cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lack of natural killer cell activity in hairy cell leukemia patients and partial restoration with interleukin‐2

Natural Killer (NK) cell activity was studied in ten hairy cell leukemia (HCL) patients by means of a 4-hour cytotoxicity assay using mononuclear cells isolated from either the spleen or peripheral blood. Identical assays were performed on individuals who were either normal or had nonmalignant hematologic disorders. HCL patients had a significant decrease in NK cell activity at all effector-to-target ratios compared with the control group. Effects of interleukin-2 (IL-2) on NK activity were studied in four patients. After a 3-day in vitro incubation with IL-2, there was a marked increase in NK activity of mononuclear cells obtained from each of these patients. On the basis of the results it can be hypothesized that susceptibility to infections, which are commonly encountered in HCL patients, may be due in part to a low level of NK activity. Based on the apparent augmentation of NK activity in vitro, it might be of interest to initiate a clinical trial with IL-2 in patients with HCL.
Assurance practitioners' and educators' self-perceived IT knowledge level: an empirical assessment

Abstract In September 2001, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) Education Committee issued Exposure Draft IEG-1, which states, “Information technology is pervasive in the world of business. Competence with this technology is an imperative for the professional accountant.” This view was seconded by a leading visionary in the assurance profession, who recently stated that “every aspect of the accounting profession is being pervasively affected by advances in information technology” [Audit. J. Pract. Theory 21 (1) 2002]. Clearly, accounting/auditing education needs to incorporate these technology changes to stay relevant. Despite the apparent need for change, leading academicians have recently talked about the possible demise of accounting/auditing education due to a failure keep up with changes in the business world. Accounting/auditing education has been described as outdated, broken, and in need of significant modification (Albrecht WS, Sack RJ. Accounting education: charting the course through a perilous future. Accounting education series. Sarasota, FL: American Accounting Association, vol. 16, 2000). This study focuses on identifying appropriate information technologies (ITs) for auditing professors and audit practitioners and measuring their self-perceptions of knowledge about these technologies. We conducted a literature search that resulted in the identification of 36 critical information technologies. We then surveyed 1000 accounting information systems (AIS) and auditing professors and 1000 audit practitioners to determine their self-reported IT knowledge levels and perceptions about the best places to learn IT skills. The survey also solicited their views about the best place in the educational process for initially learning these technologies, as well as views about educational methodology. Response rates of 31.2% for professors and 24.7% for practitioners were obtained for the survey. After conducting factor analysis, we found a relatively low level of knowledge for e-commerce and advanced technologies and audit automation constructs by both educators and practitioners, but we found a relatively high level of knowledge for office automation and accounting firm office automation constructs. Results also indicate that the educators with more teaching experience, but lower reported IT knowledge levels, tend to teach auditing. Furthermore, we found a potential “learning gap” between educators and practitioners that may occur for 5 of the 36 technologies examined. The results of this research are important for auditing and AIS education because they strongly suggest that more attention needs to be paid to issues such as assigning courses based on knowledge level rather than seniority, technology training and awareness programs for educators and practitioners, and coverage of IT in the university curriculum.
Boosting sex identification performance

This paper presents a method based on AdaBoost to identify the sex of a person from a low resolution grayscale picture of their face. The method described here is implemented in a system that will process well over 109 images. The goal of this work is to create an efficient system that is both simple to implement and maintain; the methods described here are extremely fast and have straightforward implementations. We achieve 80% accuracy in sex identification with less than 10 pixel comparisons and 90% accuracy with less than 50 pixel comparisons. The best classifiers published to date use Support Vector Machines; we match their accuracies with as few as 500 comparison operations on a 20×20 pixel image. The AdaBoost based classifiers presented here achieve over 93% accuracy; these match or surpass the accuracies of the SVM-based classifiers, and yield performance that is 50 times faster.
Interstitial cells of Cajal in enteric neurotransmission

Specialised cells known as interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), distributed in specific locations within the tunica muscularis of the gastrointestinal tract, serve as electrical pacemakers and mediators of enteric neurotransmission. Until recently, evidence to support a functional role of these cells has been, for the most part, indirect. The role of ICCs in pacemaking or neurotransmission has been tested by experiments in which: (i) ICCs were removed by dissection1-3; (ii) ICCs were lesioned by cytotoxic chemicals thought to have specificity for these cells4-6; (iii) the excitability properties and responses to drugs were directly studied in isolated ICCs7 8; (iv) morphological studies revealed close relationships between ICCs and varicose nerve fibres (see fig 1); and (v) ICCs responded to neurotransmitters when studied using immunohistochemical techniques.9 10 Figure 1 Confocal micrographs of whole mount preparations showing double labelling with the receptor tyrosine kinase, Kit (FITC; A) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS; Texas Red; B) or vesicular acetylcholine transporter (vAChT) antibodies in the circular muscle layer of the murine gastric fundus. (A) Spindle shaped interstitial cells of circular and longitudinal muscle (IC-IM) immunopositive for Kit (green; arrows) within the circular muscle layer. (B) NOS-LI in enteric inhibitory nerves (arrows); IC-IM also appeared immunoreactive for NOS (C). (D, E) Double labelling of Kit (D) and vAChT (E). Double labelling of Kit-LI and vAChT-LI is shown in (F). Courtesy of Wang et al.30 Recent findings have shown that several classes of ICCs of the mouse and other species express the receptor tyrosine kinase, Kit. Activation of Kit by its ligand, stem cell factor, or “ steel ” factor is important in the development of ICCs because blockade of Kit with neutralising antibodies11 12 or mutations in c-kit 13 14 or steel 15 impair the development of ICCs at …
Thunderstorm characteristics of importance to wind engineering

