cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate-dependent phosphorylation of a 6000 and A 22000 dalton protein from cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum

In canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum, adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP)-dependent protein kinase specifically phosphorylates two proteins, as seen by sodium dodecyl sulfate-slab gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. One protein has a molecular weight ranging between 22 000 and 24 000 daltons and has previously been identified and named phospholamban (Tada, M., Kirchberger, M.A. and Katz, A.M. (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 2640–2647). The other protein that the 32P label incorporates into has a molecular weight of approximately 6000. Like the 22 000 dalton protein, the 6000 dalton protein has characteristic of phosphoester bonding. The time-dependent course of phosphorylation shows that initially the 32P label is incorporated more rapidly into the 22 000 dalton protein than the 6000 dalton protein, with both proteins reaching a steady-state level of phosphorylation after 10 min of incubation. When both protein kinase and cyclic AMP are eliminated from the incubation medium, both the 22 000 and the 6000 dalton protein are still phosphorylated but only to about a quarter of the activity found when cyclic AMP and protein kinase are included in the incubation mixture. The addition of phosphodiesterase completely eliminates the phosphorylation of both proteins. Treating the microsomes with trypsin prevents subsequent phosphorylation of either protein. Phosphorylating the microsomes first, then treating with trypsin, renders both the 22 000 and the 6000 dalton proteins resistant to even prolonged trypsin attack. Unphosphorylated, both proteins are solubilized by a very low concentration of deoxycholate. After phosphorylation the proteins cannot be solubilized by deoxycholate. Phosphorylation appears to alter greatly the physical properties of these proteins. Control experiments exclude the possibility that a lipid is being phosphorylated. After phosphorylation, the phosphorylated 22 000 dalton protein is separated from the 6000 dalton protein by proteolipid extraction. After first treating the microsomes with methanol, the 22 000 dalton protein is then soluble in acidified chloroform/methanol, while the 6000 dalton protein remains insoluble. The finding that both proteins have much different biochemical properties when phosphorylated than when not, may be relevant in how they regulate calcium transport in the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
A micromechanical model for the elastic properties of semicrystalline thermoplastic polymers

This paper presents a micromechanical analysis of the elastic properties of semicrystalline thermoplastic materials. A lamellar stack aggregate model reported in the literature is used to derive tighter bounds and a self-consistent scheme for the elastic modulus, and it is shown that the existing geometric models of the microstructures are not effective in predicting experimentally measured modulus of semicrystalline materials. Toward addressing this limitation, a model based on Mori-Tanaka's mean field theory is developed by treating the semicrystalline materials as short-fiber reinforced composites, in which the lamella crystalline phase is modeled as randomly embedded anisotropic ellipsoidal inclusions, and the amorphous phase as an isotropic matrix. The lamellae are characterized by two independent aspect ratios from three distinct geometric axes in general. Existing morphological studies on polyethylene (PE) and a syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) are used to deduce the corresponding lamella aspect ratios, based on which the theoretical model is applied to predict the elastic modulus of the two material systems. The model predictions are shown to compare well with the reported measurements on the elastic moduli of PE and sPS. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:433–451, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Localization of the cDNA for an α1-adrenergic receptor subtype (ADRA1D) to chromosome band 20p13

The cDNAs encoding the α1D-adrenergic receptor (ADRAID) were localized to human chromosome 20, band p13, by somatic cell hybrid analysis and in situ hybridization.
Compact bidirectional optical interconnects using arrays of vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers

A compact optical crosspoint switch is being fabricated at the University of Colorado. It consists of two identical smart pixels arrays (SPAs) which face one another. The arrays communicate using 64 optical channels in both forward and reverse directions. Each channel uses a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) which is collimated using a microlens. The collimated beam is routed to the appropriate photodetector on the facing array using a Fourier computer generated hologram (CGH). Each VCSEL has a separate hologram associated with it, allowing space variant interconnection between the facing arrays. Each SPA has an 8 by 8 array of VCSELs adjacent to an 8 by 8 array of photodetectors and smart pixel circuitry. These are integrated with the microlenses and holograms and packaged to form a compact and stable system, occupying several cm3. At present each smart pixel has several logic gates, but an optically similar system with approximately 1000 gates per pixel is under development. This type of interconnection is suited to board-to-board applications, and potentially offers high speed, low cost, high density bi-directional connections. The fabrication of the switch incorporates several novel integration techniques.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Analytical model of giant MR in multilayers with biquadratic coupling

Abstract A simple analytical model is described for the magnetic and attendant giant magnetoresistive properties of thin film multilayers antiferromagnetically coupled through conducting spacers by both Heisenberg and biquadratic exchange. Although fully analytical, the model describes in detail the GMR response in both easy and hard directions of a multilayer stack comprising 2 N layers, where N is any finite number.
Theoretical studies of the clathrate structures of (H2O)20, H+ (H2O)20 and H+ (H2O)21

