cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Assembly Studies of FtsZ/Tubulin-like Proteins (TubZ) from Bacillus Plasmids: EVIDENCE FOR A CAPPING MECHANISM*

Proteins with a weak sequence similarity to tubulin and FtsZ are expressed from large plasmids of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus thuringiensis and are probably involved in plasmid segregation. Previously designated RepX and TubZ, we designate them here as TubZ-Ba and TubZ-Bt. We have expressed and purified the proteins for in vitro studies. TubZ-Ba and TubZ-Bt share only 21% amino acid identity, but they have remarkably similar biochemical properties. They both assemble into two-stranded filaments and larger bundles above a critical concentration, and they hydrolyze GTP at a very high rate, ∼20 GTP min–1 TubZ–1. Assembly is also supported by GTPγS. A tiny amount of GTPγS stabilizes polymers assembled in GTP and inhibits the GTPase by a mechanism involving cooperativity. The nucleotide in the polymers is almost 100% GDP, which is similar to microtubules but very different from the 20–30% GDP in FtsZ polymers. This suggests that the TubZ polymers have a capping mechanism that may be related to the GTP cap that produces dynamic instability of microtubules.
Reversal of doxorubicin, etoposide, vinblastine, and taxol resistance in multidrug resistant human sarcoma cells by a polymer of spermine.

We have previously descibed the synthesis of a cytotoxic polymeric conjugate of spermine (Poly-SPM) which is able to inhibit the transport of polyamines (spermine, spermidine, and putrescine) into normal and malignant cells. Recent studies examining the toxicity of Poly-SPM in parental and multidrug resistant (MDR) cancer cells have revealed a cross- resistance in the MDR variant Dx5 to the toxic effects of the conjugate in the MDR-positive cells. There were also differences in spermine and putrescine uptake rates between parental and MDR-positive cells with the MDR-positive cells having a lower Vmax and a higher Km. The ability of this Poly-SPM to reverse MDR was examined in MDR variants (Dx5 cells) of the human sarcoma cell line MES-SA. The cells express high levels of the mdr1 gene product, P-glycoprotein, and are 25- to 60-fold resistant to doxorubicin (DOX), etoposide (VP-16), vinblastine (VBL), and taxol (TAX). Cytotoxicity was measured by the MTT [3-(4,5-dimethyldiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. Poly-SPM (50 μM) lowered the drug concentration IC50 values in the Dx5 cells by 37-fold with VBL, 42-fold with DOX, 29-fold with VP-16, and 25-fold with TAX when compared to the control IC50 values without Poly-SPM. This reversal of resistance was concentration dependent, decreasing 17-fold with DOX, 6.1-fold with VBL, 19-fold with VP-16, and 5-fold with TAX when 25 μM Poly-SPM was used. No modulation was observed in the parental cell line MES-SA, which does not express the mdr1 gene. Poly-SPM had no influence on the IC50 of non-MDR chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin. The modulation studies correlated with the ability of Poly-SPM to reverse the cellular accumulation defect of [3H]-VBL and [3H]-TAX in the Dx5 but not MES-SA cells. Pretreatment of the Dx5 cells with α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO at 2 and 5 μM) for 24 h increased the function of the MDR transporter to further decrease the cellular accumulation of VBL and TAX when compared to untreated cells. DFMO pretreatment is known to up-regulate the polyamine transporter(s). These findings show that, in addition to inhibiting polyamine transport, Poly-SPM reverses MDR in Dx5 cells, suggesting a potential relationship between the polyamine influx transporter and the MDR efflux pump. This potential functional link between the polyamine influx transporter(s) and the MDR efflux transporter (P-glycoprotein) offers a novel approach to inhibiting this form of drug resistance.
Micromachined Ultrasonic ElectroSpray Source Array for High Throughput Mass Spectrometry

According to the recent Laboratory News’ Proteomics Special article Mass Spectroscopy (MS) has become the technology of choice to meet today’s unprecedented demand for accurate bioanalytical measurements, including protein identification. Although MS can be used to analyze any biological sample, it must be first converted to gas-phase ions before it can be introduced into a mass spectrometer for analysis. It is transfer of a very small liquid sample (proteins are very expensive and often very difficult to produce in sizable quantities) into a gas-phase ions that is currently considered to be a bottleneck to high throughput proteomics. Electrospray ionization (ESI) is a technique developed in early 1990th to generate a spray gas-phase ions by applying high voltage (from several hundreds volts and up to a few thousands kilovolts relative to the ground electrode of the MS interface) to a small capillary through which the liquid solution is pumped. The high electric field ionizes the fluid forming the converging Taylor cone of the exiting jet which eventually breaks into many small droplets when the repulsive Coulombic forces overcome the surface tension. Because of the focusing effect associated with the spraying the electrically charged fluid, the size of the electrospray cone and thus of the formed droplets is in a few tens of nanometers range although the inner diameter of the capillary is in the micrometer range.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Communication: Non-additivity of van der Waals interactions between nanostructures

