cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autoradiographic identification of brain angiotensin IV binding sites and differential c-Fos expression following intracerebroventricular injection of angiotensin II and IV in rats.

A unique angiotensin binding site specific for the hexapeptide, angiotensin II(3–8) (AngIV), has been previously reported by our laboratory in the guinea pig brain and is presently described in the rat brain. This angiotensin receptor subtype has been termed AT4 and is prominently distributed in cerebral cortex, piriform cortex, hippocampus, habenulae, colliculi, septum, periaqueductal gray, several thalamic nuclei, the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus and cerebellum. In the second part of the present investigation, separate groups of rats received i.c.v. injections of angiotensin II (AngII), AngIV or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) and were euthanized 2 h later for the purpose of evaluating for brain c-Fos expression. After i.c.v.-injected AngIV, Fos-like immunoreactivity was present in the hippocampus and piriform cortex. This immunoreactivity was unaffected by i.c.v. pretreatment with the AT1 angiotensin receptor antagonist DuP 753 (losartan) or the AT2 receptor ligand PD123177 but was blocked by the AT4 angiotensin receptor antagonist, divalanal-AngIV. I.c.v. injection of AngII resulted in Fos-like immunoreactivity in the dorsal third and lateral ventricles, subfornical organ, lateral hypothalamus and amygdala. Pretreatment with losartan or PD123177 significantly interfered with this AngII-induced immunoreactivity while divalanal-AngIV did not. These results indicate that in both guinea pig and rat brains the AT4 receptor has a distribution different than that previously reported for AT1 and AT2 receptor subtypes. The c-Fos expression results suggest that different brain neuronal pathways are activated by i.c.v. injection of AngII and AngIV.
Inhibition of dietary fat-promoted colon carcinogenesis in rats by supplemental calcium or vitamin D3

A 2 X 2 X 2 factorial experimental design was used to investigate the effects of supplemental calcium (Ca) (0.5% versus 1.0% of diet as Ca gluconate) and vitamin D3 (D) (1000 IU/kg diet versus 2000 IU/kg diet) on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis in male F344 rats promoted with a 20% corn oil diet. Animals on the high-fat (HF) diet had an increased tumor incidence compared to the low-fat (LF) control diet (86% versus 53%, P less than 0.05) and supplemental Ca or D reduced this to or below the LF incidence (HF + Ca: 53%, HF + D: 47%). However, supplemental Ca or D had no inhibitory effect with LF diets (LF + Ca: 67%, LF + D: 60%). The results of this study indicate a possible role for supplemental Ca or D in the prevention of colon cancer, effective only in HF diets.
Effects of rearing condition on activity-induced weight loss.

This study evaluated the effects of differential rearing conditions on a rat protocol for various human syndromes. Subjects were 26 male Sprague-Dawley rats, 24 days old at the start of the experiment, matched according to weight, and randomly assigned to an isolation- or group-reared (4 rats/cage) condition. At 60 days of age (273 ± 13 g), subjects were individually housed in cages allowing access to running wheels. Weight loss was produced through voluntary exercis and restricted food access. Animals in the isolationreared condition lost weight at a faster rate and had heavier relative thymus weights than those in the groupreared condition. Animals in both conditions ran equivalent distances and ate equivalent amounts of food. The data show that postweaning rearing conditions impact the interpretation of behavioral and physiological outcomes of animal models. The results implicate a shift from maternal regulation of pup physiological and behavioral systems to the broader social niche. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Reaction time of jaw movement to auditory and tactile stimulation in children.

Sunzmary.-It has been hypothesized that the development of speech is achieved through auditory and tactile or kinesthetic monitoring and that early in life the auditory channel is the more important while later it becomes secondary. It was assumed that a servosystem operates through its more efficient feedback channel and that one evidence of efficiency is reaction time to stimuli. Reaction times were obtained by a bite mechanism on 60 normal children 4 through 11 yr. of age. Stimuli were a 1000 Hz tone at 88 db re .0002 dy/cm2 and a 10grn. touch to the lower lip. Biting reaction time for children ages 6 through 11 is shorter for tactile than for auditory stimulus. For 4- and 5-yr.-old children the difference is not significant, but there is a trend toward shorter auditory than tactile reaction times. This study supports the important function of tactile feedback in the monitoring of speech, especially beyond about 5 yr. of age. The speech apparatus has been likened to a closed cycle servosystem whose output is guided by sensory monitoring processes (Fairbanks, 1954). Van Riper and Irwin (1958) described this servosystem as having three functional steps: scanning the flow of sensory information to the brain, comparing it with stored patterns, and correcting subsequent output. Several investigators, using either sensory deprivation or delay of auditory feedback, have done experiments related to the importance of the sense pathways for speech production in adults. Black ( 1950), Fairbanks and Guttman ( 1958), and Fairbanks (1955) found speech breakdown due to delayed auditory feedback. McCroskey ( 1958) and Weber ( 1961), in studies involving sensory deprivation by oral anesthetization and binaural masking noise, found that speech was disrupted more by reduction of tactile than by reduction of auditory feedback. According to Ringel and Steer (1963) speech under modification of auditory and tactile feedback is characterized by lack of rate variability and by articulatory inaccuracy. In such experiments an important extenuating circumstance may be that S's behavior is affected by the novelty of tactile feedback reduction in contrast to the more commonly experienced interference with hearing. It has been suggested that the relative roles of the sense channels vary during the early years of life. According to Van Riper and Irwin At first he (the child) must compare the self-hearing of his own utterance with the sounds that come from his parents' mouths. If they march and he is rewarded, the kinesrhetic or tactual echoes or messages from his tongue position at that moment tend to become vivid and important. Soon the kinesthetic or tactual feedback is sufficiently sta'The authors wish to thank Janet Kelly for her assistance in completing the statistical analysis for this study.
Morphogenetic Mechanisms of Epithelial Tubulogenesis: MDCK Cell Polarity Is Transiently Rearranged without Loss of Cell–Cell Contact during Scatter Factor/Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Induced Tubulogenesis