Abstract Structures of (H 2 O) 20 (W20), H + (H 2 O) 20 and H + (H 2 O) 21 (HW21) clusters were determined by applying the Zerner's intermediate neglect of differential overlap self-consistent field unrestricted Hartree—Fock (ZINDO SCF UHF) method after appropriate parametrization and yield a dodecahedral arrangement (distorted) of twenty oxygen atoms in each case. In HW21 cluster a water molecule is enclosed within the cavity of a HW20 cage structure with a stabilization energy (SE) of around 302 kcal/mol (relative to separated constituent molecules) and the most stable W20 and HW20 clusters have SE values of around 182 and 293 kcal/mol. Our results compare quite well with reported experimental observation on these clusters.
Woody Vegetation Persistence and Disturbance in Central Texas Grasslands Inferred From Multidecadal Historical Aerial Photographs

Abstract Woody vegetation encroachment has been assumed to occur uniformly over the past century across the southern Great Plains of the United States. To assess this assumption, we evaluated changes in pixels classified as woody vegetation from aerial photographs from 1937 to 2004 that were acquired approximately every 13 yr for a 7 109-ha wildlife refuge located in the eastern Edwards Plateau region of central Texas. We found that the percentage of total area classified as woody vegetation changed minimally (62.0–64.2%) from 1937 to 2004. However, on average, 32% of the study area changed classification between woody vegetation and nonwoody vegetation pixels between each photograph date. To assess potential causes of woody vegetation change, we analyzed contiguous pixels with area ≤ 1 ha and area > 1 ha representing small- and large-scale disturbances, respectively. Small-scale woody vegetation pixel loss was found to be moderately low, ranging between 11.1% and 12.6% of the study area for the period of...
INCREASED MALIC ENZYME ACTIVITY IN SELENIUM-DEFICIENT RAT LIVER

Abstract The activity of cytosolic malic enzyme was significantly higher (61%) in the liver of rats fed a selenium-deficient diet compared with the controls. Activities of two other NADPH-generating enzymes, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, were also increased but to a lesser extent (13%). Glutathione reductase, an NADPH-consuming enzyme involved in the metabolism of glutathione, was higher (26%) in the liver of selenium deficient rats, possibly as a result of an increase in glutathione synthesis and enzymic processes that maintain glutathione in the reduced state. It is concluded that an increased demand for NADPH in selenium deficiency, possibly resulting from increased glutathione metabolism, may induce NADPH-generating enzymes, especially malic enzyme. ( J. Nutr. Biochem. 5:314–316, 1994 .)
Specific heat in high magnetic fields and non-Fermi-liquid behavior inCeMIn5(M=Ir,Co)

The low-temperature specific heat, in magnetic fields to 32 T, and the magnetic susceptibility are reported on single crystals of the new heavy-fermion superconductors $\mathrm{Ce}M{\mathrm{In}}_{5},$ $M=\mathrm{Ir}$ and Co, as well as the new heavy-fermion antiferromagnet ${\mathrm{CeRhIn}}_{5}.$ The absence of a pronounced field dependence to the specific heat of the Ir and Co systems suggests that the large Sommerfeld coefficients of these compounds are due to correspondingly large effective electron masses. In addition, the indicated non-Fermi-liquid behavior previously suggested from the temperature dependence of the resistivity of ${\mathrm{CeIrIn}}_{5}$ has been confirmed in our measurements of the susceptibility and specific heat for this compound, as well as in the susceptibility and specific heat of ${\mathrm{CeCoIn}}_{5}.$ The existence of superconductivity in these systems that appears, based on their non-Fermi-liquid behavior, to develop near a quantum critical point is further support for this superconductivity being of unconventional nature.
Inhibition of Fatty Acid Oxidation Modulates Immunosuppressive Functions of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells and Enhances Cancer Therapies

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) promote tumor growth by inhibiting T-cell immunity and promoting malignant cell proliferation and migration. The therapeutic potential of blocking MDSC in tumors has been limited by their heterogeneity, plasticity, and resistance to various chemotherapy agents. Recent studies have highlighted the role of energy metabolic pathways in the differentiation and function of immune cells; however, the metabolic characteristics regulating MDSC remain unclear. We aimed to determine the energy metabolic pathway(s) used by MDSC, establish its impact on their immunosuppressive function, and test whether its inhibition blocks MDSC and enhances antitumor therapies. Using several murine tumor models, we found that tumor-infiltrating MDSC (T-MDSC) increased fatty acid uptake and activated fatty acid oxidation (FAO). This was accompanied by an increased mitochondrial mass, upregulation of key FAO enzymes, and increased oxygen consumption rate. Pharmacologic inhibition of FAO blocked immune inhibitory pathways and functions in T-MDSC and decreased their production of inhibitory cytokines. FAO inhibition alone significantly delayed tumor growth in a T-cell-dependent manner and enhanced the antitumor effect of adoptive T-cell therapy. Furthermore, FAO inhibition combined with low-dose chemotherapy completely inhibited T-MDSC immunosuppressive effects and induced a significant antitumor effect. Interestingly, a similar increase in fatty acid uptake and expression of FAO-related enzymes was found in human MDSC in peripheral blood and tumors. These results support the possibility of testing FAO inhibition as a novel approach to block MDSC and enhance various cancer therapies.
A spatial web service client based on Microsoft Bing Maps

