cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical Applications of High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy has the advantage of delivering a high dose to the tumor while sparing the surrounding normal tissues. With proper case selection and delivery technique, high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy eliminates radiation exposure, allows short treatment times, and can be performed on an outpatient basis. Additionally, use of a single-stepping source allows optimization of dose distribution by varying the dwell time at each dwell position. However, when HDR brachytherapy is used, the treatments must be executed carefully, because the short treatment times do not allow any time for correction of errors, and mistakes can result in harm to patients. Hence, it is very important that all personnel involved in HDR brachytherapy be well trained and constantly alert. The use of HDR brachytherapy has expanded over the last decade and will continue to do so with refinements in the integration of imaging (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, intraoperative ultrasonography) and optimization of dose distribution. Better tumor localization and normal tissue definition has led to more optimal dose distribution to the tumor and reduction of normal tissue exposure. It is anticipated that this will lead to better outcomes. The development of well-controlled randomized trials addressing issues of efficacy, toxicity, quality of life, and costs versus benefits will ultimately define the specific role of HDR brachytherapy in the therapeutic armamentarium at different disease sites.
One-Dimensional Temperature Predictions in Unsteady Flows

One-dimensional temperature models are useful in assessing the environmental impact of waste heat discharges. The model presented in this paper both considers transient flow and meteorological conditions and is therefore applicable to actual rivers and estuaries. The equations governing the flow and the temperature distribution are reviewed and the role and determination of the dispersion coefficient is examined. The fluxes participating in the overall heat budget of a water body are individually considered and formulas are given to evaluate them. The nature of the necessary boundary conditions is considered and a case study is presented where the natural temperature distribution in the Conowingo Reservoir is predicted and compared to actual measurements.
Distribution and Ca2+ signalling of fibroblast-like (PDGFRα+) cells in the murine gastric fundus

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor α positive (PDGFRα+) cells are suggested to mediate purinergic inputs in GI muscles, but the responsiveness of these cells to purines in situ has not been evaluated. We developed techniques to label and visualize PDGFRα+ cells in murine gastric fundus, load cells with Ca2+ indicators, and follow their activity via digital imaging. Immunolabelling demonstrated a high density of PDGFRα+ cells in the fundus. Cells were isolated and purified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) using endogenous expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) driven off the Pdgfra promoter. Quantitative PCR showed high levels of expression of purinergic P2Y1 receptors and SK3 K+ channels in PDGFRα+ cells. Ca2+ imaging was used to characterize spontaneous Ca2+ transients and responses to purines in PDGFRα+ cells in situ. ATP, ADP, UTP and β-NAD elicited robust Ca2+ transients in PDGFRα+ cells. Ca2+ transients were also elicited by the P2Y1-specific agonist (N)-methanocarba-2MeSADP (MRS-2365), and inhibited by MRS-2500, a P2Y1-specific antagonist. Responses to ADP, MRS-2365 and β-NAD were absent in PDGFRα+ cells from P2ry1(−/−) mice, but responses to ATP were retained. Purine-evoked Ca2+ transients were mediated through Ca2+ release mechanisms. Inhibitors of phospholipase C (U-73122), IP3 (2-APB), ryanodine receptors (Ryanodine) and SERCA pump (cyclopiazonic acid and thapsigargin) abolished Ca2+ transients elicited by purines. This study provides a link between purine binding to P2Y1 receptors and activation of SK3 channels in PDGFRα+ cells. Activation of Ca2+ release is likely to be the signalling mechanism in PDGFRα+ cells responsible for the transduction of purinergic enteric inhibitory input in gastric fundus muscles.
ReTrASE: integrating paradigms for approximate probabilistic planning

Past approaches for solving MDPs have several weaknesses: 1) Decision-theoretic computation over the state space can yield optimal results but scales poorly. 2) Value-function approximation typically requires human-specified basis functions and has not been shown successful on nominal ("discrete") domains such as those in the ICAPS planning competitions. 3) Replanning by applying a classical planner to a determinized domain model can generate approximate policies for very large problems but has trouble handling probabilistic subtlety [Little and Thiebaux, 2007]. This paper presents RETRASE, a novel MDP solver, which combines decision theory, function approximation and classical planning in a new way. RETRASE uses classical planning to create basis functions for value-function approximation and applies expected-utility analysis to this compact space. Our algorithm is memory-efficient and fast (due to its compact, approximate representation), returns high-quality solutions (due to the decision-theoretic framework) and does not require additional knowledge from domain engineers (since we apply classical planning to automatically construct the basis functions). Experiments demonstrate that RETRASE outperforms winners from the past three probabilistic-planning competitions on many hard problems.
The Craft of Legal Interpretation

