cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Architecture of a virtual graphic database system for interactive CAD

Abstract The architecture of an enhanced database system for interactive computer-aided design is outlined. It satisfies designer's diversified requirements, providing: • • a flexible zooming and in order to enhance global-to-detailed expansion capabilities • • intermixed use of pictorial and character data • • interactive design of data schemas and their dynamic binding with data values • • flexible connection of various types of graphic terminals The architecture is supported by several key techniques which are different from those for designing current commercial database systems for business use: • • flat datastructure combined with dynamic restructuring capability • • a universal data model based on the recursive graph theory • • virtual graphics architecture
Formation of N-nitrosothiazolidine metabolites in isolated rat liver hepatocytes.

Abstract 2[ 14 C]N- Nitrosothiazolidine was metabolized in hepatocytes prepared from the liver of a male Sprague-Dawley rat. The metabolites were separated into non-acidic, acidic and aqueous fractions. Radioactive metabolites were found predominantly in the non-acidic fraction, which possessed 98.9% of the total radioactivity. Analysis of the non-acidic fraction with HPLC and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry allowed the identification of two major components in this fraction; They were 2-hydroxythiazolidine and unmetabolized original N-nitrosothiazolidine, which possessed 34.3% and 61.2% of total radioactivity, respectively.
Neurogenic Radial Glial Cells in Reptile, Rodent and Human: from Mitosis to Migration

Radial glial cells play at least two crucial roles in cortical development: neuronal production in the ventricular zone (VZ) and the subsequent guidance of neuronal migration. There is evidence that radial glia-like cells are present not only during development but in the adult mammalian brain as well. In addition, radial glial cells appear to be neurogenic in the central nervous system of a number of vertebrate species. We demonstrate here that most dividing progenitor cells in the embryonic human VZ express radial glial proteins. Furthermore, we provide evidence that radial glial cells maintain a vimentin-positive radial fiber throughout each stage of cell division. Asymmetric inheritance of this fiber may be an important factor in determining how neuronal progeny will migrate into the developing cortical plate. Although radial glial cells have traditionally been characterized by their role in guiding migration, their role as neuronal progenitors may represent their defining characteristic throughout the vertebrate CNS.
Pattern Recognition Scavenger Receptor CD204 Attenuates Toll-like Receptor 4-induced NF-κB Activation by Directly Inhibiting Ubiquitination of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Receptor-associated Factor 6

The collaboration and cross-talk between different classes of innate pattern recognition receptors are crucial for a well coordinated inflammatory response and host defense. Here we report a previously unrecognized role of scavenger receptor A (SRA; also known as CD204) as a signaling regulator in the context of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation. We show that SRA/CD204 deficiency leads to greater sensitivity to LPS-induced endotoxic shock. SRA/CD204 down-regulates inflammatory gene expression in dendritic cells by suppressing TLR4-induced activation of the transcription factor NF-κB. For the first time, we demonstrate that SRA/CD204 executes its regulatory functions by directly interacting with the TRAF-C domain of TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), resulting in inhibition of TRAF6 dimerization and ubiquitination. The attenuation of NF-κB activity by SRA/CD204 is independent of its ligand-binding domain, indicating that the signaling-regulatory feature of SRA/CD204 can be uncoupled from its conventional endocytic functions. Collectively, we have identified the molecular linkage between SRA/CD204 and the TLR4 signaling pathways, and our results reveal a novel mechanism by which a non-TLR pattern recognition receptor restricts TLR4 activation and consequent inflammatory response.
Interferon-γ and cancer immunoediting

Over the last 12 yr, we have shown that interferony and lymphocytes collaborate to regulate tumor development in mice. Specifically, we found that the immune system not only prevents the growth of primary (carcinogen-induced and spontaneous) and transplanted tumors but also sculpts the immunogenicity of tumors that form. These observations led us to refine the old and controversial “cancer immuno-surveillance” hypothesis of Burnet and Thomas into one that we termed cancer immunoediting that better emphasizes the paradoxical host-protective and tumor-sculpting roles of immunity on developing tumors. Our current work focuses on defining the molecular mechanisms that underlie cancer immunoediting and exploring the implications of this process for cancer immunotherapy.
The Li2 Mutation Results in Reduced Subgenome Expression Bias in Elongating Fibers of Allotetraploid Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Next generation sequencing (RNA-seq) technology was used to evaluate the effects of the Ligon lintless-2 (Li2) short fiber mutation on transcriptomes of both subgenomes of allotetraploid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) as compared to its near-isogenic wild type. Sequencing was performed on 4 libraries from developing fibers of Li2 mutant and wild type near-isogenic lines at the peak of elongation followed by mapping and PolyCat categorization of RNA-seq data to the reference D5 genome (G. raimondii) for homeologous gene expression analysis. The majority of homeologous genes, 83.6% according to the reference genome, were expressed during fiber elongation. Our results revealed: 1) approximately two times more genes were induced in the AT subgenome comparing to the DT subgenome in wild type and mutant fiber; 2) the subgenome expression bias was significantly reduced in the Li2 fiber transcriptome; 3) Li2 had a significantly greater effect on the DT than on the AT subgenome. Transcriptional regulators and cell wall homeologous genes significantly affected by the Li2 mutation were reviewed in detail. This is the first report to explore the effects of a single mutation on homeologous gene expression in allotetraploid cotton. These results provide deeper insights into the evolution of allotetraploid cotton gene expression and cotton fiber development.
Partial CD8+ T-cell depletion of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is insufficient to prevent graft-versus-host disease

