cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical spectroscopic sensing of tumor hypoxia.

Tumor hypoxia is a critical indicator of poor clinical outcome in patients with cancers of the breast, cervix, and oral cavity. The ability to noninvasively and reliably monitor tumor oxygenation both prior to and during therapy can aid in identifying poor treatment response earlier than is currently possible and lead to effective changes in treatment regimen. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) has been used in several studies to measure tissue scattering, total hemoglobin content (THb), and vascular oxygenation (sO2) in tissue. In this study, we validate in vivo DRS-based measurements of vascular oxygenation using immunohistochemical staining of tumor hypoxia using pimonidazole, an established hypoxia marker. Using tumor xenografts grown from two different head and neck cell lines—UM-SCC-22B and UM-SCC-47—we demonstrate statistically significant negative correlations between tumor hypoxic fraction (HF) and THb (r = − 0.45; p = 0.04) and sO2 (r = − 0.50; p = 0.02). In addition, we also found a statistically significant positive correlation between HF and mean reduced scattering coefficient (r = 0.60; p = 0.005). Our results demonstrate that DRS-based measures of sO2 can provide reliable indirect measurements of tumor hypoxia that can be of significant utility in preclinical and clinical studies.
New Techniques in Glycosyltransferase Research

Glycosyltransferases (GLTs) of eukaryotic origin catalyze the transfer of glycose units to the appropriate glycoprotein, ceramide, or glycolipid core structures. These enzymes may recognize a specific terminal glycose unit or the penultimate sugar, in addition to the terminal sugar unit.1–4 GLTs are believed to be localized in the Golgi bodies,5–7 and most of them are membrane-bound. Many have been solubilized using various detergents, and their purification is under way.8–12 We are involved in the purification of glycolipid:glycosyltransferases (GSL:GLTs) and in the study of their kinetic properties.8–13 This article describes relatively easy methods for isolation14,15 of glycolipid substrates for GSL:GLTs and the development of some convenient, relatively inexpensive assay methods.16 Both advances were essential before substantial numbers of fractions obtained during column chromatography could be assayed.
Mea Culpa: Lessons on Law and Regret from U.S. History (Contents Page and Introduction)

In Mea Culpa, Steven W. Bender examines how the United States’ collective shame about its past has shaped the evolution of law and behavior. We regret slavery and segregationist Jim Crow laws: we eventually apologize while ignoring other oppressions, and our legal response to regret often fails to be transformative for the affected groups. By examining policies and practices that affected the lives of groups that have been historically marginalized and oppressed, Bender is able to draw persuasive connections between shame and its eventual legal manifestations. Analyzing the United States’ historical response to its own atrocities, Bender identifies and develops a definitive moral compass that guides us away from the policies and practices that lead to societal regret. Mea Culpa challenges its readers. We think of ourselves as exceptional and enlightened, but are we really? In a different era, might we have been slave owners or proprietors of a racially segregated establishment? It’s easy to judge immorality in the hindsight of history, but what current practices and policies will later generations regret? More than a historical survey, this volume offers a framework for resolving some of the most contentious social problems of our time. Drawing on his background as a legal scholar, Bender tackles immigration, the death penalty, the war on terror, reproductive rights, welfare, wage inequity, homelessness, mass incarceration, and same sex marriage. Ultimately, he argues, it is the dehumanization of human beings that allows for practices to occur that will later be marked as regrettable. And all of us have a stake in standing on the side of history that resists dehumanization.
The geometry of broken symmetries

A consideration of the fundamental requirements of relativistic invariance for the global observables of relativistic quantum systems leads to the postulate that these observables should be treated as geometric objects on the manifold of spacelike hyperplanes in Minkowski space. The problem of determining the most general possible (in the sense of being consistent with the demands of relativistic covariance) coupling of the Poincare Lie algebra with the Lie algebra of an « internal » symmetry is then dealt with in terms of connections (in the sense of differential geometry) on fields of Lie algebras over the manifold of hyperplanes. It is found that the possible couplings are considerably more restricted than one might have expected.
Development: Consciousness From Birth to Adulthood

Research is converging on the suggestion that consciousness develops through a series of levels, each of which has distinct consequences for the quality of subjective experience, the potential for episodic recollection, the complexity of children’s explicit knowledge structures, and the possibility of the conscious control of thought, emotion, and action. This development may be tied to the growth of neural systems involving the prefrontal cortex, which is critically important for self-awareness and the conscious control of thought and action.
Variable Uptake of Medicaid-Covered Prenatal Care Coordination: The Relevance of Treatment Level and Service Context.

