cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Critical Role for the Extended N Terminus of Chlamydial MreB in Directing Its Membrane Association and Potential Interaction with Divisome Proteins.

ABSTRACT Chlamydiae lack the conserved central coordinator protein of cell division FtsZ, a tubulin-like homolog. Current evidence indicates that Chlamydia uses the actin-like homolog, MreB, to substitute for the role of FtsZ in a polarized division mechanism. Interestingly, we observed MreB as a ring at the septum in dividing cells of Chlamydia. We hypothesize that MreB, to substitute for FtsZ in Chlamydia, must possess unique properties compared to canonical MreB orthologs. Sequence differences between chlamydial MreB and orthologs in other bacteria revealed that chlamydial MreB possesses an extended N-terminal region, harboring predicted amphipathicity, as well as the conserved amphipathic helix found in other bacterial MreBs. The conserved amphipathic helix-directed green fluorescent protein (GFP) to label the membrane uniformly in Escherichia coli but the extended N-terminal region did not. However, the extended N-terminal region together with the conserved amphipathic region directed GFP to restrict the membrane label to the cell poles. In Chlamydia, the extended N-terminal region was sufficient to direct GFP to the membrane, and this localization was independent of an association with endogenous MreB. Importantly, mutating the extended N-terminal region to reduce its amphipathicity resulted in the accumulation of GFP in the cytosol of the chlamydiae and not in the membrane. The N-terminal domain of MreB was not required for homotypic interactions but was necessary for interactions with cell division components RodZ and FtsK. Our data provide mechanistic support for chlamydial MreB to serve as a substitute for FtsZ by forming a ringlike structure at the site of polarized division. IMPORTANCEChlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen, causing sexually transmitted diseases and trachoma. The study of chlamydial physiology is important for developing novel therapeutic strategies for these diseases. Chlamydiae divide by a unique MreB-dependent polarized cell division process. In this study, we investigated unique properties of chlamydial MreB and observed that chlamydial species harbor an extended N-terminal region possessing amphipathicity. MreB formed a ring at the septum, like FtsZ in Escherichia coli, and its localization was dependent upon the amphipathic nature of its extended N terminus. Furthermore, this region is crucial for the interaction of MreB with cell division proteins. Given these results, chlamydial MreB likely functions at the septum as a scaffold for divisome proteins to regulate cell division in this organism.
Occupational stressors of dental hygienists in the United States.

BACKGROUND Demand of the work environment can cause stress. Stress can cause anxiety, depression, reduced productivity, job dissatisfaction, and health issues. Unfortunately, little attention has been placed on the stressors of dental hygienists. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine occupational stressors related to personal, environmental, and physical stressors and their relationship to job satisfaction and burnout of dental hygienists. METHODS Survey research was conducted with a convenience sample of practicing dental hygienists (n = 763). The survey instrument consisted of 10 scales from the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire and four questions related to burnout. RESULTS Job satisfaction was affected by work overload, anxiety, depression, and emotional demands. Leaving clinical dental hygiene in the next year was affected by physical stress (p < 0.05), and burnout was related to the emotional demands (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Dental hygiene has a significant emotional component to the profession and these emotional demands were more likely to lead to burnout and affect job satisfaction. Physical demands were related to dental hygienists leaving clinical dental hygiene. Attention needs to be paid to these stressors to enhance retention and job satisfaction of dental hygienists.
Development of terrestrial millimeter-wave communications

Point-to-point millimeter-wave communications have now been extensively developed. This presentation will summarize the applications and give state-of-the-art performance for several examples at frequencies above 30 GHz. Particular emphasis will be placed on the parameters of multi-channel, solid state systems operating in the 36 to 38.6 GHz and 54 to 60 GHz regions.
Merging Fungal and Bacterial Community Profiles via an Internal Control

Integrated measurements of fungi and bacteria are critical to understand how interactions between these taxa drive key processes in ecosystems ranging from soils to animal guts. High-throughput amplicon sequencing is commonly used to census microbiomes, but the genetic markers targeted for fungi and bacteria (typically ribosomal regions) are domain-specific so profiling must be performed separately, obscuring relationships between these groups. To solve this problem, we developed a spike-in method with an internal control (IC) construct containing primer sites commonly used for bacterial and fungal taxonomic profiling. The internal control offers several advantages: estimation of absolute abundances, estimation of fungal to bacterial ratios (F:B), integration of bacterial and fungal profiles for holistic community analysis, and lower costs compared to other quantitation methods. To validate the IC as a scaling method, we compared IC-derived measures of F:B to measures from quantitative PCR (qPCR) using a commercial mock community (the ZymoBiomic Microbial Community DNA Standard II, containing two fungi and eight bacteria) and complex environmental samples. For both the mock community and the environmental samples, the IC produced F:B values that were statistically consistent with qPCR. Merging the environmental fungal and bacterial profiles based on the IC-derived F:B values revealed new relationships among samples in terms of community similarity. This IC method is the first spike-in method to employ a single construct for cross-domain amplicon sequencing, offering more reliable measurements.
ICTs and Domestic Violence (DV): Exploring Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