Due to size-dependent non-additivity, the van der Waals interaction (vdW) between nanostructures remains elusive. Here we first develop a model dynamic multipole polarizability for an inhomogeneous system that allows for a cavity. The model recovers the exact zero- and high-frequency limits and respects the paradigms of condensed matter physics (slowly varying density) and quantum chemistry (one- and two-electron densities). We find that the model can generate accurate vdW coefficients for both spherical and non-spherical clusters, with an overall mean absolute relative error of 4%, without any fitting. Based on this model, we study the non-additivity of vdW interactions. We find that there is strong non-additivity of vdW interactions between nanostructures, arising from electron delocalization, inequivalent contributions of atoms, and non-additive many-body interactions. Furthermore, we find that the non-additivity can have increasing size dependence as well as decreasing size dependence with cluster size.
Survival results in patients with screen-detected prostate cancer versus physician-referred patients treated with radical prostatectomy: early results

Abstract Objective Screening using a standardized protocol may improve outcomes of patients undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. We compared the 7- year progression-free survival rates after radical retropubic prostatectomy in patients whose prostate cancer was detected through a formal screening program with those of patients referred for treatment by other physicians who did not use a standardized screening/referral protocol. Methods A single surgeon (W.J.C.) performed radical retropubic prostatectomy in 3,177 consecutive patients between 1989 and 2003. Of these patients, 464 had cancer detected in a screening study, and 2,713 were referred from outside institutions. We compared the screened and referred cohorts for age at surgery, clinical stage, pathologic stage, Gleason sum, preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and adjuvant radiation therapy. Kaplan-Meier product limit estimates were used to calculate 7-year progression-free probabilities, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the clinical and pathologic parameters associated with cancer progression in each group. Results The overall 7-year progression-free survival rates were 83% for the screened patients compared with 77% for the referred patients ( P = 0.002). Preoperative PSA, Gleason sum, clinical stage, pathologic stage, and adjuvant radiotherapy were all significantly associated with cancer progression. There was a significantly higher proportion of referred patients with a preoperative PSA ≥10, Gleason sum ≥7, and nonorgan-confined disease. Conclusions Patients with screened-detected prostate cancer have more favorable clinical and pathologic features, and 7-year progression-free survival rates than referred patients. On multivariate analysis, including other clinical variables, screening status was a significant independent predictor of biochemical outcome.
The use of isoflavinoids in menopausal health.

The statement by Archer and colleagues1 that ‘All main-stream scientific, clinical and regulatory bodies in women's health advise against the prescription and use of these hormones’ (phytoestrogens...
Widespread association of the invasive ant Solenopsis invicta with an invasive mealybug

Factors such as aggressiveness and adaptation to disturbed environments have been suggested as important characteristics of invasive ant species, but diet has rarely been considered. However, because invasive ants reach extraordinary densities at introduced locations, increased feeding efficiency or increased exploitation of new foods should be important in their success. Earlier studies suggest that honeydew produced by Homoptera (e.g., aphids, mealybugs, scale insects) may be important in the diet of the invasive ant species Solenopsis invicta. To determine if this is the case, we studied associations of S. invicta and Homoptera in east Texas and conducted a regional survey for such associations throughout the species' range in the southeast United States. In east Texas, we found that S. invicta tended Ho- moptera extensively and actively constructed shelters around them. The shelters housed a variety of Homoptera whose frequency differed according to either site location or season, presumably because of differences in host plant availability and temperature. Overall, we estimate that the honeydew produced in Homoptera shelters at study sites in east Texas could supply nearly one-half of the daily energetic requirements of an S. invicta colony. Of that, 70% may come from a single species of invasive Homoptera, the mealybugAntonina graminis. Homoptera shelters were also common at regional survey sites and A. graminis occurred in shelters at nine of 11 survey sites. A comparison of shelter densities at survey sites and in east Texas suggests that our results from east Texas could apply throughout the range of S. invicta in the southeast United States. Antonina graminis may be an ex- ceptionally important nutritional resource for S. invicta in the southeast United States. While it remains largely unstudied, the tending of introduced or invasive Homoptera also appears important to other, and perhaps all, invasive ant species. Exploitative or mutually beneficial associations that occur between these insects may be an important, previously unrecognized factor promoting their success.
Permeability and Respiratory Properties of Germinating Pollen

A study of permeability and respiration of germinating lily pollen (Lilium longi-florum, variety Ace) was conducted. Calcium was needed in the culture medium to maintain the integrity of the cell membranes. Carbohydrates leaked from pollen when calcium was absent, but little or no leakage occurred when calcium was present. A culture medium containing penlaerythritol was developed for this study. Pentaerythritol allowed normal germination and did not interfere with measurement of carbohydrates. Intact pollen grains possessed a β-fructofuranosidase external to the cell membrane which hydrolyzed sucrose in the culture medium. External α- or β-glucosidases were absent, although soluble α-glucosidase was present within the pollen. Oligomycin, an inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation, eliminated the 3-phase patters of respiration associated with normal germination. O2 uptake was inhibited by oligomycin while CO2 output was stimulated. 2,4-Dinitrophenol, an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, reversed the inhibition of O2 uptake caused by oligomycin.
Detection of biological warfare agents with fiber-optic microsphere-based DNA arrays

