cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential Sensitivity of Lactobacillus spp. to Inhibition by Candidate Topical Microbicides

Preclinical evaluation of vaginal microbicides includes screening against lactobacilli. However, there is no consensus regarding the species to be tested. This study was carried out to determine if results with one species would apply to other species, and to evaluate the utility of turbidometry as a screening tool. One current (PPCM; previously designated sulfuric acid-modified mandelic acid, SAMMA) and two former (cellulose sulfate, CS; and polystyrene sulfonate, PSS) candidate microbicides were evaluated. Bacterial growth was measured turbidometrically and by direct cell count. No microbicide affected Lact. gasseri, measured by either method. Apparent inhibition of Lact. jensenii by CS, PSS, and PPCM, and of Lact. crispatus by CS, occurred with turbidometric measurement. This was not substantiated with direct cell count. PSS and PPCM inhibited Lact. crispatus and Lact. acidophilus with both methods. These findings agree with results from vaginal isolates, which included Lact. gasseri, jensenii, acidophillus, crispatus, rhamnosis, casei, and paracasei. We conclude that sensitivities of similar lactobacilli to at least three microbicides are different. A single species is inadequate for screening vaginal products. Turbidometric evaluation is a sensitive, but not specific, screening method. We recommend that this method be used to screen candidate microbicides against several species of prevalent Lactobacillus species as an initial measure of microbicide safety evaluation.
Intestinal permeability in children/adolescents with functional dyspepsia

Background An altered intestinal mucosal barrier has been demonstrated in subsets of patients with IBS and FAP and may be an additional biological factor contributing to symptom generation in children with FD. The objective of this study was to determine if intestinal permeability is increased in children/adolescents with functional dyspepsia (FD) and whether intestinal permeability is correlated with mucosal inflammation and/or symptoms of anxiety or depression in this population.
A novel approach to American Sign Language (ASL) phrase verification using reversed signing

We propose a novel approach for American Sign Langauge (ASL) phrase verification that combines confidence measures (CM) obtained from aligning forward sign models (the conventional approach) to the input data with the CM's obtained from aligning reversed sign models to the same input. To demonstrate our approach we have used two CM's, the Normalized likelihood score and the Log-Likelihood Ratio (LLR).We perform leave-one-signer-out cross validation on a dataset of 420 ASL phrases obtained from five deaf children playing an educational game called CopyCat. The results show that for the new method the alignment selected for signs in a test phrase has a significantly better match to the ground truth when compared to the traditional approach. Additionally, when a low false reject rate is desired the new technique can provide a better verification accuracy as compared to the conventional approach.
Ilūziju un baiļu mašinērija: Propaganda nacistu okupētajā Latvijā: vara, mediji un sabiedrība (1941–1945)

Machinery of Illusion and Fear: Propaganda in Nazi Occupied Latvia – Regime, Media and Society (1941–1945) enriches our understanding of the propaganda state in twentieth-century Europe. Kaspars Z...
Electricity production coupled to ammonium in a microbial fuel cell.

The production of electricity from ammonium was examined using a rotating-cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC). The addition of ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, or ammonium phosphate (monobasic) resulted in electricity generation, while adding sodium chloride, nitrate, or nitrite did not cause any increase in current production. The peak current increased with increasing amount of ammonium addition up to 62.3 mM of ammonium chloride, suggesting that ammonium was involved in electricity generation either directly as the anodic fuel or indirectly as substrates for nitrifiers to produce organic compounds for heterotrophs. Adding nitrate or nitrite with ammonium increased current production compared to solely ammonium addition. Using 16S rRNA-linked molecular analyses, we found ammonium-oxidizing bacteria and denitrifying bacteria on both the anode and cathode electrodes, whereas no anammox bacteria were detected. The dominant ammonium-oxidizing bacteria were closely related to Nitrosomonas europaea. The pre...
Comparative Study of the Roles of AhpC and KatE as Respiratory Antioxidants in Brucella abortus 2308

Brucella strains are exposed to potentially toxic levels of H2O2 both as a consequence of their aerobic metabolism and through the respiratory burst of host phagocytes. To evaluate the relative contributions of the sole catalase KatE and the peroxiredoxin AhpC produced by these strains in defense against H2O2-mediated toxicity, isogenic katE, ahpC, and katE ahpC mutants were constructed and the phenotypic properties of these mutants compared with those of the virulent parental strain B. abortus 2308. The results of these studies indicate that AhpC is the primary detoxifier of endogenous H2O2 generated by aerobic metabolism. KatE, on the other hand, plays a major role in scavenging exogenous and supraphysiologic levels of H2O2, although this enzyme can play a supporting role in the detoxification of H2O2 of endogenous origin if AhpC is absent. B. abortus ahpC and katE mutants exhibit wild-type virulence in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice, but the B. abortus ahpC katE double mutant is extremely attenuated, and this attenuation is not relieved in derivatives of C57BL/6 mice that lack NADPH oxidase (cybb) or inducible nitric oxide synthase (Nos2) activity. These experimental findings indicate that the generation of endogenous H2O2 represents a relevant environmental stress that B. abortus 2308 must deal with during its residence in the host and that AhpC and KatE perform compensatory roles in detoxifying this metabolic H2O2.
Age-Related Deficit in Load-Induced Skeletal Muscle Growth