Prenatal care coordination programs direct pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries to medical, social, and educational services to improve birth outcomes. Despite the relevance of service context and treatment level to investigations of program implementation and estimates of program effect, prior investigations have not consistently attended to these factors. This study examines the reach and uptake of Wisconsin’s Prenatal Care Coordination (PNCC) program among Medicaid-covered, residence occurrence live births between 2008 and 2012. Data come from the Big Data for Little Kids project, which harmonizes birth records with multiple state administrative sources. Logistic regression analyses measured the association between county- and maternal-level factors and the odds of any PNCC use and the odds of PNCC uptake (> 2 PNCC services among those assessed). Among identified Medicaid-covered births (n = 136,057), approximately 24% (n = 33,249) received any PNCC and 17% (n = 22,680) took up PNCC services. Any PNCC receipt and PNCC uptake varied substantially across counties. A higher county assessment rate was associated with a higher odds of individual PNCC assessment but negatively associated with uptake. Mothers reporting clinical risk factors such as chronic hypertension and previous preterm birth were more likely to be assessed for PNCC and, once assessed, more likely to received continued PNCC services. However, most mothers reporting clinical risk factors were not assessed for services. Estimates of care coordination’s effects on birth outcomes should account for service context and the treatment level into which participants select.
Radner's cost–benefit analysis in the small: A correction and new equivalences

Abstract Schlee (2013) asserts the equivalence between a local welfare measure proposed by Radner (1993) and the derivatives of six other welfare measures. The asserted equivalence between Radner’s measure and one of these – Debreu’s (1951) coefficient of resource utilization – is false. What is the case is that the other six local welfare measures are equivalent to a modification of Debreu’s coefficient that applies to economies with distortions.
VHL mediates NF-κB activity through HIFα-dependent activation of an EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway

4315 VHL mediates NF-κB activity through HIFa-dependent activation of an EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway. Inactivating mutations of the von Hippel-Lindau ( VHL ) tumor suppressor gene occur frequently in sporadic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC). A principal function of the protein product of the VHL gene, pVHL, is related to the cellular response to hypoxia. Specifically, under normoxic conditions, pVHL targets the transcription factor, hypoxia inducible factor alpha (HIFα), for ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Under hypoxic conditions or when pVHL expression is lost, HIFα accumulates and induces transcription of a wide array of genes including VEGF and TGFα. Loss of VHL also results in heightened activation of NF-κB, a family of transcription factors that promotes proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis and inhibits apoptosis. To identify the biochemical pathways associated with VHL-mediated NF-κB regulation, we used three isogenic versions of the 786-0 CCRCC cell line: 1) the parental line that lacks endogenous pVHL expression (786-0-P), 2) the parental cell engineered to stably express wild-type pVHL (786-0-VHL), and 3) 786-0-VHL that is stably transfected with an HIFα mutant that is resistant to VHL-mediated ubiquitination (786-0-VHL/HIFα M ). Using these cell lines, we have shown that increased constitutive NF-κB activity resulting from VHL loss is HIFα-dependent. That is, the significantly reduced NF-κB activity observed in 786-0-VHL cells compared to the parental counterpart is restored in 786-0-VHL/HIFα M cells. In addition to decreased NF-κB activation, 786-0-VHL cells have reduced constitutive activation of EGFR and the PI3K/AKT pathway. When HIFa expression was reconstituted in the 786-0-VHL/HIFα M cells, activation of EGFR, PI3K/AKT, and NF-κB was restored to that of 786-0-P cells. Exposure of 786-0-P cells to selective genetic and chemical inhibitors of EGFR, PI3K, and AKT established a causative relationship between the activation of the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway and heightened NF-κB activation. As further evidence of the link between the activation of the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway and increased NF-κB activity, we demonstrated that the heightened AKT activity observed in 786-0-P results in augmentation of IκB kinase (IKK) phosphorylation, a critical step in NF-κB activation. We postulated that heightened EGFR/PI3K/AKT activation results from HIFα-induced expression of TGFα, an important EGFR ligand that is over-expressed in 786-0-P compared to 786-0-VHL cells. Silencing of TGFα expression by RNA interference in 786-0-P cells resulted in decreased activation of the EGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway as well as reduced NF-κB activity. In summary, VHL loss results in heightened NF-κB activity through accumulation of HIFα, which induces expression of TGFα, resulting in ligand-mediated activation of EGFR with consequent activation of PI3K/AKT, and finally phosphorylation of IKK.
Nonlinear response of a flanged fastened joint due to acoustical sine sweep excitation

Fastened joints can significantly complicate the prediction of damping and resonance frequencies of built-up systems. This complexity often leads to over-designing for safety, which drives up manufacturing and operational costs. To improve understanding of the dynamic response of fastened joints, impact hammer and acoustically driven excitation of fastened plates at a flange have been measured. These findings add experimental data that are not well represented in the literature for such joints. The structure was excited acoustically, and acceleration was measured at multiple locations on the flange and plate. Backbone curves were generated with sinusoidal sweeps of acoustic input energy. These curves highlight the nonlinearity of the system, which varies according to fastener preload. Generally, as preload torque values decrease, nonlinearity increases with shifts observed in damping, stiffness, and resonance frequency. Data presented will be used to create a model for better predicting the global dynamic properties of built-up structures.
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing and sports participation in adults with congenital heart disease.