Abstract The idea that “wind is wind”, irrespective of causal mechanism, allows wind and pressure information collected in wind tunnels to be used in wind load standards. This concept is based on inherently stationary data and validated with field data that are collected from the stationary boundary layer (SBL). Thunderstorms, important events for wind loading, display non-stationary characteristics. Yet thunderstorms are assumed to have the same properties as the SBL, even though differences have been shown, especially in short duration events. In this study, near-surface wind data from thunderstorms which displayed short and rapid wind speed increases (i.e., “ramp-up”) were identified and analyzed. Characteristics of the ramp-up events are detailed and compared with SBL data. Analysis revealed averaging times (moving averages) of 15–60 s can be used on ramp-up wind data for comparison to SBL winds and ramp-up events have shorter time scales (1–5 min) than those used in wind engineering practice. Within these shorter time scales turbulence spectra was similar to the SBL. Ramp-up vertical wind profiles rapidly evolve, have a downward transfer of momentum, and show differences from the SBL log-profile. Gust factors of ramp-up events differed from those of the SBL at averaging times greater than 60 s and may differ between thunderstorm types. Overall, properties of ramp-up events also display considerable variability when compared to the SBL, which may need to be considered in wind load standards.
Xenotransplantation literature update, November—December 2015

Keywords: antibody; Gal; islets; non-human primate; pig; SLA ; xenotransplantation
Intrinsic affinities of alkali metal cations for diaza-18-crown-6: Effects of alkali metal cation size and donor atoms on the binding energies

Abstract Threshold collision-induced dissociation of alkali metal cation-diaza-18-crown-6 complexes, M+(da18C6), with xenon is studied using guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometry techniques. The alkali metal cations examined here include: Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+. In all cases, M+ is the only product observed, corresponding to endothermic loss of the intact da18C6 ligand. The cross section thresholds are analyzed to extract zero and 298 K M+ da18C6 bond dissociation energies (BDEs) after properly accounting for the effects of multiple ion-neutral collisions, the kinetic and internal energy distributions of the reactants, and the lifetimes for dissociation. Density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/def2-TZVPPD and B3LYP/6-31+G* levels of theory are used to determine the structures of da18C6 and the M+(da18C6) complexes and provide molecular constants necessary for the thermodynamic analysis of the experimental data. Theoretical BDEs are determined from single point energy calculations at the B3LYP and MP2(full) levels of theory using the def2-TZVPPD and 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis sets using the B3LYP/def2-TZVPPD and B3LYP/6-31+G* optimized geometries. The agreement between B3LYP/def2-TZVPPD theory and experiment is excellent for all four M+(da18C6) complexes. The M+ da18C6 BDEs decrease as the size of the alkali metal cation increases, consistent with the electrostatic nature of the binding in these complexes. The M+(da18C6) structures and BDEs are compared to those previously reported for the analogous complexes of 18-crown-6 and hexaaza-18-crown-6, to examine the effects of the donor atoms (N versus O) on the structure and strength of binding.
CXCR4 and CCR5 mediate homing of primitive bone marrow-derived hematopoietic cells to the postnatal thymus.

Factors governing the entry of cells into the postnatal thymus are poorly understood. We aimed to define molecular mechanisms mediating the homing of bone marrow cells to the thymus using a sublethally irradiated in vivo murine model. Entry of unfractionated and lineage-depleted bone marrow cells to the thymus, but not bone marrow, was a Gαi-mediated phenomenon. Lineage-depleted cells that had homed to the thymus expressed abundant CXCR4 and CCR5 mRNA, alone of 17 chemokine receptors evaluated by QPCR. Thymic-homed cells were distinct from cells that had homed to bone marrow in expression of CXCR4 and CCR5 by mRNA quantification and cell-surface expression of protein. Abrogation of CXCR4 and CCR5 function by genetic, antibody, or pharmacologic means impaired homing of lineage-depleted cells to the thymus, although not in a synergistic manner, implying interdependency of these receptors in the homing process. Competitive repopulation experiments demonstrated that inhibiting CXCR4-mediated homing adversely affected the double-negative cell pool at 2 weeks, suggesting that cells with prothymocytic activity may in part home via CXCR4. Overall, our data demonstrate differential homing mechanisms governing entry of unfractionated and lineage-depleted cells to irradiated bone marrow or thymus, with thymic homing of immature cells being pertussis-sensitive and mediated by the chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CCR5.
Dietary effects of metals-contaminated invertebrates from the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho, on cutthroat trout