The use of information communication technologies (ICTs) to empower individuals through social support, help-seeking, and help-providing activities is finding its place in healthcare delivery. ICTs, in particular, offer access to timely and relevant information that domestic violence victims and organizations can tap into. Thus, this article explores the use of ICTs for providing and facilitating support and care-giving services to victims/survivors of domestic violence with online communities and other groups.
Telehealth Interventions for Family Caregivers of Persons with Chronic Health Conditions: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective The purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth analysis of the components and outcomes of telehealth interventions for family caregivers of individuals with chronic health conditions. Methods A systematic review of 17 databases was conducted for randomized controlled trials published between January 2002 and January 2017. Interventions were analyzed based on type of telecommunication modality, caregiver and care recipient characteristics, intervention components, and caregiver outcomes. Results A total of 57 articles met criteria for inclusion. Telephone was the most frequently used mode of telehealth delivery and focused primarily on caregivers of older adults with dementia and stroke. Skills training was the most prevalent treatment strategy across telephone, web, and combined telephone and web modalities. Improved psychological functioning was reported most frequently across telehealth modalities. Conclusion Telehealth is an effective tool in delivering caregiver interventions and leads to significant improvement in caregiver outcomes. Telephone was used most often to deliver cognitive-behavioral and psychoeducational strategies as compared to web and combined telephone and web modalities. Further research is needed to examine the effects of telehealth interventions on caregiving skills and self-efficacy, as well as health outcomes.
Contact Mode Guided Motion Planning for Quasidynamic Dexterous Manipulation in 3D

This paper presents Contact Mode Guided Manipulation Planning (CMGMP) for general 3D quasistatic and quasidynamic rigid body motion planning in dexterous manipulation. The CMGMP algorithm generates hybrid motion plans including both continuous state transitions and discrete contact mode switches, without the need for pre-specified contact sequences or pre-designed motion primitives. The key idea is to use automatically enumerated contact modes to guide the tree expansions during the search. Contact modes automatically synthesize manipulation primitives, while the sampling-based planning framework sequences those primitives into a coherent plan. We test our algorithm on many simulated 3D manipulation tasks, and validate our models by executing the plans open-loop on a real robot-manipulator system.
Enabling Cross-technology Communication from LoRa to ZigBee via Payload Encoding in Sub-1 GHz Bands

Low-power wireless mesh networks (LPWMNs) have been widely used in wireless monitoring and control applications. Although LPWMNs work satisfactorily most of the time thanks to decades of research, ...
Chapter 5 Cholesterol absorption and metabolism by the intestinal epithelium

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses cholesterol absorption and metabolism by the intestinal epithelium. Cholesterol is essential for most mammalian cells where it is utilized either as a major structural component of membranes or as a substrate for the synthesis of more specialized sterols. Because of this critical role, mechanisms exist for maintaining cholesterol balance across the body so that the rate of sterol acquisition essentially equals the rate of sterol degradation and excretion, even under circumstances where there may be marked daily variation in the content of cholesterol in the diet. The intestinal mucosa plays a critical role in maintaining this balance because it is (1) the only site for absorption of dietary cholesterol, (2) one of the major organs involved in the de novo synthesis of cholesterol, and (3) essentially the only organ involved in the excretion of cholesterol and its metabolites. The chapter describes the central role of the intestinal epithelial cell in cholesterol metabolism and discusses the origin of the cholesterol in intestinal lymph.
SEPTIC ARTHRITIS IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN: A REVIEW OF 117 CASES

A review of 117 cases of septic arthritis in infants and children revealed that the concept of staphylococci and streptococci as the major etiologic organisms should be modified to stress the frequency of Hemophilus influenzae in the 6-month to 2-year age bracket and to emphasize the variety of bacteria that must be anticipated in individual cases. Suggestions are made for increasing the frequency of bacteriologic diagnoses and for initiating the antibiotic therapy of patients with septic arthritis based upon age groups and observations of bacterial stains of joint fluid.
The interaction of hydrogen with polycrystalline zirconium: II. The effect of preadsorbed oxygen

Abstract An investigation into the low temperature (300 to 1000 K) behavior of the hydrogen/polycrystalline zirconium system has revealed an interesting binding state for hydrogen which has a desorption temperature of 500 K. This state involves surface oxygen, believed to be in the form of hydroxyl groups. Furthermore, the surface oxygen appears to attract hydrogen from the metal, suggesting a low energy path for the removal of hydrogen from zirconium.
A big data approach to assessing the US higher education service

There are a number of ranking systems to provide assessment services on higher education regionally, nationally, or internationally. Note that the subjective evaluation index and indicator inclusions and weights that are usually applied in current ranking systems. As a result, the question of the objectivity and impartiality of the provided rankings arises. One of our studies addressed these concerns by applying a quantitative and model-driven approach to acquiring the evaluation index and factor weights, which was successfully validated in the US News & World Report ranking system [1]. To extend our earlier study, this paper further shows a very interesting result by developing a real-time, scalable, and model-driven higher education ranking system with the support of big data technologies. This extended study reveals promising potential in enhancing varieties of applications across the service industry.
Intestinal Uptake of Macromolecules. VI. Uptake of Protein Antigen In Vivo in Normal Rats and in Rats Infected with Nippostrongylus brasifiensis or Subjected to Mild Systemic Anaphylaxis

