cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Muscle-specific VEGF deficiency greatly reduces exercise endurance in mice

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is required for vasculogenesis and angiogenesis during embryonic and early postnatal life. However the organ-specific functional role of VEGF in adult life, particularly in skeletal muscle, is less clear. To explore this issue, we engineered skeletal muscle-targeted VEGF deficient mice (mVEGF−/−) by crossbreeding mice that selectively express Cre recombinase in skeletal muscle under the control of the muscle creatine kinase promoter (MCKcre mice) with mice having a floxed VEGF gene (VEGFLoxP mice). We hypothesized that VEGF is necessary for regulating both cardiac and skeletal muscle capillarity, and that a reduced number of VEGF-dependent muscle capillaries would limit aerobic exercise capacity. In adult mVEGF−/− mice, VEGF protein levels were reduced by 90 and 80% in skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius) and cardiac muscle, respectively, compared to control mice (P < 0.01). This was accompanied by a 48% (P < 0.05) and 39% (P < 0.05) decreases in the capillary-to-fibre ratio and capillary density, respectively, in the gastrocnemius and a 61% decrease in cardiac muscle capillary density (P < 0.05). Hindlimb muscle oxidative (citrate synthase, 21%; β-HAD, 32%) and glycolytic (PFK, 18%) regulatory enzymes were also increased in mVEGF−/− mice. However, this limited adaptation to reduced muscle VEGF was insufficient to maintain aerobic exercise capacity, and maximal running speed and endurance running capacity were reduced by 34% and 81%, respectively, in mVEGF−/− mice compared to control mice (P < 0.05). Moreover, basal and dobutamine-stimulated cardiac function, measured by transthoracic echocardiography and left ventricular micromanomtery, showed only a minimal reduction of contractility (peak +dP/dt) and relaxation (peak –dP/dt, τE). Collectively these data suggests adequate locomotor muscle capillary number is important for achieving full exercise capacity. Furthermore, VEGF is essential in regulating postnatal muscle capillarity, and that adult mice, deficient in cardiac and skeletal muscle VEGF, exhibit a major intolerance to aerobic exercise.
Phytoremediation of Selenium-Laden Soils

Selenium (Se) is a naturally occurring metalloid that is toxic at high concentrations but is also a nutritionally essential element. In the 1980s, Se-contaminated water at the natural wildlife refuge at Kesterson Reservoir, California was responsible for widespread reproductive failure, developmental defects, and death in migratory aquatic birds and fish. The environmental and health impacts of this incident have resulted in extensive research on the behavior of Se in soils and plants. The cost of using conventional remediation technologies for cleaning up Se-contaminated soils is very high, so recent research has focused on phytoremediation of Se from contaminated soils. Selenium accumulation by plants and its subsequent volatilization are very effective in remediating Se-contaminated soil and water. Natural hyperaccumulator plants such as Astragalus growing in seleniferous soils accumulate high concentrations of Se in their tissues. However, the main drawback of using these plants for phytoremediation is their slow growth rate and low biomass. This has prompted researchers to investigate the possibility of developing genetically engineered plants with better Se phytoextracting capacity. Understanding the speciation and bioavailability of Se in soils and the biochemistry of Se in plants and microorganisms is the first step toward developing effective phytoremediation strategies for Se-laden soils. Keywords: selenium; soil; phytoremediation; hyperaccumulators; genetic engineering
Complement: Terminal Pathway

Terminal pathway of complement refers to the sequence of interactions between components C5b, C6, C7, C8 and C9 which lead to the production of a ‘membrane attack complex’ that has the ability to disrupt cell membranes. Keywords: complement; lysis; membrane; bacteria; lipocalins
A portable parallel particle program

We describe our implementation of the parallel hashed oct-tree (HOT) code, and in particular its application to neighbor finding in a smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) code. We also review the error bounds on the multipole approximations involved in treecodes, and extend them to include general cell-cell interactions. Performance of the program on a variety of problems (including gravity, SPH, vortex method and panel method) is measured on several parallel and sequential machines.
Eradication of a large MOPC-315 tumor in athymic nude mice by chemoimmunotherapy with Lyt2+ splenic T cells from melphalan-treated BALB/c mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor.

