cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiplex Pathogen Identification for Polymicrobial Urinary Tract Infections Using Biosensor Technology: A Prospective Clinical Study

Purpose: Rapid diagnosis of urinary tract infection would have a significant beneficial impact on clinical management, particularly in patients with structural or functional urinary tract abnormalities who are highly susceptible to recurrent polymicrobial infections. We examined the analytical validity of an electrochemical biosensor array for rapid molecular diagnosis of urinary tract infection in a prospective clinical study in patients with neurogenic bladder.Materials and Methods: The electrochemical biosensor array was functionalized with DNA probes against 16S rRNA of the most common uropathogens. Spinal cord injured patients at a Veterans Affairs hospital were recruited into the study. Urine samples were generally tested on the biosensor within 1 to 2 hours of collection. Biosensor results were compared with those obtained using standard clinical microbiology laboratory methods.Results: We successfully developed a 1-hour biosensor assay for multiplex identification of pathogens. From July 2007 to D...
Crystal structure of the Yersinia protein-tyrosine phosphatase YopH complexed with a specific small molecule inhibitor.

Abstract The pathogenic bacteria Yersinia are causative agents in human diseases ranging from gastrointestinal syndromes to bubonic plague. There is increasing risk of misuse of infectious agents, such as Yersinia pestis, as weapons of terror as well as instruments of warfare for mass destruction. Because the phosphatase activity of the Yersinia protein tyrosine phosphatase, YopH, is essential for virulence in the Yersinia pathogen, potent and selective YopH inhibitors are expected to serve as novel anti-plague agents. We have identified a specific YopH small molecule inhibitor, p-nitrocatechol sulfate (pNCS), which exhibits a Ki value of 25 μm for YopH and displays a 13–60-fold selectivity in favor of YopH against a panel of mammalian PTPs. To facilitate the understanding of the underlying molecular basis for tight binding and specificity, we have determined the crystal structure of YopH in complex with pNCS at a 2.0-A resolution. The structural data are corroborated by results from kinetic analyses of the interactions of YopH and its site-directed mutants with pNCS. The results show that while the interactions of the sulfuryl moiety and the phenyl ring with the YopH active site contribute to pNCS binding affinity, additional interactions of the hydroxyl and nitro groups in pNCS with Asp-356, Gln-357, Arg-404, and Gln-446 are responsible for the increased potency and selectivity. In particular, we note that residues Arg-404, Glu-290, Asp-356, and a bound water (WAT185) participate in a unique H-bonding network with the hydroxyl group ortho to the sulfuryl moiety, which may be exploited to design more potent and specific YopH inhibitors.
Interface sharpness in low-order III–V superlattices

Abstract Superlattices composed of aluminum, gallium and indium are currently employed in a variety of device-related applications. Among these are edge-emitting GRINSCH lasers and vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes. As the individual layer thickness is reduced, the role of interface sharpness becomes more critical in ensuring good two-dimensional growth. This work addresses the relationship between interface roughness and superlattice crystallinity for short-period AlAs/GaAs superlattices. Thin short-period superlattices with active layer thicknesses of 30 nm or less were also investigated to help determine the interface sharpness in the initial stages of growth. X-ray diffraction was used to assess interface roughness and to calculate superlattice periodicity. These results are compared with those obtained by reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), Raman spectroscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The results indicate that interface roughness is promoted by a reduced arsenic flux growth condition at normal growth temperatures for short-period superlattices. The results also suggest that, for thin superlattices, a 10 nm buffer layer enhances interface roughness in the initial stages of growth and compromises the subsequent epilayer crystallinity. An analysis of these results in the light of structural, dynamical, and optical data is presented.
Overview and highlights of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) mission

The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) was launched in September 1991 with a complement of 10 instruments focused on the middle and upper atmospheric processes, and on solar irradiance variability. After nearly three years of successful UARS operations, eight of the ten instruments continue to operate. Data is routinely processed and reprocessed on a central facility. This data is now being distributed electronically to the scientific community. Among the more important UARS accomplishments are the first global mapping of ozone depleting chlorine radicals and reservoirs, measurement of middle atmosphere winds, the tracking of the Mt. Pinatubo aerosols, and highly accurate measurements of solar ultraviolet variability.
A CAUSAL MODEL OF HUMAN VS. COMPUTER INTERACTION PREFERENCE FOR NAIVE USERS

The literature has suggested several factors which should be related to if an individual prefers to interact with a computer or another person for any specific task. These factors include, among others, the amount of computer experience an individual has, various personality traits, attitudes toward computers or technology, the capabilities of the computer system, and perceived aspects of the task. To date, however, there have been no attempts to develop and test causal models to explain these various relationships. This study hypothesized the casual relations illustrated in Figure 1 for explaining if an individual will prefer to interact with a computer versus a person for an interview task.
The pollen—Tree relationship within forests of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, U.S.A.

