cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the risk of transmitting Staphylococcus aureus strains between replacement heifers through commingling at a heifer-rearing facility.

The objective of this study was to evaluate transmission of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strains between heifers that originated from either a high- or low-prevalence S. aureus herd after commingling at a heifer-rearing facility. Three to four-month-old heifers from the University of Pennsylvania (UPa) and the University of Delaware (UDel) were transported on a bimonthly basis and raised commingled at Eutgers University. Preliminary work established unique baseline strains of S. aureus at both universities prior to commingling, and a high prevalence of S. aureus at the UPa (22.4%) and a low prevalence of S. aureus at the UDel (2,7%). Composite milk, samples were obtained for culture of S. aureus from both universities three times in 2006 and four times in 2007. Strain typing of S. aureus was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The predominant strain isolated at the UPa was not spread to the UDel when heifers were commingled. The prevalence of S. aureus at the first routine culture after parturition (3-124 days after parturition) in primiparous cows previously commingled was similar in both herds. Sixty percent of the S. aureus strains isolated from commingled primiparous cow from the UPa were strains that were also found in the lactating herd. The UPa had significantly more S. aureus infections acquired in later lactation or subsequent lactations in primiparous cows that had been previously commingled and negative at the first routine culture after parturition, and from cows previously not commingled, than the UDel. The predominant strain of S. aureus isolated in these cows was the same as the predominant strain isolated from the preliminary baseline cultures. In this study, three to four-month-old commingled heifers returned to their herd of origin two to seven months prior to parturition were more at risk of acquiring an endemic strain of S. aureus than strains they may have potentially been exposed to at a commercial heifer-rearing facility. In this study, low-prevalent strains not found in the lactating herd and isolated from primiparous cows at parturition were of minor importance, and the infected mammary gland of lactating cows was the major reservoir of S. aureus.
Organ-Specific Differences in Gene Expression and Unigene Annotations Describing Source Material

For this paper, we analyzed data collected for Project Normal, which assessed the normal variation of gene expression in three distinct mouse organs. Our approach uncovered two difficulties with the original analysis. First, normalization using the loess method obscures a difference in the distribution of gene expression measurements between pure organ samples and the reference mixture. Second, and more importantly, it appears that the link between spot location and gene annotations was broken during data processing. We used principal components analysis to confirm that reordering the data matrices based on spot locations produced more consistent data from the reference channels. In order to recover the true gene annotations, we then introduced a model that explicitly accounted for organ-specific differences in gene expression and related those differences to UniGene annotations that describe mRNA sources. Using this model, we were able to determine which set of annotations was correct.
The Past Need Not Be Prologue: Recommendations for Testing and Positioning the Most-Promising Medical Countermeasures for the Next Outbreak of Ebola Virus Infection.

Background The 2013-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa led to unprecedented morbidity and mortality. Although different classes of putative antiviral agents with supportive preclinical data were available for testing, and although several attempts to perform meaningful evaluation of these agents were undertaken during the epidemic, different research methods, a lack of appropriate controls in most studies, and formidable logistical challenges to completion of studies under field conditions hampered the success of these efforts. Ultimately only 1 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial (PREVAIL II) was performed in this setting, and, owing to a decrease in the number of new cases available for study, it, too, ended prior to reaching definitive results. Retrospective review of the lessons learned from this outbreak argues strongly for the need for much better preparedness in terms of selecting the trial design and drug(s) for use during the next outbreak. Methods Using recent data provided by representatives from the pharmaceutical industry, clinical and laboratory subject matter experts from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, other US government agencies, and academic partners were consulted regarding the current state of knowledge about several lead compounds with putative activity against EVD. Consensus was sought on recommendations concerning the most promising treatment strategies against EVD that should be studied in the context of a randomized clinical trial during the next outbreak. Results Four compounds from 2 different classes (monoclonal antibody [mAb] cocktails and direct-acting antiviral agents [DAAs]) were highlighted as lead candidates, limitations in the current knowledge base about these drug classes were reviewed, and recommendations about the optimal clinical research design for studying combinations of these different agents were made. Conclusions Although achieving the desired sample size could be challenging, a randomized, controlled clinical trial based on a combination strategy of a mAb with a DAA was recommended as the most appropriate clinical trial design to be undertaken during the next outbreak of EVD.
LIFELONG LEARNING, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, AND HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN THE U.S.