We have previously shown that spleen cells from BALB/c mice that are in the process of eradicating a large MOPC-315 tumor following low-dose (2.5 mg/kg) melphalan (l-phenylalanine mustard) therapy are effective in preventing tumor progression upon adoptive transfer into BALB/c mice bearing a barely palpable tumor that had been treated with a subcurative dose of melphalan [Mokyr et al. (1989) Cancer Res 49: 4597]. Here we show that such spleen cells in conjunction with a subcurative dose of drug (adoptive chemoimmunotherapy, ACIT) can cause the complete regression of a large (15–20 mm) s.c. MOPC-315 tumor in a large percentage of T-cell-deficient (athymic nude) tumor-bearing mice. Spleen cells that were effective in ACIT of athymic nude mice displayed in vitro a substantial direct lytic activity against MOPC-315 tumor cells, and the lytic activity was greatly enhanced when the spleen cells were cultured for 5 days with or without mitomycin-C-treated MOPC-315 stimulator tumor cells. The cells responsible for the therapeutic effectiveness of the spleen cells in ACIT of athymic nude mice, as well as the cells responsible for the direct in vitro anti-MOPC-315 lytic activity of the spleen cells, were of the Lyt 2 and not the L3T4 phenotype. Most of the athymic nude mice that completely eradicated a large MOPC-315 tumor as a consequence of ACIT were capable of rejecting a challenge with 30–100 times the minimal lethal tumor dose for 100% of normal BALB/c mice administered more than 1 month after the ACIT. The ability of these athymic nude mice to resist the tumor challenge was associated with the presence of a greatly elevated percentage of cells expressing T cell surface markers in their spleens. Thus, it is conceivable that splenic Lyt 2+ T cells from melphalan-treated BALB/c mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor mediate their therapeutic effectiveness in ACIT of athymic nude mice bearing a large MOPC-315 tumor, at least in part, through direct cytotoxicity for MOPC-315 tumor cells. In addition, eradication of a large MOPC-315 tumor through cooperation between antitumor immunity and melphalan toxicity endues the athymic nude mice with an elevated percentage of T cells in their secondary lymphoid organs, and these T cells are probably responsible for the long-lasting protective antitumor immunity exhibited by these mice.
The expression of Streptomyces and Escherichist coli drug-resistance determinants cloned into the Streptomyces phage φC31

Abstract Lysogens obtained by infecting Streptomyces albus G with a φC31-pBR322 chimaeric prophage or its δW 12 deletion derivative had increased tetracycline resistance. The ability of the ΔW 12 derivative to transduce tetracycline resistance was inactivated by inserting a viomycin resistance determinant ( vph ) into the Bam HI site of the pBR322 tet gene, and restored by excising the vph gene. Another deletion mutant (δW 17) of the chimaera, carrying an intact tet gene, was normally unable to transduce tetracycline resistance. This inability was correlated with the finding, by Southern hybridisation analysis, that the att site required for insertion of φC31 prophage into the host chromosome was located within the AW17 deletion. Use of a φC31 lysogenic recipient permitted the integration of the att -deleted phage, presumably by homologous recombination, giving tetracycline-resistant double lysogens. This technique was extended to S. coelicolor A3(2) in the detection of derivatives of the att -deleted phage into which a thiostrepton-resistance determinant ( tsr ) had been inserted in vitro. Phage released from double lysogens were mainly recombinants. One such recombinant is a Pst I vector for DNA cloning, able to accommodate up to 6 kb of introduced DNA.
Analyses of Species Densities by the Multivariate General Linear Model

A multivariate general linear model was constructed a priori to analyze observed species densities for three species of Foraminifera at 3 stations in the Choptank River, Maryland. The model contained 21 parameters for environmental variables, station differences, overall periodicity, and interaction of periodicity and station differences. Several more restricted models were postulated and compared with the general model. None of the more restricted models adequately explained the data. The high degree of complexity indicates that large complex models will be needed to explain observed species densities.
A CASE STUDY AND DEFINITION OF MODULAR MANUFACTURING

Like most industries that adopt a reactive manufacturing strategy, the clothing industry changes only when external forces dictate that the current approach or strategy will no longer satisfy the prevailing business environment. This paper presents a case study of the modular manufacturing system and discusses the underlying premises that support the success of modular manufacturing both in the formative stages and during sustained operation. A review of the known origins of modular manufacturing illustrates how this production system can be used to advantage for clothing manufacture. Modular is the apparel industry's attempt to optimise the social and technical components of a Sociotechnical System (STS). No single solution fits all products/tasks in fully optimising STS, given different technologies, environment and people, etc. Consistent with the requirements for STS, the authors have formed five conclusive statements regarding the characteristics of modular manufacturing for apparel.
Role of fibronectin in collagenous matrix-induced mesenchymal cell proliferation and differentiation in vivo

Abstract The importance of fibronectin in in vivo collagenous matrix-mesenchyme cell interaction was investigated using purified antibodies to rat plasma fibronectin. Subcutaneous implantation of demineralized bone matrix normally resulted in de novo local endochondral ossification. Local injections of the purified antibodies apparently inhibited collagenous matrix-mesenchyme cell interaction by inhibiting the action of endogenous fibronectin. Anti-fibronectin treatment resulted in reduced cell proliferation as assessed by [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation (59%, reduction) and ornithine decarboxylase activity (66%, reduction); and chondrogenesis as measured by proteoglycan synthesis (43%, reduction). Neutralization of fibronectin's biological activity by antibodies also resulted in a qualitative change in the proteoglycan type synthesized. The physiological role of fibronectin in tissue morphogenesis appears to allow for initial extracellular matrix-cell attachment.
Assessing the value of services provided by pharmacy faculty on a contractual basis.

