cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Platelet-activating factor is a weak platelet agonist: Evidence from normal human platelets and platelets with congenital secretion defects

We have examined the effects of a novel platelet agonist, platelet activating factor (PAF), on human platelets. Irreversible aggregation and 14C-serotonin secretion in response to PAF (10(-5) M) was found to be dependent on both thromboxane production and secreted adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Liberation of arachidonic acid (AA) from membrane-bound phospholipids is a prerequisite step in platelet thromboxane production. Studies with 3H-AA-labeled platelets revealed that PAF (10(-5) M) was a weak stimulus for the mobilization of AA. In addition, PAF (10(-5) M) was found to be a weak inducer of thromboxane synthesis (mean = 6 pmol/10(8) platelets) as compared to thrombin 5 U/ml (mean = 177 pmol/10(8) platelets), measured using a radioimmunoassay for thromboxane B2. Formation of phosphatidic acid is an early step in stimulus-response coupling in platelets. Our studies indicate that PAF is a weak stimulus for phosphatidic acid formation as well. To obtain further insights into its action, we examined the effect of PAF on platelets from three groups of patients with congenital secretion defects: patients with the storage pool deficiency, those with impaired thromboxane synthesis due to impaired liberation of AA from phospholipids, and those with impaired secretion despite normal granule stores and thromboxane production. The response to PAF was impaired in all patients, providing further evidence that PAF-induced platelet activation is dependent on secreted ADP and thromboxane A2 synthesis, and occurs by mechanisms common to a number of agonists. Overall, these studies indicate that PAF is a weak platelet agonist.
Photosynthetic Activity of Chloroplasts Isolated From Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.), a Species With a High Photosynthetic Capacity

Chloroplasts have been isolated from bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) leaves and assayed for photophosphorylation and electron transport activity. These chloroplasts actively synthesize adenosine triphosphate during cyclic electron flow with phenazine methosulfate and noncyclic electron flow concurrent with the reduction of such Hill oxidants as nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide phosphate, cytochrome c, and ferricyanide. Apparent Km values for the cofactors of photophosphorylation have been determined to be 5 x 10(-5) M for phosphate and 2.5 x 10(-5) M for adenosine diphosphate. The influence of light intensity on photophosphorylation has been studied and the molar ratio of cyclic to noncyclic phosphorylation calculated. It is concluded that the high photosynthetic capacity of bermudagrass leaves probably could be supported by the photophosphorylation capacities indicated in these chloroplast studies and the anomalous lack of data in chlorolast studies on the production of sufficient reductant for CO(2) assimilation at high light intensities has been noted.
Neutrino photon reactions in astrophysics and cosmology

At energies above the threshold for W production the process {nu}{gamma}{r_arrow}lW{sup +} is competitive with {nu}{nu} scattering at the same center of mass energies. In a cosmological setting, absorption of ultrahigh energy neutrinos by the microwave photon background is comparable to absorption by the neutrino background. In passing through matter, the process {nu}{r_arrow}lW{sup +} will occur in the Coulomb field of nuclei. For iron, the interaction rate per nucleon is roughly 20{percent} of the charge current cross section. The related process {bar {nu}}{sub e}e{sup {minus}}{r_arrow}{gamma}W{sup {minus}} dominates {bar {nu}}{sub e}e{sup {minus}} scattering for about a decade in energy above the resonance for W production. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from fixed and stained gels

A procedure by which sodium dodecyl sulfate gels can be fixed and stained with Coomassie blue and subsequently transferred to nitrocellulose for immunostaining is outlined. The procedure involves the complete removal of the stain followed by equilibration of the gel in sodium dodecyl sulfate running buffer. The efficiency of transfer is comparable to unfixed gels and the protein pattern of the transfer appears to be sharper, presumably due to less diffusion during the transfer process. The procedure does not affect the antigenicity of the proteins that have been examined by subsequent immunostaining. This method is particularly useful for situations in which sample size or concentration are limiting factors resulting in insufficient material for duplicate gels.
Neurologic dysfunction in gastrointestinal disease

The various disease processes described in this review by no means exhaust the list of GI diseases in which neurologic dysfunction may occur, but merely serve as a representative sampling. Recognition is often a function of awareness, and the growing knowledge of the rich interaction between GI and neurologic systems on many levels suggests that additional associations will be uncovered in the future.
Growth Following Trauma: Overview and Current Status

Growth is commonly reported following all variety of stressful encounters. This phenomenon is receiving proliferating research attention, and much has been learned. In this article, we provide an overview of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge regarding growth. Most of this research concerns self-reported growth, but a small amount of research reviewed here concerns actual growth. In particular, we review theoretical models and empirical evidence of growth and relationships between growth and adjustment. We then address several methodological, cultural, and other important issues in this research area and conclude with directions for future research.
Isolated left main coronary artery stenosis and mediastinal radiotherapy as an etiologic factor

