cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validation of a High-Throughput Calcium Mobilization Assay for the Human Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1:

The human trace amine-associated receptor 1 (hTAAR1) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that is widely expressed in monoaminergic nuclei in the central nervous system and has therapeutic potential for multiple diseases, including drug addiction and schizophrenia. Thus, identification of novel hTAAR1 ligands is critical to advancing our knowledge of hTAAR1 function and to the development of therapeutics for a wide range of diseases. Herein we describe the development of a robust, 3-addition high-throughput screening (HTS) calcium mobilization assay using stable CHO-Gαq16-hTAAR1 cells, which functionally couple hTAAR1 to the promiscuous Gαq16 protein and thus allow signal transduction to occur through mobilization of internal calcium. Our previously established 96-well hTAAR1 assay was first miniaturized to the 384-well format and optimized to provide an assay with a Z' factor of 0.84, which is indicative of a robust HTS assay. Using the 3-addition protocol, 22,000 compounds were screened and yielded a ~1% agonist hit rate and a ~0.2% antagonist hit rate. Of the antagonist hits, two confirmed hits are the most potent hTAAR1 antagonists identified to date (IC50 = 206 and 281 nM). While scientists have been studying hTAAR1 for years, the lack of suitable hTAAR1 antagonists has been a major roadblock for studying the basic pharmacology of hTAAR1. Thus, these new ligands will serve as valuable tools to study hTAAR1-mediated signaling mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and in vivo functions.
Familial LEOPARD Syndrome With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Multiple lentigines syndrome is an autosomal dominant inherited condition with variable expressivity that is also known as LEOPARD syndrome. LEOPARD stands for lentigines, electrocardiographic conduction defects, ocular hypertelorism, pulmonary valve stenosis, abnormalities of genitalia, retardation of growth, and deafness. LEOPARD syndrome most frequently develops secondary to a missense mutation of protein-tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 11 gene, which encodes tyrosine phosphatase. The missense mutation p.Tyr279Cys can either occur as a de novo mutation or affect multiple family members. Although hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is not part of the LEOPARD acronym, it is the most frequent cardiac anomaly observed in this syndrome. The recognition of increased left or right ventricular wall thickness in patients with LEOPARD syndrome may have significant impact on their clinical course similar to classic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which may require septal reduction procedures for relief of left or right ventricular outflow tract obstruction or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement for sudden cardiac death prevention. We describe a case series of a family with diffuse lentigines and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in which the son carries the protein-tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 11 (p.Tyr279Cys) gene mutation and both the son and daughter underwent left ventricular myectomy at an early age. In conclusion, our case series of a family with LEOPARD syndrome illustrates the importance of recognizing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as part of this syndrome.
Biological Soil Crusts of the Great Plains: A Review

Abstract Biological soil crusts (BSCs), or biocrusts, are composed of fungi, bacteria, algae, and bryophytes (mosses, etc.) that occupy bare soil, entwining soil particles with filaments or rootlike structures and/or gluing them together with polysaccharide exudates to form a consolidated surface crust that stabilizes the soil against erosion. BSCs are common in arid and semiarid regions where vascular plant cover is naturally sparse, maximizing the exposure of surface-dwelling organisms to direct sunlight. Although less prominent and less studied there, BSC organisms are also present in more mesic areas such as the Great Plains where they can be found in shortgrass and mixed-grass prairie, in the badlands of several states, where burrowing animals have created patches of bare soil, on damaged road-cuts, strip-mines, gas and oil drill pads, military training areas, heavily grazed areas, and burn scars. Even where BSCs are not readily visible to the naked eye, many of the organisms are still present. BSC organisms are passively dispersed to the Great Plains as airborne organismal fragments, asexual diaspores, or sexual spores that accompany wind-blown dust from as far away as northern China and Mongolia. BSCs can best be studied and managed by 1) acknowledging their presence; 2) documenting their diversity, abundance, and functional roles; and 3) minimizing unnecessary disturbance, particularly when the soils are dry. This paper describes the current knowledge of Great Plains BSCs in an effort to heighten awareness of these cryptic but crucial ecosystem components and to encourage new research initiatives to better understand and manage them in this biome. Some specific actions may include refined taxonomic and ecologic studies of BSC organisms in underexplored areas, particularly those previously less or not recognized as BSC habitat, and incorporation of techniques to sample airborne organisms.
Fully threaded sacroiliac lag screws have higher load to failure when compared to partially threaded screws: A biomechanical study.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to compare biomechanical properties of fully and partially threaded iliosacral screws. We hypothesise that fully threaded screws will have a higher yield force, and less deformation than partially threaded screws following axial loading. Twenty sawbone blocks were uniformly divided to simulate vertical sacral fractures. Ten blocks were affixed with fully threaded iliosacral screws in an over-drilled, lag-by-technique fashion whilst the remaining ten were fixed with partially threaded lag-by-design screws. All screws measured 7.3-mm x 145 mm, and were inserted to a 70% of calculated maximal insertional torque, ensuring uniform screw placement throughout across models. Continuous axial loads were applied to 3 constructs of each type to failure to determine baseline characteristics. Five hundred loading cycles of 500 N at 1 Hz were applied to 4 constructs of each type, and then axially loaded to failure. Force displacement curves, elastic, and plastic deformation of each construct was recorded. Fully threaded constructs had a 428% higher yield force, 61% higher stiffness, 125% higher ultimate force, and 66% lower yield deformation (p
Re-Reading Ishi's Story: Interpreting Representation in Three Worlds