Since 2007, the College of Pharmacy at the University of Tennessee has conducted a think tank program to study issues of importance to the college that are broader than the purview of any specific college committee. A separate think tank group is appointed for each issue. Each group is charged with
Desiccation of intertidal limpets: Effects of shell size, fit to substratum, and shape

Abstract For undisturbed, field populations of the northeast Pacific, intertidal limpet Collisella pelta (Rathke), water loss was found to be proportional to apertural circumference rather than mantle cavity surface area. This contrasts with previous laboratory measurements for other limpet species and emphasizes the importance of the fit of shell to substratum for non-homing limpets. This close fit maintained a meniscus of water between the edge of the shell and the substratum, thereby reducing evaporative surface area and increasing the advantage of large size for reducing the rate of water loss. Shell-raising behavior eliminated the meniscus, increasing the rate of desiccation, and water loss appeared to become proportional to mantle cavity surface area. Indirect evidence suggests that C. pelta may utilize shell-raising behavior for evaporative cooling under thermally stressful conditions in the field. Both shell size and shape affect the ratio of water stores (proportional to internal shell volume) to evaporative surface area (proportional to apertural circumference) and per cent water loss is, potentially, a function of this ratio. Shape, however, (when defined as volume/circumference) exhibits an average allometric increase with increasing size (volume) for C. pelta , as well as for three other sympatric limpet species: C. Paradigitalis (Fritchman), C. Digitalis (Rathke), and Notoacmea scutum (Rathke). An independent measure of shape is, therefore, required to separate shape effects on desiccation from size effects; this measure was obtained by rearranging the allometry equation. In contrast to significant size effects, no measurable effect of shape on desiccation was detected. Variation in limpet shell shape may be partially or wholly maintained by factors other than an adaptational response to desiccation.
Utilization of Cathodic Hydrogen as Electron Donor for Chloroform Cometabolism by a Mixed, Methanogenic Culture

Currently there is considerable interest in using elemental iron (Fe0) for treatment of highly chlorinated organic compounds. Early studies found little microbiological contribution to degradation in laboratory and field tests. Most work since then has focused on abiotic processes. In studies conducted with a mixed, methanogenic culture, however, pseudo-first-order rate coefficients for chloroform degradation were at least 3.6 times greater in serum bottle incubations containing 40 mesh iron filings and live cells as compared to incubations containing Fe0 and killed cells, Fe0 and cell-free mineral medium, or Fe0-free incuba tions with live cells. CF cometabolism and methanogenesis was apparently supported using cathodic hydrogen produced by anaerobic corrosion of the added Fe0. The use of selective microbial inhibitors showed that H2-consuming methanogens and not homoacetogens were responsible for CF degradation. The sustainability of the process was established in a 60-day column study using steel wool ...
Letter by Dokainish Regarding Article, “Tissue Doppler Imaging in the Estimation of Intracardiac Filling Pressure in Decompensated Patients With Advanced Systolic Heart Failure”

To the Editor: In their recent article, Mullens et al1 tested the ratio of early transmitral velocity to tissue Doppler mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E/Ea) in 106 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤30% on admission and after treatment for decompensated heart failure. They found no correlation between E/Ea and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), particularly in patients with larger LV volumes, more impaired cardiac indexes, and cardiac resynchronization therapy. This study tested previously validated and commonly used echo Doppler variables in the real-world setting, especially in patients with severe systolic heart failure requiring …
What Affects the Effect of 2‘-Alkoxy Modifications? 1. Stabilization Effect of 2‘-Methoxy Substitutions in Uniformly Modified DNA Oligonucleotides

The thermostability of hybrid duplexes with uniformly 2‘-methoxy modified DNA strands (D‘R and RD‘), their unmodified DNA:RNA counterparts (DR and RD), and corresponded RNA:RNA (RR) duplexes for six sequences with different GC and deoxypyrimidine (dPy) content was measured. The linear correlation between the total stabilization effect of 2‘-methoxy modifications (ΔΔG°37(D‘R-DR)) and the relative stability of corresponding unmodified hybrids compared to the RR counterparts (ΔΔG°37(RR-DR)) suggests that the initial conformational and the thermodynamic state of the “parent” unmodified hybrid governs the effect of 2‘-methoxy (and may be other 2‘-alkoxy) modifications whose mechanism of action includes an S → N conformational shift resulting in an RNA-like A-form duplex. We also found a correlation between the “hydrophobic” part of the total effect (ΔΔG°37 (D‘R-RR)) and the dA fraction in the modified DNA strand, suggesting that the “hydrophobic” effect of the 2‘-methoxy groups results mainly from intraresidue...
Infrared survey applications in the electricity supply industry

of Patent Specifications"Ground-based thermography is used to examine items of plant in power stations and substations and several examples of faults found are illustrated and discussed. Helicopter borne high resolution thermal imagers are used to monitor the transmission system, and the results, together with the constraints, are illustrated and discussed..
Robust measure for characterizing generalized synchronization.