The growth response of ankle flexor and extensor muscles to two models of increased loading, functional overload (FO) and hind-limb reloading following hind-limb suspension, was measured by wet weight in Fisher 344-Brown Norway rats at ages ranging from 6 to 30 months. In response to FO, there was a 40% decrease in absolute growth of the plantaris beginning in middle age. Interestingly, the growth response to FO of 30-month old rats maintained on a 40% calorie-restricted diet improved by more than twofold relative to 30-month old rats on a normal chow diet. Recovery of muscle mass upon reloading following disuse was significantly impaired (reduced 7-16%) in predominantly fast, but not slow, muscles of 30-month relative to 9-month old rats. Initial investigation of the Akt signaling pathway following FO suggests a reduction or delay in activation of Akt and its downstream targets in response to increased loading in old rats.
Ontogeny and nutritional control of adipogenesis in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The global obesity epidemic demands an improved understanding of the developmental and environmental factors regulating fat storage. Adipocytes serve as major sites of fat storage and as regulators of energy balance and inflammation. The optical transparency of developing zebrafish provides new opportunities to investigate mechanisms governing adipocyte biology, however zebrafish adipocytes remain uncharacterized. We have developed methods for visualizing zebrafish adipocytes in vivo by labeling neutral lipid droplets with Nile Red. Our results establish that neutral lipid droplets first accumulate in visceral adipocytes during larval stages and increase in number and distribution as zebrafish grow. We show that the cellular anatomy of zebrafish adipocytes is similar to mammalian white adipocytes and identify peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor γ and fatty acid binding protein 11a as markers of the zebrafish adipocyte lineage. By monitoring adipocyte development prior to neutral lipid deposition, we find that the first visceral preadipocytes appear in association with the pancreas shortly after initiation of exogenous nutrition. Zebrafish reared in the absence of food fail to form visceral preadipocytes, indicating that exogenous nutrition is required for adipocyte development. These results reveal homologies between zebrafish and mammalian adipocytes and establish the zebrafish as a new model for adipocyte research.
High-throughput synthesis and screening of platinum drug candidates

Platinum drugs play an important role in the treatment of cancer, but there is room for improvement. Here we present a new platinum drug-discovery strategy to identify compounds having efficacy equivalent to that of cisplatin with the expectation that some may increase the spectrum of treatable tumors and/or reduce dose-limiting toxicity. Platinum drug candidates were generated through the use of automated synthesis, taking advantage either of the trans effect or by using silver chloride precipitation to activate the starting materials. Reaction products were screened for activity in a high-throughput transcription assay and the most promising candidates characterized. Over 3600 reaction products were screened for their ability to inhibit transcription of β-lactamase in the BlaM HeLa cell line by monitoring cleavage of a lactam ring linking the two halves of a fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) dye, CCF2/AM. From this screen, three reactions produced good candidates, and four species were identified among these reaction products. Three of the compounds, cis-[(isopropylamine)2PtCl2], cis-[(cyclobutylamine)2PtCl2], and cis-[ammine(cyclobutylamine)PtCl2], have been previously determined to be active cisplatin analogs. The fourth compound, cis-[ammine(2-amino-3-picoline)PtCl2], represents a new kind of antitumor drug candidate similar to ZD0473, a recently reported analog. The discovery of these compounds represents an important proof of principle that platinum anticancer drug candidates can be rapidly prepared and screened in this manner.
Aging with Disability in the Workplace

Aging with disabilities, such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, and postpolio syndrome, can lead to barriers to participation, including employment barriers. Many individuals develop strategies for overcoming these barriers that may become less successful as they experience more secondary conditions concomitant with the aging process. Rehabilitation professionals can help to overcome barriers to workplace participation and should work with clients to enhance employment outcomes.
Compact physical models for multiwall carbon-nanotube interconnects

Compact physical models are derived for conductivity of multiwall carbon-nanotube (MWCN) interconnects. It is proven that for MWCNs shorter than the critical length (typically around 7 /spl mu/m), the conductivity decreases as diameter increases, whereas for MWCNs longer than the critical length, increasing the diameter results in higher conductivities. For long lengths (hundreds of micrometers), MWCNs can potentially have conductivities several times larger than that of copper or even single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCN) bundles. For short lengths (<10 /spl mu/m), however, SWCN bundles offer more than two times higher conductivities compared to MWCNs.
The Evolution of the Intergalactic Medium and Lyman-Alpha Clouds: Comparison of Theories and Observations

