cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ribonuclease P: a ribonucleoprotein enzyme.

Abstract The ribonucleoprotein ribonuclease P catalyzes the hydrolysis of a specific phosphodiester bond in precursor tRNA to form the mature 5′ end of tRNA. Recent studies have shed light on the structures of RNase-P-RNA–P-protein and RNase-P-RNA–precursor-tRNA complexes, as well as on the positions of catalytic metal ions, emphasizing the importance of the structure to the catalytic function.
Percutaneous Lumbar Discectomy

Percutaneous lumbar discectomy demonstrates how technology is improving medicine. The procedure allows the patient to have lumbar disc surgery without all the risks involved with open back surgery. It is relatively noninvasive, decreases operating time, and allows use of local anesthesia which reduces chances of infection, postoperative complications, and cost. With proper patient selection and correct surgical technique, percutaneous lumbar discectomy has the potential to be an alternative to laminectomy for uncomplicated herniated disc surgery.
Unique and overlapping gene expression patterns driven by IL-4 and IL-13 in the mouse lung

Background Allergic asthma results from inappropriate TH2-mediated inflammation. Both IL-4 and IL-13 contribute to asthma pathogenesis, but IL-4 predominantly drives TH2 induction, whereas IL-13 is necessary and sufficient for allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and goblet cell hyperplasia. Although these 2 cytokines share signaling components, the molecular mechanisms by which they mediate different phases of the allergic asthmatic response remain elusive. Objective We sought to clarify the role or roles of IL-4 and IL-13 in asthma-pathogenesis. Methods We used DNA Affymetrix microarrays to profile pulmonary gene expression in BALB/c mice inoculated intratracheally with ragweed pollen, house dust mite, IL-4, IL-13, or both cytokines. IL-13 dependence was confirmed by comparing pulmonary gene expression in house dust mite–inoculated wild-type and IL-13 knockout mice. Results A signature gene expression profile consisting of 23 genes was commonly induced by means of inoculation with house dust mite, ragweed pollen, or IL-4 plus IL-13. Although rIL-4 and rIL-13 treatment induced an overlapping set of genes, IL-4 uniquely induced 21 genes, half of which were interferon response genes and half of which were genes important in immunoregulation. IL-13 uniquely induced 8 genes, most of which encode proteins produced by epithelial cells. Conclusions IL-4 and IL-13 together account for most allergen-induced pulmonary genes. Selective IL-4 induction of IFN-γ response genes and other genes that might negatively regulate allergic inflammation could partially explain the greater importance of IL-13 in the effector phase of allergic airway disease.
G Protein Defects in Signal Transduction

G proteins couple receptors for many hormones to effectors that regulate second messenger metabolism. Several endocrine disorders have been shown to be caused by either loss- or gain-of-function mutat
Perceptions of religious leaders’ culpability in the United States

The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of religious leaders who are discovered in compromising situations. Respondents (N = 374) read one of four vignettes about a well-known, 50-year-old religious leader who was found in the back of a car by police partially clothed and intoxicated. His accomplice in the back of the parked car was (a) a 19-year-old woman, (b) a 19-year-old man, (c) a 39-year-old woman, or (d) a 39-year-old man. The accomplice in the vehicle told police and the media that s/he had been seeking spiritual counselling from this religious leader. In the General Linear Model (F = 2087.929, df = 34, p < .001) significance was observed in 10 of the 34 items following each of the vignettes. Eight other items possessed p-values slightly larger than 0.05 that merit consideration. Willingness to overlook infractions of professional behaviours were associated not with the religious leader's behaviour itself but with the age and gender of the accomplice of the religious leader. Overall, resp...
A user study towards understanding stereo perception in head-worn augmented reality displays

Properly perceived stereo display is often assumed to be vital in augmented reality (AR) displays used for close distances, echoing the general understanding from the perception literature. However, the accuracy of the perception of stereo in head-worn AR displays has not been studied greatly. We conducted a user study to elicit the precision of stereo perception in AR and its dependency on the size and contrast of the stimulus. We found a strong effect of contrast on the disparity users desired to make a virtual target verge at the distance of a real reference object. We also found that whether the target began behind or in front of the reference in a method of adjustments protocol made a significant difference. The mean disparity in the rendering that users preferred had a strong linear relationship with their IPD. We present our results and infer stereoacuity thresholds.
Narrow-Bandpass Filter Using Partitioned Cavities

Numerical optimization studies have led to a new multilayer design for a narrow bandpass filter. Its unique feature is the absence of traditional spacer layers. Electric field intensity profiles indicate that it is similar to a double cavity but the spacer layers are defined by pairs of low- and high-index layers forming partitioned cavities. Other partitionings have been studied. It is shown that the partitioning configuration can control somewhat the electric field intensity profile, which should lead to higher transmission. Another advantage of partitioned cavity filters is that they are less sensitive to random thickness errors in fabrication and are amenable to an error compensation scheme. Some filters were fabricated using ellipsometric monitoring with error compensation including one which achieved 83% peak transmission and about 1% bandwidth.
Modulation of the satiety effect of cholecystokinin by estradiol

