cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metallopolymers from direct polymerization of functionalized cobalt chalcogenide clusters and thiophene comonomers

Semiconducting quantum dots and functionalized nanoparticles have been limited in their use within hybrid photovoltaic devices due to their poor percolation into the organic polymer matrix. The copolymerization of a functionalized cobalt chalcogenide cluster (Co6Se8(P(Ph)2(C4H2SBr))6) (1) with 2,5-bistrimethylstannylthiophene and 2,5-dibromo-3-hexylthiophene results in a type III metallopolymer. The ratio of cluster to the other comonomers was varied to yield three new copolymers, poly-cluster-co-thiophene-co-3-hexylthiopehene, PCLTHTa–c. Structural characterization was performed with NMR, GPC and UV-visible spectroscopy. DFT calcuations and experimental results were used to determine the impact of attachment on the polymer chain conjugation. Charge transfer from the polymer to the cluster moieties is observed in all of the cluster–thiophene copolymers. Increased charge transfer is observed with increased cluster incorporation. Fluorescence quenching experiments comparing simple cluster–polymer mixtures to the polymerized clusters indicate that covalent attachment of the cluster into the polymer chain can result in improved charge transfer. Optical and electronic characterization of thin films of PCLTHTa–c supports formation of uniform films and suggests that increasing polymer chain lengths lead to increased order in the solid-state.
Arterial stiffness induces remodeling phenotypes in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells via YAP/TAZ-mediated repression of cyclooxygenase-2.

Pulmonary arterial stiffness is an independent risk factor for mortality in pulmonary hypertension (PH) and plays a critical role in PH pathophysiology. Our laboratory has recently demonstrated arterial stiffening early in experimental PH, along with evidence for a mechanobiological feedback loop by which arterial stiffening promotes further cellular remodeling behaviors (Liu F, Haeger CM, Dieffenbach PB, Sicard D, Chrobak I, Coronata AM, Suarez Velandia MM, Vitali S, Colas RA, Norris PC, Marinkovic A, Liu X, Ma J, Rose CD, Lee SJ, Comhair SA, Erzurum SC, McDonald JD, Serhan CN, Walsh SR, Tschumperlin DJ, Fredenburgh LE. JCI Insight 1: e86987, 2016). Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin signaling have been implicated in stiffness-mediated regulation, with prostaglandin activity inversely correlated to matrix stiffness and remodeling behaviors in vitro, as well as to disease progression in rodent PH models. The mechanism by which mechanical signaling translates to reduced COX-2 activity in pulmonary vascular cells is unknown. The present work investigated the transcriptional regulators Yes-associated protein (YAP) and WW domain-containing transcription regulator 1 (WWTR1, a.k.a., TAZ), which are known drivers of downstream mechanical signaling, in mediating stiffness-induced changes in COX-2 and prostaglandin activity in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). We found that YAP/TAZ activity is increased in PAH PASMCs and experimental PH and is necessary for the development of stiffness-dependent remodeling phenotypes. Knockdown of YAP and TAZ markedly induces COX-2 expression and downstream prostaglandin production by approximately threefold, whereas overexpression of YAP or TAZ reduces COX-2 expression and prostaglandin production to near undetectable levels. Together, our findings demonstrate a stiffness-dependent YAP/TAZ-mediated positive feedback loop that drives remodeling phenotypes in PASMCs via reduced COX-2 and prostaglandin activity. The ability to interrupt this critical mechanobiological feedback loop and enhance local prostaglandin activity via manipulation of YAP/TAZ signaling presents a highly attractive novel strategy for the treatment of PH.
Species and functional trait re-assembly of ground beetle communities in restored grasslands

Ecosystem restoration provides unique opportunities to study community dynamics under succession and can reveal how consumer communities re-assemble and respond to successional changes. Studying community dynamics from both taxonomic and functional trait perspectives also may provide more robust assessments of restoration progress or success and allow cross-system comparisons. We studied ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities for three years in a restored grassland chronosequence with sites from 0 to 28 years old. We measured traditional community metrics (abundance, richness, Shannon diversity) and functional trait metrics based on species’ body length, wing morphology, activity time, phenology, and diet. Communities had high species richness and abundance in early successional stages, but these declined in later stages to low levels comparable to an adjacent grassland remnant. Species composition also shifted with time, converging with the remnant. Although functional richness, like species richness, declined as succession progressed, functional divergence quickly increased and was maintained over time, suggesting niche differentiation in established communities. Young sites were typified by small, macropterous, phytophagous species, while older sites contained larger species more likely to be flightless and carnivorous. Prescribed burns also affected traits, decreasing prevalence of larger species. This study demonstrates that functionally diverse consumer communities can self-assemble under restoration practices. In a relatively short amount of time both morphological and trophic level diversity are established. However, prescribed fire intended to control non-desirable plants may also shape beetle community functional composition, and restoration managers should consider if plant community benefits of fire outweigh potential declines in consumer function.
Optimizing the Energy Management Strategy for Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles With Multiple Frequent Routes