Prior studies suggest that depletion of CD8+ T cells from donor bone marrow or donor lymphocyte infusions can reduce graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) without compromising graft-versus-leukemia. We explored CD8 depletion in patients undergoing matched related donor (MRD, n=25) and unrelated donor (URD, n=16) peripheral blood stem cell transplantation following myeloablative conditioning with cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg/day i.v. x 2) and total body irradiation (200 cGy x 7 fractions). Ex vivo incubation of mobilized donor peripheral blood cells with anti-CD8 antibody coated high-density microparticles removed 99% of CD8+ cells. The median number of CD8+ cells infused was 3.9 x 10(5) cells/kg (2.2 x 10(5) in MRD, and 8.1 x 10(5) in URD patients). Post transplant immune suppression included tacrolimus in the MRD cohort, and tacrolimus plus mini-methotrexate (5 mg/m2 days +1, 3, 6, 11) in the URD cohort. All 41 patients engrafted. Grade 2-4 acute GVHD incidence was 61% (44% MRD, 88% URD). Chronic GVHD incidence was 50% (48% MRD, 55% URD). Relapse incidence was 4.9%. Estimated event-free and overall survival rates were 65 and 63%, respectively, at 1 year and 56 and 57%, respectively, at 2 years. There was no correlation between CD8+ number and GVHD or survival. A 2-log depletion of CD8+ cells from PBSC is insufficient to prevent GVHD.
What factors are associated with functional sensory recovery following lingual nerve repair

Purpose To identify factors associated with functional sensory recovery (FSR) after lingual nerve repair. Materials and Methods This retrospective cohort study was composed of subjects who underwent lingual nerve repair from 2004 through 2010. The predictor variables were demographic, anatomic, and operative measurements. The primary outcome measurement was FSR (ie, FSR achieved, yes or no). The secondary outcome measurements were time to FSR and an improvement of at least 2 levels on the British Medical Research Council scale of neurosensory function. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression statistics were computed to identify associations between the predictor variables and FSR. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify associations between the predictors and time to FSR. P ≤ .05 was considered statistically significant. Results The sample was composed of 55 subjects with a mean age of 30.7 ± 11.2 years. The mean duration from injury to repair was 151.6 days (range, 41 to 384 days). Most patients (74.5%) achieved FSR postoperatively, with a mean time to FSR of 262.8 days (median, 208 days). Eighty-six percent of subjects showed an improvement of at least 2 levels on the British Medical Research Council scale. In multiple regression models, younger subjects were more likely to achieve FSR (odds ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.18; P = .02); subjects with better preoperative neurosensory function achieved FSR faster (hazard ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 3.1; P = .01). Conclusion Most patients undergoing lingual nerve repair achieved FSR. Younger subjects were more likely to achieve FSR. Subjects with better preoperative neurosensory function achieved FSR faster.
Assessing the economic feasibility of regional deep saline aquifer CO2 injection and storage: A geomechanics-based workflow applied to the Rose Run sandstone in Eastern Ohio, USA

Abstract Typical top-down regional assessments of CO2 storage feasibility are sufficient for determining the maximum volumetric capacity of deep saline aquifers. However, they do not reflect the regional economic feasibility of storage. This is controlled, in part, by the number and type of injection wells that are necessary to achieve regional CO2 storage goals. In contrast, the geomechanics-based assessment workflow that we present in this paper follows a bottom-up approach for evaluating regional deep saline aquifer CO2 storage feasibility. The CO2 storage capacity of an aquifer is a function of its porous volume as well as its CO2 injectivity. For a saline aquifer to be considered feasible in this assessment it must be able to store a specified amount of CO2 at a reasonable cost per ton of CO2. The proposed assessment workflow has seven steps that include (1) defining the storage project and goals, (2) characterizing the geology and developing a geomechanical model of the aquifer, (3) constructing 3D aquifer models, (4) simulating CO2 injection, (5,6) evaluating CO2 injection and storage feasibility (with and without injection well stimulation), and (7) determining whether it is economically feasible to proceed with the storage project. The workflow was applied to a case study of the Rose Run sandstone aquifer in the Eastern Ohio River Valley, USA. We found that it is feasible in this region to inject 113 Mt CO2/year for 30 years at an associated well cost of less than US $1.31/t CO2, but only if injectivity enhancement techniques such as hydraulic fracturing and injection induced micro-seismicity are implemented.
tert-Butyl 6-methyl-2-oxo-4-[4-(trifluoro-meth-oxy)anilino]cyclo-hex-3-ene-1-carboxyl-ate.

