cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Search for Campylobacter spp. Reveals High Prevalence and Pronounced Genetic Diversity of Arcobacter butzleri in Floodwater Samples Associated with Hurricane Florence in North Carolina, USA.

ABSTRACT In September 2018, Hurricane Florence caused extreme flooding in eastern North Carolina, USA, a region highly dense in concentrated animal production, especially swine and poultry. In this study, floodwater samples (n = 96) were collected as promptly post-hurricane as possible and for up to approximately 30 days and selectively enriched for Campylobacter using Bolton broth enrichment and isolation on modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) microaerobically at 42°C. Only one sample yielded Campylobacter, which was found to be Campylobacter jejuni with the novel sequence type 2866 (ST-2866). However, the methods employed to isolate Campylobacter readily yielded Arcobacter from 73.5% of the floodwater samples. The Arcobacter isolates failed to grow on Mueller-Hinton agar at 25, 30, 37, or 42°C microaerobically or aerobically but could be readily subcultured on mCCDA at 42°C microaerobically. Multilocus sequence typing of 112 isolates indicated that all were Arcobacter butzleri. The majority (85.7%) of the isolates exhibited novel sequence types (STs), with 66 novel STs identified. Several STs, including certain novel ones, were detected in diverse waterbody types (channel, isolated ephemeral pools, floodplain) and from multiple watersheds, suggesting the potential for regionally dominant strains. The genotypes were clearly partitioned into two major clades, one with high representation of human and ruminant isolates and another with an abundance of swine and poultry isolates. Surveillance of environmental waters and food animal production systems in this animal agriculture-dense region is needed to assess potential regional prevalence and temporal stability of the observed A. butzleri strains as well as their potential association with specific types of food animal production. IMPORTANCE Climate change and associated extreme weather events can have massive impacts on the prevalence of microbial pathogens in floodwaters. However, limited data are available on foodborne zoonotic pathogens such as Campylobacter or Arcobacter in hurricane-associated floodwaters in rural regions with intensive animal production. With a high density of intensive animal production as well as pronounced vulnerability to hurricanes, eastern North Carolina presents unique opportunities in this regard. Our findings revealed widespread incidence of the emerging zoonotic pathogen Arcobacter butzleri in floodwaters from Hurricane Florence. We encountered high and largely unexplored diversity while also noting the potential for regionally abundant and persistent clones. We noted pronounced partitioning of the floodwater genotypes into two source-associated clades. The data will contribute to elucidating the poorly understood ecology of this emerging pathogen and highlight the importance of surveillance of floodwaters associated with hurricanes and other extreme weather events for Arcobacter and other zoonotic pathogens.
Bowing Down and Standing Up: Towards a Pedagogy of Cultural Humility.

Cultural humility is a critical skill for effective intercultural interactions. While common in other scholarly fields, the concept is seldom found in the literature of global learning and international education. Utilizing grounded theory, this study explores the development of cultural humility through qualitative data analysis of in-class assignments and reflection journals from a university course in the United States (n=18). Throughout the semester students worked in teams to write grant proposals for agricultural development projects in Kenya. Examining student work and reflections sheds light on differing avenues of global learning, which has traditionally prioritized international travel as the core means of learning. This article proposes a pedagogy of cultural humility to promote global learning through a variety of educational interventions. Prioritizing cultural humility can yield enhanced respect for others, providing a focus on lifelong learning, more meaningful global understanding and more fruitful intercultural relationships. In an increasingly interconnected globe, cultural humility offers a meaningful framework to support substantive interactions between individuals across the globe or down the street.
How Financial Aid Policy Shortchanges American Healthcare.

Medical school debt is increasing. This trend may reduce access to medical school at a time of historic recognition of the need for greater openness and diversity in medical education by disadvanta...
BODY SIZE PERCEPTIONS & DIET MODIFICATION IN YOUTH WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

ABSTRACT Background : Investigate the perceptions of pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) patients regarding their body size and assess the feasibility of recruitment for a study of diet modification in this unique population. Methods : This cross-sectional study surveyed a cohort of 43 consecutive youth with MS. The survey queried participant demographics, clinical disease characteristics, body size perception, and opinions of diet modification Results : While over three quarters of surveyed participants were overweight/obese, 58% of these participants did not self-identify as such. A single participant was attempting a diet at the time of survey, but 88% of participants indicated interest in pursuing diet modification. BMI category did not impact an individual's willingness to pursue diet intervention; however, obese participants were more willing to participate in diet intervention for longer durations. Conclusion : A significant proportion of MS youth have an elevated BMI, yet the majority have the self-perception that they are not overweight or obese. Regardless of BMI, most youth with MS have an interest in pursuing diet modification in attempts to benefit their disease course.
Measuring relative sub-national human development: An application of the United Nation's Human Development Index using geographic information systems

