cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subcellular localization of mutant P23H rhodopsin in an RFP fusion knockin mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa

The P23H mutation in rhodopsin (Rho), the visual pigment protein in rod photoreceptor neurons, is the most common genetic cause of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP), a retinal disease that causes blindness. Despite multiple studies in animal models, the subcellular details of the fate of misfolded mutant Rho in rod photoreceptors have not been completely defined. We generated a new mouse model of adRP, in which the P23H-Rho mutant allele is fused to Tag-RFP-T (P23HhRhoRFP). In heterozygotes, outer segments formed, and WT rhodopsin was properly localized there, but mutant P23H-Rho protein was specifically mislocalized in the inner segments of rods. Despite this cellular phenotype, the P23HhRhoRFP heterozygous mice exhibited only slowly progressing retinal degeneration; in ERG recordings, scotopic a-wave amplitudes were reduced by 24% and 26% at 30 days and 90 days respectively, and the corresponding scotopic b-waves by 18% and 24%. Outer nuclear layer thickness was still 80% of WT at 90 days, but at 364 days had declined to 40% of WT. Transmission electron microscopy revealed greatly expanded membrane lamellae in the inner segment, and by fluorescence imaging, we determined that the mislocalized P23HhRhoRFP was contained in greatly expanded endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes. TUNEL staining revealed a slow pace of cell death involving chromosomal endonucleolytic degradation. Quantification of mRNA for markers of ER stress and the unfolded protein response revealed little or no increases in levels of messages encoding the proteins BiP, CHOP, ATF6, XBP1, PERK, Eif2α and Derlin-1, but a decreased level of total Rhodopsin (mouse + human) mRNA levels. The decline in the rate of cell death after an initial burst suggests that P23HhRhoRFP mutant rods undergo an adaptative process that prolongs survival despite gross P23HhRhoRFP protein accumulation in the ER. Because of its slowly progressing nature, and easy visualization of the mutant protein, the P23H-Rho-RFP mouse may represent a useful tool for the future study of the pathology and treatment of P23H-Rho and adRP.
The Ultraviolet Finiteness of N=8 Supergravity

We study counterterms (CT's), candidates for UV divergences in the four- dimensional N=8 supergravity. They have been constructed long ago in the Lorentz co- variant on shell superspace and recently in the chiral light-cone (LC) superspace. We prove that all of these CT's are ruled out since they are not available in the real LC super- space. This implies the perturbative UV finiteness of d = 4 N=8 supergravity under the assumption that supersymmetry and continuous E 7(7) symmetry are anomaly-free. The proof, based on the chiral nature of CT's in the LC superspace, is a generalization of the perturbative F-term non-renormalization theorem for N=8 supergravity.
Aggression and Victimization

This essay details the historical progression of theories attempting to explain human aggression and victimization across the lifespan. Different theoretical lenses allowed for a comprehensive examination of the nuances between aggression and victimization, as supported by landmark experimental research studies conducted in the social and behavioral sciences. In addition, the neurobiology of aggression was discussed as an area of future research where professionals from multiple fields could collaborate in order to better understand the intersection of biology and the environment and how it impacts the development of individuals. Human history is replete with chronicles of wars and interpersonal aggression. Much of the news we read describe aggressive actions toward individuals or groups of people, within and between political and religious factions, and among countries around the globe. In this essay, we provide an overview of what we know about this ubiquitous human behavior. First, we define important terms. Aggression refers to deliberate acts that inflict harm; victimization is the experience of receiving unwanted aggressive acts. Physical aggression (use of physical force toward another, such as hitting and kicking) is a form of direct aggression, as is verbal aggression (name-calling, malicious teasing). More recently, relational (indirect) aggression (Crick, 1995) has been identified as a distinct form of aggression in which the target's social relationships or status are attacked (e.g., social exclusion, rumor spreading). There is debate about whether cyber-aggression is a separate form of aggression or a method for delivery of aggressive actions (see Bauman, Cross, & Walker, 2013, for discussion of this issue). Aggression can also be categorized by the motive behind the action: proactive aggression includes hostile aggression, in which the desire to harm the target drives the behavior, and instrumental aggression, which refers to acts calculated to bring valued resources to the aggressor, whereas reactive aggression is provoked by an actual or anticipated aggressive attack and is enacted in self-defense or retaliation (Hartup, 2005). Researchers sometimes distinguish between trait aggression, which is a characteristic of a person across time and settings such that the person is more prone to commit acts of aggression than others, and state aggression, which refers to a momentary experience of aggression in a particular situation or context. Keywords: aggression; aggression machine; real-world context; real-life setting; neuroimaging
Distinguishing prostatic from colorectal adenocarcinoma on biopsy samples: the role of morphology and immunohistochemistry.