Biological warfare agents (BWAs) pose significant threats to both military forces and civilian populations. The increased concern about bioterrorism has promoted the development of rapid, sensitive, and reliable detection systems to provide an early warning for detecting the release of BWAs. We have developed a high-density DNA array to detect BWAs in real environmental samples with fast response times and high sensitivity. An optical fiber bundle containing approximately 50,000 individual 3.1 μm diameter fibers was chemically etched to yield an array of microwells and used as the substrate for the array. 50-mer single-stranded DNA probes designed to be specific for target BWAs were covalently attached to 3.1-μm microspheres, and the microspheres were distributed into the microwells to form a randomized high-density DNA array. We demonstrated the applicability of this DNA array for the identification of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki, a BWA simulant, in real samples. PCR was used to amplify the sequences, introduce fluorescent labels into the target molecules, and provide a second level of specificity. After hybridization of test solutions to the array, analysis was performed by evaluating the specific responses of individual probes on the array.
Protein Kinase Cα Phosphorylates and Negatively Regulates Diacylglycerol Kinase ζ

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) terminates diacylglycerol (DAG) signaling by phosphorylating DAG to produce phosphatidic acid, which also has signaling properties. Thus, precise control of DGK activity is essential for proper signal transduction. We demonstrated previously that a peptide corresponding to the myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) phosphorylation site domain (PSD) in DGKζ was phosphorylated in vitro by an active fragment of protein kinase C (PKC). In the present study, we tested full-length DGKζ and found that PKCα phosphorylated DGKζ on serines within the MARCKS PSD in vitro and in vivo. DGKζ also coimmunoprecipitated with PKCα, suggesting that they reside in a regulated signaling complex. We then tested whether phosphorylation affected DAG kinase activity. We found that a mutant (DGKζ S/D) in which serines within the MARCKS PSD were altered to aspartates (to mimic phosphorylation) had lower activity compared with wild-type DGKζ or a control mutant (DGKζ S/N) in which the same serines were changed to asparagines. Furthermore, activation of PKCα by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate inhibited the activity of wild-type DGKζ, but not DGKζ S/D, in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. These results suggest that by phosphorylating the MARCKS PSD, PKCα attenuates DGKζ activity. Supporting this, we found that cells expressing DGKζ S/D had higher DAG levels and grew more rapidly compared with cells expressing DGKζ S/N that could not be phosphorylated. Taken together, these results indicate that PKCα phosphorylates DGKζ in cells, and this phosphorylation inhibits its kinase activity to remove cellular DAG, thereby affecting cell growth.
Comparison of Constant Time Delay and Simultaneous Prompting Procedures: Teaching Functional Sight Words to Students with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Constant time delay (CTD) and simultaneous prompting (SP) are effective response prompting procedures for teaching students with moderate to severe disabilities. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of CTD and SP when teaching functional sight words to four students, 8–11 years of age, with moderate intellectual disability (ID) or dual diagnosis of moderate ID and autism spectrum disorder. An adapted alternating treatments design was used to evaluate the efficiency of CTD and SP procedures in regard to (a) percent of training errors, (b) total number of sessions, (c) mean minutes of training time, and (d) total number of trials through criterion. Results indicated that CTD resulted in fewer errors and SP required less instructional time, with mixed results for number of sessions and trials through criterion.
Direct vapor pressure measurements of ten n-alkanes m the 10-C28 range

Abstract Direct vapor pressure measurements of zone-refined n-alkane samples (decane, 323–588 K; dodecane, 352–588 K; tetradecane, 373–588 K; hexadecane, 393–583 K; octadecane, 413–588 K; nonadecane, 423–588 K; eicosane, 433–588 K; docosane, 453–573 K; tetracosane, 453–588 K.; and octacosane, 483–588 K) are reported. Most temperature measurements are accurate within ± 0.02 K with a maximum uncertainty estimated at †Texp ±0.03K. The maximum uncertainty of the pressure measurements, which range from 0.082 to 1385 kPa, depends on the measured pressure according to ΔPexp = 0.0015P + 0.0048. The vapor pressures are fitted to a “2.5–5” Wagner equation and shown to be of high precision. The fits are used to make comparisons with selected literature results. Additional fits are presented which combine literature vapor pressures with the new data. These are based on the two-real fluid Corresponding States Principle (CSP) method used by Ambrose and Patel (Ambrose, D, and Patel, N.C., 1984. J. Chem. Thermodyn., 16: 459–468), which has been applied to extrapolate and smooth vapor pressures. Morgan (Morgan D.L. and Kobayashi R., 1994. Extension of Pitzer CSP models for vapor pressures and heats of vaporization to long-chain hydrocarbons. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 94: 51–87.) has incorporated the experimental measurements into Pitzer-type CSP correlations.
Constructing Scientific Arguments Using Evidence from Dynamic Computational Climate Models