### Learning objectives Malcolm is a 35-year-old patient followed at a safety net hospital. He describes growing up with limited resources both in his family and at his school. As the child of a single mother, his afternoons were often spent hanging out in his neighbourhood. He recalls that there were two options ‘basketball or gangs’. Because of his complex congenital heart disease, he was not allowed to play sports and his exercise capacity was never evaluated. Now, 20 years later, he feels that was a turning point in his life which ultimately resulted in a 5-year incarceration for weapons charges. ‘I loved basketball and not playing made me angry and feel different. I made my own choices, but playing would have made a huge difference’. Malcolm has his life back on track now, but providers have a responsibility to ensure that kids like him have providers who consider their whole lives and the lifelong impact of their recommendations. Restriction is not only a physical limitation. It affects patient’s self-perception, acceptance and psyche. Thus, providers must consider the risks of not playing sports versus that of playing, and recommend level of activity based on objectively obtained data. The benefits of exercise are well known to most patients and providers. Due to exercise restrictions placed of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) as well as concerns for exercise-related morbidity and mortality, many providers and patients are uncertain on ways to …
Engaging Student Veterans in Meaningful Service-Learning Experiences: A Practical Guide

Student veterans face some barriers to fully engaging in the postsecondary education experience, in addition to sometimes struggling to complete their degrees. This article highlights a university program that annually engages groups of student veterans in meaningful service-learning experiences through a partnership with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The theoretical foundation, program structure, and lessons learned are shared so that other institutions or organizations may similarly engage their veteran population.
Quality of Information About Bariatric Surgery on the Internet: A Two-Continent Comparison of Website Content

Many patients considering bariatric surgery will obtain medical information through the Internet. The type and quality of information patients access may vary significantly by geographic region. Searches were performed using commercial search engines in both the United States of America (USA) and United Arab Emirates (UAE) using search terms “bariatric surgery” and “weight loss surgery.” Quality was assessed using the scoring systems previously published by DISCERN (United Kingdom (UK)), the Journal of the American Medical Association Benchmark (JAMA; USA), and Expanded Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) (UK). Website types were more evenly distributed in UAE, though physician websites were also the most common (n = 25, 25%). Within the USA, most websites analyzed were from physicians (n = 32, 32%), followed by academic sources (n = 26, 26%). Academic websites were the highest average quality in the USA (p < .00001). The overall mean DISCERN scores for all websites in the UAE group and US group had no statistically significance differences (p = .950). The overall mean JAMA Benchmark for all websites in the UAE group and USA had no statistically significance differences (p = 0.202). There were no major differences between the USA and UAE in Expanded EQIP scores. The overall quality of information regarding bariatric surgery is poor to fair in both the USA and UAE. Additionally, there are differences in the types of sites retrieved by the most commonly used search engines in each region. The lack of high-quality, evidence-based, information regarding bariatric surgery online is a potential target to improve public education.
Is residual tendon a predictor of outcome following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair? A preliminary outlook at short-term follow-up.

Background Multiple factors including muscle atrophy, fatty infiltration, smoking, advanced patient age, and increasing tear size have been identified as risk factors for retear after rotator cuff repair. However, little is known about what effect the length of the residual rotator cuff tendon has on the success of repair and patient outcomes. Methods This study included 64 patients. Patients were stratified based on a residual tendon length of greater than 15 mm (group 1, residual tendon) or 15 mm or less (group 2, no residual tendon). Rotator cuff tendon integrity was then evaluated using ultrasound imaging at 6 months. Outcome measures included the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score, visual analog scale score, EQ5D Index score, Global Rating of Change score, and Penn Shoulder Score. Results No differences were found between groups regarding demographic data or repair configuration. Assessment of tendon healing demonstrated an increased rate of tendons that had “not healed” in group 2 (19.3% [n = 5] vs. 13.2% [n = 5]), but this difference was not statistically significant (P = .55). Functional outcome scores improved significantly from preoperatively to final follow-up in both groups and displayed no differences at 6-month follow-up. Conclusion A smaller residual tendon length was not a negative predictor of clinical outcomes following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in patients with short-term follow-up. Although there was a trend toward a decreased rate of healing in patients with smaller residual tendons, this was not significant.
Applications of mass spectrometry in the clinical laboratory

Abstract Mass spectrometry (MS) is an extremely versatile platform and offers many benefits as a measurement tool in laboratory medicine. The specificity of MS allows analytes to be measured accurately even in the presence of interfering substances or in the presence of structurally similar compounds that cannot be distinguished by other analytical approaches. MS methods may be utilized qualitatively or quantitatively, depending on the specific application. Further, MS lends itself to the measurement of small molecules (such as metals, metabolites, and drugs) as well as peptides and proteins. Beyond its current applications in newborn screening and trace metals analyses, MS has been used in the targeted or untargeted identification of novel psychoactive substances, quantitation of protein-based biomarkers such as thyroglobulin, insulin-like-growth-factor 1, and monoclonal immunoglobulins, classification of amyloidosis, and identification of microorganisms. Its applications in clinical toxicology, endocrinology, and inborn errors of metabolism, among others, demonstrate the dexterity of MS platforms in clinical laboratory medicine. However, as these assays are predominantly laboratory developed tests, there are important challenges and regulatory considerations associated with MS implementation.
Abstract 2377: Atm-dependent recruitment of brd7 is required for transcriptional repression and repair at dna breaks flanking transcriptional active regions