Educational attainment is typically determined by the time one reaches early adulthood. However, its effects on health are cumulative across the life course. The cumulative nature of the relationship between educational attainment and health highlights the need to explore the potential benefits of continuous adult education (e.g., lifelong learning). Thus, we hypothesize that participation in lifelong learning attenuates the effects of educational attainment on health in later life. This study is among the first to examine the association between lifelong learning activity and health with the use of a nationally representative sample of adults aged 50 years and older (2012 Health and Retirement Study; n = 6,829). Structural equation models with bootstrapping were used to examine the mediation effect of lifelong learning activity in the relationship between educational attainment and self-rated health. Results showed that approximately 6–10% of the education effect [95% bootstrap confidence interval (lower limit, upper limit) = (0.033, 0.052)] on self-rated health was mediated by lifelong learning activity [95% bootstrap confidence interval (lower limit, upper limit) = (0.002, 0.006)] even after adjusting for the sociodemographic characteristics as well as major health determinants (e.g., physical activity, smoking, etc.). Findings suggest that engagement in lifelong learning provides an opportunity to promote older adults’ health regardless of formal educational attainment established in early adulthood. Public health implications point to lifelong learning as a potential autonomous and sustainable strategy to reduce socioeconomic disparities in health, which could be incorporated into education and public health policies to promote such efforts.
Pediatric Renal Tumors

Renal tumors account for a large proportion of solid tumors in children. Many pediatric renal tumors have good overall prognoses when diagnosed and treated promptly. Research efforts of large multicenter collaborative groups such as the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) in the United States and the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) in Europe have improved survival and decreased treatment-related morbidity for renal tumors in children.
Abstract 1991: Exploring the potential of exosomes for cancer diagnosis and management: Comparative analysis of isolation methods for optimum yield purity and downstream applications

Exosomes have received significant attention due to their involvement in several diseases, including cancer, and are being explored as a tool for disease diagnosis and management. As a result, several kits based on different principles are now available in the market for exosome isolation. In this study, we have compared the relative efficacy of four commercial kits from Invitrogen, 101Bio, Wako and iZON along with conventional ultracentrifugation-based method for exosome yield, purity and quality for downstream applications. Cancer cell culture supernatant was used as an abundant and uniform source of exosomes for all methods and exosome quantity, size distribution, zeta potential, marker expression, RNA (qRT-PCR) and protein (mass spectrometry) quality was determined. The Invitrogen method showed the highest yield but the preparation showed broader size distribution likely due to co-precipitation of microvesicles and had the least magnitude of zeta potential (dispersion stability). Exosome preparations from other methods showed accepted size range ( Citation Format: Girijesh K. Patel, Mohammad Aslam Khan, Haseeb Zubair, Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava, Moh’d Khushman, Seema Singh, Ajay Pratap Singh. Exploring the potential of exosomes for cancer diagnosis and management: Comparative analysis of isolation methods for optimum yield purity and downstream applications [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1991.
Flying on a rainbow with a diffractive solar sail (Conference Presentation)

The nearly 100 year-old paradigm of navigating the heavens by means of radiation pressure on a reflective solar sail is being challenged by the advent of advanced diffractive films that offer efficient propulsion and navigation. Other advantages include photon recycling when the sail is transmissive, and non-mechanical (e.g., electro-optic) navigation protocols. Unlike optical tweezers, the transverse force on a solar sail is afforded by the angular deviation of light away from the sunline, rather than a gradient force. Whereas a metal-coated film makes use of the law of reflection, the deviation of light from a diffractive film may be described by use of the grating equation. In the latter case, the grating momentum is, in fact, a mechanical phenomenon that we have observed in the laboratory by means of a vacuum torsion oscillator. Following a brief history of solar sailing I will describe how diffractive sails may enable the placement of a constellation of solar polar orbiters for monitoring the entire surface of the Sun. Laser-driven sails provide another opportunity for in-space propulsion, provided a stable “beam rider” can be invented. I will report our progress on the demonstration of a diffractive beam rider (patent pending).
Maternal anxiety and diet quality among mothers and toddlers from low‐income households

We evaluated the association between maternal anxiety score and diet quality over time among mothers and toddlers in low-income families. Longitudinal data were collected from 267 mother-toddler dyads in an obesity prevention trial. Participants were recruited from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children and paediatric clinics between 2007 and 2010. Dyads were assessed at study enrolment (Time 1), 6-month (Time 2), and 12-month follow-up (Time 3). On the basis of a 1-day 24-hr dietary recall, we estimated maternal and toddler diet quality using the Healthy Eating Index 2015. Anxiety, a time-varying variable, was assessed via the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Associations between maternal anxiety score and maternal and toddler diet quality over time were assessed in adjusted mixed models. Maternal and toddler diet quality were positively correlated (r = .48, p < .001). Higher maternal anxiety scores were related to lower toddler Healthy Eating Index scores (b = -0.51, 95% confidence interval, CI [-0.87, -0.15]) with no significant variation over time. The relation between maternal diet quality and anxiety score varied over time (b = 0.28, p = .03, for time-anxiety interaction). Higher maternal anxiety scores were associated with lower maternal diet quality at Time 1 (b = -0.71, 95% CI [-1.09, 0.34]) and at Time 2 (b = -0.51, 95% CI [-0.97, -0.05]), but not at Time 3 (b = -0.14, 95% CI [-0.54, 0.26]). Findings suggest that mothers and toddlers exhibited similar low-quality dietary patterns and that lower diet quality was associated with higher maternal anxiety scores. Approaches to enhance diet quality may consider incorporating anxiety-reducing strategies into maternal and toddler care and feeding behaviour guidelines.
Mitochondrial DNA Base Editing: Good Editing Things Still Come in Small Packages.