Abstract Benthic macroinvertebrates with elevated concentrations of metals were collected from the Coeur d'Alene (CDA) River, Idaho, pasteurized, and fed to cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki in the laboratory from start of feeding until 90 d posthatch. Invertebrates were collected from two sites known to contain elevated concentrations of metals: Near Pinehurst in the South Fork of the CDA River and at Cataldo, approximately 5 km below the confluence of the South Fork and the North Fork. Invertebrates collected from a relatively clean site in the North Fork were used as a reference diet. We performed measurements of fish health that indicate reduced fitness of fish fed the South Fork and Cataldo diets. Effects measured were reduced feeding activity, increased number of macrophage aggregates and hyperplasia of cells in the kidney, degeneration of mucosal epithelium in the pyloric caecae, and metallothionein induction. These effects would likely reduce growth and survival of fish in the wild. Vacuolizatio...
Understanding physical processes in the diffuse ISM using high-resolution UV spectroscopy

Our understanding of the important physical processes operating in the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) has advanced in recent years from the analysis of high-resolution ultraviolet (UV) spectra obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the Far-Ultraviolet Spectrograph Explorer (FUSE) and from high-fidelity simulations of the kinematics and energetics of the ISM. Nevertheless, much remains to be learned from observations with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) instrument on HST and spectrographs on the World Space Observatory (WSO). I will describe several major unanswered questions and suggest how future UV observations can answer these questions. I will also summarize the instrument requirements needed for a future UV spectroscopic mission and recommend how to achieve a successful mission.
Domains of Distress Among People with Sexual Orientation Obsessions

Although sexual obsessions in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are not uncommon, obsessions about sexual orientation have not been well studied. These obsessions focus on issues such as the fear of being or becoming gay, fear of being perceived by others as gay, and unwanted mental images involving homosexual acts. Sexual orientation obsessions in OCD are particularly distressing due to the ego-dystonic nature of the obsessions and, often, stigma surrounding a same-sex orientation. The purpose of this study was to better understand distress in people suffering from sexual orientation obsessions in OCD. Data were collected online (n = 1,176) and subjects were 74.6% male, 72.0% heterosexual, and 26.4% with an OCD diagnosis from a professional. The survey consisted of 70 novel questions that were assessed using a principal components analysis and the items separated into six components. These components were then correlated to distress among those with a prior OCD diagnosis and sexual orientation obsessions. Results indicated that sexual orientation obsessions in OCD were related to severe distress, including suicidal ideation. Implications of these findings and future directions for research are discussed.
A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Subjective Air Quality

A complete assessment of air quality requires a better understanding of subjective evaluative measures. An example of the types of measurement issues that should be addressed and an important way t...
Hyperprolactinemia associated with psychotropics--a review.

Introduction: Different classes of psychotropics can cause hyperprolactinemia to varying degrees. Among antipsychotics, typical agents and risperidone are the most frequent and significant offenders. In this review we discuss the pathophysiology, offending medications, assessment and management of hyperprolactinemia. Methods: We did a literature review between 1976 and 2008 using PubMed, MEDLINE, PsychINFO and Cochrane database. Search terms used were prolactin, hyperprolactinemia, psychotropics, antipsychotics, typical antipsychotics, atypical antipsychotics, antidepressants and SSRIs. Results: Prolactin elevation is more common with antipsychotics than with other classes of drugs. Typical antipsychotics are more prone to cause hyperprolactinemia than atypical agents. Management options include discontinuation of offending medication, switching to another psychotropic, supplementing concurrent hormonal deficiencies and adding a dopamine agonist or aripiprazole. Conclusion: Clinicians need to be alert about the potential for hyperprolactinemia and its manifestations with these medications. Prolactin levels need to be monitored and other causes of hyperprolactinemia ruled out in suspected cases. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring large scale time-series data using nested timelines