Abstract Data obtained from a wide variety of mammalian species indicate that feeding behavior can be influenced by changes in endogenous estrogens and by exogenous estrogenic treatments. The present experiment represents an initial investigation of the hypothesis that the suppression of food intake by estradiol is mediated by an enhancement of the satiety effect of cholecystokinin (CCK). Twenty-four female rats were ovariectomized and implanted either with a 5% estradiol silastic capsule or an empty capsule on the day of surgery. Three weeks later, animals received IP injections of CCK-octapeptide (5.0 or 10.0 μg/kg) or saline after 24-h food deprivation. Food and water intake were measured 60 min after treatment. Although CCK suppressed feeding in all subjects, the effects on food intake were greater in estradiol-treated females. CCK injections also reduced water intake, but there was no interaction between estradiol and CCK on drinking. These findings indicate that the inhibitory effect of CCK on food intake is enhanced in females treated with a physiological dose of estradiol, and suggest that the effects of estradiol on feeding behavior may be mediated by a potentiation of the satiety effect of CCK.
Obstructive sleep apnea and cardiac index.

Seventeen men (age range, 21 to 58 years) with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) documented by nocturnal polysomnography underwent hemodynamic investigations during sleep. We studied the evolution of the cardiac index during apneic events in both NREM and REM sleep using the thermodilution technique. Regardless of the patients age, the sleep state, or the mechanism inducing the OSAS, the cardiac index decreased significantly from baseline during an apneic event and increased significantly from baseline at the resumption of ventilation.
Outline of a genome navigation system based on the properties of GA-sequences and their flanks.

Introducing a new method to visualize large stretches of genomic DNA (see Appendix S1) the article reports that most GA-sequences [1] shared chains of tetra-GA-motifs and contained upstream poly(A)-segments. Although not integral parts of them, Alu-elements were found immediately upstream of all human and chimpanzee GA-sequences with an upstream poly(A)-segment. The article hypothesizes that genome navigation uses these properties of GA-sequences in the following way. (1) Poly(A) binding proteins interact with the upstream poly(A)-segments and arrange adjacent GA-sequences side-by-side (‘GA-ribbon’), while folding the intervening DNA sequences between them into loops (‘associated DNA-loops’). (2) Genome navigation uses the GA-ribbon as a search path for specific target genes that is up to 730-fold shorter than the full-length chromosome. (3) As to the specificity of the search, each molecule of a target protein is assumed to catalyze the formation of specific oligomers from a set of transcription factors that recognize tetra-GA-motifs. Their specific combinations of tetra-GA motifs are assumed to be present in the particular GA-sequence whose associated loop contains the gene for the target protein. As long as the target protein is abundant in the cell it produces sufficient numbers of such oligomers which bind to their specific GA-sequences and, thereby, inhibit locally the transcription of the target protein in the associated loop. However, if the amount of target protein drops below a certain threshold, the resultant reduction of specific oligomers leaves the corresponding GA-sequence ‘denuded’. In response, the associated DNA-loop releases its nucleosomes and allows transcription of the target protein to proceed. (4) The Alu-transcripts may help control the general background of protein synthesis proportional to the number of transcriptionally active associated loops, especially in stressed cells. (5) The model offers a new mechanism of co-regulation of protein synthesis based on the shared segments of different GA-sequences.
Early sensory and hormonal experience modulate age-related changes in NR2B mRNA within a forebrain region controlling avian vocal learning.

Male zebra finches are most apt to mimic songs heard between posthatch days (PHD) 35 and 65, and this vocal learning depends, in part, on the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) within a discrete forebrain circuit that includes the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior neostriatum (lMAN) and area X. Using in situ hybridization, we show that transcripts for both the constitutive NMDAR subunit NR1 and the modulatory subunit NR2B decrease abruptly in the lMAN between PHD20 and 40. This downregulation corresponds to the onset of song learning and a transition from slow to faster NMDAR currents in lMAN neurons. In area X, NR1 mRNA increases as NR2B mRNA decreases during song development. To understand how these changes in NMDAR mRNA might regulate song learning, we next investigated how manipulations that influence song development affect NMDAR mRNA expression. Early isolation from conspecific song (which delays closure of the sensitive period for song learning) selectively increases NR2B, but not NR1 mRNA, within lMAN at PHD60. In contrast, exposure to testosterone beginning at PHD20 (which impairs song development and hastens the developmental transition to faster NMDAR current kinetics within lMAN) accelerates the decline in NR2B mRNA in lMAN, again without affecting NR1 transcript levels. Neither manipulation significantly effects NR1 or NR2B mRNA levels in area X. Our data suggest that developmental changes in the expression of specific NMDAR subunits may regulate periods of neural and behavioral plasticity and that flexibility in the timing of these sensitive periods may be achieved through experience and/or hormone-dependent modulation of NMDAR gene expression.
Optimum Treatment for Improvement of Indium-Halo Structure for Sub-0.1 µm n-Type Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor

The effect of post-thermal annealing after indium-halo implantation on the characteristics and reliability of sub-0.1 µm n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (nMOSFETs) was studied for the first time. We found that the control of annealing time is more efficient than that of annealing temperature with respect to achieving junction and gate oxide integrities. The best results of device performance were obtained with post-annealing treatment performed at medium temperatures (e.g., 900°C) for a longer time.
The Relationship Between Theory and Practice in Biological Control

The importation of exotic natural enemies for pest suppression is an established tactic in modern pest management; and at present, there is probably more interest in biological control than at any time in the recent past. However, analysis of the empirical record reveals that the number of successful cases of classical biological control is not as large as might be expected. For example, Clausen (1956) showed that, by the mid-1950s, 485 species of natural enemies were liberated in the continental United States against 77 pest species. In these cases, 95 species of natural enemies (19.6%) established and gave varying degrees of control of 22 pest species (28.6%). Similarly, Bierne (1975) analyzed the attempts at biological control in Canada over the past 90 years and concluded that while colonization varied from 10–78%, only ca. 10% of the attempts were successful from the economic viewpoint. Finally, DeBach's (1971) analysis of the attempts on a worldwide basis (through 1969) reveals that 42 of 223 pests (18.8%) were brought under complete control, although an additional 48 species (21.5%) were brought under substantial control.
Applying Fractional-Flow Theory to Foams for Diversion in Matrix Acidization

Fractional-flow analysis based on foam-coreflood data and the limiting-capillary-pressure' model presents a simple, approximate way to predict diversion in foam matrix acidization. Preliminary results show that the greatest diversion is obtained when foam is preceded by a surfactant preflush and is followed by an acid slug compatible with foam. This report applies the fractional flow theory developed for foam EOR to interpret foam acidization processes in sandstones.
Demonstration of differential domesticity of Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera, Culicidae) in Africa by mark-release-recapture.

Samples of Aedes aegypti (L.) larvae were collected in domestic, peridomestic and feral habitats in the Rabai area, Kenya, and reared in the laboratory. Newly emerged mosquitoes, 2000 from each habitat, were marked with fluorescent pigments and released in a peridomestic habitat in Shauri Moyo village. Of the 407 mosquitoes recaptured in landing-biting collections on man inside houses, 83% were domestic, 15·5% were peridomestic and 1·5% were feral. These various recapture rates indicate the existence of three behaviourally distinct populations of A. aegypti: domestic, peridomestic and feral; they also indicate that the mosquitoes' ability to enter houses is a genetically controlled behavioural trait.
Effect of cell-free synchronous uterine flushings and microsurgery on the development of porcine embryos in vitro.

Experiment I was designed to determine if cell-free synchronous uterine flushings contain an embryotoxic substance that is normally screened by the intact zona pellucida. Sixty 4-cell embryos were allocated to three treatment groups: (1) control embryos (n = 20) were cultured in Modified Kreb's Ringer Bicarbonate medium + 10% bovine calf serum (mKRB-BCS), (2) UF embryos (n = 20) were cultured in 80% mKRB-BCS + 20% sterile dialyzed uterine flushings (UF), (3) MicroUF embryos (n = 20) received a microsurgical incision in the zona pellucida and were cultured in 80% mKRB-BCS + 20% UF. Following 72 h in culture at 37°C under a 90% N2, 5% CO2, and 5% O2 atmosphere, the number of nuclei/embryo and the incidence of protrusion of the trophoblast through the zona pellucida (PTZ) were recorded. Addition of UF had no effect on embryo development. A greater (P > .005) proportion of MicroUF embryos exhibited PTZ as compared to UF and control embryos. Experiment II was devised to further characterize the occurrence of PTZ in Micro porcine embryos. Thirty-three 4- to 10-cell embryos and 14 morulae were distributed across two treatments: (1) control embryos (n = 16 and 6, respectively) were cultured as described in Experiment I; and (2) micro embryos were treated similarly to MicroUF embryos in Experiment I but were cultured in mKRB-BCS only. At the onset of PTZ, embryos were immediately fixed and examined. The proportion of embryos exhibiting PTZ was greater (P < .007) for Micro versus control embryos. Both the mean time to PTZ and the number of nuclei present were greater for blastocysts cultured from control as opposed to Micro morulae (P < .0001 and P < .0002, respectively). These results indicate that (a) cell-free synchronous uterine flushings are not detrimental to embryos with incised zonae and (b) microsurgery increases the incidence of and reduces the time to protrusion of the embryo through the zona pellucida in cultured embryos.
Tell Me a Story: Interweaving Cultural and Restorative Strands into Early Storytelling Experiences.