Understanding human development at the international, regional, and national level is essential to the understanding of the needs and wants of vast populations around the world. Since the late 1980’s the United Nation’s Development Program (UNDP) has published hundreds of reports on development at a variety of geographic extents. This project aims to apply the United Nation’s Human Development Index (HDI) to the United States in order to create a sub-national HDI for the measurement of US counties. Due to the inherent spatial methodology in the development of the HDI, this project further introduces the use of geographic information systems tools in hopes of better capturing the results of the development index and employs spatial statistics as a way of identifying clusters of high and low development. The results report high regional, state, and county variation in all of the measures and outcomes associated with the sub-national HDI.
Associations between NOS1AP single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and QT interval duration in four racial/ethnic groups in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a major health concern, with approximately 300,000 events per year in the US [1]. SCD in the setting of Mendelian forms of arrhythmia have been well published; however, the majority of SCD occurs in the general public [2]. The QT interval, measured from the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), is an independent risk factor for SCD in numerous community-based studies [3–6]. Through a genome wide association study (GWAS) in Caucasians, Arking et al. (2006) identified associations of noncoding variants in the 5′ end of the nitric oxide synthase 1 adaptor protein gene (NOS1AP) with QT interval [7]. These associations have been replicated in several predominantly Caucasian cohorts [8–13]. However, these associations have not been studied extensively in any large, ethnically diverse cohort. NOS1AP spans approximately 300kb on Chromosome 1q23 and contains 10 exons [10]. NOS1AP encodes a cytosolic carboxy-terminal PDZ ligand of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and bridges nNOS, its targets, as well as modulator proteins [11]. NOS1AP may regulate nitric oxide production by competitively inhibiting access to calcium (Ca+) ion influx within ion channels via this PDZ domain. Some have suggested that, while NOS1AP is ubiquitously expressed, overexpression of NOS1AP could result in shortening of the cardiac action potential, a decrease in L- type Ca+ current, and a smaller increase in the delayed rectifier potassium current IK, thereby prolonging the QT interval and potentially increasing arrhythmogenesis susceptibility [11, 14]. Others have speculated that NOS1AP modulates the balance between nitric oxide and superoxide production, directly influencing cardiac repolarization and propensity for SCD [15–17]. Associations between NOS1AP variants and QT interval have been identified and extensively replicated in predominantly Caucasian cohorts and found to be associated with SCD [7–9, 11, 12, 18]. Associations in other ancestry groups, including Chinese, Hispanics and African Americans have only been identified in smaller cohort populations [18, 19]. This has subsequently limited the applicability of previous findings to Caucasian populations. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) includes participants without clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) of age 45 to 84 years recruited in six US communities from four ancestry groups—Caucasian (CAU), African-American (AFA), Hispanic (HIS), and Asian (Chinese descent; CHN). Given the association between QT interval and SCD, the identification of genetic variants in a large heterogenous population may expand our understanding of myocardial conduction, and may facilitate the development of new clinical therapies to prevent SCD. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the association between NOS1AP genetic variants with the QT interval in previously unstudied ethnicities of MESA.
Short Course: Embedded Power Management for IC Designers

Presents an outline and description of the above titled short course from the conference proceedings.
Identity Management in Cyberspace

Who are you in cyberspace? Am I the same John Suler I am in-person or someone a bit different? One of the interesting things about the internet is the opportunity if offers people to present themselves in a variety of different ways. You can alter your style of being just slightly or indulge in wild experiments with your identity by changing your age, history, personality, physical appearance, even your gender. The username you choose, the details you do or don't indicate about yourself, the information presented on your personal web page, the persona or avatar you assume in an online community all are important aspects of how people manage their identity in cyberspace. Identity is a very complex aspect of human nature. Here I will briefly explore five interlocking factors that are useful in navigating that maze of how people manage who they are in cyberspace:
Beyond the Monitor Model: Ronald M. Barasch and C. Vaughn James (Eds.)

* Beyond The Monitor Model, a collection of 16 U.S. and European articles, addresses Stephen Krashen's comprehensive second language acquisition (SLA) theory. The five hypotheses-the acquisition/learning, natural order, monitor, input, and affective filter hypotheses are examined through a "truly representative selection of opinions of experts in the field" (p. 4). Though aimed at teachers, this book is suitable reading for anyone interested in SLA. A Topics for Discussion section urges readers to evaluate Krashen's theory and contributors' interpretations and to form their own conclusions. A synopsis and contributor background introduce each section. Readers will no doubt regret the fact that neither an index nor a glossary is included in the volume.
Electrical and Curvature Responses of the Avena Coleoptile to Unilateral Illumination.