Many organ systems are composed of networks of epithelial tubes. Recently, molecules that induce development of epithelial tubules and regulate sites of branching have been identified. However, little is known about the mechanisms regulating cell rearrangements that are necessary for tubule formation. In this study we have used a scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor-induced model system of MDCK epithelial cell tubulogenesis to analyze the mechanisms of cell rearrangement during tubule development. We examined the dynamics of cell polarity and cell-cell junctions during tubule formation and present evidence for a multistep model of tubulogenesis in which cells rearrange without loss of cell-cell contacts and tubule lumens form de novo. A three-dimensional analysis of markers for apical and basolateral membrane subdomains shows that epithelial cell polarity is transiently lost and subsequently regained during tubulogenesis. Furthermore, components of cell-cell junctional complexes undergo profound rearrangements: E-cadherin is randomly distributed around the cell surface, desmoplakins I/II accumulate intracellularly, and the tight junction protein ZO-1 remains localized at sites of cell-cell contact. This suggests that differential regulation of cell-cell junctions is important for the formation of tubules. Therefore, during tubulogenesis, cell-cell adhesive contacts are differentially regulated while the polarity and specialization of plasma membrane subdomains reorganize, enabling cells to remain in contact as they rearrange into new structures.
STIM1 heteromultimerizes TRPC channels to determine their function as store-operated channels.

Stromal interacting molecule 1 (STIM1) is a Ca2+ sensor that conveys the Ca2+ load of the endoplasmic reticulum to store-operated channels (SOCs) at the plasma membrane. Here, we report that STIM1 binds TRPC1, TRPC4 and TRPC5 and determines their function as SOCs. Inhibition of STIM1 function inhibits activation of TRPC5 by receptor stimulation, but not by La3+, suggesting that STIM1 is obligatory for activation of TRPC channels by agonists, but STIM1 is not essential for channel function. Through a distinct mechanism, STIM1 also regulates TRPC3 and TRPC6. STIM1 does not bind TRPC3 and TRPC6, and regulates their function indirectly by mediating the heteromultimerization of TRPC3 with TRPC1 and TRPC6 with TRPC4. TRPC7 is not regulated by STIM1. We propose a new definition of SOCs, as channels that are regulated by STIM1 and require the store depletion-mediated clustering of STIM1. By this definition, all TRPC channels, except TRPC7, function as SOCs.
Ablation of Noninducible Idiopathic Left Ventricular Tachycardia Using a Noncontact Map Acquired from a Premature Complex with Tachycardia Morphology

We describe use of a novel noncontact system to permit mapping in a noninducible patient from a single premature ventricular complex with tachycardia morphology, thus guiding successful ablation after two previously failed conventional efforts. The instantaneous global electroanatomic map demonstrated fascicular macroreentry. Subsequent to ablation at an inferolateral site, there has been no clinical recurrence despite difficult arrhythmia control preprocedure. This case demonstrated that noncontact mapping can be used to create a potential map to guide successful ablation from a single premature ventricular complex in a patient with idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia that became noninducible at electrophysiological study.
The number of players tied for the record

Exact conditions on the hazard rate of a sequence of IID non-negative integer valued random variables are given so that the limsup of the number of variables tied for the record takes any given value.
A primer on grand unification

Abstract This is an introduction to attempts at grand unification. The primary emphasis is on the role of renormalization effects, and the computation of the electroweak angle θ W , while detailed group-theoretical aspects are kept in the background.
Purification and partial characterization of hemolysins from Bacillus thuringiensis

Abstract A strain of Bacillus thuringiensis serotype I was investigated for hemolytic activity against horse, sheep, and rabbit erythrocytes. Two distinct hemolytic proteins were found; one was similar to streptolysin 0 in its properties and behavior. Both hemolysins were purified and characterized by molecular sieve filtration and by isoelectric focusing. The specific activities of the purified hemolysins were determined.
Modern Neoliberal Philanthropy: motivations and impact of Pfizer Pharmaceutical’s corporate social responsibility campaign