The basic observational facts known about the intergalactic medium in both smoothly distributed (IGM) and clumped forms (Lyα clouds) are reviewed. Six candidate theories of Lyα clouds and the IGM are compared with the essential non-controversial observational facts. Deficiencies of the theories and inconsistencies in the existing data sets are stressed. The three most plausible candidate theories successfully explain some aspects of the IGM, but fail to explain others. A new approach, employing hydrodynamic N-body simulations is presented. In this approach elements of several theories are combined in an effort to study the evolution of the IGM and the formation and properties of Lyα clouds. Preliminary results of such simulations are presented and compared to observations.
Reflected and Transmitted Filter Functions for Simple Subsurface Geometries

A zone of sands embedded in shale acts as a filter, both in reflecting energy back to the surface and in transmitting energy to reflectors below them. For a single layer of sand, the reflection filter is periodic--reflecting no energy at some frequencies and more than either of the two individual interfaces at other frequencies. Separating the sand zone into two parts by inserting a thin layer of shale results in reflection filters which differ greatly from one another. The particular filter curve generated depends upon the location of the shale layer. A sand zone filters reflections from interfaces below the zone in a manner complementary to the reflection filter. Where the most energy is reflected, the least is transmitted; conversely, where the least energy is reflected, the most is transmitted. The models considered in this report could easily give rise to high-amplitude reflections; but, unless the amplitudes were very high, there would be little filtering of deeper reflections. However, for very high-amplitude reflections and narrow-band data, little energy would be transmitted and a shadow zone would result. For very high-amplitude shallow reflections and broad-band data, a low-frequency shallow reflection would cause high-frequency deep reflections; a high-frequency shallow reflection wouldmore » cause low-frequency deep reflections. (17 figures)« less
Approximate Solutions of Algebraic Equations

The overall theme of this and the next two chapters is the approximate analytical solution of algebraic, differential, and optimal control equations. There are several ways to get an approximate analytical solution of an equation. First, approximations can be made in the equation such that the remaining equation has an analytical solution. If the approximate solution is accurate enough, work stops. If not, something more must be done. Second, instead of discarding the small terms, they can be replaced by a small parameter, thereby creating a perturbation problem. The effect of the size of the small parameter can be investigated by simulation. Third, if the original equation contains a small parameter and if the equation with the small parameter set equal to zero has an analytical solution, a perturbation problem results.
Moderate Intensity Exercise Training Reverses Functional Aerobic Impairment in HIV-infected Individuals

HIV infection and HIV drug therapies result in physical and psychological challenges to those living with HIV. These conditions contribute to decreased functional aerobic capacity (FAC). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a combined moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance exercise intervention on the FAC of HIV-infected individuals. Forty HIV-infected individuals were randomized to an exercise group (EX) who completed six weeks of moderate-intensity exercise training, or to a control group (CON) that did not receive the exercise intervention. Twice weekly, the EX group completed 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic training followed by moderate-intensity resistance training. Prior to, and following, the intervention the FAC for each subject was determined by graded exercise treadmill stress test (GXT). At baseline testing, the mean FAC as determined by treadmill time-based estimation of maximal oxygen consumption was 25% below age-predicted values, a level of reduction indicating the presence of functional aerobic impairment (FAI). Following the intervention, the EX had a significant increase in time to fatigue and estimated VO(2) max (p<.001). Further, FAI was eliminated (1% above age predicted values) during the exercise training. The EX group also experienced decreased heart rates during Stages 1 (p=.02), 2 (p=.01), 4 (p=.05) and 6 (p=.02) of the GXT. The CON had no significant changes during the intervention period. These data indicate that six weeks of combined moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance training can improve FAC and eliminate FAI in those with HIV. Results suggest that the functional limitations common in HIV-infected individuals are due in part to detraining that is reversible through moderate exercise adherence.
Vitamin-K-dependent proteins in microsomes of primary Lewis lung tumors

