cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conflict of interest at St. Donald’s College

S1. Donald's College was founded in 1946 by the Sisters of St. Donald. At first, the only major offered was elementary education. Liberal arts majors in history, English, mathematics, and biology were soon added to prepare sisters to teach in high schools. With the decline in vocations after the second Vatican Council, young lay women were permitted to enroll to keep the college viable. Soon, most of the students were lay women. As a result of the Vatican Council, the Sisters of S1. Donald decided to reexamine their mission as an order. Many of the younger members of the order wished to be involved in occupations other than school teaching. The sisters decided to refocus the major efforts of the order away from teaching toward social service work. In view of their new mission, the sisters decided that they no longer needed to own and operate a college. Accordingly, S1. Donald's College was reorganized into a separate not for profit organization, with an independent self perpetuating board of trustees. Only three of the twenty members of the new board of trustees were sisters. The rest were lay men and lay women. One trustee was Protestant and one was Jewish. Subsequent to this separation of the college from the religious order, the President of S1. Donald's College, Sister Mary Campbell, decided to resign to return to other work in her order. She had served as president for fourteen years and had secured regional accreditation of S1. Donald's. All previous presidents were members of the order of S1. Donald. The longtime chair of the Biology Department, Mrs. Sally McTavish, agreed to serve as Acting President for a year until her retirement while a search committee consisting of representatives from the board of trustees, faculty, alumnae association, and students searched for a new president for S1. Donald's College. Mrs. McTavish thus was the first lay president of S1. Donald's. After much deliberation, the search committee recommended Dr. Eliot Nott as their choice for the presidency. The board of trustees elected Dr. Nott president of St. Donald's College by a vote of 16 to 3 with one abstention. The three no votes and the abstention were cast by the trustees who wanted to keep Mrs. McTavish in the presidency despite her being over the
Gymnastics and movement instruction: fighting the decline in motor fitness.

(2010). Gymnastics and Movement Instruction. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 81, No. 1, pp. 14-18.
An evaluation of heterologous antibodies to lactate dehydrogenase-C in the detection of mutations.

Abstract We report that we are unable to repeat consistently the results published by Ansari et al. (1980) using antibodies to detect mutations in lactate dehydrogenase-C (LDH-C, previously called LDH-X) directly in sperm of mice exposed to the mutagen procarbazine. The approach made use of the interspecies differences in the antigenic sites between the LDH-C of the rat and mouse in sperm. The visualization of mutations in mouse LDH-C was based on the detection of alterations in antigenic sites of mouse LDH-C such that mouse sperm would bind the antibody that was specific for rat LDH-C (presumptive mutants); the antibody was termed specific when it immunofluorescently labeled rat sperm but not mouse sperm. The original work reported increases in the frequency of occurrence of mouse sperm that would bind rat-specific antibody from mice treated with procarbazine as compared control mice; a single absorbed antiserum was used throughout the experiments. In this study, we found that there is too much variation in the frequency of mouse sperm that react with rabbit antibodies to purified rat LDH-C for the system to be useful in mutagenesis studies. The fundamental criterion of antibody specificity was maintained as in the original work. The frequency of labeled mouse sperm depended on the absorption of the antibody on mouse proteins, indicating that the factors denoting a presumptive mutant were associated with the mouse proteins. In some experiments, the frequency of labeled mouse sperm was higher among sperm from procarbazine0treated mice than among sperm from control mice. This increase, however, was not consistently reproducible. After extensive absorption of the antibody on mouse proteins, no presumptive mutants were observed in sperm from treated and control animals; these antibodies continued to immunofluorescently label rat sperm. The absence of presumptive mutants with highly absorbed antibody suggests that natural variation between species may not be appropriate as markers for the detection of mutations without a thorough knowledge of the number of independent events at the DNA level required to produce a change in antigenic recognition.
Integrated intervertebral device for anterior cervical fusion: An initial experience

Objective: To analyze the clinical and radiographic results following the use of integrated intervertebral implant in patients with cervical spine degenerative disease. Background: Though excellent results have been reported following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion using iliac crest autograft/allograft with plating, the morbidity associated with autograft harvest and small chances of complications with plating always exists. Recently, there has been development of a cervical stand-alone cage with integrated fixation for cervical fusion and stabilization with a possible low morbidity and optimal clinical outcome. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of 16 patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion using the integrated intervertebral device was performed. Intra-operative parameters, clinical features [Neck Disability Index (NDI), visual analog scale (VAS) score for neck/arm pain], and presence or absence of dysphagia was recorded. Radiographs were evaluated for assessment of implant failure and fusion. Results: Mean age of patients was 54 years (range: 38-84 years) with male: female ratio of 1:3. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 12 months (mean: 10 months). In the early postoperative period, 2 of the 15 patients (13%) patients had mild dysphagia that resolved during follow-up with no patient having complaints of dysphagia at 3-month follow-up. One of the patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and severe preoperative dysphagia had significant improvement in swallowing function at 3-month follow-up that was stable at 1-year follow-up. There was no evidence of implant failure, with fusion occurring in 95% (19/20) of operated levels. Analysis of follow-up VAS and NDI scores showed significant reduction in VAS score for neck pain (P < 0.019), radicular arm pain (P < 0.003), and NDI score (P < 0.007) in 77, 92, and 77% of patients, respectively, at a mean follow-up of 10 months (6-12 months). Conclusions: Our preliminary results with the use of this cervical stand-alone anterior fusion device with integrated screw fixation show its efficacy in anterior cervical decompression and fusion with stabilization with optimal clinical and radiographic outcome. Lower chances of dysphagia with no device-related complications are appealing, which needs to be verified in larger studies.
Arizona's Oldest Cornfield

