cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abnormalities of lipoprotein concentrations in obstructive sleep apnea are related to insulin resistance.

STUDY OBJECTIVE Prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increased in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), possibly related to dyslipidemia in these individuals. Insulin resistance is also common in OSA, but its contribution to dyslipidemia of OSA is unclear. The study's aim was to define the relationships among abnormalities of lipoprotein metabolism, clinical measures of OSA, and insulin resistance. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. OSA severity was defined by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) during polysomnography. Hypoxia measures were expressed as minimum and mean oxygen saturation, and the oxygen desaturation index. Insulin resistance was quantified by determining steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) concentrations during the insulin suppression test. Fasting plasma lipid/lipoprotein evaluation was performed by vertical auto profile methodology. SETTING Academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS 107 nondiabetic, overweight/obese adults. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Lipoprotein particles did not correlate with AHI or any hypoxia measures, nor were there differences noted by categories of OSA severity. By contrast, even after adjustment for age, sex, and BMI, SSPG was positively correlated with triglycerides (r = 0.30, P < 0.01), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and its subclasses (VLDL1+2) (r = 0.21-0.23, P < 0.05), and low density lipoprotein subclass 4 (LDL4) (r = 0.30, P < 0.01). SSPG was negatively correlated with high density lipoprotein (HDL) (r = -0.38, P < 0.001) and its subclasses (HDL2 and HDL3) (r = -0.32, -0.43, P < 0.01), and apolipoprotein A1 (r = -0.33, P < 0.01). Linear trends of these lipoprotein concentrations across SSPG tertiles were also significant. CONCLUSIONS Pro-atherogenic lipoprotein abnormalities in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are related to insulin resistance, but not to OSA severity or degree of hypoxia. Insulin resistance may represent the link between OSA-related dyslipidemia and increased cardiovascular disease risk.
Interstrain spheroplast fusion of Alternaria alternata

Auxotrophic and drug resistant colonies of Alternaria alternata were selected following UV mutagenesis of spheroplasts and genetic transformation with pDH25. Intrastrain cell fusion of certain A. alternata parental strains induced by polyethylene glycol occurred at an average rate of 0.35%; interstrain fusions occurred at a rate of 0.08%. Mitotic recombination resulted from UV mutagenesis of spheroplasts from several fusants from 6hy1 × 1ar1. Fusants synthesized different levels of the cyclic tetrapeptide, tentoxin; some colonies produced higher levels than either parent. These results demonstrate that spheroplast fusion may have a potential application for genetic analysis of secondary metabolite production and for strain improvement in A. alternata.
Distribution and habitat utilization of the gopher tortoise tick (Amblyomma tuberculatum) in Southern Mississippi.

Abstract The distribution of the gopher tortoise tick (Amblyomma tuberculatum) has been considered intrinsically linked to the distribution of its primary host, gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus). However, the presence of G. polyphemus does not always equate to the presence of A. tuberculatum. There is a paucity of data on the ecology, habitat preferences, and distribution of A. tuberculatum. The goals of this study were to assess the distribution of A. tuberculatum in southern Mississippi and to determine which, if any, habitat parameters explain the distribution pattern of A. tuberculatum. During 2006–2007, we examined 13 G. polyphemus populations in southern Mississippi for the presence of A. tuberculatum, and we measured a suite of habitat parameters at each site. Only 23% of the G. polyphemus populations supported A. tuberculatum, suggesting a more restricted distribution than its host. The results of our multivariate analyses identified several habitat variables, e.g., depth of sand and percenta...
Differences in Mechanism in Staining Reactions for Mast Cells

MAST cells are usually identified histochemically by the use of aldehyde fuchsin1, Hale2 or Rinehart3 stain, or by the metachromasia they exhibit with certain basic dyes. All these methods demonstrate mucopolysaccharides, although differences in the degree of staining of various mucopolysaccharides with the several methods have been noted4. Peracetic acid oxidation.(Greenspan's mixture 30 min., 25° C.)5 of tissue sections has been found to induce staining of certain normally unreactive substances with aldehyde fuchsin6–8, and to alter the susceptibility of oxytalan fibres to hyaluronidase, lysozyme and elastase7. During the course of investigations of mucopolysaccharide reactivity after peracetic acid oxidation, an interesting change was observed in mast-cell cytoplasms. Peracetic acid oxidation followed by digestion with enzymes which hydrolyse mucopolysaccharides resulted in diverse staining reactions with the above three methods for mucopolysaccharides.
Impact of product information on the use of price as a quality cue

The use of price in subjective product quality evaluations is influenced by the nature and availability of other product information. Empirical investigation of this proposition indicated that the utilization of price as a quality cue diminished in relation to the quantity and quality of intrinsic attribute information. However, for one of the two products investigated this diminished influence reversed when a large amount of information was provided. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Local density maxima - Progenitors of structure