DNA double-strand break (DSB) is highly cytotoxic and deleterious lesions, causing gross chromosomal rearrangements, genomic instability and tumorigenesis (Meisenberg et al., 2019). In mammalian cells, such damages are mainly repaired through two pathways: non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR) (San Filippo et al., 2008). To avoid conflicts between ongoing transcription and repair activities, the DNA damage response (DDR) must coordinate the processes of repair signaling and local transcriptional capacity (Adam and Polo, 2014). Cells have evolved the ability of switching off transcription for DSB repair in ATM, DNA-PK and PARP1-dependent manner which is a critical step for maintaining genome-epigenome integrity (Iannelli et al., 2017; Shanbhag et al., 2010; Uckelmann and Sixma, 2017). The mono-ubiquitylation of H2A on K119 is one of the key determinants of transcriptional repression at sites of DNA damage (Kakarougkas et al., 2015; Rona et al., 2018; Shanbhag et al., 2010). However, depletion of these factors did not alleviate completely DSB-induced transcriptional repression, suggesting that additional yet unidentified factors or complexes are involved in the process. Here, we identified that BRD7, another specific subunit of PBAF complex, participated in DNA damage response (DDR) and was recruited to the damaged chromatin via ATM signaling. Mechanistically, BRD7 joined the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), the nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylation (NuRD) complex at the damaged DNA and recruited E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF168 to the DSBs. Furthermore, ATM-mediated BRD7 phosphorylation is required for recruitment of the PRC2 complex, DSB sensor complex MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) and RNF168 to the active transcription sites at DSBs, resulting in transcriptional repression and DNA repair. Moreover, BRD7 deficiency sensitized cancer cells to PARP inhibition. Collectively, BRD7 is crucial for DNA repair and DDR-mediated transcription repression, which may serve as a therapeutic target. Moreover, our findings have identified the missing link between DNA repair and transcription regulation that maintains genome integrity, as well as highlight the important role of PBAF complex in maintaining genomic integrity. Citation Format: Kaishun Hu. Atm-dependent recruitment of brd7 is required for transcriptional repression and repair at dna breaks flanking transcriptional active regions [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 2377.
A Bulk Driven Transimpedance Amplifier for Portable SiPM Based Detectors

Silicon photomultipliers, SiPM, in conjunction with scintillators are used in nuclear imaging and detection. This paper demonstrates a transimpedance amplifier, TIA, designed and fabricated in a 0.18 µm standard CMOS process. The TIA is compatible with both custom CMOS and commercial SiPMs. The bulk driven amplifier used in the TIA topology enables the system to operate with lowered power supply. Experimental measurements show the proposed TIA has 65 dB open loop gain, while consuming 0.4 µW. The designed TIA has been simulated with two SiPMs in SPICE to verify its functionality. The SiPM model is based on experimental measurements. The TIA is a suitable choice to enable portable nuclear detection and imaging systems.
Flexible Work Arrangements: A Human Resource Development Tool to Reduce Turnover

The Problem.An increasing number of organizations are experiencing concerns from employees regarding work-life balance. Organizations that have chosen to implement formal flexible work arrangements...
Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Amphiphile Micelle Chemical Structure and Hydrophobic Domain Influence Immunomodulatory Potentiation

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide capable of downregulating innate immune responses in antigen presenting cells (APCs) by suppressing their pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and cell surface marker expression. Though VIP9s bioactivity could possibly be leveraged as a treatment for autoimmune disorders and transplant tolerance, drug delivery innovation is required to overcome its intrinsically limited cellular delivery capacity due to its short in vivo lifetime. One option is to employ peptide amphiphiles (PAs) which are lipidated peptides capable of self-assembling into micelles in water that can enhance cellular association. With this approach in mind, a series of triblock VIP amphiphiles (VIPAs) has been synthesized to explore the influence of block arrangement and hydrophobicity on micelle biocompatibility and bioactivity. VIPA formulation has been found to influence the shape, size, and surface charge of VIPA micelles (VIPAMs) as well as their cytotoxicity and immunomodulatory effects. Specifically, the enclosed work provides strong evidence that cylindrical VIPAMs with aspect ratios of 1.5 - 150 and moderate positive surface charge are able to potentiate the bioactivity of VIP limiting TNF-a; secretion and MHC II and CD86 surface expression on APCs. With this criteria, we have identified PalmK-(EK)4-VIP as our lead formulation, which showed comparable or enhanced anti-inflammatory effects relative to the unmodified VIP at all dosages evaluated. Additionally, the relationships between peptide block location and lipid block size provide further information on the chemistry-structure-function relationships of peptide amphiphile micelles for the delivery of VIP as well as potentially for other peptides more broadly.
Rationalistic Messianism and the Vicissitudes of History: The Final Chapter of Joseph ibn Kaspi’s Tam ha-kesef