When data analysts study time-series data, an important task is to discover how data patterns change over time. If the dataset is very large, this task becomes challenging. Researchers have developed many visualization techniques to help address this problem. However, little work has been done regarding the changes of multivariate patterns, such as linear trends and clusters, on time-series data. In this paper, we describe a set of history views to fill this gap. This technique works under two modes: merge and non-merge. For the merge mode, merge algorithms were applied to selected time windows to generate a change-based hierarchy. Contiguous time windows having similar patterns are merged first. Users can choose different levels of merging with the tradeoff between more details in the data and less visual clutter in the visualizations. In the non-merge mode, the framework can use natural hierarchical time units or one defined by domain experts to represent timelines. This can help users navigate across long time periods. Gridbased views were designed to provide a compact overview for the history data. In addition, MDS pattern starfields and distance maps were developed to enable users to quickly investigate the degree of pattern similarity among different time periods. The usability evaluation demonstrated that most participants could understand the concepts of the history views correctly and finished assigned tasks with a high accuracy and relatively fast response time.
Linking preschool language and sustained attention with adolescent achievement through classroom self-reliance ☆

Abstract This study examined self-reliant classroom behaviors during middle childhood as a mechanism through which early language and sustained attention become associated with academic achievement in adolescence. Participants were enrolled in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1364). Path analyses revealed that preschool language and sustained attention predicted self-reliant classroom behaviors during middle childhood and that self-reliant classroom behaviors predicted changes in math achievement in adolescence. Self-reliant classroom behaviors mediated the relations of preschool sustained attention and linguistic ability with adolescent math achievement, but not reading achievement. These findings extend research highlighting the importance of self-reliant classroom behaviors for children's academic outcomes.
The receptor binding domain of botulinum neurotoxin serotype C binds phosphoinositides.

Abstract Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the most toxic proteins known for humans and animals with an extremely low LD50 of ∼1 ng/kg. BoNTs generally require a protein and a ganglioside on the cell membrane surface for binding, which is known as a “dual receptor” mechanism for host intoxication. Recent studies have suggested that in addition to gangliosides, other membrane lipids such as phosphoinositides may be involved in the interactions with the receptor binding domain (HCR) of BoNTs for better membrane penetration. Using two independent lipid-binding assays, we tested the interactions of BoNT/C-HCR with lipids in vitro domain. BoNT/C-HCR was found to bind negatively charged phospholipids, preferentially phosphoinositides in both assays. Interactions with phosphoinositides may facilitate tighter binding between neuronal membranes and BoNT/C.
Genetic variation in sympatric populations of diploid and polyploid brine shrimp (Artemia parthenogenetica)

We examined genetic variation in sympatric diploid and polyploid brine shrimp Artemia parthenogenetica from each of three populations (China, Italy and Spain). Italian and Spanish tetraploids are closely related (I=0.964). Diploids and tetraploids within each of the two European populations are also closely related (mean I=0.905). Most alleles found in diploids also exist in sympatric polyploids. In contrast, the asexual Artemia (2N, 4N and 5N) in our study share few alleles with their close sexual relative, A. tunisiana (mean I=0.002). These results, as well as the work of other authors, strongly suggest that at least the tetraploid Artemia in our study have an autopolyploid origin.
Environmental control of the prostrate growth form in two high arctic grasses

In the High Arctic, leaf angles of graminoids are lower than would be expected to optimize absorption of incident solar radiation. Inflorescence, leaf, and culm angle of two prostrate grasses, Phippsia algida and Puccinellia vaginata, were measured in a variety of plant communities with differing microtopographic and microenvironmental conditions (surface relief, soil stability, soil moisture, and soil and air temperature). Growth form was found to be controlled primarily by environmental factors. Both species exhibited a plastic response to an amelioration of physical factors in situ. Leaf angles of both species were higher under conditions of increased soil moisture and temperature, and decreased vapor pressure deficit and windspeed. Adaptation to reduce the severity of the environment apparently holds a greater selective advantage than adaptation to maximize leaf orientation to a low sun angle.
Fast hybrid motion estimation methods

In this paper we continue our study of fast motion estimation techniques for H.263 video coding. We experiment with a hybrid method based on two techniques, the three-step search method, and out block-based gradient descent search method. Our method is a two phase procedure. For our first phase, borrowing from the three-step method, we do a search on a sparse grid. In the second phase, the block-based gradient descent search is applied to the candidate/s yielded from the first phase. The paper reports on the various parameters we have selected to test this new method, the timings for algorithms run using these parameters, and quality measurements for the resulting compressed video.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Should atrial septal defects in adults be closed

Background. By assessing current surgical outcome and symptomatic relief, this study attempts to answer whether atrial septal defects in adults should be closed. Methods. Thirty-nine adult patients aged 35.2 ± 13.6 years underwent operation for an atrial septal defect between June 1988 and June 1994. Indications for closure were symptoms (33 patients) or a significant left-to-right atrial shunt (6 patients). Data were obtained from hospital records, and the latest status of the patients was determined by a written questionnaire. Results. There were no deaths. Pulmonary embolism in 1 patient was the only complication observed. The QRS duration on the surface electrocardiogram decreased immediately ( p p Conclusions. Today, operation for atrial septal defects in adults can be performed with no mortality and low morbidity and results in symptomatic improvement in the majority of patients. Clinical improvement was seen even in patients who considered themselves asymptomatic preoperatively. We advocate closure of atrial septal defects in adult patients with symptoms or significant atrial shunts.
Global-scale weekly and monthly energetics during January and February 1979