Abstract One of Pfizer Pharmaceutical’s general corporate goals is that no person anywhere should be restricted from receiving essential and affordable medicines. From 2009 to 11 Pfizer’s internal corporate social responsibility (csr) programmes were private corporate efforts that were discretionary and limited in scope and impact. All Pfizer’s csr preferred public policy governmental positions encompassed neoliberal government requirements based on market and profit considerations, with no positions demonstrating, in detail, how universal provision of drugs for all would be provided. Currently Pfizer’s csr efforts represent a dichotomy when compared with the general corporate goal of not restricting essential and affordable medicines in order to provide medicines for all.
Incorporation of thiolate donation using 2,2'-dithiodibenzaldehyde: complexes of a pentadentate N2S3 ligand with relevance to the active site of Co nitrile hydratase.

The use of 2,2′-dithiodibenzaldehyde (DTDB) as a reactant for incorporating thiolate donors into the coordination sphere of a transition metal complex without the need for protecting groups is expanded to include the synthesis of complexes with pentadentate ligands. The ligand N,N′-bis(thiosalicylideneimine)-2,2′-thiobis(ethylamine) (tsaltp) is synthesized at a cobalt center by the reaction of DTDB with a Co complex of thiobis(ethylamine). The resulting Co complexes are thus coordinated by the N2S3 pentadentate ligand through two imine N atoms, two thiolate S atoms, and one thioether S atom. A dimeric, bis-thiolate-bridged complex (1) is isolated and converted to a monomeric CN adduct (2) by treatment with KCN. The N2S3 coordination environment provided by the tsaltp ligand is similar to that provided by the protein donors at the active site of the nitrile hydratase enzymes, with 2 being the first octahedral Co complex reported with such a coordination sphere.
To the present tense

By the time you are by the time you come to be by the time you read this by the time you are written by the time you forget by the time you are water through 1⁄2ngers by the time you are taken for granted by the time it hurts by the time it goes on hurting by the time there are no words for you by the time you remember but without the names by the time you are in the papers and on the telephone passing unnoticed there too
Compact highly sensitive multi-species airborne mid-IR spectrometer

We report on the development and airborne field deployment of a mid-IR laser-based spectrometer. The instrument was configured for the simultaneous in situ detection of formaldehyde (CH2O) and ethane (C2H6). Numerous mechanical, optical, electronic, and software improvements over a previous instrument design resulted in reliable highly sensitive airborne operation with long stability times yielding 90 % airborne measurement coverage during the recent air quality study over the Colorado Front Range, FRAPPE 2014. Airborne detection sensitivities of ~15 pptv (C2H6) and ~40 pptv (CH2O) were generally obtained for 1 s of averaging for simultaneous detection.
Application of the Geselowitz relationship to the murine conductance catheter

Conductance catheters are known to have a nonuniform spatial sensitivity due to the distribution of the electric field. The Geselowitz relation is applied to the murine conductance catheter using a finite element model to determine catheter's spatial sensitivity in uniform media. Further analysis of FEM numerical modeling results using the Geselowitz relation provides a true measure of parallel conductance in a simplified murine left ventricle for assessment of the admittance method and hypertonic saline techniques. The spatial sensitivity of blood conductance (G b ) is determined throughout the cardiac cycle. G b is converted to volume using Wei's equation to determine if the presence of myocardium alters the nonlinear relationship through changes to the electric field shape. Results show that the admittance method correctly calculates G b in comparison to the Geselowitz relation, and that the relationship between G b and volume is accurately fit using Wei's equation.
Predictable acquisition of a new MHC recognition specificity following expression of a transfected T-cell receptor β-chain gene

Activation of mature T lymphocytes requires specific corecognition of antigen together with membrane-associated glycoprotein products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). This dual specificity is determined by a single receptor structure consisting of a clone-specific alpha beta heterodimer. Because both the alpha and beta subunits possess unique combining-site-containing V regions, it remains an open issue as to what contribution each of the two chains of the receptor makes to the antigen versus MHC recognition specificities of the complete dimer present on any given T cell or in the T-cell pool as a whole. In the present work, we have used DNA-mediated gene transfer to express a new alpha or beta chain in a recipient murine T-cell hybridoma possessing a related antigen but distinct MHC specificity compared to the receptor-gene donor. Our results demonstrate that a beta-gene transfected hybridoma expresses new receptors with a predictable hybrid specificity, establishing that the beta chain has the predominant role in MHC molecule recognition in this model.
A new Salvia (Labiatae) from Hispaniola

Salvia paryskii, a yellow-flowered member of sectionEkmania, is described and illustrated from the narrow ridge connecting Pic Formon and Pic Macaya in the Massif de la Hotte of Haiti. The new species is compared to its closest relative,S. tuerckheimii, and differs primarily in its obovate leaves and denser inflorescences. Included is a brief discussion of the vegetation of this remote area of Parc National Pic Macaya.
The effects of oxygen on the yields of the thermal decomposition products of catechol under pyrolysis and fuel-rich oxidation conditions