In the title compound, C19H22F3NO4, the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the conjugated part of the enaminone ring is 42.5 (1)°. The ester substituent makes a dihedral angle of 81.3 (2)° with this latter moiety. The crystal structure is held together by strong N—H⋯O and weak C—H⋯O inter­molecular inter­actions. The enaminone ring is disordered over two orientations with relative occupancies of 0.794 (4) and 0.206 (4).
Spinal subdural haematoma as a complication of immediate epidural blood patch.

The authors report a case of a patient who developed spinal subdural haematoma after a series of epidural blood patches to alert anaesthetists to this rare complication. The patient was a 35-yr-old woman without coagulopathy and was initially treated elsewhere for chronic pain by repetitive epidural phenol injections. When the dura was inadvertently punctured during subsequent attempts to inject phenol, immediate epidural blood patch was performed to treat or prevent headache. The patient developed cauda equina syndrome after six epidural blood patches. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging and the intradural haematoma was evacuated surgically. The patient made a complete recovery. Epidural blood patch is not without complications. Transient backache and/or radiculopathy may occur in up to one-third of patients receiving a blood patch. If signs and symptoms continue or worsen, a spinal subarachnoid and/or subdural haematoma should be suspected and neurosurgical opinion sought. The technique used to identify the epidural space is important in preventing subdural injection of blood. The needle should be withdrawn after durai puncture and the epidural space identified at a different level. Blood patches may carry a higher risk of serious complications after multiple epidural phenol injections because of fibrosis and obliteration of the epidural space. Magnetic resonance scans reliably demonstrate the extent of the pathology. If diagnosed and treated before irreversible changes occur, spinal intradural haematoma can result in complete recovery.
Boundary-Crossing in Perceptual Deterrence Investigating the Linkages Between Sanction Severity, Sanction Certainty, and Offending

Severe punishments have historically been the bedrock of criminal deterrence, but criminologists have long documented that such threats are often ineffective. Instead, it has been the certainty of sanctions that has been most emphasized and that has garnered empirical support. In a departure from prior research, the question motivating this study is whether increases in the threatened severity of sanction threats alter the perceived certainty of detection irrespective of any objective changes in detection certainty, and then how such perceptions relate to offending. To the authors’ knowledge, scant attention has been paid to examining the possibility of this “boundary-crossing,” or the extent to which two core dimensions of deterrence, objective and perceptual certainty, cross, intersect, or interact with one another. Using data from a sample of young adults, the authors find mixed support for “boundary-crossing”: Although combinations of objective certainty and severity did not necessarily result in subs...
Successive Decoding for Finite State Markov Modelled Flat Fading Channels

This paper proposes a novel successive decoding paradigm for fading channels. K independent codewords of different rates and lengths are interleaved at the transmitter according to a pattern, and successively decoded at the receiver. This enables progressively better channel estimates for the receiver, at a minimal cost of pilot symbols. At each decoding stage, channel estimation and decoding are performed separately, or iteratively if the residual channel correlation within a codeword can be exploited. The flexible interleaver pattern, after some level of optimization, achieves near-capacity system performance with only a small number of codewords K, as demonstrated numerically by a finite state Markov modelled flat fading channel.
Ancient Origins of Vertebrate-Specific Innate Antiviral Immunity

Animals deploy various molecular sensors to detect pathogen infections. RIG-like receptor (RLR) proteins identify viral RNAs and initiate innate immune responses. The three human RLRs recognize different types of RNA molecules and protect against different viral pathogens. The RLR protein family is widely thought to have originated shortly before the emergence of vertebrates and rapidly diversified through a complex process of domain grafting. Contrary to these findings, here we show that full-length RLRs and their downstream signaling molecules were present in the earliest animals, suggesting that the RLR-based immune system arose with the emergence of multicellularity. Functional differentiation of RLRs occurred early in animal evolution via simple gene duplication followed by modifications of the RNA-binding pocket, many of which may have been adaptively driven. Functional analysis of human and ancestral RLRs revealed that the ancestral RLR displayed RIG-1-like RNA-binding. MDA5-like binding arose through changes in the RNA-binding pocket following the duplication of the ancestral RLR, which may have occurred either early in Bilateria or later, after deuterostomes split from protostomes. The sensitivity and specificity with which RLRs bind different RNA structures has repeatedly adapted throughout mammalian evolution, suggesting a long-term evolutionary arms race with viral RNA or other molecules.
The Penn State-Georgia Tech CCMD: ushering in the ICME Era

This case study paper presents the origins, philosophy, organization, development, and contributions of the joint Penn State-Georgia Tech Center for Computational Materials Design (CCMD), a NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) founded in 2005. As a predecessor of and catalyst for Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME), the CCMD served as a basis for coupling industry, academia, and government in advancing the state of computational materials science and mechanics across a portfolio of process-structure-property-performance relations, with emphasis on education and training of the future workforce in computational materials design.
Evidence for a variable and wet Younger Dryas in southern Alaska

