cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glutamine and the maintenance of meiotic arrest in mouse oocytes: influence of culture medium, glucose, and cumulus cells

The selection of culture media and supplements therein has a tremendous impact on the regulation of oocyte maturation in vitro. In the present study, we have evaluated how altering the levels of glutamine in the presence or absence of glucose affects meiotic arrest in cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEO) and denuded oocytes (DO) when cultured in either the simple medium M16 or the more complex Eagle's minimum essential medium (MEM). We have also tested the effectiveness of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in triggering germinal vesicle breakdown (GVB) and purine de novo synthesis in differing MEM culture conditions. When DO were cultured 17-18 hr in hypoxanthine (HX)- or dbcAMP-supplemented M16 medium, neither glucose nor glutamine had any effect on oocyte maturation, with dbcAMP the more effective inhibitor. In the absence of glutamine, cumulus cells promoted meiotic resumption, since significantly lower levels of meiotic arrest were maintained in CEO than in DO by either HX or dbcAMP, but addition of the amino acid dose-dependently decreased the maturation percentage in CEO below that observed in DO. In MEM, glutamine and glucose again had little effect on the maturation of DO, although the percentage of maturing DO in HX-supplemented medium was about 20% lower than that in M16 medium. In the absence of glucose, high levels of maturation were observed in CEO in glutamine-free medium that were dose-dependently lowered by the amino acid. However, when glucose was present, CEO were as effectively arrested as DO when glutamine was absent, with no further effect of the amino acid. This inhibitory action of glucose was dependent on the essential amino acids present in MEM. The effects of glutamine were not due to changes in metabolic coupling between the oocyte and cumulus cells. Measurement of purine de novo synthesis indicated that the maintenance of meiotic arrest as well as FSH induction of meiotic resumption were associated with increases in purine synthesis. We conclude that glucose and glutamine act cooperatively to promote the synthesis of new purine compounds within the somatic compartment and that the timing and duration of such synthesis determines whether meiotic resumption will be suppressed or promoted.
Docking Carolina: Mid-Paleozoic accretion in the southern Appalachians

Accretion of the extensive Carolina zone to Laurentia is one of the most critical unresolved problems in southern Appalachian tectonics. Synthesis of southern Appalachian tectonism reveals three lines of evidence from across the orogen that indicate a Late Ordovician to Silurian time of accretion. A tectonic unconformity in native Laurentian rocks, an extensive magmatic pulse in the Piedmont zone of the orogen, and active uplift in the Carolina zone are all related to this accretionary event. Structural geometries in the Carolina zone suggest that accretion involved sinistral transpression. This new model for Carolina accretion is consistent with models for the accretion of northern Appalachian peri-Gondwanan terranes; collectively their timing and mode of accretion to Laurentia place tectonic constraints on Paleozoic global reconstructions.
Studies on the red cell and antibody-reactive sites of the parvovirus H-1: effect of fixatives.

SummaryTreatment of the Parvovirus, H-1, with the fixatives formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde have shown that:1. Formaldehyde, even at 4% (1.33 M), had no effect on the red cell or antibody-binding sites of the virus. The infectivity of such samples, however, was abolished, indicating either a direct interaction with the DNA and/or that uncoating of the treated virions is impaired.2. Glutaraldehyde at 0.25 and 0.5% (0.025 and 0.05 M) did not damage the HA or antigenicity, but further increases in bound glutaraldehyde lowered the HA and simultaneously, as determined by immunogel diffusion and SDS-electrophoresis, the ability of the virions to bind anti-H-1 globulin. Glutaraldehyde was as effective as formaldehyde in destroying H-1 infectivity.3. The loss of HA activity of treated H-1 is dependent upon the temperature of the reaction.4. Formaldehyde, by virtue of its lack of effect on H-1 HA activity and antigenicity at concentrations permitting reasonable preservation of morphology may be the fixative of cho...
Molecular evolution of measles viruses circulated in Taiwan 1992-2008

Genetic analyses of viral samples from 74 laboratory confirmed measles cases occurring in Taiwan during 1992-2008 identified six viral genotypes D3, D5, D9, G2, H1 and H2. The most frequently detected genotype, H1, was associated with outbreaks in 1994 and 2002, and was the likely indigenous genotype in 1992. In response to the outbreaks, two catch-up campaigns were launched and a routine second dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine at entry to elementary school was introduced. The vaccination campaigns successfully reduced the number of measles cases in Taiwan, and many of the more recent cases can be traced to importations, primarily from other Asian countries. A number of measles genotypes which were associated with outbreaks in other Asian countries were detected among the more recent cases. The more recent genotype H1 viruses had sequences that were identical to those currently circulating in China or associated with international importation of virus.
Commentary on “Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Prognosis of Myelodysplastic Syndromes”