Time averages of the latitudinal distribution of kinetic energy and terms of the kinetic energy equation are presented as depicted by analyses of the First GARP Global Experiment during the First Special Observing Period. It is found that the monthly averages exhibit peaks in the stationary wave energy at 30 degrees N and in the tropics, while global decompositions of the streamfunction and velocity potential in spherical harmonics are truncated at the fourth degree. The kinetic energy distribution of the associated wind field displays peaks in the tropics and northern mid-latitudes in January, but only a tropical peak in February. These analyses support the Eliassen-Palm relationship for latitudinal momentum and geopotential wave transport, particularly in the mid-latitudes. However, in the deep tropics, latitudinal convergence of the fully resolved stationary wave momentum transport accompanies latitudinal convergence of stationary wave geopotential flux in westerly flow.
Tenderness profiles of ten muscles from F1 Bos indicus x Bos taurus and Bos taurus cattle cooked as steaks and roasts

Twenty Bos taurus (Hereford x Angus crosses) and 20 F1 Bos indicus x Bos taurus heifers of the same age, management and feeding regimen, were harvested and evaluated at 2 days postmortem for carcass and meat traits. Ten muscles were obtained from the right sides and aged until 10 days postmortem. Bos indicus carcasses were lighter, had less fat cover, smaller ribeyes, and less intramuscular lipid (all p≤0.05). Bos taurus longissimus lumborum, gluteus medius, triceps brachii, and semimembranosus muscles cooked as steaks and roasts had a lower Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) (p≤0.05) than those from Bos indicus. Bos taurus deep pectoral and semitendinosus muscles cooked as roasts had a lower WBSF (p<0.05) than Bos indicus. Infraspinatus, longissimus lumborum, and semitendinosus muscles were more tender (p<0.05) as roasts than steaks, whereas the opposite was true for the deep pectoral and semimembranosus muscles. Seven of the 10 muscles had lower WBSF (p≤0.05) for Bos taurus when cooked as steaks, roasts or both.
Dilated cardiomyopathy in infants and children.

Abstract The outcome of medical treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy in infants and children was reviewed to develop a predictive index for selection of patients likely to benefit from cardiac transplantation. The clinical findings, laboratory investigations, treatment and outcome of 20 patients (Group 1) Cardiac transplantation is recommended for children with dilated cardiomyopathy presenting after age 2 years who survive 1 month. Those patients
The impact of school transitions: A focus for preventive efforts

The relationship between cumulative or single school transfers and a student's academic adjustment was explored. The school records of 250 high school students were examined and school transfers due to either residential mobility or the normative school change from eighth to ninth grade were identified. Correlations between the cumulative number of school transfers in a student's history and their ninth-grade academic performance and attendance record were computed for both ethnic and sex subgroups. Analyses of variance for repeated measures were performed to assess the impact of any single school transition occurring at different points in the child's development. Correlational analyses indicated that high rates of school mobility were significantly related to poor academic performance, particularly for black and Hispanic students. Analyses of variance revealed that while no single school transition due to residential mobility in Grades 1 through 8 had a significant impact on the student's posttransfer adjustment, the normative transition to high school was significantly related to lowered school performance and increased absences, particularly for students with a history of repeated school transfers and for black students.
Christian Tears; Pagan Smiles: Hart Crane’s “Lachrymae Christi”

When American poet Hart Crane declares in a letter, “I felt the two worlds. And at once,” he speaks bluntly of the governing tension of his poetry: the knocking of Harold Hart Crane’s finite language against the hard, transparent ceiling beyond which he senses the divine. Crane’s first collection, White Buildings, often shows signs of visionary frustration. But in “Lachrymae Christi,” the most difficult poem in White Buildings, Crane’s vision dilates to immense possibilities of union between the material and the spirit worlds, between what is time-bound and what is timeless. This poem, both its poetic effect and its spiritual purpose, can be most sympathetically read as mystical. Because the tonal movement toward rapture in “Lachrymae Christi” resonates against the poetry and theology of Renaissance mystics such as St. John of the Cross, we can situate the poem in the context of ancient patterns of western mysticism in order to reclaim what has long been seen as an opaque and elusive poem. “Lachrymae Christi” rewards this reading of its mystical poetics with line after line of quivering wordplay, startlingly fresh religious allusion, and subtle thematic polyphony as it interweaves Christian and pagan traditions of regeneration.
The Duty of Fair Representation

The article reviews the book “The Duty of Fair Representation,” edited by Jean T. McKelvey.
Links between Preschool Children's Social Skills and Observed Pretend Play in Outdoor Childcare Environments.