The NASA Spatial Web Portal (SWP) is designed to support the open discovery, access, and visualization of geospatial resources. In this paper, we introduce the development of a client for the SWP using Microsoft Bing Maps AJAX APIs. The client consists of three key components: resource search, resource access, and resource visualization. The visualization component provides generic capabilities for visualizing geospatial web services from various domains. Current version supports displaying OGC WMS services. Two modes of visualization are supported: static and dynamic. The client is developed based on Microsoft's AJAX plug-ins for the Bing Maps with a) Bing Maps serving as the background map for the SWP, and b) Bing Maps controlling visualization of service data. This paper is focused on the interface design and challenges in development. Experience and challenges are discussed to assist future developments in geospatial web service clients.
Estimating Threshold Effects of U.S. Generic Fluid Milk Advertising

This paper addresses the issues of threshold effects pertaining to U.S. generic fluid milk advertising. A threshold delineates the level of advertising intensity that has to be met to generate a specific level of sales effect. Given that promotional organizations face budget constraints, it is of particular interest to ascertain if there exists a minimum threshold that an advertising campaign has to cross to yield a non)trivial sales effect. Despite strong beliefs among market practitioners, the existence of advertising threshold effects has rarely been studied by researchers interested in agricultural commodity promotions. Adopting a spline threshold estimation procedure, this paper represents the first attempt to identify thresholds in the sales effect of generic advertising and the impacts the thresholds may have on consumers’ reactions to changes in important economic variables such as own price and income. Using quarterly U.S. generic fluid milk advertising data from 1975 to 2004, a regime)dependent fluid milk demand equation is estimated. The results support the existence of advertising thresholds and show that generic advertising has the effect of rendering fluid milk demand less elastic with respect to own price and more elastic with respect to income. The results of policy simulation further highlight the importance of accounting for the threshold effects of advertising in evaluating promotion program effectiveness.
On the equivalence of the ring, lattice, and semigroup of continuous functions

A large number of papers have been published that are devoted to showing that certain algebraic objects obtained by defining operations on the set of all continuous real-valued functions on a suitably restricted topological space determine the space. We mention but a few of them below. Let C(X), L(X), S(X) denote respectively the ring, lattice, multiplicative semigroup of all continuous real-valued functions on a topological space X. Under the assumption that X is a compact Hausdorff space, it was shown in 1937 by M. H. Stone [8] and in 1939 by Gelfand and Kolmogoroff [2 1 that C(X) determines X. In 1947 and 1949, under the same hypothesis, Kaplansky [4] and Milgram [5] showed respectively that each of L(X), S(X) determine X. Generalizing these results, Hewitt [3] in 1948 and Shirota [7] in 1952 showed respectively that if X is a Q-space (for definition, see [3]), then C(X), respectively, L(X), S(X) determine X. From the point of view of conserving space in the mathematical literature, it is unfortunate that it was not shown first that L(X) or S(X) determine X, since any isomorphism between rings of continuous real-valued functions obviously preserves both order and multiplication, so that the corresponding theorems for C(X) would follow. This order of events is not surprising, however, since more is known about the structure of rings than the structure of either lattices or semigroups. We show below that from the point of view of determining topological spaces, C(X), L(X), and S(X) are equivalent. While this follows easily from Shirota's theorem, we are motivated to publish it by the fact that yet another cycle of the sort described above has begun. In particular, in 1954 and 1955, Pursell [6]2 and F. W. Anderson [1] have shown respectively that if X is completely regular and its points are Ga-sets, then C(X), L(X) determines X.
Solubilization Of Rat Whole Blood And Erythrocytes For Automated Determination Of Lead Using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

Abstract A method is presented for solubilizing blood or erythrocytes for lead determinations using tetramethylammonium hydroxide. Solubilization of the samples allows for automatic injection into the graphite furnace of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Automation resulted in improved ease of operation with greater precision, when compared to established methods for blood and erythrocyte lead determinations. Accuracy, sensitivity, and limits of detection were maintained with this solubilization procedure.
Maternal DNA hypomethylation and congenital heart defects.