Legal scholars sometimes demand too much from legal determinacy or objectivity. In order for the law to perform its social function, it must be possible to identify well grounded legal positions and differentiate them from positions that lack sufficient support in the law. Using the example of the US government legal opinions authorizing torture, this chapter argues that lawyers can evaluate legal judgments for their plausibility. If this argument is sound, then as an ethical matter lawyers can be required to take responsibility for the quality of the legal advice they give to clients, and can be criticized in ethical terms for manipulating or abusing the law in the service of clients.
Homer's Traditional Art

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: John Miles Foley Year: 1999 Pages: xviii + 363 Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press Prices: $49.95 US(hard cover).
A model-free approach to optimal signal light timing for system-wide traffic control

A long-standing problem in traffic engineering is to optimize the flow of vehicles through a given road network. Improving the timing of the traffic signals at intersections in the network is generally the most powerful and cost-effective means of achieving this goal. However, because of the many complex aspects of a traffic system-human behavioral considerations, vehicle flow interactions within the network, weather effects, traffic accidents, long-term (e.g., seasonal) variation, etc.-it has been notoriously difficult to determine the optimal signal light timing. This is especially the case on a system-wide (multiple intersection) basis. Much of this difficulty has stemmed from the need to build extremely complex open-loop models of the traffic dynamics as a component of the control strategy. This paper presents a fundamentally different approach for optimal light timing that eliminates the need for such an open-loop model. The approach is based on a neural network (or other function approximator) serving as the basis for the control law, with the weight estimation occurring in closed-loop mode via the simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) algorithm. Since the SPSA algorithm requires only loss function measurements (no gradients of the loss function), there is no open-loop model required for the weight estimation. The approach is illustrated by simulation on a six-intersection network with moderate congestion and stochastic, nonlinear effects. >
Bilateral pneumothorax, an unusual complication of laparoscopic surgery

Even though there are few complications with endoscopic surgery, some are life threatening. Pneumothorax is among these complications. Timely recognition and rapid diagnosis is essential. This is a case of a routine laparoscopy that was complicated by bilateral pneumothorax, and its diagnosis and treatment.
Essay: Diversity in the workplace

Managing diversity means promoting inclusion, creating an environment where all differences are valued and in which each employee can develop to her or his full potential.
Mexican Immigration: Insiders’ Views on Crime, Risks, and Victimization

This study is a qualitative examination of interview data with recent Mexican immigrants about their experiences coming to the United States and adjusting to their new life to determine the extent to which crime has been involved. The perception that Mexican immigrants are responsible for new predatory crimes is explored, along with other crime-related issues of offending, risks, and vulnerabilities. The data were collected with a semistructured interview schedule and administered to 30 participants chosen via a chain-referral process in 2 cities in 2 states with the largest concentrations of Mexicans living in the United States. The findings have implications for understanding vulnerabilities and at-risk situations of Mexican immigrants living in the United States, using social exclusion theory. The results also may prove useful for immigration policy design and development to create comprehensive, inclusive measures for immigrants to the United States.
Influence of digestive processes on the absorption and fate of quinoline ingested by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Rainbow trout were fed pelleted food containing [14C]-quinoline to assess the relationship of digestive processes to xenobiotic pharmacokinetics. The pH of material in the stomach of rainbow trout ranged from 2.7 to 5.2 and was highly correlated (r = 0.89) with the size of the food bolus remaining. At 2 h after feeding, 67% of the quinoline was estimated to be un-ionized and available for absorption across gastric epithelium. Quinoline was >99% un-ionized in the alkaline environment of the intestine; however, relative concentrations in the intestine were about 8% of those measured in the stomach. Gastric absorption was consistent with known serum profiles and excretion patterns of dietary quinoline. Rates of gallbladder emptying appeared to exceed rates of hepatic bile secretion until about 8 h after a single feeding. Time since feeding influenced both the amount and concentration of quinoline-derived radioactivity in the bile. Consecutive feedings enhanced the movement of the food bolus and associated radioactivity from the upper and midgut regions, but had no effect on disposition of quinoline.
An entity-relationship approach to design support and expert systems

Abstract There has been an increasing interest in integrating decision support systems and expert systems to provide decision makers a more accessible, productive and domain-independent information and computing environment. In this paper, we review a workstation-based expert decision support system (WXDSS) proposed by Chen and Pruett. A database-oriented design process is discussed consisting of four phases: (1) requirements analysis, (2) conceptual framework, (3) logical design, and (4) physical system implementation. An entity-relationship (ER) approach to the design of conceptual framework is studied. A positive characteristic of the ER approach is that it provides the user an enterprise view of the WXDSS that is independent of how the information is stored and processed.
Innate immunity to respiratory viruses

Pattern recognition receptors are critically involved in the development of innate and adaptive antiviral immunity. Innate immune activation by viruses may occur via cell surface, intracellular and cytosolic pattern recognition receptors. These receptors sense viral components and may activate unique downstream pathways to generate antiviral immunity. In this article, we summarize the pattern recognition receptors that recognize major human respiratory viral pathogens, including influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus. We also provide an overview of the current knowledge of regulation of type I interferons and inflammatory cytokines in viral infection.
Jim Gray's Tandem contributions

This paper discusses the contributions and accomplishments of Jim Gray while he was at Tandem Computers between 1980 and the early 1990s.
Cross-reactivity of antibodies against T-2 with deepoxide T-2 toxin.