Abstract Pollen analysis of moss polsters collected from the floor of undisturbed Wisconsin and Upper Michigan forests provides information about pollen representation at the scale of the forest-stand. Linear relationships exist for several arboreal taxa when paired pollen percentages and tree-basal area percentages, which are measured from the surrounding 20 m, are displayed on scatter diagrams. Regression analysis using the geometric-mean solution quantifies these linear relationships. Betula is the most over-represented pollen type in the moss polsters, Pinus, Quercus and Tsuga are equitably-represented, and Acer is under-represented. Relatively large amounts of Betula, Pinus and Quercus pollen in moss polsters are recruited from further than 20 m. In Wisconsin lakes, by contrast, Pinus is the most over-represented pollen type and long distance transport of Betula pollen is relatively unimportant. In moss polsters, Betula pollen is the best represented type in northern Europe as well as in Wisconsin. Fagus is poorly represented in both continents.
Full-field measurements of heterogeneous deformation patterns on polymeric foams using digital image correlation

The ability of a digital image correlation technique to capture the heterogeneous deformation fields appearing during compression of ultra-light open-cell foams is presented in this article. Quantitative characterization of these fields is of importance to understand the mechanical properties of the collapse process and the energy dissipation patterns in this type of materials. The present algorithm is formulated in the context of multi-variable non-linear optimization where a merit function based on a local average of the deformation mapping is minimized implicitly. A parallel implementation utilizing message passing interface for distributed-memory architectures is also discussed. Estimates for optimal size of the correlation window based on measurement accuracy and spatial resolution are provided. This technique is employed to reveal the evolution of the deformation texture on the surface of open-cell polyurethane foam samples of different relative densities. Histograms of the evolution of surface deformation are extracted, showing the transition from unimodal to bimodal and back to unimodal. These results support the interpretation that the collapse of light open-cell foams occurs as a phase transition phenomenon.
Biological function of metallothionein. VI. Metabolic interaction of cadmium and zinc in rats.

The accumulation and depletion of cadmium in liver and kidney metallothionein (MT) and the effects of dietary zinc deficiency on cadmium metabolism were studied in rats. The accumulation of cadmium in liver MT started to plateau after 80 days, but there was a linear accumulation of this element in kidney MT over the entire 300-day experiment. Cadmium in MT fractions was depleted very slowly when rats were changed to a diet without cadmium. The accumulation of cadmium in MT also caused zinc to accumulate in this protein, even in rats fed zinc-deficient diets. However, the reverse situation was found not to be true; zinc did not cause cadmium to accumulate in MT. Dietary zinc deficiency limited the binding of injected109Cd to MT of liver, but not of kidneys or testes. However, zinc-deficient rats fed cadmium in their diets metabolized cadmium similarly to zinc-supplemented rats, suggesting that zinc deficiency does not limit the ability of cadmium to stimulate MT synthesis.
Example of Monte Carlo integrals where reference functions are useful

Abstract In the preceding paper, it has been shown that use of reference functions could decrease errors on integrals estimated by Monte Carlo. Here the statement is illustrated by a physics example. It concerns the measurement of the μ + μ - forward-backward production asymmetry in e + e - interactions, taking radiative corrections and detector distortions into account. The parameters of the detector are chosen arbitrarily just for purpose of illustration. The result using reference functions is about 4 times as accurate as without using them. The reference functions also make the results less sensitive to some biases in the Monte Carlo generator.
Urinary excretion of epitestosterone and testosterone in normal individuals and hirsute and virilized females.

Abstract Excretion of testosterone (T) and epitestosterone (EpiT) in human urine was studied using conventional Chromatographic techniques in addition to gas liquid chromatography. Mean T excretion (μg/24 hours) in normal male subjects was 58.1 (range 10.5–173), normal females 6.3 (range 1.5–13), hirsute females 9.2 (range 1.5–35) and virilized females 21 (range 9–33.6). Mean EpiT excretion (μg/24 hours) for normal males was 166.4 (range 8.7–396), normal females 11.1 (range 6.5–19.6), hirsute females 224,7 (range 55–641), virilized females 277.7 (range 34–489). The possible sources and significance of epitestosterone are discussed.
Using Self-Assembly To Prepare Multifunctional Diblock Copolymers Containing Azopyridine Moiety

Diblock copolymers composed of polystyrene (PS) and a polymethacrylate containing an azopyridine side group (PAzPy) were synthesized using atom transfer radical polymerization for the first time. While conserving the photoactivity related to the trans−cis photoisomerization of azo dyes, the azopyridine moiety made possible the easy use of self-assembly to add new functionalities to the PAzPy block, leading to multifunctional diblock copolymers. On one hand, three carboxylic acids (one aliphatic, one aromatic, and one chiral acid) were complexed with azopyridine moieties through hydrogen bonding which transformed the amorphous PAzPy block into a liquid crystalline (LC) block. Self-assembly-induced LC phases, dependent on the nature of the acid used, could enhance the photoinduced orientation of azopyridine moieties. On the other hand, zinc−tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP) was linked to azopyridine through coordination interaction between the metal and pyridyl group, showing effective loading of metal−porphyrin...
Comparison of optical losses in dielectric-apertured vertical-cavity lasers