Abstract The finding of isolated stenosis of the left main (LM) coronary artery in the absence of narrowing of other coronary arteries is rare. 1–3 Syphilitic aortitis, Takayasu's aortitis, familial hypercholesterolemia, aortic valve disease or replacement and idiopathic ostial stenosis in women have been reported as causes of isolated LM coronary artery stenosis. To assess the incidence, clinical significance and other potential etiologic factors associated with isolated LM coronary artery stenosis, we undertook the following study.
Experimenting with Justice: The Federal Judicial Center Report

An astute observer, participant, and scholar of the federal judicial system commented forty years ago that "reforms have a way of not turning out according to the expectations of their architects."' That wise counsel should serve as the epigraph for an important monograph, Experimentation in the Law, a report of the Federal Judicial Center's Advisory Commitee on Experimentation in the Law.2 The drive toward experimental tests of public policy is a fairly recent enterprise. An experiment is a test comparing the consequences of some innovation with the consequences of the status quo or some alternative program. One of the most powerful ways of assuring comparability is the random assignment of subjects to differing conditions. This modern advance in research design is attributed to R. A. Fisher.' Donald T. Campbell and Julian Stanley developed approximations to the randomized experiment in the 1960s." Their ideas improved research designs by relying on the logic of the randomized model. This brought a new consciousness to empirical social science in the 1960s and 1970s. With the surge of interest in experimental social science the extension from the laboratory to the field soon followed. Experimental tests of public policy had substantial allure' and it seemed that experimentation, through the mechanism of random assignment, would alter fundamentally and beneficially the values of a free society.6
Umbrella sampling molecular dynamics study of the dielectric constant of water

We have used a form of umbrella sampling with molecular dynamics to calculate the dielectric constant for a periodically replicated cubic system of the simple point charge (SPC) model for water. The dielectric constant is related to the average of the square of the total electric dipole. With standard sampling, the average is slowly converging due to slow diffusion of the dipole. Comparison between standard sampling and umbrella sampling is made to determine the improvement in convergence that can be obtained. Probability distributions are calculated as well as averages. The distributions are used to study the shape of the pertinent free energy surface and the anisotropy of a system of periodically replicated cubic boxes. For a system of 250 water molecules in the primary cell, there is substantial anisotropy that must be accounted for in an accurate calculation of the dielectric constant.
Structural Features of a Microburst-Producing Storm in Colorado Revealed by JAWS Dual-Doppler Radars

Abstract Some dynamic and thermodynamic structures of a microburst-producing storm, which occurred on 14 July 1982 in Colorado, were studied in detail during the storm's quasi-steady mature stage. Dual-Doppler data from 1646 to 1648 MDT, collected during the project of Joint Airport Weather Studies (JAWS) at Denver's Stapleton International Airport, were objectively analyzed to produce a three-dimensional wind field. The domain of interest had a horizontal dimension of 10 km by 10 km centered on the microburst. There were 19 analysis levels in the vertical, ranging from 0.25 to 8.5 km AGL. The horizontal grid spacing was 0.5 km, while thevertical grid spacing varied from 0.25 km near the surface to 0.5 km at levels above I kin. Vertical velocities were computed by integrating the anelastic continuity equation downward from the storm's top with variational adjustment. Subsequently, fields of deviation-perturbation pressure and virtual temperature were recovered from a detailed wind field using the three mo...
AI's 10 to Watch

The recipients of the IEEE Intelligent Systems 10 to Watch award--Eyal Amir, Regina Barzilay, Jennifer Golbeck, Tom Griffiths, Steve Gustafson, Carsten Lutz, Pragnesh Jay Modi, Marta Sabou, and Richard A. Watson--discuss their current research and their visions of AI for the future. This article is part of a special issue on the Future of AI.
Improving the Performance of Photo-Electrically Controlled Lighting Systems

The ability of a photo-electrically controlled lighting system to maintain a constant total light level on a task surface by responding to changing daylight levels is affected by the control algorithm used to relate the photosensor signal to the supplied electric light level and by the placement and geometry of the photosensor. We describe the major components of a typical control system, discuss the operation of three different control algorithms, and derive expressions for each algorithm that express the total illuminance at the task as a function of the control photosensor signal. Using a specially-designed scale model, we measured the relationship between the signal generated by various ceiling-mounted control photosensors and workplane illuminance for two room geometries under real sky conditions. The measured data were used to determine the performance of systems obeying the three control algorithms under varying daylight conditions. Control systems employing the commonly-used integral reset algorithm supplied less electric light than required, failing to satisfy the control objective regardless of the control photosensor used. Systems employing an alternative, closed-loop proportional control algorithm achieved the control objective under virtually all tested conditions when operated by a ceiling-mounted photosensor shielded from direct window light.
Effect of aberration on partial-sky measurements of the cosmic microwave background temperature power spectrum