Adapting the energy management strategy (EMS) to a specific route is important for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), because it is usually preferred to apply a blended strategy to use the electricity and fuel energy during the whole trip to maximize the energy efficiency. Studies show that both the route information and human driving style have great impact on vehicle energy consumption. This brief focuses on developing an EMS for PHEVs running on multiple frequent routes, while the controller may not know the destination of each trip beforehand. The human driving style influence can be learned from his or her historical driving data, and the possible future routes as well as their probabilities can be obtained using global positioning system information and historical driving data. An optimal control problem for the higher level PHEV control is formulated and solved. This EMS can be implemented onboard in real time. Simulation results show that it consumes only 2.5% more energy than the posterior global optimal result in an eight-frequent-route scenario without needing to know the destination of each trip in advance.
A key to Turkish politics? the center–periphery framework revisited

ABSTRACTThis article offers a critical rereading of Serif Mardin’s center–periphery framework. This cleavage has offered a simple and politically appealing theoretical foundation to scholarly and journalistic works for several decades. Empirical evidence, however, suggests institutions and worldviews have not been continuous across time, as the center–periphery framework suggests. Furthermore, disagreements and conflicts among groups perceived as peripheral, the fluidity of relationships between peripheral and central actors, and the lack of cohesion within the institutions of the center leave no reason to maintain the center–periphery cleavage as an organizing framework. The authoritarian turn in Turkey in the 2010s under the Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi invites further scrutiny of the framework. Future research should take into consideration historical patterns and events that do not fit into the binary framework, pay attention to micro-level dynamics within and between social actors and institutions, inc...
Self-rated Health and Mortality due to Kidney Diseases: Racial Differences in the United States.

Background Although the role of self-rated health (SRH) on all-cause mortality is known, we still do not know whether SRH predicts death due to specific causes (e.g., kidney disease). The current study aimed to compare Blacks and Whites on the association between SRH and mortality due to kidney diseases. A nationally representative sample of adults in the United States was used to provide generalizable results to the United States population. Materials and methods The Americans' Changing Lives study is a nationally representative cohort, conducted from 1986-2011. The study followed 3361 Blacks (n = 1156) and Whites (n = 2205) for up to 25 years. The outcome was time to death due to kidney diseases, derived from death certificates and the National Death Index. Cox proportional hazards models were used to test whether race and baseline SRH interact on mortality due to kidney diseases. Results In the pooled sample, poor SRH (odds ratio [OR] = 2.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24-4.24) was associated with an increased risk of death due to kidney diseases over the follow-up period. Baseline SRH also showed a significant interaction with race on the outcome (OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.25-0.96), suggesting a stronger effect of SRH on deaths due to kidney diseases for Whites compared to Blacks. In race-specific models, poor SRH at baseline increased risk of death due to kidney diseases among Whites (OR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.14-4.34) but not Blacks (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.54-2.41). Conclusions Blacks and Whites differ regarding the predictive role of baseline SRH on death due to kidney diseases over time. Factors such as SRH better predict risk of mortality for Whites than for Blacks.
The Use of Temozolomide for Chemoradiation and Adjuvant Therapy of High-Grade Gliomas

Abstract Temozolomide, an orally administered methylating agent, is an integral component of standard therapy for patients with newly diagnosed anaplastic glioma and glioblastoma. Although a wide variety of dosing schedules of temozolomide have been evaluated in clinical trials, daily dosing during radiotherapy at 75 mg/m 2 /day followed by adjuvant dosing at 150–200 mg/m 2 /day for five consecutive days each 28-day cycle for 6–12 cycles is the accepted administration schedule. Temozolomide is overall well tolerated with its most common side effects including reversible myelotoxicity, constipation, and nausea. The antitumor activity of temozolomide may be limited by methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT), a ubiquitous DNA repair protein which can be upregulated in up to 65% of newly diagnosed glioblastoma tumors due to lack of MGMT promoter methylation. Ongoing research focuses on the role of temozolomide in optimizing care of elderly patients with malignant gliomas and overcoming mechanisms of resistance exploited by tumors to overcome temozolomide-mediated cytotoxicity.
Evaluation of mechanical and corrosion biocompatibility of TiTa alloys

As-received and heat-treated Ti40Ta and Ti50Ta alloys were evaluated to determine their corrosion as well as mechanical performances and compared to Ti6A14V, a common material utilized for orthopedic (surgical) implants. Anodic potentiodynamic tests performed in PlasmalyteTM showed that all samples, except for the Ti50Ta specimen aged at 400 °C for 3 h gave a curve similar to that of Ti6A14V. Optical and TEM microscopy was performed to determine as-received and heat-treated microstructures. As-received materials showed an α precipitate in an α+β and martensite matrix. Samples that were aged at 400 °C increased in the density and the length of the α precipitate. Vickers hardness measurements were performed to get an approximation of the tensile strengths. Aged Ti40Ta and Ti50Ta specimens produced the highest tensile values when compared to the Ti6A14V material, representing a 31% and 56% increase for the 3 h samples and an 18% and 58% increase for the 10 h samples. Of all the materials studied the Ti50Ta specimen aged for 10 h exhibited the best biocompatibility showing excellent corrosion resistance combined with the highest tensile strength (1089 MPa and 58% harder/stronger than Ti6A14V). © 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers
Patient care outcomes: implications for the Military Health Services System.