The social world of the preschooler finds meaning and expression through story, sometimes in the context of oral exchanges between adult and child as they experience life together, but frequently from the child care provider's words during shared book experiences.
Renal transport of oxalate: Effects of diuretics, uric acid, and calcium

Renal transport of oxalate: Effects of diuretics, uric acid, and calcium. Clearance experiments were performed in the rat to examine the effects of diuretics on the renal transport of oxalate. In addition, the effect of infusing either uric acid or calcium on the renal transport of oxalate was examined. During control periods, the fractional excretion of oxalate (FE Ox ) averaged 118.0 ± 2.1%. Acute administration of either chlorothiazide, furosemide, or indanyl-oxyacetic acid (MK-196), a new uricosuric diuretic, resulted in a significant decrease in the FE Ox in all groups to 104.8 ± 2.4%, 111.3 ± 2.1%, and 108.6 ± 2.7%, respectively. Infusion of uric acid increased urinary uric acid excretion from 2.41 ± 0.28 to 4.26 ± 0.03 µg/min/g kidney wt (P Ox to 104.0 ± 2.4% (P Ox which averaged 118.3 ± 8.3% (P = NS compared to control). These studies show that the acute administration of chlorothiazide, furosemide, or MK-196, as well as increasing urinary uric acid excretion by uric acid infusion, are all associated with a decrease in the FE Ox . Acutely increasing urinary calcium excretion, however, had no effect on oxalate transport. Transport renal de l'oxalate: Effets des diuretiques, de l'acide urique, et du calcium. Des experiences de clearance ont ete realisees chez le rat pour etudier les effets des diuretiques sur le transport renal de l'oxalate. De plus, l'effet de l'administration d'acide urique ou de calcium sur le transport renal de l'oxalate a ete etudie. Au cours des periodes temoins, l'excretion fractionnelle de l'oxalate (FE Ox ) est en moyenne de 118,0 ± 2,1%. L'administration de chlorothiazide, de furosemide ou d'acide indanyl-oxyacetique (MK-196), un nouveau diuretique uricosurique, determine une diminution significative de FE Ox , dans tous les groupes, a 104,8 ± 2,4%, 111,3 ± 2,1%, et 108,6 ± 2,7%, respectivement. L'administration d'acide urique augmente l'excretion urinaire d'acide urique de 2,41 ± 0,28 a 4,26 ± 0,03 µg/min/g de rein (P Ox a 104,0 ± 2,4% (P Ox qui est en moyenne de 118,3 ± 8,3% (P = NS par comparison aux controles). Ces resultats montrent que l'administration aigue de chlorothiazide, de furosemide ou de MK-196, de meme que l'augmentation de l'excretion urinaire d'acide urique par la perfusion d'acide urique sont associees a une diminution de FE Ox . L'augmentation de l'excretion urinaire de calcium n'a, cependant, pas d'effet sur le transport d'oxalate.
Talking in Another Person's Shoes: Incremental Perspective-taking in Language Processing

Language use in conversation is fundamentally incremental, and is guided by the representations that interlocutors maintain of each other’s knowledge and beliefs. While there is a consensus that interlocutors represent the perspective of others, three candidate models, a Perspective-Adjustment model, an Anticipation-Integration model, and a Constraint-Based model, make conflicting predictions about the role of perspective information during on-line language processing. Here we review psycholinguistic evidence for incrementality in language processing, and the recent methodological advance that has fostered its investigation—the use of eye-tracking in the visual world paradigm. We present visual world studies of perspective-taking, and evaluate each model's account of the data. We argue for a Constraint-Based view in which perspective is one of multiple probabilistic constraints that guide language processing decisions. Addressees combine knowledge of a speaker’s perspective with rich information from the discourse context to arrive at an interpretation of what was said. Understanding how these sources of information combine to influence interpretation requires careful consideration of how perspective representations were established, and how they are relevant to the communicative context.
Spatial mapping of fluorescence and Raman spectra across grain boundaries in a transparent Nd-YAG ceramic laser material

We present spatial mapping of fluorescence and Raman spectra across grains and grain boundaries in a transparent Nd-YAG laser material with 5 at% Nd- doping using confocal scanning optical microscopy. These signals do not show any significant spectral shifts, indicating exceptional compositional uniformity in the bulk and grain boundaries. Changes in the intensity of Raman and fluorescent signals between grains and grain boundaries are observed, arising primarily from scattering at the grain boundaries both in the interior and the surface of the ceramic.
Dynamic Shift‐Share Analysis

Most applications of shift-share analysis to regional employment change have used a study period of several years and have examined conditions only at the beginning and end years. This comparative static approach does not take into account the continuous changes in both industrial mix and size of total employment of the region over the study period. Calculating the national growth effect, the industrial mix effect, and the competitive effect on an annual basis and then summing the results over the study period provides a more accurate allocation of job changes among the three shift-share effects. This approach, which we term dynamic shift-share analysis, also allows unusual years and years of economic transition to he identified. We illustrate the use of dynamic shift-share by presenting results of an analysis of New England employment growth from 1939 to 1984, using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The use of the dynamic form of shift-share is important when the study period is characterized by either large changes in regional industrial mix or major differences between regional and national growth rates.
Unusual presentation of bronchogenic carcinoma: Case report and review of the literature