Beginning with a short review of the observational data and of some previous theoretical ideas and numerical simulations, the question is addressed of how the large-scale structure that emerges around local density maxima depends on the nature of the primordial density perturbations field. The density contrast profile around local maxima is given, to a good approximation, by the primordial two-point correlation function. The mean number density of objects of a given core mass is calculated as a function of the primordial power spectrum, p(k). In an open universe, rich clusters should have halos steeper than galactic haloes. The observed structure is found to be consistent with omega-sub-zero less than 1.0 and n = -1.
Chromatin remodeling in silico: A stochastic model for SWI/SNF

Beside their contribution in DNA packaging, histone-core particles modulate the transcription machinery access to the DNA through dynamic chromatin structure. Chromatin remodeling complexes perturb such modulations through diverse mechanisms. SWI/SNF is a well-studied highly conserved chromatin remodeling complex that is ubiquitous across eukaryotes. Rigorous study of experimental observations suggests randomness in dynamics of SWI/SNF in cis chromatin remodeling process. In this work we propose a stochastic computational model that captures such fluctuations. We incorporate the physiological properties of the process through parametric microevents. Each microevent is then associated with a stochastic model that couples its random temporal and spatial dynamics with the energy landscape of the remodeling process. We further show that DNA sequence stacks and friction force have negligible effect on chromatin remodeling. Our approach shows a promising approximation to the force impinged on the DNA by the SWI/SNF complex. We validate our model predictions with several experimental data sets. The proposed model suggest that the in cis translocation rate of histone-core particle follows a Gamma distribution. By carefully analyzing the simulation results we conjecture that SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling has low energy efficiency (<0.30). We use our model to recapitulate the dynamics of the parallel remodeling processes that occur in close proximity across a typical eukaryotic genome. Our results suggest that the orchestrated chromatin remodeling makes few kilobase-pairs of the DNA accessible to the transcription machinery in a timely manner.
Interchain EDA complexes of poly[N-(2-hydroxyethyl) carbazolyl methacrylate] with poly (ω-hydroxyalkyl-3,5-dinitrobenzoyl methacrylate)s

The solid state behavior of the interchain electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes of poly[N-(2-hydroxyethyl)carbazolyl methacrylate] (PHECM) with poly(ω-hydroxyalkyl-3,5-dinitrobenzoyl methacrylate)s (PDNBM-n) (where n is the number of methylene groups in the hydroxyalkyl group) with n=2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. All these systems form thermodynamically miscible blends. The dependence of the glass transition temperature (Tg) on the blend composition can be best aproximated by the Kwei's equation.
Seismic damage assessment using linear models

The problem of earthquake damage assessment is defined. The role of the analysis of strong motion records in damage assessment codes based on expert systems is pointed out. The behavior of some damage indices proposed in the literature is studied using numerical simulations. Global damage indices for complex structures can be computed from the optimal time variant linear model, that is fitted to recorded strong motion accelerograms. Two of these indices are proposed, and their performance is tested both on numerical simulations and on strong motion records. A program for the identification of linear structures, based on strong motion records, has been written and implemented by the authors. The theoretical and computational aspects of the identification algorithm are discussed.
199 OXYGEN CONSUMPTION (VO 2 ) AND TISSUE METABOLISM IN THE HYPOXIC LAMB

The observation has been made in the newborn (NB) animal that a fall in VO2 with alveolar hypoxia is not always accompanied by acidosis, suggesting that there is primarily a reduction in non-essential oxidative metabolism. To test this hypothesis we compared the metabolic consequences of an induced reduction in VO2 in conscious NB and older lambs. Seven lambs with chronic aortic and pulmonary arterial catheters were studied at < 7 days, at 1 mo. and at 2–3 mos. Sequential measurements were made at FIO2 = .21, .16, .12 and .08 obtaining: arterial and mixed venous blood gases, hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations, %HbO2, lactate (L), VO2, and CO2 production (VCO2). Base deficit (BD), cardiac output, systemic O2 transport (SOT) and R (VCO2/VO2) were calculated. All data were compared to measurements at FIO2 .21. In all groups when SOT fell sufficiently with hypoxia there was a fall in VO2. This occurred at a higher SOT in the NB (15 mlO2/min/kg) than lambs 2–3 mos (10 ml)2/min/kg). Δ L (L-L@control) consistently increased at all ages to ≥ 3 mMol/L whenever V)2 decreased to ≤ .7 × control VO2. Like L, BD and R increased significantly with a fall in VO2. Therefore we found that a comparable decrease in VO2 is attended by evidence of anaerobic metabolism at all ages; the major age related difference was the higher critical SOT at which this occurred in the newborn. Thus, the newborn does not seem to be less susceptible than the older subject to the impairment of oxidative metabolism caused by alveolar hypoxia.
Weekly pulse dosing: Effective and comfortable topical 5-fluorouracil treatment of multiple facial actinic keratoses