Flood-plain alluvium at the Cienega site, San Carlos Indian Reservation, central Arizona, contains two preceramic and one ceramic cultural horizon. Pollen of Zea mays appears in each, substantiating previous early records of agriculture in the American Southwest. Prehistoric cultivation extended through at least 2000 years, ending in the late 15th century.
Emission studies of the mechanism of gaseous biacetyl photolysis at 3450, 3650, 3880, and 4358 a and 28°C

The quantum yields of phosphorescence (Φp) of biacetyl have been determined in pure biacetyl, biacetyl-SO2, and biacetyl-c-C6H12 mixtures in experiments using bands of radiation centered at 3450, 3650, 3880, and 4348 A. It has been shown that the unexpected effect of gas concentration on the quantum yields of the sulfur dioxide triplet-sensitized phosphorescence of biacetyl resulted largely from the significant destruction of biacetyl triplets at the wall of the cell. The kinetics of the variation of Φp with [Ac2], wavelength of the absorbed light, and added gases provide new estimates of the energy relations and the rate constants for the decomposition reaction of vibrationally rich biacetyl molecules in the first excited singlet state (1Ac2‡): 1Ac2‡ products (1), 1Ac2‡ + Ac2 1Ac2 + Ac2 (2); the minimum energy necessary in 1Ac2‡ for reaction (1) to occur is estimated to be about 72.8 kcal/mole above the ground state of biacetyl: k1/k2 = (4.3 ± 0.1) × 10−3M at 3450 A, (4.07 ± 0.04) × 10−4M at 3650 A, and (5.6 ± 0.4) × 10−5M at about 3800 A. The variation of the rate constant ratio is shown to be consistent with the expectations of the simple theory of excited molecule decomposition. Biacetyl triplet (3Ac2) rate constants were determined by measurements of Φp in O2 and NO-containing mixtures: 3Ac2 + S (Ac2–S, products) (8); for O2 = S, k8 = (5.76 ± 0.40) × 108 (3650 A experiments), (5.76 ± 0.27) × 108 (4358 A); for NO = S, k8 = (3.34 ± 0.20) × 109 (3650 A), (3.33 ± 0.18) × 109 1./mole-sec (4358 A). A comparison between these and previous findings of the SO2 triplet (3SO2)-sensitized excitation of biacetyl [5,6] show that the decomposition of the initial 3Ac2 product of the exothermic energy transfer reaction 3SO2 + Ac2 SO2 + 3Ac2 is unimportant.
Recruitment and Retention of Rural Physicians: Outcomes From the Rural Physician Associate Program of Minnesota

ABSTRACT: Context: Founded in 1971 with state funding to increase the number of primary care physicians in rural Minnesota, the Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) has graduated 1,175 students. Third-year medical students are assigned to primary care physicians in rural communities for 9 months where they experience the realities of rural practice with hands-on participation, mentoring, and one-to-one teaching. Students complete an online curriculum, participate in online discussion with fellow students, and meet face-to-face with RPAP faculty 6 times during the 9-month rotation. Projects designed to bring value to the community, including an evidence-based practice and community health assessment, are completed. Purpose: To examine RPAP outcomes in recruiting and retaining rural primary care physicians. Methods: The RPAP database, including moves and current practice settings, was examined using descriptive statistics. Findings: On average, 82% of RPAP graduates have chosen primary care, and 68% family medicine. Of those currently in practice, 44% have practiced in a rural setting all of the time, 42% in a metropolitan setting and 14% have chosen both, with more than 50% of their time in rural practice. Rural origin has only a small association with choosing rural practice. Conclusion: RPAP data suggest that the 9-month longitudinal experience in a rural community increases the number of students choosing primary care practice, especially family medicine, in a rural setting.
Micro-scale chromophore-assisted laser inactivation of nerve growth cone proteins.

