cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation Detection Interference as Informational Masking

The elevation in thresholds for detecting amplitude modulation (AM) of a probe tone due to modulation of a masking tone is referred to as modulation detection interference (MDI). Past work has suggested a relationship between MDI and auditory grouping with a possible, though not necessary, basis in the similarity of concurrent probe and masker modulation. An alternate but related approach is to view MDI in the context of informational masking. As nonenergetic masking at the peripheral level with similarity of probe and masker a component, MDI exhibits characteristics used to describe informational masking (e.g., Watson 2005). The intent of the present work was to evaluate MDI in the context of informational masking, using a more stringent definition which extends energetic masking to the modulation domain. To allow for consideration of auditory grouping and segregation effects, envelope slope and concurrency of modulation were manipulated in experiments I and II, respectively.
An Empirical Model of Illegal Work

This paper develops a model of workers choosing legal or illegal employment, where legality is defined as abiding by the minimum wage and participating in a set of payroll taxes and mandated non-wage benefits. Alternatively, agents may opt to be legally or illegally self-employed. Enforcement of a minimum wage law creates a clump of illegal workers at the minimum wage. The model is directly estimable either with maximum likelihood or quantile regression and identifies the costs of evading labor laws. Estimating the model on Brazilian data suggests that the financial costs of evasion are minimal.
UNIT 10.16 Immunoprecipitation

Immunoprecipitation is a technique in which an antigen is isolated by binding to a specific antibody attached to a sedimentable matrix. It is also used to analyze protein fractions separated by other biochemical techniques such as gel filtration or density gradient sedimentation. The source of antigen for immunoprecipitation can be unlabeled cells or tissues, metabolically or intrinsically labeled cells, or in vitro-translated proteins. This unit describes a wide range of immunoprecipitation techniques, using either suspension or adherent cells lysed by various means (e.g., with and without detergent, using glass beads, etc.). Flow charts and figures give the user a clear-cut explanation of the options for employing the technology.
Chapter 27 – Family Birnaviridae

Birnavirions are unenveloped (T=13 icosahedral symmetry) and contain two segments of double-stranded RNA. Virions contain a filamentous nucleocapsid, somewhat reminiscent of negative-strand RNA viruses. RNA synthesis is primed with a protein primer (VP1) that also contains the polymerase active site. Genome segment A encodes a precursor polypeptide that contains an active protease and the two major structural proteins, VP2 and VP3. Genome segment B encodes VP1, the large polymerase protein. Birnaviruses cause economically important diseases of poultry and fish but many details of their molecular biology remain elusive.
Women’s sense of farming: ecofeminism in sustainable farming and local food in Vermont, U.S.A

Women’s Sense of Farming is a qualitative study of women farming as part of the local food movement in Vermont, U.S.A. The study puts the lives of women farmers in conversation with ecofeminist the...
Preserving the Integrity of Surfactant-Stabilized Microbubble Membranes for Localized Oxygen Delivery.

Ultrasound contrast agents consist of stabilized microbubbles. We are developing a surfactant-stabilized microbubble platform with a shell composed of Span 60 (Sorbitan monostearate) and an emulsifying agent, water-soluble vitamin E (α-tocopheryl poly(ethylene glycol) succinate, abbreviated as TPGS), named SE61. The microbubbles act both as an imaging agent and a vehicle for delivering oxygen to hypoxic areas in tumors. For clinical use, it is important that a platform be stable under storage at room temperature. To accomplish this, a majority of biologicals are prepared as freeze-dried powders, which also eliminates the necessity of a cold chain. The interfaces among the surfactants, gas, and liquids are subject to disruption in both the freezing and drying phases. Using thermocouples to monitor temperature profiles, differential scanning calorimetry to determine the phase transitions, and acoustic properties to gauge the degree of microbubble disruption, the effects of the freezing rate and the addition...
Performance of Normal and Retarded Boys on Berko's Test of Morphology

Berko's test of morphology was administered to two groups of educable mentally retarded public school boys who were matched on chronological age and mental age respectively to groups of normal public school boys. Results were analysed using teachers' responses as criteria for " correctness ". In general, neither group of EMRs performed as well as the normal boys. Criticisms of the test on the basis of the obtained results as well as suggestions for modifications and further research needs are presented.
False-positive pathology: improving reproducibility with the next generation of pathologists

The external validity of the scientific literature has recently come into question, popularly referred to as the "reproducibility crisis." It is now generally acknowledged that too many false positive or non-reproducible results are being published throughout the biomedical and social science literature due to misaligned incentives and poor methodology. Pathology is likely no exception to this problem, and may be especially prone to false positives due to common observational methodologies used in our research. Spurious findings in pathology contribute inefficiency to the scientific literature and detrimentally influence patient care. In particular, false positives in pathology affect patients through biomarker development, prognostic classification, and cancer overdiagnosis. We discuss possible sources of non-reproducible pathology studies and describe practical ways our field can improve research habits, especially among trainees.
Interlocal Agreements and Multilateral Institutions: Mitigating Coordination Problems of Self-Organized Collective Action