Abstract Context.—Poorly differentiated carcinoma on prostate or colorectal biopsy can occasionally present a diagnostic challenge in determining tumor source especially in locally advanced colorectal carcinoma (CRCa) or prostate carcinoma (PCa). Such determination can affect prognosis and therapy. Objective.—To evaluate the role of morphology and immunohistochemistry in the previously mentioned setting. Design.—Surgical pathology and consultation records. Hematoxylin-eosin sections were reviewed in 16 cases (11 PCa, 5 CRCa). Immunohistochemistry for 9 markers was performed in 15 cases. Results.—Dirty necrosis, seen in 5 (100%) of 5 CRCa and 2 (18%) of 11 PCa cases, and the presence of columnar cells with basal nuclei, seen in 5 (100%) of 5 CRCa and 1 (9%) of 11 PCa cases, appear to be the most useful morphologic parameters. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the value of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), CDX2, cytokeratin (CK) 20, and β-catenin in the differential of CRCa (0% PSA+, 60% CDX2+, 80% CK20+, and 1...
Uncertainty management in process planning for PCB assembly

Computer-aided process planning (CAPP) systems are an ideal application for expert system (ES) techniques in manufacturing. The design of a prototype CAPP system that can deal with the uncertainty that is an integral part of every manufacturing facility is described. The implementation of a nonmonotonic reasoning system (NMRS) and an educated-guess mechanism are discussed. In this case, the example is a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly. The uses of uncertainty management techniques in dealing with the dynamic and uncertain nature of a PCB manufacturing facility are considered. >
Analysis of torsional spectra of molecules with two internal C3v rotors. V - Barriers to internal rotation in ethylsilane

Abstract Reanalysis of the torsional splittings of known and newly measured rotational transitions in the microwave spectrum of CH 3 CH 2 28 SiH 3 gives the following values for the potential coefficients: V 30 (CH 3 ) = 918.1 ± 3.6 cm −1 (2625 ± 10 cal/mole): V 03 (SiH 3 ) = 692.2 ± 692.2 ± 2.4 cm −1 (1979 ± 7 cal/mole); and V 33 = −64.7 ± 20.3 cm −1 (−185 ± 58 cal/mole). The Raman spectra of CH 3 CH 2 SiH 3 and CH 3 CH 2 SiD 3 in both the solid and gaseous state which are presented did not prove helpful in the determination of the barriers to internal rotation. It seems that other than steric factors are responsible for the methyl barrier trend in the series propane, ethylsilane, ethylgermane.
DIRECTION OR CONCILIATION

The divorce custody reform and alternative dispute resolution movements have gained popularity with, and become intertwined by, legislators and adjudicators on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In this article, the theoretical strands of comparative divorce reform law and the Children Act 1989 are disentangled, and the threads of different factual situations—developed during 27 Preliminary Directions Hearings conducted in Englan?s Croydon County Court—are woven in. Hearings were initially meant simply to determine whether residence and access petitions could be resolved informally, without judicial intervention. The study, conducted shortly after the effective date of the legislation (October 14, 1991) quickly revealed distinct patterns in the proceedings. Faulty administration by the court resulted in chaos, undermining the efficacy of the program. Gender issues and power imbalances were often unintentionally amplified, rather than mitigated. Finally, the proceedings changed substantially during the 12-week period of study, resembling Hearing Directed Conciliation by the end.
The Relationship Between Bible Literacy and Behavioral and Academic Outcomes in Urban Areas: A Meta-Analysis

A meta-analysis is undertaken, including 11 studies, to determine whether there is a relationship between Bible knowledge on one hand and academic and behavioral outcomes on the other among those living in urban areas. The results indicate that increased Bible knowledge is associated with higher levels of student academic achievement and positive behavioral patterns. The analysis indicates that the relationship, as measured by degree of statistical significance, between Bible knowledge and academic outcomes is stronger than it is between Bible knowledge and behavioral outcomes. The possible reasons for this pattern and also the reasons for relationship that Bible knowledge has with academic and behavioral outcomes are discussed.
Carbon−Nitrogen Bond-Forming Reactions of Palladacycles with Hypervalent Iodine Reagents

Palladium(II) complexes containing bidentate cyclometalated C∼N chelating ligands are shown to react with PhINTs at room temperature to insert “NTs” into the Pd−C bond. This “NTs” insertion reaction has been applied to palladacyclic complexes of azobenzene, benzo[h]quinoline, and 8-ethylquinoline. The newly aminated organic ligands can be liberated from the metal center by protonolysis with trifluoroacetic acid or HCl.
Electronic Spectra of the H and OH Adducts of Cytosine

Theoretical assignments of the spectra of the H and OH adduct radicals of cytosine are obtained with ab initio multiconfiguration self-consistent-field calculations. The C6OH isomer is substantially more stable than the C5OH. The C6H isomer is slightly more stable than C5H, but both are much less stable than the N3H isomer. The C5 and C6 adducts for both H and OH are found to support transitions in entirely different spectral regions. Visible absorption transitions are found for the C6 adducts in which the open shell orbital is delocalized by conjugating to a neighboring double bond or system of bonds. In C5 adducts, the open-shell orbital remains localized giving rise to absorption transitions in the UV. The calculations show that the very broad absorption observed at 440 nm is the convolution of two transitions for the C6OH isomer and that the observed peak at 340 nm has contributions from both the C5OH and C6OH isomers but is dominated by the absorption of C5OH. The similarity of the absorption pattern...
Effect of arsenic concentration on microbial iron reduction and arsenic speciation in an iron-rich freshwater sediment

