cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial domain algorithm for video-to-printing image resolution conversion

It has become increasingly important to get high quality prints from TV or other video signals in the desktop publishing and multi-media environment. Normally, a video signal has very low spatial resolution compared with the spatial resolution of printing devices. Hard copy from direct printing of a video signal is usually very poor in quality. To improve the video signal spatial resolution for printing, the algorithm presented in this paper applies an adaptive spatial interpolation technique to the video signal. The algorithm is based on a computer graphics curve-fitting algorithm with the addition of edge-restricted interpolation to sharpen edges and to enhance image details. Therefore, the new interpolation algorithm will not only improve the spatial resolution but also improve the sharpness of the printed image. In this paper, the aspects of theoretical development of the new algorithm will be discussed and some simulation results will be shown and evaluated to present the effect of the algorithm.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Analytic iteration and differential equations

In this paper we study some mapping properties of analytic iterationsW(a, z). Our purpose is to establish a sufficient condition forW(a, z) to be conformal and univalent inz forz ∈D, whereD is a given domain and for sufficiently small |a |. To this end we consider the differential equationϱW(a, z)/ϱa=L[W(a, z)] with the conditionW(O, z)=z. A sufficient condition for the solutionW(a, z) of this system to be conformal and univalent inD for |a | 0), and to satisfy the iteration equation, is established.
Ch'en Tu-hsiu (1879-1942) and Hu Shih (1891-1962)

Contemporary Chinese history began with the May 4 movement of 1919, and with Ch'en Tu-hsiu and Hu Shih as the standard bearers. These two intellectual leaders were close friends, though sometimes their ideas were diametrically opposed.
R3Au6+xAl26T (R = Ca, Sr, Eu, Yb; T = Early Transition Metal): a Large Family of Compounds with a Stuffed BaHg11 Structure Type Grown from Aluminum Flux

A collection of new quaternary intermetallic compounds with a cubic, stuffed BaHg11 structure type has been synthesized by the combination of a divalent rare earth or alkaline earth metal R, an early transition metal T, and gold in an excess of molten aluminum. Structural characterization of these R3Au6+xAl26T compounds by powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction indicates that the unit cell varies with the radii of the early transition metal T and the rare earth/alkaline earth R as expected. The element T (where T = group 4, 5, 6, and 7 element) appears to be responsible for the stabilization of up to 43 different members of the R3Au6+xAl26T family of compounds. Varying amounts of disorder and trends in partial occupancies of the Au stuffed site—the site that is vacant in the parent compound BaHg11—are also indicated by the diffraction studies of this family of compounds. Magnetic susceptibility data reveals that the transition metal atoms in these materials do not possess local magnetic moments. For ...
Sex identification of northern ungulates using low quality and quantity DNA

We evaluated PCR primer sets to determine the most effective technique for identifying sex of northern ungulates. We sought markers that required only a single pair of primers to amplify both X- and Y-linked alleles; that amplified X- and Y-linked products that were easily distinguishable using agarose gel electrophoresis; and that produced short amplicons amenable to amplification using DNA of poor quality and low quantity, as is often found in non-invasively collected samples such as feces. Primer pairs KY1/KY2 and SE47/SE48, which amplify X- and Y-specific alleles of the amelogenin gene, met our criteria and were tested for moose (Alces alces), mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus), Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis), and caribou (Rangifer tarandus). KY primers amplified shorter PCR products than did SE primers; moreover, SE primers inconsistently amplified certain Y-chromosome products, creating potential for misidentification of sex. DNA fragments amplified using KY primers were sequenced for each species, allowing us to characterize a 45-bp deletion for Y-linked alleles (136-bp product) relative to X-linked alleles (181-bp product) in all species and a 9-bp deletion in the X-linked allele of moose relative to other species. This is the first sex-determination technique using PCR reported for several ungulate species of Alaska. Although other protocols exist for cervids and bovids, this is the first report of markers meeting the aforementioned criteria for Odocoileus, the most abundant and intensively managed genus of large mammals in North America.
Stability of motion of a space vehicle under constantly acting disturbances

Abstract The attitude stability of an Earth-orbiting satellite experiencing aerodynamic torque is studied. This is accomplished by applying the theory of total stability (or, stability under constantly acting disturbances) to the equations of motion. The satellite is gravity-gradient stabilized and a damping torque is incorporated. The aerodynamic torque results from the presence of two flat panels attached to the cylindrical body of the vehicle. This perturbing torque is treated as an additive disturbance in Euler's equations of motion. A Lyapunov function is constructed and then used in an appropriate theorem on stability under constantly acting disturbances. Explicit expressions are thereby found for bounds on a hypothetical initial condition (a rotation from the Earth-pointing equilibrium) and on the aerodynamic torque, so that if these disturbances are less than their respective bounds then the resulting attitude motion of the satellite will not exceed a pre-assigned value. These bounds depend on that pre-assigned value, and on the physical parameters of the satellite. The design implications of these bounds are then discussed.
Life after the River: Long-term Impacts of Girls' Participation in an Adventure Program