Pollen, macro- and micro-fossils, and sedimentologic indicators in sediment cores from Discovery Pond (DP) in south-central Alaska indicate that the coldest interval of the last deglacation was coincident with the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD), around 12.8 cal ka. The multi-proxy record from DP together with a compilation of recently published YD records from southern Alaska and the adjacent northern Pacific Ocean shows that, during the course of the YD, temperatures increased, then reached a maximum sometime around 11 calka. At DP, a pronounced increase in the abundance of Isoetes and Pediastrum, including species associated with oligotrophic lakes and known to respond to increased precipitation, combined with a reduction in wetland aquatics and an increase in the minerogenic component of the sediment, all indicate a shift from wetland to open-water conditions at around 12.2 cal ka. Similar to other evidence from southern Alaska, our proxy record from DP indicates an increase in temperature and effective moisture during the second half of the YD. An increase in winter precipitation might be associated with a deepening of the Aleutian low-pressure system and a northward shift in winter storm tracks, consistent with recent simulations by climate system models.
LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING: SOME PERSPECTIVES FROM LAKES

As part of a workshop sponsored by the Sustainable Biosphere Initiative on Change and Trend Detection, we have reviewed some general considerations pertinent to establishing long-term monitoring programs. A general goal of most long-term monitoring is to assign causality and establish mechanisms for patterns in observed data. However, mechanistic inference can be difficult in complex, often uncontrolled, natural systems. We present examples from three lakes representing (1) highly manipulated, intensively monitored systems, (2) management situations where many simultaneous manipulations may be occurring, and (3) at-large surveillance programs with no deliberate manipulations. We show that at one end of this continuum, in controlled, intensively monitored lakes, delayed and counterintuitive responses can make mechanistic inference difficult. At the other end of the continuum, where no management or experimental manipulations are underway, it is still possible to ascertain mechanism in the presence of appar...
GeneHunter, a Transposon Tool for Identification and Isolation of Cryptic Antibiotic Resistance Genes

GeneHunter is a transposon tool designed for the experimental activation and identification of silent antibiotic resistance genes. The method permits the identification of novel resistance genes that lack previously identified homologues. Using Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strain LT2 as a test organism for the in vivo version of the GeneHunter method, we were able to activate, clone, and identify two cryptic antibiotic resistance genes, the aminoglycoside acetyltransferase aac(6′)-Iaa and the probable Mar-A regulon activator rma . Because the method requires being able to electroporate the host with an efficiency of at least 10 10 transformants per microgram, the in vivo method is not applicable to most microorganisms. We therefore developed an in vitro transposition method, showed that it can also recover the cryptic rma gene from S. enterica serovar Typhimurium strain LT2, and showed that it is generally applicable to a variety of microorganisms by using it to recover a cryptic metallo-β-lactamase gene from the gram-positive organism Bacillus cereus . It is anticipated that the GeneHunter method will be used to identify potential resistance genes during the development and testing of novel antibiotics, new variants of existing antibiotics, and drug inhibitor combinations.
Self-Assembly of a Four-Helix Bundle on a DNA Quadruplex†

Come together: A novel method for assembling monomers and controlling structure of a de novo helix bundle protein is described. A guanine (G)-rich oligodeoxynucleotide scaffold forms a hydrogen-bonded DNA quadruplex in the presence of potassium counterions, thereby inducing a helical structure and fourfold stoichiometry in conjugated, amphiphilic peptide sequences. The DNA scaffold shows potential for rapidly assembling designed proteins.
Fulfilling John Rohr’s Challenge Toward a Theory of Regime Values for Local Governance

In the early 1980s, John Rohr expressed a challenge; he hoped that one or more students would find a way to apply his regime values framework to local governments in the United States.
Terminal sedation and the “imminence condition”

"Terminal sedation" refers to the use of sedation as palliation in dying patients with a terminal diagnosis. Although terminal sedation has received widespread legal and ethical justification, the practice remains ethically contentious, particularly as some hold that it foreseeably hastens death. It has been proposed that empirical studies show that terminal sedation does not hasten death, or that even if it may hasten death it does not do so in a foreseeable way. Nonetheless, it is clear that providing terminal sedation in combination with the withholding or withdrawing of life-prolonging treatments such as fluid and nutrition can foreseeably hasten death significantly-what is here called early terminal sedation (ETS). There are ethical justifications for the use of sedation in palliative care and thus it would seem that ETS is an ethically and legally acceptable practice. However, what emerges from the literature is the repeated assertion that terminal sedation must be restricted to use in imminently dying patients--the "imminence condition"--and that therefore ETS is unacceptable. This restriction has taken on greater significance with the trend of palliative care to include the care of patients who are not imminently dying. This paper proposes to show that although there is widespread intuitive support for the imminence condition, it does not follow from the justifications for sedation as palliation, and that explicit arguments for the imminence condition are needed.
In Vitro Studies of BB-K8, a New Aminoglycoside Antibiotic