Directed growth cone movement is crucial for the correct wiring of the nervous system. This movement is governed by the concerted actions of cell surface receptors, signaling proteins, cytoskeleton-associated molecules, and molecular motors. In order to investigate the molecular basis of growth cone motility, we applied a new technique to functionally inactivate proteins: micro-scale Chromophore-Assisted Laser Inactivation [Diamond et al. (1993) Neuron 11:409-421]. Micro-CALI uses laser light of 620 nm, focused through microscope optics into a 10-microm spot. The laser energy is targeted via specific Malachite green-labeled, non-function-blocking antibodies, that generate short-lived protein-damaging hydroxyl radicals [Liao et al. (1994) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 91:2659-2663]. Micro-CALI mediates specific loss of protein function with unachieved spatial and temporal resolution. Combined with time-lapse video microscopy, it offers the possibility to induce and observe changes in growth cone dynamics on a real time base. We present here the effects of the acute and localized inactivation of selected growth cone molecules on growth cone behavior and morphology. Based on our observations, we propose specific roles for these proteins in growth cone motility and neurite outgrowth.
III-V based THz detectors and plasmon effects

The THz region is of considerable interest with research on both single element detectors and imagers. Results are reported on heterojunction and homojunction detectors using III-V semiconductor materials. Both Nitride and Antimonide based detectors showed broad response frequencies out to 1 THz. Arsenide based detectors have shown a threshold frequency tailorable in the range of 2.3-20 THz. The mechanisms of operation in these detectors will be discussed, and potential advantages and disadvantages of the materials for various frequency ranges will be considered. Among these are the increased control in tailoring the workfunction in antimonides, and increased THz absorption in the nitrides. The usage of surface plasmon effects in surface structures such as gratings to enhance detector response is also considered. The enhanced frequency for a given grating can be determined from the phase-matching condition. For a grating with 4.5 mm spacing this leads to increased absorption at 14 mm. Experimental results on the effects of surface plasmons on absorption and reflection will be presented. Designs for improved THz detectors based on these ideas will also be discussed.
Graduate student development through the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

The scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) can be a valuable tool in preparing graduate students as future faculty. Yet, graduate students are often warned that the academic job market does not value SoTL research. We present results of a survey of current and former graduate students who conducted SoTL research. Respondents overwhelmingly perceived positive reactions to their SoTL work while on the academic job market, and reported that SoTL played an important role in their professional development. These findings have important implications for those who seek to encourage graduate student involvement in the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Control of constrained systems of controllability index two

Many natural and man-made systems satisfy a strong controllability hypothesis which results from a natural partition of the state space into "position" and "velocity" coordinates. In particular, plane linkage systems used as biped locomotion models satisfy these conditions. Systems satisfying this hypothesis admit linear state-variable feedback, which can be used to position not only the poles of the system, but also (to a substantial extent) the corresponding eigenvectors. The resulting eigenstructures can be designed to stabilize and decouple systems in such a way that specified subspaces of the state-space are invariant under the dynamics of the closed loop system. Computations and simulations for several types of constrained motion arising in biped locomotion problems are presented.
Essential veterinary education in emerging infections, modes of introduction of exotic animals, zoonotic diseases, bioterrorism, implications for human and animal health and disease manifestation

A fundamental role of the veterinary profession is the protection of human health through wholesome food and control of diseases of animal origin, especially zoonoses. Therefore, training of veterinary students worldwide needs to face the new challenges posed by emerging infections, both from wildlife and domestic animals, as well as risks from bio/agroterrorism. New courses emphasising recognition, response, recovery and prevention must be developed to respond to natural or intentionally induced emerging diseases and zoonoses. Training programmes in applied epidemiology, zoonoses and foreign animal diseases are crucial for the development of a strong workforce to deal with microbial threats. Students should learn the reporting pathways for reportable diseases in their countries or states. Knowledge of the principles of ecology and ecosystems should be acquired during pre-veterinary studies. Elective classes on wildlife diseases, emphasising wildlife zoonotic diseases, should be offered during the veterinary curriculum, as well as a course on risk communication, since veterinarians are frequently in the position of having to convey complex information under adverse circumstances.
Are Serum Hepcidin Levels Chronically Elevated in Collegiate Female Distance Runners

The prevalence of iron deficiency tends to be higher in athletic populations, especially among endurance-trained females. Recent studies have provided evidence that the iron-regulating hormone hepcidin is transiently increased with acute exercise and suggest that this may contribute to iron deficiency anemia in athletes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether resting serum hepcidin is significantly elevated in highly trained female distance runners compared with a low exercise control group. Due to the importance of the monocyte in the process of iron recycling, monocyte expression of hepcidin was also measured. A single fasted blood sample was collected midseason from twenty female distance runners averaging 81.9 ± 14.2 km of running per week. Ten age-, gender-, and BMI-matched low-exercise control subjects provided samples during the same period using identical collection procedures. There was no difference between the runners (RUN) and control subjects (CON) for serum hepcidin levels (p = .159). In addition, monocyte hepcidin gene expression was not different between the two groups (p = .635). Furthermore, no relationship between weekly training volume and serum hepcidin concentration was evident among the trained runners. The results suggest that hepcidin is not chronically elevated with sustained training in competitive collegiate runners. This is an important finding because the current clinical conditions that link hepcidin to anemia include a sustained elevation in serum hepcidin. Nevertheless, additional studies are needed to determine the clinical relevance of the well-documented, transient rise in hepcidin that follows acute sessions of exercise.
FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT: AN IMPERATIVE FOR BABY BOOMER WOMEN

