cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probing the nature of H2 activation in catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation

Abstract Despite many years of intensive study, the natures of turnover-limiting and enantio-determining steps in catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral enamides are poorly understood. An intriguing set of studies involving isotopic labeling distributions in catalytic enamide hydrogenation reactions were reported by Brown and Parker (Organometallics, 1 (1982) 950–956) more than a decade ago. In this paper we report the results of studies re-examining the application of isotopic probes to the catalytic hydrogenation enamides. These results provide some insights into the nature of the H 2 activation step in enamide hydrogenation.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANGUAGE SKILLS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN FIRST GRADE

The ability of scores on the Early Prevention of School Failure battery to predict Stanford Achievement Test scores was examined. Participants included 280 first-grade students who were administered the battery at the beginning of kindergarten and the Stanford Achievement Test at the end of first grade. Principal factor analysis based on the oblique rotation exhibited simple structure between scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised, the Preschool Language Scale, and the Stanford Achievement Test (verbal or language factor), with the Draw-A-Man test and the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration-Revised loading on a separate factor (motor factor). Results suggest that language-based skills were highly associated with later academic performance in school-aged children.
Endomorphisms of Free Groups That Preserve Automorphic Orbits

Abstract We prove that if an endomorphism φ of a free group Fn of a finite rank n preserves an automorphic orbit OrbAutFn(W) with W ≠ 1, i.e., if φ Orb Aut F n ( W ) ⊆ Orb Aut F n (W) , then φ is an automorphism.
Oligopolistic pricing and advertising

Abstract N sellers advertise a homogeneous good to M buyers whose only source of information is this advertising. There is a unique Nash Equilibrium (NE) in which sellers choose a common advertising level and mix over prices. This NE approaches marginal cost pricing as advertising costs decrease, and approaches monopoly pricing as advertising costs increase. More sellers induce lower prices and less advertising per seller; however, the social welfare effect can be negative for some advertising technologies. The NE advertising level is generically less than socially optimal. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: D00, D4, D43, D8, D83, I00, I1, I13, M37.
Calling All Obstetric Nurses: Be On the Look Out for Liver Rupture

Childbearing Poster Presentation Background Liver rupture is a rare life threatening complication of severe preeclampsia and hemolysis elevated liver enzymes and low platelets syndrome. This syndrome occurs in one of 225,000 pregnancies, and our institution has had three cases since July 2009. Liver rupture presents a unique challenge to even the well-seasoned, experienced nurse. The purpose of this presentation is to help nurses recognize the potential for liver rupture and empower them with nursing interventions to care for patients experiencing this emergency.
Traditional and Fermented Soybean Meals as Ingredients in Feeds for White Seabass and Yellowtail Jack

AbstractSoybean meal is commonly used as a protein source in aquafeeds, but its benefits can be limited by its digestibility and the presence of antinutritional factors. Fermentation may address both of these issues, thereby improving utilization of soybean meal by carnivorous fish. We compared the production performance of juvenile White Seabass Atractoscion nobilis and Yellowtail Jack Seriola lalandi that were fed diets containing fish meal, or graded levels of traditional soybean meal or fermented soybean meal. These diets were also compared to reduced or fish-meal-free feeds based on soy protein concentrate, poultry byproduct meal, or algal meal (spirulina Spirulina spp.). Complete fish meal replacement yielded poor performance in both species, regardless of the alternative protein source used. White Seabass performed well on diets containing blends of fish meal and traditional or fermented soybean meals or soy protein concentrate; similar results were observed in Yellowtail Jack, though performance w...
Introducing a rigid loop structure from deer into mouse prion protein increases its propensity for misfolding in vitro.

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders characterized by misfolding of the cellular prion protein (PrPc) into the disease-associated isoform (PrPSc) that has increased β-sheet content and partial resistance to proteolytic digestion. Prion diseases from different mammalian species have varying propensities for transmission upon exposure of an uninfected host to the infectious agent. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a highly transmissible prion disease that affects free ranging and farmed populations of cervids including deer, elk and moose, as well as other mammals in experimental settings. The molecular mechanisms allowing CWD to maintain comparatively high transmission rates have not been determined. Previous work has identified a unique structural feature in cervid PrP, a rigid loop between β-sheet 2 and α-helix 2 on the surface of the protein. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the rigid loop has a direct influence on the misfolding process. The rigid loop was introduced into murine PrP as the result of two amino acid substitutions: S170N and N174T. Wild-type and rigid loop murine PrP were expressed in E. coli and purified. Misfolding propensity was compared for the two proteins using biochemical techniques and cell free misfolding and conversion systems. Murine PrP with a rigid loop misfolded in cell free systems with greater propensity than wild type murine PrP. In a lipid-based conversion assay, rigid loop PrP converted to a PK resistant, aggregated isoform at lower concentrations than wild-type PrP. Using both proteins as substrates in real time quaking-induced conversion, rigid loop PrP adopted a misfolded isoform more readily than wild type PrP. Taken together, these findings may help explain the high transmission rates observed for CWD within cervids.
A Note on Small Sample Properties of Estimators in a First-Order Spatial Autoregressive Model