Two types of antibodies raised against T-2 toxin, namely anti-T-2-HS-BSA and anti-3 -Ac -NEOS-HS -BSA, showed good cross-reactivity with deepoxy T-2 toxin. Our results indicate that the epoxide is not an important epitope for the production of antibody against T-2 toxin
Finding mixed strategy Nash equilibria with decision trees

Abstract This paper describes the usefulness of decision tree models for determining mixed strategy Nash equilibria in normal form games, particularly to undergraduate students. The approach is to construct a decision tree for each player, then solve the model via dynamic programming to determine the equations that must be satisfied at Nash equilibrium. This method not only provides a computational device that can be used to calculate the Nash equilibrium, but also serves as a visual aid that helps students understand the Nash equilibrium concept.
Disinflation programs under policy uncertainty

Abstract This paper uses a model with endogenous labor supply to study exchange rate-based inflation stabilization programs under uncertainty regarding the duration of the program. The paper finds that the output and consumption dynamics induced by these programs are extremely sensitive to whether the programs are perceived to have a chance of continuing permanently or whether they are expected to end in finite time. It is shown that the business cycle dynamics for output that are typically associated with these programs arise only when the policy is expected to collapse in finite time. Furthermore, for the purposes of rationalizing the stylized facts, the uncertain duration channel appears to induce a fundamental tension between the consumption dynamics and the current account dynamics. These results raise doubts regarding the explanatory power of the uncertain duration channel in particular and the credibility channel in general.
The microwave spectrum, barrier to internal rotation, and dipole moment of cyclopropyl methyl ketone

Abstract The microwave spectrum of cyclopropyl methyl ketone has been examined in the region 8–36 GHz. Transitions in the ground and first three excited states of the acetyl torsional mode have been assigned for the species in which the carbonyl group is cis to the ring. The observed transitions appear as doublets as a result of internal rotation of the methyl group. The hight of the barrier to the internal rotation is V 3 = 1180 ± 20 cal/mole if the moment of inertia of the methyl group is assumed to be 3.12u·A 2 . The dipole moments are μ a = 0.47 ± 0.17 D, μ b = 2.58 ± 0.26 D, and μ = 2.62 ± 0.26 D. In spite of an intensive effort, no transitions belonging to another species could be identified.
Computational Discovery of New Zeolite-Like Materials

We present a database of computationally predicted zeolite-like materials. The materials were identified by a Monte Carlo search of Si atom positions as the number of unique atoms, density, space group, and unit cell of the crystalline material was systematically explored. Over 2.7M unique structures were identified, with roughly 10% within the +30 kJ/mol Si energetic band above α-quartz in which the known zeolites lie. Predicted structures within this band have geometric and topological characteristics similar to that of the known zeolites. Known zeolites are shown to lie on the low-density edge of the distribution of predicted structures. Dielectric constants and X-ray powder diffraction patterns are calculated. Strategies for chemical synthesis of these materials are discussed, a low-density subset of the materials is identified as particularly interesting, and the complementarity of these materials to high-throughput methods is discussed. These structures have been deposited in two publicly available ...
Federal Circuit rejects proposition that arbitration agreement ‘runs with the patent’

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rejected the proposition that an arbitration clause ‘runs with the patent’ when it affirmed the district court's order denying the defendant/licensees' motion to dismiss or stay litigation pending arbitration where the assignee plaintiff was not a signatory to the patent license agreement containing the arbitration clause.
Ethics, evidence and international debt

The assumption that contracts are largely impersonal, rational, voluntary agreements drawn up between self-interested individual agents is a convenient fiction, necessary for analysis using conventional economic methods. Papers prepared for a recent conference on ethics and international debt were shaped by just such an assumption. The adequacy of this approach is, however, challenged by evidence about who is affected by international debt, how contracts are actually made and followed, the behavior of actors in financial markets, and the motivations of scholars themselves. This essay uses insights from feminist and relational scholarship from several disciplines to analyze the reasons for this sort of habitual neglect of certain kinds of evidence within economics, and to point towards more adequate alternatives.
SplittingHeirs: inferring haplotypes by optimizing resultant dense graphs

Phasing genotype data to identify the composite haplotype pairs is a widely-studied problem due to its value for understanding genetic contributions to diseases, population genetics research, and other significant endeavors. The accuracy of the phasing is crucial as identification of haplotypes is frequently the first step of expensive and vitally important studies. We present a combinatorial approach to this problem which we call SplittingHeirs. This approach is biologically motivated as it is based on three widely accepted principles: there tend to be relatively few unique haplotypes within a population, there tend to be clusters of haplotypes that are similar to each other, and some haplotypes are relatively common. We have tested SplittingHeirs, along with several popular existing phasing methods including PHASE, HAP, EM, and Pure Parsimony, on seven sets of haplotype data for which the true phase is known. Our method yields the highest accuracy obtainable by these methods in all cases. Furthermore, SplittingHeirs is robust and had higher accuracy than any of the other approaches for the two datasets with high recombination rates. The success of SplittingHeirs validates the assumptions made by the dense graph model and highlights the benefits of finding globally optimal solutions.
Rac and cell migration: CDM proteins integrate signals.