Rereading Ishi’s Story offers a manifesto of sorts through a critical reading of an anthropological classic, Theodora Kroeber’s 1961 book, Ishi in Two Worlds: A Biography of the Last Wild Indian in North America. The heart of the analysis involves a five-play cycle, built around Gerald Vizenor’s trickster-survivance model. It gives Ishi a voice he never had in Kroeber’s book and imagines an Ishi who was not the happy warrior in Kroeber’s book. The author follows the story line in Kroeber’s book, focusing on key events as recounted by Alfred Kroeber and his associates Saxton Pope and Thomas Waterman. Chapter 1 tells Ishi’s story in his own words; Chapter 2 retells Ishi’s capture narrative, which includes the recording of his story of the wood ducks; Chapter 3 builds on stories told about Ishi by Zumwalt Jr.; Chapter 4 criticizes Kroeber and associates for making Ishi return to his homeland, asking him to ‘play’ Indian; and Chapter 5 takes up his death and the recovery of his brain. The concluding chapters address repatriation practices, genocide, Indigenous ethics, discourses of forgiveness, and a performance autoethnography ethic for this new century, returning to the Kroebers and their autoethnographic practices. This book continues a four-volume project on Native Americans, the postmodern Wild West shows, museums, violence, genocide, and the modern U.S. American use of the Native American in a collective search for an authentic identity (Denzin, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2008). It will be of great interest to scholars and students of qualitative inquiry, anthropology, and Native American studies.
Improving Representation of People With Disabilities in Health Education

Over the past two decades, there has been increasing recognition of the importance and merits of increasing representation of historically underrepresented minorities in the health professions. How...
Image-based Motion Artifact Reduction on Liver Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI

Abstract Liver MRI images often suffer degraded quality from ghosting or blurring artifact caused by patient respiratory or bulk motion. In this study, we developed a two-stage deep learning model to reduce motion artifact on dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) liver MRIs. The stage-I network utilized a deep residual network with a densely connected multi-resolution block (DRN-DCMB) network to remove the majority of motion artifacts. The stage-II network applied the perceptual loss to preserve image structural features by updating the parameters of the stage-I network via backpropagation. The stage-I network was trained using small image patches simulated with five types of motion, i.e., rotational, sinusoidal, random, elastic deformation and through-plane, to mimic actual liver motion patterns. The stage-II network training used full-size images with the same types of motion as the stage-I network. The motion reduction deep learning model was testing using simulated motion images and images with real motion artifacts. The resulted images after two-stage processing demonstrated substantially reduced motion artifacts while preserved anatomic details without image blurriness. This model outperformed existing methods of motion reduction artifact on liver DCE-MRI.
Early childhood neurodevelopmental outcome after open prenatal spina bifida aperta repair

AIM To investigate neurodevelopmental outcome of children with open prenatal spina bifida aperta (SBA) repair. METHOD Prenatal SBA repair was performed in 130 fetuses at the Zurich Center between 2010 and 2019. Seventy-seven children underwent 1 year assessment with the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales (Griffiths) and 65 with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) at 2 years. Anatomical and functional level and ambulation status were assessed. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses for risk factors were performed. RESULTS The Bayley-III cognition composite score in children with prenatal SBA repair was within normal limits but lower compared to population norms (mean=95.15, SD=14.683 vs norm=100, SD=15, p=0.01). Fine motor development (mean=9.58, SD=2.744, p=0.227) was typical while gross motor development was lower than the norm (mean=3.02, SD=2.758 vs norm=10, SD=3, p<0.001). Griffiths developmental quotient subscales correlated significantly with corresponding Bayley-III scores (all p<0.001, r=0.519-0.594). At 2 years, 50.8% could walk. INTERPRETATION Children with non-trial open prenatal SBA repair show favourable cognitive outcome in the low-average range at 1 and 2 years of age. While gross motor function remained delayed, fine motor function was age appropriate. The correlation between Griffiths and Bayley-III allows a prediction about neurodevelopmental outcome at the age of 1 year. What this paper adds Children with non-trial open prenatal spina bifida repair show favourable cognitive outcome. Gross motor function remains impaired, while fine motor function is age appropriate. At 2 years of age, 50.8% of children were walking. Neurodevelopmental testing correlated between 1 (Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales) and 2 (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition) years.
The Elements of Hume’s Theory of Imagination