This note considers a Bayesian estimator and an ad hoc procedure for the parameters of a first-order spatial autoregressive model. The approaches are derived, and their small sample properties compared by means of a Monte Carlo simulation experiment.
The crystal and molecular structure of dibromo-1- (2-pyridyl)-2,5-diaza-5-methyl-hexa-1-enezinc(II)

Abstract The crystal structure of dibrom-1-(2-pyridyl-2,5-diaza-5-methyl-hexa-1-enezinc(II), C10H15N3ZnBr2 has been determined from three-dimensional X-ray diffraction data collected on a Picker automatic single crystal diffractometer with MoKα radiation. The cell has dimensions a = 10.730(2), b = 11.248(2), c = 7.433(2) A, alpha = 102.69(2), beta = 91.36(2), gamma = 110.70(1)°, belongs to the space group P 1 , and contains two molecules. 3701 independent reflections have been measured and the structure has been refined by least squares to a final R value of .072. The coordination configuration can be described as a distorted trigonal bipyramid. The zinc-to-ligand bond distances are: ZnBr(1) = 2.396(1), ZnBr(2) = 2.410(1), ZnN(1) = 2.245(8), ZnN(2) = 2.087(6), ZnN(3) = 2.236(7) A.
Impaired ontogeny of striatal dopamine D1 and D2 binding sites after postnatal treatment of rats with SCH-23390 and spiroperidol.

The effect of chronic postnatal treatment of rats with selective D1- and/or D2-receptor antagonists on the development of D1- and D2-receptors in the striatum was studied. When neonatal rats were treated postnatally from the day of birth for 32 successive days with the D1-receptor antagonist, SCH-23390 (0.30 mg/kg i.p.), the development of striatal dopamine D1-receptors was markedly impaired, and the development of striatal D2-receptors was slightly impaired. Alternatively, chronic treatment with the D2-receptor antagonist, spiroperidol (1.0 mg/kg i.p.), resulted in a markedly impaired development of striatal dopamine D2-receptors, and a slightly impaired development of striatal D1-receptors. Scatchard analysis revealed that chronic SCH-23390 treatment during development resulted in a 78% decrease in the Bmax for in vitro binding of [3H]SCH-23390 to striatal homogenates, while the Kd was unaltered. Similarly, chronic postnatal treatment with spiroperidol was associated with a 74% reduction in the Bmax, while the Kd for in vitro binding of [3H]spiroperidol to striatal homogenates was unchanged. These findings demonstrate that chronic selective dopamine receptor antagonism affects development of both striatal D1- and D2-receptor types. The critical period during which striatal dopamine receptor ontogeny can be altered is not restricted to prenatal periods, since suitable postnatal challenge will alter striatal dopamine-receptor development.
Effect of sex differences on subcellular distribution of aflatoxin in F-344 rats treated with various risk-modifying factors

Abstract In order to understand the female resistance to aflatoxin (AFB 1 )-induced carcinogenesis and toxicity, subcellular contents of [ 3 H]AF and its covalent binding in livers of F-344 male and female rats were determined. Groups of rats (70 g) were fed 5 and 20% casein diets with or without 2.5 ppm AFB 1 for 21 days, followed by a single oral dose of [ 3 H]AFB 1 at 15.4 μCi/100 g body wt and sacrificed 3 hr later. Whereas males on the low-protein diet gained 32% less weight, female growth rate remained relatively unaffected. Strikingly, all subcellular fractions of female livers under all dietary protocols very significantly contained and bound much less radioactivity than males. For example, in the 20% casein-fed group the male nuclear fraction contained 8 and 7.6 times more total and bound [ 3 H]AF, respectively, than females. More than half of the cellular [ 3 H]AF was loosely bound to the cytosolic proteins. The possibility of a close link between the metabolism and transport of aflatoxins and steroid uptake mechanism is discussed in terms of these marked sex differences.
Control of argininosuccinate synthetase by arginine in human lymphoblasts.

Human lymphoblasts in long-term culture have the enzyme activities necessary to convert citrulline to arginine: argininosuccinate synthetase and argininosuccinate lyase. Upon transfer from arginine-supplemented to citrulline-supplemented medium, lymphoblasts exhibit a lag period before resuming exponential growth. During this lag the specific activity of argininosuccinate synthetase increases an average of 60-fold. Argininosuccinate lyase activity remains unchanged. If normal lymphoblasts are starved in arginine-deficient medium without citrulline or if argininosuccinate lyase-deficient lymphoblasts are transferred to citrulline-containing medium, argininosuccinate synthetase activity increases linearly for several days and reaches even higher levels. Cycloheximide blocks the increase in enzyme activity. Cells grown in citrulline medium and pulse labeled with35S-methionine incorporate more35S-methionine into argininosuccinate synthetase protein than cells grown in arginine; the rate of disappearance of radioactively labeled enzyme is the same in citrulline- and arginine-grown cells. Arginine or a closely related metabolite thus appears to repress the synthesis of argininosuccinate synthetase of human lymphoblasts in culture.
Conditional dendritic spike propagation following distal synaptic activation of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons

The perforant-path projection to the hippocampus forms synapses in the apical tuft of CA1 pyramidal neurons. We used computer modeling to examine the function of these distal synaptic inputs, which led to three predictions that we confirmed in experiments using rat hippocampal slices. First, activation of CA1 neurons by the perforant path is limited, a result of the long distance between these inputs and the soma. Second, activation of CA1 neurons by the perforant path depends on the generation of dendritic spikes. Third, the forward propagation of these spikes is unreliable, but can be facilitated by modest activation of Schaffer-collateral synapses in the upper apical dendrites. This 'gating' of dendritic spike propagation may be an important activation mode of CA1 pyramidal neurons, and its modulation by neurotransmitters or long-term, activity-dependent plasticity may be an important feature of dendritic integration during mnemonic processing in the hippocampus.
Endometrial Cancer: Biochemical and Clinical Correlates

Some endometrial cancers and endometrial adenocarcinoma cell lines show amplified expression of proto-oncogenes (fos, fms, myc, myb, neu, and erb-B) and augmented production of growth factors (colony-stimulating factor 1, epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor-alpha, and transforming growth factor beta) and epidermal growth factor receptor. Oncogene expression, the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors, and the fraction of cells in S phase are useful biochemical prognostic indicators of clinical outcome, and markers recognized by monoclonal antibodies are available for use in following the clinical course of the disease and responses to treatment. In vivo and in vitro studies on normal and neoplastic tissues are providing evidence of paracrine influences on epithelial cell proliferation. Long-term administration of tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer has recently been found to increase the risk for development of endometrial cancer.
Carbon dioxide degassing and inorganic carbon export from a marsh‐dominated estuary (the Duplin River): A marsh CO2 pump

We investigated the seasonal changes and the interactions of the CO2 system in a marsh-dominated estuary, the Duplin River, on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Surface water pCO2, total alkalinity (TA), and total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) showed a pronounced seasonal progression in this system. The estuary released 256‐306 g C m 22 (of water) yr 21 of CO2 to the atmosphere and exported 109 g C m 22 (of water) yr 21 of DIC to adjacent coastal waters. There was a clear seasonal pattern in both fluxes with spring minima, and late summer and fall maxima. Release of inorganic carbon as a respiratory product from surrounding salt marshes is the primary process supporting these two carbon export terms. Concurrently, TA was exported from the Duplin River mainly in summer and fall as a result of anaerobic respiration in marshes. Based on data from the upper Duplin River, export of inorganic carbon from salt marshes was 156 g C m 22 (of marsh) yr 21 . Extrapolation of this value to all southeastern U.S. salt marshes indicates that they cumulatively export 0.7 3 10 12 g inorganic carbon annually to coastal waters. This export rivals that of riverine inorganic carbon flux. We propose that the CO 2 fixation of marsh grasses and the subsequent export of inorganic and organic carbon is one major mechanism that causes the marsh-influenced nearshore and offshore waters in the southeastern U.S. to be annual net sources of atmospheric CO2. We also suggest that this process provides an efficient and unique means for ocean carbon sequestration of atmospheric CO 2.
Defining the role of arginine 96 in green fluorescent protein fluorophore biosynthesis.

Aequoria victoria green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a revolutionary molecular biology tool because of its spontaneous peptide backbone cyclization and chromophore formation from residues Ser65, Tyr66, and Gly67. Here we use structure-based design, comprehensive targeted mutagenesis, and high-resolution crystallography to probe the significant functional role of conserved Arg96 (R96) in chromophore maturation. The R96M GFP variant, in which the R96M side chain is similar in volume but lacks the R96 positive charge, exhibits dramatically slower chromophore maturation kinetics (from hours to months). Comparison of the precyclized conformation of the chromophore-forming residues with the mature R96M chromophore reveals a similar Y66 conformer, contrary to the large Y66 conformational change previously defined in the slowly maturing R96A variant [Barondeau, D. P., Putnam, C. D., Kassmann, C. J., Tainer, J. A., and Getzoff, E. D. (2003) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 100, 12111−12116]. Comprehensive R96 mutagen...
Challenges in the design of cognitive radios 1

Cognitive radios are expected to perform spectrum sensing and communication in the frequency range of tens of megahertz to about 10 GHz. As such, they pose tough architecture and circuit design problems. This paper deals with issues such as broadband, low-noise amplification, multidecade carrier frequency synthesis, and spectrum sensing. The paper also describes the effect of nonlinearity and local oscillator harmonics, demonstrating that cognitive radios entail more difficult challenges than do software-defined radios. Multi-decade synthesis techniques and RF-assisted sensing methods are also presented.
Bipartite hamulus with ulnar tunnel syndrome—Case report and literature review

Increasing reports of fractured hamate hooks have provided a sharper focus on causes, diagnosis, treatment, and associated anomalies such as ulnar neuropathy, bipartition, and accessory ossicles. This case report, presenting ulnar tunnel syndrome with bilateral hamulus bipartition, illustrates the relation between these anomalies.
Stress-induced FCC/FCT phase transformation in Fe-Pd alloy