BB-K8, an aminoglycoside antibiotic whichisa derivative ofkanamycin, was tested invitro against 466clinical bacterial isolates. Over90%ofgram-negative bacilli, exceptProteus spp.,were inhibited by3.12ugofBB-K8perml.This antibiotic was consistently more active thankanamycin butlessactive than tobramycin or gentamicin. Unlikekanamycin, BB-K8 was active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Eleven of19isolates resistant toeither gentamicin or tobramycin, orboth, weresusceptible toBB-K8. Gram-negative bacilli areresponsible foran increasing numberoftheserious infectious complications occurring inhospitalized patients (4). Oftenthese organisms aresusceptible to only afewantibiotics. Aminoglycoside antibioticshavebeensuccessful forthetreatment of manyoftheseinfections, butwithprolonged usage theemergence ofresistant gram-negative bacilli presents aserious problem. Asubstantial proportion ofgram-negative bacilli currently isolated frompatients atourinstitution are resistant tokanamycin. Recently, epidemics of infections caused bygentamicin-resistant orga
Polysymptomatic, Polysyndromic Presentation of Patients With Urological Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome

Purpose: Somatization disorder has been described in several comorbid functional syndromes of urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome, such as irritable bowel syndrome. We investigated whether a subset of patients with urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome may have the polysymptomatic, polysyndromic presentation pattern that is common in somatization disorder.Materials and Methods: A total of 70 male and female patients with urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome and 35 age matched controls without the syndrome completed a 59-item symptom checklist to assess the classic polysymptomatic, polysyndromic symptom pattern. The 2 operational tools used were the Perley-Guze derived symptom checklist and the somatic symptom algorithm used for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th Edition, Text Revision somatization disorder criteria.Results: Female patients with urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome (interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome) reported significantly more nonpain symptoms and pain symptoms o...
Global Muscle Strength But Not Grip Strength Predicts Mortality and Length of Stay in a General Population in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Background Paresis acquired in the intensive care unit (ICU) is common in patients who are critically ill and independently predicts mortality and morbidity. Manual muscle testing (MMT) and handgrip dynamometry assessments have been used to evaluate muscle weakness in patients in a medical ICU, but similar data for patients in a surgical ICU (SICU) are limited. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of strength measured by MMT and handgrip dynamometry at ICU admission for in-hospital mortality, SICU length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, and duration of mechanical ventilation. Design This investigation was a prospective, observational study. Methods One hundred ten patients were screened for eligibility for testing in the SICU of a large, academic medical center. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, diagnoses, and laboratory data were collected. Measurements were obtained by MMT quantified with the sum (total) score on the Medical Research Council Scale and by handgrip dynamometry. Outcome data, including in-hospital mortality, SICU LOS, hospital LOS, and duration of mechanical ventilation, were collected for all participants. Results One hundred seven participants were eligible for testing; 89% were tested successfully at a median of 3 days (25th–75th percentiles=3–6 days) after admission. Sedation was the most frequent barrier to testing (70.6%). Manual muscle testing was identified as an independent predictor of mortality, SICU LOS, hospital LOS, and duration of mechanical ventilation. Grip strength was not independently associated with these outcomes. Limitations This study did not address whether muscle weakness translates to functional outcome impairment. Conclusions In contrast to handgrip strength, MMT reliably predicted in-hospital mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, SICU LOS, and hospital LOS.
Research Techniques Made Simple: Drug Delivery Techniques, Part 1: Concepts in Transepidermal Penetration and Absorption

INTRODUCTION In dermatology, topical therapies are usually the first line and mainstay of treatment for the majority of skin conditions. Most topical preparations are available in a variety of potencies and delivery systems. Practitioners must carefully choose from this vast array based on the potency required, location of intended use, product elegance, and likelihood of patient compliance. Unfortunately, information concerning which preparation is truly best, regarding actual penetration and delivery to the site of action, is not readily available. In general, many practitioners believe that ointments and foams enhance penetration when compared to creams, gels, and powders. However, this is not always the case. Aside from vehicles, there are a variety of chemical and physical enhancement techniques that influence topical penetration. As physician-scientists, dermatologists should be aware of the basic mechanisms involved in topical absorption and should be able to assess whether a preparation is likely to exert its desired effect. In this article, we explore the inherent properties of the epidermis and the physiology of passive diffusion and aim to clarify the definition of the terms “absorption” and “penetration.”
Microwave-accelerated fixation and lacZ activity staining of testicular cells in transgenic mice.