The performance of vertical-cavity lasers (VCL's) employing dielectric apertures formed by lateral oxidation or wet-etch undercutting of an AlAs layer on a common substrate are compared. Although both device types performed well, extracted optical losses from the wet-etch undercut structures exceed those of AlAs-oxide apertured lasers. The difference in performance is attributed to optical scattering losses specific to the aperture fabrication method, enhanced by loss from the larger index of refraction discontinuity of the air-gap aperture relative to the AlAs-oxide aperture.
Optimization of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) through co-adsorption and tri-adsorption of organic dyes

Abstract Although synthetic dyes are typically used in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), organic dyes provide a less expensive, and simple method of manufacturing such cells. The objective of this project was to produce a relatively low-cost DSSC with optimal conversion efficiency and a wide absorption spectrum through co-adsorption and tri-adsorption of inexpensive organic dyes. Four organic dyes (Pomegranate Juice, Anthocyanin, Rhodamine B, and Thymol Blue) were used as sensitizers on a titanium dioxide semiconductor film. Through measuring the absorption spectrum of varying ratios of these dyes, five cells were assembled through co-adsorption and one through a unique method of tri-adsorption. The photoelectrochemical properties (voltage, current, absorption spectra, fill factor, and conversion efficiency) of each were thereafter measured using appropriate equipment. These values reflected that open circuit voltages varied from 0.232 V to 0.464 V and conversion efficiencies ranged from 0.17% to 2.74%....
Transgenes of the Mouse Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Locus, Lacking Distal Elements in the 3′ Regulatory Region, Are Impaired for Class Switch Recombination

The immunoglobulin heavy (H) chain class switch is mediated by a deletional recombination event between µ and γ, α, or e constant region genes. This recombination event is upregulated during immune responses by a regulatory region that lies 3′ of the constant region genes. We study switch recombination using a transgene of the entire murine H chain constant region locus. We isolated two lines of mice in which the H chain transgenes were truncated at their 3′ ends. The truncation in both transgenic lines results in deletion of the 3′-most enhancer (HS4) and a region with insulator-like structure and activities. Even though both truncated transgenes express the µ H chain gene well, they undergo very low or undetectable switch recombination to transgenic γ and α constant region genes. For both transgenic lines, germline transcription of some H chain constant regions genes is severely impaired. However, the germline transcription of the γ1 and γ2a genes is at wild type levels for the transgenic line with the larger truncation, but at reduced levels for the transgenic line with the smaller truncation. The dramatic reduction in class switch recombination for all H chain genes and the varied reduction in germline transcription for some H chain genes could be caused by (i) insertion site effects or (ii) deletion of enhancer elements for class switch recombination and transcription, or (iii) a combination of both effects.
A liquid-metal reconfigurable log-periodic balun

A liquid-metal reconfigurable log-periodic balun is presented. The design consists of three sections that can be independently actuated with pressure-driven liquid metal, resulting in a planar balun that is capable of switching between three continuous bands from 1.89 to 8.45 GHz. The two output ports have a magnitude balance within 1 dB and a phase difference within 10° of 180°.
[Comment on “Opportunities for research in the geological sciences”] Geologic research opportunities

I read with great interest the recent account in Eos of the National Research Council's Board of Earth Sciences (BES) report on “Opportunities for Research in the Geological Sciences,” and find the report to be an excellent summary of exciting research areas in continental geology (Eos, December 20, 1983, p. 985). However, the title of the report implies that the earth sciences as a whole are treated, and as such the report is plagued by several glaring omissions. It is important that these omissions be recognized because, as mentioned in Eos, this report will be used by government administrators to set priorities for future emphasis in federal funding. The neglected topics include marine geology and geophysics, plate tectonics, paleoceanography, and paleoclimatology. Ironically, these may have been neglected because research in these areas has been so successful in the last 2 decades. As an aftermath to the extraordinary breakthrough related to marine geology and plate tectonics in the 1960s and 1970s, there has developed an atmosphere that I call the “post-plate-tectonic blues.” Indeed, the discovery and verification of plate tectonics is a tough act to follow, and so it is natural for the pendulum to swing toward important problems in continental geology. While such a swing is an understandable response to the last 2 decades, it is dangerously short sighted.
The information content of post tender offer movement in the price of target shares

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to show that in the specific case of hostile tender offers, movements in the prices of target stocks, after announcement of a tender, are not good predictors of the outcome.
Measuring individual cell voltages in fuel cell stacks