Abstract We report stress-induced martensitic transformation in tensile loaded Fe–30.5 at.% Pd polycrystals, mainly using optical microscopy. Reverse transformation occurs during unloading. Thermodynamic relationships between applied stress, transformation strain and the latent heat of transformation are examined.
HMG CoA Reduction in Patients with Average Cholesterol Concentrations

Featured Article: Sacks FM, Pfeffer MA, Moye LA, Rouleau JL, Rutherford JD, Cole TG, et al. The effect of pravastatin on coronary events after myocardial infarction in patients with average cholesterol levels. N Engl J Med 1996;335:1001–9.4 In 1984, a National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute trial demonstrated that reducing LDL cholesterol (LDL-C)5 with a combination of diet and large doses of the cholesterol-binding resin cholestyramine reduced coronary events (1) and slowed the progression of coronary artery obstruction (2) in men with increased cholesterol concentrations. Resins were not well tolerated, however, and patient compliance was poor. Subsequently, the availability of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HmG CoA) reductase inhibitors changed the approach to cholesterol management, because these drugs were well tolerated and caused marked reductions in total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-C in the majority of individuals. Two important clinical-outcome trials were launched promptly for patients with hypercholesterolemia. The Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study (3) enrolled patients with coronary artery disease and hypercholesterolemia [average TC, 261 mg/dL (6.6 mmol/L); average LDL-C, 188 mg/dL (4.87 mmol/L)], and the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study (4) used pravastatin in men without clinical coronary disease [average TC, 272 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L); average LDL-C, 192 mg/dL (5.0 mmol/L)]. On the basis of the earlier findings (1, 2), we assumed that these trials would show clinical benefit; however, patients with the …
Differential splicing of the apoptosis-associated speck like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) regulates inflammasomes

The apoptotic speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) is the essential adaptor protein for caspase 1 mediated interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 processing in inflammasomes. It bridges activated Nod like receptors (NLRs), which are a family of cytosolic pattern recognition receptors of the innate immune system, with caspase 1, resulting in caspase 1 activation and subsequent processing of caspase 1 substrates. Hence, macrophages from ASC deficient mice are impaired in their ability to produce bioactive IL-1β. Furthermore, we recently showed that ASC translocates from the nucleus to the cytosol in response to inflammatory stimulation in order to promote an inflammasome response, which triggers IL-1β processing and secretion. However, the precise regulation of inflammasomes at the level of ASC is still not completely understood. In this study we identified and characterized three novel ASC isoforms for their ability to function as an inflammasome adaptor. To establish the ability of ASC and ASC isoforms as functional inflammasome adaptors, IL-1β processing and secretion was investigated by ELISA in inflammasome reconstitution assays, stable expression in THP-1 and J774A1 cells, and by restoring the lack of endogenous ASC in mouse RAW264.7 macrophages. In addition, the localization of ASC and ASC isoforms was determined by immunofluorescence staining. The three novel ASC isoforms, ASC-b, ASC-c and ASC-d display unique and distinct capabilities to each other and to full length ASC in respect to their function as an inflammasome adaptor, with one of the isoforms even showing an inhibitory effect. Consistently, only the activating isoforms of ASC, ASC and ASC-b, co-localized with NLRP3 and caspase 1, while the inhibitory isoform ASC-c, co-localized only with caspase 1, but not with NLRP3. ASC-d did not co-localize with NLRP3 or with caspase 1 and consistently lacked the ability to function as an inflammasome adaptor and its precise function and relation to ASC will need further investigation. Alternative splicing and potentially other editing mechanisms generate ASC isoforms with distinct abilities to function as inflammasome adaptor, which is potentially utilized to regulate inflammasomes during the inflammatory host response.
Neuromechanics of muscle synergies for posture and movement

Recent research suggests that the nervous system controls muscles by activating flexible combinations of muscle synergies to produce a wide repertoire of movements. Muscle synergies are like building blocks, defining characteristic patterns of activation across multiple muscles that may be unique to each individual, but perform similar functions. The identification of muscle synergies has strong implications for the organization and structure of the nervous system, providing a mechanism by which task-level motor intentions are translated into detailed, low-level muscle activation patterns. Understanding the complex interplay between neural circuits and biomechanics that give rise to muscle synergies will be crucial to advancing our understanding of neural control mechanisms for movement.
A TAF4 coactivator function for E proteins that involves enhanced TFIID binding

The multisubunit TFIID plays a direct role in transcription initiation by binding to core promoter elements and directing preinitiation complex assembly. Although TFIID may also function as a coactivator through direct interactions with promoter-bound activators, mechanistic aspects of this poorly defined function remain unclear. Here, biochemical studies show a direct TFIID-E-protein interaction that (1) is mediated through interaction of a novel E-protein activation domain (activation domain 3 [AD3]) with the TAF homology (TAFH) domain of TAF4, (2) is critical for activation of a natural target gene by an E protein, and (3) mechanistically acts by enhancing TFIID binding to the core promoter. Complementary assays establish a gene-specific role for the TAFH domain in TFIID recruitment and activation of a large subset of genes in vivo. These results firmly establish TAF4 as a bona fide E-protein coactivator as well as a mechanism involving facilitated TFIID binding through direct interaction with an E-protein activation domain.
Improving side impact protection by space frame doors