Modeling and argumentation are two important scientific practices students need to develop throughout school years. In this paper, we investigated how middle and high school students (N = 512) construct a scientific argument based on evidence from computational models with which they simulated climate change. We designed scientific argumentation tasks with three increasingly complex dynamic climate models. Each scientific argumentation task consisted of four parts: multiple-choice claim, openended explanation, five-point Likert scale uncertainty rating, and open-ended uncertainty rationale. We coded 1,294 scientific arguments in terms of a claim’s consistency with current scientific consensus, whether explanations were model based or knowledge based and categorized the sources of uncertainty (personal vs. scientific). We used chi-square and ANOVA tests to identify significant patterns. Results indicate that (1) a majority of students incorporated models as evidence to support their claims, (2) most students used model output results shown on graphs to confirm their claim rather than to explain simulated molecular processes, (3) students’ dependence on model results and their uncertainty rating diminished as the dynamic climate models became more and more complex, (4) some students’ misconceptions interfered with observing and interpreting model results or simulated processes, and (5) students’ uncertainty sources reflected more frequently on their assessment of personal knowledge or abilities related to the tasks than on their critical examination of scientific evidence resulting from models. These findings have implications for teaching and research related to the integration of scientific argumentation and modeling practices to address complex Earth systems.
Synthesis of uridine diphosphate L-rhamnose by enzymes of Chlorella pyrenoidosa.

Abstract An enzyme system obtained from light-grown cultures of the green alga, Chlorella pyrenoidosa, is shown to catalyze the reduction and epimerization of uridine diphosphate d -glucose to a compound characterized as uridiue diphosphate l -rhamnose; TPNH is required in the reaction. Uridine diphosphate d -galactose and thymidine diphosphate d -glucose participate to 75 and 25% the extent of uridine diphosphate d -glucose. Evidence is presented that the expected intermediate, uridine diphosphate 4-keto-6-deoxy- d -glucose, is produced in the interconversion of the two sugar nucleotides.
Peak Muscle Activation, Joint Kinematics, and Kinetics During Elliptical and Stepping Movement Pattern on a Precor Adaptive Motion Trainer

Kinematic, kinetic, and electromyography data were collected from the biceps femoris, rectus femoris (RF), gluteus maximus, and erector spinae (ES) during a step and elliptical exercise at a standardized workload with no hand use. Findings depicted 95% greater ankle plantar flexion (p = .01), 29% more knee extension (p = .003), 101% higher peak knee flexor moments (p < .001), 54% greater hip extensor moments (p < .001), 268% greater anterior joint reaction force (p = .009), 37% more RF activation (p < .001), and 200% more ES activation (p < .001) for the elliptical motion. Sixteen percent more hip flexion (p < .001), 42% higher knee extensor moments (p < .001), and 54% greater hip flexor moments (p = .041) occurred during the step motion. Biomechanical differences between motions should be considered when planning an exercise regimen.
Clonal Variation in Morphology of Populus Root Systems Following Irrigation with Landfill Leachate or Water during 2 Years of Establishment

Increased municipal solid waste generation in North America has prompted the use of Populus for phytoremediation of waste waters including landfill leachate. Populus species and hybrids are ideal for such applications because of their high water usage rates, fast growth, and extensive root systems. Adventitious rooting (i.e., lateral rooting from primordia and basal rooting from callus) of Populus is important for phytotechnologies to ensure successful plantation establishment with genotypes that thrive when irrigated with highly variable or specific contaminants. We evaluated differences in root system morphology following establishment with high-salinity municipal solid waste landfill leachate or uncontaminated well water (control). Populus clones (NC13460, NC14018, NC14104, NC14106, DM115, DN5, NM2, and NM6) were irrigated during 2005 and 2006 in northern Wisconsin, USA and tested for differences in morphology of lateral and basal root types, as well as fine (0–2 mm diameter), small (2–5 mm), and coarse (>5 mm) roots. Across treatments and clones, trees averaged five roots per root type. Leachate-irrigated trees had 87% (lateral) and 105% (basal) as many roots as those irrigated with water. Leachate-irrigated trees had 96% as many fine roots as watering with irrigation water, whereas trees with leachate had 112% (small) and 88% (coarse) as many roots versus water. Despite root necrosis and regrowth in 23% of the trees, leachate irrigation did not negatively affect root diameter or dry mass. Given that adequate rooting is necessary for plantation establishment, leachate and similar waste waters are viable irrigation and fertilization sources of Populus crops used as feedstocks for biofuels, bioenergy, and bioproducts.
Gate-controlled negative differential resistance in drain current characteristics of AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs pseudomorphic MODFETs