In their article on the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and prognosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), Drs. James M. Foran and Jamile M. Shammo outline the key issues relating to primary care physicians (PCPs) who evaluate patients with a clinical impression suggestive of MDS. 1 Given the age-related distribution of the condition, it seems highly likely that there currently exists a large reservoir of active MDS cases in the elderly population of which most will remain undiagnosed. Certainly, any unexplained or progressive cytopenia should trigger a suspicion in PCPs of MDS, especially in those with a history of exposure to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. 2 Other indicators of MDS are bleeding, bruising, and recurrent infections. 3,4 For patients with isolated anemia, in whom all other potential causes have been excluded, Foran and Shammo propose referral to a specialist when a patient’s hemoglobin level decreases to 10 g/dL. Greater awareness of MDS in general, as well as its treatments, might help encourage PCPs to consider it as a diagnosis earlier and to make specialist referrals as appropriate. A factor that may make PCPs reluctant to refer patients to hematologists is the need for bone marrow aspiration to confirm an MDS diagnosis. Some PCPs may deem this test too painful and invasive for their older patients. As I am assured that bone marrow aspiration compares favorably to colonoscopy in this respect, it makes sense to consider it for more elderly patients, especially as improved and less toxic treatments for MDS are now available. Unfortunately, given the epidemiology of MDS and the need for diagnoses to be linked to laboratory evaluations for those patients under the Medicare system, the inability of PCPs to order “routine” complete blood counts may significantly delay diagnosis and possibly result in less optimal outcomes. Even with Medicare’s new “Welcome to Medicare” examination and their “Annual Wellness Examination,” both of which are available to beneficiaries, it is unclear whether it will be any easier for PCPs to order these tests without linking them to a specific diagnosis. Fatigue, which may be the only presenting symptom initially, does support a complete blood count evaluation. However, many PCPs may erroneously ascribe it to one of the multiple potential other causes of fatigue, and miss a diagnosis of MDS entirely. It is possible that with the wider use of electronic medical records, computer systems may assist PCPs in providing “prompts” when certain diagnostic test results suggest MDS. For example, a diagnosis of macrocytic anemia is often easy to ascribe to chronic ethanol ingestion or a nutritional deficiency, but with the use of electronic medical records, we may be prompted to think again and investigate further. An important point that PCPs must always keep in mind is that anemia is not a normal part of aging. When treating a patient with a diagnosis of anemia, further investigations should always be carried out.
Female Preservice Teachers and Mathematics: Anxiety, Beliefs, and Stereotypes

The purpose of the current study was to examine if preservice teachers’ (PSTs) mathematics anxiety decreased and if their beliefs and stereotypes changed after they completed their early childhood mathematics methods course. It was hypothesized that by using and modeling concrete materials or manipulatives (Thompson, 1992; Vinson, 2001) and placing a greater emphasis on conceptual understanding (Bursal & Paznokas, 2006), two strategies identified as reducing PSTs’ mathematics anxiety, negative beliefs, and stereotypes that are associated with math anxiety, would diminish. Thirty preservice teachers, all female, participated in this study. Using a qualitative research approach, measures included midcourse evaluations, a draw-a-mathematician task (Mewborn & Cross 2007), the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (Hopko, Mahadevan, Bare, & Hunt, 2003), and anecdotal notes. Although we were encouraged that the math anxiety experienced by our preservice teachers slightly decreased by the end of the semester, it was di...
Synthesis of 1H-2,3-dihydropyrrolizine derivatives as precursors of bifunctional alkylating agents

Two 1H-2,3-dihydropyrrolizine derivatives bearing a nitro group at the 6 position have been synthesized and an improved method for nitrating pyrroles using potassium nitrate in trifluoroacetic acid was developed. An efficient, two-step synthesis of the butterfly pheromone, Danaidone, was also developed with an overall 33% yield.
EVALUATION FOR CUTBACK MANAGEMENT IN SMALL CITIES: CAN THE PROBLEMS BE SOLVED?

Problems of undertaking applied research in small cities planning economic cutbacks are explored. Researchers face problems in balancing administrative and political pressures. Predetermined ideas held by members of the city council on how the city should cut back services might cause politicians to ignore the findings of the study. While the belief of department heads that the study was simply going to excuse cutbacks could cause difficulty in data gathering efforts. In overcoming these problems care was needed in defining precisely what topics to study, in getting mutual consent on technical issues and in protecting the findings from possible distortion.
Cardiac complications in patients undergoing a reduced-intensity conditioning hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) extends hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT) to elderly or debilitated patients who are not candidates for HSCT. The incidence and outcomes of cardiac complications have been reported following myeloablative HSCT. We assessed the incidence and outcomes of cardiac complications in 278 recipients of RIC from July 2000 to July 2006. All patients received conditioning with BU, fludarabine and TBI. Patients were evaluated from conditioning therapy until 100 days after HSCT. Median age was 56 years. Cardiac events were defined as either one or more of the following: arrhythmias, myocardial infarction or congestive heart failure. Twenty-five patients developed arrhythmias at a median of 3 days post transplant, in 19 patients hemodynamic compromise occurred and mechanical ventilation was required in 15 patients. The arrhythmias included atrial fibrillation (n=17), atrial flutter (n=6) and supraventricular tachycardia (n=2). Troponin was elevated in 12 out of 25 patients. The mean brain natriuretic peptide was 679. All patients converted to a normal rhythm by medical therapy at a median of 2 days. Recurrence of arrhythmia occurred in 76% of patients. Day 100 mortality was 40% in this group. A history of high-dose anthracycline treatment and a low ejection fraction were risk factors for the development of cardiac complications.
A Null α1(V) Collagen Allele Is Caused by an Intronic Insertion in a Family with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome II