Although blood spread of pulmonary malignancy presumably occurs through microembolization, frank embolization of tumor fragments is uncommon. The first reported case of bronchogenic carcinoma appearing as a peripheral arterial embolus is described. The patient, a 64-year-old female, had acute ischemia of the left leg secondary to tumor embolism to the left profunda femoris and popliteal arteries. Shortly after embolectomy, she suffered atelectasis of the whole left lung from an epithelioid carcinoma in the left main bronchus. Twenty-eight cases of frank tumor embolism to the arterial tree occurring during the course of a non-cardiac malignancy have been reported. None, however, occurred as an initial event. Pulmonary metastasis in patients with advanced malignancy was the source of the arterial emboli in 45% (13/29) of reported cases, but bronchogenic carcinoma was the original cell type in 38% (11/29) of cases. In general, arterial tumor embolism is a complication of advanced malignancy usually originating from one of multiple pulmonary metastases. This first case report of tumor embolism to a lower extremity occurring as the initial event in the clinical course of a bronchogenic carcinoma serves to emphasize the protean manifestations of malignant disease.
Head shapes and human evolution

W. W. Howells. Cranial Variation in Man: A Study by Multivariate Analysis of Patterns of Difference Among Recent Human Populations. Papers of the Pea‐body Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, no. 67. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1973. ix + 259 pp. Figures, tables, references, and appendixes. $10.00. •
Letter to the Editor-Binomial Distribution Sample-Size Nomogram

This note gives a nomogram that provides a rapid approximation to the required sample size to be taken from a binomial distribution for a desired precision and confidence.
Influence of hypocholesterolemic drugs on aortic cholesterol esterase in rabbits.

We have studied the influence of three hypocholesterolemic drugs (Fenofibrate, Pirinixil and Probucol) on aortic cholesterol esterase (E.C.3.1.1.13) activity in cholesterol-fed rabbits. After three weeks, cholesterol-fed controls exhibited a 28% increase in cholesteryl ester synthetase activity (S) and a 13% decrease in cholesteryl ester hydrolase activity (H) giving a 47% increase in S/H ratio. None of the drugs influenced cholesterol-induced synthetase activity, but fenofibrate treatment increased hydrolase activity resulting in a fall in the S/H ratio to the level observed in rabbits fed corn oil but no cholesterol. The other two hypocholesterolemic agents did not affect the aortic S/H ratio.
The potential use of curcumin in management of chronic disease: too good to be true?

Introduction Turmeric is an approved food additive, and contains approximately 2–5% curcumin as its most active ingredient and the component responsible for the yellow color of the spice [1]. Curcumin is a polyphenol, resembling ubiquinols and other phenols that have well described antioxidant properties. Turmeric is derived from the herb Curcuma longa, a member of the ginger family. It was first isolated nearly 200 years ago, and its structure [1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-6-heptadiene-3, 4-dione] has been known since 1910. It has been well known for its ability to preserve food, and add taste and color to food, but the possibility that it may have healthpromoting properties is only recently receiving attention. Initially these were less appreciated because turmeric contains a variety of phytochemicals, including many analogs of curcumin. Even today, most preparations of curcumin contain around 18% demethoxycurcumin and around 5% bisdemethoxycurcumin [2 ]. It is not clear whether the analogues have equal biological activity.
Leukemogenic activity of B-ecotropic C-type retroviruses isolated from tumors induced by radiation leukemia virus (RadLV-RS) in C57BL/6 mice.

In addition to the endogenous N-tropic and xenotropic retroviruses in C57BL/6 mice, B-tropic viruses which result from recombination between the endogenous parental viruses have frequently been isolated from old or leukemic animals. A thymotropic B-tropic virus was also isolated after many serial in vivo passages from tumors induced by RadLV initially obtained by Kaplan from radiation-induced thymic lymphosarcomas. Although this agent was shown to be responsible for the capacity of Kaplan RadLV to induce thymic lymphosarcomas (TLS), the oncogenic role of C57BL/6 B-tropic viruses has never been demonstrated. Three B-tropic viruses (T1223/B, T128/B and T98/B) were isolated from Duplan (RadLV-Rs) extract which, like Kaplan isolate, originates from radiation-induced TLS. Whereas thymotropism was retained by Kaplan extract, extra-thymic lymphosarcomas were preferentially induced by RadLV-Rs. Although the B-tropic isolates emerged from recombinational events between the two endogenous parental viruses, their recombination pattern and their biological in vitro properties indicated that each of them was unique. The present experiments demonstrate, firstly, that in no case was an early disease ressembling that induced by RadLV-Rs observed; secondly, that the three viruses induced a high percentage of extra-thymic lymphomas whose latencies always exceeded 400 days; thirdly, that irrespective of the cloned virus a similar pattern of leukemogenesis was observed; fourthly, that B lymphomas predominated over thymic and extra-thymic T or null lymphoma and erythromyeloid leukemias. The injected viruses shortened the latencies and increased the frequency of the spontaneous disease observed in old animals, which suggests that in both cases leukemogenesis may result from closely related mechanisms. Our observation that the leukemic process developed after a shorter latent period in animals injected at 400 days of age than in those injected at birth or at 30 days of age strongly suggests that the injected viruses need to undergo a second recombination with the endogenous viruses expressed in old mice before they are capable of inducing lymphomas. This hypothesis is supported by the result of the transplantation assay. It does not exclude the possibility of an impairment of the immune responsiveness contributed to the accelerated leukemogenesis in old animals. Thymic and extra-thymic T lymphomas occurred preferentially in mice injected at birth, indicating that T-populations present at this age might be necessary for the newly generated T-tropic recombinants to emerge, replicate or find their target cells.
Periodic solutions about the collinear lagrangian solution in the general problem of three bodies