Our motion relative to the cosmic microwave background (CMB) rest frame deflects light rays giving rise to shifts as large as $\ensuremath{\ell}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\ell}(1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\ensuremath{\beta})$, where $\ensuremath{\beta}=0.00123\text{ }\text{ }$ is our velocity (in units of the speed of light) on measurements of CMB fluctuations. Here we present a novel harmonic-space approach to this CMB aberration that improves upon prior work by allowing us to (i) go to higher orders in $\ensuremath{\beta}$, thus extending the validity of the analysis to measurements at $\ensuremath{\ell}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath{\simeq}800$; and (ii) treat the effects of window functions and pixelization in a more accurate and computationally efficient manner. We calculate precisely the magnitude of the systematic bias in the power spectrum inferred from the partial sky and show that aberration shifts the multipole moment by $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremath{\ell}/\ensuremath{\ell}\ensuremath{\simeq}\ensuremath{\beta}⟨\mathrm{cos}\text{ }\ensuremath{\theta}⟩$, with $⟨\mathrm{cos}\text{ }\ensuremath{\theta}⟩$ averaged over the survey footprint. Such a shift, if ignored, would bias the measurement of the sound-horizon size ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\text{*}}$ at the 0.01% level, which is comparable to the measurement uncertainties of Planck. The bias can then propagate into cosmological parameters such as the angular-diameter distance, Hubble parameter and dark-energy equation of state. We study the effect of aberration for current Planck, South Pole Telescope (SPT) and Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) data and show that the bias cannot be neglected. On the other hand, the aberration effect yields the opposite sign of the discrepancy and cannot account for the small tension between ACT and SPT. An Appendix shows how the near constancy of the full-sky power spectrum under aberration follows from unitarity of the aberration kernel.
Hydrogen-bonding and π-π base-stacking interactions are coupled in DNA, as suggested by calculated and experimental trans-hbond deuterium isotope shifts

Computational and experimental trans-Hbond deuterium isotope shifts suggest that Hbonding and electronic base-stacking interactions, although largely orthogonal, are coupled in B-form DNA duplexes. For an A:T base pair, the Hbond is shorter and stronger in the RAR:YTY than YAY:RTR context. This difference is due to the greater anharmonicity of the N3−H3 vibrational potential of the thymine in RAR:YTY, which arises from electronic interactions between A:T and adjacent bases. As predicted by the calculations, reduction of the base stacking propensity using ethanol abolishes the experimental sequence dependence of 2hΔ13C2.
Biofilm loss during sample preparation for scanning electron microscopy

Abstract Biofilm morphology and mass are two of the important characteristics governing the kinetics of substrate removal by biofilms. Many previous studies showed only sparse biofilm on attaching media. However, one of the reasons which might cause a sparse-biofilm specimen in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is that the treatment of a biofilm sample is harsh and can cause various artifacts. This study was conducted to evaluate the loss of biofilm during a conventional preparation procedure. Biofilm lost during preparation stages was collected on membrane filters. A different technique—the membrane filter method—was devised to carry a biofilm sample through the preparation stage with reduced losses. The sample was sandwiched between membrane filters during preparation so that the loss was minimized and the lost biofilm could be saved for qualitative and quantitative evaluations. SEM examination of biofilms and membrane filters showed that biofilm loss was much more significant with conventional treatment.
On the wind-induced exchange between Indian River Bay, Delaware and the adjacent continental shelf

Abstract The structure of the wind-induced exchange between Indian River Bay, Delaware and the adjacent continental shelf is examined based on current measurements made at the Indian River Inlet which represents the only conduit of exchange between the bay and the coastal ocean. Local wind measurements and sea levels from stations located along the open coast and in the interior of the bay are also obtained. Coastal sea level fluctuations are coherent with winds over periodicities of 2–10 days, with the highest response corresponding to winds aligned along two bands, one broadly centered around the general orientation of the Middle Atlantic Bight coastline between New Jersey and Virginia (040°T), and the other narrowly focused on the direction perpendicular to the local coastline (090°T). Currents in the inlet are also highly coherent with the wind along these two directions, but the high coherence is limited to time scales between 2 and 5 days. Within those time scales the currents in the inlet show largely depth-independent fluctuations which are highly coherent and in quadrature phase with the coastal sea level fluctuations, indicating that the subtidal exchanges in those time scales are principally accomplished by the remote wind effects on the shelf through the impingement of coastal sea level fluctuations at the entrance to the inlet. This coastal pumping effect produces unidirectional inflow throughout the water column under coastal set-up conditions, and outflow occurs under coastal set-down conditions. There is indication that a weaker, but still significant mode of bi-directional exchange also exists in the inlet, with currents in the upper layer fluctuating in opposite directions relative to those in the lower layer.
The hippocampus and exploration: dynamically evolving behavior and neural representations