Abstract The requirements for stack monitoring devices are becoming more strict as the fuel cell and battery technologies reach an advanced stage of development and move towards commercialisation. Different applications put restraints on such devices when it comes to cost, weight and size. No commercial products can meet the requirements with respect to both cost and performance. Individual cell voltage measurements are crucial to protect the fuel cell stack and ensure maximum stack lifetime. Different concepts for measuring individual cell voltages in large fuel cell stacks or battery stacks and their potential accuracy are discussed. A novel low cost, lightweight and compact multiplexer circuit was implemented based on a resistor–diode circuit. Based on this circuit a prototype 80-channel multiplexer device was built and tested on a fuel cell stack with satisfactory speed and accuracy.
CD8+CD25+ T cells reduce atherosclerosis in apoE(−/−) mice

Abstract Background It is increasingly evident that CD8+ T cells are involved in atherosclerosis but the specific subtypes have yet to be defined. CD8+CD25+ T cells exert suppressive effects on immune signaling and modulate experimental autoimmune disorders but their role in atherosclerosis remains to be determined. The phenotype and functional role of CD8+CD25+ T cells in experimental atherosclerosis were investigated in this study. Methods and results CD8+CD25+ T cells were observed in atherosclerotic plaques of apoE(−/−) mice fed hypercholesterolemic diet. Characterization by flow cytometric analysis and functional evaluation using a CFSE-based proliferation assays revealed a suppressive phenotype and function of splenic CD8+CD25+ T cells from apoE(−/−) mice. Depletion of CD8+CD25+ from total CD8+ T cells rendered higher cytolytic activity of the remaining CD8+CD25− T cells. Adoptive transfer of CD8+CD25+ T cells into apoE(−/−) mice suppressed the proliferation of splenic CD4+ T cells and significantly reduced atherosclerosis in recipient mice. Conclusions Our study has identified an athero-protective role for CD8+CD25+ T cells in experimental atherosclerosis.
Veblen and the Business Cycle: A Marxist Perspective

Many economists have explained Veblen's business cycle either by concentrating on competition, demand, etc., or by stressing Veblen's financial fragility theory. In this article, it is argued that Veblen has combined the rising labor cost theory with financial fragility theory to explain downturns in business activity. For Veblen, capitalism is not capable of eliminating business cycles because of the competitive friction between business capital and workers.
Effects of acute exposure to formaldehyde on surface morphology of nasal epithelia in rats.

This study investigated the distribution of epithelial cells over the turbinates in the rat nasal cavity and their injury following exposure to formaldehyde. Rats were exposed to either purified air or 10 ppm formaldehyde for a period of 4 h. The noses removed from these rats were decalcified, sectioned midsagittally along the septum to expose the internal turbinates, and processed for examination by scanning electron microscopy. The distribution of the various cell types present was documented in the control rats. Observations obtained from the formaldehyde‐exposed rats were compared to those in rats exposed to purified air. Changes were seen in the various regions of the turbinates in the form of ciliary destruction and cell separation (especially in the naso‐ and moxilloturbinates), cellular swelling (throughout the turbinates), mucus release by the goblet cells (in the nasoturbinate), and in some cases pores on the cell surface or between adjacent cells (evident in the middle meatus). The data from th...
The Ocular Surface in Cystic Fibrosis

Seventeen patients with cystic fibrosis and 17 age-, race-, and sex-matched controls were examined under standardized conditions. Testing included slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fluorescein staining, rose bengal staining, Schirmer's basic tear test, tear film break-up time, tear pH, tear lysozyme, tear protein, lid and conjunctival cultures, and conjunctival impression cytology. Cystic fibrosis patients showed a statistically significant increase in the incidence of fluorescein staining and clinical blepharitis, as well as significantly decreased Schirmer testing and tear lysozyme. Ocular surface abnormalities in these patients may be attributable to aqueous and lipid tear film deficiencies. Cystic fibrosis patients showed normal conjunctival epithelial cell morphology, grew no pathogenic organisms, and had a decreased incidence of conjunctival bacterial colonization.
Consuming the transnational family: Indonesian migrant domestic workers to Saudi Arabia

Abstract There is heated debate in contemporary Indonesia about the rights and regulation of transnational women migrants, specifically about the ‘costs to families’ of women working overseas, but little attention has been given to women migrants' own views of family or women's own motivations for migration. In this article, which is based on field work in a migrant-sending community in West Java, I focus on migrant women's narratives of transnational migration and employment as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia. I contribute to the literature on gender and transnational migration by exploring migrants' consumption desires and practices as reflective not only of commoditized exchange but also of affect and sentiment. In addition, I show in detail how religion and class inflect low-income women's narrations of morally appropriate mothering practices. In conclusion, I suggest that interpreting these debates from the ground up can contribute towards understanding the larger struggles animating the Indonesian state's contemporary relationships with women and Islam.
On finding shortest paths in nonnegative networks

A modification of Dantzig's algorithm for the all pairs shortest paths problem is given. The new algorithm applies only to graphs with nonnegative arc lengths. For an N-node complete graph it has a worst case running time of 23N^3 triple operations of the form D"i"j: = min(D"i"j, D"i"k + D"k"j) and N^2 log N other comparisons. This contrasts with a lower bound of N(N - 1) (N - 2) triples in any pure triple operation algorithm, and seems to be the first algorithm in which no operation need be repeated N^3 times. Sparsity and some other conditions may also be utilized.
Michael schudson, Alan Wolfe, and universal morality