In the United States, competition among cities for economic development tends to be the norm. Cities are also collaborating more to improve their economic advantage. However, transaction costs inhi...
The Association of Preoperative Opioid Usage with Patient-Reported Outcomes, Adverse Events, and Return to Work after Lumbar Fusion: Analysis from the Michigan Spine Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MSSIC)

BACKGROUND It is important to delineate the relationship between opioid use and spine surgery outcomes. OBJECTIVE To determine the association between preoperative opioid usage and postoperative adverse events, patient satisfaction, return to work, and improvement in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) in patients undergoing lumbar fusion procedures by using 2-yr data from a prospective spine registry. METHODS Preoperative opioid chronicity from 8693 lumbar fusion patients was defined as opioid-naive (no usage), new users ( 6 mo). Multivariate generalized estimating equation models were constructed. RESULTS All comparisons were to opioid-naive patients. Chronic opioid users showed less satisfaction with their procedure at 90 d (Relative Risk (RR) 0.95, P = .001), 1 yr (RR 0.89, P = .001), and 2 yr (RR 0.89, P = .005). New opioid users were more likely to show improvement in ODI at 90 d (RR 1.25, P < .001), 1 yr (RR 1.17, P < .001), and 2 yr (RR 1.19, P = .002). Short-term opioid users were more likely to show ODI improvement at 90 d (RR 1.25, P < .001). Chronic opioid users were less likely to show ODI improvement at 90 d (RR 0.90, P = .004), 1 yr (RR 0.85, P < .001), and 2 yr (RR 0.80, P = .003). Chronic opioid users were less likely to return to work at 90 d (RR 0.80, P < .001). CONCLUSION In lumbar fusion patients and when compared to opioid-naive patients, new opioid users were more likely and chronic opioid users less likely to have improved ODI scores 2 yr after surgery. Chronic opioid users are less likely to be satisfied with their procedure 2 yr after surgery and less likely to return to work at 90 d. Preoperative opioid counseling is advised.
Politics as a model of pedagogy in Spinoza

In this paper, I argue that Spinoza’s political theory gives us a model for how he might have approached a treatise on moral education. Indeed, his account of the method and aims of politics resemb...
Influence of Interlocking Horizontal Mattress Epitendinous Suture Placement on Tendinous Biomechanical Properties in a Canine Common Calcaneal Laceration Model

Objective This article evaluates the effect of an interlocking horizontal mattress epitendinous suture (IHMES) in addition to a three-loop pulley (3LP) core suture for canine tendon repair. Study Design Twenty-eight cadaveric common calcaneal tendons were randomized, sharply transected and repaired with either a 3LP or 3LP + IHMES. Tensile loads required to create a 1- and 3-mm gap, yield, peak and failure loads, and mode of failure were analysed. Significance was set at p Results Mean ± standard deviation yield and failure force for 3LP + IHMES was 178.0 ± 45.3 N and 242.1 ± 47.8 N, respectively, which was significantly greater compared with 3LP alone, 97.9 ± 36.2 N and 119.3 ± 35.6 N (p Conclusion Addition of an epitendinous suture pattern significantly reduced gap formation between tendon ends and significantly increased loads at yield (1.8 × ), peak (2.0 × ) and failure (2.0 × ) force of repairs. Use of an epitendinous suture should be considered to significantly increase biomechanical strength of repairs; however, further in vivo testing is necessary to evaluate its effect on tendinous blood supply.
Slicing the toxic pizza, an analysis of FDIC's Legacy Loans Program for receivership assets

The Legacy Loans Program (LLP) is an elaborate way of slicing the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's (FDIC's) receivership assets. At best, the financial structure is irrelevant to the FDIC's expected long-run recovery rates. Yet, it may boost short-term prices by creating bond insurance liabilities that will come due several years down the road. If the private investor can increase the value of the toxic loans through non-contractible investments, then the public equity stake and subsidised leverage may hinder the FDIC from obtaining the best recovery rates from these troubled loan portfolios.
Characterization of Particle Size Distribution of Plasma Lipoproteins in Dairy Cattle Using High-Resolution Polyacrylamide Electrophoresis