Ten patients completed a weekly pulse dosing regimen for topical 5-fluorouracil therapy for multiple facial actinic keratoses. The method cleared an average of 98% of the lesions, without the severe irritation usually caused by the conventional, daily dosing regimen. Nine patients described the therapy as comfortable. Local irritation was limited to erythema. None of the patients suffered disruption in their social or business lives because of altered appearance. Patients had an average of 6.7 weeks of treatment and applied the medication 1 to 2 days per week; significant remissions were achieved. The longest available follow-up is with six patients who at 9 months remained 86% clear of lesions. This new method offers a significant advance in topical 5-fluorouracil therapy by reducing irritation to an acceptable level while maintaining efficacy.
NF-κB and cancer: how intimate is this relationship

NF-κB, a transcription factor first discovered in 1986, is now known to be closely connected to the process of tumorogenesis based on a multiplicity of evidence. (1) NF-κB is activated in response to tobacco, stress, dietary agents, obesity, alcohol, infectious agents, irradiation, and environmental stimuli that account for as much as 95% of all cancers. (2) The transcription factor has been linked with transformation of cells. (3) It is constitutively active in most tumor cells. (4) It has also been linked with the survival of cancer stem cells, an early progenitor cell that has acquired self-renewal potential. (5) NF-κB regulates the expression of most anti-apoptotic gene products associated with the survival of the tumor. (6) It also regulates the gene products linked with proliferation of tumors. (7) The transcription factor controls the expression of gene products linked with invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis of cancer. (8) While most carcinogens activate NF-κB, most chemopreventive agents suppress its activation. These observations suggest that NF-κB is intimately intertwined with cancer growth and metastasis. The mechanism that leads to constitutive activation of NF-κB in hematological, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, gynecological, thoracic head and neck, breast, and skin cancers, and the ways NF-κB is activated are the topics of discussion in this review.
Nutrition Assessment and Feeding Evaluation of Chronically Ill Children Using Telemedicine

Abstract The nutritional assessment, feeding evaluation, and treatment of chronically ill children with feeding disorders is traditionally performed in major medical tertiary care centers. In Texas, chronically ill children from remote areas travel long distances for specialized nutritional and feeding assessments, treatment, and follow-up. Care providers in rural areas lack skills to provide treatment without distant professionals to care for patients. The Pediatric Rehabilitation Telemedicine Project is a collaborative effort among the major medical centers and the nursing schools at two distant sites. The project allows the Pediatric Rehabilitation team (which includes a doctor, nurse practitioner, dietitian, speech pathologist, occupational and physical therapists) to provide a comprehensive evaluation, assessment and treatment of feeding disorders affecting nutritional status. Through Telemedicine, the feeding team can get a history of feeding, 24 hour food recall, changes in height and weight, sequence of feeding, and can view the actual stages of feeding and positioning during feedings. The feeding team can make recommendations affecting changes in texture, in nutritional status, involving changes in foods or formula, give oral motor exercises, and follow transition changes in developmental feeding. The present results being evaluated by use of questionnaire are given as (1) reduced cost to family, (2) reduced travel time, (3) closer intervention by specialized feeding team, and (4) increased involvement of local health care providers. Through Telemedicine, the Pediatric Rehabilitation feeding team can participate in assessment and treatment evaluation for patients at remote sites, saving patients the time and expense of traveling to major urban medical centers, while educating health care providers in remote areas.
Generating renal cancer-reactive T cells using dendritic cells (DCs) to present autologous tumor.

Summary: Dendritic cells (DCs) have been used as professional antigen-presenting cells in vitro to prime T-cell responses. In this study, we generated both CD8 + and CD4 + renal cell carcinoma (RCC)-reactive T cells using a completely autologous system of DCs presenting engulfed whole-tumor cells. We compared DCs presenting RCC tumor cells in different preparations and found ultraviolet-irradiated apoptotic tumor cells to be more immunogenic than necrotic tumor cells or live untreated tumor cells in generating tumor-reactive T cells. In analyzing the T cells generated in this fashion, a CD8 + RCC-reactive T-cell clone generated from a patient recognized an epitope derived from fibroblast growth factor 5 in the context of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) B44*02. CD4 + T cells generated from another patient recognized multiple allogeneic RCC lines expressing HLA-DR[beta]1*04, indicating a common shared tumor antigen presented by HLA-DR[beta]1*04. The technique of using DCs to present whole-tumor cells can consistently generate both CD4 + and CD8 + RCCreactive T cells for use in both antigen identification and therapeutic protocols. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common renal tumor with an incidence of about 30,000 cases per year in the USA.1 For patients with metastatic RCC, the 5-year survival rate is approximately 10% because RCC is highly resistant to most chemotherapies.2 RCC has been considered immunogenic, and 10%-20% of RCC patients with metastases can respond to cytokine-based therapy (eg, interleukin [IL] 2 or IL-2 combined with interferon [IFN] [alpha]),3,4 with some of these patients appearing to be cured.
Extended X-ray absorption fine structure measurements of laser-shocked V and Ti and crystal phase transformation in Ti.

Extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), using a laser-imploded target as a source, can yield the properties of laser-shocked metals on a nanosecond time scale. EXAFS measurements of vanadium shocked to $\ensuremath{\sim}0.4\text{ }\mathrm{M}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{r}$ yield the compression and temperature in good agreement with hydrodynamic simulations and shock-speed measurements. In laser-shocked titanium at the same pressure, the EXAPS modulation damping is much higher than is warranted by the predicted temperature increase. This is shown to be due to the $\ensuremath{\alpha}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{i}$ to $\ensuremath{\omega}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{i}$ crystal phase transformation, known to occur below $\ensuremath{\sim}0.1\text{ }\mathrm{M}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{r}$ for slower shock waves.
Experimental and finite element simulation based investigations on micro-milling Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy: Effects of cBN coating on tool wear

Abstract Micro-milling process is a direct and flexible fabrication method in producing functional three dimensional micro-products. The advance of micro-milling process ultimately depends on the development of micro cutting tools since it is a tool-based process. Therefore, in this study an attempt to improve the performance of carbide micro-end mills by applying cubic boron nitride (cBN) coating was carried out. Experiments and finite element method (FEM) based simulations were used to study the effect of cBN coated tool in micro-machining of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy. The experiments were conducted to compare the performance of cBN coated and uncoated micro-end mills in terms of surface roughness, burr formation and tool wear. FE simulations were employed to investigate chip formation process in micro-milling to reveal the effects of cBN coated micro-end mills with increased edge radius in terms of cutting force generation, tool temperature and contact pressure, sliding velocity and hence tool wear rate. The simulation results were further utilized for estimating tool life using a sliding wear rate model and compared with experiments. This study clearly showed that the cBN coated carbide tool outperformed the uncoated carbide tool in generation of tool wear and cutting temperature.
Differential thalamic connectivity of rostral and caudal parts of cortical area Fr2 in rats.

Abstract Thalamocortical connections were studied after injections of retrograde tracers were made into rostral or caudal parts of cortical area Fr2 in adult rats. The data reveal that both rostral Fr2 (rFr2) and caudal Fr2 (cFr2) receive input from the centrolateral, central medial, in interanteromedial, mediodorsal, paracentral, parafascicular, posterior, reuniens, rhomboid, ventrolateral, ventromedial and zona incerta nuclei. In addition, cFr2, but not rFr2, receives input from the anteromedial, anteroventral, laterodorsal and lateral posterior nuclei. These findings provide further evidence that Fr2 is connectionally and functionally heterogenous, with rFr2 connected with somatomotor-related nuclei and with cFr2 connected with somatomotor- and visuomotor-related nuclei.
Stress and respiration traits differ among four geographically distinct Pinus ponderosa seed sources

Abstract This study tested the hypotheses that plant respiration and photosynthesis are genetically adapted to the native climate and that plant metabolism has little ability to acclimate to a non-native climate. Seeds from four geographically distinct seed sources (Oregon, Willamette and Deschutes and California, Mendocino and Eldorado) were used to grow 2-year-old seedlings of ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa ) in a common garden near Corvallis, Oregon. Respiratory heat and CO 2 rates were measured on elongating shoot tips at five temperatures from 15 to 35 °C. Heat and CO 2 rates did not differ significantly among the four seed sources when compared at a given temperature. Arrhenius temperature coefficients of heat and CO 2 rates of the Deschutes plants were significantly greater than those of the other three sources. Deschutes has the coldest, driest and most variable climate of the four sources. Carbon isotope ratios obtained on the same samples showed greater fractionation in the Mendocino plants than in the other three sources. Mendocino is a coastal site and the results show these plants experienced more stress when grown in the interior common garden site. Because acclimation to growth in a common garden did not erase significant differences in respiratory and photosynthetic properties, the results show that respiration and photosynthesis are genetically adapted to the native climate of the seed source.
In the realm of agents

Silt theory (a logic of seeing-to-it-that) is applied to cases involving many agents. First treated are complex nestings of stits involving distinct agents. The discussion is driven by the logical impossibility of"a sees to it that b sees to it that Q" in the technical sense, even though that seems to make sense in everyday language. Of special utility are the concepts of "forced choice", of the creation of deontie states, and of probabilities. Second, joint agency, both plain and strict (every participant is essential) is given a rigorous treatment. A central theorem is that strict joint agency is itself agentive. O. Introduction
Therapies for necrotising fasciitis

Necrotising fasciitis is a rare but life-threatening infectious disease emergency. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are common, and mortality rates often exceed 30%. Successful management of this disease requires high clinical suspicion and aggressive action. The mainstays of therapy include early and wide surgical debridement, antibiotics and supportive care, with prompt surgical intervention. Adjunctive modalities, such as protein synthesis inhibitors, hyperbaric oxygen and intravenous immunoglobulin, may have a role, but their effectiveness remains unproven. New rapid diagnostic tools are emerging that promise to revolutionize early detection of necrotising fasciitis. Research into the molecular microbiology, especially regarding group A streptococcus, are providing novel insights into the pathogenesis of necrotising soft tissue infections and identifying future targets for rationally designed interventions.
The Environmental Identity Scale and Differentiation among Environmental Models in Holland's Theory