Abstract Depth profiles in the sediment porewaters of the Chattahoochee River (Georgia, USA) show that iron oxides scavenge arsenate in the water column and settle to the sediment–water interface (SWI) where they are reduced by iron-reducing bacteria. During their reduction, these particles seem to release arsenic to the porewaters in the form of arsenate only. Sediment slurry incubations were conducted to determine the effect of low concentrations of arsenic (⩽10 μM) on biogeochemical processes in these sediments. Experiments confirm that any arsenate (As(V)) added to these sediments is immediately adsorbed in oxic conditions and released in anoxic conditions during the microbial reduction of authigenic iron oxides. Incubations in the presence of ⩽1 μM As(V) reveal that arsenate is released but not concomitantly reduced during this process. Simultaneously, microbial iron reduction is enhanced significantly, spurring the simultaneous release of arsenate into porewaters and secondary formation of crystalline iron oxides. Above 1 μM As(V), however, the microbial reductive dissolution of iron oxides appears inhibited by arsenate, and arsenite is produced in excess in the porewaters. These incubations show that even low inputs of arsenic to riverine sediments may affect microbial processes, the stability of iron oxides and, indirectly, the cycling of arsenic. Possible mechanisms for such effects on iron reduction are proposed.
Using quantitative diffuse multi spectral imaging method to assess Cushing disease treatment outcome

Clinical outcome of the surgical treatment of Cushing disease is assessed by a diffuse multi-spectral imaging. Data analysis, based on two layers skin model, provides information on facial blood circulation/ plethora to predict therapy results.
Effect of Validated Skills Simulation on Operating Room Performance in Obstetrics and Gynecology Residents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES:To estimate whether training on previously validated laparoscopic skill stations translates into improved technical performance in the operating room.METHODS:We performed a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial evaluating the performance of a laparoscopic bilateral midsegment salpinge
Characterization of an up-stream thyroid transcription factor-1-binding site in the thyrotropin receptor promoter

A thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1)-binding element in the rat TSH receptor (TSHR) promoter, between -189 and -175 basepairs (bp), is important for both thyroid-specific expression and thyroid-specific TSH/cAMP autoregulation of the TSHR. The identification of an up-stream TTF-1-binding site and its relationship to the function of the down-stream TTF-1 element are the subjects of this report. Sequence analysis identifies a potential TTF-1 site at -878 bp; deoxyribonuclease-I footprinting shows that the -881 to -866 bp region is protected by recombinant TTF-1 protein and by nuclear extracts from FRTL-5 thyroid cells that contain TTF-1, but not by extracts from nonfunctioning FRT thyroid or Buffalo rat liver (BRL) cells, which have no TTF-1, or by Pax-8. FRTL-5, but not FRT or BRL cell nuclear extracts, form a specific protein-DNA complex with this region in gel mobility shift analyses; its formation is prevented by TTF-1-binding elements from the thyroglobulin promoter. The upstream TTF-1 site acts as an enhancer when coupled to a heterologous simian virus-40 promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) chimera and transfected into FRTL-5 thyroid cells. There is a greater increase, 3-vs. 2-fold (P < 0.05), when TSHR promoter-CAT chimeras, which contain the up-stream TTF-1 element, pTRCAT5'-907 or pTRCAT5'-886, as opposed to those in which it is deleted, pTRCAT5'-907 delta USTTF-1, are transfected into FRTL-5 cells or cotransfected with a TTF-1 expression vector into BRL cells, which have no endogenous TTF-1. The TTF-1-dependent activity of pTRCAT5'-907 delta USTTF-1 is the same as that of the minimal promoter, -220 to -39 bp, containing only the down-stream TTF-1 site in both cells. Transfection of chimeric TSHR-CAT plasmids with the down- and/or up-stream TTF-1 site deleted reveals that the down-stream TTF-1 element functions in the absence of the up-stream element, but function of the up-stream site requires the down-stream TTF-1 element. Like the down-stream TSHR TTF-1-binding site, the up-stream TTF-1 site is different from TTF-1 sites in the thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase promoter, in that it does not interact with Pax-8.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Neuropsychologists as expert witnesses: Issues of admissibility

Abstract This paper summarizes a large series of recent appellate court decisions involving the use of neuropsychologists as expert witnesses in court proceedings. Questions concerning the admissibility of neuropsychological testimony pertaining to the presence of brain dysfunction, the cause of the brain dysfunction, and prognosis are separately reported. The implications of these court decisions for neuropsychologists who testify in court are discussed. Suggestions are made regarding the presentation of neuropsychological testimony in such a manner as to enhance its admissibility in court.
A trial postmortem: challenges in conducting a randomized, double-blind, phase 2 study in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Randomized clinical trials are the benchmark for definitive phase 3 trials and are becoming increasingly critical in earlier phase, proof-of-concept trials in oncology, especially urologic oncology. Unfortunately, many of these trials are never completed or accrue extremely slowly, leading to tremendous waste of scientific, patient, and financial resources. The potential reasons for these failures are multiple, but are often difficult to discern in an individual trial and rarely analyzed objectively. A recent experience with a multicenter, randomized, phase 2 trial for which there was a compelling biologic premise, review and support from the US Food and Administration (FDA), good advertising, and acceptance from co-investigators but that still failed to successfully accrue provides an opportunity to examine potential causes for trial failure more
Are density functional theory predictions of the Raman spectra accurate enough to distinguish conformational transitions during amyloid formation