Abstract Microwave energy has been used in conjunction with glutaraldehyde to rapidly fix testicular samples of transgenic mice (whole tubules, individual cells, and cryosections) as a preparation for histochemical bacterial β-galactosidase activity staining. The results demonstrate that the microwave-enhanced aldehyde fixation step is a convenient and simple adaptation for routine analyses, with almost no artifactual consequences or gross distortions in morphology at the microscopic level. The entire procedure (from sacrificing the animal to microscopic observation of the blue spermatogenic cells) can be completed in 1 h.
Age of zircon from volcanic rocks of the central North Carolina Piedmont and tectonic implications for the Carolina volcanic slate belt

U-Pb analyses of four fractions of zircon from felsic volcanic rocks in the upper part of the Uwharrie Formation plot on a concordia diagram along a chord between 586 and 340 m.y. These data indicate an Early Cambrian or late Precambrian age of 586 ± 10 m.y. for deposition of the upper part of the Uwharrie. The lower concordia intercept at 340 m.y. might represent a time of episodic lead loss, perhaps indicating Acadian metamorphism in the area. However, all data points cluster near the upper concordia intercept, and the lower intercept is not accurately defined. A continuous lead-loss model cannot be ruled out. The zircon ages from the Uwharrie show that in central North Carolina the conformable volcanic and sedimentary sequence ranges from rocks older than 586 m.y. up to beds about 552 m.y. old containing probable Middle Cambrian trilobites. This contrasts with relations reported from the Roxboro-Durham area to the northeast, where a similar volcanic and sedimentary sequence with a 620 ± 20–m.y. zircon age was folded and faulted by the Virgilina deformation before emplacement of a 575 ± 20–m.y.-old pluton. The events of the Roxboro-Durham area can be correlated with those of central North Carolina in three possible ways that are consistent with the radiometric and fossil data: (1) The stratigraphic sequences of the two areas are partly correlative. The Virgilina deformation was synchronous with deposition of the upper part of the central North Carolina sequence, but the deformation did not extend into the central North Carolina area. (2) The stratigraphic sequences of the two areas are correlative, and the Virgilina deformation was younger than the central North Carolina sequence but was weak or absent in that area. (3) The central North Carolina sequence is entirely younger than the Virgilina deformation, and the volcanic rocks may represent an extrusive phase of the plutonism of the Roxboro-Durham area. Interpretation 1 is preferred because it harmonizes best with both lithologic correlations and ages. Interpretation 2 offers the poorest agreements as to age, and interpretation 3 conflicts with the suggested lithologic correlation of the two stratigraphic sequences.
Microfluidic Preparation of a 89Zr-Labeled Trastuzumab Single-Patient Dose

89Zr-labeled antibodies are being investigated in several clinical trials; however, the time requirement for synthesis of clinical doses can hinder patient throughput because of scheduling difficulties. Additionally, low specific activity due to poor labeling efficiency can require larger amounts of the radiopharmaceutical to be administered, possibly leading to adverse side effects. Here, we describe the design and evaluation of a microfluidic reactor capable of synthesizing a single clinical dose of 89Zr-labeled antibody. 89Zr-labeled trastuzumab was chosen for this validation because it is currently being evaluated in clinical trials for imaging human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive cancer patients. Methods: A microreactor fabricated from polydimethylsiloxane/glass was silanated with trimethoxy(octadecyl) silane to reduce antibody adsorption. Desferrioxamine-p-benzyl-isothiocyanate (DFO-Bz-NCS) was conjugated to trastuzumab in an 8:1 molar ratio following the literature procedures using aseptic techniques. Radiolabeling was performed by pumping 89Zr-oxalate and DFO-Bz-trastuzumab into the microfluidic reactor at a total rate of 20 μL/min in ratios varying from 1:37 to 1:592 mg:MBq at 37°C to achieve optimal labeling. Results: Silanated reactors showed low antibody adsorption in comparison to unmodified reactors (95% monoclonal antibody recovered vs. 0% recovered). Labeling of the modified trastuzumab was shown to be achievable at a specific activity above the reported literature value of 220 MBq/mg. A high radiochemical purity was achieved without an incubation period at specific activities of less than 148 MBq/mg; however, specific activities up to 592 MBq/mg could be achieved with an incubation period. Clinical doses were able to be prepared and passed all quality control guidelines set by the Food and Drug Administration. Samples were sterile, colorless, and radiochemically pure (100%); maintained the ability to bind to the intended receptor; formed a minimal amount of aggregates (1%–4%); and were completed within 45–60 min. Conclusion:89Zr-labeled trastuzumab for use in a clinical setting was synthesized in a microfluidic reactor in under an hour while reducing the amount of handling required by a technician. Use of this compact platform not only could enable the use of radiolabeled antibodies to become a common practice, but also could spread the use of radiolabeled antibodies beyond locations with cyclotron facilities.
Transcriptional Profiling of Coxiella burnetii Reveals Extensive Cell Wall Remodeling in the Small Cell Variant Developmental Form.