Generalized synchronization between two coupled systems can be characterized by recently proposed interdependency measures calculated from two simultaneously observed time series from them. However, numerical tests have shown that these measures cannot consistently indicate the direction of the coupling for strongly coupled systems or in situations with a large phase space neighbor size. An interdependency measure is proposed here quantifying how close a conditional neighbor is to a true neighbor in terms of the degree of alignment of their principal axes. Numerical tests are carried out on time series generated from a coupled Henon map and a Lorenz model driven by a Rossler model. Given that a driving system is more dependent on a response system, the results show that the direction of the coupling is consistently detected by using the proposed measure even in those unfavorable cases for the measures mentioned above.
Layering Laban Effort Features on Robot Task Motions

Motion is an essential area of social communication that has the potential to enable robots and people to collaborate naturally, develop rapport, and seamlessly share environments. The Laban Effort System is a well-known methodology from dance and acting training that has been in active use teaching performers to overlay sequences of motion with expressivity for over fifty years. We present our methodology to layer expression on robot base motions, using the same set of joints for both procedural task completion and expressive communications, followed by early results on the legibility of our Effort implementations and how their settings affect robot projections of state.
New serial contrast technique for assessment of left to right shunting patent ductus arteriosus in the neonate

Abstract A new serial echocardiographic contrast technique for detection of patent ductus arteriosus has been developed and validated by clinical course (33 infants), surgical observations (13 infants) and autopsy observations (4 infants). A left to right shunting patent ductus arteriosus was demonstrated in 30 of 33 prospectively studied premature infants (mean weight 1,371 g) using this new contrast method. The demonstration of left to right ductal shunting was accomplished by hand injection of a nonviscous material (saline solution, 5 percent dextrose in water or the patient's own blood) through an umbilical arterial catheter placed with its tip located above the diaphragm during recording of a suprasternal notch echocardiogram. In positive studies, both the transverse aortic arch and right pulmonary artery were opacified. If no left to right shunt existed, only the transverse aortic arch was opacified. This serial study helped elucidate the natural history of patent ductus arteriosus. Twenty-four of the 30 patients with a positive study initially had a left to right shunting patent ductus arteriosus without an audible murmur. Three of these patients with silent patent ductus arteriosus later had congestive heart failure and two required operative ligation of the patent ductus. The high rate of detection of silent patent ductus arteriosus and its bedside confirmation when suspected are important in the serial management of critically ill newborns with this condition. The test is safe and sensitive and it is useful for early demonstration of silent patent ductus arteriosus, for clarifying the origin of murmurs and for confirming spontaneous, operative or pharmacologie closure of a patent ductus arteriosus.
Gaining insight into the health of SOA infrastructures

As service-oriented architecture (SOA) is evolving from theory to practical applications, the demand for deriving actual benefits from the infrastructure flexibility it enables is increasing rapidly. However, an SOA implementation often poses capacity and performance management challenges for the IT (information technology) delivery organization, particularly when dispersed business applications run on heterogeneous systems and various internal and external infrastructure components are used to complete business service transactions. To help organizations that are considering or have engaged in SOA infrastructure implementations, IBM has developed innovative and non-intrusive capabilities to help determine the optimal infrastructure architecture for a particular SOA project and identify areas of performance improvement for running an SOA infrastructure. These capabilities are provisioned as infrastructure Healthcheck services for SOA, reflecting a trusted IT service management approach that focuses on prevention or a solution to an IT infrastructure capacity and performance management problem. This paper presents the development rationale for the key service delivery components, including the analysis process, the use of global (i.e., worldwide) delivery capabilities, and the proprietary assets and patented technologies used in performing the services. Insight into how these services can lead to significant positive results is exemplified via several commercial client engagements.
Crystals and Snowflakes: Building Computation from Stochastically-Assembled, Defect- and Variation-prone Nanowire Crossbars

Continued Moore's Law capacity scaling is threatened by the capabilities and rising costs of optical lithography. Bottom-up synthesis and assembly of nanoscale structures such as nanowires provide an alternative to top-down lithography. However, bottom-up synthesis demands high regularlity (crystals) creating challenges for differentiation and comes with high rates of defects and variation (snowflakes). With suitable architectures---crossbar-based PLAs, memories, and interconnect---and paradigm shifts in our assembly and usage models---stochastic assembly and post-fabrication, component-specific mapping---we can accommodate these requirements. This allows us to exploit the compactness and energy benefits of single-nanometer dimension devices and to extend these structures into the third dimension without depending on top-down lithography to define the smallest feature sizes in the system.
Union Transitions Following the Birth of a Child to Cohabiting Parents