BACKGROUND Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are among the most prevalent and serious of birth defects. Multiple maternal factors are thought to contribute to CHD development, including folate intake. Maternal DNA methylation, which is dependent on folate metabolism, may impact the risk of CHDs. Our study was designed to determine whether maternal long interspersed nucleotide elements-1 (LINE-1) DNA hypomethylation is associated with increased occurrence of non-syndromic CHDs and whether maternal folate-dependent metabolites are correlated with DNA methylation status. METHODS Using a case-control study design, we measured global DNA methylation status among mothers whose pregnancies were affected by non-syndromic CHDs (n = 180) and mothers of unaffected pregnancies (n = 187). Methylation of LINE-1 was used as a surrogate marker of global DNA methylation status. The association between DNA methylation and CHD risk was determined while adjusting for selected lifestyle factors. RESULTS LINE-1 DNA methylation was significantly lower in cases compared to controls (p = 0.049). After covariate adjustments, a significant difference between cases and controls remained (p = 0.010). Among women with LINE-1 methylation in the lowest decile of DNA methylation, the estimated risk of having a CHD-affected pregnancy was almost twice that of women in all other deciles (odds ratio [OR], 1.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–3.58). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that maternal LINE-1 DNA hypomethylation is associated with an increased risk of CHDs. Future studies investigating the association between maternal DNA methylation patterns and CHDs should be pursued. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Improved Parallel 3D FDTD Simulator for Photonic Crystal

Photonic crystals have shown a great deal of promise for the realization of true integrated optics. Waveguides with small bends may be formed allowing compact integrated photonic circuits to be formed. Full three dimensional (3D) photonic simulations are required in order to realize very low loss, integrated photonic crystal circuits. Needless to say, the design and fabrication of such fully 3D structures is challenging, and thus efficient simulation tools are necessary to identify the optimum structures for different applications. Researchers at the Department of Defense (DoD) and Arizona State University (ASU) have independently developed parallel Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) codes, with the goal of scaling up each simulator for complicated structures such as 3D optical integrated circuits (OIC). As the name implies, FDTD is a popular time-domain method for solving Maxwell's equations for the electric and magnetic fields. These two curl equations are solved explicitly in time over half-step intervals, where the values of one set of field values (e.g., electric fields) are used at the successive interval to solve for the other field (e.g., magnetic field) in a time marching fashion. In previously reported work, a fully parallel FDTD code scalable to 107 FDTD grid points was presented and showed good scalability up to 200 processors. The goal of our current work has been to realize a more optimized and efficient implementation requiring significantly less memory and scalable to thousands of processors. This requires both a scalable parallel FDTD code, as well as one with improved absorbing boundary conditions and more efficient algorithms to reduce runtime. The work and results discussed herein address both the scalability and the efficiency of the time-domain algorithm.
Microvoids in fibers as studied by small‐angle scattering of x‐rays

Commercial and experimental fibers show diffuse small-angle x-ray scattering which varies in amount and shape, depending upon how the fibers were produced and also upon what aftertreatments they have received. Evidence is given showing that the amount of scattering should be interpreted in terms of the void content or microporosity in the fiber. These voids are too small to be seen by the light microscope, but are found to be measurable in the 15–200 A. range by present techniques. The spinning method greatly affects a fiber's void content. Wet-spinning and dry-spinning of a polymer solution produces fibers with a high void content. Melt-spinning produces yarns with relatively low void content. The cause of this difference is discussed. Voids are shaped by the spinning process in almost all cases. The fiber can be visualized as having longitudinal cracks, crevices, or ellipsoidal. voids in the as-spun condition, even though no molecular alignment is observed. This shaping was found to arise from a combination of (1) a shearing action of the spinneret and (2) tension on the windup. The voids are further elongated as the fiber is drawn.
Hypoxia perturbs aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling and CYP1A1 expression induced by PCB 126 in human skin and liver-derived cell lines

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is an important mediator of toxic responses after exposure to xenobiotics including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Activation of AhR responsive genes requires AhR dimerization with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT), a heterodimeric partner also shared by the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) protein. TCDD-stimulated AhR transcriptional activity can be influenced by hypoxia; however, it less well known whether hypoxia interferes with AhR transcriptional transactivation in the context of PCB-mediated AhR activation in human cells. Elucidation of this interaction is important in liver hepatocytes which extensively metabolize ingested PCBs and experience varying degrees of oxygen tension during normal physiologic function. This study was designed to assess the effect of hypoxia on AhR transcriptional responses after exposure to 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126). Exposure to 1% O2 prior to PCB 126 treatment significantly inhibited CYP1A1 mRNA and protein expression in human HepG2 and HaCaT cells. CYP1A1 transcriptional activation was significantly decreased upon PCB 126 stimulation under conditions of hypoxia. Additionally, hypoxia pre-treatment reduced PCB 126 induced AhR binding to CYP1 target gene promoters. Importantly, ARNT overexpression rescued cells from the inhibitory effect of hypoxia on XRE-luciferase reporter activity. Therefore, the mechanism of interference of the signaling crosstalk between the AhR and hypoxia pathways appears to be at least in part dependent on ARNT availability. Our results show that AhR activation and CYP1A1 expression induced by PCB 126 were significantly inhibited by hypoxia and hypoxia might therefore play an important role in PCB metabolism and toxicity.
A reanalysis of a behavioral intervention to prevent incident HIV infections: Including indirect effects in modeling outcomes of Project EXPLORE