This study examined the long-term impacts of girls' (now young women's) participation in an extensive adventure program. Interviews conducted 6 months, 18 months and five years after participation investigated: a) what skills the girls gained through their participation; b) how they use these skills in their everyday lives; c) the impact the experience had on the girls' lives; and d) what course components provided the most impact on the girls' lives. Findings suggest long-term impacts include: technical-skill development; communication and teamwork; leadership; perseverance; environmental stewardship and improved family dynamics. Program practices that significantly influenced the girls' experience included solos, the assignment and completion of daily roles, opportunities for leadership, and the act of recreating in and examining the natural environment.
Nuclear Pacifism as Collective Action

Nuclear pacifism as a social movement has received inadequate attention from North American sociolo gists. The author analyzes the growth and crisis phases of contemporary nuclear pacifism using the social disorganization and resource mobilization paradigms of collective behavior theory. He identifies certain growth stimuli ranging from particular precipitating, dramatizing, and encounter events to the dis appearance of major non-nuclear events that were competing with nuclear war for the attention and energy of the politically conscious segment of the US population. The author examines the conducive- ness and social control factors in US society that have stimulated and restrained nuclear protest in the 1975-1985 period. The ideological diversity within nuclear pacifism is seen as both a strength, in that it indicates imagination and widespread initiative, and a weakness in its vagueness and lack of goal clarity. The movement's low capacity for sustained resource mobilization is judged by the author to b...
A new bee mite of the genus Pseudacarapis (Acari: Tarsonemidae) from Mexico

Abstract A new tarsonemid mite, Pseudacarapis trispicula Ochoa and Pettis n. sp., is described and illustrated from females phoretic on Apis mellifera L. collected from intercepted honey comb from Mexico. This is the first record of this genus in the Americas and the distribution and impact of this mite species in honey bee colonies remain unknown. The only other known species, Pseudacarapis indoapis Lindquist, has a host-specific association with Apis cerana Fabricius.
The Burden of Citizenship: Artisans, Elections, and the Fuero Militar in Santiago de Chile, 1822-1851*

On December 13, 1845 the recently founded Santiago newspaper El Artesano Opositor (The Opposition Artisan) published a letter submitted by “twenty artisan friends of Cerda.” The letter related the tragic case of Jose Agustin Cerda, a young tailor, soldier in the civic militia, and member of an electoral association called the Sociedad de Artesanos de Caupolican (Caupolican Artisans Society), who had been arrested on November 12 by the city's military prosecutor on the charge that he was involved in an anti-government “conspiracy.” Claiming innocence, Cerda, according to his companions, denied his involvement in the alleged conspiracy “with noble arrogance.” As a result he was locked in iron shackles in a military prison, causing his legs to swell up and his illness-weakened lungs to struggle for air. A follow-up article in the newspaper announced that Cerda was still being held in that “unjust and inhumane” condition two months later, along with several other city residents who were linked to the electoral associations of the liberal opposition in Santiago. While the outraged authors of the letter to El Artesano Opositor singled out the Cerda case for its malicious effects on their friend, they clearly saw the incident as part of a larger problem: the routine and systematic mistreatment of all artisan militiamen by the conservative governing regime. Not content simply to demand the release of their colleague, the “friends of Cerda” demanded the complete reform of a political system that denigrated the honor, dignity, and patriotism of all the city's artisans. “Understand,” continued the letter in a provocative flourish, “that by attacking the innocent life of Cerda you attack the lives of all the artisans of the Republic.” “We should expect more,” it concluded solemnly, “from the men we elevate with our votes, defend with our blood, and maintain with our sweat and labor.”
Support for the equivalent light hypothesis for RP.

A recently described mutation in the rod photoreceptor ion channel gene leading to retinitis pigmentosa suggests a mechanism for retinal degeneration.
A source of auroral electrons and the magnetospheric substorm current systems

Auroral electrons are field-aligned current carriers and thus changes of their flux are related to the magnetospheric substorm current systems. Therefore a study of processes associated with substorms can provide insight into a source of auroral electrons. This paper attempts to identify basic processes associated with substorm onset by synthesizing/ integrating the three well-established observations at substorm onset: a sudden brightening of an auroral arc, a sudden growth of the westward electrojet, and dipolarization. It is demonstrated that when these observations are combined, they reveal basic processes associated with substorms and a source of auroral electrons. First of all, it is shown that, together with the southward-directed electric field E s , the associated Pedersen current I P and its equatorial closing component I D the pair of the upward/downward field-aligned current sheets in the night sector forms a meridional current system (Bostrom's Case 2 current system); since E s . I p > 0, driving electric field E d must be present to drive I r on the equatorial plane, so that E d . I r < 0. Thus, an enhancement of Bostrom's Case 2 current system can increase the upward current sheet, explaining a sudden brightening of auroral arcs. Also, it is noted that E d drives the westward electrojet, which is mainly the Hall current. It is argued that the westward electrojet cannot be the diverted cross-tail current, and the dipolarization must be caused by the return current from the westward electrojet; the return current must be located in the equatorial plane of the magnetosphere. In fact, the diversion of the cross-tail currents explains little about the aurora. Further, the dipolarization sometimes results in an overdipolarization and even a negative dipolarization, which cannot be explained by the diversion of the cross-tail current. Therefore there must be an internal dynamo process that enhances Bostrom's current system on the equatorial plane. This explains many aspects of auroral arcs during substorms and provides a source of auroral electrons. The enhanced internal dynamo process during the expansive phase must be closely related to a short-lived unloading process. The disruption (not the diversion) of the cross-tail current can release magnetic energy stored during the growth phase for the unloading process. A chain of processes associated with the substorm warrants further study.
Detection of an epitope, not required for polymerization, that is conserved between E.coli DNA polymerases I and III and bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase

Abstract Monoclonal antibodies directed against the alpha subunit of the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme (1) of E. coli were tested for cross-reactivity with a variety of polymerases. We found that one monoclonal antibody bound to E. coli DNA polymerase I as well as to DNA polymerase III. A weaker, but specific, interaction was also detected with T4 DNA polymerase. We exploited the proteolysis procedure developed by Setlow, Brutlag and Kornberg (2) to determine which domain of DNA polymerase I contained the conserved epitope. Contrary to expectations, it was not found in the polymerase domain, but in the 5'----3' exonuclease domain. This reveals a sequence or structure, sufficiently important to be conserved among these polymerases, that is not directly involved in the polymerization reaction.
Thermally Stable UV Crosslinkable Copolyesters: Synthesis, Crosslinking, and Characterization of Poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene−1,4-cyclohexane dicarboxylate-co-4,4′-stilbene dicarboxylate)

We report a rare occurrence in polymers where a photoreactive group has been incorporated into the backbone of an engineering thermoplastic polyester resulting in a polymer stable at 250 °C that is highly UV crosslinkable at room temperature. Poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene−1,4-cyclohexane dicarboxylate) (PCCD) copolymers containing trans-4,4′-stilbene dicarboxylate structural units were synthesized, and their thermal stability was confirmed by parallel plate rheometry and the absence of crosslinks upon melt processing (melt extrusion and melt-blowing processes) at 250−300 °C. The glass transition temperature of the copolymers increased linearly with trans-4,4′-stilbene dicarboxylate units in the backbone which further enhanced with the crosslinking of films resulting from exposure to UV light. The fluorescence emission spectrum revealed that the majority of stilbene units formed ground-state dimers or aggregates, and dynamic mechanical analysis indicates that most of the stilbene units can form crossli...
Crystallography and magnetism of 1-(4-[N-tert-butylaminoxyl]-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl)pyrrole

Abstract 1-(4-[ N - tert -Butylaminoxyl]-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl)pyrrole ( BNPPF4 ) was synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography, electron spin resonance (ESR), and magnetism. It is unusually stable by comparison to related systems. Its crystallography shows strong twisting of the nitroxide group, and dyad π-stacking that is probably assisted by fluoroarene/pyrrole interactions. There are crystallographic nitroxide chains of >5.5 A distance between nitroxides, and chains of nitroxide to tert -butyl contacts. BNPPF4 magnetic behavior is consistent with a spin-pairing model having 2 J / k = (−)8.7 ± 0.2 K, but not with a simple 1D AFM chain model.
Galerkin-Ritz procedures for approximate solutions to systems of reaction-diffusion equations.

For any essentially nonlinear system of reaction-diffusion equations of the generic form δc i /δt = D i ∇ 2 c i + Q i ( c, x , t) supplemented with Robin type boundary conditions over the surface of a closed bounded three-dimensional region, it is demonstrated that all solutions for the concentration distribution n -tuple function c = ( c 1 ( x , t ), …, c n ( x , t )) satisfy a differential variational condition. Approximate solutions to the reaction-diffusion initial-value boundary-value problem are obtainable by employing this variational condition in conjunction with a Galerkin-Ritz procedure. It is shown that the dynamical evolution from a prescribed initial concentration n -tuple function to a final steady-state solution can be determined to desired accuracy by such an approximation method. The variational condition also admits a systematic Galerkin-Ritz procedure for obtaining approximate solutions to the multi-equation elliptic boundary-value problem for steady-state distributions c = c(x) . Other systems of phenomenological (non-Lagrangian) field equations can be treated by Galerkin-Ritz procedures based on analogues of the differential variational condition presented here. The method is applied to derive approximate nonconstant steady-state solutions for an n -species symbiosis model.
A Novel Concept For Fabrication Of Submicron Geometry Holographic Gratings

Accurate submicron holographic diffraction gratings are fabricated by utilizing the total internal reflection inside a right angle prism. The AlGaAs wafers are coated with photoresist and optically contacted to one face of the prism. Collimated laser radiation entering the hypotenuse of the prism is folded onto itself and interferes in the photoresist. The period of the resulting grating can be tuned by rotating the prism about the axis defined by the apex. This roof configuration not only allows for easy alignment but dictates that both beams interfere at equal and opposing angles with identical intensities. The effects of vibration are limited to rotations about the apex of the prism.
Modeling SI: A cognitive approach