Born around 1280, the Provencal Jewish philosopher Joseph ibn Kaspi was a prolific writer whose works touched upon a wide range of subjects. I present here an English translation of the eighth chapter of his final work, The Silver is Spent (Tam ha-kesef). In this chapter, Ibn Kaspi discusses the coming of the Messiah and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Coloured by his Aristotelian philosophical outlook, the chapter has a number of interesting features, including its naturalistic approach to history, and the arguments presented for the rationality of belief in a future messianic era.
Dynamic properties of micellar solutions: I. Effects of short-chain alcohols and polymers on micellar stability

Abstract The effect of n-alkanols from C1 to C5 on both equilibrium and dynamic properties of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micellar solutions has been investigated using electrical conductivity and pressure-jump methods. Methanol and ethanol were found to decrease the conductance of micellar solutions due to the lowering of dielectric constant of solvent. Higher alkanols from C3 to C5 may decrease or increase the conductance of micellar solutions depending on the concentration of SDS. At low surfactant concentration, a minimum of conductance was observed. This has been attributed to both effects of decrease in surfactant monomer concentration (CMC) and the increase in counterion dissociation of micelles upon the penetration of alcohols into micelles. At higher surfactant concentration, the conductance was found to increase directly due to the dominance of the latter effect. Unlike the complex change of conductance, the slow relaxation rate constant, 1/τ2, has been found to increase monotonically upon the addition of all alkanols except pentanol. The labilizing effect (i.e., decreasing τ2) of alkanols increases with increasing alkanol chain length from C1 to C3 and levels off at C4. The labilizing effect has also been found to vary with SDS concentration depending upon the mechanism of slow relaxation process. Based on the Aniansson and Wall theory, the labilizing effect of alkanols has been attributed to two factors: (1) the stabilization of micelle nuclei either due to a decrease of micelle nucleus size, or due to an increase of micelle nucleus population; (2) the decrease of activation energy for the formation of micelle nuclei. In view of the changes in both slow relaxation time and CMC upon the addition of alkanols, the concept of micelle stability has been discussed in terms of the “thermodynamic stability” and the “kinetic stability” of micelles. Finally, the effect of polymers on the slow relaxation process was also investigated. The slow relaxation rate constant 1/τ2 was found to increase by three orders of magnitude as the concentration of polyvinylpyrrolidone increased up to 8% (w/w). Based on the molecular model of polymer-micelle complex proposed by B. Cabane (J. Phys. Chem.81, 1639, 1977), the effect of polymer has been interpreted in terms of the polymer being the nucleating agent for micelle nuclei. The result verifies the concept that the rate-limiting step in micelle formation and dissolution process is the formation of micelle nuclei.
Ezrin and Moesin Function Together to Promote T Cell Activation

The highly homologous proteins ezrin, radixin, and moesin link proteins to the actin cytoskeleton. The two family members expressed in T cells, ezrin and moesin, are implicated in promoting T cell activation and polarity. To elucidate the contributions of ezrin and moesin, we conducted a systematic analysis of their function during T cell activation. In response to TCR engagement, ezrin and moesin were phosphorylated in parallel at the regulatory threonine, and both proteins ultimately localized to the distal pole complex (DPC). However, ezrin exhibited unique behaviors, including tyrosine phosphorylation and transient localization to the immunological synapse before movement to the DPC. To ask whether these differences reflect unique requirements for ezrin vs moesin in T cell signaling, we generated mice with conditional deletion of ezrin in mature T cells. Ezrin−/− T cells exhibited normal immunological synapse organization based upon localization of protein kinase C-θ, talin, and phospho-ZAP70. DPC localization of CD43 and RhoGDP dissociation inhibitor, as well as the novel DPC protein Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1, was also unaffected. However, recruitment of three novel DPC proteins, ezrin binding protein of 50 kDa, Csk binding protein, and the p85 subunit of PI3K was partially perturbed. Biochemical analysis of ezrin−/− T cells or T cells suppressed for moesin using small interfering RNA showed intact early TCR signaling, but diminished levels of IL-2. The defects in IL-2 production were more pronounced in T cells deficient for both ezrin and moesin. These cells also exhibited diminished phospholipase C-γ1 phosphorylation and calcium flux. We conclude that despite their unique movement and phosphorylation patterns, ezrin and moesin function together to promote T cell activation.
Normative Images of Communication Media Mass and Interpersonal Channels in the New Media Environment

This study is an extension of earlier uses and gratifications research that identified normative images of mass media. The article considers how well 12 different mass and interpersonal communication channels fill 11 communication needs. A sample of 649 adults completed self-administered questionnaires, the responses of which were submitted to cluster analysis, which identified five channel clusters: Video, Interpersonal, Print, Computer, and Audio. In general, the Interpersonal cluster (conversation and telephone) was rated the most useful at filling various needs, with Computer rated the least useful. Consistent with previous research, clusters that were most useful at filling personal needs were rated highest in social presence. The discussion relates this study's findings to previous research and notes implications for research on the newer communication technologies.
The U.S. Federal Debt Outlook: Reading the Tea Leaves