Cell migration requires that Rac GTPases promote formation of actin polymers at the cell's leading edge. An activator of Rac, DOCK180, accomplishes this localization by using its DHR-1 domain to bind phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate at the membrane.
THE INFLUENCE OF PROBE POTENTIAL ON THE ELECTRON ENERGY DISTRIBUTION IN A PLASMA

Abstract The electron energy distribution in a hot cathode low pressure discharge is measured by a probe and by means of an electrostatic energy analyser. Probe data indicate a non-maxwellian primary group and two maxwellian electron groups of lower energy, but the analyser spectra show no maxwellian groups. It is found that the probe potential can modify the number and energy distribution of electrons incident on the probe, and this effect is Suggested as an explanation of the Langmuir paradox.
Discovery and analysis of antisense oligonucleotide activity in cell culture.

Abstract In the past decade antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) have proven to be a useful tool for dissection of gene function in molecular cell biology (Koller, E., Gaarde, W. A., and Monia, B. P. (2000) Trends Pharm. Sci., 21, 142–148), and validation of gene targets in animal models (Crooke, S. T. (1998) Biotechnol. Gen. Eng. Rev. 15, 121–157), as well as a means for therapeutic treatment of human diseases (Bennett, C. F. (1999) Exp. Opin. Invest. Drugs 8, 237–253). An important step toward usage of ASOs in the described applications is identification of an active ASO. This article describes the underlying basis and means for achieving this goal in cell culture.
Sex Determination: How Worms Count to Two

A century ago, Bridges proposed that male genes on the autosomes and female genes on the X chromosome compete to determine sexual identity. New genetic and molecular studies establish Caenorhabditis elegans as the first animal known to use this mechanism.
Capturing genetic diversity of wild populations for ex situ conservation: Texas wild rice (Zizania texana) as a model

Genebanks complement other conser- vation programs because they preserve genetic diversity needed for future breeding and resto- ration. We evaluated efficiency of capturing genetic diversity, using endangered Zizania texana (Texas wild rice) as a model for plants with recalcitrant seeds. This perennial aquatic grass is restricted to 4 km of the San Marcos River in Texas. An early conservation collection included plants from stands throughout the river, based on the assumption stands would be unique geno- types. Using microsatellite markers, we found that genetic diversity was concentrated in five of 15 large, demographically stable stands; 96 stands smaller than 2 m 2 contributed no unique alleles. High heterozygosity and few duplicate genotypes suggested that sexual reproduction occurs more often than presumed. Simulations of stratified sampling of large stands captured all alleles in only 45 individuals, while random sampling along the river captured much less diversity. The early conservation collection captured as much diver- sity as expected from random sampling. Texas wild rice stands resemble a mainland-island metapopulation; our analyses suggest that strati- fied sampling maximizes genetic diversity for this population dynamic. Demographic and genetic information is important for validating the design of efficient ex situ collections and guiding in situ conservation.
Quantum memory for superconducting qubits

Many protocols for quantum computation require a memory element to store qubits. We discuss the speed and accuracy with which quantum states prepared in a superconducting qubit can be stored in and later retrieved from an attached high-$Q$ resonator. The memory fidelity depends on both the qubit-resonator coupling strength and the location of the state on the Bloch sphere. Our results show that a quantum memory demonstration should be possible with existing superconducting qubit designs, which would be an important milestone in solid-state quantum information processing. Although we specifically focus on a large-area, current-biased Josesphson-junction phase qubit coupled to the dilatational mode of a piezoelectric nanoelectromechanical disk resonator, many of our results will apply to other qubit-oscillator models.
Spectrophotometric monitoring of calcium uptake by skeletal muscle particles.

Abstract A simple spectrophotometric technique for monitoring calcium uptake by muscle particles is described. The technique provides a continuous and instantaneous picture of calcium uptake activity.
Recent trends in simulation for obstetric anesthesia.