We report density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the Raman spectra for hexapepetides of glutamic acid and lysine in three different conformations (α, β and PPII). The wave numbers of amide I, amide II and amide III bands of all three conformations predicted at B3LYP/6-31G and B3LYP/6-31G* are in good agreement with previously reported experimental values of polyglutamic acid and polylysine. Agreement with experiment improves when polarization functions are included in the basis set. Explicit water molecules, H-bonded to the backbone amide groups were found to be absolutely necessary to obtain this agreement. Our results indicate that DFT is a promising tool for assignment of the spectral data on kinetics of conformational changes for peptides during amyloid formation.
Sudden oak death: geographic risk estimates and predictions of origins

Ecological niche modelling techniques were applied to address the questions of the origins and potential geographic extent of sudden oak death, caused by the pathogen Phytophthora ramorum. Based on an ecological niche model derived from the phytopathogen's California distribution and distributions of potential host species, it was determined that the disease has high potential to colonize the southeastern United States, and that its likely source area is eastern Asia.
Social inhibition of territorial marking in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)

Male gerbils were tested for marking frequency in a residents’ territory over a number of days. Experimental animals were allowed contact with residents immediately after each marking trial; control animals were not. Animals exposed to residents eventually decreased their marking to about 25% of control males; however, marking was reestablished in novel territories. Olfactory cues from residents or other intruding males depressed marking. Visual and auditory cues were ineffective. Moreover, odors from the residents’ colony were avoided in a Y-tube preference test. Autopsies revealed no evidence for androgen inhibition or stress effects. Evidently, gerbils are territorial and defend their claims primarily by olfactory intimidation.
Isovalent transition metal diatomic molecules: ScNi, ScPd, YNi, YPd

Abstract The X-band ESR spectra of 45 ScNi, 45 ScPd, 89 YNi, and 89 Y 105 Pd molecules were observed in argon matrices at 4 K, and all were found to have 2 Σ ground states. Hyperfine splittings due to interaction with the indicated nuclei were detected. Similarities in spin distribution and bonding are discussed and related to the calculations of Shim and Gingerich (1983) on the YPd molecule.
Carboxyhemoglobin in pediatric sepsis and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome

Objective: Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an inducible enzyme that degrades heme to the biologically active products iron, carbon monoxide (which binds hemoglobin to give carboxyhemoglobin (COHb)), and bilirubin. As mediatorsof inflammation induce HO-1 in vitro and in vivo, this enzyme may play a significant role in sepsis and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). If so, elevation of the indirect products of HO-1 activity, COHb and bilirubin, would be expected in patients during inflammatory stress states (sepsis/SIRS). The objective of this study was to determine whether these products might serve as diagnostic and/or prognostic markers of inflammatory stress. Design, setting, and subjects: A retrospective review of all patients admitted over a 36 month period to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary care pediatric oncology hospital was conducted. Abstracted data included initial COHb and bilirubin values, demographics, ventilatory support, medications, blood culture results, and mortalit...
Antisocial cognition and crime continuity: Cognitive mediation of the past crime-future crime relationship

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess whether antisocial cognition is capable of mediating the well-documented relationship between past and future criminality. Methods Data for this study came from 812 members of the four-wave National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Antisocial cognition was measured with nine self-report items reflecting a thrill-seeking, manipulative, callous, deceptive, and rule-breaking attitude. The predictor variable (delinquency), outcome variable (crime), and four observed confounding covariates (low self-control, delinquent peers, maternal attachment, and intelligence) were also measured via self-report. Results Causal mediation analysis revealed that antisocial cognition, assessed during wave 3 of the Add Health study, partially mediated the relationship between delinquency at wave 2 and criminality at wave 4. This mediational effect was moderately robust to potential pre-treatment confounds from constructs central to four major criminological theories (low self-control, delinquent peers, maternal attachment, and intelligence) and to unobserved confounds from three demographic variables (age, gender, and race). Conclusions These results suggest that antisocial cognition is both a cause and effect of antisocial behavior. Consequently, antisocial cognition is not only an important dynamic risk/needs factor, but should also be addressed in programs designed to ameliorate current criminality and prevent future antisocial behavior.
Impaired slow axonal transport in wobbler mouse motor neuron disease