We show that fiscal policies reflecting a primary balance response to higher debt in line with historic experience would significantly increase the likelihood of reaching the debt targets of the U.S. administration in the medium term. Deficits and debt are higher under current budgetary proposals and IMF projections for real activity and interest rates, which do not include a reaction of policies to rising primary deficits. Under the IMF staff's current economic projections, a primary fiscal adjustment of about 3.5 percent of GDP would be needed to achieve a debt level of about 70 percent of GDP in 2020.
4D MRI of polycystic kidneys from rapamycin-treated Glis3-deficient mice.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a life-threatening disease that leads to a grotesque enlargement of the kidney and significant lose of function. Several imaging studies with MRI have demonstrated that cyst size in polycystic kidneys can determine disease severity and progression. In the present study, we found that while kidney volume and cyst volume decreased with drug treatment, renal function did not improve with treatment. Here, we applied dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI to study PKD in a Glis3-deficient mouse model. Cysts from this model have a wide range of sizes and develop at an early age. To capture this crucial stage and assess cysts in detail, we imaged during early development (3 to 17 weeks) and applied high spatiotemporal resolution MRI (125×125×125 cubic microns every 7.7 seconds). A drug treatment with rapamycin (also known as sirolimus) was applied to determine whether disease progression could be halted. The effect and synergy (interaction) of aging and treatment were evaluated using an analysis of variance (ANOVA). Structural measurements including kidney volume, cyst volume, and cyst-kidney volume ratio changed significantly with age. Drug treatment significantly decreased these metrics. Functional measurements of time-to-peak (TTP) mean and TTP variance were determined. TTP mean did not change with age, while TTP variance increased with age. The treatment of rapamycin generally did not affect these functional metrics. Synergistic effects of treatment and age were not found for any measurements. Together, the size and volume ratio of cysts decreased with drug treatment, while renal function remained the same. Quantifying renal structure and function with MRI can comprehensively assess the pathophysiology of PKD and response to treatment.
Advancements in Extended–Wear Contact Lenses

Melvin I. Freeman, MD. FACS, is a Research Scientist in ophthalmology at the Virginia Mason Research Center, Seattle, Washington. He was previously in the private group practice of ophthalmology, where he served as Head of the Section of Ophthalmology at the Virginia Mason Clinic and Medical Center in Seattle. Washington. He is Emeritus Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology and past consultant to the Contact Lens Clinic at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Freeman is Emeritus Director of Continuing Medical Education at the Virginia Mason Medical Center.
Relations between actual group norms, perceived peer behavior, and bystander children's intervention to bullying

The goals of the study were (a) to predict children's intervention in bullying situations from class-level norms for intervention, as well as child-level perceptions of the number of peers who would intervene, and (b) to determine whether these predictions held when accounting for children's levels of empathy, prosocial behavior, and callous-unemotional traits. Participants were 751 racially and ethnically diverse fourth- and fifth-grade students (53.8% female) in 43 classes. Participants completed peer nominations about which classmates they perceived would intervene during bullying situations. Empathy and callous-unemotional traits were assessed via self report, whereas prosocial behavior was measured through peer report. Using multilevel modeling, each child's intervention in bullying was positively predicted from class-level norms for intervention (class means for the percentage of children who nominated each child as intervening) but negatively predicted from child-level perceptions of the number of peers who would intervene, after accounting for the 3 child traits. Class-level findings support past research on group norms which suggest that children are more likely to display a behavior if their peers display the same behavior. Child-level findings support the presence of the "bystander effect" in children's bullying episodes, in which children are less likely to intervene if they believe that more peers will do so. Thus, although children were more likely to intervene in classrooms with cultures that made intervention more normative, within the context of each class's culture, children were more likely to intervene if they perceived that fewer peers would do so.
On learning electricity with multi-agent based computational models (NIELS)

We present NIELS (NetLogo Investigations in Electromagnetism, Sengupta & Wilensky, 2005, 2006), a multi-agent based learning environment that represents phenomena such as Electric Current, Resistance, etc in the form of "emergent" (Wilensky & Resnick, 1999) computational models. Based on a pilot implementation in a 7th grade classroom, we argue that NIELS models enable learners to "think in levels" (Wilensky & Resnick, 1999) which in turn enables them to bootstrap their existing object-based knowledge structures to engender a deep, expert-like understanding.
Separation of pluripotent haematopoietic stem cells from spleen colony-forming cells