One fact that is agreed upon in the literature regarding the mechanism of phototropism is that the growth curvature results from an unequal distribution of auxin. There are at least three hypotheses as to how unilateral illumination causes the unequal distribution: 1. Photoinactivation of auxin on the lighted side of the plant. 2. A differential change in the rate of synthesis of auxin on the lighted and shaded sides. 3. Unilateral displacement of auxin toward one of the sides. It is the last of these mechanisms with which this paper will be primarily concerned. If lateral transport of auxin serves as a mechanism for phototropism, it requires a transverse polarity which is induced by the tropic stimulation. This is essentially a statement of the familiar Cholodny-Went theory, which applies to other tropisms as well as phototropism. One logical possibility is that such a transverse polarity is electrical in nature. Because of this possibility, the transverse electrical changes which occur in the Avena coleoptile as a result of most of the tropic stimuli have been established. The results of these studies have been reviewed recently by Schrank (10). Apparently only two investigators, (Oppenoorth, 6 Schrank 8), have attempted to measure the transverse electrical changes resulting from stimulation of the Avena coleoptile by unilateral illumination. Oppenoorth's findings (?) indicate that the lighted side of the Avena coleoptile becomes electropositive to the shaded side when the plant is unilaterally illuminated with a dosage of light which causes positive phototropic curvature (500 mes). Schrank (8), on the other hand, measured the changes in the transverse electrical polarity in the apex of the Avena coleoptile resulting from continuous unilateral illumination and found that the lighted side became electronegative to the shaded side. It is the purpose of this investigation to make additional measurements of the electrical changes of the Avena coleoptile when it is stimulated by a dosage of light which causes positive phototropic bending and to observe the electrical changes resulting from illumination which causes negative bending. If the transverse electrical polarity indeed serves as a polar force which directs the auxin to the side of the coleoptile which becomes convex, the orientation of the light induced polarities in these two instances should be opposite.
Why Manuscripts Get Rejected and What Can Be Done about it: Understanding the Editorial Process from an Insider's Perspective

GEORGIA A typical JLR meeting: I walk down the hall to David's office with a stack of papers for the editors, including the manuscript log, a dozen manuscript reviews, three new manuscripts, a revision to a book review, and the "who's reviewed" log which we use to be sure the review work is evenly spread out to our advisory board. When I arrive, David, Cyndie, and Penny are already talking about the latest struggle with the printer to get the Journal out on time. The meeting officially begins by going over the manuscript log, which helps us keep track of where each manuscript is in the editorial process. Four manuscripts are ready to have decision letters written, and these will be written by their tracking editor for next week's meeting. The new manuscripts are skimmed and qualified reviewers are chosen. Past-due reviews are noted, so that later I can E-mail reminders to the reviewers. Finally, two decision letters that are ready to go are read, discussed, and revised by all the editors before being sent to the authors. As is usual while reviewing letters and looking over new manuscripts, the editors break from the administrative tasks of the Journal and get sidetracked into a deeply theoretical discussion, which adds a level of fun (and time) to the meetings. The weekly meetings last between 2 and 3 hours, depending on the deepness and
Cavum septum pellucidum in monozygotic twins discordant for combat exposure: relationship to posttraumatic stress disorder.

Background Abnormally large cavum septum pellucidum has been reported in posttraumatic stress disorder; however, the origin of this association is uncertain.
Nonparametric asymptotically efficient estimation of a signal in the nonlinear case

The statistical problem of estimating an unknown function α(t) from the observation process y(t)=AS(t, α(t))+n(t) is investigated, where n(t) is white noise and no prior information about α(t) is assumed. A Cramer-Rao bound for estimating α(t) is obtained and two constructive procedures are presented to produce nonanticipative nonparametric estimators on the basis of the likelihood equation in a function space. Consistency, asymptotic efficiency, asymptotic minimaxity and asymptotic sufficiency of the constructed estimator are proved. The extensive applicability of the nonparametric estimate is shown by applying the theory to the reception of a phase-modulated signal.
Rheology of Cocoa Butter. IV. Further Studies of “Omega” Crystallinity

SUMMARY An X-ray diffraction study was made of several plastic fats, including lard, butterfat, oleomargarine, and hydrogenated vegetable shortenings. Their liquid contents were varied by altering the holding temperature. Separate mixtures were made of cocoa butter or tristearin with corn oil, tributyrin, or trioctanoin, and their diffraction patterns were obtained. The crystal form (omega), previously described for oxidized cocoa butter, was found in the first group of fats and in the corn oil-tristearin mixture. Omega crystallinity was not related to the solid-liquid ratio of the fats or to differences in molecular length in the constituent fatty acid radicals. Omega crystallinity seemed to be related to a general difficulty in crystallization, probably due to steric hindrances.
Novel deformation processes and microstructures involving ballistic penetrator formation and hypervelocity impact and penetration phenomena