Abstract In order to investigate the effects of oxygen on the distribution of thermal decomposition products from complex solid fuels, pyrolysis and fuel-rich oxidation experiments have been performed in an isothermal laminar-flow reactor, using the model fuel catechol (ortho-dihydroxybenzene), a phenol-type compound representative of structural entities in coal, wood, and biomass. The gas-phase catechol pyrolysis experiments are conducted at a residence time of 0.3 s, over a temperature range of 500–1000 °C, and at oxygen ratios ranging from 0 (pure pyrolysis) to 0.92 (near stoichiometric oxidation). The pyrolysis products are analyzed by nondispersive infrared analysis and by gas chromatography with flame-ionization and mass spectrometric detection. In addition to an abundance of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, catechol pyrolysis and fuel-rich oxidation produce a range of C1–C5 light hydrocarbons as well as single-ring aromatics. Quantification of the products reveals that the major products are CO, acetylene, 1,3-butadiene, phenol, benzene, vinylacetylene, ethylene, methane, cyclopentadiene, styrene, and phenylacetylene; minor products are ethane, propyne, propadiene, propylene and toluene. Under oxidative conditions, CO2 is also produced. At temperatures 850 °C, catechol conversion is complete, and increases in oxygen bring about drastic decreases in the yields of virtually all hydrocarbon products, as oxidative destruction reactions dominate. Reactions responsible for the formation of the C1–C5 and single-ring aromatic products from catechol, under pyrolytic and oxidative conditions, are discussed.
Ethnic Social Comfort I: Construct Validity Through Social Distance Measurement:

Emotion-related constructs hold understudied promise for understanding interand intraethnic attitudes and behaviors of African Americans. This article describes preliminary steps taken to explore the construct of interethnic social comfort through the revision and expansion of an existing measure of interethnic social distance, and to explore its psychometric properties among several subsamples of a group of 238 African American undergraduates. Items from the Revised Social Scales were found free from traditional social desirability. Factor analyses suggested a single-factor latent structure for in-group (i.e., Black) social comfort and a two-factor latent structure for out-group (i.e., White) social comfort, which distinguished intimate from nonintimate relationships. Subscales based on these analyses showed high internal consistency reliability and convergent and discriminant validity by patterns of correlations with measures of ethnic identity, related attitudes, self-relevant beliefs, and demographic ...
Association of BMI and Cardiovascular Risk Stratification in the Elderly African‐American Females

We aimed to estimate the association of BMI and risk of systemic hypertension in African-American females aged 65 years and older. In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, medical charts were randomly reviewed after obtaining institutional review board approval and data collection was conducted for height, weight, BMI, age, ethnicity, gender, and hypertension. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. The mean BMI was significantly higher in hypertensive subjects than normotensives (30.3 vs. 29 kg/m2; P = 0.003). A higher proportion of hypertensive subjects had a BMI >23 kg/m2 as compared to normotensives (88.9% vs. 83.5%; P = 0.023). When the log odds of having a history of hypertension was plotted against BMI as a continuous variable, we found that the odds showed an increasing trend with increasing BMI and a steep increase after a BMI of 23 kg/m2. When BMI was analyzed as a categorical variable, a BMI of 23–30 kg/m2 was found to have an odds ratio of 1.43 (95% confidence interval 1.01–2.13; P = 0.05) and a BMI of >30 kg/m2 had an odds ratio of 1.76 (95% confidence interval 1.17–2.65; P = 0.007) when compared to a BMI of 23 kg/m2 in this ethnic group. Weight reduction to a greater extent than previously indicated could play an integral role in prevention and control of high blood pressure in this particular population.
Device-associated infection rates, device utilization, and antimicrobial resistance in long-term acute care hospitals reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network, 2010.