As one of the most advanced play forms in childhood, pretend play often demonstrates positive associations with children’s development. However, results from research that examines the association between social skills and pretend play are mixed, especially when the complexity of pretend play is taken into account. Moreover, few studies on pretend play are conducted in outdoor environments; a setting which affords many opportunities for engagement in pretend play and unstructured social interactions. By observing children’s outdoor pretend play, the primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between different types of pretend play and children’s social skills. Twenty-eight children from high quality childcare centers in a southeast suburban area were observed during outdoor free play time. Using a reliable time sampling protocol, each child’s play was observed and recorded for a total of 45 min to an hour over a 2-week time period. Lead teachers rated children’s social skills in the areas of cooperation, self-control, and assertiveness. Results showed high amounts of pretend play behavior overall, and differential relationships between the type of pretend play children engaged in and children’s social skills. Surprisingly, these relationships were not associated with gender. Findings are discussed in light of the value of pretend play to promote social skill development and the potential for outdoor contexts specifically to encourage these play behaviors.
Enhanced Gross Visualization of Chicken Peyer's Patch: Novel Staining Technique Applied to Fresh Tissue Specimens

The ileal Peyer's patches (Pp), secondary gut-associated lymphoid tissue of the mucosal immune system, may serve as an important site for monitoring inflammatory and immunologic responses of the host against enteric pathogens. Chicken Pp are often difficult to observe grossly, and a simple technique to enhance visualization of the Pp is lacking. Therefore, we designed a novel staining method that is quick, easy, and accurate to aid in gross identification and recovery of the chicken Pp from fresh tissue specimens. Lower alimentary tracts were harvested from White Leghorn hens and commercial broilers. The ileocecocolic region was excised intact, flushed with deionized water to remove ingesta, and a dilute eosin-Y solution was infused. After 1 min, the eosin-Y was gently extruded. Modified-crystal violet (mCV) was then injected into the gastrointestinal segment, where on the lymphoid tissue area became apparent at the serosal surface. The distal ileal Pp was visible as a pale whitish pink ovoid-focalized area with surrounding gut tissue stained light purple. The exact Pp site could be delineated at the serosal and mucosal surface by gross assessment. Light microscopy evaluation of hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue slides prepared from the excised Pp site revealed lymphoid tissue aggregations with multiple follicular units indicative of Pp. The novel eosin-Y + mCV staining technique promotes rapid identification and accurate recovery of chicken Pp lymphoid tissue from fresh tissue specimens.
Use of computer conferencing in teaching systems analysis and design

This article describes how the Department of Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) at Temple University uses a computer based "bulletin board" system to improve our Systems Analysis and Design Courses. We found that the use of the bulletin board improves the communication skills of students and increases the productivity of both instructor and student. While the article is descriptive rather than empirical, we believe it offers useful insights for other instructors who share our concerns and are interested in the use of computer based communication technology to improve teaching.
Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF/CCN2) enhances lactogenic differentiation of mammary epithelial cells via integrin-mediated cell adhesion

Background Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF/CCN2), a known matrix-associated protein, is required for the lactogenic differentiation of mouse mammary epithelial cells. An HC11 mammary epithelial cell line expressing CTGF/CCN2 was constructed to dissect the cellular responses to CTGF/CCN2 that contribute to this differentiation program.
Structure of the Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Sec7 Domain of Human Arno and Analysis of the Interaction with ARF GTPase

Abstract Sec7-related guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) initiate vesicle budding from the Golgi membrane surface by converting the GTPase ARF to a GTP-bound, membrane-associated form. Here we report the crystal structure of the catalytic Sec7 homology domain of Arno, a human GEF for ARF1, determined at 2.2 A resolution. The Sec7 domain is an elongated, all-helical protein with a distinctive hydrophobic groove that is phylogenetically conserved. Structure-based mutagenesis identifies the groove and an adjacent conserved loop as the ARF-interacting surface. The sites of Sec7 domain interaction on ARF1 have subsequently been mapped, by protein footprinting experiments, to the switch 1 and switch 2 GTPase regions, leading to a model for the interaction between ARF GTPases and Sec7 domain exchange factors.
The Relationship of Six Personal and Life History Variables to Standing on Three Dimensions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory in a Sample of Elementary and Junior High School Teachers

For a sample of 462 elementary and junior high school classroom teachers, evidence was sought regarding the degree of relationship between each of six personal and life history variables—sex, age, ...
Assuring the Quality of In-Home Care: The “Other” Challenge for Long-Term Care

Although the growth of in-home care has been praised for expanding long-term care options for people with chronic disabilities, questions surrounding the quality of in-home care have begun to arise. This paper discusses six critical factors that complicate efforts to assure quality including client and provider characteristics, fiscal constraints, inadequate regulation, lack of quality assurance methods, and lack of a coherent social policy for long-term care. A final section of the paper identifies three areas of policy to be addressed if efforts to deliver quality of care are to be successful.
"Oaxacans Like to Work Bent Over": The Naturalization of Social Suffering among Berry Farm Workers