Abstract Light metallography and transmission electron microscopy techniques affording unique observations of microstructural issues in connection with a related set of novel, high-strainrate deformation processes provide some fundamental insight into the following areas: shock-wave-induced twinning, explosive welding, shaped charge development, explosively-formed penetrator phenomena, hypervelocity impact cratering in metal targets, and long, dense rod penetration/perforation of thick metal targets. Although shock wave phenomena are precursors in all these processes, deformation twins are rarely observed in the residual, process microstructures. In the case of hypervelocity impact craters, no deformation twins are observed in the crater-related target microstructures. Microbands that appear to be related to twins are observed. Melt-related phenomena are observed only in the explosive weld-wave interfaces. Jetting phenomena related to shaped charges and crater rim formation are dominated by dynamic recrystallization, which provides a mechanism for extreme plastic flow in the solid state. Differences observed between rod penetration of rolled homogeneous armor and Ti-alloy thick targets manifest themselves in distinct microstructural differences that also do not include melt phenomena.
Transformer based high power directional couplers

Directional couplers have been used commonly in RF systems for measurement of several critical parameters. The type of application, operational frequency and power handling capability are among the important factors that the design of the directional coupler. Conventional directional couplers are designed as four port couplers where tow ports are used for sensing the forward and reflected signals. There is an extensive literature in the design of planar four port directional couplers. However, the available literature in the design of high power directional couplers using lumped components is very limited.
A growing opportunity: Community gardens affiliated with US hospitals and academic health centers

Background Community gardens can reduce public health disparities through promoting physical activity and healthy eating, growing food for underserved populations, and accelerating healing from injury or disease. Despite their potential to contribute to comprehensive patient care, no prior studies have investigated the prevalence of community gardens affiliated with US healthcare institutions, and the demographic characteristics of communities served by these gardens.
Experiences with an expert system for odes

Abstract An Expert System can be defined “bottom up” as a software package that uses a knowledge base and inference engine, or “top down” as one that attempts to simulate the reasoning of a human expert. PLOD, a package for solving systems of ordinary differential equations satisfies the second form of the definition but not the first. We describe the major features of the package, and how we have been forced to “reinvent the wheel” in order to provide needed capabilities. Certain standard building blocks are described in the hope that these can be developed for use in other systems.
Topside equatorial ionospheric density and composition during and after extreme solar minimum

During the recent solar minimum, solar activity reached the lowest levels observed during the space age. This extremely low solar activity has accompanied a number of unexpected observations in the Earth s ionosphere-thermosphere system when compared to previous solar minima. Among these are the fact that the ionosphere is significantly contracted beyond expectations based on empirical models. Altitude profiles of ion density and composition measurements near the magnetic dip equator are constructed from the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecast System (C/NOFS) satellite to characterize the shape of the topside ionosphere during the recent solar minimum and into the new solar cycle. The variation of the profiles with respect to local time, season, and solar activity are compared to the IRI-2007 model. Building on initial results reported by Heelis et al. (2009), here we describe the extent of the contracted ionosphere, which is found to persist throughout 2009. The shape of the ionosphere during 2010 is found to be consistent with observations from previous solar minima.
Observation of magnetic field dependent scattering of electrons and holes near the quantum limit

Abstract We report the first observations of magnetic field dependent quasi-particle scattering in bulk (3-dimensional) materials. A strong increase of both electron and hole scattering rates is found for Bi(Si) near the Quantum Limit, using a new technique for determining quasi-particle scattering rates from measurements of the waveshape of single dHvA oscillations.
Lattice dynamics of zinc: Phonon structure factors

Determination of the inelastic structure factors has been carried out for the [010] longitudinal-phonon modes of zinc. From this information the phase of the dynamical matrix element relating forces between atomic sublattices can be abstracted. Together with the measured frequencies, this gives a complete estimate of the longitudinal part of the dynamical matrix for the [010] propagation direction. Comparison with various models reveals that while the phase determined by a pseudopotential calculation shows reasonably good agreement with the data, that determined from the previously accepted Born-von Karman parametrization markedly disagrees with experiment. A new parametrization has been found which greatly improves the fit to eigenvector data.
Intergovernmental Sources of Innovation in State Administration

A 1974 mail survey of top American state administrators provides an opportunity to analyze further a number of themes about sources of new ideas and program innovations in the states. Administrator...
Narrowing of the exciton-phonon interaction in naphthalene by fast polariton motion

Abstract Phase-matched two-photon excitation and second-harmonic generation data on the polariton branches associated with the singlet a exciton of naphthalene are presented. Their temperature dependence and earlier one-photon absorption data are consistent with motional narrowing of the excitation-phonon interaction by fast polariton motion.
Effective field theory in background field gauge

Abstract It is shown how to construct effective lagrangians to the two-loop level for non-abelian gauge theories, quantized in background field gauge. This construction is no more difficult than the analogous computation in abelian gauge theories when minimal subtraction is employed. It is argued that for three or more loops, one can no longer separate heavy or mixed light-heavy graphs in an intermediate renormalization, and the more general algorithm presented by us in an earlier work must be employed even in background field gauge.
Future developments in disc storage

Abstract Mass storage has been based around magnetic recording for many years. Access times, capacity and transfer rates have all been improved. New developments, such as thin film and vertical recording continue to improve magnetic performance. Optical recording offers even greater potential for increased recording densities.
Sandwiched graphene--membrane superstructures.