Plasma lipoproteins play critical roles in energy metabolism and inflammation. Concentrations of high density lipoproteins (HDL) have been linked to reproductive outcomes and milk yields in dairy cattle. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), which are enzymatically formed in the blood from very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) following secretion by the liver, have been used as a surrogate marker of liver function due to the rapid influx of circulating VLDL into the lactating mammary gland. In humans, the composition of plasma lipoproteins is reflected in lipoprotein particle size distribution, and both of these parameters are highly predictive of disease development and related health outcomes. Bovine HDL are overall larger, less dense particles compared to human HDL. Lipoprotein particle size distribution in both health and disease is understudied in the bovine. We hypothesize that a more detailed analysis of lipoproteins could hold diagnostic and/or prognostic value in the study of dairy cattle health and production. In this study, we took the first steps in this characterization and used a high resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic assay to better define LDL and HDL at the subfraction level in Holstein cows at different stages of lactation. We extensively characterized the lipoprotein particle size distribution in healthy lactating dairy cattle. We identified subfractions of LDL that were evident only in the dry period and subfractions of HDL that were highest in cows during mid-lactation. Use of this method could be informative in the study of multiple herds and management strategies, including longitudinal evaluation of animals and production parameters.
Quantitative strength analysis for 3D-printed specimens in a Tri-Hexagon pattern:

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PLA (Polylactic acid) are the most commonly used thermoplastic materials in the AM (Additive Manufacturing) to build objects adding layer by layer. Additio...
Mid-7th century BC human parasite remains from Jerusalem.

Abstract Objective To determine the species of intestinal parasites present in 7th century BC high-status residents of Jerusalem and to expose the history of regional health and sanitary conditions. Materials Fifteen sediment samples were collected from the cesspit below a stone toilet seat found at the site of Armon Hanatziv, southern Jerusalem. The toilet installation was located in a garden adjacent to a monumental structure with extraordinary architectural elements. Methods A light microscope was used to identify and measure the eggs. Results The presence of four intestinal parasite egg taxa was detected: Trichuris trichiura (whipworm), Taenia sp. (beef/pork tapeworm), Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm), and Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm). This is the earliest appearance of roundworm and pinworm in the ancient Israel parasitological record. Conclusions Findings reveal that intestinal parasitic diseases most likely caused by poor sanitary conditions were a human problem in the Late Iron Age of Israel, affecting even high-status groups. Significance The study demonstrates the potential of archaeoparasitological investigations to expand our knowledge of the origin and history of regional infections. Moreover, parasitological evidence enabled us to determine the purpose of the cubical perforated stone artifacts (stone toilet seats rather than cultic objects as currently debated). Limitations The eggs of some parasite taxa are less durable, so may theoretically be absent due to selective preservation. Suggestions for Further Research Future excavations of ancient Israel should include archaeoparasitological studies of rare toilet installations to prevent information loss of regional history of diseases and to better understand their archaeological context.
Photographs and Committees: Activities That Help Students Discover Permutations and Combinations.

THE VISION OF MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM promoted by the NCTM's Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (1989) is based on two guid ing principles: "First, activities should grow out of problem situations; and second, learning occurs through active as well as passive involvement with mathe matics" (1989, 9). In particular, curriculum should be designed to support students in constructing their own mathematical ideas and connections. Students should solve
Review Essay: Public Policy and the Creation of Active Venture Capital Markets and Some Comments on 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams: Why Public Efforts to Boost Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Have Failed – and What to Do About It,' by Josh Lerner

In this review I could have focused on all of the excellent things in this work. But that would take too long, and the job of a reviewer is not to excessively praise but instead highlight areas of concern with the aim of full and correct dissemination of knowledge on a topic.I show conclusions in this work are based on methodologies that rank the Austrian and Hungarian venture capital markets as being the best in the Europe and the U.K. venture capital market as being the worst in Europe (I am not kidding). Inferences drawn are not robust to more reasonable rankings. Further, I point out a number of other significant misstatements and omissions.
The Impact of Residential Rent Controls on Lender Policies and Activities

The general merits of rent control have been debated for years but few have questioned their effects upon institutional lending policies. This study investigates actual lending terms as well as opi...
Soybean trypsin inhibitor. Cleavage and identification of a disulfide bridge not essential for activity.

Abstract Soybean trypsin inhibitor could be partially reduced by treatment with 0.25 m sodium borohydride at 0° without loss of inhibitory activity toward trypsin. From the number of —SH groups released and the carboxymethylcysteine content of the carboxymethylated derivative, it was evident that two —SH groups had been produced under these conditions. A comparison of the diagonal electrophoretic maps of peptic digests of unmodified inhibitor, partially reduced and carboxymethylated inhibitor, and fully reduced and carboxymethylated inhibitor indicated that only one of the two disulfide bonds of the partially reduced derivative had been modified. Peptides in which the cystine residues had been converted to either cysteic acid or carboxymethylcysteinesulfone were isolated from the carboxymethylated derivatives of partially and fully reduced inhibitor. A comparison of their composition with the known sequence of amino acids surrounding the cystine residues of the inhibitor permitted the unequivocal identification of the disulfide bond which had been reduced by sodium borohydride.
Analysis of the suitability of furniture university - anthropometric characteristics of user

This study objective show if the furniture university are according anthropometric characteristics of user.
Empirical Evaluation of the Basic Programming Language