The article describes the solutions near Lagrange's circular collinear configuration in the planar problem of three bodies with three finite masses. The article begins with a detailed review of the properties of Lagrange's collinear solution. Lagrange's quintic equation is derived and several expressions are given for the angular velocity of the rotating frame. The equations of motion are then linearized near the circular collinear solution, and the characteristic equation is also derived in detail. The different types of roots and their corresponding solutions are discussed. The special case of two equal outer masses receives special attention, as well as the special case of two small outer masses. Finally, the fundamental family of periodic solutions is extended by numerical integration all the way up to and past a binary collision orbit. The stability and the bifurcations of this family are briefly enumerated.
Dissecting cobamide diversity through structural and functional analyses of the base-activating CobT enzyme of Salmonella enterica.

Abstract Background Cobamide diversity arises from the nature of the nucleotide base. Nicotinate mononucleotide (NaMN):base phosphoribosyltransferases (CobT) synthesize α-linked riboside monophosphates from diverse nucleotide base substrates (e.g., benzimidazoles, purines, phenolics) that are incorporated into cobamides. Methods Structural investigations of two members of the CobT family of enzymes in complex with various substrate bases as well as in vivo and vitro activity analyses of enzyme variants were performed to elucidate the roles of key amino acid residues important for substrate recognition. Results Results of in vitro and in vivo studies of active-site variants of the Salmonella enterica CobT (SeCobT) enzyme suggest that a catalytic base may not be required for catalysis. This idea is supported by the analyses of crystal structures that show that two glutamate residues function primarily to maintain an active conformation of the enzyme. In light of these findings, we propose that proper positioning of the substrates in the active site triggers the attack at the C1 ribose of NaMN. Conclusion Whether or not a catalytic base is needed for function is discussed within the framework of the in vitro analysis of the enzyme activity. Additionally, structure-guided site-directed mutagenesis of SeCobT broadened its substrate specificity to include phenolic bases, revealing likely evolutionary changes needed to increase cobamide diversity, and further supporting the proposed mechanism for the phosphoribosylation of phenolic substrates. General Significance Results of this study uncover key residues in the CobT enzyme that contribute to the diversity of cobamides in nature.
Assessing the Accuracy of Vision-Based Accelerometry

Video-based motion measurement enables convenient tracking of multiple points in a plane with a single sensor: a CCD video camera. This paper presents a method to easily assess the accuracy of accelerations computed from the tracking of positions measured via video and quantifies these errors for a consumer-grade camera. A signal with time-dependent frequency and amplitude is applied to a shake table, and the motion of LED targets are tracked. The tracked target positions are filtered and twice-differentiated to compute accelerations. These vision-based acceleration measurements are time-synchronized with conventional accelerometer measurements. The vision-based and conventional acceleration measurements are directly compared, and through a series of experiments, an extensive investigation of the acceleration measurement sensitivity to signal frequency and amplitude is carried out.
Differential mechanisms of cell killing by redox cycling and arylating quinones.

The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the mechanism of cell killing by quinones of differing chemical reactivities was investigated. Freshly isolated hepatocyte suspensions were exposed to 2,3-dimethoxy-1, 4-naphthoquinone, 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, 1,4-naphthoquinone or 1,4-benzoquinone in the presence or absence of cyclosporine A, ruthenium red, fructose or the combination of fructose plus oligomycin. All of the quinones caused concentration-dependent cell killing as assessed by the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase. However, only 2,3-dimethoxy- and 2-methyl-naphthoquinone caused a depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential; cell killing by 1,4-naphthoquinone or 1,4-benzoquinone was not accompanied by mitochondrial depolarization. Neither cyclosporine A nor ruthenium red protected against cell killing or loss of mitochondrial membrane potential caused by any of the quinones examined. In contrast, fructose protected cells against all four quinones. For the redox cycling naphthoquinones, oligomycin reversed the protection afforded by fructose. However, the cytoprotective effect of fructose against the arylating quinones, 1,4-naphthoquinone and 1,4-benzoquinone, was not reversed by oligomycin. The results suggest that cell killing by redox cycling naphthoquinones is a manifestation of mitochondrial depolarization, not ATP depletion. In contrast, the fructose-mediated protection from arylating quinones is consistent with ATP depletion being a critical event leading to cell death. Accordingly, although a vast array of quinone compounds are known to be cytotoxic, the mechanism of cell killing by individual members of this chemical class differs and is determined primarily by the chemical reactivity of the individual quinone.
The Effects of Canopy Leaf Area Index on Airflow Across Forest Edges: Large-eddy Simulation and Analytical Results