We develop a normative statistical approach to exploratory behavior called information foraging. Information foraging highlights the specific processes that contribute to active, rather than passive, exploration and learning. We hypothesize that the hippocampus plays a critical role in active exploration through directed information foraging by supporting a set of processes that allow an individual to determine where to sample. By examining these processes, we show how information directed information foraging provides a formal theoretical explanation for the common hippocampal substrates of constructive memory, vicarious trial and error behavior, schema-based facilitation of memory performance, and memory consolidation.
Kalirin-7 controls activity-dependent structural and functional plasticity of dendritic spines

Activity-dependent rapid structural and functional modifications of central excitatory synapses contribute to synapse maturation, experience-dependent plasticity, and learning and memory and are associated with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. However, the signal transduction mechanisms that link glutamate receptor activation to intracellular effectors that accomplish structural and functional plasticity are not well understood. Here we report that NMDA receptor activation in pyramidal neurons causes CaMKII-dependent phosphorylation of the guanine-nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) kalirin-7 at residue threonine 95, regulating its GEF activity, leading to activation of small GTPase Rac1 and rapid enlargement of existing spines. Kalirin-7 also interacts with AMPA receptors and controls their synaptic expression. By demonstrating that kalirin expression and spine localization are required for activity-dependent spine enlargement and enhancement of AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission, our study identifies a signaling pathway that controls structural and functional spine plasticity.
Aspect, Tense, or Aktionsart?: The Particle Ja in Kristang (Malacca Creole Portuguese)

This paper attempts to determine whether the particle ja in Kristang (spoken in Malacca, Malaysia) functions as part of an aspect, a tense, or an aktionsart system. The paper first argues that ja does not mark the perfective in an aspectual system. Second, it argues that ja does not mark the past in a tense system. It then argues, instead, that ja marks an aktionsart category, namely, a change of state. The paper concludes by noting some historical changes in the usage of ja and speculates about some incipient changes in the Kristang system as a whole.The analysis of this particle in different conversational settings suggests that for some speakers ja marks the present relevance of events that occurred in the past. This usage of the particle relates to its original adverbial semantics in Portuguese, where ja means 'already'. However, it is argued that this change in the usage of the particle has been induced by English. English is now the dominant language for many Kristang speakers and it has a semantically very similar present perfect. It is on the basis of these similarities that ja is determined to be largely a perfect marker for some Kristang speakers.
Scoring single-nucleotide polymorphisms at the single-molecule level by counting individual DNA cleavage events on surfaces.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most frequent type of human genetic variation. Recent work has shown that it is possible to directly analyze SNPs in unamplified human genomic DNA samples using the surface-invasive cleavage reaction followed by rolling circle amplification (RCA) of the cleavage products. The ability of RCA to produce single-stranded DNA tens of thousands of nucleotides in length from a single cleaved DNA molecule on the surface suggested the possibility of detecting individual cleavage events on the surface. The feasibility of this approach to SNP scoring is shown here. Individual cleavage events on the surface are detected using fluorescence microscopy to visualize the single-stranded DNA product of the RCA reaction labeled with the fluorescent dye SYBR Green I. The surface density of fluorescent features observed is dependent upon the concentration of target DNA. Future reductions of the sample volume and optimization of the reaction conditions offer the potential of being...
Abrupt transition of mesic grassland to shrubland: evidence for thresholds, alternative attractors, and regime shifts

Ecosystems with alternative attractors are susceptible to abrupt regime shifts that are often difficult to predict and reverse. In this study, we quantify multiple system dynamics to determine whether the transition of mesic grassland to shrubland, a widespread phenomenon, represents a linear reversible process, a nonlinear but reversible threshold process, or a transition between alternative attractors that is nonlinear and prone to hysteresis. Using a 28-yr data set with annual resolution and extensive spatial replication, we found that shrub cover is correlated with distinct thresholds of fire and C4 grass cover, resulting in temporal bimodality of shrub cover and abrupt shifts of shrub cover despite gradual changes in grass cover. These abrupt increases in shrub cover are the most rapid ever reported in grasslands, and illustrate internal thresholds that separate grasslands and shrublands. Nonlinear transitions from low to high shrub cover were also closely associated with positive feedback mechanisms...
Electroactive porphyrin films from electropolymerized metallotetra(o-aminophenyl)porphyrins

Electrochimie de films raisonnablement stables et probablement polymeriques sur des electrodes de Pt qui peuvent etre prepares par electro-oxydation de H 2 (o-TAPP) et plusieurs de ses derives metalles
Product placements as public relations: an exploratory study of the role of the public relations firm