Twelve subjects, six with programming experience and six without, learned a subset of the IBM 51 10 Computing System BASIC programming language commands. Subjects used an instructional text which contained example programs for them to run and problems for which they had to write, run, and debug simple but realistic programs. All of the subjects were either full or part time students at a local community college. Subjects with programming experience completed the course in almost half the time, asked fewer questions, scored significantly higher on the quiz, and completed more programs on the first attempt than did subjects without programming experience. Based on the results, subjects' suggestions, and experimenter observations, a number of recommendations about the language were made to improve the ease with which subjects could learn and use this version of BASIC.
Ultrasonography and computed tomography in focal fatty liver: Report of two cases with special emphasis on changing appearances over time

Abstract The features of focal fatty infiltration of the liver are described in 2 patients. In 1 patient, hepatic malignancy was initially suspected, and the true nature of the lesion was not appreciated until months later. The nondiagnostic features on ultrasonography and the characteristic features on computed tomography are described. Additional diagnostic information was obtained by guided liver biopsy and from repeat computed tomography months later, when partial or total resolution of the lesions was observed.
Top-down mass spectrometry of hybrid materials with hydrophobic peptide and hydrophilic or hydrophobic polymer blocks

A multidimensional mass spectrometry (MS) methodology is introduced for the molecular level characterization of polymer-peptide (or polymer-protein) copolymers that cannot be crystallized or chromatographically purified. It encompasses electrospray ionization (ESI) or matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) coupled with mass analysis, tandem mass spectrometry (MS(2)) and gas-phase separation by ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS). The entire analysis is performed in the mass spectrometer ("top-down" approach) within milliseconds and with high sensitivity, as demonstrated for hybrid materials composed of hydrophobic poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBA) or hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) blocks tethered to the hydrophobic decapeptide VPGVGVPGVG (VG2) via triazole linkages. The composition of the major products can be rapidly surveyed by MALDI-MS and MS(2). For a more comprehensive characterization, the ESI-IM-MS (and MS(2)) combination is more suitable, as it separates the hybrid materials based on their unique charges and shapes from unconjugated polymer and partially hydrolyzed products. Such separation is essential for reducing spectral congestion, deconvoluting overlapping compositions and enabling straightforward structural assignments, both for the hybrid copolymers as well as the polymer and peptide reactants. The IM dimension also permits the measurement of collision cross-sections (CCSs), which reveal molecular architecture. The MS and MS(2) spectra of the mobility separated ions conclusively showed that [PtBA-VG2]m and [PAA-VG2]m chains with the expected compositions and sequences were formed. Single and double copolymer blocks (m = 1-2) could be detected. Further, the CCSs of the hybrids, which were prepared via azide/alkyne cycloadditions, confirmed the formation of macrocyclic structures. The top-down methodology described would be particularly useful for the detection and identification of peptide/protein-polymer conjugates which are increasingly used in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.
The Development of Public Libraries in the United States, 1870–1930: A Quantitative Assessment

The period 1870–1930 witnessed the emergence of the local public library as a widespread and enduring American institution. We document the expansion of public libraries in the United States using data drawn from library surveys conducted by the federal Bureau of Education. We then review causal accounts for that expansion. Exploiting cross-state and temporal variation in the data, we use statistical techniques to assess a number of plausible demand-and-supply factors affecting the pace of library development. Social and economic variables in the analysis include state income or wealth, urbanization, ethnic composition, and gender ratios. We also examine the effect of institutional innovations, such as state library commissions and library associations, that likely affected the establishment of public libraries. We confirm that library expansion was robustly related to urbanization and greater ethnic (immigrant) diversity and to institutional innovations and that it was greatly delayed in southern states.
Organization of the Rab-GDI/CHM Superfamily: The Functional Basis for Choroideremia Disease

Choroideremia is an X-chromosome-linked disease that leads to the degeneration of the choriocapillaris, the retinal pigment epithelium and the photoreceptor layer in the eye. The gene product defective in choroideremia, CHM, is identical to Rab escort protein 1 (REP1). CHM/REP1 is an essential component of the catalytic geranylgeranyltransferase II complex (GGTrII) that delivers newly synthesized small GTPases belonging to the RAB gene family to the catalytic complex for post-translational modification. CHM/REP family members are evolutionarily related to members of the guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI) family, proteins involved in the recycling of Rab proteins required for vesicular membrane trafficking through the exocytic and endocytic pathways, forming the GDI/CHM superfamily. Biochemical and structural analyses have now revealed a striking parallel in the organization and function of these two families allowing us to generate a general model for GDI/CHM superfamily function in health and disease.
Object-oriented image coding scheme based on DWT and Markov random field

In this paper, we introduce an object-oriented image coding algorithm to differentiate regions of interest (ROI) in visual communications. Our scheme is motivated by the fact that in visual communications, image contents (objects) are not equally important. For a given network bandwidth budget, one should give the highest transmission priority to the most interesting object, and serve the remaining ones at lower priorities. We propose a DWT based Multiresolution Markov Random Field technique to segment image objects according to their textures. We show that this technique can effectively distinguish visual objects and assign them different priorities. This scheme can be integrated with our ROI compression coder, the Generalized Self-Similarity Tress codex, for networking applications.
Chaos and Complexity: Can It Help Us to Understand Mood and Behavior?

