 to 41). Times to skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding were not different. Conclusions Women undergoing unscheduled cesarean deliveries are more sedated than women undergoing scheduled cesarean deliveries. Skin-to-skin protocols for cesarean deliveries must consider maternal sedation and anesthesiologists should use sedating medications judiciously.
Analysis and perception of speech under physical task stress.

It is known that speech under physical task stress degrades speech system performance. Therefore, an analysis of speech under physical task stress is performed across several parameters to identify acoustic correlates. Formal listener tests are also performed to determine the relationship between acoustic correlates and perception. To verify the statistical significance of all results, student-t statistical tests are applied. It was found that fundamental frequency decreases for many speakers, that utterance duration increases for some speakers and decreases for others, and that the glottal waveform is quantifiably different for many speakers. Perturbation of two speech features, fundamental frequency and the glottal waveform, is applied in listener tests to quantify the degree to which these features convey physical stress content in speech. Finally, the enhanced understanding of physical task stress speech provided here is discussed in the context of speech systems.
Imaging Nucleation, Growth and Heterogeneity in Self-Assembled Amyloid Phases

Abstract Advances in electron and fluorescence microscopy imaging are now providing molecular-level resolution of macromolecular and supramolecular dynamic self-organization. Nowhere has this information been more impactful than in understanding the increasing diversity of biomolecular misfolding diseases. The amyloid-β protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease and its congeners have now offered insight into both neurodegenerative disease as well as functional scaffolds for constructing bio-inspired nanomaterials. Here we discuss the exploitation of these methods within these dynamic networks of paracrystalline supramolecular phases, and define minimal nucleation events, resolve the templated propagation events, and reveal the complex dynamic molecular networks of these polymorphic assemblies.
Aortic Dissection or MI? It could be both

Acute aortic dissection is a potentially lethal vascular emergency that involves the rapid development of a false blood channel within the media of the aorta. If left untreated, approximately 50% of patients die in the first 48 hours, and the mortality rate increases by 1% to 3% per hour [1,2]. Despite recent advances in diagnostic methods, misdiagnosis occurs in 25%-50% of patients on initial evaluation with symptoms mimicking those of acute myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular disorders [3-5]. To further complicate an accurate diagnosis, ascending aortic dissections may involve the coronary and carotid arteries, resulting in myocardial infarction and stroke. With prompt diagnosis and treatment, one-year survival has been steadily improving and has been reported as high as 90% [6]. Therefore, timely diagnosis and rapid management of this disorder is imperative in the prehospital setting and in the Emergency Department. It is crucial that paramedics, emergency physicians and nurses maintain appropriate clinical suspicion for aortic dissection in patients presenting with sudden chest, back, or abdominal pain and asymmetrical pulses and blood pressures.