The Skagit River flows west from the mountains of the North Cascades National Park in northwestern Washington State to the Pacific Ocean’s Puget Sound, pouring through some of the most spectacular vistas in North America. The river is located roughly halfway between Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia, about an hour and a half drive from each. Most of Skagit County’s agriculture can be found in the flat flood plain of the river. This land is protected from the tides of the Puget Sound by a grass-covered dike some five-feet tall gently curving along the edge of the water.
Iron deposition and inflammation in multiple sclerosis. Which one comes first

Whether iron deposition is an epiphenomenon of the multiple sclerosis (MS) disease process or may play a primary role in triggering inflammation and disease development remains unclear at this time, and should be studied at the early stages of disease pathogenesis. However, it is difficult to study the relationship between iron deposition and inflammation in early MS due to the delay between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis, and the poor availability of tissue specimens. In a recent article published in BMC Neuroscience, Williams et al. investigated the relationship between inflammation and iron deposition using an original animal model labeled as "cerebral experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis", which develops CNS perivascular iron deposits. However, the relative contribution of iron deposition vs. inflammation in the pathogenesis and progression of MS remains unknown. Further studies should establish the association between inflammation, reduced blood flow, iron deposition, microglia activation and neurodegeneration. Creating a representative animal model that can study independently such relationship will be the key factor in this endeavor.
CTEN Prolongs Signaling by EGFR through Reducing Its Ligand-Induced Degradation

Activation of EGF receptor (EGFR) triggers signaling pathways regulating various cellular events that contribute to tissue development and function. Aberrant activation of EGFR contributes to tumor progression as well as therapeutic resistance in patients with cancer. C-terminal tensin-like (CTEN; TNS4) is a focal adhesion molecule that is a member of the tensin family. Its expression is upregulated by EGF and elevated CTEN mediates EGF-induced cell migration. In the presence of CTEN, we found that EGF treatment elevated the level of EGFR protein but not mRNA. The extended half-life of activated EGFR sustained its signaling cascades. CTEN reduced ligand-induced EGFR degradation by binding to the E3 ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl and decreasing the ubiquitination of EGFR. The Src homology 2 domain of CTEN is not only required for binding to the phosphorylated tyrosine residue at codon 774 of c-Cbl, but is also essential for the tumorigenicity observed in the presence of CTEN. Public database analyses indicated that CTEN mRNA levels are elevated in breast, colon, lung, and pancreas cancers, but not correlated with EGFR mRNA levels in these cancers. In contrast, immunohistochemistry analyses of lung cancer specimens showed that CTEN and EGFR protein levels were positively associated, in support of our finding that CTEN regulates EGFR protein levels through a posttranslational mechanism. Overall, this work defines a function for CTEN in prolonging signaling from EGFR by reducing its ligand-induced degradation.
Networked Participatory Scholarship: Emergent techno-cultural pressures toward open and digital scholarship in online networks

We examine the relationship between scholarly practice and participatory technologies and explore how such technologies invite and reflect the emergence of a new form of scholarship that we call Networked Participatory Scholarship: scholars' participation in online social networks to share, reflect upon, critique, improve, validate, and otherwise develop their scholarship. We discuss emergent techno-cultural pressures that may influence higher education scholars to reconsider some of the foundational principles upon which scholarship has been established due to the limitations of a pre-digital world, and delineate how scholarship itself is changing with the emergence of certain tools, social behaviors, and cultural expectations associated with participatory technologies.
Clinical trial participation: Viewpoints from racial/ethnic groups

Background. Racial/ethnic groups' participation in clinical trials is a relatively new area of research that warrants attention. Although racial/ethnic groups have been included in experimental studies since the 1940s, they were not included in significant numbers in clinical trials for cancer. Clinical trials play a dominant role in clinical oncology. Despite this state-of-the-art cancer treatment, however, there is mounting concern that this scientific progress is not being shared equitably by all segments of the U.S. population. There is underrepresentation of members of racial/ethnic groups in cancer clinical trials, which suggests that participation may be a critical issue. Unfortunately, little is known or documented about these groups' participation in clinical trials. Methods. This paper discusses racial/ethnic groups' views and opinions about clinical trial participation. Diagnostic research was conducted as a beginning phase to investigate this new area of research. African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans in three Buffalo, New York, communities were selected as study subjects. Data were collected via telephone surveys. Qualitative methods were employed for data analysis and reporting. Results. Findings showed that study subjects knew little about cancer clinical trials and basically had no opportunity to participate. They believed that participation in clinical trials could be beneficial. In each of the three groups, however, there were cultural factors believed to influence participation. A primary concern was “mistrust of white people” and the feeling of being treated like “guinea pigs.” Conclusions. Based on study findings, it was evident that recruitment for improving participation requires strategic planning that involves participants representative of the study population. To yield results, the plan should be tailored to the target group, presented as a credible study, designed to reflect trust in the medical care team, and implemented through a continuous educational process.
Trends in Developed Land Cover Adjacent to Habitat for Threatened Salmon in Puget Sound, Washington, U.S.A.