We demonstrate by molecular dynamics simulations that graphene sheets could be hosted in the hydrophobic interior of biological membranes formed by amphiphilic phospholipid molecules. Our simulatio...
Maternal-Fetal Immune Tolerance, Block by Block

How difficult is to go from egg to implanted embryo? The evolution of placentation in eutherian mammals created enormous challenges, in particular to the maternal immune system, as the fetus expresses paternal antigens that are capable of triggering immune rejection. Samstein et al. reveal a role for inducible regulatory T cells in the enforcement of maternal-fetal immune tolerance.
Electronic structures of MoWOy- and MoWOy determined by anion photoelectron spectroscopy and DFT calculations

The anion photoelectron spectra of MoWOy− (y=2–5) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations on MoWOy− and MoWOy are reported and compared to previous comparable studies on Mo2Oy−/Mo2Oy and W2Oy−/W2Oy. The property governing the structure of the lowest energy MoWOy anion and neutral clusters is the stronger W–O bond relative to the Mo–O bond, which results in the stabilization of structures in which the Mo center is in a much lower oxidation state than the W center. Anion PE spectra show a much larger change in structure between anion and neutral states than what was observed in the pure Mo2Oy− and W2Oy− spectra. DFT calculations show increased single-metal localization of spin with respect to the pure metal oxide clusters.
Pentobarbital facilitated extinction: effects of different schedules of drug withdrawal.

Abstract Bar pressing by rats was trained on a fixed-ratio food reinforcement schedule and subsequently extinguished under different schedules of drug withdrawal. Reduced total extinction responding was obtained with 20–25 sessions of 15 min duration or 3 sessions of 5 hr duration. Both the gradual discontinuation dose schedule (fading) and the abrupt discontinuation dose schedule were equally effective in reducing extinction responding. However, the absolute number of sessions of drug treatment by the graded dose schedule or the abrupt discontinuation schedule had no effect on total responding. Although there was no difference on total extinction responding under the 2 dose schedules, the pattern of extinction responding was markedly different. The graded dose procedure produced little or no responding on the first extinction session with intermittent response bursting thereafter. However, the abrupt discontinuation procedure produced complete response suppression during initial drug sessions followed by substantial responding on the first saline session with progressively fewer responses over the next few sessions. Except for the initial response suppression, the pattern of extinction responding for the abrupt discontinuation procedure was identical to that observed when saline alone was administered in extinction.
Daily oral grepafloxacin vs. twice daily oral doxycycline in the treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis Endocervical Infection

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of a 7-day course of treatment with oral grepafloxacin, 400 mg once daily, and oral doxycycline, 100 mg twice daily, in patients with chlamydial cervicitis. METHODS: Women aged 18 years or older attending 17 sexually transmitted disease clinics in the United States who had clinical signs of mucopurulent cervicitis or who had a recent positive culture or nonculture test for Chlamydia trachomatis or who had contact with a male partner with a positive culture for C. trachomatis were enrolled into this randomized, double-blind, active-controlled clinical study. The diagnosis of chlamydial cervicitis was based on culture for C. trachomatis. Patients were randomized to receive a 7-day course of treatment with either oral grepafloxacin, 400 mg once daily, or oral doxycycline, 100 mg twice daily. Response to therapy was assessed 3-8 days and 21-28 days after completion of treatment. The primary measure of efficacy was eradication of C. trachomatis at the 21-28 day follow-up visit. Clinical success, defined as improvement or complete resolution of the signs and symptoms of cervicitis, was a secondary measure of efficacy. RESULTS: Of the 451 female patients enrolled, 228 received grepafloxacin and 223 received doxycycline. In all, 154/451 (35%) patients were evaluable at the 21-28 day follow-up (81 who received grepafloxacin and 73 who received doxycycline). Microbiologic and clinical success rates demonstrated the equivalence of the two treatments. The C. trachomatis eradication rates were 96.3% (78/81) and 98.6% (72/73) for patients receiving grepafloxacin or doxycycline, respectively. The two study drugs were also equivalent in resolving clinical signs and symptoms, with clinical success rates of 88.9% (64/72) and 89.5% (51/57) for patients treated with grepafloxacin and doxycycline, respectively. Both drugs were well tolerated, with 47% of patients receiving grepafloxacin and 46% of patients receiving doxycycline experiencing drug-related adverse events, none of which was serious. CONCLUSIONS: Seven days of treatment with oral grepafloxacin, 400 mg once daily, was as effective as 7 days of treatment with oral doxycycline, 100 mg twice daily, in patients with cervicitis caused by C. trachomatis. Both agents were well tolerated and had comparable safety profiles. Grepafloxacin's once-daily dosing regimen may offer advantages in terms of patient compliance.
Aerobic biodegradation of 8:2 fluorotelomer stearate monoester and 8:2 fluorotelomer citrate triester in forest soil