At the close of the preceding chapter, I not only asserted that Hume’s general conception of imagination is the most important single element of his theory of imagination; I also tried to support that assertion. It follows from this that I conceive the task of bringing to light this general conception to be the most important single task connected with his theory. Nevertheless, it does not follow from this that I conceive it to be the only important task connected with it. On the contrary, one of the fruits of the examination of other Humanian commentators’ interpretations is precisely this: that it leaves me with several important tasks to perform with regard to Hume’s theory, even when it is considered apart from its involvement with the argument of his philosophy of the human understanding. These tasks, though, are reducible to the following general ones: (i) that of enumerating and articulating all of the essential elements of Hume’s theory as they appear in, or emerge from, Treatise I; and (2) that of determining which of these elements are present in and which, if any, are absent from Enquiry I.1
Modified Development of the Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenocortical (HPA) Axis Response to Stress in Young Rodents with Experimentally Altered Thyroid Status

The study of development of the stress-adaptive hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis in young rodents is of interest because of the considerable degree of maturation which occurs postnatally. When first described by Schapiro et al. (1962), the so-called stress non-responsive (SNR) period was felt to be absolute, with the HPA axis of rats unable to respond to a stress between approximately postnatal days 3 and 12. With the advancement of technological methods it has been demonstrated that the SNR period is relative rather than absolute, and that HPA axis response during this time is dampened rather than prevented (Schoenfeld et al., 1980; Milkovic et al., 1982). Nonetheless, significant maturation of HPA axis components must occur before response levels approach those of adults, after the third postnatal week (Guillet et al., 1980).
The Reduction of Cytochrome c by Milk Xanthine Oxidase

The reduction of cytochrome c by xanthine oxidase and the competitive inhibition of this process by carbonic anhydrase and by myoglobin have been studied by kinetic and by equilibrium binding methods. Carbonic anhydrases isolated from bovine and from human erythrocytes differed strikingly in their ability to inhibit competitively the reduction of cytochrome c. The Ks for cytochrome c was a function of the concentration of xanthine oxidase, as were Ki for carbonic anhydrase and Ki for myoglobin, whereas Ks for xanthine was invariant under the same conditions. Binding studies performed by a variety of methods indicated that carbonic anhydrase does not bind to xanthine oxidase. Carbonic anhydrase was found to be a potent inhibitor of the sulfite-oxygen chain reaction initiated either by the reduction of oxygen at an electrode or by xanthine oxidase plus xanthine. The data are consistent with the conclusion that xanthine oxidase, when catalyzing the aerobic oxidation of xanthine, generates an unstable reduced form of oxygen, presumably the superoxide anion, and that this radical is the agent which directly reduces cytochrome c and initiates the sulfite-oxygen chain reaction. Carbonic anhydrase and myoglobin appear to inhibit the reduction of cytochrome c and the initiation of sulfite oxidation by reducing the steady state concentration of the superoxide anion. It is proposed that they accomplish this end by catalyzing the following dismutation reaction: O2·− + O2·− + 2H+ → O2 + H2O2
Is Board Structure One-Size-Fits-All? The Unintended Informational Consequence of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

In this paper we examine how board structure affects the informativeness of board members by comparing the returns earned by officers and independent directors from purchasing the firm’s shares. We investigate whether an exogenous shock to the board structure—the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act and related exchange mandates (the SOX)—leads to a shift in information asymmetry between officers and independent directors. We document a rise in information asymmetry among firms whose boards were previously dominated by insiders, and whose board independence was more likely to be affected by the SOX: An increase in board independence is followed by a significantly larger difference in buy-and-hold returns between officers and existing independent directors. Outsiders joining the board post SOX earn even lower returns than existing independent directors. The increase in information asymmetry for these firms prevails over to independent directors serving a crucial role of board function such as the audit committee.
Congenital and Developmental Diseases

The pathology of infectious diseases of the lung is, for the most part, similar in adults and children. However, a number of other disorders either are seen almost exclusively in the pediatric age group (e.g., congenital anomalies) or occur in circumstances peculiar to this age group (e.g., hyaline membrane disease and bronchopulmonary dysplasia). Congenital anomalies of the lung are usually noted within the first weeks to months of life but may not be discovered until later in childhood or, in some cases such as bronchogenic cysts, until adulthood. A knowledge of the development of the lung is important in the understanding of the morphologic features of these anomalies.
Inflammation and skeletal metastasis