Adult Sprague-Dawley rats weighing ∼250 g were fed bovine serum albumin and sodium bicarbonate by gavage. Serum was obtained at intervals after feeding and tested for immunoreactive bovine serum albumin by radioimmunoassay. Nanogram amounts of immunoreactive bovine serum albumin were detected in serum; peak values were obtained after 4 and 6 hr. The influence of intestinal inflammation on protein uptake was examined in two model systems. Infection of rats with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis was accompanied by partial villous atrophy in the intestinal segments harboring adult worms and mild systemic anaphylaxis in the rat was accompanied by increased intestinal vascular and mucosal permeability. Enhanced uptake of BSA was observed before and shortly after self-cure of infection and during mild systemic anaphylaxis. The molecular size of immunoreactive bovine serum albumin approximated that of the administered bovine serum albumin; no small fragments of bovine serum albumin bearing antigenic determinants were detected.
Spectral and noise characteristics of Fabry-perot and DFB 14xx nm InGaAs/InP pump lasers for Raman and Er-doped fiber amplifiers

14xx nm InGaAsP/InP DFB and Fabry-Perot ridge waveguide lasers with comparable performance were fabricated. Spectral and noise characteristics of these devices are compared and contrasted. Single frequency and multifrequency DFB devices display low RIN values of -165 dB/Hz.
Activation of Nfatc2 in osteoblasts causes osteopenia.

Nuclear factor of activated T-cells (Nfat) c1 to c4 are transcription factors that play an undisputable role in osteoclastogenesis. However, Nfat function in osteoblastic cells is controversial. Constitutive activation of Nfatc1 and c2 in osteoblasts suppresses cell function, although the study of Nfat in vivo has yielded conflicting results. To establish the consequences of Nfatc2 activation in osteoblasts, we generated transgenic mice where a 3.6 kb fragment of the collagen type I α1 promoter directs expression of a constitutively active Nfatc2 mutant (Col3.6-Nfatc2). The skeletal phenotype of Col3.6-Nfatc2 mice of both sexes and of sex-matched littermate controls was investigated by microcomputed tomography and histomorphometry. Col3.6- Nfatc2 mice were born at the expected Mendelian ratio and appeared normal. Nfatc2 expression was confirmed in parietal bones from 1 and 3 month old transgenic mice. One month old Col3.6-Nfatc2 female mice exhibited cancellous bone compartment osteopenia secondary to a 30% reduction in bone formation. In contrast, cancellous femoral bone volume and bone formation were not altered in male transgenics, whereas osteoblast number was higher, suggesting incomplete osteoblast maturation. Indices of bone resorption were not affected in either sex. At 3 months of age, the skeletal phenotype evolved; and Col3.6-Nfatc2 male mice exhibited vertebral osteopenia, whereas femoral cancellous bone was not affected in either sex. Nfatc2 activation in osteoblasts had no impact on cortical bone structure. Nfatc2 activation inhibited alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralized nodule formation in bone marrow stromal cell cultures. In conclusion, Nfatc2 activation in osteoblasts inhibits bone formation and causes cancellous bone osteopenia. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 1689–1695, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company
Rational drug design and synthesis of a selective ε opioid receptor antagonist on the basis of the accessory site concept

To newly synthesize a selective e opioid receptor antagonist, 17-(cyclopropylmethyl)-4,5α-epoxy-6β,21-epoxymethano-3-hydroxy-6,14-endoethenomorphinan-7α-(N-phenethyl)carboxamide was first designed from an e opioid receptor agonist TAN-821 on the basis of the accessory site concept. The designed compound antagonized the agonistic effects induced by an e opioid receptor agonist β-endorphin on the rat vas deference test. Moreover, the designed compound blocked the antinociception induced by β-endorphin given intracerebroventricularly.
A Characterization of the CH2ã1A1(1,2,0),(2,0,0),(0,5,0),(1,3,0) and b̃1B1(1,142,0),(0,180,0),(0,191,0) Vibronic Levels by Fourier-Transform Dispersed Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Abstract The CH 2 a 1 A 1 , (1, 2, 0), (2, 0, 0), (0, 5, 0), (1, 3, 0) and b 1 B 1 (1, 14 2 , 0), (0, 18 0 , 0), (0, 19 1 , 0) levels are characterized by Fourier-transform dispersed fluorescence spectroscopy (FTDFS). Rotational transitions in the b ← a 1 1 0 2 14 0 , 2 18 0 , and 2 19 0 fluorescence excitation bands and those of the b → a 1 0 1 2 16 2 , 1 0 1 2 17 2 , 1 0 2 2 16 0 , 2 18 5 , 2 19 5 , 1 0 1 2 18 3 and 1 1 0 2 19 3 bands in dispersed fluorescence spectra have been assigned. The rotational constants and vibrational term values for these vibrational levels have been obtained. Due to the limits brought by Renner-Teller coupling and Franck-Condon factors, this work, along with previous studies on lower vibrational levels, has characterized almost all a vibrational levels detectable in the b ↔ a transitions.
The complementarity principle and the origin of macromolecular information.