Aerobic biodegradation of 8:2 fluorotelomer stearate (FTS) and 8:2 fluorotelomer citrate triester (TBC) was evaluated in a forest soil in closed bottle microcosms. Loss of parent, production of 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (8:2 FTOH), which is released along with stearic acid (SA) by microbial ester linkage, and subsequent metabolites from FTOH degradation were monitored for up to 7months. Soil microcosms were extracted with ethyl acetate followed by two heated 90/10 v/v acetonitrile/200mM NaOH extractions. Cleavage of the ester linkage in the 8:2 FTS occurred (t1/2∼28d), producing 8:2 FTOH and various levels of subsequent metabolites. Quantifying the generation of SA from ester cleavage in FTS was complicated by the natural production and degradation of SA in soil, which was probed in an additional FTS and SA study with the same soil that had been stored at 4°C for 12months. In the latter study, FTS degraded faster (t1/2∼5d) such that SA production well above soil background levels was clearly observed along with rapid subsequent SA degradation. Cold storage was hypothesized to enrich fungal enzymes, which are known to be effective at hydrolytic cleavage. 8:2 TBC biotransformation was slow, but evident with the production of PFOA well above levels expected from known FTOH residuals. Slower degradation of TBC compared to FTS is likely due to steric hindrances arising from the close proximity of three 8:2 FT chains on the citrate backbone limiting the enzyme access.
Short-term succession dynamics of macrobenthos in a salinity-stressed estuary

It is postulated that early succession is influenced by environmental conditions directly after a disturbance event and the temporal scale of succeeding disturbances. For example, Rincon Bayou, Texas, U.S.A. is an estuary stressed by large fluctuations in salinity ranging from oligohaline to hypersaline conditions; leading to the question: are benthic succession dynamics interrupted or affected by the temporal scale of salinity fluctuations? To answer this question, succession dynamics were investigated by manipulation of 1) initial environmental conditions, and 2) time between severe disturbances. The influence of environmental conditions and time course of succession were investigated by comparing two experiments. A synoptic-deployment experiment where samples were deployed at the same environmental conditions and a synoptic-retrieval experiment where samples were collected from deployments under different environmental conditions. Both experiments were conducted at varying time courses of 2-, 4- and 8-week durations between severe disturbances. Severe disturbances were simulated with defaunated sediment. Ambient conditions were simultaneously sampled as a reference. Environmental conditions directly affected succession. In the ambient study, succession occurred in conjunction with changes in environmental conditions. In the synoptic-deployment and synoptic-retrieval studies, environmental conditions at the time of retrieval were more important in determining community structure than deployment duration or initial environmental conditions at time of deployment. Initial environmental conditions were not the primary mechanism in regulation of succession because succession is likely interrupted by frequent salinity disturbances. The salinity-stressed estuary of Rincon Bayou appears to be in a constant state of early and intermediate succession because of frequent salinity-related disturbances.
Some sufficient conditions for the type 1 optimality of block designs

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the problem of determining block designs which are optimal under type 1 optimality criteria within various classes of designs having υ treatments arranged in b blocks of size k. The solutions to two optimization problems are given which are related to a general result obtained by Cheng (1978) and which are useful in this investigation. As one application of the solutions obtained, the definition of a regular graph design given in Mitchell and John (1977) is extended to that of a semi-regular graph design and some sufficient conditions are derived for the existence of a semi-regular graph design which is optimal under a given type 1 criterion. A result is also given which shows how the sufficient conditions derived can be used to establish the optimality under a specific type 1 criterion of some particular types of semi- regular graph designs having both equal and unequal numbers of replicates. Finally,some sufficient conditions are obtained for the dual of an A- or D-optimal design to be A- or D-optimal within an appropriate class of dual designs.
Stat2 Is a Transcriptional Activator That Requires Sequence-specific Contacts Provided by Stat1 and p48 for Stable Interaction with DNA