Objective. To evaluate national data on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), device utilization, and antimicrobial resistance in long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs).Design and setting. Comparison of data from LTACHs and from medical and medical-surgical intensive care units (ICUs) in short-stay acute care hospitals reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) during 2010.Methods. Rates of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) as well as device utilization ratios were calculated. For each HAI, pathogen profiles and antimicrobial resistance prevalence were evaluated. Comparisons were made using Poisson regression and the Mood median and χ2 tests.Results. In 2010, 104 LTACHs reported CLABSIs and 57 reported CAUTIs and VAP to the NHSN. Median CLABSI rates in LTACHs (1.25 events per 1,000 device-days reported; range, 0.0–5.96) were comparable to rates in major teaching ICUs...
Comparison of informal caregiving by black and white older adults in a community population.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of informal caregiving and demographic factors associated with caregiving time in older community residents and compare caregiving prevalence and time spent providing care by black and white residents. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, population-based study. SETTING: The study was conducted as part of the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) in a geographically defined community of black and white residents aged 65 and older. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 5924 community residents (61.4% black; 38.6% white) who answered questions about informal caregiving responsibilities during a structured interview about a broad range of health and social factors. METHODS: Data were collected during an in-home interview. Multiple logistic and linear regression models were used to examine the association between caregiving and race, gender, age, marital status, and education. RESULTS: More than 16% of residents had provided care to others during the previous 12 months, and 10.3% were currently providing care. Compared with whites, blacks were 30% more likely to be caregivers, spent almost 13 more hours each week in caregiving activities, and were more likely to assist friends. The probability of caregiving increased significantly with age for married persons, decreased with age for unmarried persons, and was lower for men compared with women. The time spent providing care each week increased significantly with age for married persons and did not differ between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Although physicians and other healthcare providers typically view older people as the recipients of informal care, individuals older than age 65 provide a substantial amount of care to others with health problems and disability. Most research has focused on the needs of young and middle-aged caregivers, and little is known about the needs of these older caregivers. Future research should use sampling strategies that provide adequate numbers of white and non-white participants for meaningful comparisons. This will permit identification of racial and cultural differences in caregiving so that interventions can be tailored to specific groups.
Many-body aspects of the near-edge structure in x-ray absorption

The near-edge structure (NES) in x-ray absorption is investigated using a simple reformulation of the Hartree-Fock approach. It is found that the most natural single-particle states are not the usual Hartree-Fock ones but those that explicitly incorporate the exclusion principle in the transition by having the directly excited photoelectron state orthogonal to all initially occupied states and the resulting core hole orthogonal to all finally occupied states. This reformulation shows clearly that many-body effects are important when the perturbation by the core-hole potential is significant. Only in two limits does the NES reduce to an effective single-particle problem, namely, when a single photoelectron either (a) makes a transition into an initially empty shell (band) or (b) fills that shell (band). In the former case the local density of states of the final potential is appropriate, while for the latter the density of states of the initial system, before excitation, is appropriate. Spin-dependent effects are illustrated by a model calculation.
Ecological Distribution and Community Analysis of Tardigrada from Choccolocco Creek, Alabama

Abstract A seasonal survey of tardigrade populations in the riparian zone of the Choccolocco Creek, Alabama, was undertaken from August 1994 through December 1995. Six sites within the riparian zone were sampled in different portions of the creek. At each site, 3 trees with cryptogams were sampled six times during survey period. From a total of 108 samples, 1,588 tardigrades were extracted and individually mounted on slides in Hoyer's medium. The community was dominated (86%) by specimens in the genus Macrobiotus . One species of Echiniscus was new to science and will be described in a separate paper. No significant difference was found between tardigrade occurrence (total number of individuals) and season, moss genera, or tree species. However, there was a significant relationship between the number of tardigrades and site, indicating the need for additional replicate samples. Simpson's and Shannon-Wiener's species diversity indices indicated that species richness and evenness were low. Jaccard's and Standard's community similarity indices suggested that the communities within the riparian zone were dissimilar along Choccolocco Creek.
Thoracoabdominal radical nephrectomy: is a postoperative thoracostomy tube necessary?

Objectives. To report our results of patients undergoing thoracoabdominal radical nephrectomy without intraoperative placement of a thoracostomy tube. It has been routine in our hospital to not place a thoracostomy tube in patients undergoing thoracoabdominal radical nephrectomy since 1988. Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of 47 thoracoabdominal radical nephrectomies performed from January 1988 through November 1998 at our institution. Of the 47 patients, 39 did not have a thoracostomy tube placed intraoperatively; the other 8 patients did. The development of all postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, and hospital charges were noted. Results. No postoperative mortality was noted in our study. Of the 47 patients in the study, 20 patients had a total of 29 complications. The overall number of complications was not increased in the group without a thoracostomy tube compared with the group with a thoracostomy tube (P = 0.104). No patient treated without a thoracostomy tube required subsequent placement of a tube for persistent pneumothorax. The mean length of hospital stay in patients with a thoracostomy tube after radical nephrectomy was 9.14 ± 2.65 days; in patients without a thoracostomy tube, the mean length of stay was 7.07 ± 3.97 days (P = 0.071). Conclusions. In patients without parietal pleural injury, thoracoabdominal radical nephrectomy without the placement of a thoracostomy tube can be performed safely and effectively, with a low risk of postoperative complications and a decrease in the overall hospital stay and hospital charges.
Activation of Toll-like receptor-2 by tumor associated matrix metalloproteinase-2 modulates dendritic cell function