The observation of negative differential resistance (NDR) and negative transconductance at high drain and gate fields in depletion-mode AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs MODFETs with gate lengths L/sub g/ approximately 0.25 mu m is discussed. It is shown that under high bias voltage conditions, V/sub ds/>2.5 V and V/sub gs/>0 V, the device drain current characteristic switches from a high current state to a low current state, resulting in reflection gain in the drain circuit of the MODFET. The decrease in the drain current of the device corresponds to a sudden increase in the gate current. It is shown that the device can be operated in two regions: (1) standard MODFET operation for V/sub gs/ 120 GHz, and (2) a NDR region which yields operation as a reflection gain amplifier for V/sub gs/ >0 V and V/sub ds/>2.5 V, resulting in 2 dB of reflection gain at 26.5 GHz. The NDR is attributed to the redistribution of charge and voltage in the channel caused by electrons crossing the heterobarrier under high-field conditions. The NDR gain regime, which is controllable by gate and drain voltages, is a new operating mode for MODFETs under high bias conditions. >
Raman technologies in cancer diagnostics

Despite significant effort, cancer still remains a leading cause of death worldwide. In order to reduce its burden, the development and improvement of noninvasive strategies for early detection and diagnosis of cancer are urgently needed. Raman spectroscopy, an optical technique that relies on inelastic light scattering arising from molecular vibrations, is one such strategy, as it can noninvasively probe cancerous markers using only endogenous contrast. In this review, spontaneous, coherent and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopies and imaging, as well as the fundamental principles governing the successful use of these techniques, are discussed. Methods for spectral data analysis are also highlighted. Utilization of the discussed Raman techniques for the detection and diagnosis of cancer in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo is described. The review concludes with a discussion of the future directions of Raman technologies, with particular emphasis on their clinical translation.
Cell‐specific transcriptomic analyses of three‐dimensional shoot development in the moss Physcomitrella patens

Haploid moss gametophytes harbor distinct stem cell types, including tip cells that divide in single planes to generate filamentous protonemata, and bud cells that divide in three planes to yield axial gametophore shoots. This transition from filamentous to triplanar growth occurs progressively during the moss life cycle, and is thought to mirror evolution of the first terrestrial plants from Charophycean green algal ancestors. The innovation of morphologically complex plant body plans facilitated colonization of the vertical landscape, and enabled development of complex vegetative and reproductive plant morphologies. Despite its profound evolutionary significance, the molecular programs involved in this transition from filamentous to triplanar meristematic plant growth are poorly understood. In this study, we used single-cell type transcriptomics to identify more than 4000 differentially expressed genes that distinguish uniplanar protonematal tip cells from multiplanar gametophore bud cells in the moss Physcomitrella patens. While the transcriptomes of both tip and bud cells show molecular signatures of proliferative cells, the bud cell transcriptome exhibits a wider variety of genes with significantly increased transcript abundances. Our data suggest that combined expression of genes involved in shoot patterning and asymmetric cell division accompanies the transition from uniplanar to triplanar meristematic growth in moss.
NEW: Network-Enabled Electronic Warfare for Target Recognition

Network-enabled electronic warfare (NEW) is the development of modeling and simulation efforts that explore the advantages and limitations of NEW concepts. The advantages of linking multiple electronic support measures (ESM) and electronic attack (EA) assets to achieve improved capabilities across a networked battle force have yet to be quantified. In this paper, we utilize radar sensors as ESM and EA assets to demonstrate the advantages of NEW in collaborative automatic target recognition (CATR). Signal (waveform) design for radar sensor networks (RSN) in NEW is studied theoretically. The conditions for waveform coexistence and the interferences among waveforms in RSN are analyzed. We apply the NEW to CATR via waveform diversity combining and propose maximum-likelihood (ML)-ATR algorithms for nonfluctuating targets as well as fluctuating targets. Simulation results indicate that our NEW-CATR performs much better than the single sensor-based ATR algorithm for nonfluctuating and fluctuating targets.
Ground surface temperature simulation for different land covers

Summary A model for predicting temperature time series for dry and wet land surfaces is described, as part of a larger project to assess the impact of urban development on the temperature of surface runoff and coldwater streams. Surface heat transfer processes on impervious and pervious land surfaces were investigated for both dry and wet weather periods. The surface heat transfer equations were combined with a numerical approximation of the 1-D unsteady heat diffusion equation to calculate pavement and soil temperature profiles to a depth of 10 m. Equations to predict the magnitude of the radiative, convective, conductive and evaporative heat fluxes at a dry or wet surface, using standard climate data as input, were developed. A model for the effect of plant canopies on surface heat transfer was included for vegetated land surfaces. Given suitable climate data, the model can simulate the land surface and sub-surface temperatures continuously throughout a six month time period or for a single rainfall event. Land surface temperatures have been successfully simulated for pavements, bare soil, short and tall grass, a forest, and two agricultural crops (corn and soybeans). The simulations were run for three different locations in US, and different years as imposed by the availability of measured soil temperature and climate data. To clarify the effect of land use on surface temperatures, the calibrated coefficients for each land use and the same soil coefficients were used to simulate surface temperatures for a six year climate data set from Albertville, MN. Asphalt and concrete give the highest surface temperatures, as expected, while vegetated surfaces gave the lowest. Bare soil gives surface temperatures that lie between those for pavements and plant-covered surfaces. The soil temperature model predicts hourly surface temperatures of bare soil and pavement with root–mean–square errors (RMSEs) of 1–2 °C, and hourly surface temperatures of vegetation-covered surfaces with RMSEs of 1–3 °C.
The Emergence of Basophils as Antigen-Presenting Cells in Th2 Inflammatory Responses