Abstract The reliability and discriminant validity of the Environmental Identity Scale (Gottfredson & Holland, 1996; Holland, 1997) and the assumption in Holland's theory that differences among members of the six environmental models would be more acute or pronounced for those in environments that have a stronger or more clear identity as opposed to those in environments characterized as having a weaker or more diffuse identity were examined. The results provide support for the psychometric merits of the Environmental Identity Scale, but not the assumption of differential patterns for individuals based on the clarity and focus of their respective environments. The implications of these findings for research on Holland's theory and for those responsible for understanding differential patterns of longitudinal stability and change in the educational and vocational competencies of college students are discussed.
An aspect-oriented infrastructure for a typed, stack-based, intermediate assembly language

While traditional, one-dimensional approaches to the problem of separation of concerns have been adequate for current software development, they are often brittle and resistant to evolutionary change. Aspects and aspect-orientation offer a controllable, modular mechanism for describing the separation of concerns that are orthogonal to the object model that is the primary developmental focus of a wide range of software applications. This dissertation research project involves the creation of an aspect-oriented infrastructure to support a variety of software development tools. Use of this infrastructure is demonstrated in domain areas such as ecological modeling software and web development in order to establish aspect-orientation as a feasible and straightforward solution to the problem of separation of concerns in object-oriented software systems. In the process of establishing the viability of the aspect-oriented solution, this dissertation investigates several new directions in aspect-orientation: aspects in system software, language independent aspects, aspect integration techniques, and opportunities for aspect reuse. In comparing the two-dimensional, aspect-oriented approach to the traditional, one-dimensional approach, the assertion of this research is that a two-dimensional approach offers an inherently more flexible software system while maintaining the advantages of modularity and code reuse that have long been ascribed to object-oriented systems.
Aeroelasticity of composite aerovehicle wings in supersonic flows

A comprehensive aeroelastic model developed toward investigating the static divergence, e utter, and dynamic aeroelastic response of composite aerovehicle wings to sharp-edged gust and blast loads in supersonic e owe eld is presented. The aerovehicle wings are modeled as an anisotropic composite thin-walled beam structure featuring circumferentially asymmetric stiffness lay up that generates preferred elastic couplings. A number of nonclassical effects, such as transverse shear, warping restraint, and three-dimensional strain effects, are incorporated in the structural model. Based on the concept of two-dimensional indicial functions considered in conjunction with the aerodynamicstriptheoryextendedtothree-dimensionalwingmodel,theunsteadyaerodynamicloadsinsupersonic e ows are derived. The effect of elastic tailoring and the implications of transverse shear, warping restraint on divergence and dynamic response of selected wing cone gurations are investigated, and pertinent conclusions are outlined. Nomenclature AR = wing aspect ratio, L=b a.s/ = geometric quantity; see Eq. (2) and Fig. 3 aij = one-dimensional global stiffness coefe cients a1 = undisturbed speed of sound b;d = semichord and semidepth of the beam normal cross section, respectively bi = inertia coefe cient Eij = Young’ s modulus of orthotropic materials in the material coordinate system h.s/ = wall thickness as the function of the midline
Using a Teaching Guide for Better Postpartum and Infant Care

The development and use of a guide for postpartum and infant care teaching is discussed, including the rationale, methods, and advantages of using this tool at two hospitals of different sizes. Also discussed are the preparation of personnel, ongoing development, and extended uses of the guide.
A Triangular Intermuscular Space Sentinel Node in Melanoma: Association With Axillary Lymphatic Drainage

Background Large centers have described triangular intermuscular space (TIS) sentinel nodes (SNs) for some melanomas of the back. However, their management remains controversial and poorly characterized, especially as related to the ipsilateral axillary node basin. The aim of this study was to summarize our experience with TIS SN, which may contribute to defining their appropriate surgical management.
Molecular Heterogeneity and Alternative Splicing of Human Lactoperoxidase