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc-dependent endopeptidases which degrade extracellular matrix proteins and modulate cell proliferation, migration, differentiation and angiogenesis. MMP-2, a member of the gelatinase subfamily of MMPs, participates in the remodeling and resolution of tissue injury and tumorigenesis. We recently identified an unexpected new role for MMP-2 in the modulation of innate immune function and in the differentiation of inflammatory TH2 responses in the tumor microenvironment [1]. Pre-exposure to MMP-2 inhibits IL-12 function and up-regulates OX40L expression by human dendritic cells (DCs). Enzymatically active MMP-2 causes degradation of the IFNAR1 chain of the type-I IFN receptor, reducing the ability of IFN beta to enhance transcription of the IL-12p35 subunit through STAT1 phosphorylation. In the absence of IL-12, OX40L now functions as a key co-stimulatory molecule for the priming of TH2 cells. Indeed, we have identified TH2 cells within the TIL compartment of melanoma specimens that produce IL-4, TNF and IL-13. However, the TH2 mechanism by which MMP-2 up-regulates OX40L is not known and the role of MMP-2-driven TH2 cells in vivo has not been determined. In this study, we specifically investigated how MMP-2 up-regulates OX40L on DCs to drive type-2 polarization and the physiologic role of MMP-2 imprinted DC in driving TH2 cells. We identified a novel physiological receptor, namely TLR2, for MMP-2 on DCs that, upon activation, up regulates OX40L and induces the production of TNF and IL-6. Significantly, MMP-2 acted as an adjuvant to prime TH2 cells in vivo towards protein antigens. Therefore, extracellular MMP-2 including that derived from tumors has the potential to locally affect DCs leading to modulation of immune responses in malignant diseases.
Molecular mimicry revisited.

Abstract The host immune response is an important line of defence against parasites. Tactics to evade this response are therefore expected in host-parasite relationships, and the clearest example is the antigenic variation displayed by African trypanosomes. But while few other parasites seem to have quite this ability, many seem to display a form of antigenic convergence with the host — allowing them a degree of molecular camouflage against the host's immune system. Ideas about such antigenic convergence were developed some 30 years ago, with, for example, John Sprent's theory of ‘adaptation tolerance', John Dineen's ‘selection for fitness antigens' and Raymond Damian's concept of ‘antigen sharing' between host and parasite which was subsequently formulated in a now classical exposition on ‘molecular mimicry'. Damian's theory, that one of the mechanisms by which parasites could avoid the host immune response was by mimicking host molecules, has greatly influenced both the theoretical and practical approaches to immunoparasitology. Earlier this year, at a UCLA Symposium, Professor Damian discussed how the theory had progressed since its original exposition. This article is based on that presentation.
Scalable coordination for sensor networks in challenging environments

In sensor networks, the unpredictable dynamics caused by the disruption of communication in harsh environments, the depletion of battery resources, and node mobility make coordination between sensor nodes more challenging than coordination between nodes in typical wired and wireless networks. While the literature is rich in coordination protocols for sensor networks and routing protocols for ad-hoc wireless networks, they assume relatively static environments. Using these protocols in highly dynamic environments leads to increased coordination traffic, high energy-consumption, increased event loss, and excessive latency in reporting events.In this paper we propose SWIFT, a coordination protocol that reacts to changes in nodes' connectivity with a local repair process, significantly reducing the coordination traffic. SWIFT eliminates routing loops through a combination of avoidance and detection mechanisms; and does not require GPS support, which cannot be used in closed environments and consumes significant energy resources. Experimental results reveal that SWIFT outperforms existing protocols and achieves significant energy efficiency, reduces event loss, and the latency in reporting events under various network dynamics.
Isotopic evolution of common lead

Abstract The isotopic composition of lead from galenas and feldspars of granitic rocks covering a time span of 3600 m.y. is reviewed. Hew data are combined with data from the literature, all ratios being normalized to a fixed value for the isotopic composition of lead in an inter-laboratory reference sample. Comparison of feldspar and galena results show that the isotopic composition of initial lead in granitic rocks may be identical to, or more radiogenic than, that in coeval stratiform (or ‘single stage’) ore deposits. The isotopic evolution of terrestrial lead over the past 3600 m.y. deduced from the stratiform ore data does not fit the closed system source. The data are best fitted to evolution models in which the value of μ (U 238 /Pb 204 normalized to the present day) in the source has increased either over approximately the past 3.6 billion years or since the time of formation of the Earth. A limited number of high precision data for strontium likewise indicate open system isotopic evolution. In this system the Rb/Sr ratio appears to have decreased as a function of time. Physical models that explain the data are presented. Either mantle differentiation or crustal contamination processes could account for the change in μ in the source for the lead. The strontium data and some detailed studies of the isotopic composition of lead in oceanic volcanic rocks support mantle differentiation rather than crustal contamination. The exact nature of the mantle differentiation process cannot be specified, although empirical data favoring the existence of such a process are given. The best estimate of the age of the Earth, calculated with the data from 2750 and 3290 m.y.-old lead ores, is 4660 m.y.
Rate immunonephelometric measurement of specific plasma proteins (an opportunity for control of analytical variance).