(2000). Michael schudson, Alan Wolfe, and universal morality. The Communication Review: Vol. 4, The Transformation of Civic Life: Michael Schudson's The Good Citizen, pp. 121-128.
Ambiguity seeking in multi-attribute decisions: Effects of optimism and message framing

This paper investigates the influence of message framing and personality variables on preferences over ambiguity in the context of multi-attribute decision scenarios. Undergraduate subjects responded to scenarios in which one of two medical treatments was associated with ambiguous probabilities of treatment effects. Probabilities were either positively or negatively framed. Subjects indicated their degree of preference for one treatment over the other. Subjects' optimism, trait anxiety, health locus of control, need for cognitive structure, and current mood were measured. In two separate studies, subjects preferred ambiguity when probabilities were positively framed, and were neutral toward ambiguity when probabilities were negatively framed. Also, in both studies the preference for ambiguity in positively framed scenarios was greater for more optimistic subjects. The unexpected finding of ambiguity seeking may be associated with the use of different decision strategies in multi-attribute versus single-attribute decisions.
Impaired cardiac energy metabolism in embryos lacking adrenergic stimulation

As development proceeds from the embryonic to fetal stages, cardiac energy demands increase substantially, and oxidative phosphorylation of ADP to ATP in mitochondria becomes vital. Relatively litt...
Avian model for 13‐cis‐retinoic acid embryopathy: Morphological characterization of ventricular septal defects

In developing an avian model for 13-cis-retinoic acid (13cisRA) embryopathy, we found 13cisRA induced cardiovascular defects, especially Type I ventricular septal defects (VSDs) (Hart et al.: Teratology 41:463-472, '90). As the first step of investigating possible mechanisms, we have examined the light microscopic morphology of RA-induced cardiovascular defects in chick embryos. Fertilized eggs were injected via yolk sac with 150 micrograms 13cisRA in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), DMSO or mock injection on embryonic day 5 (E5). On E6, E7, or E8, surviving embryos were sacrificed and fixed in 10% formalin. Thoracic blocks were exised, embedded in paraffin and serially sectioned through the heart, base to apex. Slides were stained, screened for tissue orientation, then coded and evaluated without knowledge of treatment group. Examination of serial sections permitted qualitative evaluation of conotruncal ridge volume, mesenchymal organization, necrosis and extent of fusion. Extent of fusion was the only parameter influenced by 13cisRA treatment. On E6, ridge fusion was incomplete in all groups at comparable levels. On E7, ridge fusion in 13cisRA-treated embryos had not progressed as far proximally as in controls. By E8, there was a significant difference in the extent of fusion between 13cisRA-treated and non-RA-treated groups. We conclude 13cisRA-induced VSDs resulted from defective conotruncal ridge fusion and that the fusion defects did not result from decreased tissue volume, altered mesenchymal organization or increased necrosis.
Teaching revolutionary archaeology: African experiments in history making and heritage management

Este ensayo se enfoca en la experiencia de estudiantes africanos intentando estudiar y lograr administrar herencia en Tanzania y eritrea. El autor ilustra la necesidad de metodos practicos que enfatizan hacer decisiones independientes y el crecimiento de la auto-confianza personal en los contextos del desarrollo rapido y disturbios politicos. Estas perspectivas de ensenanza ofrecen una respuesta positiva de los estudiantes que ven oportunidades para realizar la arqueologia de su propia herencia desde su propio punto de vista.
Structural and kinetic analyses of arginine residues in the active site of the acetate kinase from Methanosarcina thermophila

Acetate kinase catalyzes transfer of the gamma-phosphate of ATP to acetate. The only crystal structure reported for acetate kinase is the homodimeric enzyme from Methanosarcina thermophila containing ADP and sulfate in the active site (Buss, K. A., Cooper, D. C., Ingram-Smith, C., Ferry, J. G., Sanders, D. A., and Hasson, M. S. (2001) J. Bacteriol. 193, 680-686). Here we report two new crystal structure of the M. thermophila enzyme in the presence of substrate and transition state analogs. The enzyme co-crystallized with the ATP analog adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate contained AMP adjacent to thiopyrophosphate in the active site cleft of monomer B. The enzyme co-crystallized with ADP, acetate, Al(3+), and F(-) contained a linear array of ADP-AlF(3)-acetate in the active site cleft of monomer B. Together, the structures clarify the substrate binding sites and support a direct in-line transfer mechanism in which AlF(3) mimics the meta-phosphate transition state. Monomers A of both structures contained ADP and sulfate, and the active site clefts were closed less than in monomers B, suggesting that domain movement contributes to catalysis. The finding that His(180) was in close proximity to AlF(3) is consistent with a role for stabilization of the meta-phosphate that is in agreement with a previous report indicating that this residue is essential for catalysis. Residue Arg(241) was also found adjacent to AlF(3), consistent with a role for stabilization of the transition state. Kinetic analyses of Arg(241) and Arg(91) replacement variants indicated that these residues are essential for catalysis and also indicated a role in binding acetate.
Combinatorial Approach to Determine Functional Group Effects on Lipidoid-Mediated siRNA Delivery