WHEN A disaster such as the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City occurs, many people wonder why psychiatrists, law officials, friends, and relatives are not more capable of accurately predicting human behavior. Not only during periods of disaster but also in day-to-day practice, psychiatrists are constantly faced with life-defining decisions based on the accurate Prediction of behavior. One of the most common and important decisions facing psychiatrists treating very ill patients is predicting if or when Patients will be dangerous to themselves or to others. While great strides have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of severe mental illness, few models have directly addressed the issue of predictability of behavior. Gottschalk et al 1 address this issue from a new theoretical approach. The article, in part, challenges us to question whether the laws governing complex physical systems may help us better Predict the fluctuations in mood states associated
Single unit activity of dopaminergic neurons in freely moving cats

Abstract Single unit activity was recorded from the area of the substantia nigra in freely moving cats. A sub-population of these neurons had the following characteristics: long action potential durations (2–4 msec); relatively slow discharge rates (2–6 spikes/sec); firing as single spikes along with periods of bursting activity in which spike amplitude successively decreased; suppression of unit activity by systemic injection of apomorphine and increased activity after systemic injection of haloperidol. These characteristics are similar to those of identified dopamine neurons recorded in chloral hydrate anesthetized or peripherally paralyzed rats. Therefore, based upon these physiological and pharmacological similarities, this study represents the first systematic report providing evidence for recording the activity of dopaminergic neurons in freely moving cats. In addition, when these cells were studied across the sleep-waking cycle they displayed little variation in firing rates between waking, slow wave sleep and REM sleep.
Staurosporine and H7 attenuate ethanol-induced elevation in [Ca2+]i in cultured canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells

Chronic exposure of cultured canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells to ethanol (10-400 mM) for 1-5 days resulted in significant concentration-dependent elevation in resting intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) levels. Preincubation of these cultured vascular cells with inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC), staurosporine and H7, induced no apparent changes from the control resting levels of [Ca2+]i. However, the increases of [Ca2+]i due to ethanol treatment were attenuated markedly by staurosporine and H7. Our data suggest that activation of PKC plays an important role in ethanol's action in producing a sustained rise in [Ca2+]i in cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells. Activation of PKC could thus play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of alcohol-induced cerebral ischemia and stroke.
Testing Homogeneity in Gamma Mixture Models

This paper characterizes the asymptotic behaviour of the likelihood ratio test statistic (LRTS) for testing homogeneity (i.e. no mixture) against gamma mixture alternatives. Under the null hypothesis, the LRTS is shown to be asymptotically equivalent to the square of Davies's Gaussian process test statistic and diverges at a log log n rate to infinity in probability. Based on the asymptotic analysis, we propose and demonstrate a computationally efficient method to simulate the null distributions of the LRTS for small to moderate sample sizes.
Ischemia/reperfusion injury induces chronic changes in the small bowel.

Ischemia/Reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common corollary of organ preservation, transplantation, and acute cellular rejection of intestinal allografts.1–3 Long-term studies have been precluded by the prevailing notion that in the small bowel (SB), the changes induced by I/R injury resolve within a few days postoccurrence. However, having recently documented that a protracted deleterious effect of a single episode of I/R injury of kidneys,4,5 we proceeded to ascertain if a similar outcome is also witnessed in the SB.
Nociceptin and dynorphin A(1-17) produce antianalgesia through independent systems in mice.

Abstract The administration of dynorphin A(1-17), Dyn, intrathecally (i.t.) or of nociceptin, intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) produces antianalgesic actions against i.t. morphine in the tail flick test in mice. The antianalgesic action of nociceptin is mediated by spinal PGE 2 and attenuated by i.t. PGD 2 or indomethacin. The Dyn response is mediated by release of IL 1β in the spinal cord to activate an ascending pathway to the brain and in turn releases IL 1β in the brain which activates a descending pathway to the spinal cord. The present work investigated the possibility that the action of IL 1β in the Dyn system might release prostaglandins so that the Dyn and nociceptin antianalgesic systems would overlap at these points. The results indicated that in the Dyn system neither the IL 1β in the spinal cord or brain implicated prostaglandin release because i.t. and i.c.v. PGD 2 and indomethacin did not affect Dyn-induced antianalgesia. In addition, nociceptin-induced antianalgesia did not involve components in the Dyn system. Thus, the Dyn and nociceptin antianalgesic systems did not overlap and each were independent systems.
Changes in prevalence of overweight and in body image among Fijian women between 1989 and 1998.