A Null α1(V) Collagen Allele Is Caused by an Intronic Insertion in a Family with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome II
Seasonal Patterns and Abundance of Copepods in Kentucky Lake, USA

ABSTRACT The distributions and abundance of free-living copepods in Kentucky Lake were examined for the years 2000, 2002, and 2004. Vertical tow samples were collected from 16 sites every 16 days for April through November and every 32 days for December through March as part of a long-term physicochemical and biological monitoring program. Copepods comprised 14.39% of the zooplankton in tow net samples, but only 6 species were abundant. Ectocyclops phaleratus, Cryptocyclops bicolor, Mesocyclops tenuis, Eurytemora affinis, Leptodiaptomus siciloides, and Acanthocyclops vernalis accounted for 86.44% of adult copepods. With the exception of E. affinis that was found throughout the year, observed seasonal density maxima occurred at differing points during the year for each of the other major species. Most species were present during spring and summer and absent or found in low numbers throughout the remainder of the year. A. vernalis, M. tenuis, and C. bicolor exhibited density decreases that corresponded with...
radioactive ages of micas from granitic rocks by Rb-Sr and K-A methods

Analytical data and ages are given for K-A, Rb-Sr, U-Pb and Th-Pb ages from a number of locations. Comparisons of the ages obtained indicate (a) that K-A and Rb-Sr ages of mica usually agree when modern laboratory determined values of the decay constants of K40 and Rb87 are used; (b) that the K-A and Rb-Sr ages of micas agree with the U-Pb ages of cogenetic uraninite, zircon, and monazite when the U-Pb ages are concordant; (c) that when the U-Pb ages of these uranium minerals are discordant, the mica ages agree best with the Pb207-Pb206 age; (d) that the pattern of K-A and Rb-Sr ages of micas can be most simply explained by postulating the loss of variable but small amounts of argon from the mineral.
Internet War Games: Power of the Masses

A review of the book, "Internet Denial of Service: Attack and Defense Mechanisms," by J. Mirkovic et al.
The Archaeal Molecular Chaperone Machine: Peculiarities and Paradoxes

A major finding within the field of archaea and molecular chaperones has been the demonstration that, while some species have the stress (heat-shock) gene hsp70(dnaK), others do not. This gene encodes Hsp70(DnaK), an essential molecular chaperone in bacteria and eukaryotes. Due to the physiological importance and the high degree of conservation of this protein, its absence in archaeal organisms has raised intriguing questions pertaining to the evolution of the chaperone machine as a whole and that of its components in particular, namely, Hsp70(DnaK), Hsp40(DnaJ), and GrpE. Another archaeal paradox is that the proteins coded by these genes are very similar to bacterial homologs, as if the genes had been received via lateral transfer from bacteria, whereas the upstream flanking regions have no bacterial markers, but instead have typical archaeal promoters, which are like those of eukaryotes. Furthermore, the chaperonin system in all archaea studied to the present, including those that possess a bacterial-like chaperone machine, is similar to that of the eukaryotic-cell cytosol. Thus, two chaperoning systems that are designed to interact with a compatible partner, e.g., the bacterial chaperone machine physiologically interacts with the bacterial but not with the eucaryal chaperonins, coexist in archaeal cells in spite of their apparent functional incompatibility. It is difficult to understand how these hybrid characteristics of the archaeal chaperoning system became established and work, if one bears in mind the classical ideas learned from studying bacteria and eukaryotes. No doubt, archaea are intriguing organisms that offer an opportunity to find novel molecules and mechanisms that will, most likely, enhance our understanding of the stress response and the protein folding and refolding processes in the three phylogenetic domains.
Total Synthesis of Oxazole‐ and Cyclopropane‐Containing Epothilone A Analogues by the Olefin Metathesis Approach

For structure-activity relationship studies, two series of epothilone A (1) analogues have been designed and synthesized, one containing an oxazole moiety instead of the thiazole heterocycle and the other containing a spirocyclopropane moiety in place of the gem-dimethyl group at position C-4 (4,4-ethano-epothilones). The olefin metathesis strategy in solution was utilized for the chemical synthesis of these compounds starting with key building blocks 7–9 for the oxazole series (compounds 2, 14–18, 21–26) and building blocks 8, 30, and 31 for the 4,4-ethano series (compounds 3,39–43, 46–51). The convergent strategy towards the designed epothilone A series involved a) an aldol condensation reaction, b) an esterification reaction, c) an olefin metathesis reaction catalyzed by [RuCl2(=CHPh)-(PCy3)2], and d) epoxidation of the macrocycle double bond.
Typology Reconsidered: Two Doctrines on the History of Evolutionary Biology