The application of RNA interference (RNAi), either in the clinic or in the laboratory, requires safe and effective delivery methods. Here, we develop a combinatorial approach to synthesize a library of delivery vectors based on two lipid-like substrates with known siRNA delivery capabilities. Members of this library have a mixture of lipid-like tails and feature appendages containing hydroxyl, carbamate, ether, or amine functional groups as well as variations in alkyl chain length and branching. Using a luciferase reporter system in HeLa cells, we studied the relationship between lipid chemical modification and delivery performance in vitro. The impact of the functional group was shown to vary depending on the overall amine content and tail number of the delivery vector. Additionally, in vivo performance was evaluated using a Factor VII knockdown assay. Two library members, each containing ether groups, were found to knock down the target protein at levels comparable to those of the parent delivery vector. These results demonstrate that small chemical changes to the delivery vector impact knockdown efficiency and cell viability both in vitro and in vivo. The work described here identifies new materials for siRNA delivery and provides new insight into the parameters for optimized chemical makeup of lipid-like siRNA delivery materials.
Interactions of the iron and phosphorus cycles: A three-dimensional model study

[1] We use an ocean circulation, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem model to explore the interactions between ocean circulation, macro- and micro-nutrient supply to the euphotic layer, and biological productivity. The model suggests a tight coupling between the degree of iron limitation in the upwelling subpolar and tropical oceans and the productivity of the adjacent subtropical gyres. This coupling is facilitated by lateral Ekman transfer of macro-nutrients in the surface ocean. We describe a coarse resolution configuration of the MIT ocean circulation and biogeochemistry model in which there are fully prognostic representations of the oceanic cycles of phosphorus, iron, and silicon. The pelagic ecosystem is represented using two functional groups of phytoplankton and a single grazer. Using present-day forcing, the model qualitatively captures the observed basin and gyre scale patterns of nutrient distributions and productivity. In a suite of sensitivity studies we find significant regional variations in response to changes in the aeolian iron supply. In a dustier (model) world, the Southern Ocean and Indo-Pacific upwelling regions are more productive, but there is a decrease in productivity in the subtropical gyres and throughout the Atlantic basin. These results can be described most easily by a simple conceptual classification of the Southern and Indo-Pacific oceans into two regimes: (1) upwelling, iron limited regions and (2) macro-nutrient limited, oligotrophic subtropical gyres. Enhancing the aeolian iron supply to the upwelling regions relieves iron limitation and increases local primary and export production, but reduces the Ekman transfer of phosphate to the neighboring subtropical gyres. Consequently, over time, the gyres become further depleted in macro-nutrients and productivity decreases in response to global scale iron fertilization. In a large-scale analogy, the macro-nutrient budget of the Atlantic is maintained by lateral transfer of nutrients in the upper ocean. Enhanced aeolian supply of iron leads to increased productivity in the Southern Ocean and Indo-Pacific upwelling regions, reducing the lateral transfer of macro-nutrients to the Atlantic basin, which becomes increasingly macro-nutrient limited throughout.
A fiber-optic retroreflective turbidimeter for continuously monitoring cell concentration during fermentation.

A fiber-optic retroreflective turbidimeter has been developed to automatically and continuously assay the cell concentration in a fermentor by measuring the turbidity of the solution as a function of the light scattered at 180° to the incident light. The output signal is nearly directly proportional to the cell concentration in a fermentor when the sample stream contains from 0 to more than 50 g of cells per liter (wet weight). The device consists of a bifurcated fiber-optics light pipe with its distal end inserted into a flow cell through which the material to be analyzed passes. A light source on one proximal branch of the light pipe illuminates the sample stream; light that is back-scattered from participates in the stream re-enters the light pipe and is returned to a photodetector on the other proximal branch of the light pipe. A signal conditioning system connected to the optical head by a cable provides gain and zero adjustment.
Rocks, views, soils and plants at the temples of ancient Greece

This study explores bedrock geology, topographic setting, compass orientation, soil profile and plant cover at 84 temples of Classical (480-338 BC) mainland Greece, several Aegean islands and Cyprus. A striking pattern emerges: the soil and vegetation matches the dedications to particular deities, suggesting an economic basis for particular cults.
High-speed high-strength fiber drawing

A review of high-speed drawing and coating of optical waveguide fiber, and related work is given. This paper also includes a discussion on the effects of fiber pulling at a high draw rate on the optical and mechanical properties of the silica fiber. The coating mechanics that describes high-speed coating application in terms of process variables is explained. Finally, recent achievements with fibers coated at high speeds are presented.
SoC integration challenges for a power management/analog baseband IC for 3G wireless chipsets