The structure of turbulent flows along a transition between tall-forested canopies and forest clearings continues to be an active research topic in canopy turbulence. The difficulties in describing the turbulent flow along these transitions stem from the fact that the vertical structure of the canopy and its leaf area distribution cannot be ignored or represented by an effective roughness length. Large-eddy simulation (LES) runs were performed to explore the effect of a homogeneous variation in the forest leaf area index (LAI) on the turbulent flow across forest edges. A nested grid numerical method was used to ensure the development of a deep boundary layer above the forest while maintaining a sufficiently high resolution in the region close to the ground. It was demonstrated that the LES here predicted first-order and second-order mean velocity statistics within the canopy that agree with reported Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model results, field and laboratory experiments. In the simulations reported here, the LAI was varied between 2 and 8 spanning a broad range of observed LAI in terrestrial ecosystems. By increasing the forest LAI, the mean flow properties both within the forest and in the clearing near the forest edge were altered in two fundamental ways: near the forest edge and into the clearing, the flow statistical properties resembled the so-called back-facing step (BFS) flow with a mean recirculation zone near the edge. Another recirculation zone sets up downstream of the clearing as the flow enters the tall forest canopy. The genesis of this within-forest recirculation zone can be primarily described using the interplay between the mean pressure gradients (forcing the flow) and the drag force (opposing the flow). Using the LES results, a simplified analytical model was also proposed to explain the location of the recirculation zone inside the canopy and its dependence on the forest LAI. Furthermore, a simplified scaling argument that decomposes the mean velocity at the outflow edge into a superposition of 'exit flow' and BFS-like flow with their relative importance determined by LAI was explored.
Face recognition from one example view

To create a pose-invariant face recognizer, one strategy is the view-based approach, which uses a set of real example views at different poses. But what if we only have one real view available, such as a scanned passport photo-can we still recognize faces under different poses? Given one real view at a known pose, it is still possible to use the view-based approach by exploiting prior knowledge of faces to generate virtual views, or views of the face as seen from different poses. To represent prior knowledge, we use 2D example views of prototype faces under different rotations. We develop example-based techniques for applying the rotation seen in the prototypes to essentially "rotate" the single real view which is available. Next, the combined set of one real and multiple virtual views is used as example views for a view-based, pose-invariant face recognizer. Oar experiments suggest that among the techniques for expressing prior knowledge of faces, 2D example-based approaches should be considered alongside the more standard 3D modeling techniques. >
What Best Protects the Inverted Weightbearing Ankle Against Further Inversion? Evertor Muscle Strength Compares Favorably with Shoe Height, Athletic Tape, and Three Orthoses

We measured the maximal isometric eversion moment developed under full weightbearing in 20 healthy adult men (age, 24.4 +/- 3.4 years; mean +/- SD) with their ankles in 15 degrees of inversion. Tests were performed at both 0 degree and 32 degrees of ankle plantar flexion in low- and in three-quarter-top shoes with and without adhesive athletic tape or one of three proprietary ankle orthoses. At 0 degree of ankle plantar flexion, the mean maximal voluntary resistance of the unprotected ankle to an inversion moment was 50 +/- 8 N-m; this increased by an average of 12% (or 6 N-m) when the subject wore a three-quarter-top basketball shoe. The maximal voluntary resistances to inversion moments developed with the ankles further protected by athletic tape or any of three orthoses were not significantly different. Biomechanical calculations suggest that at 15 degrees of inversion the fully active ankle evertor muscles isometrically developed a moment up to six times larger than that developed when an athlete wears a three-quarter-top shoe alone and more than three times larger than that developed passively when the athlete has tape or an orthosis worn inside a three-quarter-top shoe. We conclude that fully activated and strong ankle evertor muscles are the best protection for a near-maximally inverted ankle at footstrike.
Non-Intrusive Gaze Tracking Using Artificial Neural Networks

We have developed an artificial neural network based gaze tracking system which can be customized to individual users. A three layer feed forward network, trained with standard error back propagation, is used to determine the position of a user''s gaze from the appearance of the user''s eye. Unlike other gaze trackers, which normally require the user to wear cumbersome headgear, or to use a chin rest to ensure head immobility, our system is entirely non-intrusive. Currently, the best intrusive gaze tracking systems are accurate to approximately 0.75 degrees. In our experiments, we have been able to achieve an accuracy of 1.5 degrees, while allowing head mobility. In its current implementation, our system works at 15 hz. In this paper we present an empirical analysis of the performance of a large number of artificial neural network architectures for this task. Suggestions for further explorations for neurally based gaze trackers are presented, and are related to other similar artificial neural network applications such as autonomous road following.
Peripheral monocyte arginase overexpression in human systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)

INTRODUCTION: Arginine is depleted in the plasma of patients with the SIRS, sepsis, and trauma, and arginine repletion through nutritional support reduces infection and mortality. The mechanism of arginine hypercatabolism is incompletely understood. Arginase I, a urea cycle enzyme which converts arginine to ornithine and urea, depletes arginine and impairs T-lymphocyte function in vitro. Though peripheral blood monocytes (PBMs) lack a complete urea cycle, we have shown PBM arginase I over-expression in injured patients coinciding with arginine depletion. We hypothesize that increased PBM arginase expression and concomitant arginine depletion occur in non-traumatic SIRS.
Obesity and Women's Health