Abstract : Prodded by Congress, the health care community is struggling to curb spiraling health care costs through research that examines patient outcomes and the effectiveness of interventions. The emphasis on patient outcomes appears destined to have an impact on health care in the 1990s commensurate with the impact that diagnosis related groups (DRGs) had in the 1980s. Just as the Military Health Services System (MHSS) was not insulated from the effects of DRGs, it is highly improbable that the MHSS will escape involvement from the emphasis on patient outcomes. To respond proactively to changes in health care precipitated by patient outcomes, it is essential that the MHSS have a solid understanding of this new emphasis. This paper, therefore, provides an overview of patient outcomes, addresses conceptual and methodologic issues pertinent to evaluating patient outcomes, and presents five points concerning patient outcomes in the MHSS.
Techniques of Integration

By way of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (Theorem 10.1), many properties of integrals come from properties of derivatives and vice-versa. For example, the most basic technique of integration is to recognize the integrand as the derivative of some particular function. We saw a few examples of this sort of thing in the previous chapter. Here we focus on arguably the next two most important techniques of integration: u-Substitution which comes from the Chain Rule for derivatives, and Integration by Parts which comes from the Product Rule for derivatives.
An Attachment Theoretical Perspective on Tend-and-Befriend Stress Reactions

This study investigates the “tend-and-befriend” hypothesis proposed in 2000 by Taylor and colleagues, which posits that women utilize an alternative stress response to fight-or-flight, ensuring the survival of themselves and their offspring (tend) through the formation of groups (befriend). In contrast, we propose that, while sexes may differ in the use of tend-and-befriend behaviors, attachment style is a more robust predictor of these behaviors. The relationships among sex, adult attachment anxiety and avoidance, and stress responses were examined in 237 young adults. Participants completed the Experiences in Close Relationships—Revised and the Tend-and-Befriend Questionnaire. Results suggest that women preferred tend/befriend and flight responses over men, while men engaged in more fight responses than women. However, importantly, women and men both endorsed being most likely to engage in tend/befriend behaviors during stress than other responses. Attachment style was an independent and robust predictor of all stress responses, with anxious attachment predicting fight and flight behaviors and increased tend/befriend behavior, and avoidant attachment predicting decreased tend/befriend behavior. One interaction was also identified: Women who were more avoidantly attached were as likely as men to engage in fight behaviors, while less avoidant women reported the lowest fight response. Our findings suggest that while sex differences in self-reported tend-and-befriend behaviors may exist, exploration within sexes (an important oversight of previous research) may indicate different patterns of results. We found evidence of strong effects of attachment style on all forms of stress response, even after accounting for sex, indicating the importance of attachment behavior in stress responsivity.
Tetraarylphosphonium perfluorocyclobutyl polyelectrolyte with low critical surface energy, high thermal stability, and high alkaline resistance

Two tetraarylphosphonium polyelectrolytes having perfluorocyclobutyl units in their backbones have been prepared in which the counteranion is either bromide (PFP·Br) or bis(trifluoromethyl)sulfonimide (PFP·NTf₂). These polymers exhibit high thermal stability as assessed by thermogravimetric analysis, with a decomposition temperature of 460 °C for PFP·NTf₂. Even after heating at 300 °C for 72 h, PFP·NTf₂ shows no signs of degradation detectable by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. As is typical for many tetraarylphosphonium species, films of these polymers can be quite resistant to degradation by alkaline solution. Upon alkaline challenge by exposure to 6 M NaOH at 65 °C for 24 h, for example, only 16% of the phosphonium centers in PFP·NTf₂ are degraded, making PFP·NTf₂ one of the most alkaline‐stable phosphonium polymers to date. Despite having ionic backbones, PFP·Br and PFP·NTf₂ exhibit very low critical surface energies of 26.1 and 22.9 mJ m⁻¹, respectively. These values are on par with the values for poly(vinylene fluoride) and dimethylsiloxane. Such low surface energy polycations capable of high alkaline stability may find application as components of alkaline fuel cell membranes. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 2267–2272
Synthesis and Rh-catalyzed reductive cyclization of 1,6-enynes and 1,6-diynes containing alkynylboronate termini