An integrated power management/analog baseband integrated circuit has been developed in 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. The IC features multiple low-dropout (LDO) linear voltage regulators, power switches, DC/DC switching converters, a voice band CODEC, and WCDMA and GSM baseband converters all sharing the same substrate. This paper examines the design challenges associated with power management and analog baseband system on a chip (SoC) integration. Optimal floorplanning, power device isolation, shielding, power distribution, reference generation, and noise reduction strategies and techniques are discussed.
Bcl-2 over-expression fails to prevent age-related loss of calretinin positive neurons in the mouse dentate gyrus

Cognitive performance declines with increasing age. Possible cellular mechanisms underlying this age-related functional decline remain incompletely understood. Early studies attributed this functional decline to age-related neuronal loss. Subsequent studies using unbiased stereological techniques found little or no neuronal loss during aging. However, studies using specific cellular markers found age-related loss of specific neuronal types. To test whether there is age-related loss of specific neuronal populations in the hippocampus, and subsequently, whether over-expression of the B-cell lymphoma protein-2 (Bcl-2) in these neurons could delay possible age-related neuronal loss, we examined calretinin (CR) positive neurons in the mouse dentate gyrus during aging. In normal mice, there was an age-related loss of CR positive cells in the dentate gyrus. At the same region, there was no significant decrease of total numbers of neurons, which suggested that age-related loss of CR positive cells was due to the decrease of CR expression in these cells instead of cell death. In the transgenic mouse line over-expressing Bcl-2 in neurons, there was an age-related loss of CR positive cells. Interestingly, there was also an age-related neuronal loss in this transgenic mouse line. These data suggest an age-related loss of CR positive neurons but not total neuronal loss in normal mice and this age-related neuronal change is not prevented by Bcl-2 over-expression.
Interface-adhesion-enhanced bi-layer conformal coating for avionics application

A flexible, smooth, low profile conformal coating was developed for encapsulation of a MEMS applied to sense static pressure on aircraft during flight testing. The encapsulant should protect the MEMS and the MCM from environmental conditions, i.e. mechanical shock, temperature fluctuation, engine fuel and oil contamination, and moisture/mobile ion permeation. Conventional electronics packaging schemes cannot satisfy this specific outdoor application, and a new encapsulation combination was designed for the requirement of reliability without hermeticity (RWOH). A bi-layer structure was selected due to the limitations of single materials. Pliable elastomeric silicones are flexible, water repellent, and abrasion resistant. The silicone encapsulant is applied to planarize the MEMS surface and function as durable dielectric insulation, stress-relief, and shock/vibration absorbers over a wide humidity/temperature range. To compensate for the deficiency of silicone on engine fuel/oil contamination, parylene C is deposited afterward. This bi-layer coating has excellent bulk properties, e.g. moisture and mobile ion barrier resistance, chemical compatibility, and electrical insulation characteristics. However, the poor parylene C-silicone adhesion greatly restricts its application. To address this problem, silane coupling agents were used as adhesion promoters. Significant adhesion improvements were achieved by placing an interlayer silane coupling agent to provide interfacial bonding to the silicone elastomeric surface and parylene C film. Another possible adhesion enhancement mechanism is also presented.
Differencing and Merging of Architectural Views

Existing approaches to differencing and merging architectural views are based on restrictive assumptions such as requiring view elements to have unique identifiers or exactly matching types. We propose an approach based on structural information by generalizing a published polynomial-time tree-to-tree correction algorithm (that detects inserts, renames and deletes) into a novel algorithm to additionally detect restricted moves and support forcing and preventing matches between view elements. We incorporate the algorithm into tools to compare and merge component-and-connector (C&C) architectural views. Finally, we provide an empirical evaluation of the algorithm on case studies to find and reconcile interesting divergences between architectural views.
The Role of Adjunctive Exenatide Therapy in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Exenatide improves postprandial glycemic excursions in type 2 diabetes. Exenatide could benefit type 1 diabetes as well. We aimed to determine an effective and safe glucose-lowering adjuvant exenatide dose in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Eight subjects completed a three-part double-blinded randomized controlled study of premeal exenatide. Two doses of exenatide (1.25 and 2.5 μg) were compared with insulin monotherapy. Prandial insulin dose was reduced by 20%. Gastric emptying and hormones were analyzed for 300 min postmeal. RESULTS Treatment with both doses of exenatide versus insulin monotherapy significantly reduced glucose excursions over 300 min ( P P CONCLUSIONS Adjunctive exenatide therapy reduces postprandial hyperglycemia in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. This reduction in glucose excursion occurs despite reduction in insulin dose. We suggest that exenatide has therapeutic potential as adjunctive therapy in type 1 diabetes.
SIR WALDRON SMITHERS AND THE MUDDLE OF THE TORY MIDDLE