In side impact crashes, lack of a strong side structure reduces the ability of the impacted vehicle to safely respond to the impacting vehicle or object. This structural weakness causes massive injuries to the occupants owing to the excessive side intrusion. With the increasing number of larger and heavier vehicles such as SUVs on the road and the higher probability of being impacted by one, the need for side impact protective measures is becoming more critical. One of the main difficulties in designing for side impact collisions is the limited structure and energy absorption zone between the impacting vehicle and the impacted occupant. This paper studies the advantage of space frame doors over traditional unibody doors in providing improved side impact occupant protection. Some side impact test results of unibody and space frame doors are presented to demonstrate the improved occupant safety and reduced side intrusion.
Quantum propagation in a Kerr medium: lossless, dispersionless fiber

Intense light beams propagating in a lossless, dispersionless, single-mode optical fiber are subject to the Kerr effect, i.e., to the intensity-dependent refractive index of the fiber’s fused-silica core. Classically, Kerr-effect-induced self-phase modulation (SPM) can be used for spectral broadening of a picosecond pulse for grating-pair pulse compression down to femtosecond duration. Quantum mechanically, Kerr-effect-induced four-wave mixing (FWM) has been used to produce squeezed-state light. We present a quantum propagation theory for a lossless, dispersionless fiber with the Kerr nonlinearity. The theory includes classical SPM and quantum FWM within their regions of validity. It introduces a material time constant for the Kerr interaction, limiting the quantum phase shifts caused by the broadband zero-point fluctuations that accompany any input field, to develop a coarse-grained time multitemporal mode field analysis. Explicit expressions are obtained for the first and the second output-field moments when the fiber’s input field is in an arbitrary Gaussian state. These results are used to obtain homodyne-detection noise spectra, which are employed, in turn, to seek experimentally accessible manifestations of the Kerr time constant.
The Digital Divide in Classroom Technology Use: A Comparison of Three Schools

While concerns about the “digital divide,” or access to technology, remain relevant for many schools, we do not yet fully know how often-expensive education technologies are employed across school contexts. In particular, few studies exist that evaluate how teacher beliefs about student social class and race-ethnicity, as well as institutional perceptions of the value of new technologies, inform everyday teacher practices with such technologies. Classroom observation and interviews were conducted with 5 teachers across three elementary schools that vary by race and class. Results indicated that teachers at middle/upper class schools encouraged dynamic uses of interactive whiteboards, while in the low-income school they functioned like traditional blackboards. Findings suggest that teacher beliefs and institutional perceptions inform how technologies are used in the classroom. In particular, beliefs about the meaning of student race and social class, as well as institutional goals for implementing new technologies, inform the extent to which students are granted agency to learn with new technologies.
Memory T Cells Specific for Murine Cytomegalovirus Re-Emerge after Multiple Challenges and Recapitulate Immunity in Various Adoptive Transfer Scenarios

Reconstitution of CMV-specific immunity after transplant remains a primary clinical objective to prevent CMV disease, and adoptive immunotherapy of CMV-specific T cells can be an effective therapeutic approach. Because of viral persistence, most CMV-specific CD8+ T cells become terminally differentiated effector phenotype CD8+ T cells (TEFF). A minor subset retains a memory-like phenotype (memory phenotype CD8+ T cells [TM]), but it is unknown whether these cells retain memory function or persist over time. Interestingly, recent studies suggest that CMV-specific CD8+ T cells with different phenotypes have different abilities to reconstitute sustained immunity after transfer. The immunology of human CMV infections is reflected in the murine CMV (MCMV) model. We found that human CMV– and MCMV-specific T cells displayed shared genetic programs, validating the MCMV model for studies of CMV-specific T cells in vivo. The MCMV-specific TM population was stable over time and retained a proliferative capacity that was vastly superior to TEFF. Strikingly, after transfer, TM established sustained and diverse T cell populations even after multiple challenges. Although both TEFF and TM could protect Rag−/− mice, only TM persisted after transfer into immune replete, latently infected recipients and responded if recipient immunity was lost. Interestingly, transferred TM did not expand until recipient immunity was lost, supporting that competition limits the Ag stimulation of TM. Ultimately, these data show that CMV-specific TM retain memory function during MCMV infection and can re-establish CMV immunity when necessary. Thus, TM may be a critical component for consistent, long-term adoptive immunotherapy success.
The Hsp90 chaperone complex as a novel target for cancer therapy