Kathie Records, PhD, RN, FAAN, is a Hubert C. Moog Endowed Professor and the PhD Program Director, University of Missouri St. Louis, College of Nursing, St. Louis, MO. Rates of overweight and obesity have substantially increased worldwide and have undoubtedly become the major health issues of the 21st century (Ng et al., 2014). In the United States, the number of individuals who are classified as overweight or obese has doubled since the 1960s. Rates of overweight have leveled off since the late 1990s, but rates of obesity are increasing (National Institutes of Health, 2012; Ng et al., 2014). Not all groups are affected similarly, and the effect on women’s health, particularly the health of women during life transitions such as childbearing and menopause, has been underappreciated.
Challenges in Mapping Graph Exploration Algorithms on Advanced Multi-core Processors

Multi-core processors are a shift of paradigm in computer architecture that promises a dramatic increase in performance. But multi-core processors also bring an unprecedented level of complexity in algorithmic design and software development. In this paper we describe the challenges and design choices involved in parallelizing a breadth-first search (BFS) algorithm on a state-of-the-art multi-core processor, the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE). Our experiments obtained on a pre-production Cell BE board running at 3.2 GHz show almost linear speedups when using multiple synergistic processing units, and an impressive level of performance when compared to other processors. The Cell BE is typically an order of magnitude faster than conventional processors, such as the AMD Opteron and the Intel Pentium 4 and Woodcrest, an order of magnitude faster than the MTA-2 multi-threaded processor, and two orders of magnitude faster than a BlueGene/L processor.
An update on genetically modified crops

Los cultivos geneticamente modificados (GM) fueron introducidos a mediados de los noventa y hay actualmente dos tecnologias principales de transgenicos en el mercado,los cultivos tolerantes a los herbicidas (HT) y los cultivos resistentes a insectos (cultivos Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)). Los cultivos HT han simplificado y reducido los costos de manejo de malezas a los productores y han favorecido el medio ambiente. Sin embargo, existe inquietud por el desarrollo potencial de malezas resistentes al glifosato, el principal herbicida empleado en cultivos HT. Una segunda trascendental preocupacion asociada al uso de cultivos HT es la introgresion potencial de genes desde los cultivos GM a las especies cercanas nativas (flujo genico) y su impacto en los ecosistemas. Los cultivos Bt han incrementado los rendimientos, reducido el uso de insecticidas, lo que ha consiguientemente beneficiado la salud de los productores y el ambiente. Sin embargo, el desarrollo potencial de resistencia de los insectos a las toxinas Bt y el dano indirecto de las toxinas Bt a especies no albo a estas constituyen problemas relevantes relacionados al uso de cultivos Bt. Diferentes estrategias para mitigar y eliminar los problemas asociados al uso de transgenicos son discutidas en el articulo. La proxima etapa en biotecnologia vegetal es la introduccion de semillas mejoradas en su composicion nutritiva, lo que va a beneficiar a los consumidores directamente.
Olfactory modulation of flight in Drosophila is sensitive, selective and rapid

Freely flying Drosophila melanogaster respond to odors by increasing their flight speed and turning upwind. Both these flight behaviors can be recapitulated in a tethered fly, which permits the odor stimulus to be precisely controlled. In this study, we investigated the relationship between these behaviors and odor-evoked activity in primary sensory neurons. First, we verified that these behaviors are abolished by mutations that silence olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). We also found that antennal mechanosensors in Johnston's organ are required to guide upwind turns. Flight responses to an odor depend on the identity of the ORNs that are active, meaning that these behaviors involve odor discrimination and not just odor detection. Flight modulation can begin rapidly (within about 85 ms) after the onset of olfactory transduction. Moreover, just a handful of spikes in a single ORN type is sufficient to trigger these behaviors. Finally, we found that the upwind turn is triggered independently from the increase in wingbeat frequency, implying that ORN signals diverge to activate two independent and parallel motor commands. Together, our results show that odor-evoked flight modulations are rapid and sensitive responses to specific patterns of sensory neuron activity. This makes these behaviors a useful paradigm for studying the relationship between sensory neuron activity and behavioral decision-making in a simple and genetically tractable organism.
A machine learning approach to modeling scope preferences

This article describes a corpus-based investigation of quantifier scope preferences. Following recent work on multimodular grammar frameworks in theoretical linguistics and a long history of combining multiple information sources in natural language processing, scope is treated as a distinct module of grammar from syntax. This module incorporates multiple sources of evidence regarding the most likely scope reading for a sentence and is entirely data-driven. The experiments discussed in this article evaluate the performance of our models in predicting the most likely scope reading for a particular sentence, using Penn Treebank data both with and without syntactic annotation. We wish to focus attention on the issue of determining scope preferences, which has largely been ignored in theoretical linguistics, and to explore different models of the interaction between syntax and quantifier scope.