The collaborative work of two HHMI groups, one at the University of Washington and the other at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, led to the development of a novel molecular tool to edit single bases in the mtDNA (Mok et al., 2020).
Intraoperative Microvascular Complications in Autologous Breast Reconstruction: The Effects of Resident Training on Microsurgical Outcomes.

Background Academic medical centers with large volumes of autologous breast reconstruction afford residents hand-on educational experience in microsurgical techniques. We present our experience with autologous reconstruction (deep inferior epigastric perforators, profunda artery perforator, lumbar artery perforator, bipedicled, and stacked) where a supervised trainee completed the microvascular anastomosis. Methods Retrospective chart review was performed on 413 flaps (190 patients) with microvascular anastomoses performed by postgraduate year (PGY)-4, PGY-5, PGY-6, PGY-7 (microsurgery fellow), or attending physician (AP). Comorbidities, intra-operative complications, revisions, operative time, ischemia time, return to operating room (OR), and flap losses were compared between training levels. Results Age and all comorbidities were equivalent between groups. Total operative time was highest for the AP group. Flap ischemia time, return to OR, and intraoperative complication were equivalent between groups. Percentage of flaps requiring at least one revision of the original anastomosis was significantly higher in PGY-4 and AP than in microsurgical fellows: PGY-4 (16%), PGY-5 (12%), PGY-6 (7%), PGY-7 (2.1%), and AP (16%), p = 0.041. Rates of flap loss were equivalent between groups, with overall flap loss between all groups 2/413 ( Conclusion With regard to flap loss and microsurgical vessel compromise, lower PGYs did not significantly worsen surgical outcomes for patients. AP had the longest total operative time, likely due to flap selection bias. PGY-4 and AP groups had higher rates of revision of original anastomosis compared with PGY-7, though ultimately these differences did not impact overall operative time, complication rate, or flap losses. Hands-on supervised microsurgical education appears to be both safe for patients, and also an effective way of building technical proficiency in plastic surgery residents.
An overview of biomedical platforms for managing research data

Biomedical platforms provide the hardware and software to securely ingest, process, validate, curate, store, and share data. Many large-scale biomedical platforms use secure cloud computing technology for analyzing, integrating, and storing phenotypic, clinical, and genomic data. Several web-based platforms are available for researchers to access services and tools for biomedical research. The use of bio-containers can facilitate the integration of bioinformatics software with various data analysis pipelines. Adoption of Common Data Models, Common Data Elements, and Ontologies can increase the likelihood of data reuse. Managing biomedical Big Data will require the development of strategies that can efficiently leverage public cloud computing resources. The use of the research community developed standards for data collection can foster the development of machine learning methods for data processing and analysis. Increasingly platforms will need to support the integration of data from multiple disease area research.
The challenge of operating in the new Europe: case study – fresh produce

Describes the composition of the fresh produce supply industry, including the organizations involved in this sector, such as marketing boards, integrated fruit companies, and specialist importers. Identifies the “new” groups which will emerge as: producer groups; and service‐driven distributors. Suggests strategies for survival and success in the new Europe for each group.
HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors Act Synergistically with UCN-01 Through RAS Inhibition

HMG-COA REDUCTASE INHIBITORS ACT SYNERGISTICALLY WITH UCN-0 1 THROUGH RAS INHIBITION By Payal Khanna, M. S. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005 Major Director: Steven Grant, M.D. Hematology Oncology The primary objective of this study is to elucidate the mechanism by which the reagent UCN-01 induces apoptosis when administered to leukemia cells along with HmG-CoA reductase inhibitors, mainly the statins. In this study, we demonstrated that exposure of leukemia cell lines to lovastatin (20 uM, 18 hours) and UCN-01 (1 00 nM, 18 hours) resulted in mitochondria1 dysfunction, procaspase 3 and 9 cleavage, and PAW degradation along with marked cytochrome C release and apoptosis. Although similar molecular mechanisms have not yet been confirmed in other cancers, our hypothesis holds that enhanced apoptotic effects of UCN-01 are due in part to lovastatin's ability to block formation of geranylgeranylpyrophosphate and farnesylpyrophosphate by interfering with 10 the rate-limiting step of the mevalonate pathway. Geranylgeranylpyrophosphate and farnesylpyrophosphate induce post-translational modifications in RAS that anchor the protein to the cell membrane so that it acts as a signal transducer to the nucleus, promoting
Land Use Rights in China