Background: Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is responsible for chaperoning proteins involved in cell signaling, proliferation and survival. 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) is an anticancer agent currently in phase I trials in the USA and UK. It represents a class of drugs, the benzoquinone ansamycin antibiotics, capable of binding and disrupting the function of Hsp90, leading to the depletion of multiple oncogenic client proteins. Materials and methods: Studies were identified through a PubMed search, review of bibliographies of relevant articles and review of abstracts from national meetings. Results: Preclinical studies have demonstrated that disruption of many client proteins chaperoned by Hsp90 is achievable and associated with significant growth inhibition, both in vitro and in tumor xenografts. Following an overview of the mechanism of action of ansamycin antibiotics and the pathways they disrupt, we review the current clinical status of 17-AAG, and discuss future directions for combinations of traditional antineoplastics with 17-AAG. Conclusions: 17-AAG represents a class of drugs capable of affecting multiple targets in the signal transduction pathway involved in tumor cell proliferation and survival. Early results from phase I studies indicate that 17-AAG administration results in an acceptable toxicity profile while achieving in vivo disruption of client
Hunting for significance: Bayesian classifiers under a mixture loss function

Detecting signicance in a high-dimensional sparse data structure has received a large amount of attention in modern statistics. In the current paper, we introduce a compound decision rule to simultaneously classify signals from noise. This procedure is a Bayes rule subject to a mixture loss function. The loss function minimizes the number of false discoveries while controlling the false non discoveries by incorporating the signal strength information. Based on our criterion, strong signals will be penalized more heavily for non discovery than weak signals. In constructing this classication rule, we assume a mixture prior for the parameter which adapts to the unknown sparsity. This Bayes rule can be viewed as thresholding the \local fdr" (Efron 2007) by adaptive thresholds. Both parametric and nonparametric methods will be discussed. The nonparametric procedure adapts to the unknown data structure well and outperforms the parametric one. Performance of the procedure is illustrated by various simulation studies and a real data application.
Geographic variation in survival and migratory tendency among North American Common Mergansers

Abstract Movement ecology and demographic parameters for the Common Merganser (Mergus merganser americanus) in North America are poorly known. We used band-recovery data from five locations across North America spanning the years 1938–1998 to examine migratory patterns and estimate survival rates. We examined competing time-invariant, age-graduated models with program MARK to study sources of variation in survival and reporting probability. We considered age, sex, geographic location, and the use of nasal saddles on hatching year birds at one location as possible sources of variation. Year-of-banding was included as a covariate in a post-hoc analysis. We found that migratory tendency, defined as the average distance between banding and recovery locations, varied geographically. Similarly, all models accounting for the majority of variation in recovery and survival probabilities included location of banding. Models that included age and sex received less support, but we lacked sufficient data to adequately...
Nutritional supplementation and the development of linear enamel hypoplasias in children from Tezonteopan, Mexico

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of nutritional intake during tooth-crown formation on the subsequent development of linear enamel hypoplasias (LEHs) in Mexican nonsupplemented (control) adolescents (n = 42) and adolescents who had received daily nutritional supplements since birth (n = 42). The proportion of individuals with LEHs was nearly two-fold greater (74.4%; 95% CI 64.7-84.1%) in the control than in the supplemented group (39.5%; 95% CI 28.6-50.4%; chi 2 = 9.44; P = 0.001). Although the estimated peak age at formation, approximately 2-2.5 y, is similar in both groups, the proportion of early (before 1.5 y) and late (after 3.0 y) LEHs was greater in the control group. LEH was also more common in females and was associated with an increase in illness days and a decrease in growth velocity. Results of this study suggest that mild to moderate undernutrition during enamel formation is causally linked to the formation of LEHs.
Biodistribution and renal excretion of isomers of the cationic tracer, 99mTc diaminocyclohexane (DACH): Biodistribution of cationic renal tracers

The buildup of organic anions in the plasma in the uremic state can competitively inhibit the tubular extraction of para-aminohippurate or (131)I ortho-iodohippurate (OIH) and lead to spuriously low measurements of effective renal plasma flow (ERPF). This problem can be circumvented by the use of cationic tracers. The cationic renal tracer, (99m)Tc labeled diaminocyclohexane ((99m)Tc DACH), has a clearance of 80% of OIH in mice but its clearance in humans is relatively low, only 30% of OIH. The (99m)Tc DACH isomer(s) used in prior studies, however, was not clearly defined and may have consisted of a single isomer or a combination of isomers. Since the anionic isomers of some (99m)Tc renal tracers have been shown to have widely different clearances, the biodistribution and urine excretion of the (99m)Tc cis-, trans-S,S, trans-R,R and +/-trans-DACH isomers were compared in Sprague-Dawley rats at 10 minutes and 60 minutes postinjection to determine if one of the (99m)Tc DACH isomers may be a significantly better renal tracer than the others. The red cell binding of (99m)Tc +/- trans-DACH was also determined. All of the isomers showed a high degree of specificity for the kidney with minimal secretion into the gastrointestinal tract. Urine excretion of the 4 tracers, however, was only 38-48% that of OIH at 10 minutes and 66-84% that of OIH at 60 minutes. Red cell binding was 6.9%. Cationic renal tracers have the potential to provide a more accurate measurement of ERPF than anionic tracers. Based on the animal data, however, it is unlikely that any of the (99m)Tc DACH isomers will have a substantially higher clearance in humans than the form of (99m)Tc DACH originally tested. Development of alternative cationic renal tracers is warranted.
Prostacyclin (PGI2) elicits reflex bradycardia in dogs: evidence for vagal mediation.