Abstract This article reports the results of a survey of 106 public relations firms concerning their level of involvement with product placements as part of their public relations strategies. The findings of this research suggest that public relations practitioners are active players in choosing whether to use product placements to enhance a client’s product or service. Results also indicate that practitioners are more knowledgeable about product placements than previously believed and that they are more enthusiastic about the future of product placements than their advertising counterparts. Carol J. Pardun is an assistant professor of public relations and advertising at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Kathy Brittain McKee is an associate professor of journalism at Berry College in Rome, Georgia.
Differential basal expression of genes associated with stress response, damage control, and DNA repair among mouse tissues

Efficient recognition and repair of DNA damage is essential for maintaining genomic integrity. Tissues and cell types within tissues appear to vary in both DNA damage susceptibilities and cancer incidences, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these differences are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to characterize the baseline transcription profiles of selected genes involved in DNA damage recognition and repair processes among several tissues of healthy adult B6C3F1 mice (testis, brain, liver, spleen and heart), which are routinely used by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) to conduct long-term chemical carcinogenicity studies. Stress response, damage control and DNA repair-associated genes were differentially expressed among the tissues examined. Overall, stress response genes exhibited the greatest variation among tissues with the highest expression in liver and heart while DNA repair genes exhibited the least variation. Damage control genes associated with cell cycle regulation and DNA repair genes generally had the highest expression in testis. The expression levels of several genes were rank correlated with the spontaneous cancer incidences among these tissues. Variations in basal expression of DNA damage recognition and repair-associated genes among healthy tissues may contribute to their differential response to genotoxic agents and susceptibility to genetic disease.
Energy Levels in Light Nuclei

Targets of beryllium, Nylon, lead fluoride, sulfur, and lead sulfide were bombarded with 8-Mev protons from the University of Pittsburgh cyclotron. Energy levels were observed in ${\mathrm{Be}}^{9}$, ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$, ${\mathrm{N}}^{14}$, ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$, ${\mathrm{F}}^{19}$, and ${\mathrm{S}}^{32}$ by inelastic scattering at 150\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} from thin targets. Single levels were assigned in ${\mathrm{Be}}^{9}$ and ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$; two levels were assigned in ${\mathrm{N}}^{14}$; nine levels were assigned in ${\mathrm{F}}^{19}$; and seven levels were assigned in ${\mathrm{S}}^{32}$.
Structural Studies of Cytoplasmic P53 Interactions

Besides its well-known transcriptional regulatory functions, the tumor suppressor p53 exhibits pro-apoptotic activities in the cytoplasm that are less completely understood. We are undertaking structural and biophysical characterization of protein-protein interactions that mediate the cytoplasmic function of p53 as a direct activator of apoptosis. Our findings to date have elucidated several mechanistic aspects of this apoptotic pathway. Our detailed descriptions of protein-protein interactions within this pathway may enable the alteration of the cytosolic activity of p53 by mutagenesis and, ultimately, chemical intervention. Pharmaceutical approaches aimed at restoring the transcriptional function of p53 are currently being explored. However, these studies generally do not take account of the cytoplasmic roles of p53. Our studies provide a basis for understanding how p53-targeted small molecules may, through their effects on cytoplasmic p53, alter cellular outcomes.
Mn-doped near-infrared quantum dots as multimodal targeted probes for pancreatic cancer imaging

This work presents a novel approach to producing manganese (Mn)-doped quantum dots (Mnd-QDs) emitting in the near-infrared (NIR). Surface functionalization of Mnd-QDs with lysine makes them stably disperse in aqueous media and able to conjugate with targeting molecules. The nanoparticles were structurally and compositionally characterized and maintained a high photoluminescence quantum yield and displayed paramagnetism in water. The receptor-mediated delivery of bioconjugated Mnd-QDs into pancreatic cancer cells was demonstrated using the confocal microscopy technique. Cytotoxicity of Mnd-QDs on live cells has been evaluated. The NIR-emitting characteristic of the QDs has been exploited to acquire whole animal body imaging with high contrast signals. In addition, histological and blood analysis of mice have revealed that no long-term toxic effects arise from MnD-QDs. These studies suggest multimodal Mnd-QDs have the potentials as probes for early pancreatic cancer imaging and detection.
A Kinematic Theory of Large Magnetic Reynolds Number Dynamos

An asymptotic analysis is made of the magnetic induction equation for certain flows characterized by a large magnetic Reynolds number R . A novel feature is the hybrid approach given to the problem. Advantage is taken of a combination of Eulerian and Lagrange coordinates. Under certain conditions the problem can be reduced to solving a pair of coupled partial differential equations dependent on only two space coordinates (cf. Braginskii 1964 a ). Two main cases are considered. First the case is examined, in which the production of azimuthal magnetic field from the meridional magnetic field by a shear in the aximuthal flow is negligible. It is shown that a term J (analogous to electric current) is related linearly to the vector B which determines the magnetic field. (Note that B is not the magnetic field vector: see (1.33) and (2.35 b ).) The current J is likely to sustain dynamo action. Secondly, the case is considered, in which shearing of meridional magnetic field is the principal mechanism for creating the azimuthal magnetic field and the effect described above is one mechanism for creating meridional magnetic field from the azimuthal magnetic field. It is shown that the term J is not only linearly related to B , but has an additional contribution P x (V x B ), where P is characterized by the flow (see (4.15)). Both these effects have been predicted previously in theories of dynamo action produced by turbulent motions. Under certain restrictive conditions the resulting equations in the second case reduce to Braginskil’s (1964 a , b ) formulation for nearly symmetric dynamos. The words azimuthal and meridional are not used here in the usual sense. The difference in terminology is a consequence of a coordinate transformation.
Remarks from the organizational representatives Medical quality assessment and the american college of physicians