Recent historiography of 19th century biology supports the revision of two traditional doctrines about the history of biology. First, the most important and widespread biological debate around the time of Darwin was not evolution versus creation, but biological functionalism versus structuralism. Second, the “idealist” and “typological” structuralist theories of the time were not particularly anti-evolutionary. Typological theories provided argumentation and evidence that was crucial to the refutation of Natural Theological creationism. The contrast between functionalist and structuralist approaches to biology continues today, and the historical misunderstanding of 19th century typological biology may be one of its effects. This historical case can shed light on current controversies regarding the relevance of developmental biology to evolution.
What Are Brownfields? Finding a Conceptual Definition

Currently, a number of different federal, state, and local definitions of brownfields are in use. I argue here that two types of definitions are required. The first is a broad, universally agreed u...
Desynchronization of epileptiform activity by phase resetting

Perturbational studies were performed on an epileptic model, and a singular stimulus which induced cessation of the repetitive extracellular firing was found. The mechanism probably involved in this extracellular phenomenon is a desynchronization of the individual neuronal firings, as suggested by the intracellular recordings obtained. The use of these techniques to study the possibility of controlling abnormal neuronal activity found in epilepsy is proposed. >
Reduced-complexity digital satellite CDMA systems robust to Doppler

This paper presents two digital satellite CDMA systems which are invariant to Doppler shift. Their performances in a subsampling front-end with a 1-bit A/D converter are evaluated by both theoretical analyses and simulations. The subsampling is done after the received signal is downconverted to an intermediate frequency (i.e. IF subsampling). Both systems are based on PSK DS/CDMA communication and do not require either an extra circuit or a pilot transmission for frequency tracking. The use of 1-bit A/D at front-end allows large power consuming circutries such as automatic gain control (AGC), phase-lock loop (PLL) and mixer be eliminated or simply replaced with digital ones. Hardware realizations of each system model are also discussed. After the 1-bit A/D converter, the whole system including the PN code synchronization, the carrier synchronization and timing synchronization can be implemented digitally with the use of application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) technology.
Catalytic Combustion of Rich Methane/Oxygen Mixtures for Micropropulsion Applications

§ NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH, 44135 The military and space communities are in need of small scale propulsion and power generation devices for a new class of satellites. These devices need to be built at a relatively low cost and perform a variety of tasks with repeatable performance characteristics. In an effort to meet these goals, this study characterized the combustion of methane/oxygen propellant mixtures in platinum microtubes with inside diameters of 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm. The mixtures tested had equivalence ratios beyond the corresponding rich flammability limits, necessitating the use of a catalytic surface to aid combustion. The experimental studies were conducted at conditions that would favor 1-10 milli-Newtons of thrust as required by the next generation of satellites. Results of this study showed that with the presence of a catalyst, catalytic reactions could support combustion in mixtures even when gas phase chemistry does not play a significant role. The effects of changing equivalence ratio, pressure, mass flow rate, and tube size on the critical temperature leading to catalytic ignition were systematically investigated. Furthermore, the effects of doping the methane/oxygen mixture with hydrogen were explored, demonstrating a significant reduction in the ignition temperature with hydrogen addition. Microtube performance in terms of available thrust, specific impulse, and power required for preheating the microtube were also discussed. With a plug flow model, the experimental conditions were simulated with detailed gas phase chemistry, thermodynamic properties, transport properties, and surface kinetics. The computational results generally supported the experimental findings.
Knowledge Retention after an Online Tutorial: A Randomized Educational Experiment among Resident Physicians

BACKGROUND The time course of physicians’ knowledge retention after learning activities has not been well characterized. Understanding the time course of retention is critical to optimizing the reinforcement of knowledge.
Thermal stress/strain analysis of ceramic quad flat pack packages and interconnections

An elastoplastic analysis of the thermal stresses and strains in a surface-mount fine-pitch assembly using a 3-D nonlinear finite-element method is presented. This fine-pitch component is the EIAJ (Electronic Industry Associates of Japan) 160-pin ceramic quad flat pack (CQFP). For comparison purposes, the EIAJ 160-pin plastic quad flat pack (PQFP) was also analyzed. Detailed stress and strain distributions and whole-field displacements of the lead frame and solder joint are provided for a better understanding of their mechanical behavior during thermal cycling. It was found that the stresses and strains in the CQFP solder joint are larger than those in the PQFP. The results presented should be useful in the design for reliability of this class of surface-mount assemblies. >
Estimating enrichment of repetitive elements from high-throughput sequence data