Microsomes isolated from Lewis lung (LL) primary tumors raised in C57BL/6 mice have been shown to (i) contain a 4-hydroxycoumarin (warfarin)-sensitive cycle of vitamin K metabolism which is at least qualitatively similar to that of liver, and (ii) catalyze the incorporation of NaH14 CO3 into endogenous protein in a vitamin-K hydroquinone-dependent reaction to produce gamma-carboxyglutamate. As in liver microsomes, LL microsomal reduction of vitamin K 2,3-epoxide to vitamin K was greatly enhanced by exogenous dithiols such as dithiothreitol, but under identical conditions the former was 10-fold faster. The R(+) and S(-) warfarin enantiomers were highly and equally effective inhibitors of both the liver and tumor vitamin K 2,3-epoxide reductases-the average I50 against the tumor enzyme was 0.25 microM. Partially purified reductases isolated by centrifugation of sodium-cholate-treated liver and LL tumor microsomes over a discontinuous sucrose gradient were also inhibited by the sulfhydryl reagent N-ethylmaleimide following their reduction by dithiothreitol. Like the activity of the epoxide reductase, that of the gamma-carboxylase was much lower in tumor than in liver microsomes and was only detectable in microsomes isolated from tumor-bearing mice previously administered S(-) warfarin. In view of the reported inhibition of LL tumor metastasis by warfarin and diet-induced vitamin-K deficiency, vitamin-K-dependent proteins may play a role in the spread and/or subsequent growth of LL cells.
CD147 and Ki-67 overexpression confers poor prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma of oral tongue: a tissue microarray study.

Objective Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue (SCCOT) exhibits high risk for recurrence and regional metastasis even after surgical resection. We assessed the clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of a group of functionally related biomarkers. Study Design We used a tissue microarray consisting of SCCOT from 32 patients for this study. These patients were treated at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from 1995 to 2008. Biomarker expression levels were examined by immunohistochemistry and graded semiquantitatively to determine their prognostic significance. Results CD147 and Tp63 expressions were significantly associated with a higher T stage and Ki-67 labeling index, as well as a shorter overall survival (OS) rate. Expression of Tp63 associated positively with poorly differentiated histology. There was significant association of Tp63 with the expression levels of CD147 and Glut-1. Glut-1 overexpression was marginally associated with a higher T stage. There was no prognostic significance of CD44 v6 expression in SCCOT. Conclusion SCCOT with CD147 overexpression in combination with high Ki-67 labeling index had poor OS. CD147 and Ki-67 overexpression is associated with aggressive disease with poor prognosis in SCCOT.
Responses to ozone are increased in obese mice

Epidemiological data indicate an increased incidence of asthma in overweight adults and children. Ozone (O3) is a common trigger for asthma. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to compare O3...
What Capital Is Missing in Developing Countries

What capital is missing in developing coun tries? We put forward "managerial capital," which is distinct from human capital, as a key missing form of capital in developing countries. And it has also been curiously missing in the research on growth and development. We argue in this paper that lack of managerial capital has broad implications for firm growth as well as for the effectiveness of other input factors. A large literature in development economics aims to understand the impediments to firm growth, particularly in small and medium enterprises. Standard growth theories have explored the importance of input factors such as capital and labor in the production function of firms and countries. At the micro level, empirical studies
Differential Ability of Genotypes of 2,4-Diacetylphloroglucinol-Producing Pseudomonas fluorescens Strains To Colonize the Roots of Pea Plants

Indigenous populations of 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (2,4-DAPG)-producing fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. that occur naturally in suppressive soils are an enormous resource for improving biological control of plant diseases. Over 300 isolates of 2,4-DAPG-producing fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from the rhizosphere of pea plants grown in soils that had undergone pea or wheat monoculture and were suppressive to Fusarium wilt or take-all, respectively. Representatives of seven genotypes, A, D, E, L, O, P, and Q, were isolated from both soils and identified by whole-cell repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) with the BOXA1R primer, increasing by three (O, P, and Q) the number of genotypes identified previously among a worldwide collection of 2,4-DAPG producers. Fourteen isolates representing eight different genotypes were tested for their ability to colonize the rhizosphere of pea plants. Population densities of strains belonging to genotypes D and P were significantly greater than the densities of other genotypes and remained above log 6.0 CFU (g of root)−1 over the entire 15-week experiment. Genetic profiles generated by rep-PCR or restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the 2,4-DAPG biosynthetic gene phlD were predictive of the rhizosphere competence of the introduced 2,4-DAPG-producing strains.
Removal of the effect of Compton scattering in 3-D whole body positron emission tomography by Monte Carlo

A Monte Carlo technique has been developed to simulate and correct for the effect of Compton scatter in 3-D acquired PET whole body imaging. The method utilizes the attenuation corrected and normalized, 3-D reconstructed image volume as the source intensity distribution for a photon-tracking Monte Carlo simulation. It is assumed that the number of events in each pixel of the image represents the isotope concentration at that location in the body. The history of each annihilation photon's interactions in the scattering media is followed. The edges and average attenuation coefficients of the various scattering media are determined using a segmented image volume derived from a short transmission scan. The sinograms for the scattered and unscattered photon pairs are generated in a simulated 3-D PET acquisition. The calculated scatter contribution is used to correct the original data set. The method is general and can be applied to any scanner configuration or geometry. In its current form the simulation requires 20 hours on a Sparc10 when every pixel in a 89-plane, 128/spl times/128 pixel, 3-D acquired (CTI 961, two bed positions) image volume is sampled, and roughly 1 hour when 16 pixels (4/spl times/4) are grouped as a single pixel. Here, the authors present results of the scatter correction method using a 3-D acquired human study of the thorax as input.
Polymorphic microsatellite markers in the loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus isolated from a library enriched for CA repeats