“Quality” has become a “buzz word” in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in the past few years, replacing “access” and “cost” as a topic of major concern in regard to health care, but obviously not replacing the other two as problems for the medical profession. Quality can have both subjective and objective characteristics. In the operating room or procedural unit, quality control relates to the procedures followed by personnel, the equipment used and other measures. Quality assurance has come to connote structure, process and outcome has become an important consideration by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Organizations in the United States. Role of the American College of Physicians in Quality Assessment
Abnormal T cell receptor signal transduction of CD4 Th cells in X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome.

The molecular basis of X-linked lymphoproliferative (XLP) disease has been attributed to mutations in the signaling lymphocytic activation molecule-associated protein (SAP), an src homology 2 domain-containing intracellular signaling molecule known to interact with the lymphocyte-activating surface receptors signaling lymphocytic activation molecule and 2B4. To investigate the effect of SAP defects on TCR signal transduction, herpesvirus saimiri-immortalized CD4 Th cells from XLP patients and normal healthy individuals were examined for their response to TCR stimulation. CD4 T cells of XLP patients displayed elevated levels of tyrosine phosphorylation compared with CD4 T cells from healthy individuals. In addition, downstream serine/threonine kinases are constitutively active in CD4 T cells of XLP patients. In contrast, TCR-mediated activation of Akt, c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinases, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases in XLP CD4 T cells was transient and rapidly diminished when compared with that in control CD4 T cells. Consequently, XLP CD4 T cells exhibited severe defects in up-regulation of IL-2 and IFN-γ cytokine production upon TCR stimulation and in MLRs. Finally, SAP specifically interacted with a 75-kDa tyrosine-phosphorylated protein upon TCR stimulation. These results demonstrate that CD4 T cells from XLP patients exhibit aberrant TCR signal transduction and that the defect in SAP function is likely responsible for this phenotype.
Determination of Benzodiazepines in Oral Fluid Using LC-MS-MS

A rapid, simple, highly sensitive procedure for the simultaneous analysis of bromazepam, alprazolam, clonazepam, lorazepam, oxazepam, diazepam, midazolam, flurazepam, flunitrazepam, nordiazepam, triazolam, temazepam, nitrazepam, and chlordiazepoxide in oral fluid is described, using liquid chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in positive electrospray mode. Benzodiazepines in oral fluid samples (1 mL) were analyzed using the Quantisal collection device, quantified using solid-phase extraction, and detected using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection. For confirmation, two transitions were monitored and one ion ratio determined, which was within 20% of the ratio for known calibration standards. The limits of quantitation ranged from 0.5-5 ng/mL of neat oral fluid; the intraday precision of the assays (n=5) ranged from 2.8-7.29%; and the interday precision ranged from 1.42-6.8% (n=5). The percentage recovery of the drugs from the collection pads ranged from a low of 81.4% for midazolam to the highest of 90.17% for nitrazepam. The procedure can be applied to authentic oral fluid specimens.
Towards Collaborative Environments for Ontology Construction and Sharing

Ontologies that explicitly identify objects, properties, and relationships in specific domains are essential for collaborations that involve sharing of data, knowledge, or resources among autonomous individuals. Against this background, this paper motivates the need for collaborative environments for ontology construction, sharing, and usage; identifies the desiderata of such environments; and proposes package based description logics (P-DL) that extend classic description logic (DL) based ontology languages to support modularity and (selective) knowledge hiding. In P-DL, each ontology consists of packages (or modules) with well-defined interfaces. Each package encapsulates a closely related set of terms and relations between terms. Together, these terms and relations represent the ontological commitments about a small, coherent part of the universe of discourse. Packages can be hierarchically nested, thereby imposing an organizational structure on the ontology. Package-based ontologies also allow creators of packages to exert control over the visibility of each term or relation within the package thereby allowing the selective sharing (or conversely, hiding) of ontological commitments captured by a package.
Refactoring and automated performance tuning of computational chemistry application codes