We describe computational methods for analysis of repetitive elements from short-read sequencing data, and apply them to study histone modifications associated with the repetitive elements in human and mouse cells. Our results demonstrate that while accurate enrichment estimates can be obtained for individual repeat types and small sets of repeat instances, there are distinct combinatorial patterns of chromatin marks associated with major annotated repeat families, including H3K27me3/H3K9me3 differences among the endogenous retroviral element classes.
Impacts of Preharvest Factors During Kernel Development on Rice Quality and Functionality

Rice quality and functionality are characterized in many ways, depending largely on the industry segment using the rice. These characteristics include appearance, milling, and cooking parameters. Recently, variable quality of rice grown in the United States has been reported, but the cause was not well documented. Agronomic impacts include planting time, irrigation and fertility, cultivar selection, and harvest conditions. However, recent research suggests that ambient air temperature, specifically elevated nighttime air temperature (NTAT) during grain filling, dramatically affects the variability of rice milling quality, in terms of milled- and head-rice yields; appearance, in terms of chalkiness; and functional characteristics, including viscosity profiles, gelatinization temperatures, and proximate concentrations. Future research is needed to develop cultivars that are resistant to stress resulting from elevated NTAT during the critical period of grain filling, and, for the near term, to develop altered production management practices that mitigate elevated-temperature stress.
Effects of head-mounted and scene-oriented video systems on remote collaboration on physical tasks

This study assessed the value of two video configurations-a head-mounted camera with eye tracking capability and a scene camera providing a view of the work environment-on remote collaboration on physical (3D) tasks. Pairs of participants performed five robot construction tasks in five media conditions: side-by-side, audio-only, head-mounted camera, scene camera, and scene plus head cameras. Task completion times were shortest in the side-by-side condition, and shorter with the scene camera than in the audio-only condition. Participants rated their work quality highest when side-by-side, intermediate with the scene camera, and worst in the audio-only and head-camera conditions. Similarly, helpers' self-rated ability to assist workers and pairs' communication efficiency were highest in the side-by-side condition, but significantly higher with the scene camera than in the audio-only condition. The results demonstrate the value of a shared view of the work environment for remote collaboration on physical tasks.
Synthesis of dibenzo-16-crown-5 compounds with pendant ester and ether groups

Structurally related dibenzo-16-crown-5 lariat ethers with pendant ester and ether groups are prepared. Structural variations within the series of alkyl lariat ether esters include changes in the O-alkyl group, attachment site and nature of the lipophilic group, and length of the spacer, which connects the ester group to the polyether framework. Also synthesized are bis(crown ether) diesters with two dibenzo-16-crown-5 or two dicyclohexano-16-crown-5 units and two ester groups connected to each other by a linker of varying length. Synthetic strategies for the preparation of these lariat ethers with pendant ester- and ether-containing side arms are described.
siRNAs can function as miRNAs

With the discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) and related phenomena, new regulatory roles attributed to RNA continue to emerge. Here we show, in mammalian tissue culture, that a short interfering RNA (siRNA) can repress expression of a target mRNA with partially complementary binding sites in its 3′ UTR, much like the demonstrated function of endogenously encoded microRNAs (miRNAs). The mechanism for this repression is cooperative, distinct from the catalytic mechanism of mRNA cleavage by siRNAs. The use of siRNAs to study translational repression holds promise for dissecting the sequence and structural determinants and general mechanism of gene repression by miRNAs.
MBER-BER uplink power control method in cellular radio systems

In order to to solve the near-far problems, uplink power control has been adopted as a key feature in many cellular radio systems. In this paper, we provide a joint minimum bit error rate multiuser detection and bit-error-rate based (MBER-BER) uplink power control method, and demonstrate its performance in both additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and frequency selective fading channels. Our simulation results show that, with the same target BERs, the proposed method requires less power assignments, as compared to the conventional scheme which combines minimum mean square error multiuser detection and signal-to-interference based (MMSE-SIR) uplink power control.
Pharmacokinetics of Fluorocarbon 11 and 12 in Dogs and Humans

Blood levels and exhalation bag contents of FC-11 and FC-12 from dogs and humans were used to elucidate the pharmacokinetic model describing the time-course of these agents. The derived pharmacokinetic parameters were in good agreement with the physicochemical properties of these substances. The model was used to estimate the percentage of dose absorbed, which averaged 77 per cent for FC-11 and 55 per cent for FC-12, and to predict the level of FC-11 and FC-12 under a variety of conditions simulating both short- and long-term exposure to the maximum allowable concentrations of these agents. With similar doses, an 8-hour continuous exposure was estimated to produce levels of FC-11 and FC-12 that are much lower than the corresponding levels reported to induce cardiac sensitization in dogs.
Human telomeres replicate using chromosome-specific, rather than universal, replication programs.