BECKER, ANNE E., STEPHEN E. GILMAN, AND REBECCA A. BURWELL. Changes in prevalence of overweight and in body image among Fijian women between 1989 and 1998. Obes Res. 2005;13:110–117. Objective: To investigate changes in prevalence of overweight and obesity and in body image among ethnic Fijian women in Fiji during a period of rapid social change and the relationship between changes in body image and BMI. Research Methods and Procedures: The study design was a multiwave cohort study of BMI in a traditional Fijian village over a 9.5-year period from 1989 to 1998. Cohorts were identified in 1989 (n 53) and in 1998 (n 50). Selection criteria included Fijian ethnicity, female gender, age of at least 18 years, and residence in a specific coastal Fijian village in 1989 and 1998, respectively. Assessments consisted of measurement of height and weight, collection of demographic data by written survey, and administration of the Nadroga Language Body Image Questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly different between the cohorts, increasing from 60% in 1989 to 84% in 1998 (p 0.014). In addition, the age-adjusted mean BMI was significantly higher in 1998 compared with 1989 (p 0.011). Finally, there were significant between-cohort differences in multiple measures of body image, which were mostly independent of BMI. Discussion: At 84%, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in this community sample of Fijian women is among the highest in the world. The dramatically increased prevalence over the 9.5-year period studied corresponds with rapid social change in Fiji and significant shifts in prevailing traditional attitudes toward body shape.
Abstract 4912: The role of long-range enhancer blocker CTCF in TGF-β/β-2 spectrin signaling: A human cancer stem cell disorder, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome

Hereditary cancer syndromes provide powerful insights into dysfunctional signaling pathways that lead to sporadic cancers. Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a hereditary human cancer stem cell syndrome currently linked to deregulated imprinting at chromosome 11p15 and uniparental disomy (UPD) and is characterized by overgrowth and is associated with an 800-fold increased risk of embryonal neoplasms of childhood that include Wilms’ tumors, hepatoblastomas, pancreatoblastoma, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and adrenocortical carcinomas. The transcriptional insulator CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor), a highly conserved zinc finger protein, has been implicated in BWS and has diverse regulatory functions, including transcriptional activation/repression, insulation, imprinting, and X chromosome inactivation However, causal molecular defects and genetic models have remained elusive to date in the majority of cases. TGF-β employs Smad proteins as intracellular mediators of signaling to regulate the target gene expression by activating or repressing gene transcription. The non-pleckstrin homology (PH) domain β-general-spectrin (β2SP), a scaffolding protein, functions as a potent TGF-β signaling Smad3/4 adaptor in tumor suppression and development. Yet, the role of the β2SP/TGF-β pathway in human tumor syndromes remains unclear, Our previous data have shown that β2SP is an important effector of TGF-β tumor suppressor function. Deletion of β2SP results in a dramatic and spontaneous formation of liver, gastrointestinal (GI) and pancreatic cancers. Aims: In this study, we investigated the relationship between epigenetic silencing of β-2 Spectrin/TGF-β[[Unsupported Character - ]] Signaling and loss of CTCF protein stabilization in a Human Cancer Stem Cell Disorder: Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome. Results show that: 1) β2SP is silenced at its promoter by DNA Methylation in human BWS non-tumor tissues and cell lines. 2) Loss of β2SP, mis-localization of Smad3 and disruption of TGF-β signaling are observed in human Beckwith-Wiedemann non-tumor tissues and cell lines 3) Ectopic expression of β2SP in human BWS cells rescues Smad3 localization and TGF-β target gene activation 4) Increased IGF2 expression in β2SP+/− and β2SP+/−/Smad3+/− mice is similar to that observed in human BWS. 5) CTCF protein levels are markedly decreased in β2SP+/− and β2SP+/−/Smad3+/− tissues. Conclusions: Our results suggest that epigenetic regulation of the TGF-β pathway results in the loss of β2SP and its crucial Smad3 adaptor function. The loss of an adaptor protein β2SP affecting CTCF stabilization, is causally related to the genesis and progression of human BWS. In addition, β2SP+/− and β2SP+/−/Smad3+/− mice provide an important animal model to study BWS. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4912.
Long-Term Electrophysiological and Behavioral Analysis on the Improvement of Visual Working Memory Load, Training Gains, and Transfer Benefits