We studied slow axonal transport and morphometry of forelimb axons in wobbler mice and controls. In wobbler mice, the total radioactivity migrating with the slow transport was decreased by 50%. The velocity of transport also appeared to be reduced; 15 days following administration of a radioisotope, polypeptides migrating with slow component a of transport did not form a peak and remained mostly 2 mm from the spinal cord, while in controls slow component a was distributed as a peak which was located 4 mm from the cord. The ratios of the 68-kDa neurofilament subunit to tubulin and actin were significantly decreased (p < 0.01 and p < 0.005, respectively). This finding is consistent with a preferential reduction of the radioactivity migrating with neurofilament proteins in wobbler mice. Moreover, both the size and number of myelinated axons were markedly diminished, but their length was not significantly different, indicating that dying-back does not take place in axons of wobbler mice up to 12 mm from the spinal cord. The reduction in axonal transport may be due to the reduction in number and caliber of the axons and/or to reduced protein synthesis in cervical lower motor neurons; however, the abnormal distribution of the radioactive substance definitely results from impairment of the slow transport in the axons of the forelimb roots of wobbler mice. The transport impairment is not related to the presence of morphological changes in the perikaryon of wobbler mouse lower motor neurons, as it is much more widespread than would be expected if only altered neurons were involved. Whether the impairment of the slow transport is the primary pathogenetic event in wobbler mouse lower motor neuron disease, as well as in other animals and human motor neuron diseases, remains to be established.
SU‐GG‐I‐72: Low Dose‐Rate Prostate Bracytherapy Dosimetry Using Quantitative SPECT Imaging and Three‐Dimensional Discrete Fourier Transform Convolution Dose Calculation Algorithm

Purpose: Single photon emission tomography(SPECT) was used to measure the distribution of radioactivity and obtain quantitative air‐kerma strength (AKS) of the seeds implanted in low‐dose rate prostate brachytherapy. A fast 3D discrete Fourier‐transform convolution algorithm that uses quantitative SPECT numbers was developed to calculate internal dose in prostatic gland and surrounding critical structures. Methods and Materials: Four prostate brachytherapy patients were imaged with SPECT after seed implantation. SPECT numbers from reconstructed axial slices were used to measure quantitatively AKS of the implanted seeds. A new dose calculation algorithm based on a fast Fourier‐transform convolution was developed. It convolves the AKS distribution measured by quantitative SPECT numbers with a dose distribution kernel of an 125I point source using the AAPM Task Group 43 formalism. Dose distribution calculated with this technique was benchmarked with dose calculated using the VariSeed treatment planning system on CT and ultrasound. Results: The dose difference calculated on SPECT and CT can be up to 80% locally over small areas, and the distance‐to‐agreement between isodose lines 150%, 100%, and 50% are within 5 mm. The isodose line 150% breaks similarly around urethra on SPECT and CT studies. Several factors might contribute to the discrepancies between this convolution algorithm and Variseed. These include variation in prostate volume due to edema after seed implantation, variation in AKS between the individual seeds, seed alignment and AKS distribution, seed‐to‐seed photon attenuation, heterogeneities such as calcification in the prostatic gland. Conclusions: Prostate brachytherapy lacks techniques of direct measurement and verification of the AKS and associated dose from the implanted seeds. This technique employs SPECT number to measure directly AKS from implanted seeds which may provide useful quality assurance tools for prostate brachytherapy. Errors in dose calculation by seed‐based treatment planning systems may be corrected by considering dose calculation with SPECT numbers.
Possible Medication-Resistant Deficits in Adult ADHD:

Objective: The nature of ADHD, especially in adulthood, is not well-understood. Therefore, we explored subcomponents of attention in adult ADHD. Method: Twenty-three adults with ADHD were tested on neurocognitive and visual tracking performance both while on their regular prescription stimulant medication and while abstaining from the medication for 1 day. Pairwise comparisons to 46 two-for-one matched normal controls were made to detect medication-resistant effects of ADHD, and within-participant comparisons were made to detect medication-sensitive effects in patients. Results: Even when on medication, patients performed more poorly than controls on a spatial working memory task, and on visual tracking and simple reaction time tasks immediately following other attention-demanding tasks. Patients’ visual tracking performance degraded while off-medication in a manner consistent with reduced vigilance. Conclusion: There may be persistent cognitive impairments in adult ADHD despite medication. In addition, t...
Prox1 Is Required for Granule Cell Maturation and Intermediate Progenitor Maintenance During Brain Neurogenesis

The dentate gyrus has an important role in learning and memory, and adult neurogenesis in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus may play a role in the acquisition of new memories. The homeobox gene Prox1 is expressed in the dentate gyrus during embryonic development and adult neurogenesis. Here we show that Prox1 is necessary for the maturation of granule cells in the dentate gyrus during development and for the maintenance of intermediate progenitors during adult neurogenesis. We also demonstrate that Prox1-expressing intermediate progenitors are required for adult neural stem cell self-maintenance in the subgranular zone; thus, we have identified a previously unknown non-cell autonomous regulatory feedback mechanism that controls adult neurogenesis in this region of the mammalian brain. Finally, we show that the ectopic expression of Prox1 induces premature differentiation of neural stem cells.
EFFECT OF AN OXYGEN‐REDUCING MEMBRANE FRACTION ON HELICOBACTER PYLORI