Many species of true shrike (family Laniidae) are in decline world-wide, but the causes of the decline are in most cases poorly understood (Yosef & Lohrer 1995). Populations of at least two subspecies of the North American loggerhead shrike Lanius hfovicianus have suffered severe reductions this century: the San Clemente loggerhead shrike, L. 1. mearnsi, an endangered Californian Channel Island endemic, and L. 1. migrans on the east coast (Yosef & Lohrer 1995). We have developed microsatellite primers for the loggerhead shrike in order to study its mating system, population structure, migration patterns and genetic erosion of isolated populations. Such knowledge will be important in designing effective management programmes, and most of these primers should be immediately applicable to similar questions in other shrike species.
One big file is not enough: a critical evaluation of the dominant free-space sanitization technique

Many of today's privacy-preserving tools create a big file that fills up a hard drive or USB storage device in an effort to overwrite all of the “deleted files” that the media contain. But while this technique is widespread, it is largely unvalidated. We evaluate the effectiveness of the “big file technique” using sector-by-sector disk imaging on file systems running under Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and FreeBSD. We find the big file is effective in overwriting file data on FAT32, NTFS, and HFS, but not on Ext2fs, Ext3fs, or Reiserfs. In one case, a total of 248 individual files consisting of 1.75MB of disk space could be recovered in their entirety. Also, file metadata such as filenames are rarely overwritten. We present a theoretical analysis of the file sanitization problem and evaluate the effectiveness of a commercial implementation that implements an improved strategy.
Design Guideline to Improve Thermal Management of 3D Package Using Cu-to-Cu Direct Bonding

Three-dimensional (3D) packaging technology is directly related to the increasing I/O number as stacking chips. This technology has the potential to produce integrated circuits with a much better combination of cost, functionality, performance and power consumption. However, stacked chips raise several thermal issues that need to be addressed and eliminated. In this study, a quantitative study of the conventional solder-based interconnection is conducted based on many different cases of thermal loading, using finite element analysis (FEA). This preliminary study clearly shows limitation of the solder-based interconnection in the thermal management perspective. Underfill for microbμmp acts as a barrier of heat transfer in the conventional 3D stacked chip packages. Therefore, as an alternative, Cu-to-Cu direct bonding (CuDB), which has a better thermal conductivity, is proposed. Its parametric study is performed under the same/different loading conditions and dimensions. This study helps to highlight the thermal behavior of 3D packages consisting of various interconnections. Finally, based on the results, we can propose qualitative design guidelines of 3D packaging depending on various environment and conditions.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
China’s Long Road toward Recognition of Below-Replacement Fertility

During the 1970s, China’s fertility dropped by more than one-half, from a total fertility rate (TFR) of 5.8 children per woman in 1970 to 2.7 in 1979. This decline occurred before the introduction of the government’s draconian one-child policy. Fertility fluctuated at around the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman during the 1980s and then dropped again. Today China’s TFR is estimated at about 1.47. Current low fertility levels are linked not so much to the one-child policy as to rapid urbanization and rising aspirations for children, associated with high costs of childrearing in a highly competitive education system and job market. The Chinese government has been slow to recognize the problems of population aging associated with extremely low fertility. In addition to abolishing the one-child policy, the government needs to introduce measures to assure financial support and healthcare for a rapidly growing elderly population. Measures such as expanding pension provisions and healthcare services will be increasingly difficult to implement as China’s unprecedented pace of economic growth inevitably slows down.
Alcohol-Attributable Fraction in Liver Disease: Does GDP Per Capita Matter?