The baby boomer generation is quickly moving to the time of retirement. Signs point to the need for boomers to assume more responsibility for their financial security in retirement. In general, older women today do not have the financial resources that men do and are poorer in retirement. Conditions seem to be pointing to the fact that boomer women are moving in that direction as well. However, women seem to prepare less for retirement. This article looks at some of the reasons for women's lack of planning and saving for financial security in retirement. Economic and psychosocial reasons that contribute to this lack of preparation are examined, and some recommendations for change are suggested.
What’s in a Name? Preference for “Black” versus “African-American” among Americans of African Descent

This research note examines the preferences of Americans of African descent for the label "black" versus "African-American." Racial labels have long been associated with majority-group attitudes toward minority-group members, and minorities themselves have changed their preferred terminology over time. We trace the evolution of racial labels from "Negro" to "black" to "African-American" and examine predictors of terminological preference among a national sample of Americans of African descent. Our respondents are nearly equally divided in their preference for the label "black" versus "African-American." Significant correlates or predictors of terminological preference include the racial composition of the grammar school that respondents attended, respondents' degree of racial group consciousness, and age, region, and size of city of residence. The collective term that members of a group use to refer to themselves can provide interesting clues about the group's status in society and its strategy for advancement. For Americans of African descent, that terminology has under- gone many changes over the years. During the first two-thirds of the twentieth century, the prevailing usage evolved from "colored" to "Negro" and then to "black." In the late 1980s a group of civil rights leaders began to press for a newer label still, "African-American," a term that implied "a shift from race to ethnicity or culture as the defining characteristic of the group and conse- quently . . . evoke(d) the notion of similarities between this group and other ethnic groups" (Grant and Orr 1996, p. 138). The new term quickly gained a
Does velocity overshoot reduce collector delay time in AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs?

The effect of velocity overshoot on the collector delay in an AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is examined. A new impulse response technique to rigorously evaluate the total transit-time delay using transient Monte-Carlo simulation is introduced. By applying the technique to a conventional HBT and comparing the result with a similar calculation ignoring the effects of velocity overshoot, it is found that velocity overshoot effects are difficult to observe in the normal operating range of base-collector bias. Impulse response analysis predicts that velocity overshoot should reduce the collector delay in AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs but the effect should rapidly diminish with increasing bias. It is also shown that impulse response is sensitive to the field profile. Intentional, unintentional, or current-induced variations in the collector field profile may have substantial effects on collector delay. >
Petroleum Company Operations and Agreements in the Developing Countries

Book revewed in this article: Petroleum Company Operations & Agreements in Developing Countries Author: Raymond F. Mikesell
Molecular alterations in tumorigenic human bronchial and breast epithelial cells induced by high LET radiation.

Carcinogenesis is a multi-stage process with sequence of genetic events governing the phenotypic expression of a series of transformation steps leading to the development of metastatic cancer. In the present study, immortalized human bronchial (BEP2D) and breast (MCF-1 OF) cells were irradiated with graded doses of either 150 keV/ktm alpha particles or 1 GeV/nucleon SrFe ions. Transformed cells developed through a series of successive steps before becoming tumorigenic in nude mice. Cell fusion studies indicated that radiation-induced tumorigenic phenotype in BEP2D cells could be completely suppressed by fusion with non-tumorigenic BEP2D cells. The differential expressions of known genes between tumorigenic bronchial and breast cells induced by alpha particles and their respective control cultures were compared using eDNA expression array. Among the 11 genes identified to be differentially expressed in BEP2D cells, three (DCC, DNA-PK and p21 ctm) were shown to be consistently down-regulated by 2 to 4 fold in all the 5 tumor cell lines examined. In contrast, their expressions in the fusion cell lines were comparable to control BEP2D cells. Similarly, expression levels of a series of genes were found to be altered in a step-wise manner among tumorigenic MCF-10F cells. The results are highly suggestive that functional alterations of these genes may be causally related to the carcinogenic process. © 2001 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Choline supplementation alters some amino acid concentrations with no change in homocysteine in children with cystic fibrosis and pancreatic insufficiency