Long-term reconstitution of the lymphohaematopoietic cells of a mouse after lethal irradiation requires the transplantation of at least (5-10) x 10(3) bone marrow cells. Several cell-separation techniques based on cell-surface characteristics have been used in attempts to identify the pluripotent haematopoietic stem cells (PHSC), and have allowed the long-term engraftment of lethally irradiated mice with an enriched fraction of fewer than 200 marrow cells. But these techniques enrich not only for PHSC but also for haematopoietic progenitors, especially day-12 spleen colony-forming units (CFU-S). Although day-12 CFU-S have been postulated to be primitive multipotential haematopoietic progenitors, with day-8 CFU-S representing later, more committed progenitors, recent evidence suggests that neither of these CFU-S represents mouse PHSC. Here we report that counterflow centrifugal elutriation, which sorts cells on the basis of size and density, can separate PHSC from these less primitive progenitors. The fraction containing the largest cells was enriched for the granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM), but gave only transient, early engraftment and was therefore depleted of PHSC. The intermediate fraction was enriched for CFU-S, but depleted of CFU-GM. Despite being devoid of CFU-GM and CFU-S, the fraction consisting of only morphological lymphocytes gave sustained, albeit delayed, reconstitution of all lymphohaematopoietic cells, and was therefore enriched for PHSC. We conclude that there are two vital classes of engrafting cells: committed progenitors, which provide initial, unsustained engraftment, and PHSC, which produce delayed, but durable, engraftment. Therefore for late haematological reconstitution, PHSC must be transplanted with a distinguishable source of early engrafting cells, thereby allowing the lethally irradiated host to survive initial aplasia.
Structure and dynamics of the actin-based smooth muscle contractile and cytoskeletal apparatus.

The thin filaments of differentiated smooth muscle cells are composed of actin and tropomyosin isoforms and numerous ancillary actin-binding proteins that assemble together into distinct thin filament classes. These different filament classes are segregated in smooth muscle cells into structurally and functionally separated contractile and cytoskeletal cellular domains. Typically, thin filaments in smooth muscle cells have been considered to be relatively stable structures like those in striated cells. However, recent efforts have shown that smooth muscle thin filaments indeed are dynamic and that remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton, in particular, regulates smooth muscle function. Thus, the cytoskeleton of differentiated smooth muscle cells appears to function midway between that of less dynamic striated muscle cells and that of very plastic proliferative cells such as fibroblasts. Michael and Kate Barany keenly followed and participated in some of these studies, consistent with their broad interest in actin function and smooth muscle mechanisms. As a way of honoring the memory of these two pioneer members of the muscle research community, we review data on distribution and remodeling of thin filaments in smooth muscle cells, one of the many research topics that intrigued them.
NEGATIVE HELIOTROPISM OF UREDINIOSPORE GERM‐TUBES

During the course of some germination tests with urediniospores of Puccinia Rhamni (Pers.) Wettst. in the spring of I9I3 an apparent negative heliotropic reaction by the germ-tubes was seen. The spores had been sown in a drop culture exposed to a unilateral illumination on a window sill and a high per cent. of the tubes had grown directly away from the light. Subsequent tests with controls in darkness substantiated the first observations. A search of the literature brought forth a single mention of a heliotropic reaction in germinating rust spores. Ward,2 referring to a series of germination studies with urediniospores of Puccinia dispetsa, has written: "My reasons for varying the direction of incidence of the light in certain cases were based on some results (as yet inconclusive) that the germ-tubes exhibit heliotropic curvatures." That the sporidial germ-tubes of Puccinia malvacearum react negatively to daylight has been shown recently by Robinson,3 but aeciospore germ-tubes of Puccinia Poarum were found to be indifferent. Germ-tubes of conidia of Botrytis sp. also grew away from light but those of other non-rust fungi tested Alternatia sp., Penicillium glaucum and Peronospora parasitica, were indifferent according to Robinson. During the past fall, 1914, the study of the effect of light on germinating urediniospores of Puccinia Rhamni was again taken up. Urediniospores were obtained at first from the field and stored in gelatin capsules and later from cultures on oat plants grown in the greenhouse. The urediniospores of this species are especially suitable to daylight tests on account of their quick germination and the rapid growth of their germ-tubes. In the tests made the germ-tubes averaged in growth once to twice the spore length in as many hours and four to six times in three to four hours.
Tretinoin and photocarcinogenicity: an update

AbstractConflicting reports have described topical tretinoin as either enhancing or inhibiting ultraviolet radiation-induced tumorigenesis in albino hairless mice. A number of reviews have addressed the issue, with two assessing the relevance of the hairless mouse model. The large body of literature that describes the antineoplastic activity of tretinoin combined with the almost 25 years' use on sun-exposed human facial skin without evidence for carcinogenicity argue for a further analysis of the paradox. In this review, several new findings call into question the appropriateness of the model.
Use of recombinant pp38 antigen of Marek's disease virus to identify serotype 1-specific antibodies in chicken sera by Western blotting