China is a socialist country and all land in China belongs to Chinese citizens as a whole. Article 10 of the 1982 Constitution upholds the Chinese land policy that reflects the traditional view of socialism land of the country must be owned by the country (State) or its agricultural Collectives. State-owned enterprises or other organizations, which cannot own land themselves, may use land with permission from the State. With the development of the Chinese economy and increasing economic reforms, the need for both residential and commercial space has grown rapidly. This emerging real estate demand led to an amendment to the Constitution o f the People’s Republic o f China in 1988. Under this amendment, private investors may obtain land use rights from the government and the holder can retransfer these land use rights to a third party subject to certain conditions. This article extensively discusses this important amendment, the current system of land use rights in China and its application to the booming Chinese private real estate market.
The intestinal microbiota helps shapping the adaptive immune response against viruses

355 m/s n° 4, vol. 31, avril 2015 DOI : 10.1051/medsci/20153104003 3. Carissimo G, Pondeville E, McFarlane M, et al. Antiviral immunity of Anopheles gambiae is highly compartmentalized, with distinct roles for RNA interference and gut microbiota. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2015 ; 112 : E176-85. 4. Holt RA, Subramanian GM, Halpern A, et al. The genome sequence of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Science 2002 ; 298 : 129-49. 5. Cirimotich CM, Dong Y, Garver LS, et al. Mosquito immune defenses against Plasmodium infection. Dev Comp Immunol 2010 ; 34 : 387-95. 6. Smith RC, Vega-Rodriguez J, Jacobs-Lorena M. The Plasmodium bottleneck: malaria parasite losses in the mosquito vector. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 2014 ; 109 : 644-61. 7. Keene KM, Foy BD, Sanchez-Vargas I, et al. RNA interference acts as a natural antiviral response to O’nyong-nyong virus (Alphavirus; Togaviridae) infection of Anopheles gambiae. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2004 ; 101 : 17240-5. 8. Waldock J, Olson KE, Christophides GK. Anopheles gambiae antiviral immune response to systemic O’nyong-nyong infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012 ; 6 : e1565. 9. Myles KM, Wiley MR, Morazzani EM, Adelman ZN. Alphavirus-derived small RNAs modulate pathogenesis in disease vector mosquitoes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2008 ; 105 : 19938-43. 10. Dennison NJ, Jupatanakul N, Dimopoulos G. The mosquito microbiota influences vector competence for human pathogens. Curr Opinion Insect Sci 2014 ; 3 : 6-13. En effet, il serait dramatique que des moustiques censes etre plus resistants a Plasmodium deviennent susceptibles a d’autres pathogenes. ‡ Compartimentalization of immune responses in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae: consequences for insect vector immunity research
A ToxA-like protein from Cochliobolus heterostrophus induces light-dependent leaf necrosis and acts as a virulence factor with host selectivity on maize.

ToxA, the first discovered fungal proteinaceous host-selective toxin (HST), was originally identified in 1989 from the tan spot fungus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Ptr). About 25years later, a homolog was identified in the leaf/glume blotch fungus Stagonospora nodorum (Parastagonospora nodorum), also a pathogen of wheat. Here we report the identification and function of a ToxA-like protein from the maize pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus (Ch) that possesses necrosis-inducing activity specifically against maize. ChToxA is encoded by a 535-bp open reading frame featuring a ToxA-specific intron with unusual splicing sites (5′-ATAAGT…TAC-3′) at conserved positions relative to PtrToxA. The protein shows 64% similarity to PtrToxA and is predicted to adopt a similar three-dimensional structure, although lacking the arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid (RGD) motif reported to be required for internalization into sensitive wheat mesophyll cells. Reverse-transcriptase PCR revealed that the ChTOXA gene expression is up-regulated in planta, relative to axenic culture. Plant assays indicated that the recombinant ChToxA protein induces light-dependent leaf necrosis in a host-selective manner on maize inbred lines. Gene deletion experiments confirmed that ChtoxA mutants are reduced in virulence on specific ChToxA-sensitive maize lines, relative to virulence caused by wild-type strains. Database searches identified potential ChToxA homologues in other plant-pathogenic ascomycetes. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the corresponding ToxA-like proteins include one member recently shown to be associated with formation of penetration hypha. These results provide the first evidence that C. heterostrophus is capable of producing proteinaceous HSTs as virulence factors in addition to well-known secondary metabolite-type toxins produced biosynthetically by polyketide synthase megaenzymes. Further studies on ChToxA may provide new insights into effector evolution in host–pathogen interactions.
Number Systems Systematically