Computational chemistry codes such as GAMESS and MPQC have been under development for several years and are constantly evolving to include new science and adapt to new high performance computing (HPC) systems. Our work with these codes has given rise to two needs. One is to refactor the codes so that it is easier to optimize them. After profiling has identified performance critical regions, refactoring to outline those regions into separate routines facilitates performance tuning and porting to complex heterogeneous HPC architectures. The second need is for automated performance tuning. Because of the large number of both fine-grained and coarse-grained parameters for tuning performance on complex hierarchical and hybrid architectures, the search space for an optimal set of parameters becomes very large. This paper describes initial results on using refactoring tools to restructure MPQC and GAMESS and on using automated tools to tune performance on multicore and manycore architectures.
Relation between permeability and effective stress along a plate-boundary fault, Barbados accretionary complex

In situ bulk permeability was measured in a borehole that intersected the decollement zone (a low-angle detachment fault) between the North American and Caribbean plates. Permeability measurements were made at a variety of fluid-pressure conditions, defining a quantitative relation between bulk permeability and effective stress for this plate-boundary fault zone. The bulk permeability in this zone changed by several orders of magnitude as a consistent function of fluid pressure. This relation may help to explain the dynamics of fluid-fault interactions and the transient nature of hydrologic processes during deformation at convergent margins.
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction without prior thrombolytic therapy.

Abstract In most patients transmural acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is caused by acute coronary artery occlusion consisting of an atherosclerotic plaque with superimposed thrombus. 1 One of the most notable of the recent therapeutic advances for AMI is the use of intracoronary streptokinase, which results in restoration of coronary flow in 64 to 85% of patients. 2,3 Disadvantages of this technique include both subsequent hemostatic problems and frequently severe residual stenosis that may jeopardize any expected wall motion improvement. 4 Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) has recently been used immediately after successful coronary thrombolysis to dilate severe residual stenoses. 5 Some investigators feel that such an approach leads to greater wall motion recovery and lessens the risks of reocclusion. 4,5 Even more recently, PTCA has been proposed as the initial therapy in AMI because it avoids hemostatic problems and long infusion times involved with thrombolytic therapy. 6 We report our experience with PTCA without prior thrombolytic therapy in the management of patients with AMI as an alternative to thrombolytic therapy.
Analysis of MaxiK Channel Alpha-Subunit Subproteome from the Mouse Brain

Large conductance voltage and calcium-activated potassium (MaxiK) channels are activated by membrane depolarization and elevated cytosolic calcium. In neurons, MaxiK channels are involved in the regulation of transmitter release and repolarization of the action potential. To uncover proteins involved in the regulatory functions of MaxiK, we analyzed the brain interactome of its α-subunit (MaxiKα) after specific co-immunoprecipitation. Adult mouse brains from wild-type and MaxiKα knockout (negative control) were lysed and proteins were immunoprecipitated with anti-MaxiKα antibodies or IgG (negative control). Immunoprecipitated proteins were separated on polyacrylamide gels. Gel plugs at all molecular sizes were excised, digested with trypsin, and analyzed by LC/MS/MS. A specific MaxiKα immunoprecipitation is supported by the identification of peptides covering 27.1% of MaxiKα protein in samples from wild-type animals and using anti-MaxiKα antibodies but not in samples of immunoprecipitates using IgG or brains of Kcnma1-/- animals (n=3). MaxiKα splice variants, STREX (in between exon 18 and 19) and SV27 (in between exon 23 and 24) as well as two residue variants A632R and F633L in exon 19 were identified (n=3). In addition to the 21 proteins immunopreciptated earlier from murine cortical membranes (Gorini et al, FEBS Lett. 2010; 584:845-51), 254 additional proteins were obtained (n=3). Along with the MaxiKβ4 subunit (Kcnmb4), Teneurin 2, Insulin receptor-related protein, Kinesin 21A, Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 2N, GABA transporter 3&4 (S6A11), SERCA 2, Coronin 1A, Citrate synthase, Ssbp2, and Rl19 were identified as the most prominent proteins interacting with the brain MaxiKα. Several nuclear and mitochondrial proteins were also detected. These results strongly suggest that MaxiKα interacts with a variety of proteins in the brain, and further investigation of functional consequences of these interactions will enhance our understanding of MaxiK and its role in neuronal function. Supported by NIH and AHA.
TIM-1 induces T cell activation and inhibits the development of peripheral tolerance

We have examined the function of TIM-1, encoded by a gene identified as an 'atopy susceptibility gene' (Havcr1*), and demonstrate here that TIM-1 is a molecule that costimulates T cell activation. TIM-1 was expressed on CD4+ T cells after activation and its expression was sustained preferentially in T helper type 2 (TH2) but not TH1 cells. In vitro stimulation of CD4+ T cells with a TIM-1-specific monoclonal antibody and T cell receptor ligation enhanced T cell proliferation; in TH2 cells, such costimulation greatly enhanced synthesis of interleukin 4 but not interferon-γ. In vivo, the use of antibody to TIM-1 plus antigen substantially increased production of both interleukin 4 and interferon-γ in unpolarized T cells, prevented the development of respiratory tolerance, and increased pulmonary inflammation. Our studies suggest that immunotherapies that regulate TIM-1 function may downmodulate allergic inflammatory diseases. NOTE: In the supplementary information initially published online to accompany this article, the legends for the supplementary figures are attached to the wrong figures. The error has been corrected online.
Work in progress - curriculum visualization