I am going to try to revitalize an old and controversial relationship which appears to have lost much of its significance and excite­ ment largely through a kind of superficial familiarity. This is the relation between bio­ logical information and biological structure. It is now common jargon even among the most reductionistic molecular biologists to speak of information in macromolecules, such as gene­ tic DNA, hormones or immunoglobulins, as if information were a physical property like their structure and chemistry. But, as Kendrew (1967) and Stent (1968) have so clearly recalled, the origin of molecular biology involved 2 disjoint and even hostile groups: the structurists with an ancestry of experi­ mental X-ray crystallographers going back to Bemal, Astbury and the Braggs; and the informationists with an ancestry in phage genetics associated with Delbruck, but with strong hereditary influences from Schrodinger and Bohr. As Kendrew and Stent saw it over a decade ago, there existed 2 schools of molecular biologists, "structurists and informationists, three-dimensionists, and one-dimensionists," whose conceptual foundations had little in common. The structurists were largely moti­ vated by the power of their experimental technique, X-ray diffraction, to eventually determine the three-dimensional atomic stucture of proteins and nucleic acids, reflecting what Stent (1968) calls a "down-to-earth view of the relation of physics to biology, namely that all biological phenomena, no matter what their complexity, can ultimately be accounted for in terms of conventional physical laws." By contrast, the information­ ists were largely motivated by theoretical doubts of the adequacy of physics to explain life, in any reductionistic or purely objective sense. These doubts were suggestively ex­ pressed by Bohr (1934) and Schrodinger (1945) who did not speak in informational jargon, since it did not exist at the time, but who were nevertheless both focusing on informational questions: Bohr on the pro­ blem of measurement and its possible inter­ ference with vital dynamics, and Schrodinger on the problem of explaining the incredible reliability of genetic instructions. There was,
Influence of continental roots and asthenosphere on plate-mantle coupling

The shear tractions that mantle flow exerts on the base of Earth's lithosphere contribute to plate-driving forces and lithospheric stresses. We investigate the sensitivity of these tractions to sub-lithospheric viscosity variations by comparing shear tractions computed from a mantle flow model featuring laterally-varying lithosphere and asthenosphere viscosity with those from a model with layered viscosity. Lateral viscosity variations generally do not change the direction of shear tractions, but deeply penetrating continental roots increase traction magnitudes by a factor of 2-5 compared to 100 km thick lithosphere. A low-viscosity asthenosphere decreases traction magnitudes by a smaller amount, and is important only if >100 km thick. Increased plate-mantle coupling beneath thick continental lithosphere may increase plate-driving forces, surface deformation, and mantle-derived lithospheric stresses in these regions. By contrast, a low-viscosity asthenosphere does not decouple the lithosphere from mantle flow, highlighting the geological importance of mantle tractions on the lithosphere.
INFRARED AND ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROSCOPY OF WATER-CONTAINING CLUSTERS OF INDOLE, 1-METHYLINDOLE, AND 3-METHYLINDOLE

A combination of resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI), resonant ion-dip infrared spectroscopy (RIDIRS), and infrared−ultraviolet (IR−UV) hole-burning spectroscopy is used to characterize the hydrogen-bonding topologies of indole−(water)1,2, 1-methylindole−(water)1-3, and 3-methylindole−(water)1 clusters formed and cooled in a supersonic expansion. The combination of methods provides a means of disentangling R2PI spectra that contain contributions from more than one species in the same mass channel due either to fragmentation or to the presence of conformational isomers. Density functional theory calculations (DFT Becke3LYP/6-31+G*) of the structures, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and infrared intensities provide a basis for distinguishing which structures are observed experimentally. The clusters studied exhibit a range of solvation structures around indole. In the indole−(water)1 and 3-methylindole−(water)1 complexes, the RIDIR spectra provide a benchmark frequency shift for the N−H···OH2 H-bonds in...
Peripheral intravenous alimentation of the small premature infant.

The feasibility of giving high-calorie feedings through a peripheral vein to the small and weak premature infant was tested in a neonatal center. Fourteen unselected infants whose birth weights were less than 1,251 Gm. were given a solution containing 65 calories per 100 ml. at rates up to 120 ml. per kilogram per day for a period of 5 to 22 days while oral feedings were being established. This regimen permitted delay in the introduction of oral feeding and restraint in increasing the volume offered to infants at particular risk. Average gain in weight of the 10 survivors was satisfactory. No apparent complications from this method of feeding was observed.
Phospholipid subclass specific alterations in the passive ion permeability of membrane bilayers: separation of enthalpic and entropic contributions to transbilayer ion flux.