This paper presents an overview of a cognitive modeling approach to the study of simultaneous interpretation. It discusses current work in adapting an established cognitive modeling system to permit study of lower-level cognition in interpretation. A sketch is given of the basic cognitive architecture of the system as used in modeling comprehension. The integration of the comprehension component with other tasks is explored, and a unified framework for studying the overall interpretation task is outlined. Mention is made of the system's potential for investigating various aspects of interpretation performance, and possible areas of focus for future research are described.
An RNA Whirl

Writing for nonbiologists, Yarus focuses on developments between the origin of rudimentary life on Earth and the appearance of more complex organisms.
A linear control design structure to maintain loop properties during limit operation in a multi-nozzle turbofan engine

The implementation of multi-variable control systems on turbofan engines requires the use of limit protection to maintain safe engine operation. Since a turbofan engine typically encounters limits during transient operation, the use of a limit protection scheme that modifies the feedback loop may void the desired 'guarantees' associated with linear multi-variable control design methods, necessitating considerable simulation to validate the control with limited protection. An alternative control design structure is proposed that maintains the desired linear feedback properties when certain safety limits are encountered by moving the limit protection scheme outside the feedback loop. This proposed structure is compared to a structure with a limit protection scheme that modifies the feedback loop properties. The two design structures are compared using both linear and nonlinear simulations. The evaluation emphasizes responses where the fan surge margin limit is encountered.
Tracking the Location and Short-Time Dynamics of the Origin of Chromosomal Replication in E. coli

The location of the origin of chromosomal replication (oriC) in E. coli has been previously studied along the long axis of the cell, but little is known about its radial position. It is thought to interact with the cell membrane in a manner which helps regulate the initiation of replication. oriC was labeled with GFP using a ParB-parS system which was a gift from the Gourse lab at UW Madison. For cells taken from a stationary phase culture, the oriC radial distribution peaks ∼250 nm from the center of the cell and not at the inner membrane, which is ∼400 nm from the center. Cells in other stages of growth will be examined to determine the position of oriC throughout the growth cycle and in various media.The dynamics of oriC on the several second timescale were also investigated. oriC was tracked at 10 Hz for 15 seconds. Mean squared displacement versus time along the long and short axes of the cell were fit with a confined diffusion model including a term for diffusion of the confinement domain. Diffusion analysis shows that short-term diffusion (1-2 s) along the long axis (5.2 x 10−3 μm2s−1) is slightly faster than along the short axis (4.0 x 10−3 μm2s−1); the confinement domain is slightly larger along the long axis as well. We suggest that the highly compacted DNA is stiffer along the short axis than along the long axis, as befits a large polymer confined within a spherocylindrical geometry. The diffusion constant on the 2-5 s time scale is 3.3 x 10−4 μm2s−1 in both dimensions, representing movement of the confinement domain.
Bioremediation of Groundwater Contaminated with Gasoline Hydrocarbons and Oxygenates Using a Membrane-Based Reactor

The objective of this study was to operate a novel, field-scale, aerobic bioreactor and assess its performance in the ex situ treatment of groundwater contaminated with gasoline from a leaking underground storage tank in Pascoag, RI. The groundwater contained elevated concentrations of MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether), TBA (tert-butyl alcohol), TBF (tert-butyl formate), BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene isomers), and other gasoline additives (tert-amyl methyl ether, di-isopropyl ether, tert-amyl alcohol, methanol, and acetone). The bioreactor was a gravity-flow membrane-based system called a Biomass Concentrator Reactor (BCR) designed to retain all biomass within the reactor. It was operated for six months at an influent flow rate that ultimately reached 5 gpm. The goal was to achieve a removal of all contaminants to <5 μg/L, which is the California Drinking Water advisory for MTBE. The concentration of TBA, an MTBE biodegradation byproduct, was consistently lower than that of MTBE. The othe...
Neuroserpin, a Brain-associated Inhibitor of Tissue Plasminogen Activator Is Localized Primarily in Neurons IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REGULATION OF MOTOR LEARNING AND NEURONAL SURVIVAL

A cDNA clone for the serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin), neuroserpin, was isolated from a human whole brain cDNA library, and recombinant protein was expressed in insect cells. The purified protein is an efficient inhibitor of tissue type plasminogen activator (tPA), having an apparent second-order rate constant of 6. 2 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 for the two-chain form. However, unlike other known plasminogen activator inhibitors, neuroserpin is a more effective inactivator of tPA than of urokinase-type plasminogen activator. Neuroserpin also effectively inhibited trypsin and nerve growth factor-gamma but reacted only slowly with plasmin and thrombin. Northern blot analysis showed a 1.8 kilobase messenger RNA expressed predominantly in adult human brain and spinal cord, and immunohistochemical studies of normal mouse tissue detected strong staining primarily in neuronal cells with occasionally positive microglial cells. Staining was most prominent in the ependymal cells of the choroid plexus, Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, select neurons of the hypothalamus and hippocampus, and in the myelinated axons of the commissura. Expression of tPA within these regions is reported to be high and has previously been correlated with both motor learning and neuronal survival. Taken together, these data suggest that neuroserpin is likely to be a critical regulator of tPA activity in the central nervous system, and as such may play an important role in neuronal plasticity and/or maintenance.
Practical computer security: a new service course based upon the national strategy to secure cyberspace