Throughout this book, we frequently considered our familiar sets of numbers: \(\mathbb {N}\): the set of natural numbers; \(\mathbb {Z} \): the set of integers; \( \mathbb {Q}\): the set of rational numbers; \( \mathbb {R}\): the set of real numbers; and \( \mathbb {C}\): the set of complex numbers.
Chapter 23. Role of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor in Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the preclinical and clinical evidence in support of a role for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in neuropsychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Overall, the data suggest that CRF may be hypersecreted in brain in depression, anxiety-related disorders, and anorexia nervosa. In contrast, deficits in brain CRF are apparent in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as they relate to the dysfunction of CRF neurons in brain areas affected in the particular disorder. The data suggest that CRF antagonists may represent novel antidepressant/anxiolylic drugs and may be useful in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders manifesting hypersecretion of CRF. Finally, some strategies directed at developing CRF-related antagonists for the treatment of various neuropsychiatric disorders have been briefly described in this chapter. CRF is the first hypothalamic hypophysiotrophic factor that has been identified. It has been localized in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in neuronal cell bodies (perikarya) that give rise to axons that terminate in the external layer of the median eminence encircling the pituitary stalk. It is the major physiologic regulator of the basal and stress induced release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), β-endorphin, and other pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides from the pituitary. Membrane receptors with high affinity for CRF have been identified in the anterior pituitary gland. The distribution of these receptors resembles the distribution of ACTH containing cells— that is, corticotrophs.
Human DNA polymerase alpha gene expression is cell proliferation dependent and its primary structure is similar to both prokaryotic and eukaryotic replicative DNA polymerases.

Abstract We have isolated cDNA clones encoding the human DNA polymerase alpha catalytic polypeptide. Studies of the human DNA polymerase alpha steady-state mRNA levels in quiescent cells stimulated to proliferate, or normal cells compared to transformed cells, demonstrate that the polymerase alpha mRNA, like its enzymatic activity and de novo protein synthesis, positively correlates with cell proliferation and transformation. Analysis of the deduced 1462-amino-acid sequence reveals six regions of striking similarity to yeast DNA polymerase I and DNA polymerases of bacteriophages T4 and phi 29, herpes family viruses, vaccinia virus and adenovirus. Three of these conserved regions appear to comprise the functional active site required for deoxynucleotide interaction. Two putative DNA interacting domains are also identified.
From Structural Variation of Gene Molecules to Chromatin Dynamics and Transcriptional Bursting.

Transcriptional activation of eukaryotic genes is accompanied, in general, by a change in the sensitivity of promoter chromatin to endonucleases. The structural basis of this alteration has remained elusive for decades; but the change has been viewed as a transformation of one structure into another, from “closed” to “open” chromatin. In contradistinction to this static and deterministic view of the problem, a dynamical and probabilistic theory of promoter chromatin has emerged as its solution. This theory, which we review here, explains observed variation in promoter chromatin structure at the level of single gene molecules and provides a molecular basis for random bursting in transcription—the conjecture that promoters stochastically transition between transcriptionally conducive and inconducive states. The mechanism of transcriptional regulation may be understood only in probabilistic terms.
Immunochemical studies on blood groups. Immunochemical properties of B-active and non-B-active blood group substances from horse gastric mucosae and the relative size distributions of oligosaccharides liberated by base-borohydride.

Abstract Horse B-active and non-B-active glycoproteins from gastric mucosae are indistinguishable in their precipitating abilities with concanavalin A, anti-BP1, type XIV horse antipneumococcal serum, the lectin from Lotus tetragonolobus and a group 1 anti-I serum, Ma; no Le a or Le b activity was found. Each was subjected to catalyzed release of its oligosaccharide chains by 0.05 n NaOH in 1 m NaBH 4 . Destruction of serine, threonine and 2-acetamido-2-deoxygalactopyranose ( d GalNAc) was associated with production of alanine, α-aminobutyric acid and N -acetyl- d -galactosaminitol, as expected for a carbohydrate to peptide linkage via d GalNAc to serine or threonine. No evidence of basecatalyzed peeling was seen. Bio-Gel P-2 elution patterns of the salt-free oligosaccharides from the two preparations were compared. Unlike results obtained with human ovarian cyst substances, very little material was excluded. The largest-size chains are in the range of deca- or dodecasaccharides, and a reduced octasaccharide was isolated. The four most abundant amino acids in both B-active and non-B-active materials are threonine, serine, proline and glutamic acid, which together account for 60% of the weight of amino acids.
Automatic Test Pattern Generation on Multiprocessors: A Summary of Results

Test generation of combinational circuits is an important step in the VLSI design process. Unfortunately, the problem is highly computation-intensive and, for circuits encountered in practice, test generation time can often be enormous. In this paper, we present a parallel formulation of a backtrack search algorithm called PODEM, which has been the most successful algorithm for this problem. The sequential PODEM algorithm consumes most of its execution time in generating a test for “hard-to-detect” (HTD) faults and is often unable to detect them even after a large number of bactracks. Our parallel formulation attempts to overcome these limitations by partitioning the search space in order to search it concurrently using multiple processors.
Ephrin-B2 and EphB2 Regulation of Astrocyte-Meningeal Fibroblast Interactions in Response to Spinal Cord Lesions in Adult Rats