Recent evidence demonstrates that with training, one can enhance visual working memory (VWM) capacity and attention over time in the near transfer tasks. Not only do these studies reveal the characteristics of VWM load and the influences of training, they may also provide insights into developing effective rehabilitation for patients with VWM deficiencies. However, few studies have investigated VWM over extended periods of time and evaluated transfer benefits on non-trained tasks. Here, we combined behavioral and electroencephalographical approaches to investigate VWM load, training gains, and transfer benefits. Our results reveal that VWM capacity is directly correlated to the difference of event-related potential waveforms. In particular, the “magic number 4” can be observed through the contralateral delay amplitude and the average capacity is 3.25-item over 15 participants. Furthermore, our findings indicate that VWM capacity can be improved through training; and after training exercises, participants from the training group are able to dramatically improve their performance. Likewise, the training effects on non-trained tasks can also be observed at the 12th week after training. Therefore, we conclude that participants can benefit from training gains, and augmented VWM capacity sustained over long periods of time on specific variety of tasks.
Effects of Litter, Soil Surface Conditions, and Microhabitat on Cercocarpus ledifolius Nutt. Seedling Emergence and Establishment

Abstract We assessed the effects of the litter layer, soil surface conditions, and microhabitat on emergence of the tree Cercocarpus ledifolius , and how litter affected establishment and survival of first year seedlings of this species. Natural seedling emergence was similar in three microhabitats: open interspaces (0.12kg litter m −2 ), beneath Artemisia tridentata canopies (0.27kg litter m −2 ), and beneath C. ledifolius canopies (2.5kg litter m −2 ). However, because seed dispersal is highest under trees, and lowest in the open, seedling emergence seemed to vary and have highest values in open interspaces. Emergence rates did not vary between soil surface treatments, but were lower in experimental litter treatments than in treatments, without litter, independent of microhabitat. In contrast, litter beneath trees favored subsequent seedling establishment and survival. This study shows that the role of the litter layer varies during the first year of the life of this species, with litter inhibiting initial emergence but enhancing early seedling survival.
Mediterraneans: North Africa and Europe in an age of migration, c. 1800–1900

Julia A. Clancy-Smith (The California World History Library, 15), Berkeley, University of California Press, 2011, xx+446 pp., 4 maps, 17 figures US$55 (hardback), ISBN 978-0-520-25923-2 US$34.95 (p...
pH—Partition Behavior of Amino Acid-Like β-Lactam Antibiotics

The pH-partition behavior of the ampholyte antibiotics ampicillin, cephalexin, and cephaloglycin, using n-butanol or n-octanol as the lipid phase and aqueous phosphate buffers, was determined at 37° over a pH range of 4.9–7.9. By comparing the pH-partition behavior of these drugs with computer-generated plots of the concentration of their various ionic species as a function of pH, the anion was found to be the major partitioning species. Minimum partitioning occurred in the isoelectric region, suggesting that the zwitterion did not partition to a significant extent. The pH-partition behavior of L-phenylalanine, as a model ampholyte, was studied over a pH range of 2.0–8.9; although the L-phenylalanine cation partitioned into the lipid phase, the anion partitioned to a significantly greater extent, while the minimum partitioning in the isoelectric region indicated that the zwitterion was a poor partitioning species. Studies of surface activity as a function of antibiotic concentration in phosphate buffers showed that there is a relationship between the partitioning behavior of these antibiotics and either the reduction in surface tension or the resulting surface excess at the lipid-water interface. To account for the difference in the pH-partition behavior of the compounds employed in this study and the previously reported data for the tetracyclines, two general types of ampholytes capable of forming zwitterions should be considered, depending on whether or not significant amounts of uncharged species are present in the isoelectric region. Maximum partitioning into the lipid phase should occur if uncharged species is present in significant concentrations (e.g., tetracycline); the compounds in this study were of the other type and thus showed reduced partitioning in the isoelectric pH region.
Experimental Measles. II. Infection and Immunity in the Rhesus Macaque

Measles infection and the host immune response to measles virus was compared using naive and immunized rhesus monkeys. The monkeys were experimentally challenged with a wild-type strain of measles virus inoculated intranasally. After pathogenic virus challenge, measles virus was detected in mononuclear cells of peripheral blood, lymph node, and spleen in naive monkeys and viremia peaked on Day 7. However, only one of five vaccinated monkeys had a lower virus titer in peripheral blood mononuclear cells at one time point after challenge. No virus was detected in the lymphoid tissues from an immunized monkeys that was euthanized on Day 7 of infection. Measles-specific IgM, IgG, neutralizing antibody, and cytotoxic T lymphocytes were detected in vaccinated monkeys before challenge, but antibody titers were significantly lower in immunized monkeys than in naive monkey after challenge. Measles-specific IgG antibody and cytotoxic T cell responses were still detected more than 1 year after vaccination or infection. This animal model is useful for the further study of measles pathogenesis, immunosuppression, and immunologic memories.
Rehabilitation of patients with advanced cancer