On the road to metastasis a cancer cell has to overcome two major obstacles: the physical escape from the primary tumor to a distant tissue and the adaptation to the new microenvironment via colonization and the formation of a secondary tumor. Accumulated scientific findings support the hypothesis that inflammation is a critical component of the tumor microenvironment and develops as a result of tumor-induced recruitment of inflammatory cells and their reciprocal interaction with other cells from the tumor network. These interactions modulate immune responses to suppress antitumor immunity and activate feedback amplification signaling loops that link nearly all the cells in the cancer inflammatory milieu. The coordinated regulation of cytokines/chemokines, receptors and other inflammatory mediators enables the different steps of the metastatic cascade. As a target organ for colonization, the bone is rich in inflammatory mediators that are critical for successful cancer growth. In this review, we focus on the inflammatory cells, molecules and mechanisms that facilitate the expansion of cancer cells from the primary tumor to their new 'home' in the skeleton.
Love Song of the Foreign Liberator: Teaching Tibetan History to American Students in the PRC

This article takes as its point of departure Love Song of Kangding (康定情歌), a romantic film from fall 2010 which propagandizes the positive consequences of the liberation of Tibetan cultural areas by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in 1950-51. The article describes how the film fit into a semester-long course on contemporary Tibet taught to American students in Chengdu, Sichuan, and the particular sensitivities and difficulties relating to learning about Tibetan history in China.
Theory of Photometric Errors Applied to the Design and Evaluation of a High-Performance Filter Photometer

We have applied a comprehensive theory of photometric errors to the design and evaluation of an inexpensive stabilized photometer. The photometer is described in terms of a group of modules, the characteristics of which are described in terms of their effect on specific error coefficients. Procedures described in this paper show how the principles described earlier [ Clin. Chem. 20, 1028 (1974)] can be used to optimize the design of new instrumentation or to evaluate the performance of existing instrumentation. Chemical data are included to verify the agreement between predicted and experimental results
Opening Schumer's Box (2014 Version)

This Article explores the fundamental failure of Congress’ 25-year quest to utilize disclosure as the primary tool to both regulate credit card issuers and educate consumers. From inception until present, reforms to this disclosure regime, even when premised on judgment and decision-making behavioralism, were nomothetic in orientation, ignoring clear differences in population behavior and the heterogeniety of consumers. Current law prohibits credit card issuers from acquiring consumer socio-demographic data. and prevents issuers and regulators from market and policy experimentation intended to enhance disclosure’s efficacy. To explain why this regime was structured this way and why it must change, the Article contains four key sections: (1) a comprehensive review of the creation of our modern consumer credit card regulatory scheme; (2) a survey of the empirical evidence used to update and expand that disclosure-centered regime over twenty-five years; (3) an account of why the existing scheme’s disclosure function substantially fails, notwithstanding recent reforms; and (4) an argument that to achieve optimal credit card disclosure efficacy, the law must permit issuers to acquire and utilize customer socio-demographic information, including race, gender, and other characteristics.
Comparison of two anti-T-2 toxin immunoglobulins by direct ELISA

Monoclonal anti-T-2 IgGs produced from 12C12 and 15H6 hybridomas were compared by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Binding activity was linear from 0.005 to 0.25 μg protein/ml with 12C12 and from 0.005 to 0.09 μg protein/ml with 15H6. The quantity of T-2 toxin (μg protein/ml) required for one-half maximum binding activity of 15H6 (0.0875 μg protein/ml) was approximately 68% that of 12C12 (μg protein/ml).
Fate of maturation protein during infection by coliphage MS2.

RNA coliphages contain two species of protein: coat protein, the major structural component; and maturation protein, which is probably present in only one copy per virion1–3. The precise function of maturation protein is uncertain, but it is required for phage adsorption to F-pili of the E. coli host4 and for reconstitution of infectious phage5. In infected cells, newly synthesized maturation protein is found associated with viral RNA6, suggesting that an RNA-maturation protein complex may be present in virus particles.
Constructive axiomatizations of plane absolute, Euclidean and hyperbolic geometry

In this paper we provide quantifier-free, constructive axiomatizations for 2-dimensional absolute, Euclidean, and hyperbolic geometry. The main novelty consists in the first-order languages in which the axiom systems are formulated.
Rater (dis)agreement on risk assessment measures in sexually violent predator proceedings: Evidence of adversarial allegiance in forensic evaluation?

Actuarial risk assessment measures are often admitted in court, partly because strong psychometric properties such as interrater agreement suggest that they increase reliability and reduce subjectivity in forensic evaluation. But how strong is rater agreement when raters are retained by opposing sides in adversarial legal proceedings? The authors review sexual offender civil commitment cases in which opposing evaluators reported scores on the STATIC-99, the Minnesota Sex Offender Sex Offender Screening Tool—Revised (MnSOST–R), or the Psychopathy Checklist—Revised (PCL–R) for the same individual. Differences between scores from opposing evaluators were often greater than expected based on rater agreement values reported in the instrument manuals and research literature. Score differences were often in a direction that supported the party who retained each evaluator. Rater agreement was stronger for the STATIC-99, intraclass correlation coefficient ([ICC]A,1) = .64; than for the MnSOST–R, ICC(A,1) = .48; and the PCL–R, ICC(A,1) = .42. STATIC-99 scores appeared less influenced by adversarial allegiance. Overall, however, results raise concern that an evaluator's adversarial allegiance could influence some assessment instrument scores in forensic evaluation.
Bridging the Gender Gap in Criminology: Liberation and Gender-Specific Strain Effects on Delinquency *