The present study provides the first evidence that signaling occurs between B-ephrins and EphB receptors in the adult CNS in response to injury. Specifically, our combined histological and biochemical data indicate that two members of the B-class of ephrins and Eph receptors, ephrin-B2 and EphB2, are expressed by astrocytes and meningeal fibroblasts, respectively, in the adult spinal cord. In response to thoracic spinal cord transection lesions, ephrin-B2 and EphB2 protein levels exhibit an initial decrease (1 d after lesion), followed by a significant increase by day 14. Immunohistochemical data indicate that ephrin-B2 is expressed by reactive CNS astrocytes, and EphB2 is present on fibroblasts invading the lesion site from the adjacent meninges. During the first 3 d after injury, there is intermingling of ephrin-B2-expressing reactive astrocytes at the lesion surface with EphB2-containing fibroblasts that is concurrent with bidirectional activation (phosphorylation) of ephrin-B2 and EphB2. By 7 d, both cell types are establishing restricted cellular domains containing dense networks of cells and interweaving processes. This astroglial-meningeal fibroblast scar is fully developed by day 14 when there is strict segregation of ephrin-B2-expressing astrocytes from EphB2-positive meningeal fibroblasts. These morphological changes are concomitant with a simultaneous decrease in ephrin-B2 and EphB2 activation. These observations provide strong evidence that cell contact-mediated bidirectional signaling between ephrin-B2 on reactive astrocytes and EphB2 on meningeal fibroblasts is an early event in the cellular cascades that result in the development of the glial scar and the exclusion of meningeal fibroblasts from the injured spinal cord.
An approximate model of polygenic inheritance.

The finite polygenic model approximates polygenic inheritance by postulating that a quantitative trait is determined by n independent, additive loci. The 3n possible genotypes for each person in this model limit its applicability. Cannings, Thompson, and Skolnick suggested a simplified, nongenetic version of the model involving only 2n + 1 genotypes per person. This article shows that this hypergeometric polygenic model also approximates polygenic inheritance well. In particular, for noninbred pedigrees, trait means, variances, covariances, and marginal distributions match those of the ordinary finite polygenic model. Furthermore as n → ∞, the trait values within a pedigree collectively tend toward multivariate normality. The implications of these results for likelihood evaluation under the polygenic threshold and mixed models of inheritance are discussed. Finally, a simple numerical example illustrates the application of the hypergeometric polygenic model to risk prediction under the polygenic threshold model.
Discrimination Concerns and Expectations as Explanations for Gendered Socialization in African American Families

Discrimination concerns and parental expectations were examined as mediators of the relations between gender and parenting practices among 796 African American mothers of 11- to 14-year-olds from the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study. Mothers of sons had more concerns about racial discrimination impacting their adolescents' future, whereas mothers of daughters had more gender discrimination concerns. Racial discrimination concerns, but not gender discrimination concerns, were related to lower maternal academic and behavioral expectations. Maternal expectations were related to mothers' responsiveness, rule enforcement, monitoring, and parent–adolescent conflict. The relations between gender and parenting practices were partially explained through mothers' racial discrimination concerns and expectations. These findings demonstrate the importance of contextual factors on African American family processes.
DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF INTERACTIVE TRIP PLANNING FOR WEB-BASED TRANSIT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

This article presents a Web-based transit information system design that uses Internet Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies to integrate Web serving, GIS processing, network analysis and database management. A path finding algorithm for transit network is proposed to handle the special characteristics of transit networks, e.g., time-dependent services, common bus lines on the same street, and non-symmetric routing with respect to an origin/destination pair. The algorithm takes into account the overall level of services and service schedule on a route to determine the shortest path and transfer points. A framework is created to categorize the development of transit information systems on the basis of content and functionality, from simple static schedule display to more sophisticated real time transit information systems. A unique feature of the reported Web-based transit information system is the Internet-GIS based system with an interactive map interface. This enables the user to interact with information on transit routes, schedules, and trip itinerary planning. Some map rendering, querying, and network analysis functions are also provided.
Dexmedetomidine: Applications for the Pediatric Patient With Congenital Heart Disease

This study aimed to provide a general description of the cardiovascular and hemodynamic effects of dexmedetomidine and an evidence-based review of the literature regarding its use in infants and children with congenital heart disease (CHD). A computerized bibliographic search of the literature on dexmedetomidine use in infants and children with CHD was performed. The cardiovascular effects of dexmedetomidine have been well studied in animal and adult human models. Adverse cardiovascular effects include occasional episodes of bradycardia, with rare reports of sinus pause or cardiac arrest. Both hypotension and hypertension also have been reported. The latter is related to peripheral α2B agonism leading to vasoconstriction. No adverse effects on the pulmonary vasculature have been noted even in patients with preexisting pulmonary hypertension. Although there are no direct effects on myocardial function, decreased cardiac output may result from changes in heart rate or increases in afterload. Although not currently Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for the pediatric population, findings have shown dexmedetomidine to be effective in various clinical scenarios of patients with CHD including sedation during mechanical ventilation, prevention of procedure-related anxiety, prevention of emergence delirium and shivering after anesthesia, and treatment of withdrawal. Although dexmedetomidine may have limited utility for painful or invasive procedures, preliminary data suggest that the addition of ketamine to the regimen may offer benefits. When used during the perioperative period, additional benefits include blunting of the sympathetic stress response with a reduction of endogenous catecholamine release, a decrease in intraoperative anesthetic requirements, and a limitation of postoperative opioid requirements.
S-(4-Bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)-CoA: An affinity label for certain enzymes that bind acetyl-CoA