Telomeric and adjacent subtelomeric heterochromatin pose significant challenges to the DNA replication machinery. Little is known about how replication progresses through these regions in human cells. Using single molecule analysis of replicated DNA (SMARD), we delineate the replication programs—i.e., origin distribution, termination site location, and fork rate and direction—of specific telomeres/subtelomeres of individual human chromosomes in two embryonic stem (ES) cell lines and two primary somatic cell types. We observe that replication can initiate within human telomere repeats but was most frequently accomplished by replisomes originating in the subtelomere. No major delay or pausing in fork progression was detected that might lead to telomere/subtelomere fragility. In addition, telomeres from different chromosomes from the same cell type displayed chromosome-specific replication programs rather than a universal program. Importantly, although there was some variation in the replication program of the same telomere in different cell types, the basic features of the program of a specific chromosome end appear to be conserved.
Out-of-pocket medical spending and Charon's obol.

In this issue of JGIM, Kelley et al. used nationally representative survey data from the Health and Retirement Study to examine out-of-pocket household spending on medical care for 3,209 Medicare beneficiaries in the last 5 years of life.1 For beneficiaries dying between 2002 and 2008, they found this spending averaged $38,688, ranging from $5,163 for decedents in the bottom quartile to $163,121 for those in the top decile.
Membrane targeting of a folded and cofactor-containing protein

Targeting of proteins to and translocation across the membranes is a fundamental biological process in all organisms. In bacteria, the twin arginine translocation (Tat) system can transport folded proteins. Here, we demonstrate in vivo that the high potential iron-sulfur protein (HiPIP) from Allochromatium vinosum is translocated into the periplasmic space by the Tat system of Escherichia coli. In vitro, reconstituted HiPIP precursor (preHoloHiPIP) was targeted to inverted membrane vesicles from E. coli by a process requiring ATP when the Tat substrate was properly folded. During membrane targeting, the protein retained its cofactor, indicating that it was targeted in a folded state. Membrane targeting did not require a twin arginine motif and known Tat system components. On the basis of these findings, we propose that a pathway exists for the insertion of folded cofactor-containing proteins such as HiPIP into the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane.
Opsonic Potential, Protective Capacity, and Sequence Conservation of the Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum Tp92

By means of a differential screening technique, a 92-kDa antigen, designated Tp92, was identified from Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. This protein is similar in sequence to the protective surface antigens D15 from Haemophilus influenzae and Oma87 from Pasteurella multocida. Amino acid sequence analyses revealed a cleavable N-terminal signal sequence and predicted the outer membrane location for Tp92. In support of this, antiserum raised against recombinant Tp92 promotes opsonization and phagocytosis of T. pallidum by rabbit macrophages, and anti-Tp92 reactivity is absent from washed treponemal preparations presumed to be lacking outer membranes. The Tp92 amino acid sequence is 95.5%-100% conserved among 11 strains representing 4 pathogenic treponemes, and immunization with recombinant Tp92 partially protected rabbits from subsequent T. pallidum challenge. These results demonstrate that Tp92 is an invariant, immunoprotective antigen that may be present on the surface of T. pallidum and may represent a potential vaccine candidate for syphilis.
Effect of AT2 receptor blockade on the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis

Cellular and molecular events contributing to tubulointerstitial fibrosis of the kidney during obstructive nephropathy are driven in large part through increased angiotensin II levels in the obstru...
Advancements in Plasmonic and Graphene-based high-performance Modulators

Here we present two demonstrations of electro-optic modulators (EOM) based on emerging materials, namely Graphene and Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO). These devices feature high performance (ER=1dB/um), low insertion loss ( 300nm).
Development of a Parallel 3-D LES Methodology for Jet Aeroacoustics via the Schur Complement

Improvements in computing speed over the past decade have made Large Eddy Simulation (LES) an attractive tool to study jet noise. In this regard, high-order compact flnite difierence schemes along with high-order fllters are used extensively in LES, especially for aeroacoustics problems, since these schemes not only have very high accuracy and spectral-like resolution, but also low-dispersion and difiusion errors. Due to the implicit nature of compact schemes, one technique of parallelization is based on the data transposition strategy. However, the computational resources that are spent on the communication between processors can be as high as 40%. This paper proposes an alternative parallelization methodology based on the Schur complement technique to address the substantial communication overhead of the transposition strategy. Computed results for 1-D and 2-D Linearized Euler Equation (LEE) test cases compare well to the corresponding exact solutions. The 3-D LES test case via the Schur complement shows on average a 3% and 1.5% difierence in turbulent intensity and far-fleld acoustics, respectively, compared to results of a previously simulated single-block methodology using data transposition. However, the parallel 3-D Schur complement case is roughly 2 times slower compared to the single-block case. The relatively poor performance is mainly due to the one dimensional partitioning applied. A three dimensional decomposition is expected to remedy the poor performance and will be carried out in the future.
And What is Your Erdös Number

(1969). And What is Your Erdos Number? The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 76, No. 7, pp. 791-791.
Quality and safety in pediatric anesthesia: how can guidelines, checklists, and initiatives improve the outcome?

Purpose of reviewCognitive aids are tangible or intangible instruments that guide users in decision-making and in the completion of a complex series of tasks. Common examples include mnemonics, checklists, and algorithms. Cognitive aids constitute very effective approaches to achieve well tolerated,
Building the foundation for health system transformation: Oregon's Patient-Centered Primary Care Home program.