One of the biggest drawbacks in the quality control of protein evaluation has been the lack of precise analytical tools to evaluate the individual components of the various test systems. Several collaborators have approached the formidable task of collecting and analyzing data from expert laboratories to evaluate and select the best candidate reference preparations3, 4, 7. Although quality control of protein evaluation depends fundamentally on the availability of reference materials for standardization of the various assay procedures, it is recognized that uniformity of antisera is also essential. The role of rate nephelometry in the quality control of protein evaluation lies in its ability to minimize imprecision. Elimination of this variable will permit identification of the remaining sources of variation.
The Politics of Teaching: The Teacher-Parent Relationship and the Joseph J. Blase Dynamics of Diplomacy

Blase describes a 3-year qualitative study of the politics of being a teacher. Specifically, the meanings that teachers attributed to their political interactions with parents are examined. Unstruc...
Lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination of tyrosine peptides.

Abstract 1. 1.|The rate of lactoperoxidase (donor:H2O2 oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.7)-catalyzed iodination of tyrosine derivatives and tyrosine containing peptides was studied at neutral pH. Lactoperoxidase catalyzes the iodination of tyrosine, its ester and amide at comparable rates while derivatives of the amino group, such as N-acetyltyrosine, are iodinated at significantly lower rates. Neutral amino acid containing dipeptides in which tyrosine is N-terminal are more readily iodinated than those in which tyrosine is C-terminal. Tyr > Tyr-Gly = Tyr-Ala ≥ Tyr-Val = Tyr-Leu = Tyr-Phe = Phe-Tyr > Leu-Tyr = Val-Tyr = Ala-Tyr ≥ Gly-Tyr. Lysine containing dipeptides also are iodinated in the same manner. Tyr > Tyr-Lys > Lys-Tyr. The converse appears to be true in the case of glutamic acid containing dipeptides. Tyr > Glu-Tyr ≥ Tyr-Glu. At pH 3.6 the rate of iodination is the same for tyrosine and all the peptides. 2. 2.|At pH 7.4 horseradish peroxidase does not catalyze the direct iodination of tyrosine or any of the tyrosine derivatives studied. It is pointed out that spectrophotometric assays for iodination of tyrosine may not distinguish between oxidative coupling and iodination.
Differentiation of alkaline proteases from Bacillus species.

Abstract A series of highly purified Bacillus alkaline proteases have been examined to determine whether a whole range of species and strains produce different alkaline proteases. The results indicate that there are only two types of alkaline proteases produced and further differentiation could not be made with the methods used.
DA virus mutant H101 has altered CNS pathogenesis and causes immunosuppression

Viruses use various mechanisms to evade clearance by the host. Investigating how a few changes in the genome of a non-lethal virus can lead to altered disease, from survivable to immunosuppression/death, would provide valuable information into viral pathogenesis. The Daniels strain of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus causes an asymptomatic infection or acute encephalitis followed by viral clearance. A mutant, H101, carries several alterations in the viral genome. H101 infection causes profound immunosuppression and death. Thus, a virus that is normally cleared by its natural host can become lethal due to just a few changes in the viral genome.
Individual Psychology as a Basis for the Counseling of Low Achieving Students

The counseling of low achieving students by use of a method bated on the principles of the Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler is described. The basic assumptions and techniques are presented along with excerpts from counseling sessions.
The Dilemma of Development Administration: Complexity and Uncertainty in Control-Oriented Bureaucracies

While development strategies of international assistance organizations and governments of less developed states have become more complex over the past decade, the methods of planning and management used during the 1960s and 1970s to formulate and implement policies have become less effective. Synoptic planning and scientific management techniques are used to control development activities rather than to facilitate and encourage the flexibility, experimentation, and social learning that are essential. The prospects of improving control-oriented administration are constrained by difficulties in defining objectives; lack of appropriate data; inadequate understanding of local social and cultural conditions; ineffective means of controlling behavior; the dynamics of political interaction; and low levels of administrative capacity in developing countries. Changes that must be made include: recognizing explicitly the uncertainty and complexity of development problems; managing development activities as policy experiments; building widespread administrative capacity; relying on adjunctive and strategic planning; simplifying analytical techniques; creating incentives for error detection and for innovation; and viewing effective program and project management in new ways.
A storage ring FEL for the VUV

Abstract A free electron laser for the VUV operating in a storage ring requires an electron beam of high density and low energy spread and a short wavelength, narrow-gap undulator. These conditions tend to produce longitudinal and transverse beam instabilities, excessive beam growth through multiple intra-beam scattering and a short gas-scattering lifetime. Passing the beam only occasionally through the undulator in a by-pass straight section, as proposed by Murphy and Pellegrini [1], allows operation in a high-gain, single-pass mode and a long gas-scattering lifetime. Several storage ring designs have been considered to see how best to satisfy the several requirements. Each features a by-pass, a low-emittance lattice and built-in wigglers for enhanced damping to counteract the intra-beam scattering.
The informal financial sector in the U.S.: The role of remittances ☆