Purpose of reviewThe use of simulation in medicine has grown significantly over the past 2 decades. Simulation in obstetric anesthesia can be divided into four broad uses: technical skills, nontechnical or teamwork skills, individual clinical competence, and the safety of the clinical environment. T
Interview with Anya Kamenetz: Learning Within and Beyond the Institution

The current model of higher education in the U.S. is deeply flawed and unsustainable, says journalist Anya Kamenetz, in her new book DIY U: Edupunks, Edupreneurs, and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education. Kamenetz's critique is both economic and social, encompassing such topics as the cost of tuition and textbooks, loan-based financial aid, admissions patterns, and the deteriorated job market.
TH‐D‐M100F‐01: An Evaluation of Noise in Radiotracer Emission Imaging Using Flat‐Panel Detectors

Purpose:Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography(SPECT) onboard radiation therapy machines could enable the use of functional and molecular imaging in guiding the therapy beam and in monitoring disease. Costs and spatial constraints of onboard SPECT might be minimized if SPECT could be accomplished using the same flat‐panel detectors (FPDs) employed for onboard transmission imaging. This may require some re‐engineering of FPDs, and it is therefore important to understand the emission imaging performance of present‐day FPDs. Here we evaluate the electronic and offset‐and‐gain (OG) noise of current FPDs relative to the quantum noise characteristic of SPECTimaging.Method and Materials: A standard SPECTcollimator was placed over a FPD. A flat circular radiotracer phantom was constructed with an outer region of 18 μCi/ml and a smaller inner region of 53 μCi/ml. (Typical human dose is 1 μCi/ml.) The phantom was placed on the collimator/FPD. Large low‐frequency variations in FPD response were removed by fitting each region (no activity, low activity, high activity) of the emission image with low‐order polynomials. Noise (standard deviation) was computed within each region as a function of number of acquisition frames, enabling separate estimates of electronic, OG, and quantum noise.Results: Electronic and quantum noise were comparable at 12 times the radiotracerdoses typical of human SPECTimaging. For the particular OG correction considered, OG noise exceeded quantum noise after about 8 seconds (4 frames) of acquisition. Conclusion: For the FPD considered, electronic noise is about an order of magnitude above the quantum noise that would arise from radiotracer concentrations typical of human imaging. OG noise is also significant. These conclusions should be considered in the context of other aspects of FPD design. For example, thicker scintillators could boost emission‐imaging signal, thereby alleviating requirements on noise reduction.
Sex-specific mating pheromones in the nematode Panagrellus redivivus

Nematodes use an extensive chemical language based on glycosides of the dideoxysugar ascarylose for developmental regulation (dauer formation), male sex attraction, aggregation, and dispersal. However, no examples of a female- or hermaphrodite-specific sex attractant have been identified to date. In this study, we investigated the pheromone system of the gonochoristic sour paste nematode Panagrellus redivivus, which produces sex-specific attractants of the opposite sex. Activity-guided fractionation of the P. redivivus exometabolome revealed that males are strongly attracted to ascr#1 (also known as daumone), an ascaroside previously identified from Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites. Female P. redivivus are repelled by high concentrations of ascr#1 but are specifically attracted to a previously unknown ascaroside that we named dhas#18, a dihydroxy derivative of the known ascr#18 and an ascaroside that features extensive functionalization of the lipid-derived side chain. Targeted profiling of the P. redivivus exometabolome revealed several additional ascarosides that did not induce strong chemotaxis. We show that P. redivivus females, but not males, produce the male-attracting ascr#1, whereas males, but not females, produce the female-attracting dhas#18. These results show that ascaroside biosynthesis in P. redivivus is highly sex-specific. Furthermore, the extensive side chain functionalization in dhas#18, which is reminiscent of polyketide-derived natural products, indicates unanticipated biosynthetic capabilities in nematodes.
Partial purification of plant transcription factors. II. An in vitro transcription system is inefficient.

Crude wheat germ nuclear extracts contain many inhibitors of transcription which need to be removed before an active system can be developed. Using ion exchange column chromatography to resolve RNA polymerase II transcription components we can identify at least four fractions required for transcription by their ability to interact with, or substitute for, particular HeLa fractions. Inhibitors can be removed by a second or third chromatographic process applied to each fraction. Two plant fractions can each effectively replace the corresponding fraction in a HeLa transcription system, and the wheat fractions can work together and replace two HeLa fractions. These plant factors chromatograph identically to HeLa factors on ion exchange columns. The third fraction does not fully substitute for the corresponding HeLa fraction, but can complement this HeLa fraction when both are added at half-optimal levels. An in vitro plant system consisting of four plant chromatographic fractions will selectively transcribe a gene, but only at very low efficiency. The apparent block to greater efficiency is in elongation of the RNA past the 20–30n size.
Phosphorylation of a PDZ Domain Extension Modulates Binding Affinity and Interdomain Interactions in Postsynaptic Density-95 (PSD-95) Protein, a Membrane-associated Guanylate Kinase (MAGUK)