Alterations in phospholipid class, subclass, and individual molecular species contribute to the diversity of biologic membranes, but their effects on membrane passive ion permeability have not been systematically studied. Herein, we developed a simple and efficient fluorescence technique based upon the loss of valinomycin-inducible membrane potential to characterize the passive flux of ions across phospholipid bilayers. Detailed kinetic characterization of ion flux across membrane bilayers composed of discrete chemical entities demonstrated that the class, subclass, and individual molecular species of each phospholipid have substantive effects on membrane passive ion permeability properties. Increasing the degree of unsaturation in either the sn-1 or sn-2 aliphatic chains in phosphatidylcholine markedly enhanced transmembrane ion flux, with over 10-fold differences in the first-order rate constant manifested in molecular species containing four double bonds in comparison to those possessing three double b...
Chemokine/cytokine profiling after rituximab: Reciprocal expression of BCA-1/CXCL13 and BAFF in childhood OMS

The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that B-cell repopulation following rituximab (anti-CD20) therapy is orchestrated by chemokines and non-chemokine cytokines. Twenty-five children with opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) received rituximab with or without conventional agents. A comprehensive panel of 40 chemokines and other cytokines were measured in serum by ELISA and multiplexed fluorescent bead-based immunoassay. Serum BAFF concentration changed dramatically (even after first infusion) and inversely with B-cell depletion/repopulation and CXCL13 concentration at 1, 3, and 6 months. Negative correlations were found for BAFF concentration vs blood B cell percentage and serum CXCL13 concentration; positive correlations with serum rituximab concentrations. Six months after initiation of therapy, no significant difference in the levels of APRIL, CXCL10, IL-6, or 17 other cytokines/chemokines were detected. These data reveal a major role for BAFF in peripheral B cell repopulation following rituximab-induced B-cell depletion, and novel changes in CXCL13. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT0024436.
024 Maximising efficiency in updating guidelines through prioritisation of clinical questions

Background To maximise efficiency in updating clinical guidelines it is important to understand which of its component clinical questions impact patient care most. Evaluating, editing, and prioritising of each clinical question is required to identify those that warrant updating. Objectives To describe the methods used by a US health care delivery organisation to prioritise questions within an integrated cardiovascular guideline to determine those that were most important for updating. Methods 127 clinical questions within an integrated cardiovascular guideline were ranked (using a Likert scale of 1–9) by importance for literature monitoring by clinical experts in each disease domain of the guideline. Examples of factors that influenced rankings included existence of high quality systematic reviews, knowledge that current evidence was relatively unchanged, and the notion that the question was no longer clinically relevant. Questions ranked 7–9 in importance for literature monitoring were considered most important for updating. Conversely, questions with low rankings were considered for retirement. Results Of 127 questions ranked, 16 were identified as important for literature updating; 12 were retired. We were able to address the most important questions and avoid updating delays of 6–18 months. Discussion Having these questions prioritised at the outset of updating allowed the healthcare organisation to ensure that the most important clinical questions were being addressed thus making the most efficient use of resources. Implications for Guideline Developers/Users Evaluating, editing, and prioritising clinical questions improves efficiency when updating guidelines.
Epithelial stem cells of the eye surface

. Objectives: Epithelial stem cells of the eye surface, of the cornea and of the conjunctiva, have the ability to give rise to self renewal and progeny production of differentiated cells with no apparent limit. The two epithelia are separated from each other by the transition zone of the limbus. The mechanisms adopted by stem cells of the two epithelia to accomplish their different characteristics, and how their survival, replacement and unequal division that generates differentiated progeny formation are controlled, are complex and still poorly understood. They can be learned only by understanding how stem cells/progenitors are regulated by their neighbouring cells, that may themselves be differently unspecialised, forming particular microenvironments, known as ‘niches’. Stem cells operate by signals and a variety of intercellular interactions and extracellular substrates with adjacent cells in the niche. Technical advances are now making it possible to identify zones in the corneal limbus and conjunctiva that can house stem cells, to isolate and expand them ex vivo and to control their behaviour creating optimal niche conditions. With improvements in biotechnology, regenerative cornea and conjunctiva transplantation using adult epithelial stem cells becomes now a reality. Results and Conclusions: Here we review our current understanding of stem cell niches and illustrate recent significant progress for identification and characterization of adult epithelial stem cells/progenitors at cellular, molecular and mechanistic levels, improvement in cell culture techniques for their selective expansion ex vivo and prospects for a variety of therapeutic applications.
The molecular interstellar medium of dwarf galaxies on kiloparsec scales : A new survey for co in northern, iras-detected dwarf galaxies

We present a new survey for CO in dwarf galaxies using the ARO Kitt Peak 12 m telescope. This survey consists of observations of the central regions of 121 northern dwarfs with IRAS detections and no known CO emission. We detect CO in 28 of these galaxies and marginally detect another 16, increasing by about 50% the number of such galaxies known to have significant CO emission. The galaxies we detect are comparable in stellar and dynamical mass to the Large Magellanic Cloud, although somewhat brighter in CO and fainter in the far-IR. Within dwarfs, we find that the CO luminosity LCO is most strongly correlated with the K-band and the far-infrared luminosities. There are also strong correlations with the radio continuum (RC) and B-band luminosities and linear diameter. Conversely, we find that far-IR dust temperature is a poor predictor of CO emission within the dwarfs alone, although a good predictor of normalized CO content among a larger sample of galaxies. We suggest that LCO and LK correlate well because the stellar component of a galaxy dominates the midplane gravitational field and thus sets the pressure and density of the atomic gas, which control the formation of H2 from H I. We compare our sample with more massive galaxies and find that dwarfs and large galaxies obey the same relationship between CO and the 1.4 GHz RC surface brightness. This relationship is well described by a Schmidt law with ΣRC ∝ Σ. Therefore, dwarf galaxies and large spirals exhibit the same relationship between molecular gas and star formation rate (SFR). We find that this result is robust to moderate changes in the RC-to-SFR and CO-to-H2 conversion factors. Our data appear to be inconsistent with large (order of magnitude) variations in the CO-to-H2 conversion factor in the star-forming molecular gas.
Comparative toxicity, anticholinesterase action and metabolism of methyl parathion and parathion in sunfish and mice.