Abstract Ir-catalyzed dehydrogenative borylation of terminal alkynes (DHBTA) has been used to borylate the C(sp)-H bond in a series of 1,6-enynes and 1,6-diynes. Ir catalysts based on the diarylamido/bis(phosphine) PNP ligands proved to be capable of performing DHBTA on these substrates. The alkynylboronate products were then explored as substrates in reductive cyclization reactions designed to yield five-membered carbocycles and heterocycles with preservation of the carbon-boron bond. The reductive cyclization of enynes with H2 was carried out using cationic Rh catalysts (after the work of Krische et al.) supported by bidentate phosphine ligands, of which BINAP proved to be the generally best performing. Reductive cyclization of borylated enynes typically resulted in mixtures of isomeric products. Attempts to optimize the reductive cyclization of borylated 1,6-enynes to yield a single product were not successful; in addition, the distribution of products in these reactions was poorly reproducible. On the other hand, reductive cyclization of 1,6-diynes with the same Rh catalysts was better behaved, allowing for selectivity and reproducibility. In particular, alkynylboronate derivatives of bis(propargyl)amine underwent smooth reductive cyclization to 3,4-substituted pyrroles. The influence of substituents and conditions on the product distribution was explored and representative reactions utilizing new borylated heterocycles in Suzuki coupling reactions were carried out.
COVID-19 countermeasures, Major League Baseball, and the home field advantage: Simulating the 2020 season using logit regression and a neural network

Background: In the wake of COVID-19, almost all major league sports have been either cancelled or postponed. The sports industry suffered a major blow with the uncertainty of sporting events being held in the near future. Various scenarios of how and when sports might recommence have been discussed. This paper examines various scenarios of how Major League Baseball team performance is going to be impacted by the presence of fans, or the lack thereof, in the context of physical distancing and other COVID-19 countermeasures Methods: The paper simulates, using a neural network and a logit regression model, the win-loss probabilities for various scenarios under consideration and also estimates the home effect for each team using data for the 2017-2019 seasons. Results: The model demonstrates that individual team home effect is symmetric between home and away and teams will not necessarily have a win or loss of any additional games in neutral stadiums, as teams with a high home field effect will lose more neutral games that would have been at home but will win more neutral games that would have been away. However, the result of individual games will be different since home effect is asymmetric between teams. Our simulation demonstrates that these individual game differences may lead to a slight difference in Play-Off Berths between a full season, a half season, or a full season without fans. Conclusions: Without fans, any advantage (or disadvantage) from home field advantage is removed. Our models and simulation demonstrate that this will reduce the variance. This stabilizes the outcome based upon true team talent, which we estimate will cause a larger divide between the best and worst teams. This estimation helps decision makers understand how individual team performance will be impacted as they prepare for the 2020 season under the new circumstances.
Creating Institution-Wide Awareness of, and Engagement with, Open Scholarship

INTRODUCTION Strategies for how, when, and why to communicate on the topics of Open Scholarship (OS) are many and varied. Here, the author reflects on how a small, regional university library went from a low knowledge base of OS to having OS more thoughtfully and thoroughly considered across many aspects of scholarship. DESCRIPTION OF APPROACH The author discusses how, over a three-year period, the library turned OS from being seen as a topic only the library deals with, to a nuanced conversation present across many levels of a university. This was done in three broad stages: first, upskilling librarians; second, reaching out to others working in this space and creating conversations across campus; and third, broadening conversations to different audiences whilst beginning to embed OS in institutional practices. NEXT STEPS Collaborative engagement across various levels has worked well for this university. The library will continue this approach to further embed OS in the culture of the institution while looking to further collaborate across the institution, and working with colleagues and OS advocates in other organizations, groups, and bodies.
Neuropsychological Models of Attention

A number of neuropsychological models have been proposed to account for the processes and brain systems underlying attention. These models have been based on two types of clinical data: (1) clinical inattention syndromes in patients with well-identified circumscribed brain lesions and (2) neuropsychological deficits in samples of patients with neurological or psychiatric diseases affecting the brain. There has been a remarkable degree of convergence among most of these models. We will review several to highlight commonalities and differences and to summarize current thinking regarding the neuropsychology of attention. In this section, models proposed by Heilman, Watson, and Valenstein [1, 2] and Mesulam [3, 4] will be discussed first, as they were based on neurological and neuropsychological studies of hemi-neglect syndrome. This will be followed by models of attention with origins in primate neuroscience (Pribram), cognitive science (Posner), and then a number of subsequent models that placed greater emphasis on executive-attention (Shallice, Stuss, and others). Finally, two separate attention frameworks proposed by Mirsky and Cohen over 2 decades ago are considered. All of these models and frameworks have a number of elements in common, illustrating a confluence of thinking that exists regarding the neuropsychology of attention.
A Revisit of Elliptic Variational-Hemivariational Inequalities

In this paper, we provide an alternative approach to establish the solution existence and uniqueness for elliptic variational-hemivariational inequalities. The new approach is based on elementary r...
Suicide & gender inequality: a cross-national examination

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death globally and is increasing in many countries across the world. Gender inequality has been demonstrated to be predictive of suicide. However, scholars h...
What is God's Power?