Project EXPLORE – a large-scale, behavioral intervention tested among men who have sex with men (MSM) at-risk for HIV infection – was generally deemed as ineffective in reducing HIV incidence. Using novel and more precise data analytic techniques we reanalyzed Project EXPLORE by including both direct and indirect paths of intervention effects. Data from 4296 HIV-negative MSM who participated in Project EXPLORE, which included 10 sessions of behavioral risk reduction counseling completed from 1999 to 2005, were included in the analysis. We reanalyzed the data to include parameters that estimate the over-time effects of the intervention on unprotected anal (UA) sex and the over-time effects of the intervention on HIV status mediated by UA sex simultaneously in a single model. We found the indirect effect of intervention on HIV infection through UA sex to be statistically significant up through 12-month post-intervention, OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.72–0.95. Furthermore, the intervention significantly reduced UA s...
IPSec: Performance Analysis and Enhancements

Internet protocol security (IPSec) is a widely deployed mechanism for implementing Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). In previous work, we examined the overheads incurred by an IPSec server in a single client setting. In this paper, we extend that work by examining the scaling of a VPN server in a multiple client environment and by evaluating the effectiveness of connection credential caching. Motivated by the potential benefits of caching, we also propose a cryptographically secure cache resumption protocol for IPSec connections to reduce the connection establishment overheads.
A connectionist approach to continuous speech recognition

The authors have applied connectionist learning procedures to speaker-independent continuous recognition, creating a system which has achieved 97% word accuracy and 91% sentence accuracy in preliminary tests on the TI/NBS connected-digits database. The system uses a four-layer back-propagation network with recurrent connections to generate and refine hypotheses about the identity of an utterance over successive intervals. The hypotheses generated by the network are used as input to a Markov-chain-based Viterbi recognizer which produces a final identification of the entire utterance. >
Large Scale Aeroelastic Data for Design of Rotating Blades using Navier-Stokes Equations

Bending-torsion flutter boundaries for rotating blades are computed using unsteady aerodynamic data obtained by time accurately solving the Navier-Stokes equations. A modal approach is used for computing the flutter boundary. Flutter speeds are computed by solving eigenvalue equations that track down the system damping to identify flutter point. Aerodynamic data required for the analysis is computed by time accurately integrating aerodynamic equations while the blades are undergoing modal motions at various oscillating frequencies. Validity of the approach is established by comparing the flutter speed results with those measured for a non-rotating blade. Results are demonstrated for a typical rotating blade. Parallel computing resources are utilized to cope with computational costs associated with use of the Navier-Stokes equations.
Conditions on upper and lower probabilities to imply probabilities

We want to begin this paper with recording our joint indebtedness to de Finetti for so enriching the theory of probability, especially its foundations. Suppes: I met de Finetti in May of 1960 at a symposium in Paris on decision theory. We had several lively informal conversations about the role of the axiom of choice in the foundations of probability, especially in relation to the existence of countably additive measures. Over the years I had the opportunity to meet de Finetti on various occasions. I recall a memorable walk with de Finetti and Jimmy Savage in the gardens of the Villa Frascati near Rome later in the 1960s. On this occasion we had a long discussion of determinism and quantum mechanics, and what the existence of indeterminism and quantum mechanics implied for subjective theories of probability. The last time I saw de Finetti was in Rome in March 1979. My wife and I invited de Finetti to dinner, and after dinner he and I had a wide-ranging philosophical discussion, which he conducted with his usual vigor. In fact, even though he was then in his late seventies, I finally gave up at about 12:30 a.m., and said good night, outdone by his continuing vitality and energy in philosophical conversation. Zanotti: I met de Finetti in 1971 at de Finetti's summer residence in the vicinity of Rome, after correspondence beginning in 1969. He stated in one of the letters and in discussion his sympathy for the main aspects of Quine's philosophy. […]
The McVay Operation

Chester Bidwell McVay was born in Yankton, South Dakota, in 1911. He graduated from Yankton College in 1933 cum laude. McVay then went to Northwestern University in Chicago, and he qualified both M.D. and Ph.D. While at Northwestern, he did his research in the anatomy laboratory, where he concentrated his studies on the anatomy of the abdominal wall and the inguinal and femoral regions. This research culminated in several publications by McVay and his anatomical research associate, Barry J. Anson. McVay then went on to complete a surgical residency at the University of Michigan. On completion of surgical training, he served in the United States Army and, after World War II, returned to his home town of Yankton, where he practiced surgery continuously until his retirement in 1977. During his time as a surgeon in Yankton, not only did Dr. McVay continue to publish in prestigious surgical journals, but he was also instrumental in the establishment of a 4-year medical school in the state of South Dakota and in the founding of a general surgical residency program, the first of its kind in South Dakota. In 1977, Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton was fully approved for general surgical residency training, and Dr. Chester McVay was appointed Founding Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine.
Graphical Tools for FID