The emerging gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori is an oxygen-sensitive fastidious microaerophile. Culturability of this organism is rapidly lost in oxygen levels present in the atmosphere due to its morphological transformation into a viable but not culturable state. The effect of the OxyraseTM system of oxygen-reducing membrane fragments on H. pylori was evaluated at levels ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 Units/mL in Brucella broth supplemented with 5% horse serum. Duplicate sets of OxyraseTM dilutions inoculated with H. pylori were incubated at 35C aerobically and microaerobically. At these OxyraseTM levels, a logarithmic loss of H. pylori viability was evident in the aerobic cultures. The inoculum remained recoverable for 24 h in the presence of OxyraseTM, whereas recovery of inoculum in untreated broth was greatly reduced after 8 h of aerobic incubation, and the organism was unrecoverable after 24 h. OxyraseTM-containing broth cultures of H. pylori incubated microaerobically showed a similar drop in viable counts for the first 48 h of incubation; however, at the lower levels of OxyraseTM, some cells survived, and resumed logarithmic growth at 96 h. To explore the effects of short term aerobic incubation in the presence of 0, 0.005, 0.05, and 0.5 Units OxyraseTM, cultures were examined microscopically after 4, 8, and 24 h. In the OxyraseTM-containing broths, <90% of the cells exhibited rod shape morphology after 8 h, whereas in the untreated broth, most cells appeared coccoid. After 24 h, all cells exhibited coccoid morphology.
Peripheral endotoxin causes long-lasting changes in locus coeruleus activity via IL-1 in the brain.

Activity of locus coeruleus (LC) neurons, the major noradrenergic cell-body group in the brain whose axons give rise to approximately 70% of norepinephrine (NE) in the brain, is believed to play an important role in attention/vigilance, cognitive functions and behavioral disorders, particularly depression. Results described here show that in the rat, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, a bacterial endotoxin) causes long-lasting changes in electrophysiological activity of LC neurons that are mediated by interleukin-1 (IL-1) acting locally in the LC region. First, it was found that IL-1, when microinjected into the LC region or stimulated/expressed in that brain region, increased activity of LC neurons. The only exception to this was that a very low dose of microinjected IL-1 (5 pg) decreased LC activity, which could be blocked by an antagonist to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), thus suggesting that the decrease was due to IL-1 stimulation of CRH release. All of these effects could be blocked by injection and/or infusion of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) specifically into the LC region. Next, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of a low dose of LPS(10 µg/kg or 100 ng/kg) was also found to increase LC activity. The excitation of LC produced by 10 µg/kg i.p. LPS increased progressively for at least 1 week, with LC neurons firing at more than twice their normal rate at 1 week after the i.p. LPS injection. Alteration of LC activity lasted for 3 weeks after a single i.p. injection of 10 µg/kg LPS. The effects of i.p. LPS on LC activity at any time after i.p. injection could be blocked by a brief microinfusion of IL-1RA into the LC region, thereby indicating that changes in LC activity seen after the i.p. LPS were caused by IL-1 acting in the LC region. Finally, i.p. injection of peptidoglycan, representing gram-positive bacteria, and polyinsinic-polycytidylic acid [poly(I):(C)], representing viral infection, also caused increases in LC activity, and the effects of peptidoglycan [but not those of poly(I):(C)] were blocked by microinfusion of IL-1RA into LC. These findings suggest that bacterial infections can give rise to prolonged changes in brain activity through cytokine action in brain.
Stability of the Tl-1223 phases

The thermodynamic stability of TlBa2Ca2Cu3O9–y (1223) and substitutionally related phases has been studied by performing extended high-temperature anneals in a two-zone furnace. This approach allows for independent control of each of the thermodynamic variables: the oxygen and thallous oxide partial pressures [P(O2) and P(Tl2O)], the sample temperature, and the sample composition. P(Tl2O) determines which of several superconducting phases form in the unsubstituted Tl–Ba–Ca–Cu–O system. TlBa2Ca2Cu3O9–y is stable only within a narrow window of P(Tl2O). Partially replacing Tl with Pb and Ba with Sr substantially increases the stability of the 1223 phase. The composition (TlxPb0.5) (Sr1.6Ba0.4)Ca2Cu3O9–y yields only the 1223 phase under two-zone conditions when P(Tl2O) exceeds a lower bound. The stability of Pb- and Sr-substituted 1223 relative to the 1212 phase is related to the substitutional stoichiometry, rather than P(Tl2O).
Application of nonlinear sliding-mode observers for cylinder pressure reconstruction

Abstract The theoretical development of combining nonlinear sliding observers with internal combustion engine cycle simulations in order to estimate individual cylinder pressures was first presented by Kao and Moskwa. This new nonlinear approach to the observation of engine cylinder pressure, combustion heat release, and torque estimation has been shown to have good performance, with fast convergence and stability. In this paper, the nonlinear sliding observer gains are modified to be a function of crank angle. The technique is applied to a six-cylinder engine. The experimental results show the possibilities of application of this nonlinear observer to individual cylinder pressure estimation.
On the dynamics of a discrete reaction‐diffusion system