Human lactoperoxidase (LPO) exists as two distinct molecules independent of glycosylation. The N-terminus of one form is blocked and has not been identified while the other is proteolytically processed at the N-terminus similar to myeloperoxidase. Our analysis identified alternatively spliced human LPO mRNAs that may explain the observed molecular heterogeneity of LPO. Two mRNAs omit propeptide encoding exons while retaining the 5′ exon encoding the secretion signal, consistent with the heterogeneity and suggesting a possible functional role for the propeptide. Two LPO forms were expressed using baculovirus and both showed similar enzyme activity. LC/MS/MS analysis of trypsin digested, partially purified, salivary LPO confirmed the larger unprocessed LPO is present in saliva. To compare variant expression patterns, antisera were raised against purified recombinant (rhLPO) as well as against an antigenic peptide sequence within the exons encoding the propeptide region. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated proLPO was differently localized within gland cells compared to other forms of LPO. The data suggested splice variants may contribute to LPO molecular heterogeneity and its regulation by intracellular compartmental localization.
Abstract 4409: A modular polymer platform for the delivery of cytokines is effective in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Educational objective: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants should be able to discuss the benefits of a modular polymer platform, which will improve the outcome for patients with advanced HNSCC. Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of an immunomodulator secreting polymer platform in the treatment of HNSCC. Study Design: in vivo animal study. Setting: Academic research laboratory. Subjects and Methods: C3H/HeJ mice were injected with SCCVII/SF cells. After tumors reached 1 cm in size, animals then underwent surgery and were randomized to receive implantation of (1) no polymer; (2) plain polymer; (3) plain polymer with dendritic cells (DC) secreting the chemokine CCL21; (4) plain polymer with DC alone; and 5) plain polymer + daily CCL21 injection. Tumor size was measured until the mice were euthanized. At necropsy, the tumors were excised and weighed. Results: We were able to demonstrate that DC are viable and functionally secrete CCL21 up to 14 days in the polymer. DC-CCL21 secreting polymer effectively reduced tumor growth mice by over 16-fold (P < 0.01) as compared to control, plain polymer, and plain polymer + intratumoral CCL21 injection groups. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that there was a significant increase in CD4+ T cells, as well as a significant decrease in CD4+/CD25+ regulatory T cells in the tumor site, underlying the significant tumor regression observed. Conclusion: The major limitation for the clinical use of cytokines is the lack of an effective protocol for the sustained delivery of cytokines to the tumor milieu. We demonstrate the efficacy of a novel polymer platform in delivering DC-CCL21 to SCCA in a murine model. Our results indicate that this polymer may represent a new therapeutic modality for patients with HNSCC. Once this polymer platform is optimized we will plan for validation in the context of a prospective trial in patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent HNSCC. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4409. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4409
Structure of subtilisin BPN' at 2.5 angström resolution.

The single polypeptide chain is folded into three parts, with the active site at their conjunction. In the active enzyme, the side chain of His 64 is in a position consistent with the formation of a hydrogen bond between it and the OH group of Ser 221.
The Underestimated Risk of Cancer in Patients with Multinodular Goiters After a Benign Fine Needle Aspiration

Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) is an excellent tool for evaluating patients with solitary thyroid nodules, with a false-negative malignancy rate of 1 cm), and one patient with a papillary and follicular cancer]. On univariate analysis, male gender had a near-significant association with non-micropapillary thyroid cancer (p = 0.06). On multivariate analysis, male gender (OR = 10.2, 95 % CI 1.35–76.8) and FNA cytology not reviewed at our institution (OR = 6.0, 95 % CI 1.2–30) were independently associated with non-micropapillary thyroid cancer. The incidence of thyroid cancer in patients with MNG and benign FNA is significant. Men and patients in whom the FNA cytology is not reviewed by an experienced cytopathologist may be at an increased risk for an undetected thyroid cancer.
On the Nature of Self-Assembled Collagen Fibrils as Biomolecular Nanowires for Sensor Applications

The self assembly mechanism of collagen monomers into nanoscale fibrils provides the opportunity to investigate their possible use as biological nanowires. Electrical test structures were fabricated using electron beam lithography (EBL), and used to electrically contact the collagen fibrils and characterize their electrical behavior.
The Spoken Dialogue Challenge

In the field of speech and language processing the introduction of "Challenges" has helped focus the focus a field, allowing detailed comparisons of systems and techniques, bringing new members into the field, and facilitating advancements in core research. Although the idea of a spoken dialogue challenge has been discussed for some time, this is the first attempt to bring these discussions together and take concrete action.
Maternal Expression Relaxes Constraint on Innovation of the Anterior Determinant, bicoid

The origin of evolutionary novelty is believed to involve both positive selection and relaxed developmental constraint. In flies, the redesign of anterior patterning during embryogenesis is a major developmental innovation and the rapidly evolving Hox gene, bicoid (bcd), plays a critical role. We report evidence for relaxation of selective constraint acting on bicoid as a result of its maternal pattern of gene expression. Evolutionary theory predicts 2-fold greater sequence diversity for maternal effect genes than for zygotically expressed genes, because natural selection is only half as effective acting on autosomal genes expressed in one sex as it is on genes expressed in both sexes. We sample an individual from ten populations of Drosophila melanogaster and nine populations of D. simulans for polymorphism in the tandem gene duplicates bcd, which is maternally expressed, and zerknullt (zen), which is zygotically expressed. In both species, we find the ratio of bcd to zen nucleotide diversity to be two or more in the coding regions but one in the noncoding regions, providing the first quantitative support for the theoretical prediction of relaxed selective constraint on maternal-effect genes resulting from sex-limited expression. Our results suggest that the accelerated rate of evolution observed for bcd is owing, at least partly, to variation generated by relaxed selective constraint.
Why Are We Consuming So Much Sugar Despite Knowing Too Much Can Harm Us?—Reply