The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace calls upon IT professionals to help empower all Americans to secure their own connections to cyberspace as part of the National security effort. Specifically, it is a call for training the general population (meaning non-IT professionals). This paper describes a pilot syllabus for a course aimed at teaching non-computing majors the fundamentals of computer security, and so meets this call of the National Strategy. It will be offered as part of the university's General Education program, at the upper division level. We discuss the reason for the course, the selection of topics to include, the educational approach to be taken with non-technical students, and the resulting characteristics desired for our graduates.
Trinucleotide repeat deletion via a unique hairpin bypass by DNA polymerase β and alternate flap cleavage by flap endonuclease 1

Trinucleotide repeat (TNR) expansions and deletions are associated with human neurodegenerative diseases and prostate cancer. Recent studies have pointed to a linkage between oxidative DNA damage, base excision repair (BER) and TNR expansion, which is demonstrated by the observation that DNA polymerase β (pol β) gap-filling synthesis acts in concert with alternate flap cleavage by flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) to mediate CAG repeat expansions. In this study, we provide the first evidence that the repair of a DNA base lesion can also contribute to CAG repeat deletions that were initiated by the formation of hairpins on both the template and the damaged strand of a continuous run of (CAG)(20) or (CAG)(25) repeats. Most important, we found that pol β not only bypassed one part of the large template hairpin but also managed to pass through almost the entire length of small hairpin. The unique hairpin bypass of pol β resulted in large and small deletions in coordination with FEN1 alternate flap cleavage. Our results provide new insight into the role of BER in modulating genome stability that is associated with human diseases.
Comments on Zdep and Wilson

Supporting the Miller-Campbell model, studies of order effects with competing persuasive speeches continue to most consistently find recency effects. Failure to find primacy under the conditions wh...
Anatomical regeneration and behavioral recovery following crush injury of the trigeminal root in lamprey.

In normal larval lamprey, bilateral application of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to the dorsal part of the anterior oral hood labeled subpopulations of trigeminal components on both sides of the brain; peripherally projecting motoneurons, medullary dorsal cells (sensory), and spinal dorsal cells (sensory), as well as centrally projecting afferents in the trigeminal descending tracts. Following unilateral crush injury of the right trigeminal root, HRP labeling of sensory and motor trigeminal components on the right side gradually increased with increasing recovery time, between 2 weeks and 12 weeks postcrush (PC). Axons of trigeminal motoneurons appeared to exhibit robust regeneration, whereas restoration of projections in the descending trigeminal tract ipsilateral to the injury was incomplete. Control experiments indicated that motor and sensory axons from the intact side of the oral hood did not sprout across the midline to the denervated side. Several results suggested that regenerated trigeminal sensory fibers made synapses with brain neurons that have direct or indirect inputs to reticulospinal (RS) neurons. Following a unilateral crush injury of the right trigeminal root, escape behavior in response to stimulation of the right side of the oral hood gradually returned to normal. Muscle recordings at various recovery times confirmed that anatomical regeneration of trigeminal sensory axons was functional. In addition, at 8 or 12 weeks PC, brief stimulation of the oral hood ipsilateral or contralateral to the crush injury elicited synaptic responses in RS neurons on either side of the brain, similar to that in normal animals. In the lamprey, compensatory mechanisms probably allow recovery of behavioral function despite incomplete regeneration of trigeminal sensory axons within the central nervous system. J. Comp. Neurol. 396:322–337, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ropes: an alternative to strings

Programming languages generally provide a ‘string’ or ‘text’ type to allow manipulation of sequences of characters. This type is usually of crucial importance, since it is normally mentioned in most interfaces between system components. We claim that the traditional implementations of strings, and often the supported functionality, are not well suited to such general-purpose use. They should be confined to applications with specific, and unusual, performance requirements. We present ‘ropes’ or ‘heavyweight’ strings as an alternative that, in our experience leads to systems that are more robust, both in functionality and in performance. Ropes have been in use in the Cedar environment almost since its inception, but this appears to be neither well-known, nor discussed in the literature. The algorithms have been gradually refined. We have also recently built a second similar, but somewhat lighter weight, C-language implementation, which is included in our publically released garbage collector distribution. We describe the algorithms used in both, and give some performance measurements for the C version.
Multicenter Study Evaluating the Vitek MS System for Identification of Medically Important Yeasts