SummaryAdministration of the vasode-pressor prostaglandins, PGE1 and PGE2, and of nitroprusside, an agent whose direct vascular activity is similar to prostaglandins, resulted in a reduction in systemic arterial blood pressure accompanied by the expected reflex increase in heart rate. Injection of pros-tacyclin (PGI2) and the prostaglandin precursor, arachidonic acid, into the femoral vein, pulmonary artery, left atrium, and left ventricle of the dog elicited a fall in blood pressure and a concomitant reduction in heart rate in both open- and closed-chest anesthetized dogs. Bilateral vagal section eliminated the bradycardia thus establishing that the PGI2-induced change in heart rate is reflex in origin.Prostacyclin and prostaglandins were provided by Dr. U. Axen and Dr. J. Pike (Upjohn Co.). Dial-urethane was a gift from Ciba-Geigy. We are grateful to Messrs. Arsenio Baez and Maret Panzenbeck for excellent technical assistance.
Ability of simple organotin polyethers to inhibit pancreatic cancer

ABSTRACTA wide variety of organotin polyethers derived from the interfacial polymerization of dibutyltin dichloride and non-cancer inhibitory diols show decent to good inhibition of two human pancreatic cancer cell lines. In view of the general lack of ability of tested compounds to inhibit pancreatic cancer cell lines, this is significant. These cell lines are the AsPC-1 pancreatic cancer cell line which is an adenocarcinoma pancreatic cell line and the PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cell line which is an epithelioid carcinoma pancreatic cell line. The dibutyltin polyethers generally both exhibit EC50 values in the same range and lower than cisplatin and higher CI50 values than cisplatin. Essentially all of the polymers derived from simple non-aromatic diols showed CI50 values greater than 2.
Religions and the living wage

AbstractThis paper argues that global economic justice can best be advanced by religious leaders, beginning with Pope Francis, advocating for a living wage. The idea of a living wage—that every full-time worker should be paid enough to support a family—grows from deep roots in biblical, Jewish, Roman Catholic, and Protestant thought. Those roots developed through the work of Catholic thinkers, especially Pope Leo XIII and John A. Ryan, who was a doctoral student under Richard T. Ely, an Episcopalian. Today, such diverse scholars as Amartya Sen, Ramzi Mabsout, and Martha Nussbaum offer new supports to the call for a living wage. Building on the capabilities approach to development advanced by Sen and Nussbaum, the paper contends that a living wage fosters capabilities. Building on Mabsout’s concept of “ethical realism”, this paper presents religious traditions as the means whereby one special capability—the intuitive grasp of justice that Mabsout sees as crucial—can be fostered. Informed by the religious h...
Real-Time Simulation Technology for UHV Power Grid

At present the Ultra High Voltage(UHV) power transmission system is developing rapidly.The scale of power grid is being increasingly expanded and its complexity is ever-increasing,thus it is urgent and necessary to establish a simulation system for UHV power grid to investigate the key technologies.In this paper,at first the authors analyze the features and application ranges of existing simulation systems;then considering the requirements of the study on UHV power grid in China to simulation system,discuss the principle,functions,features,current status and application ranges of full digital real-time simulation system as well as those of digital/analog hybrid simulation system,which can be used to perform real-time simulation of electromagnetic and electromechanical transients occurred in large-scale UHVAC/UHVDC power grids;finally point out the limitation of existing simulation systems and give the thinking to improve and perfect them.
Timetable Arrangement Scheme Based on Immune Clone Algorithm

The university timetabling arrangement problem is converted into a multi-object constrained optimization problem.Immune clonal algorithm with hybrid code is used to optimize it.Similar vector-based selection method is used to suppress concentration of antibodies for avoiding premature convergence.Simulation result shows that the algorithm can provide better results in timetabling arrangements,users satisfaction and run time.
Bedtime in Preschool-Aged Children and Risk for Adolescent Obesity

Objective To determine whether preschool-aged children with earlier bedtimes have a lower risk for adolescent obesity and whether this risk reduction is modified by maternal sensitivity. Study design Data from 977 of 1364 participants in the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were analyzed. Healthy singleton-births at 10 US sites in 1991 were eligible for enrollment. In 1995-1996, mothers reported their preschool-aged (mean = 4.7 years) child's typical weekday bedtime, and mother-child interaction was observed to assess maternal sensitivity. At a mean age of 15 years, height and weight were measured and adolescent obesity defined as a sex-specific body-mass-index-for-age ≥95th percentile of the US reference. Results One-quarter of preschool-aged children had early bedtimes (8:00 p.m. or earlier), one-half had bedtimes after 8:00 p.m. but by 9:00 p.m., and one-quarter had late bedtimes (after 9:00 p.m.). Children's bedtimes were similar regardless of maternal sensitivity ( P = .2). The prevalence of adolescent obesity was 10%, 16%, and 23%, respectively, across early to late bedtime groups. The multivariable-adjusted relative risk (95% CI) for adolescent obesity was 0.48 (0.29, 0.82) for preschoolers with early bedtimes compared with preschoolers with late bedtimes. This risk was not modified by maternal sensitivity ( P = .99). Conclusions Preschool-aged children with early weekday bedtimes were one-half as likely as children with late bedtimes to be obese as adolescents. Bedtimes are a modifiable routine that may help to prevent obesity.
The NCLAN Program for Crop Loss Assessment