For widely distributed species at risk, such as Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), habitat monitoring is both essential and challenging. Only recently have widespread monitoring programs been implemented for salmon habitat in the Pacific Northwest. Remote sensing data, such as Landsat images, are therefore a useful way to evaluate trends prior to the advent of species-specific habitat monitoring programs. We used annual (1986-2008) land cover maps created from Landsat images via automated algorithms (LandTrendr) to evaluate trends in developed (50-100% impervious) land cover in areas adjacent to five types of habitat utilized by Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, U.S.A. For the region as a whole, we found significant increases in developed land cover adjacent to each of the habitat types evaluated (nearshore, estuary, mainstem channel, tributary channel, and floodplain), but the increases were small (<1% total increase from 1986 to 2008). For each habitat type, the increasing trend changed during the time series. In nearshore, mainstem, and floodplain areas, the rate of increase in developed land cover slowed in the latter portion of the time series, while the opposite occurred in estuary and tributary areas. Watersheds that were already highly developed in 1986 tended to have higher rates of development than initially less developed watersheds. Overall, our results suggest that developed land cover in areas adjacent to Puget Sound salmon habitat has increased only slightly since 1986 and that the rate of change has slowed near some key habitat types, although this has occurred within the context of a degraded baseline condition.
Recent Trends in Supported Excavation Practice

This paper presents an overview of developments and trends in the practice of supported excavations since 1990. Soil mixed walls, ground improvement and hybrid support systems are more frequently used. Design has evolved such that stiffness based approaches are common in urban areas. LRFD based design is replacing traditional allowable stress design in a number of situations. Numerical analyses of support systems have become more prevalent, especially in situations where ground movements adjacent to an excavation are important. With developments in sensors and information technology, the observational approach is becoming more automated, with near real time data available to share holders. This paper summarizes these trends and speculates how they may evolve in the future.
Direct solution of the EFIE with half the computation

When using the electric field integral equation (EFIE) with the same basis and testing functions, a complex symmetric (non-Hermitian) moment method matrix results. Stable methods that directly solved this matrix with roughly half the storage and execution time required for the nonsymmetric case exist. Apparently these methods are relatively unknown among moment method practitioners. Furthermore, the resulting advantage in storage and execution time of the EFIE (when a direct solution is used) over other methods (such as the MFIE and CFIE) seems not to be widely appreciated. >
Fentanyl: A Review for Clinical and Analytical Toxicologists

Fentanyl is a highly potent, short acting synthetic analgesic indicated as a preanesthetic medication. It is available for intravenous injection, as a transdermal patch and a lozenge dosage form. Fentanyl displays a large apparent volume of distribution, short plasma half life and extensive biotransformation. It is a popular drug of abuse among health care professionals. Diversion of pharmaceutical fentanyl preparations, as well as the availability of illicitly synthesized potent and highly toxic fentanyl analogs have resulted in numerous overdose deaths. Analysis of fentanyl and fentanyl analogs requires highly selective and sensitive methodologies. This review is intended as a quick reference source for clinical and analytical toxicologists.
Psychiatric Impact of Gender-Related Abuse Across the Life Course of Male-to-Female Transgender Persons

The psychiatric impact of interpersonal abuse associated with an atypical presentation of gender was examined across the life course of 571 male-to-female (MTF) transgender persons from the New York City Metropolitan Area. Gender-related abuse (psychological and physical), suicidality, and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revision) major depression were retrospectively measured across five stages of the life course using the Life Chart Interview. Among younger respondents (current age of 19-39), the impact of both types of abuse on major depression was extremely strong during adolescence and then markedly declined during later stages of life. Among older respondents (current age of 40-59), the impact of both types of abuse on major depression was strong during adolescence and then marginally declined during later stages of life. The effects of both types of abuse on suicidality were weaker but more consistently observed across the life course among both the younger and older respondents. Gender-related abuse is a major mental health problem among MTF transgender persons, particularly during adolescence. As these individuals mature, however, the consequences of this abuse appear less severe, which may represent the development of moderately effective mechanisms for coping with this abuse.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours: hypoenhancement on arterial phase computed tomography predicts biological aggressiveness

Background Contrary to pancreatic adenocarcinoma, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PNET) are commonly hyperenhancing on arterial phase computed tomography (APCT). However, a subset of these tumours can be hypoenhancing. The prognostic significance of the CT appearance of these tumors remains unclear.