A hallmark of Coxiella burnetii, the bacterial cause of human Q fever, is a biphasic developmental cycle that generates biologically, ultrastructurally, and compositionally distinct large cell variant (LCV) and small cell variant (SCV) forms. LCVs are replicating, exponential phase forms while SCVs are non-replicating, stationary phase forms. The SCV has several properties, such as a condensed nucleoid and an unusual cell envelope, suspected of conferring enhanced environmental stability. To identify genetic determinants of the LCV to SCV transition, we profiled the C. burnetii transcriptome at 3 (early LCV), 5 (late LCV), 7 (intermediate forms), 14 (early SCV), and 21 days (late SCV) post-infection of Vero epithelial cells. Relative to early LCV, genes downregulated in the SCV were primarily involved in intermediary metabolism. Upregulated SCV genes included those involved in oxidative stress responses, arginine acquisition, and cell wall remodeling. A striking transcriptional signature of the SCV was induction (>7-fold) of five genes encoding predicted L,D transpeptidases that catalyze nonclassical 3–3 peptide cross-links in peptidoglycan (PG), a modification that can influence several biological traits in bacteria. Accordingly, of cross-links identified, muropeptide analysis showed PG of SCV with 46% 3–3 cross-links as opposed to 16% 3–3 cross-links for LCV. Moreover, electron microscopy revealed SCV with an unusually dense cell wall/outer membrane complex as compared to LCV with its clearly distinguishable periplasm and inner and outer membranes. Collectively, these results indicate the SCV produces a unique transcriptome with a major component directed towards remodeling a PG layer that likely contributes to Coxiella’s environmental resistance.
Impact of a new gasoline benzene regulation on ambient air pollutants in Anchorage, Alaska

Abstract The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standard that limits the amount of benzene allowed in gasoline on ambient benzene concentrations. This new standard, together with two companion regulations that limit cold-temperature automotive emissions and the permeability of portable fuel containers, was expected to lower the levels of ambient benzene and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) nationwide. In this study the impact of the gasoline benzene standard was evaluated in Anchorage, Alaska in a two-phase ambient air monitoring study conducted before and after the new gasoline standard was implemented. Gasoline sold by Anchorage retailers was also evaluated in each phase to determine the content of benzene and other gasoline components. The average benzene content in Anchorage gasoline was reduced by 70%, from 5.05% (w/w) to 1.53% (w/w) following the implementation of the standard. The annual mean ambient benzene concentration fell by 51%, from 0.99 ppbv in Phase 1 to 0.49 ppbv in Phase 2. Analysis suggests the change in gasoline benzene content alone reduced benzene emissions by 46%. The changes in toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene content in gasoline between Phase 1 and 2 were relatively small and the differences in the mean ambient concentrations of these compounds between phases were modest. Our results suggest that cold winter communities in high latitude and mountainous regions may benefit more from the gasoline benzene standard because of high benzene emissions resulting from vehicle cold start and a tendency to develop atmospheric stagnation conditions in the winter.
A Balance Theory Perspective of Triadic Supply Chain Relationships

Although most supply chains involve three or more members among source, make, and delivery operations of a firm, as well as suppliers and customers, most of the research on multi-member systems has examined the pair-wise relationships between two adjacent members. The purpose of this study is to provide a more holistic understanding of multi-member relationships such as those within a supply chain. This is achieved by applying Heider’s Balance Theory for triadic systems to a simulated three-member distribution channel using student subjects. The results of this empirical investigation support our hypotheses and we offer insights on how managerial actions within each linkage of the supply chain impact their firm’s satisfaction with the multi-member system as a whole.
Optimizing a start-stop controller using policy search

We applied a policy search algorithm to the problem of optimizing a start-stop controller--a controller used in a car to turn off the vehicle's engine, and thus save energy, when the vehicle comes to a temporary halt. We were able to improve the existing policy by approximately 12% using real driver trace data. We also experimented with using multiple policies, and found that doing so could lead to a further 8% improvement if we could determine which policy to apply at each stop. The driver's behaviors before stopping were found to be uncorrelated with the policy that performed best; however, further experimentation showed that the driver's behavior during the stop may be more useful, suggesting a useful direction for adding complexity to the underlying start-stop policy.
GPS-AIDED NAVIGATION SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR SMART MUNITIONS AND GUIDED MISSILES

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is finding increasing use as an effective means of improving accuracy of Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) carried on board guided projectile and missile systems. Two warfare areas that have provided strong motivation for using integrated GPS/INS are Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) and Tactical Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD). This paper presents an overview of various techniques for the integration of the GPS and the INS in a guided weapon system. Then the development of a multi-purpose GPS/INS simulation and analysis tool is described. The model was developed with the flexibility to support a variety of possible technology demonstration and full scale development programs involving GPS-aided guided weapons. The simulation includes detailed models of the GPS satellites and receiver, jamming environment, navigation Kalman filter, inertial navigation system with strapdown inertial measurement unit, six degree-of-freedom airframe and guidance and control components. To illustrate navigation capability, the performance of a GPS-aided smart munition is analyzed in detail. A review of some emerging technology trends and potential future applications for GPS/INS is also provided.
Neural Organization of Swallowing and Related Disorders