Transcriptional responses to interferon (IFN) are mediated by tyrosine phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of transcription factors of the signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat) family. The Stat1 protein is required for all transcriptional responses to IFN (both type I and type II). Responses to type I IFN (α and β) also require Stat2 and the IFN regulatory factor family protein p48, which form a heterotrimeric transcription complex with Stat1 termed ISGF3. Stat1 homodimers formed in response to IFN-γ treatment can also interact with p48 and function as transcriptional activators. We now show that Stat2 is capable of forming a stable homodimer that interacts with p48, can be recruited to DNA, and can activate transcription, raising a question of why Stat1 is required. Analysis of the transcriptional competence, affinity, and specificity of Stat2-p48 complexes compared with other Stat protein-containing transcription factor complexes suggests distinct roles for each component. Although Stat2 is a potent transactivator, it does not interact stably with DNA in complex with p48 alone. Adding Stat1 increases the affinity and alters the sequence selectivity of p48-DNA interactions by contacting a half-site of its palindromic recognition motif adjacent to a p48 interaction sequence. Thus, ISGF3 assembly involves p48 functioning as an adaptor protein to recruit Stat1 and Stat2 to an IFN-α-stimulated response element, Stat2 contributes a potent transactivation domain but is unable to directly contact DNA, while Stat1 stabilizes the heteromeric complex by contacting DNA directly.
High-Throughput Synthesis and Screening of Cyclic Peptide Antibiotics

Cyclic peptides are a rich source of biologically active compounds and are produced in nature by plants, bacteria, fungi, and lower sea animals. A high-throughput methodology has been developed for the combinatorial synthesis, screening, and identification of cyclic peptide natural product analogues with improved biological activities or useful new activities. The methodology was applied to generate a library of 1716 tyrocidine A analogues, which were screened for antibacterial activity in 96-well plates. The identity of the active peptides was determined by partial Edman degradation/mass spectrometry. This has resulted in the discovery of a series of tyrocidine analogues that have significantly improved therapeutic indices compared to the natural product. The availability of tyrocidine analogues with varying antibacterial activities has provided important insights into the structure-function relationship of tyrocidine A, which should help reveal its mechanism of action.
Transcription of cloned DNA from Bacillus subtilis phage SP01 requirement for hydroxymethyluracil-containing DNA by phage-modified RNA Polymerase☆

Abstract We have cloned endonuclease restriction fragments of Bacillus subtilis phage SP01 DNA in a phage lambda vector, thereby replacing 5-hydroxymethyluracil (the thymine analog in SP01 DNA) with thymine. Two cloned fragments were shown to contain phage SP01 “early” genes. These cloned DNAs, as well as the 5-hydroxymethyluracil-containing fragments from which they were derived, supported specific RNA synthesis by B. subtilis RNA polymerase. Two other cloned DNAs contained phage “middle” genes, sequences that are known to be transcribed by a modified form of B. subtilis RNA polymerase containing a phage-coded regulatory protein (gp28) in place of the host sigma factor. The cloned middle genes failed to support specific RNA synthesis by phage-modified polymerase although the corresponding 5-hydroxymethyluracil-containing fragments were effective templates for in vitro transcription. This difference in the template activity of cloned and native SP01 fragments could not be attributed to promoter “mutations” introduced during replication in Escherichia coli as the nucleotide sequence of a middle gene promoter was identical for both thymine and 5-hydroxymethyluracil-containing DNA. We therefore conclude that, at least under certain conditions of in vitro RNA synthesis, 5-hydroxymethyluracil is required for specific transcription by gp28-containing RNA polymerase.
Unique Features and Insights from Mucinous Tumors of Ovary in Childhood: Clinicopathological Study of 15 Cases Including Four Premenarchal Cases

Mucinous tumors of ovary are primarily diagnosed in middle-aged and elder woman. They are very infrequent in the first two decades of life and exceedingly rare in premenarchal girls. We reviewed the past 20 years of our institutional pathology files and studied the clinicopathological features of the childhood ovarian mucinous tumor cases. The study concluded that ovarian mucinous tumor cases in childhood, including premenarchal cases, may not be as rare as people previously estimated and discovered some unique features of the tumors in this age group that are beneficial for better prognosis prediction and clinical management, as well as better understanding of pathogenesis of ovarian epithelial tumors.
Role of neuropeptides in the regulation of feeding behavior: A review of cholecystokinin, bombesin, neuropeptide Y, and galanin

The purpose of this report is to provide a review of four peptides (cholecystokinin, bombesin, neuropeptide Y, galanin) and their role in feeding behavior. Cholecystokinin (CCK) and bombesin (BBS) are considered satiety peptides, and neuropeptide Y (NPY) and galanin (GAL) have been proposed as appetite peptides. For the purposes of this review, satiety refers to the physiological cessation of feeding, and appetite refers to the drive to eat and exists in gradations.
Bifurcations in parametric nonlinear programming