This study explores the empirical grounds for bridging the gender gap between liberation theories of female crime by integrating selected concepts from strain and liberation theses to explain female delinquency and gender differences in delinquency. Additive and interactive analyses were conducted with a sample of 1,613 adolescents. The findings provide little support for combining liberation and strain, primarily because of the inadequacy of liberated attitudes for strongly and consistently differentiating female delinquency. Strain, however, differed for males and females but was consistently and positively related to delinquency for both groups.
Structure of the streptococcal groups A, A-variant and C carbohydrates.

Abstract Structural studies on the Groups A, A-variant and C carbohydrates of β-hemolytic streptococci indicate that they have in common a polyrhamnose core. The A-variant carbohydrate consists solely of this polyrhamnose structure which has been shown to contain alternating α1, 2-and α1, 3-linked rhamnose units. In agreement with results first published by Heidelberger and his coworkers (Estrada-Parra et al ., 1963), the Group A carbohydrate has been shown to contain N -acetylgulcosamine residues attached to the 3-position of the 1, 2-linked rhamnose units in this polyrhamnose structure. These N -acetylglucosamine residues impart group-specificity to the Group A carbohydrate. The Group C carbohydrate differs from the Group A carbohydrate by having 3- O -α- N -acetylgalactosaminosyl- N -acetylgalactosamine units attached to the 3-position of the polyrhamnose structure. These N -acetylgalactosamine disaccharides are capable of inhibiting the binding of Group C carbohydrate to anti-Group C sera and are cross-reactive with the Forssman antigen.
Imaging coherent electron flow in a two-dimensional electron gas

Abstract Images of coherent electron flow through a two-dimensional electron gas in a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure from a quantum point contact (QPC) were obtained at liquid He temperatures by using a scanning probe microscope with a charged tip that backscatters electrons. Near the QPC, at distances less than 500 nm , the images show angular lobes of electron flow in patterns determined by the quantum modes of the QPC. At greater distances, narrow branches of electron flow are observed, formed by the cumulative effects of small-angle scattering. In addition, the images show fringes spaced by half the Fermi wavelength, evidence that the electron flow is coherent. These observations agree well with theoretical simulations of electron flow.
Nonlinear dynamics of planetary gears using analytical and finite element models

Vibration-induced gear noise and dynamic loads remain key concerns in many transmission applications that use planetary gears. Tooth separations at large vibrations introduce nonlinearity in geared systems. The present work examines the complex, nonlinear dynamic behavior of spur planetary gears using two models: (i) a lumped-parameter model, and (ii) a finite element model. The two-dimensional (2D) lumped-parameter model represents the gears as lumped inertias, the gear meshes as nonlinear springs with tooth contact loss and periodically varying stiffness due to changing tooth contact conditions, and the supports as linear springs. The 2D finite element model is developed from a unique finite element-contact analysis solver specialized for gear dynamics. Mesh stiffness variation excitation, corner contact, and gear tooth contact loss are all intrinsically considered in the finite element analysis. The dynamics of planetary gears show a rich spectrum of nonlinear phenomena. Nonlinear jumps, chaotic motions, and period-doubling bifurcations occur when the mesh frequency or any of its higher harmonics are near a natural frequency of the system. Responses from the dynamic analysis using analytical and finite element models are successfully compared qualitatively and quantitatively. These comparisons validate the effectiveness of the lumped-parameter model to simulate the dynamics of planetary gears. Mesh phasing rules to suppress rotational and translational vibrations in planetary gears are valid even when nonlinearity from tooth contact loss occurs. These mesh phasing rules, however, are not valid in the chaotic and period-doubling regions.
Design of PLL-based clock generation circuits

The design of clock generation circuitry being used as a part of a high-performance microprocessor chip set is described. A self-calibrating tapped delay line is used to generate four nonoverlapping clock phases of a system clock. A charge-pump phase-locked loop (PLL) calibrates the delay per stage of the delay line. Using this technique, it is possible to obtain an accurate phase relationship between the off-chip reference clock and the internal clock signals. Experimental results show that required timing relations can be obtained with less than 2-ns clock skew for frequencies from 1 to 18 MHz.
Perspectives of Palestinian and Jewish Parents in Israel on Bilingual Education.