FID3.2 is a public software tool for supervised classification, implementing the popular and efficient recursive partitioning technique of decision trees, while utilizing fuzzy representation and approximate reasoning for dealing with noise and language uncertainty. It is loosely based on the ID3 decision tree algorithm. It handles nominal, continuous, and linguistic attributes and classes. It can also operate with noisy and unknown features, both in training and in testing data. For continuous attributes that are not pre-partitioned, the system generates fuzzy partitioning using either a top-down or a bottom-up method. Finally, FID uses a number of inferences from two classes: set-based and exemplar-based. Recently, we have implemented a GUI interface to work with FID3.2. The interface provides graphical visualization of data, partitions, and the tree, and it also allows limited graphical manipulations. This paper describes the GUI interface.
IFI16 Induction by Glucose Restriction in Human Fibroblasts Contributes to Autophagy through Activation of the ATM/AMPK/p53 Pathway

Background Glucose restriction in cells increases the AMP/ATP ratio (energetic stress), which activates the AMPK/p53 pathway. Depending upon the energetic stress levels, cells undergo either autophagy or cell death. Given that the activated p53 induces the expression of IFI16 protein, we investigated the potential role of the IFI16 protein in glucose restriction-induced responses. Methodology/Principal Findings We found that glucose restriction or treatment of human diploid fibroblasts (HDFs) with the activators of the AMPK/p53 pathway induced the expression of IFI16 protein. The induced levels of IFI16 protein were associated with the induction of autophagy and reduced cell survival. Moreover, the increase in the IFI16 protein levels was dependent upon the expression of the functional ATM protein kinase. Importantly, the knockdown of the IFI16 expression in HDFs inhibited the activation of the ATM/AMPK/p53 pathway in response to glucose restriction and also increased the survival of HDFs. Conclusions/Significance Our observations demonstrate a role for the IFI16 protein in the energetic stress-induced regulation of autophagy and cell survival. Additionally, our findings also indicate that the loss of IFI16 expression, as found in certain cancers, may provide a survival advantage to cancer cells in microenvironments with low glucose levels.
Complement Receptors in Candida Albicans and Other Yeasts: Structure, Function and Role in Pathogenesis

Surface proteins which bind C3 fragments C3d and iC3b are present in Candida albicans and related species. This paper discusses the C3d and iC3b receptors in C. albicans and other yeasts and evaluates their relationships to mammalian receptors for C3d (complement receptor type 2) and iC3b (complement receptors type 3/4). In the case of the mammalian receptors, relationships to extended protein families are indicated, in that CR2 is a member of the RCA family (regulators of complement activation family), while CR3/CR4 are classified as β2 integrins. The existence of C3-binding proteins in yeasts bears important implications for an understanding of yeast pathogenesis and for the larger scope of evolutionary biology.
Research review committees in long-term care settings.

Abstract Abstract: As the number of elderly people grows, the interest in research for this population increases. Federal funding is available for research regarding elders’ needs, and researchers are recognizing the problems this population incurs. Residents and staff members in long-term care facilities are prime candidates for study subjects, and institutional research review committees, supported by the facilities’ administration, are necessary to protect them. This article discusses ways to establish a research review committee and its working processes. (Geriatr Nurs 2000;21:13-5)
Historical changes in flowering phenology are governed by temperature × precipitation interactions in a widespread perennial herb in western North America

For most species, a precise understanding of how climatic parameters determine the timing of seasonal life cycle stages is constrained by limited long-term data. Further, most long-term studies of plant phenology that have examined relationships between phenological timing and climate have been local in scale or have focused on single climatic parameters. Herbarium specimens, however, can expand the temporal and spatial coverage of phenological datasets. Using Trillium ovatum specimens collected over > 100 yr across its native range, we analyzed how seasonal climatic conditions (mean minimum temperature (Tmin ), mean maximum temperature and total precipitation (PPT)) affect flowering phenology. We then examined long-term changes in climatic conditions and in the timing of flowering across T. ovatum's range. Warmer Tmin advanced flowering, whereas higher PPT delayed flowering. However, Tmin and PPT were shown to interact: the advancing effect of warmer Tmin was strongest where PPT was highest, and the delaying effect of higher PPT was strongest where Tmin was coldest. The direction of temporal change in climatic parameters and in the timing of flowering was dependent on geographic location. Tmin , for example, decreased across the observation period in coastal regions, but increased in inland areas. Our results highlight the complex effects of climate and geographic location on phenology.
Progress in PET Imaging of the Norepinephrine Transporter System

The norepinephrine transporter (NET) has long been recognized to play a role in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, e.g., ADHD, substance abuse, depression, alcoholism, obesity, addiction, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. However, many of the important findings resulting from studies in vitro using postmortem tissues have never been verified via in vivo methods due to the lack of suitable radioligands, preventing the brain imaging of NET in living systems. We have identified the superiority of (S,S)-[11C]MRB and the suitability of the MRB analogs as potential NET ligands for PET translational studies from preclinical investigation in animals to clinical research in humans. In this review article, progress in these translational research studies will be discussed, including the role of NET in ADHD, substance abuse, depression, post -traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol dependence, obesity, aging, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Effect of Thyrotropin Suppression Therapy on Bone in Thyroid Cancer Patients