We appreciate the suggestion by Avena and colleagues that addiction-like behaviors and related brain changes may perpetuate overeating highly palatable foods that tend to contain high amounts of added sugars. This interesting hypothesis needs to be tested in well-designed interventions and mechanistic studies. Although the high consumption of added sugars in the US population (on average, approximately 22 teaspoons per day) is possibly related to the “addictive” property of the palatable foods and the reward system in the brain, the abundance of added sugars in the current food environment and influential advertising by the food industry may also play an important role.1 Our data indicate that the majority of US adults consumed more added sugars than is recommended for a healthy diet. Our results, along with the findings of many other studies,2–5 support current recommendations to reduce the intake of added sugars in US diets.6
Activated protein C improves survival in severe sepsis patients with elevated troponin

Multiple studies in sepsis have demonstrated that elevated troponin is associated with poor outcome. The elevated troponin in this situation is thought to be secondary to microthrombi. We hypothesized that recombinant human activated protein C (APC) treatment would improve outcomes in severe sepsis patients who have elevated troponin. Patients with severe sepsis by consensus criteria in a university ICU were divided into a troponin elevated group (cTnI+) and a normal troponin (cTnI−) group. Outcome was compared using Fisher's exact test. APACHE II and MODS were calculated by standard methods. We identified 105 patients with severe sepsis and troponin measured, of which 48 (46%) were in the cTnI+ group. The two groups were similar in terms of age and other comorbid conditions. APACHE II (28 ± 8 vs. 25 ± 8) was slightly higher and MODS (11 ± 4 vs. 9 ± 3) was significantly higher in the cTnI+ group. Mortality was 52% (25/48) in cTnI+ group and 30% (17/57) in cTnI− group. Mortality was 30% in cTnI+ patients treated with APC and 72% in untreated cTnI+ patients. Patients with severe sepsis who have elevated troponin have increased mortality. In patients with severe sepsis who have elevated troponin, treatment with APC improves outcome. Further study is needed to determine whether troponin can serve as a simple, readily available marker to identify which patients with severe sepsis will benefit from APC.
VehicleView: a universal system for vehicle performance monitoring and analysis based on VANETs

Ranging from large-scale field testing to remote vehicle diagnostics, vehicle performance monitoring and analysis applications rely on the long-term and large-scale collection of in-vehicle sensor data. With wireless vehicular communications, vehicular ad hoc networks provide a promising platform for such applications. In this article, we propose VehicleView to support the large-scale and long-term collection and mining of in-vehicle sensor data. The system architecture and preliminary procedures of VehicleView are proposed based on comprehensive considerations on the common functional, performance, and security requirements of such applications. Supporting various vehicle performance monitoring and analysis applications in a cost-effective, secure, and privacy-preserving way, VehicleView shows great application potential and economic prospects.
Children's and adults' everyday talk about surprise

Everyday uses of the term ‘surprise’ were examined in order to describe children's early experience with the term and explore links to children's developing conception of surprise. Data obtained from CHILDES (MacWhinney & Snow, 1990) included 123 uses of ‘surprise’ by children (N = 10, aged 2:0–5:5) and 118 by adults talking to children. Each use was coded for reference to expectation (expected, unexpected, or indeterminate) and affect (positive, negative, or indeterminate), as well as on other aspects of content (agreements = 91–100 per cent). From ages 2 to 5, children increasingly referred to unexpected events and decreasingly to positive affect or happy events, relative to other sorts of references; adults' speech showed little change on those dimensions. Implications for an account of conceptual development are discussed.
Negative hysteresis in the behavioral dynamics of the affordance “graspable”

One commonly perceives whether a visible object will afford grasping with one hand or with both hands. In experiments in which differently sized objects of a fixed type are presented, the transition from using one of these manual modes to the other depends on the ratio of object size to hand span and on the presentation sequence, with size increasing versus decreasing. Conventional positive hysteresis (i.e., a larger transition ratio for the increasing sequence) can be accommodated by the order parameter dynamics that typify self-organizing systems (Lopresti-Goodman, Turvey, and Frank, Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics 73:1948–1965, 2011). Here we identified and addressed conditions of unconventional negative hysteresis (i.e., a larger transition ratio for the decreasing sequence). They suggest a second control parameter in the self-organization of affordance perception, one that is seemingly regulated by inhibitory dynamics occurring in the agent–task–environment system. Our experimental results and modeling extend the investigation of affordance perception within dynamical systems theory.
BAAV Transcytosis Requires an Interaction with β-1-4 Linked- Glucosamine and gp96

Cell surface carbohydrates play an important role in virus entry and intracellular trafficking. Bovine Adeno-Associated Virus (BAAV) uses plasma membrane gangliosides for transduction and infection. In addition, independent of the infectious pathway, BAAV also has the ability to pass through barrier epithelia and endothelia using a transcytosis pathway dependent upon the presence of cell surface carbohydrates. Thus, in order to better define the carbohydrate interactions that are necessary for BAAV infection or transcytosis, a glycan microarray composed of both natural and synthetic carbohydrates was probed with HA-tagged BAAV particles. This identified chitotriose, a trimer of β-1-4-linked N-acetyl glucosamine, as having an interaction with BAAV. Competition experiments showed that the BAAV interaction with this carbohydrate is not necessary for infection but is instead important in the transcytosis pathway. The β-1-4-linked N-acetyl glucosamine modification has been reported on gp96, a glycoprotein involved in the transcytosis of bacteria and toxins. Significantly, immunoprecipitation and competition experiments with an anti-gp96 antibody and a soluble form of gp96, respectively, showed this glycoprotein can also interact with BAAV to serve as a receptor for its transcytosis.
Nanofabricated refractive index sensor based on photon tunneling in nanofluidic channel