The present study determined the plasma amino acid status in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and pancreatic insufficiency (PI) in the modern medical and nutritional care setting and investigated the effect of choline supplementation on amino acid status. A total of 110 children aged 5 to 18 years with CF and PI were randomized to receive choline-enriched structured lipid (LYM-X-SORB) or placebo with similar energy and fat content. Plasma amino acids were measured at baseline and 3 and 12 months. We hypothesized that choline supplementation would result in lower plasma homocysteine concentrations in children with CF. At baseline, dietary protein intake was high and the amino acid profile was within laboratory reference ranges in most participants. Alanine and cysteine were elevated in 24% and 36% of participants, respectively. Children with baseline alanine above reference range had improved weight, body mass index, and fat-free mass. Low homocysteine was found in 62% of children 11 years and older. After 3 and 12 months, there was no effect of choline supplementation on methionine or homocysteine status. Compared with placebo, choline supplementation resulted in increased glycine and decreased threonine, histidine, valine, and total branch chained amino acids at 12 months. In conclusion, daily choline supplementation with LYM-X-SORB did not alter methionine-homocysteine metabolism but did result in alterations in other amino acids in children with CF and PI.
Radio Noise Suppression: Science or Black Art?

Article de synthese portant sur les techniques utilisees vers les annees 1920 pour supprimer le brouillage d'installations de systeme radio en automobile (auto-radio)
Oxidation-Induced Degradable Nanogels for Iron Chelation

Iron overload can increase cellular oxidative stress levels due to formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS); untreated, it can be extremely destructive to organs and fatal to patients. Since elevated oxidative stress levels are inherent to the condition in such patients, oxidation-induced degradable nanogels for iron chelation were rationally designed by simultaneously polymerizing oxidation-sensitive host-guest crosslinkers between β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and ferrocene (Fc) and iron chelating moieties composed of deferoxamine (DFO) into the final gel scaffold in reverse emulsion reaction chambers. UV-Vis absorption and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was used to verify iron chelating capability of nanogels. These materials can degrade into smaller chelating fragments at rates proportional to the level of oxidative stress present. Conjugating DFO reduces the cytotoxicity of the chelator in the macrophage cells. Importantly, the nanogel can effectively reduce cellular ferritin expression in iron overloaded cells and regulate intracellular iron levels at the same time, which is important for maintaining a homeostatic level of this critical metal in cells.
The Conflict between Advance Directives and Organ Donation: A New Problem in End-of-Life Planning

I am pleased to have this opportunity to celebrate the career of Hans-Martin Sass who has been my colleague at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University for over 35 years. He has had a remarkable career simultaneously the founder of the important German Center for Medical Ethics at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany, and Senior Research Fellow at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University, in Washington, DC. Reflecting a truly remarkable international career he has also been on the faculty of Peking Union Medical College in China and is a former member of the UNESCO International Bioethics Committee—the group having the strongest claim to legitimately articulating the bioethics standards for the world...
Abstract 3158: Transcription factor SOX11 decreases viability in ovarian carcinoma cells.

Objective: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) evaluated nearly 500 advanced serous ovarian carcinomas and identified four gene expression subclasses. The transcription factor SOX11 was markedly overexpressed in the proliferative subtype and associated with phosphorylation of other cell cycle related proteins including CHEK2, WWTR1, and EIF4EBP1. We tested the hypothesis that over-expression of SOX11 will decrease proliferation of ovarian cancer cells through transcriptional repression. Methods: SOX11 was overexpressed via lipofectamine transfection in the TP53 wild-type ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 and the TP53 mutated ovarian cancer cell line OVCAR3. Cell proliferation was assessed 48 hours after transfection using the VisionBlue fluorescence-based viability assay. Cell cycle analysis was performed utilizing a propidium iodide (PI) assay followed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Finally migration of SOX11-transfected cells was analyzed in comparison to mock-transfected controls via monolayer scratch assay. Results: Successful overexpression of the SOX11 protein was confirmed using GFP fluoroscopy and western blot 24 and 48 hours following transfection. Cell viability was reduced by 14-63% at 48 hours in SOX11-transfected SKOV3 cells compared to mock controls (P = 0.01) in a dose dependent fashion. Cell cycle was unaffected by SOX11 overexpression. Finally, the monolayer scratch assay demonstrated that cells overexpressing SOX11 migrated more slowly than mock controls (median velocity 3.92 vs. 6.19 um/hr, P = 0.001). Data from OVCAR3 cells are currently being analyzed and will be presented. Conclusions: Overexpression of SOX11 resulted in decreased cell viability without affecting cell cycle. Further studies will assess the mechanism of this decreased viability which may involve diversion toward an apoptotic pathway when SOX11 is overexpressed or regulation by transcription repressors such as WWTR1. SOX11 suppression has been shown in lymphoma to be associated with more aggressive tumors through mechanisms associated with lysophosphatidic acid growth regulation, offering mechanistic associations with ovarian cancer. Ongoing work will determine the relationship between SOX11 and TP53 mutation frequently found in high-grade serous carcinoma. These studies will help to explain the differential outcomes seen across high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. Citation Format: Caryn M. St. Clair, Stephanie L. Wethington, Maria Bisogna, Fanny Dao, Petar Jelinic, Douglas A. Levine. Transcription factor SOX11 decreases viability in ovarian carcinoma cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3158. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3158
Rate-limiting barriers in intestinal absorption.