Abstract Background The alcohol-attributable fraction (AAF) quantifies alcohol's disease burden. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is influenced by alcohol consumption per capita, duration, gender, ethnicity, and other comorbidities. In this study, we investigated the association between AAF/alcohol-related liver mortality and alcohol consumption per capita, while stratifying to per-capita gross domestic product (GDP). Methods Data obtained from the World Health Organization and World Bank for both genders on AAF on liver disease, per-capita alcohol consumption (L/y), and per-capita GDP (USD/y) were used to conduct a cross-sectional study. Countries were classified as “high-income” and “very low income” if their respective per-capita GDP was greater than $30,000 or less than $1,000. Differences in total alcohol consumption per capita and AAF were calculated using a 2-sample t test. Scatterplots were generated to supplement the Pearson correlation coefficients, and F test was conducted to assess for differences in variance of ALD between high-income and very low income countries. Findings Twenty-six and 27 countries met the criteria for high-income and very low income countries, respectively. Alcohol consumption per capita was higher in high-income countries. AAF and alcohol consumption per capita for both genders in high-income and very low income countries had a positive correlation. The F test yielded an F value of 1.44 with P = .357. No statistically significant correlation was found among alcohol types and AAF. Significantly higher mortality from ALD was found in very low income countries relative to high-income countries. Discussion Previous studies had noted a decreased AAF in low-income countries as compared to higher-income countries. However, the non-statistically significant difference between AAF variances of low-income and high-income countries was found by this study. A possible explanation is that both high-income and low-income populations will consume sufficient amount of alcohol, irrespective of its type, enough to weigh into equivalent AAF. Conclusions No significant difference of AAF variance was found between high-income and very low income countries relating to sex-specific alcohol consumption per capita. Alcohol consumption per capita was greater in high-income countries. Type of preferred alcohol did not correlate with AAF. ALD related mortality was less in high-income countries as a result of better developed healthcare systems. ALD remains a significant burden globally, requiring prevention from socioeconomic, medical, and political realms.
Extending the argument engagement model: Expected utility and interacting traits as predictors of the intent to argue with friends

This investigation considers the factors that predict the intent to engage in interpersonal arguments. By adapting the argument engagement model (Hample, Paglieri, and Na 2012), a subjective expected utility model was tested to determine the effects of (1) evaluative assessments, in addition to probabilistic assessments, and (2) probabilistic assessment-trait interactions on argument engagement. Participants (N = 273) read three argument vignettes and answered questions about their intent to argue in each situation. Results were mixed regarding the significance of expected values and situation-trait interactions in predicting intentions to argue. Participants overwhelmingly reported an optimism bias, whereby they tended to perceive positive outcomes of argument as likely and negative outcomes of argument as unlikely. Possible reasons for these findings and their implications are discussed.
Abstract 1922: Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) enhances bladder cancer tumor progression.

Introduction: Bladder cancer (BCa) is among the five most common malignancies worldwide and has the highest recurrence rate of any tumor type. BCa biology is poorly understood and early detection remains one of the most urgent issues in BCa research. Previously we have identified a preliminary molecular signature of BCa in voided urine samples from BCa patients. Our results revealed aberrant overexpression of the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1), both at the genomic and protein level. Increasing evidence indicate that elevated levels of PAI-1 correlates to a poor prognosis in many tumor types including breast, colorectal, gastric, ovarian, and more recently bladder cancer. PAI-1 has emerged as a potential target for BCa treatment and the aim of this study is to provide a greater understanding of its role in bladder cancer progression. Methods: PAI-1 expression levels in UROtsa (benign urothelial cell), KU7 (low-grade papillary urothelial cancer cell), and UMUC14 and T24 (high-grade invasive urothelial cancer cell lines) was tested by real-time PCR (RTPCR) and Western blot analysis. Secreted PAI-1 levels were measured by ELISA. KU7 stable clones overexpressing PAI-1 was established by transfection of plasmid DNA encoding human PAI-1. T24 and UMUC14 stable clones with shRNA knockdown of PAI-1 were established by infection with retroviral particles. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis assays were performed in stable clones. Results: RTPCR analysis revealed an increase of PAI-1 in T24 and UMUC14 cells (27.9 and 5.2 times, respectively) while KU7 cells exhibited significantly reduced levels as compared to the UROtsa control. Similar results were observed for PAI-1 protein concentrations in cell culture supernatants and western blot analysis. While overexpression of PAI-1 in KU7 cells promoted an increase in proliferation, migration and invasion, these were significantly reduced upon inactivation of PAI-1 in T24 and UMUC14 cells stably expressing shRNA PAI-1. Loss of PAI-1 function also led to a substantial increase in apoptotic cell death. Conclusions: These results suggest that PAI-1 overexpression in BCa promotes tumor progression and therapeutic strategies targeting PAI-1 may serve clinically beneficial outcomes. Funding provided by research grants from Florida Department of Health James and Esther King Team Science Award 10KT-01 (CJR) and National Cancer Institute RO1 CA116161 (SG). Citation Format: Evan Gomes, Steven Goodison, Makito Miyake, Shanti Ross, Ge Zhang, Charles Rosser. Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) enhances bladder cancer tumor progression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1922. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1922
The Sixty-Fourth Annual Meeting of the Organization of American Historians

THE sixty-fourth annual meeting of the Organization of American Historians was held at the Jung Hotel in New Orleans, April 14, 15, 16, and 17, 1971. Two hundred twenty-eight individuals representing one hundred twenty-six institutions participated in forty-nine sessions, two on Wednesday evening, April 14, ten each on Thursday morning and Thursday afternoon, April 15, and on Friday morning and Friday afternoon, April 16, and seven on Saturday morning, April 17.1 There was no general theme for the meeting. Instead, the program committee sought to develop a comprehensive program that would employ a variety of formats to illustrate the rich ferment in American historical studies and to convey some impression of the range and thrust of the attention of American historians at the beginning of the nineteen seventies. The committee was especially concerned to organize sessions that would explore some of the problems that had most
Screwworm flies for sterile-male release: laboratory tests of the quality of candidate strains.