Abstract S -(4-Bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)-CoA, a potential affinity label for enzymes possessing a receptor site( s ) for short-chain acyl-CoA, was synthesized by condensing CoA and 1,4-dibromo-2,3-butanedione in acidified methanol. The new reagent was tested as an active site-directed irreversible inhibitor with four enzymes that accept a short-chain acyl-CoA as substrate. With citrate synthase (pig heart) and acetyl-CoA hydrolase (beef kidney) irreversible inhibition was observed, and the rate of inactivation obeyed first-order kinetics. Benzoyl-CoA, a reversible competitive inhibitor versus acetyl-CoA with both citrate synthase and acetyl-CoA hydrolase, protected the active site of both enzymes against the irreversible inhibitor. The new reagent was an exceptionally potent irreversible inhibitor of acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase (beef liver). Relatively low concentrations of the reagent (≥1 μ m ) completely inhibited the thiolase in less than 2 min. Preincubation of thiolase with acetoacetyl-CoA protected the enzyme against inhibition by S -(4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)-CoA. In contrast, irreversible inhibition of l -3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (pig heart) was not observed. Instead, the new reagent appeared to be a weak alternate substrate for this dehydrogenase. In all cases, the new reagent exhibited tight reversible binding at the active site since the measured K i 's (and K m ) were in the range, 30 to 120 μ m . It is anticipated that the new reagent will be suitable for investigating a number of acyl-CoA using enzymes by affinity labeling techniques.
Introduction to Minisymposium: Nonprofit Self-Regulation in Comparative Perspective-Themes and Debates

Nonprofits are increasingly engaged in efforts to develop collective self-regulation systems. These efforts stem in part from of growing pressure on nonprofits to demonstrate accountability and transparency. In spite of the growth in such initiatives, however, little research examines self-regulation in a systematic way across settings, resulting in minimal accumulation of knowledge on the factors underlying the emergence, structure and effectiveness of self-regulation. This minisymposium addresses this gap by taking a comparative perspective on self-regulation initiatives in three regions: sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Europe. The introduction sets the stage for the three papers by providing a common framework and typology for understanding self-regulatory initiatives and outlining the theoretical frameworks applied in the empirical papers. The three papers that follow examine the commonalities and differences in the forms that emerge across these three regions.
Denervation alters the size, number, and distribution of clusters of acetylcholine receptorlike molecules on frog cardiac ganglion neurons

Abstract Acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-like molecules are found in clusters on the surface of parasympathetic neurons in the frog cardiac ganglion. Electron microscopy of immunoperoxidase-stained tissue reveals that in normally innervated ganglia most of these clusters are located at synaptic sites. Denervation for 2–3 weeks results in a 64% reduction in the total surface area occupied by AChR-like clusters; this change is brought about by the combined effects of a 4-fold decrease in cluster size and a 30% increase in cluster number. Denervation also changes the distribution of AChR-like clusters: clusters, normally restricted to portions of the cell surface, are more widely distributed following denervation. Denervation of amphibian skeletal muscle for a comparable period of time has no effect on the size or the number of synaptic clusters of AChRs. These results suggest that AChRs in nerve and in muscle are regulated differently by innervation.
Pursuit eye movements elicited by muscle afferent information.

Abstract Goodwin et al. [2] demonstrated that when a subject's forearm is restrained, vibration of the tendons of his biceps or triceps muscle produces illusory motion of his forearm. We have found that subjects seated in a totally dark room can track with pursuit eye movements the illusory motion of their forearms induced by muscle vibration. It can be concluded that muscle afferent information can be utilized to control the direction of regard.
An emerging link between general anesthesia and sleep

Two of the most enigmatic and challenging problems in neuroscience are the search for the function of sleep and understanding the mechanism by which volatile chemicals can induce general anesthesia. Despite the apparent similarity of sleep and anesthesia to the neophyte, it is widely argued that these brain states are actually apples and oranges, sleep being readily reversible (thankfully), whereas anesthesia is irreversible. In a recent issue of PNAS, Kelz et al. (1) demonstrate that disruption of a specific neural locus involved in normal sleep–wake regulation selectively affects emergence from, but not induction of, general anesthesia. That article demonstrates that waking up from anesthesia uses neural circuits distinct from those necessary to become anesthetized. It also further solidifies the connection between anesthesia and sleep, implicating wake-promoting neural circuitry in selectively contributing to emergence from anesthesia.
Associative factors and the development of pecking in the ring dove.