Absorption rates of certain poorly lipid-soluble compounds across the isolated rat intestine increase substantially and continually with time (1), apparently due to progressive loss of structural integrity of the epithelium (2). However, loss of structural integrity has little effect on the absorption rates of certain nonpolar, lipid-soluble compounds suggesting that the epithelium is not a critical barrier to the intestinal absorption of such compounds (1). In the present study, this hypothesis was tested directly by comparing the in vitro and in situ flux of various solutes across the normal intestine of the rat and across the rat intestine in which the epithelium was substantially disrupted. The epithelial border was found to be a critical anatomical barrier to the in vitro and in situ intestinal absorption of both charged and uncharged poorly lipid-soluble compounds. However, contrary to the prevailing view (2-4), our studies also showed that the intestinal epithelium is not the rate-limiting barrier ...
From Subordinate Marker to Discourse Marker: que in Andean Spanish

This paper proposes an analysis of a redundant use of que ('that') found in Andean Spanish as an expression which has undergone a grammaticalization process. Evidence suggests that the function of que as subordinate marker is much more generalized in this variety than in other dialects of Spanish. que is found to be used as a marker introducing both nominal and adjectival clauses, suggesting that adjectival subordinates behave as nominal subordinates in this variety of Spanish. An intrusive que appears in restricted syntactic and semantic contexts with clauses that have nominal and adjectival functions, and even appears replacing adverbial expressions in some adverbial subordinates (temporal, spatial, and manner). Furthermore, it is found to be sensitive to the degree of the argument’s thematic/semantic function in the subordinate clause. In particular, it seems to occur more often with low-agency arguments in adjectival and nominal contexts, and, in nominal subordinates, tends to appear with a restricted set of epistemic and evidential main verbs (e.g. creer 'to believe', saber 'to know', decir 'to say'). The analysis suggests that que has developed a new function in this variety of Spanish, namely, one of indicating that the information contained in the subordinate clause does not constitute background information (as would be expected in non-contact varieties of Spanish) but instead contains information relevant to the discourse.
Protective role of epithelium in the guinea pig airway.

We developed an in vitro system to assess the role of the epithelium in regulating airway tone using the intact guinea pig trachea (J. Appl. Physiol. 64: 466–471, 1988). This method allows us to st...
Experimental infundibular pulmonic stenosis. Effects of positive inotropic agents.

A model of infundibular pulmonic stenosis was created in 14 puppies. The animals later received intravenous infusions of isoproterenol and calcium chloride and increments of acetyl strophanthidin. Cardiac output, peak systolic gradient (PSG) infundibular blood flow, and area of the right ventricular outflow orifice were determined with each provocative measure. Isoproterenol infusion narrowed the infundibular orifice area in 11 of 14 dogs, an average decrease of 29 per cent from base line (p
INTERSESSION RELIABILITY OF UPPER EXTREMITY ISOKINETIC PUSH-PULL TESTING

BACKGROUND Based on the frequency pushing and pulling patterns are used in functional activities, there is a need to establish an objective method of quantifying the muscle performance characteristics associated with these motions, particularly during the later stages of rehabilitation as criteria for discharge. While isokinetic assessment offers an approach to quantifying muscle performance, little is known about closed kinetic chain (CKC) isokinetic testing of the upper extremity (UE). PURPOSE To determine the intersession reliability of isokinetic upper extremity measurement of pushing and pulling peak force and average power at slow (0.24 m/s), medium (0.43 m/s) and fast (0.61 m/s) velocities in healthy young adults. The secondary purpose was to compare pushing and pulling peak force (PF) and average power (AP) between the upper extremity limbs (dominant, non-dominant) across the three velocities. METHODS Twenty-four physically active men and women completed a test-retest (>96 hours) protocol in order to establish isokinetic UE CKC reliability of PF and AP during five maximal push and pull repetitions at three velocities. Both limb and speed orders were randomized between subjects. RESULTS High test-retest relative reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC2, 1) were revealed for PF (.91-.97) and AP (.85-.95) across velocities, limbs and directions. PF typical error (% coefficient of variation) ranged from 6.1% to 11.3% while AP ranged from 9.9% to 26.7%. PF decreased significantly (p < .05) as velocity increased whereas AP increased as velocity increased. PF and AP during pushing were significantly greater than pulling at all velocities, however the push-pull differences in PF became less as velocity increased. There were no significant differences identified between the dominant and nondominant limbs. CONCLUSION Isokinetically derived UE CKC push-pull PF and AP are reliable measures. The lack of limb differences in healthy normal participants suggests that clinicians can consider bilateral comparisons when interpreting test performance. The increase in pushing PF and AP compared to pulling can be attributed to the muscles involved and the frequency that pushing patterns are used during functional activities. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
From Musha to New York: Qutb Encounters American Jahiliyya