The longevity, sexual aggressiveness, mating capacity, and mating competitiveness of 4 strains of screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), were evaluated in the laboratory to determine their suitability for mass production, sterilization, and release into the native population. A Texas strain of limited geographical origin was the most laboratory-adapted strain; a Texas strain and a Texas-Mexico strain of extensive geographical origins were the least; a Mexico strain of limited geographical origin was intermediate.
Transforming Large Introductory Classes into Active Learning Environments

Faculty at the University at Stony Brook are transforming passive students in large introductory economics and chemistry classes and biology laboratories into active learners in that discipline. Th...
APPROXIMATING THE DISTRIBUTION OF A QUADRATIC FORM WITH APPLICATIONS TO THE DESIGN OF TESTS FOR INERTIAL COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS

An approximate method for determining the probability distribution function of a quadratic form is described. The random variables are assumed Gaussian. The technique is illustrated with an application to the design of acceptance test limits for an inertial device.
Effects of Mitochondrion on Calcium Transients at Intact Presynaptic Terminals Depend on Frequency of Nerve Firing

Peng, Yan-Yi. Effects of mitochondrion on calcium transients at intact presynaptic terminals depend on frequency of nerve firing. J Neurophysiol. 80: 186–195, 1998. The rate and the total amount of...
Treating the Critically Injured Military Patient

Injuries sustained during armed conflict are often of a magnitude not seen in civilian practice, frequently occurring as a result of high velocity projectiles and explosives. The environment in which military healthcare providers operate is often remote and austere and treatments must be adapted accordingly. This chapter describes, using a fictional account of one possible future scenario, the pathway from wounding to strategic evacuation for an injured UK serviceman. It also outlines the critical care facilities provided by the UK Defence Medical Services on deployed operations.
Exploring the Interaction between MLP1 and NAB2 for mRNA Quality Control Purposes

Transcription of mRNA from DNA is followed by several processing and packaging steps, which are quality controlled at different stages of RNA biogenesis. One of the specific steps of mRNA surveillance occurs at the entry of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), involving various types of proteins ranging from RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to NPC-associated proteins. Among all the involved proteins, Mlp1, a nuclear basket-associated protein, has been suggested to play a substantial role. The interaction between Nab2 (a yeast RBP) and Mlp1 has been previously explored through in vitro and in vivo experiments. These studies identified a hydrophobic patch in Nab2, centered on Phe73, which was suggested as the critical residue for the interaction between the two proteins. However, the exact underlying molecular mechanism is still elusive, limiting the current understanding of mRNA quality control process. Here, we employ an integrated computational protocol (including structure prediction, docking, and molecular dynamics) to explore the pivotal interaction between Mlp1 and Nab2. Previous studies have shown that mutation of Phe73 to Alanine will disrupt this interaction. Our results suggest a key, yet indirect, role for Phe73 in this interaction. Specifically, Phe73 primes a slight conformational change in Nab2, enabling the disordered domain of Mlp1 to encircle Nab2 helices. This leads to a decreased distance between the involved residues and formation of stronger interaction between the two proteins. The relatively large disordered region in Mlp1's C-terminal domain enables it to interact with different RBPs. Our proposed binding mechanism, where Mlp1 encircles Nab2 using its disordered domain, may be relevant for the binding of Mlp1 to other RBPs as well. The flexibility of the disordered region allows for binding of Mlp1 to different proteins of various 3D structures, facilitating mRNA quality control mechanism.
Understanding How Teachers Guide Evidence Construction Conversations.

Many classroom units and lessons are now organized around engaging students in developing claims and evidence. An aspect of teachers’ work that is understudied is how teachers manage the complexity inherent in navigating between claims and empirical data. In other words, what do teachers do when students do not see what they are “supposed to” see or when they make sense of observations in unexpected ways? We contend that such complexity is inherent to the scientific endeavor, and that engaging with it is central to doing science. Therefore, the moves that science teachers make in this context have important consequences for students’ conceptual and epistemic understandings. We apply an epistemic levels coding scheme to three classroom episodes in order to better understand the complexity of classroom evidence construction and to develop a description of strategies that teachers might enact to manage this complexity. We then discuss the implications of these strategies for how students are positioned to engage in scientific knowledge construction.
Long-range nonradiative energy transfer from tryptophan triplet states for protein structure studies