Background The thyroid cancer incidence is rising. Despite current guidelines, controversy exists regarding the degree and duration of thyrotropin suppression therapy. Also, its potential skeletal effects remain a concern to physicians caring for thyroid cancer patients. We conducted a review of published data to evaluate existing studies focusing on the skeletal effects of thyrotropin suppression therapy in thyroid cancer patients. Materials and methods A systematic search of the PubMed, Ovid/Medline, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases was conducted. The retained studies were evaluated for methodological quality, and the study populations were categorized into premenopausal women, postmenopausal women, and men. Results Twenty-five pertinent studies were included. Seven studies were longitudinal and 18 were cross-sectional. Of the 25 included studies, 13 were assigned an excellent methodological quality score. Three of 5 longitudinal studies and 3 of 13 cross-sectional studies reported decreased bone mineral density (BMD) in premenopausal women; 2 of 4 longitudinal studies and 5 of 13 cross-sectional studies reported decreased BMD in postmenopausal women. The remaining studies showed no effect on BMD. The only longitudinal study of men showed bone mass loss; however, cross-sectional studies of men did not demonstrate a similar effect. Conclusion Studies to date have yielded conflicting results on the skeletal effects of thyrotropin suppression therapy and a knowledge gap remains, especially for older adults and men. Existing data should be cautiously interpreted because of the variable quality and heterogeneity. Identifying groups at risk of adverse effects from thyrotropin suppression therapy will be instrumental to providing focused and tailored thyroid cancer treatment. Implications for practice The standard treatment for thyroid cancer includes total thyroidectomy with or without radioactive iodine ablation, often followed by thyrotropin suppression therapy. Despite current guidelines, controversy exists regarding the degree and duration of thyrotropin suppression therapy, and discordant results have been reported on its adverse effects on bone. The present review provides physicians with existing data on the skeletal effects of thyrotropin suppression therapy, highlighting the need for further research to identify the groups at risk of adverse skeletal effects. This knowledge will aid in developing tailored thyroid cancer treatment.
A Revision of the Genus Vacusus Casey (Coleoptera: Anthicidae)

This New World genus is redefined, and all its known species are discussed or described and keyed. New species are: V. aztecus (Mexico), villosus (Mexico), vulgaris (Argentina and Bolivia), antennatus (northwestern Argentina), and jamaicanus (Jamaica). Eight species are transferred from Anthicus to Vacusus , namely, infenius Laf. (=? dugesi Pic), apicicornis Laf. (= plaumanni Heberdey), chilensis Solier, fulvonotatus Laf., penivianus Pic, parvus Pic (= parvus var. atratulus Pic and weiseri Pic), subbrunneipennis Pic, and holoxanthus Fairm. & Germ. Other new synonymy: V. vicinus (Laf.) (= V. supplex Casey and V. monitor Casey) ; V. fomicetorum (Wasm.) (= V. desertorum Casey, = V. prominens Casey, = V. suspectus Casey) ; V. nigritulus (LeConte) (= V. arcanus Casey).
Characterization and Tissue Expression Profiles of cyclin B1 and cdc2 in Large Yellow Croaker(Larimichthys crocea)

Mature promoting factor(MPF),a complex composing of cyclin B and cyclin-dependent kinase(CDK1,encoded by cdc2 gene),is the key factor to stimulate cells entrancing M phase from G2phase.MPF was found playing an important role in maturation process of gamete.To better understand the molecular mechanism of gamete maturation of large yellow croaker(Larimichthys crocea),the full length cDNA of cdc2(Lc-cdc2)and cyclin B1(Lc-cb1)were cloned and characterized.The full length cDNA of Lc-cb1 is 1 882bp,encoding aprotein of 397amino acids;and the full length cDNA of Lc-cdc2 gene is 1 151bp,encoding aprotein of 303 amino acids.The deduced amino acid sequence of LC-CB1shared high similarity with those of other six vertebrates(67%-84%),and composed of the expected conserve domains and motifs of CB1,such as a cyclin box,a specific destruction box(RxALGxIxN),and the B-type cyclin characterized proteinase K sites(RRxSK).Similarly,the deduced amino acid sequence of LC-CDK1also shared high similarity with those of other six fish species(88%-97%),and composed of the expected conserve domains and motifs of CDK1,such as a serine/threonine kinase catalytic domain,the conserved sequence GxGxxGxV related to ATP-binding,PSTAIRE sequences for binding cyclin B.In addition,the mRNA levels of LC-cb1 and LC-cdc2in the gonad were both much higher than those in other tissues(p0.05),indicating that Lc-cb1 and Lc-cdc2 may play essential roles in the oogenesis and spermatogenesis of large yellow croaker.
Distributed Denial of Service Attack Source Detection Using Efficient Traceback Technique (ETT) in Cloud-Assisted Healthcare Environment