Bifurcation and continuation techniques are introduced as a class of methods for investigating the parametric nonlinear programming problem. Motivated by the Fritz John first-order necessary conditions, the parametric programming problem is first reformulated as a closed system of nonlinear equations which contains all Karush-Kuhn-Tucker and Fritz John points, both feasible and infeasible solutions, and relative minima, maxima, and saddle points. Since changes in the structure of the solution set and critical point type can occur only at singularities, necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a singularity are developed in terms of the loss of a complementarity condition, the linear dependence constraint qualification, and the singularity of the Hessian of the Lagrangian on a tangent space. After a brief introduction to elementary bifurcation theory, some simple singularities in this parametric problem are analyzed for both branching and persistence of local minima. Finally, a brief introduction to numerical continuation and bifurcation procedures is given to indicate how these facts can be used in a numerical investigation of the problem.
Electronic Behavior in Alloys: Au-Sn

Charge-flow and valence-$d$-band behavior in Au alloys have been studied in the Au-Sn alloy system by x-ray photoemission measurement of the valence bands and of core-level energy shifts for both atomic species. Published M\"ossbauer isomer-shift data for these alloys indicate that there is significant valence $s$ charge increase at Au sites and a somewhat smaller decrease at Sn sites upon alloying. An analysis, which includes screening in the Coulomb interactions between valence and core electrons and which combines the M\"ossbauer and core-level photoemission data, has been carried out. The results indicate that there is little net charge flow between Au and Sn, i.e., that the increase of non-$d$ conduction-electron count at Au sites is almost entirely compensated for by a decrease in $5d$ count; a similar $s\ensuremath{-}p$ compensation occurs at Sn sites. Coulomb screening is important to this analysis and we have applied it to similar results reported by us previously in the AuAg alloy system. Substantial hybridization of the Au $d$ bands with the Au "$s$" and with Sn valence-electron states is exhibited by the valence-band spectra; and the extent of this hybridization with final states above the Fermi level is indicated by the observed depletion in $d$ count.
Immanent Miracles: From De Sica to Hardt and Negri

A genealogical link between Vittorio de Sica's Miracle in Milan (1951) and Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri's Empire (2000) may be found in the work of Gilles Deleuze. De Sica and Hardt and Negri locate a politics of resistance in the sphere of immanence, on an ontological basis. Miracle in Milan and Empire thus exemplify Deleuze's attitude when, praising Foucault, he declares that "Life becomes resistance to power when power takes life as its object." This attitude leads De Sica and Hardt and Negri to a shared faith in the political vitality of the poor.
Inelastic scattering of particles by spherical microcavities as an experimental test of non-conservative quasi-gradient optical forces

It is shown theoretically that observation of inelastic scattering of a subwavelength particle interacting with modes of a whispering-gallery-mode resonator can be used for experimental verification of non-conservative nature of the quasi-gradient optical force.
ADRENERGIC URTICARIA: A NEW FORM OF STRESS-INDUCED HIVES

A distinctive new type of autonomic-system-dependent urticaria was seen in two patients. This "adrenergic" urticaria is to be contrasted with cholinergic urticaria. Widespread pruritic, urticarial papules developed at times of stress, each papule being surrounded by a striking white halo. Associated with these lesions was an increase in plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline concentrations. In severe attacks large plaques of urticaria appeared as well. The halo hives could be replicated with an intradermal injection of noradrenaline, but not with acetylcholine. Treatment with a beta-adrenoreceptor-blocker, propranolol, prevented attacks.
A Boundary-Node based Localization Scheme for Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks

In wireless sensor networks, node location information is critical for many applications. In this paper we propose a novel boundary node based localization scheme for location discovery in heterogeneous wireless sensor networks. We make use of a small number of high-end beacon nodes, which have more energy supply and a larger transmission range than other sensor nodes. Our scheme initially determines the locations of boundary nodes, which are nodes located in the coverage boundary of a beacon node. Other nodes then estimate their locations with the help of the boundary nodes and the beacon nodes. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme performs much better than an existing scheme in terms of the localization error and the standard deviation of the error.
Smallpox vaccine stability after maintenance at temperatures not recommended for shipping

Two distinct smallpox vaccine formulations were exposed to temperatures beyond the ranges specified by the manufacturers for vaccine maintenance and shipping. Under the conditions investigated, titers of both Dryvax smallpox vaccine and Aventis Pasteur smallpox vaccine remained at or above the titers recommended for successful vaccination. From these data it can be inferred that vaccine efficacy would not be expected to be adversely affected by unintended fluctuations of temperature, within the ranges studied, for a 4-day period.
Non-covalent interactions: Fold globally, bond locally.

Protein structures are considerably stabilized by local interactions. A new computational and structural analysis discovers that n→π* interactions between consecutive residues are stabilizing and ubiquitous in a variety of secondary structures.