This article is based on a study conducted at the first Arabic and Hebrew bilingual school in Israel (Neve-Shalom/Wahat-Alsalam – NSWAS). The article focuses on Jewish as well as Palestinian parents' perspectives and responses to survey questions and interviews conducted at the school. Parents named reasons for choosing the school, satisfaction with the school, concerns, and their visions of the school's peace education goals and mission. The results of the study indicate a level of trust in the school's ability to promote cultural understanding and tolerance among children from both sides. The data analysis also suggests that Jewish parents chose the school mainly because it offers smaller classrooms while Palestinian parents chose it mainly because it is a bilingual school. The article provides analysis of the results, makes recommendations to establish and maintain the bilingual and bi-national nature of such schools in Israel and recommends directions for future research.
Colorectal carcinoma in patients with Crohn's Disease*

Abstract Epidemiologic studies have shown a fourfold to 20-fold increased risk of colorectal carcinoma in patients with Crohn's disease as compared with the general population, but management for this risk is controversial. This paper presents a series of 10 patients with Crohn's disease and colorectal carcinoma from one institution and a review of the literature. Compared with 118 consecutive patients having colorectal carcinoma of the usual type at the same institution, the 10 patients were younger (mean age 55 vs. 65 yr, p
Mechanism of Inhibition of Porcine Leukocyte 12-Lipoxygenase by the Isoform-Specific Inhibitor 4-(2-Oxapentadeca-4-yne)phenylpropanoic Acid†

The mechanism of inhibition of porcine leukocyte 12-lipoxygenase by 4-(2-oxapentadeca-4-yne)phenylpropanoic acid (OPP) was investigated. This compound is selective for the leukocyte form of the 12-lipoxygenase and inhibits the purified recombinant enzyme with an IC(50) value of approximately 2 microM. OPP induced a concentration-dependent lag phase in the oxygenation of arachidonic acid and decreased the maximal rate of reaction. Addition of the fatty acid hydroperoxide 13(S)-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE) to the reaction greatly reduced the OPP-induced lag. Lineweaver-Burk analysis of the effect of OPP on 12-lipoxygenase kinetics with arachidonic acid indicated that it was a mixed-type inhibitor. OPP was not metabolized by 12-lipoxygenase as evidenced by its quantitative recovery from incubations with stoichiometric amounts of enzyme and 13-HPODE or arachidonic acid. OPP inhibited the pseudoperoxidase activity of the enzyme with 13-HPODE and the reducing agent, BWA137C. Lineweaver-Burk analysis of the effect of OPP on pseudoperoxidase kinetics suggested that OPP was competitive with 13-HPODE. Single-turnover experiments indicated that OPP inhibited the reduction of 13-HPODE by a stoichiometric amount of ferrous 12-lipoxygenase. Addition of 13-HPODE shortened the OPP-induced lag phase but did not affect the maximal rate of enzyme activity. In addition, OPP had no effect on total product formation in either the presence or the absence of 5 microM 13-HPODE when the reaction was allowed to go to completion. All of these observations are consistent with a model for inhibition of 12-lipoxygenase activity in which OPP slows the oxidation of the inactive ferrous enzyme to the active ferric enzyme and competes with arachidonic acid for the ferric enzyme.
Comprehension of instructions in varying contexts

Abstract This study explored the effects of extralinguistic context on how people process sentences which describe transitive relations between two items. The Ss were given two different tasks; they either had to move both items to make the described arrangement, or they had to move either one of the two items with respect to the other. The former type of task was harder. The hypothesis proposed to account for the results is that Ss initially process these sentences to determine the role of the grammatical subject in the described relation, an analysis which does not explicitly specify the role of the grammatical object. The role of the grammatical object, we suggested, is only determined explicitly when the task requires it.
Modulation of glycan detection on specific glycoproteins by lectin multimerization.

Improved methods for studying glycans could spur significant advances in the understanding and application of glycobiology. The use of affinity reagents such as lectins and glycan-binding antibodies is a valuable complement to methods involving mass spectrometry and chromatography. Many lectins, however, are not useful as analytic tools due to low affinity in vitro. As an approach to increasing lectin avidity to targeted glycans, we tested the use of lectin multimerization. Several biotinylated lectins were linked together through streptavidin interactions. The binding of certain lectins for purified glycoproteins and glycoproteins captured directly out of biological solutions was increased using multimerization, resulting in the detection of lower concentrations of glycoprotein than possible using monomeric detection. The analysis of glycoproteins in plasma samples showed that the level of binding enhancement through multimerization was not equivalent across patient samples. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) r...
Acclimation responses to salinity of three estuarine red algae from New Jersey

The effects of salinity and acclimation time on the net photosynthetic responses of 3 estuarine red algae, Bostrychia radicans Mont., Caloglossa leprieurii (Mont.) J. Ag., and Polysiphonia subtilissima Mont., from Great Bay Estuary, New Jersey, USA, were investigated. The algae were cultured in a series of synthetic seawater media of 5, 15, 25 and 35% S for acclimation periods of 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 days prior to determining their photosynthetic responses. All species were euryhaline, and demonstrated photosynthesis at all the above salinities. B. radicans, which was more common towards the mouth of the estuary, had a maximum photosynthetic rate at 25% S, whilst C. leprieurii and P. subtilissima, which were more common towards the head of the estuary, had photosynthetic maxima between 15 and 25%, and at 15%, respectively. The curves relating net photosynthesis to salinity were usually similar within a species at different acclimation periods, although statistically significant differences were sometimes noted. The acclimation periods producing maximal net photosynthesis were 0, 2 and 4 days for B. radicans, and 4 days for C. leprieurii, whilst for P. subtilissima there was no significant difference in response for any acclimation period over the range of salinities studied.
Validation of response function construction and probing heterogeneous protein hydration by intrinsic tryptophan.