The optimal management of fungal infections is correlated with timely organism identification. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization‐time offlight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) is revolutionizing the identification of yeasts isolated from clinical specimens. We present a multicenter study assessing the performance of the Vitek MS system (bioMerieux) in identifying medically important yeasts. A collection of 852 isolates was tested, including 20 Candidaspecies (626 isolates, including 58 C. albicans ,6 2C. glabrata, and 53 C. krusei isolates), 35 Cryptococcus neoformans isolates, and 191 other clinically relevant yeast isolates; in total, 31 different species were evaluated. Isolates were directly applied to a target plate, followed by a formic acid overlay. Mass spectra were acquired using the Vitek MS system and were analyzed using the Vitek MS v2.0 database. The gold standard for identification was sequence analysis of the D2 region of the 26S rRNA gene. In total, 823 isolates (96.6%) were identified to the genus level and 819 isolates (96.1%) were identified to the species level. Twenty-four isolates (2.8%) were not identified, and five isolates (0.6%) were misidentified. Misidentified isolates included one isolate of C. albicans (n 58) identified as Candida dubliniensis, one isolate of Candida parapsilosis (n 73) identified as Candida pelliculosa, and three isolates of Geotrichum klebahnii (n 6) identified as Geotrichum candidum. The identification of clinically relevant yeasts using MS is superior to the phenotypic identification systems currently employed in clinical microbiology laboratories.
Gendered Futures: Student Visions of Career and Family on a College Campus

In the United States, female college students enter less prestigious occupations and earn far less than their male counterparts. Though some employers may discriminate against women, the “gender gap” in the workplace is also fostered by decisions made by women college students themselves. A study conducted on a university campus in the Northwest shows how men and women students position themselves differently for careers, marriage, and parenthood while sharing an ideology of gender difference.
The ontogeny of parapodia and setae in Laeonereis culveri (Webster) (Polychaeta: Nereididae)

The ontogeny of parapodia on the first four larval trunk segments was followed toward maturity in the nereidid Laeonereis culveri . The morphologies ultimately attained by the parapodia include cephalic, uniramous, and biramous forms. Setal types and arrangements were also determined for all setigers present on discrete life history stages from larva to adult. The results showed pronounced differences in parapodial morphology and setation between larvae, postlarval juveniles, and adults. These differences stem from the sequential development of parapodial processes and setae. Taxonomists rely heavily on adult setation and parapodial morphology to characterize nereidid species, but since these features vary ontogenetically, their adult states cannot be used to distinguish species during earlier life history phases.
Placental expression of estrogen receptor beta and its hormone binding variant – comparison with estrogen receptor alpha and a role for estrogen receptors in asymmetric division and differentiation of estrogen-dependent cells

During human pregnancy, the production of 17-beta-estradiol (E2) rises steadily to eighty fold at term, and placenta has been found to specifically bind estrogens. We have recently demonstrated the expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ER-alpha) protein in human placenta and its localization in villous cytotrophoblast (CT), vascular pericytes, and amniotic fibroblasts. In vitro, E2 stimulated development of large syncytiotrophoblast (ST) aggregates. In the present study we utilized ER-beta affinity purified polyclonal (N19:sc6820) and ER-alpha monoclonal (clone h-151) antibodies. Western blot analysis revealed a single ~52 kDa ER-beta band in chorionic villi (CV) protein extracts. In CV, strong cytoplasmic ER-beta immunoreactivity was confined to ST. Dual color immunohistochemistry revealed asymmetric segregation of ER-alpha in dividing villous CT cells. Prior to separation, the cell nuclei more distant from ST exhibited high ER-alpha, while cell nuclei associated with ST showed diminution of ER-alpha and appearance of ER-beta. In trophoblast cultures, development of ST aggregates was associated with diminution of ER-alpha and appearance of ER-beta immunoreactivity. ER-beta was also detected in endothelial cells, amniotic epithelial cells and fibroblasts, extravillous trophoblast (nuclear and cytoplasmic) and decidual cells (cytoplasmic only). In addition, CFK-E12 (E12) and CWK-F12 (F12) monoclonal antibodies, which recognize ~64 kDa ER-beta with hormone binding domain, showed nuclear-specific reactivity with villous ST, extravillous trophoblast, and amniotic epithelium and fibroblasts. Western blot analysis indicated abundant expression of a ~64 kDa ER-beta variant in trophoblast cultures, significantly higher when compared to the chorionic villi and freshly isolated trophoblast cell protein extracts. This is the first report on ER-beta expression in human placenta and cultured trophoblast. Our data indicate that during trophoblast differentiation, the ER-alpha is associated with a less, and ER-beta with the more differentiated state. Enhanced expression of ~64 kDa ER-beta variant in trophoblast cultures suggests a unique role of ER-beta hormone binding domain in the regulation of trophoblast differentiation. Our data also indicate that asymmetric segregation of ER-alpha may play a role in asymmetric division of estrogen-dependent cells.
Active immunization against virus infections due to antigenic drift by induction of crossreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes

We have examined whether active immunization with c13 protein, a hybrid protein of the first 81 amino acids of the viral NS1 nonstructural protein and the HA2 subunit of A/PR/8 (H1N1) hemagglutinin, could protect BALB/c mice from challenge with A/PR/8 H1 subtype virus. Mice immunized with the c13 protein had a significant reduction of pulmonary virus titers with A/PR/8 (H1) virus, but failed to limit the replication of A/PC (H3) virus, which reflects the in vitro CTL activity of c13 immune spleen cells. We observed that the epitope recognized by HA2 specific CTL, which are induced by a derivative of c13 protein, is highly conserved among H1 and H2 subtype virus strains. This led us to test whether active immunization with c13 protein would also limit pulmonary virus replication in mice infected with the A/TW virus, a virus of the H1 subtype, which was isolated in 1986, and with a virus of the H2 subtype, A/Japan/305/57. Immunized mice had significantly lower lung virus titers than did control mice, and did not possess any neutralizing antibodies to the challenger viruses. These results indicate that active immunization with a fusion protein containing the cross-reactive CTL epitope protects mice from influenza infection by inducing CTL against influenza A H1 and H2 subtype virus strains, which markedly vary in their antibody binding sites on the HA1. The ability to induce active cross-reactive immunization with a fusion protein which contains a highly conserved CTL epitope offers a model for vaccine approaches against viruses which undergo significant variations in their antibody binding sites.
An Experimental Test of the Effect of Incentives on Recruitment of Ethnically Diverse Colorectal Cancer Cases and Their First-Degree Relatives into a Research Study

Background: Optimizing participant response rates is important for obtaining representative samples and the timely completion of studies. It is a common practice to use participant incentives to boost response rates, but few studies have systematically examined their effectiveness, particularly among minority groups. Methods: We experimentally tested three incentive strategies for their effectiveness in improving response rates among colorectal cancer cases ( n = 3,816) and their relatives ( n = 2,353). A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design compared ( a ) registered versus first class mail, ( b ) $5 cash with the initial mailing (yes/no), and ( c ) $20 promise (yes/no) upon completion of the information form (for cases) or $10 promise (yes/no) upon completion of the baseline survey (for relatives). Outcome measures were provision of contact information on first-degree relatives for cases and completion of the baseline survey for relatives. Results: The response rate among cases was low in all ethnic groups (28-37%) and incentive strategies did not have an effect. Among relatives, the overall baseline survey response rate was 71%, ranging from 66% among Asians to 76% among Whites. Modest absolute increases were observed for payment schedules that included a $5 cash enclosure with the initial mailing in the total sample [odds ratio (OR), 1.65 and 1.47] and among Latinos (OR, 1.94 and 1.74) but not among Asians (OR, 1.61 and 1.55) or African Americans (OR, 1.19 and 1.02). Response rates were not influenced by registered versus first-class mailing. Conclusion: The effects of incentives in this study were modest with some suggestion of differences by ethnic group and type of incentive. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(10):2620–5)
Flow cytometric DNA analysis of fresh prostatic resections. Correlation with conventional prognostic parameters in patients with prostate cancer.

Background. DNA ploidy analysis has been investigated as a prognostic indicator in prostate cancer. Most of the data is derived from retrospective studies using paraffin-embedded tissue. This method has drawbacks related to the quality of DNA histograms and uncontrolled data collection. Methods. DNA ploidy analysis of freshly resected prostatic tissue was prospectively compared with conventional prognostic variables in 97 men treated with radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer. Results. Regarding the patients, 31.9% were African American and 66% had pathologic Stages C or D1 disease. Only 9.6% of patients with Stages A2 and B had a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value greater than 10 ng/ml, whereas 97% of patients with PSA values greater than 20 ng/ml had pathologic Stages C and D1. PSA levels correlated with Gleason score (P = < 0.05); 51% and 100% of patients with Gleason score 5–7 and 8–10, respectively, had PSA values greater than 10 ng/ml. Twenty-two patients (23%) had DNA aneuploid tumors. Comparisons of mechanical to enzymatic cell suspensions indicated that DNA aneuploidy was better preserved in mechanical cell preparations. DNA ploidy correlated with pathologic stage (P = < 0.05) and Gleason score (P = < 0.05). Fifteen of 79 patients (18.9%) with Gleason score 5–7 had DNA aneuploid tumors versus 71.4% of patients with Gleason score 8–10. PSA groups correlated with ploidy status (P = 0.01). Although the majority of patients (19 of 22) with DNA aneuploid tumors had elevated preoperative PSA levels, none had a PSA value greater than 50 ng/ml. Conclusions. DNA ploidy analysis correlated with established prognostic indicators in prostate cancer; however, its independent correlation with natural history and treatment outcome must be established for it to have an effect on therapeutic decisions.
Increasing Intracerebral Infections Caused by Free-Living Amebae in the United States and Worldwide