Objective Health system reform is largely dependent upon the transformation of primary care in addition to the alignment of incentives that mediate the allocation of resources. The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a model of enhanced primary care that encourages coordination, patient-centered care, integration of public health services, and innovative methods for improving population health-all critical elements of health system reform. Because it changes the way primary care is organized and delivered, the PCMH model has been adopted as a foundational component of Oregon's health system transformation. This article presents insights drawn from an evaluation of the implementation of Oregon's Patient-Centered Primary Care Home (PCPCH) program and the adoption of the model by primary care providers. Design We used a mixed-methods approach consisting of 2 surveys of recognized PCPCH practices, qualitative document analysis, and key informant interviews. Evaluation research findings were triangulated with findings from PCPCH clinic site visits conducted as part of a regulatory verification process. Results Survey results describe a broad range of strategies and practices adopted by recognized PCPCH clinics within 6 defined core attributes: (1) access to care; (2) accountability; (3) comprehensive whole-person care; (4) continuity; (5) coordination and integration; and (6) person- and family-centered care. We also identify 4 key factors that influenced the conceptualization, development, and implementation of the PCPCH program: (1) support and motivations; (2) administrative barriers and resource constraints; (3) alignment of short- and long-term financial incentives; and (4) leadership and interpersonal relationships. Conclusions This evaluation provides insights into the factors that influence implementation of a primary care home program as public policy; the strategies and challenges associated with implementation of the model; and the implications of both for other states that are engaged in-or considering-similar system reform efforts.
Molecular crowders and cosolutes promote folding cooperativity of RNA under physiological ionic conditions

Folding mechanisms of functional RNAs under idealized in vitro conditions of dilute solution and high ionic strength have been well studied. Comparatively little is known, however, about mechanisms for folding of RNA in vivo where Mg(2+) ion concentrations are low, K(+) concentrations are modest, and concentrations of macromolecular crowders and low-molecular-weight cosolutes are high. Herein, we apply a combination of biophysical and structure mapping techniques to tRNA to elucidate thermodynamic and functional principles that govern RNA folding under in vivo-like conditions. We show by thermal denaturation and SHAPE studies that tRNA folding cooperativity increases in physiologically low concentrations of Mg(2+) (0.5-2 mM) and K(+) (140 mM) if the solution is supplemented with physiological amounts (∼ 20%) of a water-soluble neutral macromolecular crowding agent such as PEG or dextran. Low-molecular-weight cosolutes show varying effects on tRNA folding cooperativity, increasing or decreasing it based on the identity of the cosolute. For those additives that increase folding cooperativity, the gain is manifested in sharpened two-state-like folding transitions for full-length tRNA over its secondary structural elements. Temperature-dependent SHAPE experiments in the absence and presence of crowders and cosolutes reveal extent of cooperative folding of tRNA on a nucleotide basis and are consistent with the melting studies. Mechanistically, crowding agents appear to promote cooperativity by stabilizing tertiary structure, while those low molecular cosolutes that promote cooperativity stabilize tertiary structure and/or destabilize secondary structure. Cooperative folding of functional RNA under physiological-like conditions parallels the behavior of many proteins and has implications for cellular RNA folding kinetics and evolution.
A Paradigm for the Study of Political Unification

A Paradigm is more than a perspective but less than a theory. It provides a set of interrelated questions, but no hypothetical answers or account of validated propositions. It provides a “language,” a net of variables, but it does not specify the relationships among the parameters of these variables. It is less vague than a mere perspective, providing an ordered, specific, and often logically exhaustive and tightly ordered focus for research and speculation. A paradigm is often a stage on the way from an old perspective to a new theory.
Densification and Electrical Resistance of Y2O3 at Various Pressures

The densification of Y2O3 has been previously reported by various investigators [1–4]. Schieitz and Wilder [1] studied the sintering of Y2O3 from 1210 to 1643°C in a vacuum furnace, with difficulties encountered in its complete densification and interpretation of the sintering data in terms of sintering models based on volume and grain boundary diffusion. Jorgensen and Anderson [2] showed that the addition of up to 10 m% ThO2 to Y2O3 inhibits grain growth during sintering, and allows the sintering process to proceed to essentially theoretical density of the specimens. These investigators [2] were unable to obtain theoretical density of the pure Y2O3 specimens heated to 2000°C in a resistance furnace. Transparent Y2O3 was reported by Lefever and Matsko [3] using vacuum hot pressing at 950°C and pressures up to 830 bars. Full transparency was achieved according to these investigators [3] by adding LiF to Y2O3. Dutta and Gazza [4] used vacuum hot pressing at temperatures ranging from 1300 to 1500°C and pressures up to 480 bars to produce transparent Y2O3 specimens. The present work was undertaken in order to determine the densification of Y2O3 with or without ThO2 additions using vacuum sintering, regular hot pressing, and high pressure hot pressing techniques.
People, Plagues, and Prices in the Roman World: The Evidence from Egypt

The papyri of Roman Egypt provide some of the most important quantifiable data from a first-millennium economy. This paper builds a new dataset of wheat prices, land prices, rents, and wages over the entire period of Roman control in Egypt. Movements in both nominal and real prices over these centuries suggest periods of intensive and extensive economic growth as well as contraction. Across a timeframe that covers several severe mortality shocks, demographic changes appear to be an important, but by no means the only, force behind changes in factor prices.
Should manometry be routinely used during thoracentesis? Yes, but not without some basic physiologic understanding!