Despite a growing interest in the family trajectories of unmarried women, there has been limited research on union transitions among cohabiting parents. Using data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, we examined how family complexity (including relationship and fertility histories), as well as characteristics of the union and birth, were associated with transitions to marriage or to separation among 1,105 women who had a birth in a cohabiting relationship. Cohabiting parents had complex relationship and fertility histories, which were tied to union transitions. Having a previous nonmarital birth was associated with a lower relative risk of marriage and a greater risk of separation. In contrast, a prior marriage or marital birth was linked to union stability (getting married or remaining cohabiting). Characteristics of the union and birth were also important. Important racial/ethnic differences emerged in the analyses. Black parents had the most complex family histories and the lowest relative risk of transitioning to marriage. Stable cohabitations were more common among Hispanic mothers, and measures of family complexity were particularly important to their relative risk of marriage. White mothers who began cohabiting after conception were the most likely to marry, suggesting that “shot-gun cohabitations” serve as a stepping-stone to marriage.
Aspiration from retrograde migration of a PEG-PEJ tube into hypopharynx — an unusual complication of PEG-PEJ

Aspiration from retrograde migration of a PEG-PEJ tube into hypopharynx — an unusual complication of PEG-PEJ
Cytoplasmic incompatibility. Giant steps sideways

The horizontal transfer of a bacterial endosymbiont that is intimately associated with reproductive isolation in insects is now feasible and may, in principle, lead to new strategies for biological pest control.
High productivity cultivation of a heat-resistant microalga Chlorella sorokiniana for biofuel production.

Abstract To augment biomass and lipid productivities of heterotrophic cultured microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana , the influence of environmental temperature and medium factors, such as carbon source, nitrogen source, and their initial concentrations was investigated in this study. The microalga C . sorokiniana could tolerate up to 42 °C and showed the highest growth rate of 1.60 d −1 at 37 °C. The maximum dry cell weight (DCW) and corresponding lipid concentration was obtained with 80 g L −1 of initial glucose and 4 g L −1 of initial KNO 3 at 37 °C. In 5-L batch fermentation, the DCW increased dramatically from 0.9 g L −1 to 37.6 g L −1 in the first 72 h cultivation, with the DCW productivity of 12.2 g L −1 d −1 . The maximum lipid content of 31.5% was achieved in 96 h and the lipid productivity was 2.9 g L −1 d −1 . The results showed C . sorokiniana could be a promising strain for biofuel production.
No-reference blur metric using double-density and dual-tree two-dimensional wavelet transformation

Over the past decade the digital camera has become widely available in many devices such as cell phones, computers, etc. Therefore, the perceptual quality of digital images is an important and necessary requirement to evaluate digital images. To improve the quality of images captured with camera, we must identify and measure the artifacts that cause blur within the images. Blur is mainly caused by pixel intensity due to multiple sources. The most common types of blurs are known as object motion, defocus, and camera motion. In the last two decades, the discrete wavelet transformation (DWT) has become a cutting-edge technology in the signal and image processing field for such applications as denoising. The disadvantage of the DWT is that it is not able to directly observe blur coefficients. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for a blur metric for an image. Our approach is based on the double-density dual tree two dimensional wavelet transformations (D3TDWT) which simultaneously processes the properties of both the double-density DWT and dual tree DWT. We also utilize gradient to evaluate blurring artifacts and measure the image quality.
Extreme value statistical analysis to determine the endurance limit of a 1045 induction hardened steel alloy

Abstract Surface hardened components are used in fatigue critical applications such as axles and gears. Inclusions are critical microstructural features where fatigue cracks have been observed to nucleate in these parts. In this investigation, the effect of inclusion populations on fatigue performance of induction hardened 1045 steel was examined. The steel was heat treated to have a tempered martensite starting microstructure and was induction hardened to two different case depths. Utilizing extreme value statistical analysis, the largest inclusion as well as the largest inclusion in each of five categories, MnS, MnCaS, MnAlS, Al2O3, and Al2O3-MgO, was estimated for a critically stressed area in a fully reversed cantilever bending fatigue sample. The inclusion size estimates were used to predict the endurance limit of the sample with a fracture mechanics-based model. This methodology has been traditionally used for homogeneous materials but has been modified here for bending fatigue and inhomogeneous case hardened material. The predicted endurance limits are closely correlated to experimentally measured endurance limits.
The performance of the Duke FEL storage ring

Abstract Commissioning of the Duke FEL storage ring has been completed successfully. During commissioning and initial operation, a series of performance measurements were performed on the storage ring. In this paper we discuss the techniques used in the measurements, present the measurements results, and compare the measured parameters with the design specifications.
Origin-destination trips by purpose and time of day inferred from mobile phone data

Abstract In this work, we present methods to estimate average daily origin–destination trips from triangulated mobile phone records of millions of anonymized users. These records are first converted into clustered locations at which users engage in activities for an observed duration. These locations are inferred to be home, work, or other depending on observation frequency, day of week, and time of day, and represent a user’s origins and destinations. Since the arrival time and duration at these locations reflect the observed (based on phone usage) rather than true arrival time and duration of a user, we probabilistically infer departure time using survey data on trips in major US cities. Trips are then constructed for each user between two consecutive observations in a day. These trips are multiplied by expansion factors based on the population of a user’s home Census Tract and divided by the number of days on which we observed the user, distilling average daily trips. Aggregating individuals’ daily trips by Census Tract pair, hour of the day, and trip purpose results in trip matrices that form the basis for much of the analysis and modeling that inform transportation planning and investments. The applicability of the proposed methodology is supported by validation against the temporal and spatial distributions of trips reported in local and national surveys.
The fluorescence response of chlorotetracycline-loaded human neutrophils. Correlations with lysosomal enzyme release and evidence for a 'trigger pool' of calcium.