A fowlpox recombinant expressing the pp38 antigen of Marek's disease virus has been constructed. Production of pp38 in chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF) infected at a m.o.i. of 1 pfu/cell occurred over a period of 5 days and reached a peak at 72 h after infection. The pp38 antigen could be released from infected cells by freezing and thawing. Western blot analysis showed that denatured pp38 antigen reacted with antisera from chickens inoculated with serotype 1 MDV but failed to react with antisera from chickens inoculated with MDV serotype 2 or HVT. The results suggest that MDV pp38 contains a serotype 1-specific epitope which becomes available upon denaturation of the antigen and that this could be exploited to identify MDV-specific antibodies in epidemiological studies. The relationship between pp38 and the related polypeptides pp24 and pp41 in MDV-infected cells was also examined. The results suggest that pp24 and pp38 are synthesised independently and that MDV coded proteins (probably a protein kinase) might be required to convert pp38 to pp41.
Two-dimensional Simulations of Buoyantly Rising, Interacting Magnetic Flux Tubes

We perform two-dimensional simulations of the buoyant rise of twisted horizontal magnetic flux tubes through an adiabatically stratified layer representing the solar convection zone or other marginally stable atmosphere. The numerical calculations employ the anelastic approximation to the basic MHD equations. We confirm the results of recent compressible simulations by Moreno-Insertis & Emonet that the azimuthal component of the tube magnetic field can prevent the splitting of the tube into a vortex pair, and that most of the flux in the initial tube cross section rises in the form of a rigid body that reaches a terminal speed similar to the prediction of the often-employed thin-flux-tube model. We also study the interaction between a pair of buoyant flux tubes as they rise in proximity. In the case of two identical flux tubes that start from the same level, we find that the wake behind each tube interacts with the wake of the other, prompting mirror-symmetric vortex shedding in each wake. As a result, each tube gains around it a net circulation of the opposite sign of the most recently shed eddy; this causes a periodic, horizontal lift force that makes the tubes oscillate horizontally as they rise. The tube interactions in this case differ substantially from the inviscid limit studied previously. For two identical flux tubes that start at different levels, the resulting interactions depend upon the details of the initial configuration of the two tubes and can be very different from the interactions seen in the symmetrical case. In the asymmetric case, it becomes possible for one flux tube to be drawn into the wake of the other, leading eventually to a merger of the tubes.
The oligodendrocyte lineage genes Olig1 and Olig2 in CNS development

The oligodendrocyte lineage genes Olig1 and Olig2 encode related bHLH proteins that are co-expressed in neural progenitors. Targeted disruption of these two genes sheds light on the ontogeny of oligodendroglia and genetic requirements for their development from multipotent CNS progenitors. Olig2 is required for oligodendrocyte and motor neuron specification in the spinal cord. Olig1 has roles in development and maturation of oligodendrocytes, evident especially within the brain. Both Olig genes contribute to neural pattern formation. Neither Olig gene is required for astrocytes. These findings, together with fate mapping of Olig-expressing cells, challenge the notion that oligodendrocytes arise from a glial-restricted precursor. Rather, they indicate that oligodendrocytes are derived from Olig-specified progenitors that give rise also to neurons.
Localization of Left Free‐Wall and Posteroseptal Accessory Atrioventricular Pathways by Direct Recording of Accessory Pathway Activation

With the advent of catheter ablation techniques, precise localization of accessory AV pathways (AP) assumes greater importance. In an effort to define the course of AP fibers, we attempted to record activation of 56 left free-wall and 23 posteroseptal APs in 62 patients undergoing electrophysiological study. The coronary sinus (CS) and great cardiac vein (GCV) were mapped using orthogonal catheter electrodes, which provide a recording dipole perpendicular to the AV groove. The tricuspid annulus (TA) was mapped using a 2 mm spaced octapolar electrode catheter. Potentials were considered to represent AP activation only if they could be dissociated from both atrial and ventricular activation by programmed stimulation. Orthogonal catheter electrodes in the CS and GCV were advanced beyond the site of earliest retrograde atrial activation and/or earliest antegrade ventricular activation in 45 of the 56 left free-wall APs, and AP potentials were recorded from 42 (93%). An oblique course was identified in 36 APs, with the ventricular insertion being recorded 4-30 mm (median 15 mm) distal or anterior to the atrial insertion. In three patients, antegrade and retrograde conduction proceeded over different (but close) parallel fibers. AP potentials were recorded from 19 of 23 posteroseptal pathways. Ten pathways (left posteroseptal) were recorded from the CS, beginning 5-11 mm (median 9 mm) distal to the os, with potentials extending 8-18 mm (median 11 mm) distally. Four pathways (mid-septal) were recorded along the TA, anterior to the CS ostium and posterior to the His bundle catheter. Five pathways (right posteroseptal) were recorded along the TA, directly opposite or immediately posterior to the CS ostium. One of the patients had both midseptal and left posteroseptal pathways and three patients had both right posteroseptal and left posteroseptal pathways. We conclude: 1) left free-wall APs transit the AV groove obliquely and may be comprised of multiple, closely spaced, parallel fibers; 2) the anatomical location of "posteroseptal" pathways is variable and the presence of fibers at multiple sites is common; and 3) direct recordings of AP activation facilitate tracking of the accessory pathway along its course from atrium to ventricle and help identify the presence of multiple fibers.