We investigate various aspects of the dynamics of a discrete reaction-diffusion system. First, we examine the effect of the boundary conditions on the spatially uniform fixed point at locations far from the boundaries by using an asymptotic expansion. We show that, except for a few computational cells adjacent to the boundary, the fixed point practically coincides with the one calculated by using reflective boundary conditions (equivalent to an infinite domain). Next, we introduce a classification of the fixed points based on the wavelength in the infinite-medium approximation of the system. We use the symbolic manipulator MACSYMA to analytically calculate the amplitude of several such classes of fixed points and we generate bifurcation diagrams for their members. Also, we consider two special classes of periodic solutions; we calculate their amplitude analytically in the infinite-medium approximation, and generate bifurcation diagrams that shed new light on some previous confusing results. Finally, we present an analysis of fictitious periodic solutions that have been previously reported and incorrectly interpreted.
Last Call: decreasing drunk driving among 21-34-year-old bar patrons.

Any effort to decrease the toll of drunk driving must include efforts directed at people who drink in bars, particularly young adults who use motor vehicles after drinking. We designed a multifaceted social marketing campaign, Last Call, to increase the use of designated drivers and safe rides homes among 21-34-year olds. There were three components to the intervention: (1) use of taxi stands to promote taxi use; (2) point-of-sale information to patrons at partner bars and (3) a mass media campaign to support the designated driver/safe ride home message. Among the heaviest drinkers, the programme significantly increased the use of designated drivers and increased the use of taxis by 63%. Language: en
Candidates and issues in the 1980 campaign: The ideological connection

The notion that ideological perceptions in the mass public are shaped to some extent by elites and political candidates is widespread in the public opinion literature. However, there has been a lack of empirical research directly demonstrating the links between elites and the masses whose thinking they supposedly cue and structure. This paper attempts to show, through magnitude scale data collected over time in the 1980 campaign, the significant impact of political candidates in altering ideological perceptions of political stimuli. The chief “carrier” of ideology in 1980 is shown to be Ronald Reagan, whose strong issue stands and ideological label influenced perceptions of specific issues' ideological content. The findings are discussed in terms of both measurement problems in the ideology literature and more general theories of elite and environmental influences on mass political thought.
Validation of a Wireless Sensor Network using Local Damage Detection algorithm for Beam-Column Connections

There has been a rapid advancement in wireless sensor network (WSN) technology in the past decade and its application in structural monitoring has been the focus of several research projects. The evaluation of the newly developed hardware platform and software system is an important aspect of such research efforts. Although much of this evaluation is done in the laboratories and using generic signal processing techniques, it is important to validate the system for its intended application as well. In this paper the performance of a newly developed accelerometer sensor board is evaluated by using the data from a beam-column connection specimen with a local damage detection algorithm. The sensor board is a part of a wireless node that consists of the Imote2 control/communication unit and an advanced antenna for improved connectivity. A scaled specimen of a steel beam-column connection is constructed in ATLSS center at Lehigh University and densely instrumented by synchronized networked systems of both traditional piezoelectric and wireless sensors. The column ends of the test specimen have fixed connections, and the beam cantilevers from the centerline of the column. The specimen is subjected to harmonic excitations in several test runs and its acceleration response is collected by both systems. The collected data is then used to estimate two sets of system influence coefficients with the wired one as the reference baseline. The performance of the WSN is evaluated by comparing the quality of the influence coefficients and the rate of convergence of the estimated parameters.
Utilization of Human Nuclear Receptors as an Early Counter Screen for Off-Target Activity: a Case Study with a Compendium of 615 Known Drugs

Off-target effects of drugs on nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) may result in adverse effects in multiple organs/physiological processes. Reliable assessments of the NHR activities for drug candidates are therefore crucial for drug development. However, the highly permissive structures of NHRs for vastly different ligands make it challenging to predict interactions by examining the chemical structures of the ligands. Here, we report a detailed investigation on the agonistic and antagonistic activities of 615 known drugs or drug candidates against a panel of 6 NHRs: androgen, progesterone, estrogen α/β, and thyroid hormone α/β receptors. Our study revealed that 4.7 and 12.4% compounds have agonistic and antagonistic activities, respectively, against this panel of NHRs. Nonetheless, potent, unintended NHR hits are relatively rare among the known drugs, indicating that such interactions are perhaps not tolerated during drug development. However, we uncovered examples of compounds that unintentionally agonize or antagonize NHRs. In addition, a number of compounds showed multi-NHR activities, suggesting that the cross-talk between multiple NHRs co-operate to elicit in vivo effects. These data highlight the merits of counter screening drug candidate against NHRs during drug discovery/development.
Development of a justification tool for advanced manufacturing technologies: system-wide benefits value analysis