In these studies, descriptive information on the diet and feeding behavior of ring dove squab is considered in the context of an analysis of the mechanisms underlying the development of eating. Experiment I shows that squab begin to peck at grain around Day 13 and both the rate and efficiency of pecking increase through Day 21 when the squab are weaned. Experiment II shows that squab reared without seed in their home cage do not develop normal levels of pecking unless exposure to seed is followed in close temporal proximity by interaction with parents. It is concluded that an association between some aspect of squab's interaction with seed and a parentally provided unconditioned stimulus is sufficient for normal pecking ot develop. The nature of these associations and their contribution to the ontogeny of independent feeding are discussed.
Synthesis of corrosion‐inhibiting polythioesters

Binary condensation copolymers of five monomers known to be corrosion inhibitors were synthesized by solution polymerization. The copolymers synthesized were poly(1,2-ethanedithiol-thiodiglycolate), poly(1,3-propanedithiol-3,3′-thiodipropionate), poly(1,2-ethanedithiol-3,3′-thiodipropionate), and poly(2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole-3,3′-thiodipropionate). Yields ranged from 77 to 89% and molecular weights from 10,100 to 24,300. Attempts to produce the condensation copolymers of thiodiglycolic acid chloride and 1,3-propanedithiol or 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole failed, yielding only telomeric products. The copolymers that were synthesized demonstrated significant corrosion-inhibitory properties on steel samples in salt water.
Rorty, Richard. Achieving Our Country: Leftist Thought in Twentieth-Century America [review]

jargon-ridden interpretations of cultural phenomena. Again, it is not difficult to appreciate Rorty's profile of today's Leftist cultural critic. The self-styled tenured radical delivering a lecture on, say, the Yale graduate student strike before catching a plane for the next stop on the conference tour is an all-too-familiar sight. The second-year grad student itching to get into the composition classroom and impart Foucauldian insights about power and institutions, but who has little interest in diction and syntax, exemplifies a
Effects of the natural bromo-phenol, lanosol, on the expression and activities of various phase I and phase II enzymes from the digestive gland of the gumboot chiton, Cryptochiton stelleri

Abstract Lanosol, found in the alga Odonthalia dentata, was administered to gumboot chitons (Chryptochiton stelleri) by oral gavage at 0, 1, 2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg for 4 days. C. stelleri feed on O. dentata, an alga avoided by most other herbivores. Digestive gland microsomes were probed for expression of various cytochrome P450s. CYP1A and CYP2-like protein expression was not detected in any individual (n=22). Expression of a CYP3A-like protein was increased approximately 30% at higher doses. Estradiol hydroxylase activity increased with increasing dose, while testosterone hydroxylase activity declined with increasing dose. Anti-mammalian glutathione-S-transferase (GST) antibodies did not recognize any cytosolic chiton proteins. CDNB activity was highly variable and showed no relationship to lanosol dose. Lanosol non-competitively inhibited CDNB activity in digestive gland cytosol (IC50=222 μM). This alteration of expression and activity of some Phase I and II biotransformation enzymes by lanosol may provide a selective advantage for chitons feeding on O. dentata.
Further Observations on Mammillo-infundibular Region of Diencephalon: Relation to Epilepsy, Dementia and the Psychoses.

Summary1. The development of a green color in old (1 week to 1 year) apomorphine hydrochloride solutions appears to be accompanied by 110 qualitative or quantitative changes in the pharma- cological actions of the drug.2. Dogs receiving an emetic dose of apomorphine daily for 4 months exhibit no tolerance or hypersusceptihility. No wuseaizt conditioned salivary reflex similrr to that of morphine appears.
Effect of allatectomy and ventral nerve cord transection on calling, pheromone emission and pheromone production in Lymantria dispar

Abstract The physiological control mechanisms of calling, pheromone production, and pheromone release in female gypsy moths were investigated. No involvement of the corpora allata was found since mean pheromone emission rates from females allatectomized as larvae (14.1 ng/h) were not significantly different from sham-operated (16.4 ng/h), anaesthetized (13.1 ng/h), or untreated controls (13.1 ng/h). Neural input from the brain or other higher centres of the nervous system, however, appeared critical since females which received ventral nerve cord transection anterior to the terminal abdominal ganglion between 0 and 24 h after pupation showed significant reductions in both gland-extractable pheromone ( x = 8.7 ng) and pheromone emission rate ( x = 2.1 ng/h) compared with controls ( x = 25.0 ng and x = 13.1 ng/h, respectively). Differences in calling behaviour were also observed; in control females, the duration of ovipositor protraction was about 16.5 s and retraction about 1.3 s, in ventral nerve cord-transected females the ovipositor was maintained in a full or partially protruded state for periods longer than 300 s. Post-operative inspection of the terminal abdominal ganglion revealed fewer descending nerve branches in ventral nerve cord-transected females compared to controls.
Time-Resolved Multispectral Diffuse Optical Tomography System Based on Structured Illumination and Detection

In this work, we present the design of a time-resolved multispectral diffuse optical tomography imager based on structured illumination and detection using two digital light processors and a time-resolved spectrophotometer. The spatial, spectral and temporal properties of this imaging system are tested to validate its ability to acquire time-resolved datasets simultaneously over 16 spectral channels from turbid media for high resolution, quantitative three dimensional volumetric imaging.