Security and privacy are the first and foremost concerns that should be given special attention when dealing with Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs). As WBAN sensors operate in an unattended environment and carry critical patient health information, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is one of the major attacks in WBAN environment that not only exhausts the available resources but also influence the reliability of information being transmitted. This research work is an extension of our previous work in which a machine learning based attack detection algorithm is proposed to detect DDoS attack in WBAN environment. However, in order to avoid complexity, no consideration was given to the traceback mechanism. During traceback, the challenge lies in reconstructing the attack path leading to identify the attack source. Among existing traceback techniques, Probabilistic Packet Marking (PPM) approach is the most commonly used technique in conventional IP- based networks. However, since marking probability assignment has significant effect on both the convergence time and performance of a scheme, it is not directly applicable in WBAN environment due to high convergence time and overhead on intermediate nodes. Therefore, in this paper we have proposed a new scheme called Efficient Traceback Technique (ETT) based on Dynamic Probability Packet Marking (DPPM) approach and uses MAC header in place of IP header. Instead of using fixed marking probability, the proposed scheme uses variable marking probability based on the number of hops travelled by a packet to reach the target node. Finally, path reconstruction algorithms are proposed to traceback an attacker. Evaluation and simulation results indicate that the proposed solution outperforms fixed PPM in terms of convergence time and computational overhead on nodes.
Yield and quality components of corn crop residues and utilization of these residues by grazing cattle.

Three grazing trials were conducted to evaluate yield, relative plant part composition, quality and utilization (disappearance) of corn crop residues by growing cattle in both dryland and irrigated cornstalk fields. More (P less than .05) total residue was available from irrigated than from dryland cornstalks, but dryland cornstalks had a higher (P less than .05) proportion of leaf plus husk. In Trial 1, 18% of the residue disappeared in 53 d in irrigated fields grazed at 2.47 calves/ha, whereas 32 and 47% disappeared in dryland fields grazed at 1.54 and 2.47 calves/ha, respectively. Leaf plus husk accounted for 69% (Trial 1) and 65 to 72% (Trial 2) of the utilized residue. Utilization rate increased (P less than .05) with stocking rate. All plant parts and leaf plus husk from dryland cornstalks had more CP (P less than .05) and less NDF (P less than .05) than did these plant parts from irrigated fields. In vitro DM disappearance (IVDMD) was decreased (P less than .05) by grazing; this decrease was greater (P less than .05) at higher stocking rates. Husk IVDMD, CP and NDF from 13 corn hybrids differed (P less than .05).
Fertility/Sexual Function

Advances in the surgical and medical management of Crohn’s disease (CD) continue to improve clinical control highlighting the need for an increased focus on patient quality of life and functional outcomes. Patients with CD are often diagnosed in their late adolescence or early adulthood when sexual function and fertility are of particular concern. Symptoms and treatment related factors of CD have a significant effect on both physiologic and psychosocial aspects of sexuality and fertility. However, many patients feel uncomfortable addressing these issues with their health care providers. It is therefore imperative that all health care professionals caring for patients with CD understand the impact of the disease on sexual function, sexuality, and fertility and create a supportive environment in which to discuss these issues.
Synchronization of Yeast

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe are amongst the simplest and most powerful model systems for studying the genetics of cell cycle control. Because yeast grows very rapidly in a simple and economical media, large numbers of cells can easily be obtained for genetic, molecular, and biochemical studies of the cell cycle. The use of synchronized cultures greatly aids in the ease and interpretation of cell cycle studies. In principle, there are two general methods for obtaining synchronized yeast populations. Block-and-release methods can be used to induce cell cycle synchrony. Alternatively, centrifugal elutriation can be used to select synchronous populations. Because each method has innate advantages and disadvantages, the use of multiple approaches helps in generalizing results. An overview of the most commonly used methods to generate synchronized yeast cultures is presented along with working Notes: a section that includes practical comments, experimental considerations and observations, and hints regarding the pros and cons innate to each approach.
6 – Cognitive Learning, Cognitive Response to Persuasion, and Attitude Change1

It is a common assumption that the effectiveness of a persuasive communication is, at least in part, a function of the extent to which its content is learned and retained by its audience. This assumed learning-persuasion relation is based on a reasonable analogy between the persuasive communication and an informational communication such as a classroom lecture. In the lecture, it is by definition of the educational situation that retention of content is taken as a measure of effectiveness. In the persuasion situation, however, the essential criterion of effectiveness is acceptance of content. It remains an empirical question to determine whether acceptance of a persuasive communication is related to retention of its content. The hypothesis that acceptance of a communication is, in some part, a function of learning or retention of its content has received explicit endorsement by a number of attitude researchers and theorists (e.g., Hovland, Janis, & Kelley, 1953; McGuire, this volume; Miller