The Egyptian Sayyid Qutb boarded a ship in Alexandria headed for the United States on November 3, 1948. It was the first time the forty-two-year-old Qutb had ever traveled outside of Egypt. Qutb would spend almost two years in the United States. The reasons for his trip to America were not unlike those that determined Tocqueville's journey nearly 120 years earlier. Like Tocqueville, Qutb worked for the government, in this case for the Egyptian Ministry of Education. Also like Tocqueville, Qutb's political position in his home country had become precarious and a trip abroad was contrived to extricate him from an increasingly tenuous situation, in fact, to avoid an arrest warrant that had been issued by the Egyptian government. Just as Tocqueville was commissioned to study American prisons, Qutb was commissioned to “investigate the American system of education, its methods and curricula.” In Qutb's case, however, the government initiated the trip and the reason wasn't so much because of changing political circumstances as it was because of Qutb's writings, which were increasingly viewed as problematic by the Egyptian government. For the first part of Qutb's career, he had been a fairly prominent member of the secular intellectual class in Cairo. He was a well-known poet, essayist, literary critic, and educator. In the 1940s, however, Qutb was transitioning from a modern secularist into an Islamic activist and was becoming more vocal in his criticisms of Western influence in Egypt and of complicity, political corruption, and tyranny in the existing regime of King Farouk I. Aided by the intervening efforts of Prime Minister Mahmoud Nuqrashi Pasha, Qutb's trip was arranged with the hope that time in the United States would moderate his hostile attitude toward the West. It did just the opposite. His two years in America served to further radicalize Qutb and harden his views toward the West in general and toward the United States in particular. There is some debate about whether Qutb's time in America caused his radical turn or simply confirmed opinions he had already formed. Arguing for the former, historian Emmanuel Sivan sees Qutb's time in the United States as “the formative experience that converted him to fundamentalism.”
SOME MATHEMATICAL PREREQUISITES

This chapter discusses a mathematical formalism capable of describing the behavior and properties of a continuous geometric manifold. Formalisms are developed in mathematics by choosing certain primitive concepts, or undefined elements, that are to be accepted without further logical analysis. Properties are then assigned to these primitive concepts by means of axioms, or unproved propositions, from which various theorems are deduced. The primitive concepts might invite deeper logical analysis; however, such an analysis would be a part of a different activity. The primitive concepts need not necessarily be the smallest number that could be used; in fact, they are chosen to enable the development of the required formalism quickly. Primitive concepts are set of distinguishable elements such as; point, particle, place; order, relation, correspondence; and rigid body, mass, force, time. The chapter discusses the properties of matrices and determinants.
Measurement of the Hydraulic Conductivity of Fine-Grained Soils

The purpose of this paper is to review the state of the art in the measurement of hydraulic conductivity of fine-grained soils. Both field and laboratory tests for saturated and partially saturated soils are considered. For saturated soils, field tests are to be preferred because they permeate a larger volume of soil, thus taking into account the effects of macrostructure better than laboratory tests. Field tests are generally best performed by using a cylindrical piezometer tip, installed by methods that minimize disturbance, and measuring flow under a constant head. Laboratory tests offer the advantage of economy. Laboratory specimens should be as large as practical and should be oriented to produce flow in the direction of maximum hydraulic conductivity. The permeant should be a fluid similar to that encountered in the field. Without proper experimental technique, the conductivity measured in the laboratory may differ from the field value by several orders of magnitude. Field tests for unsaturated soils are not well developed and can only be recommended for cases where water will be ponded on the surface of a site. The most versatile laboratory techniques are the instantaneous profile method using tensiometric or psychrometric probes, and the pressure plate outflow method. The best method to use depends on the soil suction expected in the field.
Turkana Survival Systems at Lake Turkana: Vulnerability to Collapse from Omo Basin Development

The pastoral economy in transboundary Turkana lands has drastically declined in recent decades, largely due to the effects of colonial and post-colonial policies. Faced with radical herd losses, thousands of Turkana households have moved to Lake Turkana’s western shoreline for fishing and/or herding. This population—largely uncounted—is extremely vulnerable to loss of accessible Lake Turkana water, fisheries resources, and lakeside grazing. The Gibe III dam and irrigated agricultural plantations along the Omo would cause major shoreline retreat and eliminate the Omo River’s annual flood ‘pulse’ of fresh-water and nutrients into the lake. Major loss of fish reproductive habitat and fish stocks as well as potable water, along with desiccation of lakeside environments essential to livestock and people would result. As conditions worsen, a general movement of fishing and fishing/pastoral villages southward toward Ferguson’s Gulf—itself drying out—and around towns, in search of relief aid or survival opportunities, is likely. With no practical means of continued livelihood, hundreds of thousands of Turkana fishers and pastoralists would face region wide hunger and conditions for disease epidemics. Cross-border conflict between these Turkana and their northern neighbors would sharply escalate, especially in the face of regional arms trafficking. Northern and central Turkana protests and pleas for help have so far been ignored by the Kenyan government which continues to militarize the region.
Carbon cycling in the mantled karst of the Ozark Plateaus, central United States