Waldron Smithers was highly critical of Attlee's post-war Labour government and placed much weight on Hayek having dedicated The Road to Serfdom to ‘the Socialists of all parties’. Accordingly, Smithers was assiduous in combating what he saw as a dangerous turn towards middle-way policy within his own party in the late 1940s.
The Role of Curiosity in Global Managers' Decision-Making

The on-going transformation of business from domestic to global can have a significant impact on managers in terms of their lack of experience (i.e., tacit knowledge) and, frequently, in terms of their level of formal training relative to global issues (i.e., codified knowledge). This lack of knowledge can be expected to engender an unacceptable level of lack of decision-making self-efficacy, with attendant difficulties, with regard to successfully converting domestic managers into successful global managers. This paper examines the role that curiosity plays in initiating the learning process in newly appointed global managers. Key Words: globalization, global management, curiosity, assessing the level of curiosity in global managers.
The Long Term Benefits of a Comprehensive Teenage Pregnancy Program

A comprehensive program was founded in 1982 to provide adolescents with prenatal and family planning care. The program's impact through its first five years of operation on medical aspects of pregnancy course and fetal outcome will be the subject of a separate report. This study examines subsequent maternal and infant health of the patients attending the program compared to a control group. Four hundred ninety-eight adolescents and their newborns attending the program's mother-baby family planning clinic from 1982 to 1989 (subject group) were compared to ninety-one adolescents and their newborns receiving postpartum family planning and pediatrics clinics from 1980 through 1989 (control group). Seventy-five percent of the subject group regularly attended mother-baby clinic, compared to 18% of the control group attending family planning and pediatric clinics (P≤.0001). The subject group experienced less maternal and infant morbidity, greater school attendance, graduation, employment, and contraceptive use t...
Cuticular hydrocarbon synthesis and its maternal provisioning to embryos in the viviparous cockroach Diploptera punctata.

Embryos of the viviparous cockroach Diploptera punctata accumulate large amounts of hydrocarbon (HC) of either maternal or embryonic origin. HC synthesis and its accumulation in maternal and embryonic tissues were measured over the course of gestation. Female abdominal integument was the only tissue that synthesized appreciable amounts of HC in vitro, and did so at an increasing rate from the time of mating to mid-pregnancy, when rates of synthesis declined. The embryos synthesized HC at rates o1% those of the female, showing that the majority of HC detected in and on embryos was of maternal origin. The brood sac that houses the developing embryos did not synthesize HC in vitro, indicating that HC must be transported from the female abdominal integument to the embryos. The mass of female epicuticular HC was constant at � 183mg, while her internal HC increased fourfold frommating to mid-pregnancy, then declined until parturition. The decline in internal HC reflected both declining HC synthesis in the female and greater export to the embryos, as embryonic internal HC increased 250-fold prior to parturition. An external HC coating over the oothecal covering and chorion of the embryos increased to mid-pregnancy, then declined. Unlike oviparous cockroaches, D. punctata females fed throughout the reproductive cycle, reflecting the nutritional demands of continuously provisioning the developing embryos. r 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Development of the backscattered intensity integral imaging technique for the detection of micro-channels in shelf-stable food packages

Hermetically sealed flexible food packages require a very effective seal integrity test to guarantee the quality of thermally processed food. In this contribution a new ultrasonic pulse-echo technique called Back-scattered Intensity Integral (BII)-mode imaging for the detection of microchannel defects in these types of food packages is proposed and evaluated. The BII technique integrates the received backscattered signal of each A-line and produces an integrated spatial map, a BII-mode image. It has been shown that the BII-mode image has the ability for subwavelength detection of channel defects. For example, that a 10 /spl mu/m-diameter channel defect can be detected at a center frequency of 15 MHz (/spl lambda//spl ap/140 /spl mu/m).
A programming approach to optimizing pollutants in interindustry analysis

The main purpose of the study is to derive a penalty function which will seek an efficient production technology for producing a certain amount of commodities with a minimum amount of pollution. In this study production is regarded as the only source of pollution. The pollutant is treated as any other commodity and is directly related to the flow of material production, the level of technology and the final demand for goods. The pollutants are quantified in some common abstract unit of measurement. The problem of pollution estimation is treated within the traditional static input-output framework with an added feature of pollution creation and pollution elimination activities.
Assessing the productive vocabulary of Spanish-English bilingual toddlers from low-income families

This study investigates the utility and validity of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) for use with low-income parents and their 24- to 36-month-old Spanish–English bilingual children (n = 79). Issues in the interpretation of the integrated CDI/Inventarios del Desarrollo de Habilidades Comunicativas (IDHC) score to index bilingual children's overall conceptual knowledge are also considered. Results indicate that the CDI/IDHC can be used with this population through at least age 36 months and parents are accurate reporters of their children's Spanish and English vocabulary. The value of the integrated score was confirmed. However, given the lack of norms associated with the integrated score, the complexity of determining how best to interpret this score was underscored.