Pleural effusions are one of the most common entities seen by pulmonologists. An estimated 1.5 million new pleural effusions occur annually, 200,000 of which will ultimately prove malignant, leadin...
SVM-based feature extraction and classification of aflatoxin contaminated corn using fluorescence hyperspectral data

Support Vector Machine (SVM) was used in the Genetic Algorithms (GA) process to select and classify a subset of hyperspectral image bands. The method was applied to fluorescence hyperspectral data for the detection of aflatoxin contamination in Aspergillus flavus infected single corn kernels. In the band selection process, the training sample classification accuracy was used as fitness function. Two aflatoxin thresholds, 20 ppb and 100 ppb, were used to divide the single corn kernels into clean and contaminated samples. The validation accuracy was 87.7% for the 20 ppb threshold and 90.5% for the 100 ppb threshold. The results were generated from the GA selected 36 bands and 11 bands, respectively. Compared to the full wavelength classification, the subset of image bands had slightly better or similar performance. A reduced image space could save time both in spectral data acquisition and analysis, which is crucial in the development of rapid and none invasive methods for contamination detection.
Differential behavioral sensitivity to carbon dioxide (CO2) inhalation in rats

Inhalation of carbon dioxide (CO2) is frequently employed as a biological challenge to evoke intense fear and anxiety. In individuals with panic disorder, CO2 reliably evokes panic attacks. Sensitivity to CO2 is highly heterogeneous among individuals, and although a genetic component is implicated, underlying mechanisms are not clear. Preclinical models that can simulate differential responsivity to CO2 are therefore relevant. In the current study we investigated CO2-evoked behavioral responses in four different rat strains: Sprague-Dawley (SD), Wistar (W), Long Evans (LE) and Wistar-Kyoto, (WK) rats. We also assessed tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH-2)-positive serotonergic neurons in anxiety/panic regulatory subdivisions of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), as well as dopamine β hydroxylase (DβH)-positive noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus, implicated in central CO2-chemosensitivity. Behavioral responsivity to CO2 inhalation varied between strains. CO2-evoked immobility was significantly higher in LE and WK rats as compared with W and SD cohorts. Differences were also observed in CO2-evoked rearing and grooming behaviors. Exposure to CO2 did not produce conditioned behavioral responses upon re-exposure to CO2 context in any strain. Reduced TPH-2-positive cell counts were observed specifically in the panic-regulatory dorsal raphe ventrolateral (DRVL)-ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (VLPAG) subdivision in CO2-sensitive strains. Conversely, DβH-positive cell counts within the LC were significantly higher in CO2-sensitive strains. Collectively, our data provide evidence for strain dependent, differential CO2-sensitivity and potential differences in monoaminergic systems regulating panic and anxiety. Comparative studies between CO2-vulnerable and resistant strains may facilitate the mechanistic understanding of differential CO2-sensitivity in the development of panic and anxiety disorders.
Fetal adaptations in insulin secretion result from high catecholamines during placental insufficiency.

Placental insufficiency and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) of the fetus affects approximately 8% of all pregnancies and is associated with short- and long-term disturbances in metabolism. In pregnant sheep, experimental models with a small, defective placenta that restricts delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus result in IUGR. Low blood oxygen concentrations increase fetal plasma catecholamine concentrations, which lower fetal insulin concentrations. All of these observations in sheep models with placental insufficiency are consistent with cases of human IUGR. We propose that sustained high catecholamine concentrations observed in the IUGR fetus produce developmental adaptations in pancreatic β-cells that impair fetal insulin secretion. Experimental evidence supporting this hypothesis shows that chronic elevation in circulating catecholamines in IUGR fetuses persistently inhibit insulin concentrations and secretion. Elevated catecholamines also allow for maintenance of a normal fetal basal metabolic rate despite low fetal insulin and glucose concentrations while suppressing fetal growth. Importantly, a compensatory augmentation in insulin secretion occurs following inhibition or cessation of catecholamine signalling in IUGR fetuses. This finding has been replicated in normally grown sheep fetuses following a seven-day norepinephrine infusion. Together, these programmed effects will potentially create an imbalance between insulin secretion and insulin stimulated glucose utilization in the neonate which likely explains the transient hyperinsulinism and hypoglycemia in some IUGR infants. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Rationality of Moduli Spaces via Invariant Theory

The aim of this paper is to convey some idea, by means of concrete examples, of what it means for a moduli space in algebraic geometry to be rational, and of what this question has to do with group theory.