Abstract The in vitro metabolism of methyl parathion ( O,O -dimethyl O-p -nitrophenyl phosphorothioate) and parathion ( O,O -diethyl O,p -nitrophenyl phosphorothioate) and the sensitivities of the target cholinesterases to inhibition by their oxygen analogs were studied in sunfish ( Lepomis gibbosus ) and mice to determine the basis for the low toxicity of methyl parathion in sunfish (LD50 > 2500 mg/kg). The LD50 values of parathion and methyl parathion in mice were 13.5 and 11 mg/kg, respectively, and the times to death were much shorter for both compounds in mice than in fish. Low sensitivity of fish cholinesterases to paraoxon as compared to mice accounted for the 10-fold lower toxicity of parathion in fish (LD50, 110 mg/kg). By contrast, sunfish had similar cholinesterase sensitivities to methyl paraoxon and paraoxon. Differences in rates of oxidative formation of the oxygen analog or oxidative cleavage to p -nitrophenol and the corresponding dialkyl thiophosphate could not account for the selective resistance of sunfish to methyl parathion toxicity. Fish and mouse liver homogenates catalyzed a glutathione (GSH)-dependent metabolism of methyl parathion and methyl paraoxon but not of parathion or paraoxon. Additionally, hydrolysis of methyl paraoxon by fish liver homogenates exceeded that for parathion by 5-fold, while methyl paraoxon hydrolysis in mice was 1 2 of that of paraoxon. Apparently, a longer time to death in fish provided the opportunity for GSH-dependent and hydrolytic detoxification, which favored methyl parathion and methyl paraoxon relative to parathion and paraoxon. Although in mice the GSH-dependent enzymes also favored detoxification of methyl parathion and methyl paraoxon, this is apparently of less importance because of their high cholinesterase sensitivity and because cleavage and hydrolysis favored parathion and paraoxon.
An Improved Second-Moment Closure Model of Langmuir Turbulence

AbstractA prior second-moment closure (SMC) model of Langmuir turbulence in the upper ocean is modified by introduction of inhomogeneous pressure–strain rate and pressure–scalar gradient closures that are similar to the high Reynolds number, near-wall treatments for solid wall boundaries. This repairs several near-surface defects in the algebraic Reynolds stress model (ARSM) of the prior SMC by redirecting Craik–Leibovich (CL) vortex force production of turbulent kinetic energy out of the surface-normal vertical component and into a horizontal one, with an associated reduction in near-surface CL production of vertical momentum flux. A surface-proximity function introduces a new closure parameter that is tuned to previous results from large-eddy simulations (LES), and a numerical SMC model based on stability functions from the new ARSM produces improved comparisons with mean profiles of momentum and TKE components from steady-state LES results forced by aligned wind and waves. An examination of higher-orde...
The Effect of Slot Length on Flux Distribution and Rotordynamic Coefficients in Magnetic Actuators Using a Boundary Perturbation Method

In previous work (Stephens and Casemore, 1999), the authors presented an analytical method to compute the flux distribution and negative stiffness of magnetic actuators. The method uses Fourier series expansions to model current distributions and permanent magnets as sources of magnetomotive force (MMF) on the air gap boundary and then solves the Dirichlet boundary value problem (BVP) in the eccentric annulus for the MMF within the permanent magnet and air gap regions. The method is applicable to many common magnetic actuator designs but is limited to those with MMF sources that are located opposite of a smooth (unslotted) boundary. In this paper, the method is extended to remove this limitation and include the effect of slot length on flux distribution and rotordynamic coefficients. This is accomplished by adding a boundary perturbation step to the solution that accounts for the additional reluctance of the slots. The method is applied to a sample problem and is benchmarked against a finite element model. The results show good agreement between the two models up to a certain critical slot length. This critical slot length is shown to correspond to the traditional infinite slot length (that slot length beyond which no appreciable change in flux distribution occurs). The results indicate that slots in the stator have a significant impact on the negative stiffness and that the infinite slot length assumption is valid even for shallow and wide slots.Copyright © 2000 by ASME
Whole-cell potassium current in rabbit corneal epithelium activated by fenamates.