Free-living amebae of the genera Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia, Naegleria, and Sappinia are rare causes of infectious diseases in humans with the exception of Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) which is reported in millions of soft contact lens wearers worldwide each year. Unlike several Acanthamoeba species, only one species of Naegleria, N. fowleri, is known to infect humans by causing an acute, fulminant, usually lethal, central nervous system (CNS) infection, known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Balamuthia mandrillaris, another opportunistic, free-living ameba, is, like Acanthamoeba spp., capable of causing skin lesions and granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) in individuals with compromised or competent immune systems, who inhale infective cysts or develop indolent, granulomatous skin lesions in soil-contaminated wounds. Lastly, Sappinia pedata, a recently identified free-living ameba that lives in soil and animal and reptile feces, has caused a single case of nongranulomatous amebic encephalitis in an immunocompetent Texas farmer. CNS infections caused by these ubiquitous organisms remain rare, but are, nevertheless, increasing today in the US and worldwide due to a combination of environmental and host susceptibility factors. The purpose of this review will be to describe the current epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and prevention of free-living amebic infections of the CNS.
The Rainy Seasons of the 1990s in Northeast Brazil: Real-Time Forecasts and Verification

Abstract Based on circulation diagnostics in the tropical Atlantic sector and the equatorial Pacific, empirical methods have been developed to forecast anomalies in the March–June rainy season of northeast Brazil from observations to the end of the preceding January. Techniques include stepwise multiple regression, neural networking, and linear discriminant analysis. The methods were developed from the dependent training period 1921–57, and their performance was validated on the independent record 1958–89, prior to real-time application. Real-time forecasts have been regularly issued during the 1990s. These forecasts were in close agreement with the observed rainfall, except for the extreme El Nino year of 1998. A possible cause of this failure is seen in the lack of comparably extreme Pacific warm events within the training period used for the development of the empirical methods.
Macrophage Killing of Mycoplasmas: Involvement of Surfactant Protein a and Nitric Oxide

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is one of the leading causes of pneumonia worldwide. Infections due to this agent occur in smoldering, year round endemics and in cyclic 4–7 year epidemics. In the U.S., M. pneumoniae accounts for 20–30% of all pneumonias in the general population, for a total of 8–15 million cases a year1. M. pneumoniae frequently exacerbates asthma2, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)3. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly apparent that because of the great diversity of clinical manifestations and the special testing required to distinguish active infection, the role of M. pneumoniae as a cause of severe disease in the lungs and other organs is much under diagnosed4.
Effects of Upstream Diversion of Colorado River Water on the Estuarine Bivalve Mollusc Mulinia coloradoensis

The Colorado River of the United States and Mexico is extensively dammed and diverted; only a fraction of its previous flow still reaches its estuary. How has the lack of freshwater inflow affected the estu- ary's biota? Because no prediversion studies are available for comparison, we examined the composition and geochemistry of subfossil shells dating from before the Colorado's diversion. The bivalve mollusc Mulinia colo- radoensis was once the most abundant species of clam inhabiting the Colorado Delta. Today, however, only a small population survives near the mouth of the river. The relative abundance of empty shells of this species decreases with increasing distance from the mouth of the Colorado River, indicating that M. coloradoensis was dependent on the flow of the river. The d 18 O values in shells of subfossil M. coloradoensis are significantly more negative than d 18 O values in live-collected shells of Chione fluctifraga , the most common bivalve living on the delta today. This indicates that M. coloradoensis lived in water lower in salinity than is now typical of the delta. The decline in abundance of M. coloradoensis is most likely due to the post-1930 decrease in flow of Colorado River water to its estuary. Paleontological and geochemical analyses of subfossils can provide envi- ronmental baselines for communities that existed prior to human alteration of the habitat.
Crystal growth and characterization of CsSr1–xEux I3 high light yield scintillators

In this work, we report on single crystal growth and characterizations of a new scintillation material: CsSr 1-x Eu x I 3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1). Single crystals of CsSr 0.99 Eu 0.01 I 3 , CsSr 0.92 Eu 0.08 I 3 and CsEuI 3 were grown via the Vertical Gradient Freeze method. The crystals exhibit good crystal quality, high light yield, and excellent energy resolution. Initial results show that the scintillation light yield of our CsSr 0.92 Eu 0.08 I 3 crystal is ~65,000 ph/MeV with 5.9% energy resolution at 662 keV.
A New Qos Control Scheme Using Dynamic Window Size Control for Wide Area Wireless Networks

In the wide area wireless network, most wireless terminals will send small amounts of data with very long transmission intervals. Therefore, each access point must accommodate a large number of wireless terminal and devices. Moreover, the network is required to accommodate a variety of wireless terminals, so quality of service (QoS) needs to be guaranteed. In this paper, we propose a new QoS control scheme for the wide area wireless network. The proposed scheme observes the delay time of the higher priority class and, according to the delay, it amends the back-off parameters of the lower priority class. This guarantees the throughput and delay performance of the higher priority class. This paper also clarifies the problems of the conventional scheme and reveals the throughput and delay performance of the conventional and proposed scheme by computer simulation.
Finding Power/Ground Defects on Connectors - Case Study

As printed circuit boards are steadily becoming faster, existing test technologies leave significant holes in coverage. In 2007 we presented a new approach to detecting power and ground defects using "network parameter measurements". This paper analyses the effectiveness of this technique in a high volume manufacturing environment.