Theists claim that God can make a causal difference in the world. That is, theists believe that God is causally efficacious, has power. Discussion of divine power has centered on understanding better the metaphysics of creation and sustenance, special intervention, governance, and providing an account of omnipotence consistent with other divine attributes, such as omnibenevolence. But little discussion has centered on what, deep down ontologically, God’s power is. I show that a number of prominent accounts of power fail to model what divine power could be, and then develop an account based on teleological and primitivist accounts of power.
Beta turn propensity and a model polymer scaling exponent identify intrinsically disordered phase-separating proteins.

The complex cellular milieu can spontaneously demix, or phase separate, in a process controlled in part by intrinsically disordered (ID) proteins. A protein's propensity to phase separate is thought to be driven by a preference for protein–protein over protein–solvent interactions. The hydrodynamic size of monomeric proteins, as quantified by the polymer scaling exponent (v), is driven by a similar balance. We hypothesized that mean v, as predicted by protein sequence, would be smaller for proteins with a strong propensity to phase separate. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed protein databases containing subsets of proteins that are folded, disordered, or disordered and known to spontaneously phase separate. We find that the phase-separating disordered proteins, on average, had lower calculated values of v compared with their non-phase-separating counterparts. Moreover, these proteins had a higher sequence-predicted propensity for β-turns. Using a simple, surface area-based model, we propose a physical mechanism for this difference: transient β-turn structures reduce the desolvation penalty of forming a protein-rich phase and increase exposure of atoms involved in π/sp2 valence electron interactions. By this mechanism, β-turns could act as energetically favored nucleation points, which may explain the increased propensity for turns in ID regions (IDRs) utilized biologically for phase separation. Phase-separating IDRs, non-phase-separating IDRs, and folded regions could be distinguished by combining v and β-turn propensity. Finally, we propose a new algorithm, ParSe ( par tition se quence), for predicting phase-separating protein regions, and which is able to accurately identify folded, disordered, and phase-separating protein regions based on the primary sequence.
Firm Valuation, Earnings Expectations and the Exchange-Rate Exposure Effect

This paper presents an empirical exploration of the relation between abnormal stock returns of U.S. firms with inter-national activities and fluctuations in the U.S. dollar. Consistent with previous research, we fail to find a signifi-cant correlation between abnormal returns of our sample firms and changes in the dollar. We investigate the possibility that this failure is due to mispricing. The main results are: 1) lagged changes in the dollar are a significant variable in explaining current abnormal returns of our sample firms suggesting that mispricing is occurring, and 2) this exchange-rate exposure effect weakens over time suggesting that investors learn about the mispricing over time. In addition, a simple trading strategy based upon lagged changes in the dollar generates abnormal returns that are economically as well as statistically significant. Corroborating evidence is also provided. One interpretation of these results is that investors do not use all freely available information--in particular, past changes in the dollar and the past inter-actions between dollar changes and firm performance, assets and liabilities--to predict changes in firm value. More specifically, by the end of the fiscal quarter investors observe the change in the value of the dollar over this period and have observed the impacts of past dollar changes on firm performance, assets and liabilities. Based upon this information, investor should be able to form an unbiased expectation about the economic impact of the recent change in the dollar on firm performance, assets, and liabilities, and incorporate this effect into firm value by that time. However, at the end of the fiscal quarter, investors system- atically under-estimate this impact (or perhaps even overlook it entirely). This under-estimation is corrected only when additional information that relates to the impact of the past change in the dollar on firm performance, assets, and liabilities is disclosed in the future.
Methodology for using a Bayesian nonparametric model to uncover universal patterns in color naming

ABSTRACT Language is an integral part of society which enables communication among its members. To shed light on how words gain their meaning and how their meaning evolves over time, color naming is often used as a case study. The color domain can be defined by a physical space, making it a useful concept for studying denotation of meaning. Though humans can distinguish millions colors, language provides us with a small, manageable set of terms for categorizing the space. Partitions of the color space vary across different language groups and evolve over time (e.g. new color terms may enter a language). Investigating universal patterns in color naming provides insight into the mechanisms that give rise to the observed data. Recently, computational techniques have been utilized to study this phenomenon. Here, we develop a methodology for transforming a color naming data set—namely, the World Color Survey—which is based on constraints imposed by the stimulus space. This transformed data is used to initialize a nonparametric Bayesian machine learning model in order to implement a culture and theory-independent study of universal color naming patterns across different language groups. All of the methods described are executed by our Python software package called ColorBBDP. • Data from the World Color Survey is transformed from its original format into binary features vectors which can be given as input to the Beta-Bernoulli Dirichlet Process Mixture Model. • This paper provides a specific application of Variational Inference on the Beta-Bernoulli Dirichlet Process Mixture Model towards a color naming data set. • New mathematical measures for performing post-cluster analyses are also detailed in this paper.
Petro-Aggression: When Oil Causes War