Abstract Growing competition and increasing demands from customers are forcing small manufacturers to consider investments in advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs). For many reasons, such investments are often difficult to justify by means of a traditional economic analysis alone. As a result, it is often necessary to consider the system wide benefits associated with AMTs in order to justify their adoption. A process known as system wide benefits value analysis (SWBVA) has been developed to assist decision makers with their advanced technology decisions. Users of the tool first perform an economic analysis to see if the investment is economically justified. If it is not yet justified, the gap between the minimum desired economic return and the actual return amount is calculated. Users can follow a series of procedures to determine if the value of the system wide benefits associated with the advanced technology is sufficient enough to justify this gap. These procedures involve customizing a formal model of system wide benefits to suit the technology decision being evaluated, setting desired goals for each benefit being considered, and answering a series of input questions about the level of those benefits they feel can be obtained from such a technology. A fuzzy expert system is the internal mechanism used to manipulate user inputs into crisp output values for each benefit category. If the determined output values for each system wide benefit are greater than or equal to the user-defined benefit goals, then the gap amount is believed to be justified. Users are provided with a summary report on the calculated results and are allowed to readjust their benefit goals and repeat the analysis if necessary.
The Acidic Domain of Hepatitis C Virus NS4A Contributes to RNA Replication and Virus Particle Assembly

Hepatitis C virus NS3-4A is a membrane-bound enzyme complex that exhibits serine protease, RNA helicase, and RNA-stimulated ATPase activities. This enzyme complex is essential for viral genome replication and has been recently implicated in virus particle assembly. To help clarify the role of NS4A in these processes, we conducted alanine scanning mutagenesis on the C-terminal acidic domain of NS4A in the context of a chimeric genotype 2a reporter virus. Of 13 mutants tested, two (Y45A and F48A) had severe defects in replication, while seven (K41A, L44A, D49A, E50A, M51A, E52A, and E53A) efficiently replicated but had severe defects in virus particle assembly. Multiple strategies were used to identify second-site mutations that suppressed these NS4A defects. The replication defect of NS4A F48A was partially suppressed by mutation of NS4B I7F, indicating that a genetic interaction between NS4A and NS4B contributes to RNA replication. Furthermore, the virus assembly defect of NS4A K41A was suppressed by NS3 Q221L, a mutation previously implicated in overcoming other virus assembly defects. We therefore examined the known enzymatic activities of wild-type or mutant forms of NS3-4A but did not detect specific defects in the mutants. Taken together, our data reveal interactions between NS4A and NS4B that control genome replication and between NS3 and NS4A that control virus assembly.
Electron microscopy study of mesophase pitch-based graphite fibres

A comprehensive electron microscopic investigation of the structure of the graphitic sheet in mesophase pitch-based fibres is presented.In situ brightfield and (00l) darkfield observation of the sheets in sub micrometre fibres reveals a finely striated structure, associated with three-dimensional order. (hkl) darkfield imaging of the sheets in their edge-on and face-on orientations indicates that the striations correspond to the edge view of a mosaic of graphite grains. The grains have lateral dimensions of 100 to 200 nm on average but are only a few atomic layers thick.In situ lattice imaging of the fibre edges indicates a very high level of lattice perfection of the (00l) domains below the fibre surface, quite in line with the outstanding mechanical and thermal properties of this type of fibres. A variety of surface defects are revealed. Preferential orientation effects of the sheet texture on the fibre electron diffraction pattern are described.
GAS AND STARS IN AN H I-SELECTED GALAXY SAMPLE

We present the results of a J-band study of the H I–selected Arecibo Dual-Beam Survey and Arecibo Slice Survey galaxy samples using Two Micron All Sky Survey data. We find that these galaxies span a wide range of stellar and gas properties. However, despite the diversity within the samples, we find a very tight correlation between luminosity and size in the J band, similar to that found in a previous paper by Rosenberg & Schneider between the H I mass and size. We also find that the correlation between the baryonic mass and the J-band diameter is even tighter than that between the baryonic mass and the rotational velocity.
A reinforcement learning based framework for prediction of near likely nodes in data-centric mobile wireless networks

Data-centric storage provides energy-efficient data dissemination and organization for the increasing amount of wireless data. One of the approaches in data-centric storage is that the nodes that collected data will transfer their data to other neighboring nodes that store the similar type of data. However, when the nodes are mobile, type-based data distribution alone cannot provide robust data storage and retrieval, since the nodes that store similar types may move far away and cannot be easily reachable in the future. In order to minimize the communication overhead and achieve efficient data retrieval in mobile environments, we propose a reinforcement learning-based framework called PARIS, which utilizes past node trajectory information to predict the near likely nodes in the future as the best content distributee. Our framework can adaptively improve the prediction accuracy by using the reinforcement learning technique. Our experiments demonstrate that our approach can effectively and efficiently predict the future neighborhood.
Mathematical Model of Sulfur Dioxide Absorption into a Calcium Hydroxide Slurry in a Spray Dryer

Abstract This paper reports on the development of a comprehensive model to simulate the absorption of gaseous SO2 into a calcium hydroxide slurry in a spray dryer flue gas desulfurization system. In this study, the model was modified to incorporate the input of surface area of the calcium hydroxide particles. Previous studies assumed spherical particles. A sensitivity analysis was then conducted to determine the sensitivity of the model to surface area at particle size of 2, 3, 4, and 6 micrometers.