Rabbit corneal epithelium contains a large-conductance, potassium-selective channel, which is a major contributor to the whole-cell current. In perforated-patch recordings of the macroscopic current, the isolated cells studied had resting voltages of −41±20 mV and capacitances of 5.8±2.6 pF (mean + sd for n=255). Activation of the channels was weakly voltage dependent. They opened at about −100 mV and reached an open probability of about 0.2 at +100 mV. The current was blocked by millimolar concentrations of external Ba2+ and quinidine. Diltiazem also blocked when applied to the external surface of the membrane. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents of the fenamate group were powerful activators of the channel at submillimolar concentrations when applied either to the inside or the outside of the channels. The mechanism of action which leads to his activation is not yet known.
Worldwide photovoltaic market growth 1985–2000

The combination of a rising demand for reliable, low-cost energy and an increased awareness of environmental quality issues has created new business opportunities for photovoltaics, especially in applications without an installed electric utility grid line.
Prostaglandin E2 potentiates the protective effect of cimetidine against stress-induced gastric ulceration.

Abstract We studied the effect of low doses of 16,16-dimethyl-prostaglandin E 2 methyl ester (di-M-PGE 2 , 5 μg/kg), maximal doses of cimetidine (50 mg/kg) and the combination of the two agents on gastric acid secretion and ulcer formation in 16 pylorus-ligated rats and in 60 cold-restraint stressed rats. The low dose of di-M-PGE 2 did not inhibit gastric acid secretion and, when given in combination with cimetidine, did not augment the secretory inhibition induced by cimetidine (84.5% reduction in acid output). The same nonantisecretory dose of di-M-PGE 2 was not effective, when given alone, in preventing gastric ulcer formation nor in decreasing their severity. Cimetidine alone significantly reduced both the incidence and the severity of gastric mucosal lesions, but despite this therapy, 40% of rats developed gastric erosions. When di-M-PGE 2 was given in combination with cimetidine, it significantly potentiated the effect of cimetidine in both reducing the incidence and decreasing the severity of stress-induced gastric ulcers. These results suggest that cytoprotective doses of prostaglandins significantly augment the efficacy of antisecretory drugs in the prophylaxis and treatment of acute peptic ulcer disease.
Fast axonal transport in motor nerve regeneration.

This report describes the fast axonal transport of [3H]-leucine-labeled proteins in regenerating rat sciatic motor nerves. A normal rate of fast transport (383 ± 33 mm/day) was present in the regenerating sprouts, as well as in the central stumps. The rapidly transported proteins passed the level of axotomy without impediment, and accumulated in the endings of the regenerating sprouts, as shown by electron microscope autoradiography. In addition, transported proteins accumulated in terminal neuromas. The relative amount of protein-incorporated radioactivity in the crest of fast transport in the regenerating nerves was increased compared to control nerves. These results are interpreted to suggest that the mechanism of fast transport is the same in regenerating sprouts as in normal axons; during regeneration fast transport appears to add newly synthesized materials to the growing tip.
Panama Disease: An Old Nemesis Rears Its Ugly Head: Part 1. The Beginnings of the Banana Export Trades

This review summarizes how and where the banana export trades began, the early history of Panama disease, and the important effect that the disease had on the development of this industry. This is ...
Miniaturization and geometry optimization of a polymer-based rectilinear ion trap.

The fabrication, operation, and characterization of a polymer-based rectilinear ion trap mass analyzer is discussed. A novel, fast prototyping technique, stereolithography (SLA)-based fabrication, traditionally reserved for end use production parts and to fabricate master molds for rubber products, is applied here as a tool to create precise, arbitrary geometries. Taking full advantage of the SLA methodology, an open corner, polymer-based ion trap has been fabricated and tested. The use of a custom resin, Nanoform 15120 (DSM Somos, New Castle, DE), has resulted in a polymer with high heat deflection temperature and greater structural stability at higher temperatures and lower capacitance. The mass analyzer was mounted in a polymer holder and tested in a custom vacuum system using modified LCQ Duo (Thermo Fisher Corp.) electronics. The resolution, mass/charge range, and MS/MS capabilities were examined using electrospray ionization as well as atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. In the course of this ...
The Influence of Plant Growth Regulators and Inflorescence Removal on Plant Growth, Yield, and Skin Color of Red LaSoda Tubers

Foliar applications of the synthetic auxin compound 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) have been used to enhance skin color of red potato cultivars for many years. Relatively, little is known about the mode of action of this compound, but it has been proposed that 2,4-D stimulates ethylene production and enhances the activity of enzymes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis. The objective of this study was to compare several other plant growth regulators to 2,4-D for their effect on plant growth, tuber yield, and skin color of the light red-skinned cultivar “Red Lasoda.” Trials were conducted in 2010 and 2011 to evaluate the effects of foliar applications of the ethylene-stimulating growth regulator ethephon, the ethylene-inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), and 2,4-D. Manual inflorescence removal was also included as a treatment to determine the influence of anthocyanin sink competition between tubers and flowers on tuber skin color. Ethephon application caused floral abscission in treated plants and reduced plant height compared to other treatments and the non-treated control. While 2,4-D caused foliar injury and ethephon slightly increased the yield of <56 g tubers, neither growth regulator affected total and marketable yield. Both ethephon and 2,4-D increased tuber skin color at harvest compared to the non-treated control. In contrast, 1-MCP and inflorescence removal had no effect on yield, tuber size, and skin color. The results indicate that ethephon and 2,4-D foliar applications have similar effects on skin color and appearance, supporting the hypothesis that 2,4-D works by stimulating ethylene production within the plant.
Hero or terrorist? A comparative analysis of Arabic and Western media depictions of the execution of Saddam:

While the role of the media in the war against terror has received ample attention from scholars, there is little in the literature that deals specifically with the Iraqi point of view with respect...
Ergodic Theory, Randomness, and "Chaos"

Ergodic theory is the theory of the long-term statistical behavior of dynamical systems. The baker's transformation is an object of ergodic theory that provides a paradigm for the possibility of deterministic chaos. It can now be shown that this connection is more than an analogy and that at some level of abstraction a large number of systems governed by Newton's laws are the same as the baker's transformation. Going to this level of abstraction helps to organize the possible kinds of random behavior. The theory also gives new concrete results. For example, one can show that the same process could be produced by a mechanism governed by Newton's laws or by a mechanism governed by coin tossing. It also gives a statistical analog of structural stability.
Combustion synthesis of complex carbohydrides in the Ti-Nb-W-C-H system

Combustion of Ti-Nb-W-C blends in hydrogen and argon was explored. The synthesis of Ti-Nb-W-C complex carbohydrides from xTi + (1 − x)(Nb + W) + yC mixtures (0.6 ≤ x ≤ 0.8; 0.4 ≤ y ≤ 0.8) was performed in a one-stage process. For combustion in argon, (a) no mutual dissolution of niobium and titanium carbides was observed and (b) a small amount of W was not involved in combustion and carbide formation. For combustion in hydrogen, a predominant product phase was the Ti- and Nb-based complex (bimetallic) carbohydride with fcc structure. In some cases (depending on metals ratio) a small admixture of the Nb2C phase was detected. The combustion in hydrogen accompanied by mutual dissolution of carbides formed in the combustion wave was found to yield new hydrogen-containing and easily dispersible carbides with a low amount of free W.
Electronic stopping measurements of charged-particles in radiophotoluminescent glass

Abstract Measurements were made of the radiophotoluminescence generated in silver-activated phosphate glass by the electronic energy losses of 200–400 keV ions (H+, He+, O+) incident on the glass. Measurements of luminescence growth as a function of energy into electronic processes per unit volume show a departure from linearity above ∼1018 keV/cm3. For lower deposition values detailed measurements of the integral depth distribution of luminescence intensity were made as material was removed by vibratory polishing. The measured depth distributions compare favorably to the integral depth distributions of electronic energy losses predicted by LSS theory (He+ and O+) and to experimental values of thin film losses (H+). These comparisons indicate that the luminescent centers are formed in the glass close to (≤103 A) the point of the initial deposition of electronic energy.
Magnetic anisotropy in the Fe(II)Fe(III) bimetallic oxalates

Bimetallic oxalates are layered molecule-based magnets with transition metals M(II) and M'(III) coupled by the oxalate bridges ox=C2O4 in an open honeycomb structure. Fe(II)Fe(III) bimetallic compounds with spins S = 2 and S′ = 5/2 ferrimagnetically order below a transition temperature Tc that ranges from 30 to 48 K, depending on the cation between the layers. In small magnetic fields, several of these compounds exhibit "giant negative magnetization" below a compensation temperature of about 0.62 Tc. By studying the behavior of the orbital-doublet ground state produced by a C3-symmetric crystal field, we construct a reduced Hamiltonian that contains both exchange and spin-orbit interactions. This Hamiltonian is used to explain all of the important behavior of the Fe(II)Fe(III) bimetallic oxalates, including the stability of magnetic order in well-separated two-dimensional layers and the magnetic compensation in compounds with high transition temperatures. Fitting the parameters of this reduced Hamiltonian, we estimate that the z component of the orbital angular momentum of the ground-state doublet in compounds exhibiting magnetic compensation is about 0.27 and that the antiferromagnetic exchange coupling Jc between the Fe(II) and Fe(III) spins is about 0.45 meV. In a magnetic field perpendicular to the bimetallic layers, a spin-flop transition is predictedmore » at a field of about 3Jc/μB ≈ 25 T. A Holstein-Primakoff 1/S and 1/S′ expansion is used to evaluate the spin-wave spectrum and to estimate the spin-wave gap sw ≈ 1.65 meV in compounds that exhibit magnetic compensation. This significant spin-wave gap explains the stability of magnetic order in well-separated bimetallic layers. We predict that the negative magnetization can be optically reversed by near-infrared light. Breaking the C3 symmetry about each of the Fe(II) ions either through a cation-induced distortion or uni-axial strain in the plane of the bimetallic layer is expected to increase the magnetic compensation temperature.« less
Non-viral gene delivery using nanoparticles.

Although the potential benefits of gene therapy for the treatment of acquired and inherited genetic diseases have been demonstrated through preclinical studies, the results of human gene therapy tr...
TCF7L2 expression in diabetic patients undergoing bariatric surgery

Introduction The cause of diabetes in morbidly obese patients is multifactorial, including genetic, social, and dietary components. Transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) is a gene that is related to the development of diabetes. This pilot study examines TCF7L2 expression in liver samples obtained from morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. TCF7L2 expression is compared between diabetic and nondiabetic patients.