1. Introduction 2. A theory of oil, revolution, and conflict 3. Evidence and research design 4. Quantitative impact of oil and revolution on conflict 5. Iraq 6. Libya and the Arab Jamahiriyya 7. Iran 8. Venezuela and the Bolivarian revolution 9. Saudi Arabia 10. Does oil cause revolution? 11. Conclusion and policy implications.
In search of price rigidities : recent sector evidence from Argentina

The hypothesis that the price adjustment to nominal shocks is instantaneous has been part of the monetarist approach explaining the inflationary process in Argentina. But the authors argue that monetary and exchange rate policies have had different effects on relative prices and thus have a significant influence on the real side of the economy. The existence of rigidities has prevented full and instantaneous price adjustments. Recent work on inflation in imperfectly competitive markets explain rigidities as a consequence of firms' strategic responses to nominal shocks, which in turn depend on the market structure and demand elasticities faced by firms. Price rigidities emerge when firms facing changes in aggregate demand behave collusively, and there are costs for customers to switch between suppliers. In contrast, when the costs for customers to switch between suppliers are low, firms are obliged to adjust their prices to new demand conditions, otherwise they will lose their customers. Changes in foreign prices affect domestic prices depending on the degree of foreign competition and the price formation mechanism in each sector. As expected, price rigidities are minimal in tradable sectors where firms react to these changes by changing their prices almost instantaneously. The response in nontradable activities depends on indirect effects and whether prices are indexed to a foreign currency. Because understanding this is essential for effective policymaking, the authors analyze price behavior of four economic sectors - agriculture, industry, (retail) commerce, and services - in Argentina from 1981-94. The econometric analysis show large differences in the price behavior across sectors. Firms do not respond uniformly to changes in production costs, foreign prices, and demand conditions. The response of individual prices reflects the distribution of adjustment costs across sectors in the case of nominal shocks. To maintain social and political stability, the government's challenge is to minimize divergence across sectors. Increasing competition appears to be a crucial element of this strategy since monopolistic power is frequently associated with the existence of price rigidities.
Impact of nitrative/nitrosative stress in mitochondria: Unraveling targets for malaria chemotherapy

Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) has been identified as one of the most important signaling molecules in living organisms. In addition to the direct effects of NO, recent studies have revealed that protein modifications by NO, such as nitration or S-nitrosation, are also of biological significance as regulatory mechanisms that can affect cellular functions. Both protein modifications occur as a consequence of oxidative/nitrative stress. Some of these protein modifications have been found in mitochondria, and in certain cases the corresponding activities and/or pathways affected have been identified. The protein modifications can result as collateral damage during normal or pathological oxidative/nitrative stress, or in more localized, controlled situations that modulate signal transduction pathways. As an example of these complex phenomena, we discuss the interplay among the malaria parasite, mosquito and host, focusing on the role of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and protein modifications in controlling parasite development.
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are not associated with adverse outcomes in Clostridium difficile infection

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a significant source of healthcare-associated morbidity and mortality. This study investigated whether serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is associated with adverse outcomes from CDI. Patients with CDI were prospectively enrolled. Charts were reviewed and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was measured. The primary outcome was a composite definition of severe disease: fever (temperature >38°C), acute organ dysfunction, or serum white blood cell count >15,000 cells/μL within 24-48 hours of diagnosis; lack of response to therapy by day 5; and intensive care unit admission; colectomy; or death within 30 days. Sixty-seven patients were included in the final analysis. Mean (±SD) serum 25- hydroxyvitamin D was 26.1 (±18.54) ng/mL. Severe disease, which occurred in 26 (39%) participants, was not associated with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [odds ratio (OR) 1.00; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96-1.04]. In the adjusted model for severe disease only serum albumin (OR 0.12; 95%CI 0.02-0.64) and diagnosis by detection of stool toxin (OR 5.87; 95%CI 1.09-31.7) remained independent predictors. We conclude that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is not associated with the development of severe disease in patients with CDI.
A Study of Highly Qualified Science Teachers' Career Trajectory in the Deep, Rural South: Examining a Link Between Deprofessionalization and Teacher Dissatisfaction