Abstract We investigate the interdependence between being unbanked and the decision to remit. Using data from our survey of the low-to-moderate-income (LMI) Hispanic community in a major U.S. metropolitan area, we find that higher income, more education, and greater proficiency in English decrease the probability of being unbanked. A key result is the positive correlation between latent factors that affect the decisions to remit money and to be unbanked. The presence of both institutional and self-selection factors in the decision to not open a bank account sheds light on the kind of policies that need to be implemented to bring the unbanked into the financial mainstream.
The Impact of Semiconductor Detectors on X-Ray Spectroscopy

The impact of semiconductor detectors on x-ray spectroscopy is reviewed with particular emphasis on areas where this technique promises significant advantages. Applications in the fields of scanning electron microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence analysis, and x-ray astronomy are described. The effects of various detector system performance parameters such as resolution, count rate capability, stability, efficiency, etc., on the analytical usefulness of the system are examined in detail. The fundamental and practical state-of-the-art limitations on detector system performance are discussed in terms of their present and future impact on the usefulness of the energy analyzing technique for x-ray spectroscopy.
Respiration and phosphorylation by mitochondria from the hepatopancreas of the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus)

Abstract Mitochondria isolated from the hepatopancreas of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus show high rates of oxidation of pyruvate + proline and of various intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in a 280- to 380-mOsm sucrose-mannitol medium supplemented with bovine serum albumin. The respiratory control ratio ranged from 6 to 10. Respiration was accompanied by phosphorylation of ADP, with the expected ADP:O ratio for all substrates tested except α-ketoglutarate, indicating that all three energy-conserving sites were functional. Fatty acids were also oxidized, but no oxidation of β-hydroxybutyrate, glycerol 3-phosphate, or NADH was observed. The crab mitochondria showed a relatively low affinity for phosphate, but a normal affinity for ADP. Respiration and phosphorylation gave the normal responses to respiratory chain inhibitors, uncoupling agents, oligomycin, and ionophores. Crab mitochondria have an exceptionally high content of phosphate, exceeding 1000 nmoles per mg protein, but a normal energy charge of the adenylic system. An unusual feature is the presence of considerable arginine kinase activity, which is usually thought to be restricted to muscle and nerve tissue in anthropods. This enzyme allows arginine to act as secondary phosphate acceptor. The arginine kinase is located on the cytosol side of the atractyloside-sensitive barrier and is thus unable to transfer the terminal phosphate group of matrix ATP directly to arginine.
DIFFERENTIATING MICROTUS XANTHOGNATHUS AND MICROTUS PENNSYLVANICUS LOWER FIRST MOLARS USING DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS OF LANDMARK DATA

The distinct ecological requirements of Microtus xanthognathus (yellow-cheeked vole or taiga vole) and M. pennsylvanicus (meadow vole) warrant accurate discrimination of their remains in studies of paleoecology and past biogeographical shifts. An occlusal length of the lower 1st molars (m1) that is .3.2 mm for M. xanthognathus is the method most frequently used to separate these 2 taxa in archaeological and paleontological samples. However, these measurements alone are unreliable because some specimens of M. pennsylvanicus overlap smaller individuals of M. xanthognathus in size. Therefore, I created and tested a morphometric technique that discriminates Recent lower 1st molars (m1s) of M. pennsylvanicus from those of M. xanthognathus, and is applicable to other taxa (both modern and fossil). Despite overlapping occlusal length, my discriminant function based on landmark data correctly classified 100% (n ¼ 53) of Recent m1s from the 2 taxa and 97.7% (43 of 44) of (assumed) m1s of M. pennsylvanicus from an archaeological site from about AD 1200 in central Nebraska. This landmark scheme is applicable to fossil and modern Microtus worldwide.
The process-knowledge model of health literacy: Evidence from a componential analysis of two commonly used measures

We investigated the effects of domain-general processing capacity (fluid ability such as working memory), domain-general knowledge (crystallized ability such as vocabulary), and domain-specific health knowledge for two of the most commonly used measures of health literacy (S-TOFHLA and REALM). One hundred forty six community-dwelling older adults participated; 103 had been diagnosed with hypertension. The results showed that older adults who had higher levels of processing capacity or knowledge (domain-general or health) performed better on both of the health literacy measures. Processing capacity interacted with knowledge: Processing capacity had a lower level of association with health literacy for participants with more knowledge than for those with lower levels of knowledge, suggesting that knowledge may offset the effects of processing capacity limitations on health literacy. Furthermore, performance on the two health literacy measures appeared to reflect a different weighting for the three types of abilities. S-TOFHLA performance reflected processing capacity as well as general knowledge, whereas performance on the REALM depended more on general and health knowledge than on processing capacity. The findings support a process-knowledge model of health literacy among older adults, and have implications for selecting health literacy measures in various health care contexts.
Preliminary report concerning the research on short-period microseisms at Saint Louis University

The work of seismologists on the various microseismic frequencies ranging from one minute to thousandths of seconds is briefly summarized, and a description is given of tho present status of the short-period (0.2–0.5 sec) microseismic research sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, with special emphasis on the new tripartite station set up at Florissant, Missouri.