Postsynaptic density-95 is a multidomain scaffolding protein that recruits glutamate receptors to postsynaptic sites and facilitates signal processing and connection to the cytoskeleton. It is the leading member of the membrane-associated guanylate kinase family of proteins, which are defined by the PSD-95/Discs large/ZO-1 (PDZ)-Src homology 3 (SH3)-guanylate kinase domain sequence. We used NMR to show that phosphorylation of conserved tyrosine 397, which occurs in vivo and is located in an atypical helical extension (α3), initiates a rapid equilibrium of docked and undocked conformations. Undocking reduced ligand binding affinity allosterically and weakened the interaction of PDZ3 with SH3 even though these domains are separated by a ∼25-residue linker. Additional phosphorylation at two linker sites further disrupted the interaction, implicating α3 and the linker in tuning interdomain communication. These experiments revealed a novel mode of regulation by a detachable PDZ element and offer a first glimpse at the dynamic interaction of PDZ and SH3-guanylate kinase domains in membrane-associated guanylate kinases.
Wind transport of land-derived mineral, biogenic, and industrial matter over the North Atlantic

Abstract The concentration of mineral grains, phytoliths, fresh-water diatoms, fungus spores and opaque spherules was measured in air and surface water samples collected during two crossings of the North Atlantic between Barbados-Gibraltar-Plymouth, U.K. (July–August, 1965) and between Plymouth, U.K. and New York (September, 1965). South of the Canaries these land-derived particles were most abundant between 19 and 25°N in the mid and western Atlantic. Along the northerly track highest concentrations were observed in the western Atlantic. Most ofthe clay and silt sized material was carried to the equatorial Atlantic by the trade winds and to the winds and to the mid-latitudes by westerly winds. Marine currents, however, are apparently responsible for much of it over and near the edge of the continental shelf, especially along water mass boundaries. The opaque spherules are probably mostly industrial in origin. Differences in kind and abundance of the biogenic particulates characterize the two areas of the Atlantic. Phytoliths and fresh-water diatoms were most abundant in the equatorial region, and fungus spores were dominant in the mid-latitudes.
Calcium and magnesium in exhaled breath condensate of children with endogenous and exogenous airway acidification.

Background and aims: Regulation of pH in the airways is of physiological importance. As acidification of the airways causes bronchoconstriction, the aim of the present study was to find out whether there is any difference in calcium and magnesium in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of children with uncontrolled asthma (i.e., with endogenous acidification) and children with gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD (i.e., with exogenous acidification). Material and methods: A total of 142 children were included in the study: children with uncontrolled asthma (N = 51), children with GERD (N = 61), and healthy controls (N = 30). In addition, according to the pH cut-off value children with asthma and GERD were divided into two subgroups, that is, patients with pH ≤ 6.93 (subgroup A) and patients with pH > 6.93 (subgroup B). Results: The mean EBC pH was significantly lower in children with asthma than in children with GERD (6.791 ± 0.374 vs. 7.002 ± 0.361, p = .006). Concentration [median and interquartile range—M ...
Regulation of Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation by AT-Rich Interaction Domain Transcription Factors Mrf2α and Mrf2β

Despite the importance of vascular smooth muscle cells in the regulation of blood vessel function, the molecular mechanisms governing their development and differentiation remain poorly understood....
The hand is more easily fooled than the eye: users are more sensitive to visual interpenetration than to visual-proprioceptive discrepancy

A virtual environment (VE) user's avatar may penetrate virtual objects. Some VE designers prevent visual interpenetration, assuming that prevention improves user experience. However, preventing visual avatar interpenetration causes a discrepancy between visual and proprioceptive cues. We investigated users' detection thresholds for visual interpenetration and visual-proprioceptive discrepancy and found that users are much less sensitive to visual-proprioceptive discrepancy than to visual interpenetration. We propose using this result to better deal with user penetration of virtual objects.
The ionization structure of planetary nebulae. VI - NGC 7662

Spectrophotometric observations of NGC 7662, obtained in the UV using the IUE in May 1983 and at 340-720 nm using the 90-cm and 2.1-m telescopes at KPNO during 1982-1984, are reported and analyzed. The line intensities and the temperatures, densities, and ionic abundances determined from them are presented in tables and characterized in detail. Generally good agreement is found among these UV/optical abundances, abundances derived from optical data alone, and the model predictions of Harrington et al. (1982).
Hepatic involvement in mastocytosis: Clinicopathologic correlations in 41 cases