CurricVis is a work-in-progress curriculum visualization application. The structure of a curriculum is modeled as a directed graph whose nodes represent courses and whose edges represent relationships between courses. Various graphical styles are used to encode details such as co-requisites and electives. Diagrams are automatically generated based on a curricular knowledge base. This approach has many benefits over manually-created visualizations: they require less maintenance and promote visual exploration of curriculum modifications. The CurricVis prototype has been used to generate visualizations of Computer Science curricula, including degree programs for majors and minors. The resulting visualizations have been valuable in advising current students as well as explaining the curriculum to prospective students. They have also been used to facilitate curriculum discussion in departmental committees. More user-friendly data entry and visualization generation interfaces are currently under development. Future work includes integration with Web-based course catalogs and student transcripts, path highlighting for computer-assisted advising, and the integration of more advanced information visualization techniques for large-scale curriculum visualization.
svmPRAT: SVM-based Protein Residue Annotation Toolkit

Over the last decade several prediction methods have been developed for determining the structural and functional properties of individual protein residues using sequence and sequence-derived information. Most of these methods are based on support vector machines as they provide accurate and generalizable prediction models. We present a general purpose protein residue annotation toolkit (svm PRAT) to allow biologists to formulate residue-wise prediction problems. svm PRAT formulates the annotation problem as a classification or regression problem using support vector machines. One of the key features of svm PRAT is its ease of use in incorporating any user-provided information in the form of feature matrices. For every residue svm PRAT captures local information around the reside to create fixed length feature vectors. svm PRAT implements accurate and fast kernel functions, and also introduces a flexible window-based encoding scheme that accurately captures signals and pattern for training effective predictive models. In this work we evaluate svm PRAT on several classification and regression problems including disorder prediction, residue-wise contact order estimation, DNA-binding site prediction, and local structure alphabet prediction. svm PRAT has also been used for the development of state-of-the-art transmembrane helix prediction method called TOPTMH, and secondary structure prediction method called YASSPP. This toolkit developed provides practitioners an efficient and easy-to-use tool for a wide variety of annotation problems. Availability: http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~mlbio/svmprat
Protecting browser state from web privacy attacks

Through a variety of means, including a range of browser cache methods and inspecting the color of a visited hyperlink, client-side browser state can be exploited to track users against their wishes. This tracking is possible because persistent, client-side browser state is not properly partitioned on per-site basis in current browsers. We address this problem by refining the general notion of a "same-origin" policy and implementing two browser extensions that enforce this policy on the browser cache and visited links.We also analyze various degrees of cooperation between sites to track users, and show that even if long-term browser state is properly partitioned, it is still possible for sites to use modern web features to bounce users between sites and invisibly engage in cross-domain tracking of their visitors. Cooperative privacy attacks are an unavoidable consequence of all persistent browser state that affects the behavior of the browser, and disabling or frequently expiring this state is the only way to achieve true privacy against colluding parties.
Rickettsia rickettsii Infection of Human Macrovascular and Microvascular Endothelial Cells Reveals Activation of Both Common and Cell Type-Specific Host Response Mechanisms

Although inflammation and altered barrier functions of the vasculature, due predominantly to the infection of endothelial cell lining of small and medium-sized blood vessels, represent salient pathological features of human rickettsioses, the interactions between pathogenic rickettsiae and microvascular endothelial cells remain poorly understood. We have investigated the activation of nuclear transcription factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, expression of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and secretion of chemokines and prostaglandins after Rickettsia rickettsii infection of human cerebral, dermal, and pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells in comparison with pulmonary artery cells of macrovascular origin. NF-κB and p38 kinase activation and increased HO-1 mRNA expression were clearly evident in all cell types, along with relatively similar susceptibility to R. rickettsii infection in vitro but considerable variations in the intensities/kinetics of the aforementioned host responses. As expected, the overall activation profiles of macrovascular endothelial cells derived from human pulmonary artery and umbilical vein were nearly identical. Interestingly, cerebral endothelial cells displayed a marked refractoriness in chemokine production and secretion, while all other cell types secreted various levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) in response to infection. A unique feature of all microvascular endothelial cells was the lack of induced COX-2 expression and resultant inability to secrete prostaglandin E2 after R. rickettsii infection. Comparative evaluation thus yields the first experimental evidence for the activation of both common and unique cell type-specific host response mechanisms in macrovascular and microvascular endothelial cells infected with R. rickettsii, a prototypical species known to cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever in humans.