Science teacher retention, attrition, and migration continue to perplex educational scholars, political entities, as well as the general public. This study utilized an interpretive methodological design to generate assertions regarding career choice made by highly qualified science teachers in the deep, rural South through analysis of documents, interviews, focus groups, and observation. Generally considered “difficult to staff” because of location, socioeconomics, and demographics, Wilson County High School is an exemplar in science teacher retention and student achievement. Findings presented include how the science department at Wilson County improved student learning outcomes as well as the reasons why two of the highly qualified science teachers at this school were considering leaving the profession they love.
Abstract 4905: Novel gene expression profiles of poorly differentiated lung cancer are enriched in stem cell factors and predictive of worse clinical outcome.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Poorly differentiated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the histopathological level has been associated with shorter patient survival. Analogously, at the cellular level, poorly differentiated tumor cells exhibit more aggressive phenotypes than their well-differentiated counterparts, including higher tumorigenic potential and higher metastatic capacity. Effective therapeutic targeting of the malignant undifferentiated cells will require a deeper understanding of their molecular drivers. To investigate the hierarchical basis of heterogeneous NSCLC tumors, we developed an improved method to study the undifferentiated and differentiated states of primary tumor cultures. The cultures were established in defined serum-free media from freshly resected tumors and were induced to differentiate either by culture in serum-containing media or by exposure to the air-liquid interface (ALI) in serum-free media with two variations. Gene expression profiles revealed similar patterns of change in all three conditions, which confirmed the undifferentiated state of the initial culture; however, differentiation in serum caused many extraneous changes in gene expression, which suggested that the ALI method represents a more physiologically relevant condition. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis demonstrated that the profile of the undifferentiated state was enriched in signatures of embryonic stem cell factors, metastasis and drug resistance. In addition, novel gene expression signatures of the undifferentiated state were predictive of shorter patient survival in a clinical dataset of NSCLC. These results establish a robust method for studying the cellular hierarchy in NSCLC that is independent of cell surface markers, and the data reveal several potential avenues for future therapeutic intervention. Citation Format: Marc Isaac Damelin, Wenyan Zhong, Veronica K. Diesl, Maximillian T. Follettie, Kenneth G. Geles. Novel gene expression profiles of poorly differentiated lung cancer are enriched in stem cell factors and predictive of worse clinical outcome. [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 4905. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4905
Phase-change memory devices with stacked Ge-chalcogenide/Sn-chalcogenide layers

Non-volatile memory devices with two stacked layers of chalcogenide materials comprising the active memory device have been investigated for their potential as phase-change memories. The devices tested consisted of GeTe/SnTe, Ge2Se3/SnTe, and Ge2Se3/SnSe stacks. All devices exhibited resistance switching behavior. The polarity of the applied voltage with respect to the SnTe or SnSe layer was critical to the memory switching properties, most likely due to the voltage induced movement of either Sn or Te into the Ge-chalcogenide layer.
Prehistoric ethnicity on the Northwest Coast of North America: An evaluation of style in basketry and lithics

Abstract Resulting from the recent excavation of waterlogged (“wet”) sites on the Northwest Coast of North America, prehistoric basketry and cordage artifacts have become much more common. Since these artifacts have several unique diagnostic attributes, they become particularly useful as a new dimension for considering the meaning of Northwest Coast archaeological phase definitions. At the Hoko River wet/dry site, Olympic Peninsula, Washington State, we find a lithic component in the living areas (dry portion) which best “fits” the Locarno Beach Phase. This 2200–3000 B.P. fishing camp represents a westerly extension of this lithic artifact assemblage, typically found at this time period in the Gulf of Georgia. The abundant Hoko River perishable artifact assemblage found in the wet offshore areas demonstrates a distinctive style when compared to those from the classic and contemporary Locarno component from the Musqueam Northeast wet site (DhRt4) on the Fraser Delta. Therefore, what do the Locarno characteristics observed from lithic artifacts at Hoko River actually represent? From computer-assisted economic models of cultural evolution for the Hoko region, we propose that many groups of the southern Northwest Coast evolved through similar economic stages or plateaus (best characterized by stone and bone artifact styles), yet retained distinct ethnic styles (best characterized by their basketry and cordage). Developing southern Northwest Coast groups may have passed through similar economic plateaus that have become considered cultural phases or types , while the basketry and cordage artifacts may best represent continuity of cultural ethnicity through these economic plateaus .
Negative affective experiences in relation to stages of eating disorder recovery.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine a collection of negative affect symptoms in relation to stages of eating disorder recovery. Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, loneliness, and perceived stress are known to be present in individuals with eating disorders; however, less is known about the presence of such constructs throughout the recovery process. Does this negative affect fog continue to linger in individuals who have recovered from an eating disorder? Female participants seen at some point for an eating disorder at a primary care clinic were categorized into one of three groups using a stringent definition of eating disorder recovery based on physical, behavioral, and psychological criteria: active eating disorder ( n = 53), partially recovered ( n = 15; psychological criteria not met), and fully recovered ( n = 20; all recovery criteria met). Additionally, data were obtained from 67 female controls who had no history of an eating disorder. Self-report data indicated that controls and women fully recovered from an eating disorder scored significantly lower than partially recovered and active eating disorder groups in perceived stress, depression, and anxiety. Controls and the fully recovered group were statistically indistinguishable from each other in these domains, as were the partially recovered and active eating disorder groups, suggesting an interesting divide depending on whether psychological criteria (e.g., normative levels of weight/shape concern) were met. In contrast, controls and fully recovered and partially recovered groups all reported feeling significantly less lonely relative to those with an active eating disorder suggesting that improved perceptions of interpersonal functioning and social support may act as a stepping stone toward more comprehensive eating disorder recovery. Future research may want to longitudinally determine if an increase in actual or perceived social support facilitates the movement toward full recovery and whether this, in turn, has salutatory effects on depression, anxiety, and perceived stress.
In vitro secretion of human IgM rheumatoid factor. Evidence for distinct rheumatoid factor populations in health and disease.