Protein solvation dynamics usually occur on multiple time scales with site specificity and the characterization of such heterogeneous dynamics requires a convenient optical probe. We proposed a tryptophan methodology and with site-directed mutagenesis we can use a tryptophan scan to probe any desirable position around protein surfaces. Here, we report our extended solvation model for construction of response functions for probes such as tryptophan with multiple emission peaks and lifetimes. We show our systematic construction procedure and careful analyses of the possible missing percentage of an initial ultrafast component with the established zero-time emission spectrum and limited temporal resolution through two methods of the direct mapping of femtosecond resolved fluorescence spectra (3D FRES) and the constructed FRES (2D) from the fluorescence transients. We unambiguously validate our extended model with reexamination of solvation dynamics (methanol, water and proteins) using conventional dye coumarin, intrinsic tryptophan and cofactor flavin. Using mutant proteins of GB1, we show again the generality of the powerful probe tryptophan for protein hydration (solvation) and the slowdown of the hydration layer dynamics especially at the water-protein interface. These results justify the necessity of our extended solvation model, clarify the confusion of protein hydration in the recent literature, and establish the universal optical probe of tryptophan for heterogeneous protein dynamics.
Relationship Between Loudness Discomfort Level and Acoustic Reflex Threshold for Normal and Sensorineural Hearing-Impaired Individuals

The relationship between loudness discomfort level (LDL) and acoustic reflex threshold (ART) was determined by comparing the ART to the LDL obtained by the psychophysical method of constant stimuli...
Brassboard tests of a high-resolution interferometer (GHIS) installed in a GOES sounder

Examination of future NOAA Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite (GOES) IR sounder requirement suggested replacing the present GOES I-M series filter wheel instrument with a high-resolution FTIR interferometer. NOAA and MIT Lincoln Laboratory initiated a design and test program replacement feasibility. In collaboration with NASA and ITT Aerospace, a brassboard-version GOES High-Resolution Interferometer Sounder (GHIS) developed under this pathfinder program was installed inside an earlier generation sounder at ITT Aerospace. This paper describes the suite of tests performed while operating the GHIS brassboard at room temperature inside the sounder. Results from the tests effort highlight key issues involved in characterizing FTIR interferometer performance for GOES sounder applications.
Public Housing and Slums: Cure or Cause?

This paper tests the hypothesis that an increase in the supply of public housing causes a substantially offsetting decline in the quantity supplied of competing private units. The statistical results offer little by way of confirmation of this view.A comparative statics model of the rental housing market is presented from which estimating equations suitable for regression analysis are derived. Data from the US Census are used to estimate the effect of public housing on the private rental sector in 33 cities in New York State. The empirical evidence suggests a 5 to 9 per cent induced decline in private market rents per one per cent increase in the proportion of public units in the total housing stock. No meaningful evidence of private market vacancies, demolitions or dilapidation offsetting to the public units was found.
MR Imaging of Femoroacetabular Impingement

FAI is a common cause of OA of the hip. It can be caused by decreased offset of the femoral head and neck, resulting in abutment of the femoral neck against the acetabular rim (cam impingement) and abutment of this area into the well-constrained socket (pincer impingement)within normal range of motion [15]. This repetitive mechanical trauma to the hip joint causes mechanical wear of the labrum and articular cartilage; left untreated, it causes pain, labral tears, and chondral injuries leading to progressive OA of the hip. The identification of FAI as a cause of OA allows appropriate therapy early and thus delays or prevents end-stage arthritis.MR imaging and MR arthrography are accurate noninvasive imaging modalities able to demonstrate acetabular labral disease and adjacent cartilage damage as well as the subchondral cysts and synovial herniation pits associated with impingement. In addition, MR imaging is able to detect underlying subtle anatomic variations of the femoral head-neck junction and acetabulum associated with FAI.
Reference groups and family size norms

The concept of reference groups is introduced as a theoretically useful mechanism involved in diffusing collective norms and values about family size and in formation of family size ideals of individual family members. Data were gathered via self-administered questionnaires from a random sample of 140 urban and 55 rural families in the Lansing, Michigan metropolitan area. Findings show major variations by sex. Conformity to a two-child family norm in the family size ideals of wives depends on the extent to which they are exposed to this norm through reference group interaction and on the size of their families of origin. Husbands' family size ideals are influenced by size of family of origin but not by reference group interaction. In further exploring this pattern of findings, important differences emerge by controlling for educational attainment and residential location.
Vectors and parameters that enhance the efficacy of RNAi-mediated gene disruption in transgenic Drosophila