The use of nonradiative diffusion enhanced energy transfer (DEET)1 has been demonstrated to be a useful tool for the study of the protein structure. However, the time scale for DEET is determined by spatial diffusion of acceptor molecules in the vicinity of the donor molecules and is typically of the order of milliseconds. Hence, if quenching of optical emission lifetimes of the donor molecule is used to determine distances between acceptor and donor molecules, the intrinsic emission lifetime of the donor molecule must be longer than the characteristic time for DEET. Previous work has been based on the use of long-lived states of donor molecules or atoms bound to the protein or transfer of the energy of donor molecules or atoms in the solution to acceptor molecules bound to the protein.
On the Definition of a Minimum in Parameter Optimization

For the unconstrained minimization of an ordinary function, there are essentially two definitions of a minimum. The first involves the inequality $$\le $$ , and the second, the inequality <. The purpose of this Forum is to discuss the consequences of using these definitions for finding local and global minima of the constant objective function. The first definition says that every point on the constant function is a local minimum and maximum, as well as a global minimum and maximum. This is not a rational result. On the other hand, the second definition says that the constant function cannot be minimized in an unconstrained problem. It must be treated as a constrained problem where the constant function is the lower boundary of the feasible region. This is a rational result. As a consequence, it is recommended that the standard definition ( $$\le $$ ) for a minimum be replaced by the second definition (<).
River beads as a conceptual framework for building carbon storage and resilience to extreme climate events into river management

River beads refer to retention zones within a river network that typically occur within wider, lower gradient segments of the river valley. In lowland, floodplain rivers that have been channelized and leveed, beads can also be segments of the river in which engineering has not reduced lateral channel mobility and channel-floodplain connectivity. Decades of channel engineering and flow regulation have reduced the spatial heterogeneity and associated ecosystem functions of beads occurring throughout river networks from headwaters to large, lowland rivers. We discuss the processes that create and maintain spatial heterogeneity within river beads, including examples of beads along mountain streams of the Southern Rockies in which large wood and beaver dams are primary drivers of heterogeneity. We illustrate how spatial heterogeneity of channels and floodplains within beads facilitates storage of organic carbon; retention of water, solutes, sediment, and particulate organic matter; nutrient uptake; biomass and biodiversity; and resilience to disturbance. We conclude by discussing the implications of river beads for understanding solute and particulate organic matter dynamics within river networks and the implications for river management. We also highlight gaps in current understanding of river form and function related to river beads. River beads provide an example of how geomorphic understanding of river corridor form and process can be used to restore retention and resilience within human-altered river networks.
Speaking the unspeakable: the role of speech in a pedagogy of critical whiteness

AbstractBuilding on the call to racialise Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of development, this paper examines the role of speech in the development of counter-hegemonic white identity. Through a Vygotskian lens, I argue that naming racism as white supremacy, valuing emotion as knowledge, preparing for discomfort, and designing increased opportunities for student discourse on the subject of race advances students’ and teachers’ critical race consciousness, and provides an initial framework for deconstructing hegemonic white identity. I argue that Vygotsky’s understanding of the unity of speech and thinking, contribute to a pedagogy of critical whiteness, and function foundationally, transculturally and cognitively. While the role of speech and theory of discomfort are formative of critical race consciousness, they are not a panacea, but potentially keys to unlock other possibilities of enacting white identity as a student and as an educator in the context of schooling.
Corticotropin, Lipotropins, and Endorphins

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses disorders associated with corticotropin, lipotropins, and endorphins hormones. The primary clinical syndrome resulting from the over secretion of corticotrophin and related peptides is Cushing's disease or pituitary-dependent Cushing's syndrome. Cushing's syndrome is because of cortisol overproduction by the adrenal glands or the administration of excessive quantities of glucocorticoids. Spontaneous or endogenous oversecretion of cortisol is produced by excessive secretion of adrenocorticotrophic hormone from the pituitary gland or by autonomous adrenal tumors or nonpituitary tumors. The hypothalamic secretion of corticotropin releasing hormone may be responsible in some cases. The drug-induced causes (exogenous) of Cushing's syndrome are more common than endogenous causes of the disorder. Corticosteroid administration is the most common cause of the syndrome. Etiologic determination usually presents no difficulty because of the history of drug administration. However, a surreptitious use of glucocorticoids may require careful evaluation. A particular problem arises when patients are receiving small doses of glucocorticoids, such as 5 mg of prednisone twice daily, and present with the syndrome. It is usually observed that small divided doses are more likely to produce the syndrome than a comparable single daily dose.
LT Revisited: Experimental Results of Applying Explanation-Based Learning to the Logic of Principia Mathematica

Abstract This paper describes an explanation-based learning system based on a version of Newell, Shaw and Simon's LOGIC-THEORIST (LT). Results of applying this system to propositional calculus problems from Principia Mathematica are compared with LT's original results.