Abstract The nature of carbon (C) cycling in the unsaturated zone where groundwater is in contact with abundant gas-filled voids is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to trace inorganic-C cycling in a karst landscape using stable-C isotopes, with emphasis on a shallow groundwater flow path through the soil, to an underlying cave, and to the spring outlet of a cave stream in the Ozark Plateaus of northwestern Arkansas. Carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and isotopic composition (δ13C-CO2) in gas and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration and isotopic composition (δ13C-DIC) in water were measured in samples collected from two suction-cup soil samplers above the cave, three sites in the cave, and at the spring outlet of the cave stream. Soil-gas CO2 concentration (median 2,578 ppm) and δ13C-CO2 (median − 21.5‰) were seasonally variable, reflecting the effects of surface temperature changes on soil-CO2 production via respiration and organic-matter decomposition. Cave-air CO2 (median 1,026 ppm) was sourced from the soil zone and the surface atmosphere, with seasonally changing proportions of each source controlled by surface temperature-driven air density gradients. Soil-DIC concentration (median 1.7 mg L− 1) was lower and soil-δ13C-DIC (median − 19.5‰) was lighter compared to the cave (median 23.3 mg L− 1 and − 14.3‰, respectively) because carbonate-bedrock dissolution provided an inorganic source of C to the cave. Carbon species in the soil had a unique, light stable-C isotopic signature compared to the cave. Discrimination of soil-C sources to karst groundwater was achieved, which is critical for developing hydrologic budgets using environmental tracers such as C.
Textbox: Women in Agriculture and Labor Law: Cameroon’s “Three C’s” Legal Dilemma

This textbox discusses the impact of the three c’s in the empowerment of women in the agricultural sector of Cameroon’s economy. The 3 c’s refer to Cameron’s use of the common law, civil law and customary law systems developed out of country’s complex colonial past. Customary law in Cameroon evolves from the indigenous patriarchal culture which promotes male dominance over females. This law is practiced in most rural Cameroon where agriculture is the mainstay of economic and social life. Although efforts have been made in the harmonization of the three legal systems, current agricultural policies emanating from the customary law are an impediment to the growth and development of women as independent economic actors in the agricultural field. With the globalization of the agricultural market, the importance of women as key economic players in Cameroon’s agricultural sector cannot be overemphasized. The textbox thus concludes by recommending that the laws be aligned in a manner that promotes the empowerment of women as equal players in the agricultural industry in order to boost the economy of Cameroon.
Attentional Bias to Reminders of the Deceased as Compared With a Living Attachment in Grieving.

Abstract Background Grieving individuals demonstrate attentional bias toward reminders of the deceased versus neutral stimuli. We sought to assess bias toward reminders of the deceased versus a living attachment figure and to evaluate similarities and differences in the neural correlates of deceased- and living-related attention. We also sought to identify grief process variables associated with deceased-related attentional bias. Methods Twenty-five subjects grieving the death of a first-degree relative or partner within 14 months performed an emotional Stroop task, using words related to a deceased or a living attachment figure, and a standard Stroop task, to identify general selective attention, during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Subjects rated word sadness, complicated grief symptoms, depression severity, attachment style, emotional pain, nonacceptance, yearning, and intrusions. Results We identified an attentional bias to deceased-related versus living-related words, independent of age, depression severity/history, loss type, word sadness, medication use, and time since loss. Attentional bias correlated with complicated grief severity and intrusive thinking. A conjunction analysis identified joint activation in the fusiform gyrus, posterior cingulate, and temporal parietal junction across living- and deceased-related attention versus general selective attention. Insecure-avoidant attachment style correlated with decreased engagement of this network in deceased-related attention. Conclusions We have demonstrated an attentional bias to reminders of the deceased versus a living attachment in grieving. Overlapping neural circuits related to living- and deceased-related attention suggest that the bereaved employ similar processes in attending to the deceased as they do in attending to the living. Deceased-related attentional bias appears to be linked primarily to intrusive thinking about the loss.
Design tools in practice: instructional designers report which tools they use and why

Minimal attention has been paid by scholars to practitioners’ views of and experiences with instructional design tools. Instructional design practitioners working in diverse setting were surveyed regarding the tools they use in their practice, and interviewed regarding how they explain their choices to use the tools that they do. A survey completed by 100 instructional designers shows that they use a wide array of both digital and analog tools, many of them not specifically focused on, or limited to, the design and development of instruction. Analysis of interview narratives with 10 instructional designers surfaced themes in two categories, rationalist and situational explanations for the use of certain tools, with appropriateness (a rational explanation) and individual preference (a situational explanation) offered most frequently. These findings, and the statements of the designers, highlight the role of instrumental judgment in instructional design practice and points to implications for the education of instructional designers.