Abstract Neutrophils labelled with chlorotetracycline (commonly employed as a probe for membrane-bound calcium), underwent rapid decreases in fluorescence upon exposure to N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine (morethan 1 nM). This decrease was maximal at 1 min and was followed by partial recovery by 3 min. When neutrophils were stimulated with N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine and then re-exposed to the same stimulus 3 min later, an additional decrease in chlorotetracycline fluorescence was observed. The magnitude of this second response was inversely related to the concentration of the initial stimulus. Similarly, neutrophils exposed to N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine and then restimulated by N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine in the presence of cytochalasin B secreted the azurophil granule enzyme β-glucuronidase; release of the enzyme was also inversely related to the initial concentration of N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine. These responses were also time-dependent. Both the second decrement in chlorotetracycline fluorescence and β-glucuronidase release increased with time allowed between the two administrations of N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine. In contrast, decreases in chlorotetracycline fluorescence induced by phorbol myristate acetate showed no comparable recovery phase. When neutrophils, stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate, were then exposed to N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine, the second decrement in chlorotetracycline fluorescence diminished as the time allowed between the two stimuli was increased. Secretion of β-glucuronidase in response to N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine was also diminished by increasing the time of exposure to the initial stimulus of phorbol myristate acetate. When N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine was used as the initial stimulus, the chlorotetracycline fluorescence response characteristic of phorbol myristate acetate could not be observed for at least 1 min. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that chlorotetracycline serves as a probe of mobilizable membrane-bound ‘trigger calcium’, a replete pool of which is an obligate requirement for lysosomal enzyme release.
Distributed Dynamic Resource Allocation for OFDMA Transmissions with Reuse Partitioning

In this paper, we consider the dynamic resource allocation problem for orthogonal frequency division multiple access being used in modern broadband wireless systems such as IEEE 802.16 (WiMax). The objective is to allocate the network resources in an efficient manner in order to maximize the system throughput while guaranteeing the minimum level of quality-of- service to all users under practical conditions such as intercell interference. In order to reduce the communication overhead and computational complexity, we propose a suboptimal two-step approach. Firstly, the radio network controller solves the large scaled network planning problem based on aggregated information about all users in the network. Given the network planning results, each base station solves the small scaled cell throughput maximization problem based on its full knowledge of all users within its cell. We demonstrate the improvements of our scheme using the IEEE 802.16 (WiMax) system as an example. We show that with our proposed dynamic allocation scheme, it is possible to achieve the significant throughput gain with less complexity and signaling overhead.
The use of computerized tomography in the localization of pellets following shotgun wounds of the head.

Localization by computerized tomography of multiple pellets following shotgun wounds of the head was undertaken with experimental models and patients. Experimental examples of phantom skulls, human skulls, and cadavers are presented along with illustrative cases. The importance of this new localizing method in treating patients with injuries involving multiple specialities is discussed.
Excited-State Structure Determination of the Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore

Ultrafast polarization-sensitive infrared (IR) spectroscopy of the CO stretching mode of the chromophore of the green fluorescent protein reveals a near complete twisting around the ethylenic bridge between the phenolate and imidazolidinone groups upon electronic excitation, hinting at a decisive role of this motion in the efficient internal conversion process.
Comments on chemisorption at a metal surface

Abstract The effect of the gradient correction to the exchange and correlation energies on chemisorption properties is examined using the evaluation of Bχc arrived at by Rasolt and Geldart. Quantities common to the study of hydrogen and alkali chemisorption on a high density metal are calculated for various forms of the energy functional within the linear response approach. It is found that the gradient correction is a quantitatively significant term, lowering binding energies by ≈ 10% and increasing the dipole sizably.
The surface migration of extender oil in EPDM vulcanizates

Extender oil bloomed on the surface of ethylene–propylene–diene rubber (EPDM) vulcanizates has been analyzed by a dissolution/size exclusion chromatographic (SEC) method. Dissolution is here defined as the quantitative and selective removal of bloomed extender oil from the vulcanizates. The rate of migration of three potentially useful extender oils for windshield-wiper materials has been determined by the method. In this work a bloomed oil includes both an excluded oil surfaced during the process of vulcanization and a migrated oil surfaced during the course of aging or weathering. Typical initial rates of oil migration in the presence and absence of an excluded oil on the surface of compression-set EPDM vulcanizates were ca. 0.8 and 2.2 μg/cm2/h at 25°C, respectively. The rate of migration at an attained uniform oil concentration was found to be ca. 0.5 μg/cm2/h for the three extender oils.
Theoretical studies on the hydride transfer between 1-methyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide and its corresponding pyridinium salt