The production of antibodies that react with the Fc fragment of IgG, i.e., rheumatoid factors (RF), is now regarded as a normal host immune response. It is not clear, however, if such putative physiologic RF are different from their counterparts which characterize pathologic states like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Using Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I as an in vitro stimulant of RF production, we now report that the IgM-RF secreted by blood mononuclear cells obtained from healthy newborn infants and healthy adults can be distinguished not only from classic monoclonal RF and polyclonal RA serum RF, but also from the RF secreted by blood mononuclear cells obtained from RA patients. Whereas the Fc-binding activity of all RF secreted in vitro was easily inhibited by aggregated human IgG, only the RF produced by the normal umbilical cord cells and the normal adult cells were inhibited by monomeric Fc(IgG). The normal RF were also selectively inhibited by monomeric rabbit and guinea pig (Fc(IgG). The RF secreted by umbilical cord blood cells utilized lambda and kappa light chains, with a disproportionate use of lambda light chains relative to the total IgM secreted. Together, these data provide evidence for distinct subsets of RF in health and in disease.
Chromosome translocations in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM), a malignant tumor of somatically mutated, isotype-switched plasma cells (PC), usually arises from a common benign PC tumor called Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS). MM progresses within the bone marrow, and then to an extramedullary stage from which MM cell lines are generated. The incidence of IgH translocations increases with the stage of disease: 50% in MGUS, 60–65% in intramedullarly MM, 70–80% in extramedullary MM, and >90% in MM cell lines. Primary, simple reciprocal IgH translocations, which are present in both MGUS and MM, involve many partners and provide an early immortalizing event. Four chromosomal partners appear to account for the majority of primary IgH translocations: 11q13 (cyclin D1), 6p21 (cyclin D3), 4p16 (FGFR3 and MMSET), and 16q23 (c-maf). They are mediated primarily by errors in IgH switch recombination and less often by errors in somatic hypermutation, with the former dissociating the intronic and 3′ enhancer(s), so that potential oncogenes can be dysregulated on each derivative chromosome (e.g., FGFR3 on der14 and MMSET on der4). Secondary translocations, which sometimes do not involve Ig loci, are more complex, and are not mediated by errors in B cell specific DNA modification mechanisms. They involve other chromosomal partners, notably 8q24 (c-myc), and are associated with tumor progression. Consistent with MM being the malignant counterpart of a long-lived PC, oncogenes dysregulated by primary IgH translocations in MM do not appear to confer an anti-apoptotic effect, but instead increase proliferation and/or inhibit differentiation. The fact that so many different primary transforming events give rise to tumors with the same phenotype suggests that there is only a single fate available for the transformed cell.
The Med1 Subunit of Transcriptional Mediator Plays a Central Role in Regulating CCAAT/Enhancer-binding Protein-β-driven Transcription in Response to Interferon-γ

Transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP)-β is crucial for regulating transcription of genes involved in a number of diverse cellular processes, including those involved in some cytokine-induced responses. However, the mechanisms that contribute to its diverse transcriptional activity are not yet fully understood. To gain an understanding into its mechanisms of action, we took a proteomic approach and identified cellular proteins that associate with C/EBP-β in an interferon (IFN)-γ-dependent manner. Transcriptional mediator (Mediator) is a multisubunit protein complex that regulates signal-induced cellular gene transcription from enhancer-bound transcription factor(s). Here, we report that the Med1 subunit of the Mediator as a C/EBP-β-interacting protein. Using gene knock-out cells and mutational and RNA interference approaches, we show that Med1 is critical for IFN-induced expression of certain genes. Med1 associates with C/EBP-β through a domain located between amino acids 125 and 155 of its N terminus. We also show that the MAPK, ERK1/2, and an ERK phosphorylation site within regulatory domain 2, more specifically the Thr189 residue, of C/EBP-β are essential for it to bind to Med1. Last, an ERK-regulated site in Med1 protein is also essential for up-regulating IFN-induced transcription although not critical for binding to C/EBP-β.