咽頭期嚥下の神経機序についてわれわれの研究発表を中心に述べた.嚥下の惹起に必須である咽喉頭粘膜の知覚受容機構は自由神経終末, 味蕾, 数珠状神経終末が広く分布し, これらの神経の起源は上喉頭神経および舌咽神経である.これらの両神経の中枢投射は延髄の弧束核の間質亜核に収束されている.咽頭期嚥下は反射性に惹起されるが, これらは延髄のパターン形成により制御され, 嚥下関連ニューロンは弧束核のtype Iニューロン, 小細胞性網様体のtype IIニューロン, 疑核のtype IIIニューロンに分類された.神経機序からみた嚥下障害の病態は皮質延髄路の障害による嚥下惹起遅延型, 脳幹の障害すなわち嚥下のパターン形成障害による嚥下停滞型, 咽頭期嚥下惹起不全型に分類し病態について考察を加えた.
Recovery of Diffused Images through Nonlinear Instability

We develop a method to recover diffused images by seeding spatial instability in a nonlinear medium. We observe the increase of image contrast and enhancement of signal resolution in noisy environments.
Estimation of Propellant Storage Life Based on the Equivalent Transformation Rate Principle

Objective To evaluate the storage life of solid propellant quickly and accurately.Methods Heat flow signals of propellant were attained at four different heating rates.Thermal reaction kinetic parameters and model for propellant were obtained using the AKTS heat reaction kinetics software,which was based on the equivalent transformation rate principle.A heat aging test was also carried out at 60℃.And then the storage life of solid propellant was evaluated using appropriate mathematic model.Results The storage life of solid propellant was 16 years at 25℃.Conclusion The reaction rate constant could be obtained accurately using the equivalent transformation rate principle.The storage life of solid propellant was concluded quickly through a single temperature heat aging test.
Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activities of Strawberries

Strawberries contain high levels of antioxidants, which have been correlated with a decreased risk of chronic disease. To more fully characterize the antioxidant profiles and possible associated health benefits of this fruit, the total free and bound phenolic, total flavonoid, and total anthocyanin contents of eight strawberry cultivars (Earliglow, Annapolis, Evangeline, Allstar, Sable, Sparkle, Jewel, and Mesabi) were measured. Cultivar effects on phenolic contents were compared with antioxidant capacities, as measured by the total oxyradical scavenging capacity (TOSC) assay, and to antiproliferative activities, as measured by inhibition of HepG2 human liver cancer cell proliferation in vitro. Free phenolic contents differed by 65% between the highest (Earliglow) and the lowest (Allstar) ranked cultivars. The water soluble bound and ethyl acetate soluble bound phenolic contents averaged 5% of the total phenolic content of the cultivars. The total flavonoid content of Annapolis was 2-fold higher than that...
A Role for β-Melanotropin in the Regulation of Aldosterone Secretion during Sodium Deficiency in the Rat

1. The effect of sodium deficiency on adrenal sensitivity to β-melanotropin (β-melanocyte stimulating hormone; β-MSH) and the effect of β-MSH on a late step of aldosterone biosynthesis were studied using collagenase-dispersed rat adrenal cells. 2. Sodium depletion enhanced the sensitivity of the adrenal glomerulosa cells to β-MSH, resulting in a shift of the dose-response curve to the left, so that doses of β-MSH within the physiological range caused significant stimulation of aldosterone production. 3. The aldosterone level obtained by maximum doses of β-MSH was similar to that obtained after angiotensin (‘angiotensin II’; ANGII) during sodium depletion. 4. Sodium depletion did not change the corticosterone response to β-MSH by decapsular cells. 5. Similarly to ANGII, β-MSH significantly stimulated the conversion of exogenous corticosterone into aldosterone in the presence of an inhibitor of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, WIN 19,578. 6. These data suggest that β-MSH or peptides containing β-MSH may play a role in the regulation of aldosterone secretion during sodium depletion in the rat and that β-MSH increases aldosterone production partly by stimulating the late step in aldosterone biosynthesis, the conversion of corticosterone into aldosterone.
A sequent calculus for skeptical reasoning in predicate default logic

A sound and complete sequent calculus for skeptical consequence in predicate default logic is presented. While skeptical consequence is decidable in the finite propositional case, the move to predicate or infinite theories increases the complexity of skeptical reasoning to being Π 1 1-complete. This implies the need for sequent rules with countably many premises, and such rules are employed.
Klebsiella pneumonia liver abscess syndrome: Case presentation to a college student health clinic

The authors describe a case of Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess (KPLA) in a student presenting to a university student health center. The authors also provide a review of KPLA and invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess syndrome (IKPLAS), including epidemiology, common clinical manifestations, standard diagnostic work-up, management options, and potential complications.
1.2-Tb/s MIMO-less transmission over 1 km of four-core elliptical-core few-mode fiber with 125-µm diameter cladding

We demonstrate 1.2-Tb/s (300-Gb/s per λ) WDM+SDM transmission over 1 km of four-core elliptical-core few-mode fiber with 125-µm diameter cladding, using only 4-PAM and OOK with direct detection and no MIMO.