Abstract MNDO and AMI studies were performed to investigate the degenerate hydride transfer reaction between 1-methyl-l,4-dihydronicotinamide and the 1-methylnicotinamide cation, a model system for a novel brain-targeted delivery system and for the NAD+ (ai) NADH interconversion. Four initial approach vectors were selected. These involved an endo orientation in which the carbamoyl groups are syn with respect to one another (cis HS- re ), an endo orientation with the carbamoyl groups anti (cis HS-si), an exo configuration with the carbamoyl groups syn (trans HS- re ) and an exo configuration with the carbamoyl groups anti (trans HS- re ). The cis HS- re approach generated the transition state with the lowest energy. The optimized structure indicated that a linear hydride transfer occurred. A more detailed study examined the cis HS- re approach from a 100A separation to the transition state. The data indicated the formation of an intermediate induced dipole-charge complex which altered the trajectory of the two species. Closer approach yielded the transition state. The energy of activation for this reaction was calculated to be 30.7 kcal mol using the MNDO approximation and 9.3 kcal mol usihg the AMI method. Finally, while the linear transition state was found to be the most stable conformation, bending of the C-H-C bond by ± 30° only modestly increased (3–4 kcal mol ) the energy of the system.
Total hip arthroplasty in skeletal dysplasias: patient selection, preoperative planning, and operative techniques.

Abstract Patients with substantial skeletal dysplasia and hip arthritis are poor candidates for noncustom total hip arthroplasty (THA) because of hip size and deformity. To determine the efficacy of THA via modified prostheses and surgical techniques in this population, the authors analyzed 9 consecutive THAs in 7 small-stature adults (mean height, 118.6 cm; mean weight, 47.5 kg). The Student t -test was used to test for significant ( P
Science careers: where does advocacy fit?

In his Presidential address (“A global perspective on science and technology,” 24 October 2008, p. [544][1]), D. Baltimore warned against erosion of U.S. leadership in the biological sciences, acknowledging the entire scientific community's lack of involvement and personal responsibility in our
Displacing the subject A dialogical understanding of the researching self

Dialogical epistemologies of the self have been influential in rethinking the politics of ethnography. Although critiquing the centered Cartesian self as the locus of knowledge, these approaches fo...
Iron Oxide Catalysts for Dehydrogenation of Ethylbenzene in the Presence of Steam

Abstract Catalyst research for ethylbenzene (EB) dehydrogenation has been interest to many chemical manufacturers because styrene monomer is such a large-volume chemical and a steady growth of styrene markets is predicted. EB is relatively easy to dehydrogenate and the reaction may be effected by a simple thermal gas-phase process as observed by Berthelot in 1869 [l]. However, a much higher selectivity to styrene is obtained by contact catalysts. The historical evolution of EB dehydrogenation processes has been summarized by Kearby [21 and others [3].
Correlation of in vivo and in vitro activities of some naturally occurring androgens using a radioreceptor assay for 5α-dihydrotestosterone with rat prostate cytosol receptor protein

Abstract A radioreceptor assay for 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) has been developed using rat prostate cytosol receptor protein. Characterization studies reveal that testosterone (T) also competes for the same binding sites as DHT. Estradiol; dehydroepiandrosterone; 4-androsten-3,17-dione; progesterone; cortisol and clomiphene citrate do not compete for binding. The binding of DHT to castrate rat prostate cytosol was greater than the same preparation from noncastrate rats and was maximal at 9–36 h after castration. This assay was used to assess potencies of naturally occurring androgenic steroids. There was little correlation between the known in vivo activity and the in vitro response of some of these naturally occurring androgens. This data, considered along with published data of others, indicate that the in vivo androgen activity of these steroids is due to metabolic conversion to an active metabolite.
PRINTS COMMEMORATING THE ROME, 1656 PLAGUE EPIDEMIC

title RIASSUNTO /title La peste di Roma del 1656 fu uno degli avvenimenti meglio documentato del diciassettesimo secolo e la maggior parte delle principali storie politiche ed ecclesiastiche ne hanno fatto riferimento come pure la corrispondenza diplomatica e le memorie personali. Libri ed opuscoli che ne parlavano uscirono in gran numero e furono pubblicate stampe commemorative illustranti gli avvenimenti dell'epidemia e le misure prese dai magistrati per alleviarla e per attuare i decreti speciali destinati a ridurne gli effetti.
New chairman takes helm at Climate Change Panel

An Indian industrial engineer and economist who supports the Kyoto Protocol, and who has sharply criticized the administration of George W. Bush on the climate change issue for not doing enough to curb greenhouse gas emissions, won the first-ever contested election for chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) during a meeting on 19 April. Rajendra Pachauri is the first representative from a developing country to chair the IPCC, a panel of about 2,500 experts on a wide range of areas related to climate change. The IPCC was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme. In total, the IPCC currently includes 192 member states. Although the bulk of the IPCC's work is conducted by three technical working groups, the chairman plays a key role in facilitating the overall process of the IPCC, organizing the scientific debate within the IPCC, and serving as chief spokesman.
Glutamine acts as a neuroprotectant against DNA damage, beta-amyloid and H2O2-induced stress.

Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the human blood stream and is ‘conditionally essential’ to cells. Its intracellular levels are regulated both by the uptake of extracellular glutamine via specific transport systems and by its intracellular synthesis by glutamine synthetase (GS). Adding to the regulatory complexity, when extracellular glutamine is reduced GS protein levels rise. Unfortunately, this excess GS can be maladaptive. GS overexpression is neurotoxic especially if the cells are in a low-glutamine medium. Similarly, in low glutamine, the levels of multiple stress response proteins are reduced rendering cells hypersensitive to H2O2, zinc salts and DNA damage. These altered responses may have particular relevance to neurodegenerative diseases of aging. GS activity and glutamine levels are lower in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain, and a fraction of AD hippocampal neurons have dramatically increased GS levels compared with control subjects. We validated the importance of these observations by showing that raising glutamine levels in the medium protects cultured neuronal cells against the amyloid peptide, Aβ. Further, a 10-day course of dietary glutamine supplementation reduced inflammation-induced neuronal cell cycle activation, tau phosphorylation and ATM-activation in two different mouse models of familial AD while raising the levels of two synaptic proteins, VAMP2 and synaptophysin. Together, our observations suggest that healthy neuronal cells require both intracellular and extracellular glutamine, and that the neuroprotective effects of glutamine supplementation may prove beneficial in the treatment of AD.
Spectroscopic investigation of metamaterials across the effective medium threshold

Abstract We spectroscopically investigate the scaling properties of a metamaterial consisting of a square array of gold cylindrical dots. The electromagnetic response of the gold-dot array is found to scale in relation to the ratio of the incident wavelength over the array spacing, in agreement with general predictions of metamaterial theory. The appropriateness of an effective medium description of the array is analyzed in terms of the resonant polarizability of the array components, and the onset of van der Hulst backscattering at higher frequencies.
Colonic intussusception induced by massive tubular adenoma in a patient post-radiofrequency ablation.

While intussusception is commonly reported in children, it is quite rare in adults and almost always secondary to a definable lesion. Incidence of adult intussusception has been estimated to range from 0.003 to 0.02 % [1]. We present a case of a 63-year-old male who presented to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain and later was found to have an ascending colonic intussusception. Case Presentation
Security versus performance tradeoffs in RPC implementations for safe language systems

In current distributed systems, the performance of remote procedure calls (RPCs) is determined primarily by the performance of the underlying network transport. While the overheads of the RPC system itself are secondary, two ongoing developments are likely to change this and will cause the current RPC systems to become the bottleneck in communication: user-level network interfaces and safe languages. User-level network interfaces such as VIA [2], U-Net [10], Fast Messages [8], NoW Active Messages [1], or Shrimp VMMC [3] are removing the operating system from the critical communication path by allowing applications to access the network interface directly. As a result, the overhead of the network transport underlying RPC decreases by almost an order of magnitude. At the same time, the increasing adoption of Java as the “internet programming language” places a heavier burden on the RPC system because communication among Java programs must satisfy the type safety properties assumed by the language run-time (this is a general issue with safe languages). Typically enforcing this type safety requires additional operations (e.g. checks) in the critical RPC path.
Dorsal-Ventral Patterning Genes Restrict NK-2 Homeobox Gene Expression to the Ventral Half of the Central Nervous System of Drosophila Embryos

Genes that affect the expression of the NK-2 homeobox gene were identified by comparing the patterns of NK-2 mRNA in wild-type Drosophila embryos with patterns in mutant embryos that have defects in genes that are required to establish the ventral-dorsal pattern of primordia in the early embryo. The NK-2 gene was shown to be activated by dorsal in the ventral half of the embryo during the syncytial blastoderm stage of development. However, expression of the NK-2 gene is restricted to the ventral half of the ventrolateral neurogenic anlagen and part of the procephalic region. The NK-2 gene is not expressed in the mesodermal anlage due to repression by snail, in mesectodermal cells due to repression by single-minded, or in the lateral neuroectodermal and/or dorsal epidermal anlagen due to repression mediated indirectly by decapentaplegic. Twist activates the NK-2 gene in the posterior portion of the embryo or is a coactivator with dorsal. The stripes of medial neuroectodermal cells that synthesize NK-2 mRNA are converted into clusters of neuroectodermal cells that contain NK-2 mRNA by segmentally repeated decreases in NK-2 mRNA. Medial neuroblasts, neuroblasts in the posterior portion of segments, and some ganglion mother cells and neurons express the NK-2 gene. These results suggest that the NK-2 gene receives and integrates information from ventral-dorsal and anterior-posterior gradients of gene regulators and that ventral, dorsal, anterior, and posterior boundaries of each cluster of neuroectodermal cells that express NK-2 are determined independently.