Abstract We have fabricated and tested a refractive index sensor based on photon tunneling in a nanofluidic system. The device comprises an extremely thin fluid chamber formed between two optically transparent layers. It can be used to detect changes in refractive index due to chemical composition changes of a fluid in the small test volume. Because the physical property measured is a refractive index change, no staining or labeling is required. We tested the device with five samples, water and water with 1% ethanol, 2% ethanol, 5% ethanol and 10% ethanol. The sensing was done by measuring the intensity of a reflected laser beam incident on the sensing element at around the critical angle. The measured response agrees well with the calculated reflectance.
Design and synthesis of specific inhibitors of the 3'-processing step of HIV-1 integrase.

The novel dinucleotide 5′-phosphate, [(L,D)-pIsodApdC], discovered in our laboratory, is a strong inhibitor of HIV-1 integrase for both the 3′-processing and the strand transfer steps. The rationale used in this molecular design was that residues immediately upstream of the dinucleotide cleavage site in the 3′-processing step might provide critical recognition/binding sites on integrase. The rationale for the second type of inhibitors was based on the elimination products (linear and cyclic dinucleotides) of 3′-processing. However, while the linear dinucleotide 5′-phosphate (pdGpdT) was active, its cyclic counterpart was inactive against both wild-type and mutant HIV integrase.
Computational parametric study of a Richtmyer-Meshkov instability for an inclined interface

A computational study of the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability for an inclined interface is presented. The study covers experiments to be performed in the Texas A&M University inclined shock tube facility. Incident shock wave Mach numbers from 1.2 to 2.5, inclination angles from 30° to 60°, and gas pair Atwood numbers of ∼0.67 and ∼0.95 are used in this parametric study containing 15 unique combinations of these parameters. Qualitative results are examined through a time series of density plots for multiple combinations of these parameters, and the qualitative effects of each of the parameters are discussed. Pressure, density, and vorticity fields are presented in animations available online to supplement the discussion of the qualitative results. These density plots show the evolution of two main regions in the flow field: a mixing region containing driver and test gas that is dominated by large vortical structures, and a more homogeneous region of unmixed fluid which can separate away from the mixing region in some cases. The interface mixing width is determined for various combinations of the parameters listed at the beginning of the Abstract. A scaling method for the mixing width is proposed using the interface geometry and wave velocities calculated using one-dimensional gas dynamic equations. This model uses the transmitted wave velocity for the characteristic velocity and an initial offset time based on the travel time of strong reflected waves. It is compared to an adapted Richtmyer impulsive model scaling and shown to scale the initial mixing width growth rate more effectively for fixed Atwood number.
Excretion of Rabies Virus in the Saliva of Dogs

Thirty-nine dogs were injected intramuscularly with either an Ethiopian strain or a Mexican strain of rabies virus. The excretion of rabies virus in the saliva was studied before and during illness. Nine of 17 dogs that died after injection with the Ethiopian strain had virus in the submaxillary glands. Four of these dogs excreted virus in the saliva up to 13 days before signs of disease were observed. Sixteen of 22 dogs that died after injection with the Mexican strain had virus in the submaxillary glands. Eight of these dogs also excreted virus in the saliva up to seven days before signs of disease were observed. These findings indicate that rabid dogs may excrete virus in their saliva much earlier than previously reported.
Mandating Social Change: The Business Struggle Over National Health Reform

This article explores the conditions under which business managers endorse human resource investment policy drawing from the recent national health reform episode. In order to generate corporate support, a business community must develop corporate policy capacity, or the ability to grasp complicated social issues and to act in support of this social agenda. Corporate support is also influenced by the business–related strategies of government leaders who can encourage businesses to organize around legislative issues. The bid for national health reform met neither condition. Corporate policy capacity was inadequate to sustaining business support for health reform at the point of translating general corporate anxiety into specific legislation. Because U.S. business groups are weak, fragmented, and compete for members, they tend to cater to strong, vocal minorities and are often unable to act on majority positions. In health reform although a majority of business groups’ members wanted reform, minority objections prevailed. In addition, where the Clinton administration’s business mobilization efforts were complicated by its campaign for mass support, the Republicans organized a formidable corporate lobby against the bill.
Backscattering of alpha particles from thick metal backings as a function of atomic weight

Abstract Alpha-particle backscattering from thick metal backings has been studied using two separate counters with geometries of 2 π and approximately 1 π steradians.