Whole-genome transgenic RNAi libraries permit systematic genetic screens in individual tissues of Drosophila. However, there is a high incidence of nonspecific phenotypes because of off-target effects. To minimize such effects, it is essential to obtain a deeper understanding of the specificity of action of RNAi. Here, in vivo assays are used to determine the minimum, contiguous nucleotide pairing required between an siRNA and a target mRNA to generate a phenotype. We observe that as few as 16 nucleotides of contiguous homology are sufficient to attenuate gene activity. This finding provides an explanation for the high incidence of off-target effects observed in RNAi-based genetic screens. Toward improving the efficacy of RNAi-induced phenotypes in vivo, we describe siRNA expression vectors that allow coexpression of one or more siRNAs with a fluorescent reporter gene in cultured cells or transgenic flies. This expression system makes use of the small intron from the ftz segmentation gene to provide efficient processing of synthetic siRNAs from a reporter transcript. These studies provide a foundation for the specific and effective use of gene silencing in transgenic Drosophila.
Cellular mechanotransduction: Stiffness does matter

Extracellular-matrix stiffness regulates cell behaviour even when decoupled from ligand density and tethering.
Early Precision Compound Machine from Ancient China

The intricate carved decorations on the best jades from ancient China ([ 1 ][1]) are thought to have been made largely by hand and through the use of simple machines ([ 2 ][2]). Here I present evidence that the curved spiral grooves carved on a class of ornamental jade burial rings from the Spring
The relevance of wetland conservation in arid regions: A re-examination of vanishing communities in the American Southwest

Abstract Desert wetlands, or cienegas, are regions of high conservation value in the American Deserts. These environments, in the Apache Highlands Ecoregion spanning the borderlands of Arizona, USA and Sonora, Mexico, contain an estimated 19% of endangered, threatened and candidate species within 2% of the regional area. Besides being crucial refugia for native fish, amphibians, snails, and plants, cienegas constitute critical habitat for migratory birds. Here we analyze the distribution, conservation status and restoration potential of cienegas in this region. Our results identified 97 cienegas of which only 60 had information useful for our analysis. Of these, 46 cienegas were considered functional, or extant, while the others were either dry or so altered that they no longer maintained their original ecological function. Using the ranking scheme of the National Gap Analysis Program we found that 80% of extant cienegas fall into the lowest categories of land stewardship, Gap 3 or 4, indicating conservation stewardship is largely lacking across all land management agencies, public or private. Our assessment suggests that increased and targeted habitat conservation of desert wetlands would yield great benefit to the maintenance of global biodiversity.
TGF-β upregulates miR-181a expression to promote breast cancer metastasis

Late-stage breast cancer metastasis is driven by dysregulated TGF-β signaling, but the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. We attempted to recapitulate tumor and metastatic microenvironments via the use of biomechanically compliant or rigid 3D organotypic cultures and combined them with global microRNA (miR) profiling analyses to identify miRs that were upregulated in metastatic breast cancer cells by TGF-β. Here we establish miR-181a as a TGF-β-regulated "metastamir" that enhanced the metastatic potential of breast cancers by promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migratory, and invasive phenotypes. Mechanistically, inactivation of miR-181a elevated the expression of the proapoptotic molecule Bim, which sensitized metastatic cells to anoikis. Along these lines, miR-181a expression was essential in driving pulmonary micrometastatic outgrowth and enhancing the lethality of late-stage mammary tumors in mice. Finally, miR-181a expression was dramatically and selectively upregulated in metastatic breast tumors, particularly triple-negative breast cancers, and was highly predictive for decreased overall survival in human breast cancer patients. Collectively, our findings strongly implicate miR-181a as a predictive biomarker for breast cancer metastasis and patient survival, and consequently, as a potential therapeutic target in metastatic breast cancer.
Institutions and the Growth of Knowledge: Evidence from International Environmental Regimes

This article argues that institutions not only reflect ideas prevalent at the time of their creation, but also play vital roles in driving the growth and dissemination of knowledge. Because institutions are not actors in their own right, however, it is essential to identify the mechanisms through which they influence the behavior of those who are producers and consumers of knowledge. The central section of the article explores three distinct mechanisms or families of mechanisms that come into play in this context:(1) framing the research agenda, (2) privileging certain types of knowledge claims, and (3) guiding the application of knowledge to specific policy concerns. The article's concluding section examines the policy implications flowing from the proposition that institutions play significant roles in creating knowledge regarding the issues they address. Throughout, observations relating to international environmental or resources regimes provide a source of illustrations.