Mastocytosis is a disease of mast cell hyperplasia that may involve several organ systems, including liver. Between 1988 and 1991, we conducted a retrospective-prospective study of 41 patients with mastocytosis and found 61% had evidence of liver disease. Hepatomegaly was detected in 24%, splenomegaly in 41%, and elevated serum alkaline phosphatase, serum aminotransaminases, 5'nucleotidase, or gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP) in 54% of the patients. Alkaline phosphatase levels directly correlated with GGTP levels, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and liver mast cell infiltration and fibrosis. Elevated alkaline phosphatase levels and splenomegaly were observed more frequently in patients with categories II and III mastocytosis. Five patients in combined disease categories II or III developed ascites or portal hypertension and died of complications of mastocytosis; three had hypoprothrombinemia at the time of death. Thirty-five liver biopsy specimens from 25 patients were examined. Mast cell infiltration was commonly observed in the biopsy specimens, more severe in those patients with either category II or III disease, and correlated with hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, alkaline phosphatase levels, and GGTP levels. Mast cells were often only detected by using special stains (toluidine blue and chloracetate esterase). Increased portal fibrosis was seen in 68% of the biopsy specimens and correlated with mast cell infiltration and portal inflammation. Cirrhosis was not observed. Nodular regenerative hyperplasia, portal venopathy, and venoocclusive disease was observed in eight biopsy specimens and may have been the cause of the portal hypertension or ascites in four patients. These findings demonstrate that liver disease with mast cell infiltration is a common finding in patients with mastocytosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Control interfaces of generation allocation on the large interconneted power system

The systemwide generation allocation problem is defined and its customary subdivisions, geographical, hierarchical, modal and functional are identified. Functional areas of control action are noted and the control practices within these areas and especially on the interfaces are observed and discussed. The necessity, progress and potential direction of a rethinking of the interfaces and their control is discussed.
Increased Accumulation of Regulatory Granulocytic Myeloid Cells in Mannose Receptor C Type 1-Deficient Mice Correlates with Protection in a Mouse Model of Neurocysticercosis

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a central nervous system (CNS) infection caused by the metacestode stage of the parasite Taenia solium. During NCC, the parasites release immunodominant glycan antigens in the CNS environment, invoking immune responses. The majority of the associated pathogenesis is attributed to the immune response against the parasites. Glycans from a number of pathogens, including helminths, act as pathogen-associated molecular pattern molecules (PAMPs), which are recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) known as C-type lectin receptors (CLRs). Using a mouse model of NCC by infection with the related parasite Mesocestoides corti, we have investigated the role of mannose receptor C type 1 (MRC1), a CLR which recognizes high-mannose-containing glycan antigens. Here we show that MRC1(-/-) mice exhibit increased survival times after infection compared with their wild-type (WT) counterparts. The decreased disease severity correlates with reduced levels of expression of markers implicated in NCC pathology, such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, CCL5, and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), in addition to induction of an important repair marker, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2). Furthermore, the immune cell subsets that infiltrate the brain of MRC1(-/-) mice are dramatically altered and characterized by reduced numbers of T cells and the accumulation of granulocytic cells with an immune phenotype resembling granulocytic myeloid-dependent suppressor cells (gMDSCs). The results suggest that MRC1 plays a critical role in myeloid plasticity, which in turn affects the adaptive immune response and immunopathogenesis during murine NCC.
Antibody selection for immunohistochemical survey of equine tissue.

Summary Immunohistochemical evaluation of equine tissue necessitates the use of antibodies reactive with cells from a heterogeneous population. Lymphoid tissues from 12 horses were fixed in Bouin's fluid, ethanol or formalin and examined for immunohistochemical reactivity with anti-equine and anti-human monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for MHC Class II antigens, T and B lymphocytes, and macrophages. Only a few of the anti-equine MAbs tested were reactive with fixed, paraffin wax-embedded tissue. Anti-human MAbs expanded the desired range of reactivity and increased the consistency in different animals. The anti-equine MAbs conferred species specificity and anti-human MAbs provided an increased spectrum of reactivity.
Playing online games on Facebook: The conscious and unconscious learning in database design

This study intends to examine how conscious and unconscious learning in game-based learning (GBL) enhance student's understanding in database design. Conscious learning refers to intentional learning whereas unconscious learning indicates unintentional learning. Using Facebook's online games, this study evaluates the effectiveness of GBL in enabling students to grasp the normalization concept and Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD). Additionally, this study adopts content analysis of the semiotics approach for data analysis. The preliminary findings reveal that unconscious learning encompasses student's realization in that a purportedly simple online game is built on a complex, highly functional database. The preliminary results also uncover that conscious learning constitutes (1) student's cognitive reflection on normalization concepts during database design and (2) a better understanding of ERD resulted from the collaborative effort of database design. Drawing on these findings, this study infers that the aforementioned outcomes of unconscious learning lead to student's appreciation of conscious learning.
Synthesis, structural and magnetic properties of La1−xCdxFeO3 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) orthoferrites

Abstract Nanocrystalline La 1− x Cd x FeO 3 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) solid solutions have been synthesized by a single-step solution combustion method at a relatively low temperature of 400 °C. The combustion-synthesized solid solutions were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and magnetic measurements. The crystal structure examined by XRD indicates that the samples were single-phase, and crystallize in an orthorhombic (space group, Pbnm no. 62) structure. The parent and doped compounds showed canted antiferromagnetic behavior associated with an increase in magnetic moment with Cd doping. The changes in magnetic properties of the materials are correlated to the changes in structural features resulting from the Rietveld structural refinement of the materials.
Children's use of scripts in story recall