Basophils gain prominence in Th2 inflammatory responses with the discovery that they function as antigen-presenting cells and are sufficient to drive Th2 cell differentiation.
Interior-point methods and entropy

A novel interior-point algorithm related to entropy barrier functions is considered. An exponential rate of convergence to the optimal solution of corresponding vector fields is proved. >
Revelations of the World: Transnationalism and the Politics of Perception in Papua New Guinea

Like many over the past century, people in the Yopno Valley of Papua New Guinea have experienced a burgeoning of connections with people across great geographical distances. Building on Benedict Anderson's well-known discussion of the nation as a “community” imagined in part through the realist framing of newspaper reporting, novels, censuses, and so on, I argue that revelation is an interactional frame central to an emerging global imaginary in the Yopno Valley, one that lies at the heart of Yopno engagements with transnational projects ranging from Christian missionization to environmental conservation and development through Western-style education. In the course of sermons, community meetings, public announcements, and the like, people frequently reveal knowledge of transnational institutions to others, presenting themselves as the necessary mediators between an “out-of-touch” community and a knowledgeable, powerful, and yet obscure world of transnational actors. The world perceived through revelation is one in which persons are defined by their place in a global hierarchy organized by the trajectory of knowledge in circulation, with the Yopno, the last to know, at the bottom. This imaginary, in turn, is reshaping power relations in Yopno communities and influencing people's understanding of and interest in various transnational projects.
Pressure-velocity equilibrium hydrodynamic models

Abstract This article describes mathematical models for phase separated mixtures of materials that are in pressure and velocity equilibrium but not necessarily temperature equilibrium. General conditions for constitutive models for such mixtures that exhibit a single mixture sound speed are discussed and specific examples are described.
Haptic discrimination of perturbing fields and object boundaries

Experiments were performed to reveal how humans acquire information about the shape and mechanical properties of surfaces through touch and how this information affects the execution of trajectories over the surface. Subjects were instructed to make reaching movements between points lying on the boundary of a virtual planar disk object of varying stiffness. It was found that subjects' trajectory adaptation was dependent on the stiffness of the object. When the virtual boundary exceeded a threshold stiffness, subjects adapted by learning to produce a smooth trajectory on the object boundary, while at lower stiffness they adapted by recovering their original kinematic pattern of movement in free space. This adaptation suggests the internal representation of two distinct categories through a continuum of force fields: force perturbations and object boundaries. In the first case, the interaction forces are opposed and the trajectory is restored. In the second case, the trajectory is modified so as to reduce the interaction forces.
Bone marrow is a major site of long-term antibody production after acute viral infection

Antiviral antibody production is often sustained for long periods after resolution of an acute viral infection. Despite extensive documentation of this phenomenon, the mechanisms involved in maintaining long-term antibody production remain poorly defined. As a first step towards understanding the nature of long-term humoral immunity, we examined the anatomical location of antibody-producing cells during acute viral infection. Using the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) model, we found that after resolution of the acute infection, when antiviral plasma cells in the spleen decline, a population of virus-specific plasma cells appears in the bone marrow and constitutes the major source of long-term antibody production. Following infection of adult mice, LCMV-specific antibody-secreting cells (ASC) peaked in the spleen at 8 days postinfection but were undetectable in the bone marrow at that time. The infection was essentially cleared by 15 days, and the ASC numbers in the spleen rapidly declined while an increasing population of LCMV-specific ASC began to appear in the bone marrow. Compared with the peak response at 8 days postinfection, time points from 30 days to more than 1 year later demonstrated greater-than-10-fold reductions in splenic ASC. In contrast, LCMV-specific plasma cell numbers in the bone marrow remained high and correlated with the high levels of antiviral serum antibody. The presence of LCMV-specific plasma cells in the bone marrow was not due to persistent infection at this site, since the virus was cleared from both the spleen and bone marrow with similar kinetics as determined by infectivity and PCR assays. The immunoglobulin G subclass profile of antibody-secreting cells derived from bone marrow and the spleen correlated with the immunoglobulin G subclass distribution of LCMV-specific antibody in the serum. Upon rechallenge with LCMV, the spleen exhibited a substantial increase in virus-specific plasma cell numbers during the early phase of the secondary response, followed by an equally sharp decline. Bone marrow ASC populations and LCMV-specific antibody levels in the serum did not change during the early phase of the reinfection, but both increased about two-fold by 15 days postchallenge. After both primary and secondary viral infections, LCMV-specific plasma cells were maintained in the bone marrow, showing that the bone marrow is a major site of long-term antibody production after acute viral infection. These results documenting long-term persistence of plasma cells in the bone marrow suggest a reexamination of our current notions regarding the half-life of plasma cells.
The role of hydrous phases in the formation of trench parallel anisotropy: Evidence from Rayleigh waves in Cascadia