The Clean Air Act requires the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs) for “any air pollutant which, if present in the air, may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare and whose presence in the air results from numerous or diverse mobile and/or stationary sources” (Padgett and Richmond, 1983). The Agency is responsible for developing and promulgating primary (to protect public health) and secondary (to protect public welfare) NAAQSs. The 1977 amendments to the Clean Air Act require that the criteria (scientific basis) for the standards be periodically reviewed and revised to include new information. In 1978, EPA reviewed the scientific literature to determine the impact of ozone on vegetation and published this analysis in the Air Quality Document for Ozone and Other Photochemical Oxidants (US EPA, 1978). The credibility of the secondary standard for ozone, based in part on these studies, suffered because there were insufficient data to determine reliably either the effects of ozone on the yield of major agronomic crops under field conditions or to determine resultant economic consequences.
Effects of Support Dogs on Eyewitness Anxiety during Questioning

Being an eyewitness to a crime can be a traumatic event, especially if the eyewitness is the victim. In addition, following the crime the witness is susceptible to being distressed further during questioning. The current research examined the effects a trained support dog would have on mock witnesses’ anxiety (as measured by heartrate) during questioning. Participants observed a video and answered questions from an actual uniformed police officer, similar to a normal eyewitness interview. During the interview, participants were either presented with a support dog or a glass of water (control). Results indicated that while the uniformed officer increased participants’ anxiety significantly, the support dog successfully decreased anxiety almost to the point of baseline, and significantly more than the control condition. Implications and real-world application are discussed.
The effect of MPOWER scores on cigarette smoking prevalence and consumption

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the MPOWER package to support policy implementation under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). This study examined the effect of MPOWER policies on smoking prevalence and cigarette consumption in a global context.
Genomics of peritoneal surface malignancies

Peritoneal malignancies and metastasis are traditionally approached as a terminal disease, however with multiple lines of clinical therapy; long-term survival can be achieved in selected patients using aggressive cytoreduction and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. This is especially true for Pseudomyxoma peritonei from appendiceal neoplasms, peritoneal mesothelioma and peritoneal metastasis from colorectal cancer. In this article, we discuss the nature of genomic alterations in these three peritoneal malignancies and their potential as prognostic and therapeutic markers in clinical decisions. Genomic characterization of malignancies using technological advances including what is now widely used and accepted next-generation genomic sequencing methods has identified genomic anomalies (i.e. mutations, epigenetic modifications, transcription and expression changes in RNA) which is used for targeted therapy, prognostication, surveillance and prediction of response to therapy.
Rapid and accurate reachability analysis for nonlinear dynamic systems by exploiting model redundancy

Abstract A new method is presented for enclosing the reachable sets of nonlinear ordinary differential equations subject to a range of inputs. Reachable set enclosures are used for uncertainty propagation, robust control, and global optimization of dynamic systems arising in a variety of applications. However, existing methods often provide an unworkable compromise between cost and accuracy. For example, fast interval methods often produce divergent bounds, while methods based on more complex sets scale poorly with problem size. To overcome this, a novel method is introduced for reducing the conservatism of fast interval methods through the select addition of redundant model equations that can be exploited in the bounding procedure. Several case studies demonstrate that such redundancy can dramatically reduce conservatism. The additional cost is modest in most cases, but does become significant when many redundant equations are used.
Characteristics and Health Care Preferences Associated with Cardiovascular Disease Risk among Women Veterans.

Abstract Background Women veterans are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but little is known about comorbidities and healthcare preferences associated with CVD risk in this population. Methods We describe the prevalence of CVD-relevant health behaviors, mental health symptoms, and health care use characteristics and preferences among participants of the National Survey of Women Veterans (conducted 2008–2009). Findings Fifty-four percent of respondents were at risk for CVD (defined as a diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes, current tobacco use, or obesity without CVD). In unadjusted analysis, ORs for being at risk for CVD were greater among those interested in gender-specific clinical settings (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2–3.4) and gender-specific weight loss programs (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1–2.9). ORs were also greater for women who were physically inactive (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1–3.3), with current symptoms of depression (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1–6.1), anxiety (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.2–3.6), and posttraumatic stress disorder (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2–4.8). Adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, marital status, education level, employment, and source of health care use, the ORs for CVD risk were higher for women with current posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (2.5; 95% CI, 1.1–5.3) and gender-specific health care preferences (2.0; 95% CI, 1.1–3.4), and gender-specific weight loss programs (1.9; 95% CI, 1.1–3.2). Conclusions Risk for CVD was common and preferences for gender-specific care and posttraumatic stress disorder were associated with being at risk for CVD. Women's health clinics may be a good location for targeted CVD prevention interventions for women veterans both in and outside the Veterans Health Administration.