Despite growing interest in advanced cancer patients' quality of life, little attention has been directed toward preservation or recovery of their function. Although there is a dearth of supportive literature, extensive experience with other advanced disease populations suggests that standard, widely available rehabilitation strategies can enhance function in cancer. Logistic challenges to the provision of adequate rehabilitation to advanced cancer patients is discussed in this article, based on the author's experience and discussions in the literature. Common sources of functional impairment are reviewed with elucidation of rehabilitation approaches likely to benefit affected patients. Appropriate physical and occupational therapy techniques, as well as appropriate orthotics, assistive devices, and environmental modifications, are outlined for each of these impairments. In the author's view, rehabilitation should be considered for all advanced cancer patients experiencing functional decline. Pathways and referral patterns need to be established so that timely and appropriate functional restoration may occur.
Improved wavelengths for prominent lines of Cr xvi to Cr xxii

New measurements of 34 spectral lines of highly ionized Cr ions in the range of 100–280 A have been made with a wavelength uncertainty of ±5 mA. The light source was the TEXT tokamak at the University of Texas at Austin. Lines of Li-like to F-like Cr are included with visually estimated relative intensities, the best previous measurements, and their energy-level classifications. The uncertainties of the best earlier measurements were reported as ±20–30 mA, but much larger errors were found in some cases.
Study of the approach to scaling and factorization in proton fragmentation into π

Abstract From an analysis of previously published data as well as some new results from the Fermilab 30-inch bubble chamber, we study the energy dependence of inclusive π ± production in the target proton fragmentation region. The dependence at high energy is shown to be consistent with an s − 1 2 behavior. Furthermore, both π + and π − data show evidence for Pomeranchuk factorization in the limit of infinite energy.
RNA-Seq Reveals Differential Gene Expression in Staphylococcus aureus with Single-Nucleotide Resolution

Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive cocci and an important human commensal bacteria and pathogen. S. aureus infections are increasingly difficult to treat because of the emergence of highly resistant MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus) strains. Here we present a method to study differential gene expression in S. aureus using high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). We used RNA-seq to examine gene expression in S. aureus RN4220 cells containing an exogenously expressed transcription factor and between two S. aureus strains (RN4220 and NCTC8325-4). We investigated the sequence and gene expression differences between RN4220 and NCTC8325-4 and used the RNA-seq data to identify S. aureus promoters suitable for in vitro analysis. We used RNA-seq to describe, on a genome wide scale, genes positively and negatively regulated by the phage encoded transcription factor gp67. RNA-seq offers the ability to study differential gene expression with single-nucleotide resolution, and is a considerable improvement over the predominant genome-wide transcriptome technologies used in S. aureus.
Some aspects of the quark parton model

A modified Kuti-Weisskopf model which satisfies the Feynman threshold constraints is considered further. Detailed predictions for the sum of neutrino and anti-neutrino differential cross sections on nucleon (which can be readily compared with forthcoming NAL data), the shapes of the structure functions ƒ2νp,νn and the ratio ƒ2νp/ƒ2νn, and spin-dependence of inelastic electron-nucleon scattering versus scaling variable x are delineated. We also compare in some detail the general features of our model with the “model independent” approach of Feynman for quark parton theory.
RA: ResearchAssistant for the computational sciences

Computational experiments often discard large amounts of valuable data, such as invocation parameters and the lineage of output. Our goal is to identify, manage, capture, and organize this information. These data can be used to make the scientific process simpler and more efficient, and to increase the value of the research by making it more rigorous and reproducible. Research Assistant (RA) is an open source Java programming tool that helps to plug this information leak. RA ensures that all console output is valid XML; saves invocation parameters, the random seed, and code version information; automatically checkpoints intermediate results; creates runnable experiment packages; and keeps meticulous notes. This paper presents the design and implementation of RA, and shows how RA easily scales to make complex experiments repeatable.
Level set motion assisted non-rigid 3D image registration

Medical imaging applications of rigid and non-rigid elastic deformable image registration are undergoing wide scale development. Our approach determines image deformation maps through a hierarchical process, from global to local scales. Vemuri (2000) reported a registration method, based on levelset evolution theory, to morph an image along the motion gradient until it deforms to the reference image. We have applied this level set motion method as basis to iteratively compute the incremental motion fields and then we approximated the field using a higher-level affine and non-rigid motion model. In such a way, we combine sequentially the global affine motion, local affine motion and local non-rigid motion. Our method is fully automated, computationally efficient, and is able to detect large deformations if used together with multi-grid approaches, potentially yielding greater registration accuracy.
Intra- and interspecific nestmate recognition in Melipona workers (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

The possible significance of nestmate recognition in prevention of robbing and parasitism in three species of stingless bees was assessed. Nestmate discrimination abilities vary among them; Melipona quadrifasciataworkers attacked 74% of nonnestmate conspecifics that were encountered, while M. scutellarisand M. rufiventriswere less discriminating, attacking only 14 and 60% of non-nestmates, respectively. In tests of interspecific interactions, M. quadrifasciataand M. scutellariswere the least mutually tolerant of all species pairs tested. Tests with Apis melliferashowed a high degree of intolerance by two of the three Meliponaspecies.