[1] The cause of seismic anisotropy exhibiting trench parallel fast directions in subduction systems has been the subject of significant recent research. We provide new constraints on the contributions of hydrous phases to seismic anisotropy from an unusually well-localized region of trench parallel fast directions in Rayleigh wave phase velocities near the Cascade arc at 45 to 66 s periods. We constrain the location of the anisotropic material to within or directly above the oceanic plate, using the depth sensitivity of Rayleigh waves as a function of frequency and the accurate slab imaging available for Cascadia from scattered wave studies. We infer that the likely source of trench-parallel anisotropy is either a thin layer of sheared hydrous material directly above the slab or hydrated outer rise faults in the upper part of the subducting plate. Similar contributions to trench parallel anisotropy from hydrous phases are likely stronger in other subduction zones.
Role of N-Linked Glycosylation for Sindbis Virus Infection and Replication in Vertebrate and Invertebrate Systems

Each Sindbis virus (SINV) surface glycoprotein has two sites for N-linked glycosylation (E1 positions 139 and 245 [E1-139 and E1-245] and E2 positions 196 and 318 [E2-196 and E2-318]). Studies of SINV strain TE12 mutants with each site eliminated identified the locations of carbohydrates by cryo-electron microscopy (S. V. Pletnev et al., Cell 105:127-136, 2001). In the current study, the effects of altered glycosylation on virion infectivity, growth in cells of vertebrates and invertebrates, heparin binding, virulence in mice, and replication in mosquitoes were assessed. Particle-to-PFU ratios for E1-139 and E2-196 mutant strains were similar to that for TE12, but this ratio for the E1-245 mutant was 100-fold lower than that for TE12. Elimination of either E2 glycosylation site increased virus binding to heparin and increased replication in BHK cells. Elimination of either E1 glycosylation site had no effect on heparin binding but resulted in an approximately 10-fold decrease in virus yield from BHK cells compared to the TE12 amount. No differences in pE2 processing were detected. E2-196 and E2-318 mutants were more virulent in mice after intracerebral inoculation, while E1-139 and E1-245 mutants were less virulent. The E1-245 mutant showed impaired replication in C7/10 mosquito cells and in Culex quinquefasciatus after intrathoracic inoculation. We conclude that the increased replication and virulence of E2-196 and E2-318 mutants are primarily due to increased efficiency of binding to heparan sulfate on mammalian cells. Lack of glycosylation at E1-139 or E1-245 impairs replication in vertebrate cells, while E1-245 also severely affects replication in invertebrate cells.
The Descent of Hierarchy, and Selection in Relational Semantics

In many types of technical texts, meaning is embedded in noun compounds. A language understanding program needs to be able to interpret these in order to ascertain sentence meaning. We explore the possibility of using an existing lexical hierarchy for the purpose of placing words from a noun compound into categories, and then using this category membership to determine the relation that holds between the nouns. In this paper we present the results of an analysis of this method on two-word noun compounds from the biomedical domain, obtaining classification accuracy of approximately 90%. Since lexical hierarchies are not necessarily ideally suited for this task, we also pose the question: how far down the hierarchy must the algorithm descend before all the terms within the subhierarchy behave uniformly with respect to the semantic relation in question? We find that the topmost levels of the hierarchy yield an accurate classification, thus providing an economic way of assigning relations to noun compounds.
Complex Proteolytic Processing Acts on Delta, a Transmembrane Ligand for Notch, during Drosophila Development

Delta functions as a cell nonautonomous membrane-bound ligand that binds to Notch, a cell-autonomous receptor, during cell fate specification. Interaction between Delta and Notch leads to signal transduction and elicitation of cellular responses. During our investigations to further understand the biochemical mechanism by which Delta signaling is regulated, we have identified four Delta isoforms in Drosophila embryonic and larval extracts. We have demonstrated that at least one of the smaller isoforms, Delta S, results from proteolysis. Using antibodies to the Delta extracellular and intracellular domains in colocalization experiments, we have found that at least three Delta isoforms exist in vivo, providing the first evidence that multiple forms of Delta exist during development. Finally, we demonstrate that Delta is a transmembrane ligand that can be taken up by Notch-expressing Drosophila cultured cells. Cell culture experiments imply that full-length Delta is taken up by Notch-expressing cells. We present evidence that suggests this uptake occurs by a nonphagocytic mechanism.
Dyadic Behavior Analysis in Depression Severity Assessment Interviews