(1981). Children's use of scripts in story recall. Discourse Processes: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 59-70.
Environmental sensing and response genes in cnidaria: the chemical defensome in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

The starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis has been recently established as a new model system for the study of the evolution of developmental processes, as cnidaria occupy a key evolutionary position at the base of the bilateria. Cnidaria play important roles in estuarine and reef communities, but are exposed to many environmental stressors. Here, I describe the genetic components of a “chemical defensome” in the genome of N. vectensis and review cnidarian molecular toxicology. Gene families that defend against chemical stressors and the transcription factors that regulate these genes have been termed a chemical defensome and include the cytochromes P450 and other oxidases, various conjugating enyzymes, the ATP-dependent efflux transporters, oxidative detoxification proteins, as well as various transcription factors. These genes account for about 1% (266/27,200) of the predicted genes in the sea anemone genome, similar to the proportion observed in tunicates and humans, but lower than that observed in sea urchins. While there are comparable numbers of stress-response genes, the stress sensor genes appear to be reduced in N. vectensis relative to many model protostomes and deuterostomes. Cnidarian toxicology is understudied, especially given the important ecological roles of many cnidarian species. New genomic resources should stimulate the study of chemical stress sensing and response mechanisms in cnidaria and allow us to further illuminate the evolution of chemical defense gene networks.
Import, maturation, and function of SOD1 and its copper chaperone CCS in the mitochondrial intermembrane space.

Cu,Zn, superoxide dismutase (SOD1) is a ubiquitous enzyme localized in multiple cellular compartments, including mitochondria, where it concentrates in the intermembrane space (IMS). Similar to other small IMS proteins, the import and retention of SOD1 in the IMS is linked to its folding and maturation, involving the formation of critical intra- and intermolecular disulfide bonds. Therefore, the cysteine residues of SOD1 play a fundamental role in its IMS localization. IMS import of SOD1 involves its copper chaperone, CCS, whose mitochondrial distribution is regulated by the Mia40/Erv1 disulfide relay system in a redox-dependent manner: CCS promotes SOD1 maturation and retention in the IMS. The function of SOD1 in the IMS is still unknown, but it is plausible that it serves to remove superoxide released from the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Mutations in SOD1 cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), whose pathologic features include mitochondrial bioenergetic dysfunction. Mutant SOD1 localization in the IMS is not dictated by oxygen concentration and the Mia40/Erv1 system, but is primarily dependent on aberrant protein folding and aggregation. Mutant SOD1 localization and aggregation in the IMS might cause the mitochondrial abnormalities observed in familial ALS and could play a significant role in disease pathogenesis. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 13, 1375–1384.
Colliding gravitational waves in expanding cosmologies

We discuss the singularity behavior and causal structure of expanding vacuum plane-symmetric cosmologies containing colliding gravitational waves. Penrose's theorem excluding global Cauchy hypersurfaces in plane-wave spacetimes does not hold for our expanding cosmologies. The singularity in our solutions occurs in the past and can be identified with the big-bang singularity. Analytical estimates based on a Green's-function analysis near the collision provide an explicit example which is verified by numerical computation.
Epidemiological Characteristics of a Chicago-area Acanthamoeba Keratitis Outbreak

Purpose To characterize Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) cases and analyze the geographical distribution within the Chicago-Gary-Kenosha metropolitan area, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Design Retrospective, population-based cohort study. Methods All AK cases diagnosed at the University of Illinois at Chicago Cornea Service from June 1, 2003, to November 30, 2005, were included in analysis. Patients with keratitis were defined as cases through confocal microscopy, histology, and/or positive cultures. Exploratory analyses were performed to evaluate whether AK cases were unequally distributed geographically. County population data were extracted from US Census 2000 data, and rates were age-standardized to Cook County. Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate the age-standardized rate ratio (RR) between AK cases and county of residence. Current cases (June 1, 2003 to November 30, 2005) were compared with historical cases (June 1, 2000 to November 30, 2002) to determine if the current rate of AK diagnosis differed from historical rates. Results Forty AK cases were diagnosed between June 1, 2003 and November 30, 2005. The average (±SD) age of patients with AK was 28.0 ± 15.0 years (range, 13 to 70 years), 52.5% were men, and 95.0% wore contact lenses. Estimated RR measures demonstrated increased rates for all counties relative to Cook, and were significant for both DuPage County (RR 3.59; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.44, 8.39) and Will County (RR 3.66; 95% CI 1.18 to 9.56). Current AK diagnosis rates were significantly higher than historical rates (RR 6.67; 95% CI 3.05 to 17.52). Conclusions AK cases are increasing in frequency. The increased rates are unevenly distributed in the study area. Further research is warranted to better understand the increase and unusual geographical distribution.