Previous literature suggests that depression impacts vocal timing of both participants and clinical interviewers but is mixed with respect to acoustic features. To investigate further, 57 middle-aged adults (men and women) with Major Depression Disorder and their clinical interviewers (all women) were studied. Participants were interviewed for depression severity on up to four occasions over a 21 week period using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), which is a criterion measure for depression severity in clinical trials. Acoustic features were extracted for both participants and interviewers using COVAREP Toolbox. Missing data occurred due to missed appointments, technical problems, or insufficient vocal samples. Data from 36 participants and their interviewers met criteria and were included for analysis to compare between high and low depression severity. Acoustic features for participants varied between men and women as expected, and failed to vary with depression severity for participants. For interviewers, acoustic characteristics strongly varied with severity of the interviewee's depression. Accommodation - the tendency of interactants to adapt their communicative behavior to each other - between interviewers and interviewees was inversely related to depression severity. These findings suggest that interviewers modify their acoustic features in response to depression severity, and depression severity strongly impacts interpersonal accommodation.
Fatigue Modeling via Mammalian Auditory System for Prediction of Noise Induced Hearing Loss

Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) remains as a severe health problem worldwide. Existing noise metrics and modeling for evaluation of NIHL are limited on prediction of gradually developing NIHL (GDHL) caused by high-level occupational noise. In this study, we proposed two auditory fatigue based models, including equal velocity level (EVL) and complex velocity level (CVL), which combine the high-cycle fatigue theory with the mammalian auditory model, to predict GDHL. The mammalian auditory model is introduced by combining the transfer function of the external-middle ear and the triple-path nonlinear (TRNL) filter to obtain velocities of basilar membrane (BM) in cochlea. The high-cycle fatigue theory is based on the assumption that GDHL can be considered as a process of long-cycle mechanical fatigue failure of organ of Corti. Furthermore, a series of chinchilla experimental data are used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed fatigue models. The regression analysis results show that both proposed fatigue models have high corrections with four hearing loss indices. It indicates that the proposed models can accurately predict hearing loss in chinchilla. Results suggest that the CVL model is more accurate compared to the EVL model on prediction of the auditory risk of exposure to hazardous occupational noise.
The role of gastric restrictive procedures in treating ventral hernias in morbidly obese patients.

INTRODUCTION Ventral hernia repair in severely obese patients represents a therapeutic challenge associated with the potential of recurrence. It was our intention in the management of patients with symptomatic ventral hernias in the presence of severe obesity to ascertain the role of weight loss produced by a gastric restrictive procedure (GRP) in the management of the hernias. METHODS Thirty-three patients underwent ventral hernia repair and a primary GRP while 37 patients underwent ventral hernia repair and revision of a failed GRP associated with unsatisfactory weight loss. Patients were followed to ascertain the effect of the GRP on body weight and the incidence of recurrent hernia. RESULTS The mean +/- SEM weight in the patients undergoing primary GRPs and ventral hernia repair was 378 +/- 13 lbs (range 604 to 299 lbs) and the weight of the patients undergoing revision of GRPs and ventral hernia repair was 309 +/- 12 lbs (range 505 to 240 lbs). Mean length of follow-up was 79 +/- 18 months (range 180 to 11 months). Mean +/- SEM weight loss following the primary GRP or the GRP revision was 157 +/- 28 lbs (range 82 to 294 lbs). Repair of recurrent ventral hernia was required following stabilization of weight loss in 11 patients (16%). Long term evaluation of all patients following weight loss identified a 5% incidence of recurrent ventral hernia in those patients who had a body weight less than 200 lbs compared to a 19% incidence of recurrent ventral hernia in patients who weighed between 200 and 250 lbs. Patients who stabilized with a body weight greater than 250 lbs had a ventral hernia recurrence rate of 33%. CONCLUSION GRPs have the potential to decrease body weight and contribute to the control of ventral hernias; however, it appears to be necessary to reach a body weight of less than 200 lbs to significantly decrease recurrent hernia formation.
The Effect of Vascular Neuropathology on Late-life Cognition: Results from the SMART Project.

BACKGROUND Cerebral vascular pathology may contribute to cognitive decline experienced by some elderly near death. Given evidence for mixed neuropathologies in advanced age, preventing or reducing cerebrovascular burden in late life may be beneficial. OBJECTIVE To correlate measures of cerebral vascular pathology with cognitive trajectories. SETTING Observational study. PARTICIPANTS A cohort of 2,274 individuals who came to autopsy at a mean age of 89.3 years and 82 percent of whom had at least two cognitive assessments within the last six years of life was compiled from six centers conducting longitudinal studies. MEASUREMENTS For each cognitive domain: immediate and delayed memory, language, and naming, three trajectories were examined: good, intermediate, and poor cognition. The probability of a participant belonging to each trajectory was associated with measures of cerebral vascular pathology after adjustment for demographics, APOE, and Alzheimer neuropathology. RESULTS A large proportion of the cohort (72-94%) experienced good or intermediate cognition in the four domains examined. The presence of arteriolosclerosis and the presence of lacunar infarcts doubled the odds of belonging to the poor cognitive trajectory for language when compared to the good trajectory. The presence of lacunar infarcts increased the odds of an intermediate or poor trajectory for immediate and delayed recall while the presence of large artery infarcts increased the odds of poor trajectories for all four cognitive domains examined. Microinfarcts and cerebral amyloid angiopathy had little effect on the trajectories. CONCLUSION Indicators of cerebral vascular pathology act differently on late life cognition.