cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
I–V characteristics of YBCO thin films with a periodic array of Ni dots

Abstract Enhancing the pinning force in cuprates can be achieved by externally introduced magnetic dots. We have used a novel nanochannel glass technique to create metal replica masks with sub-micron size holes that have a triangular lattice pattern. With this replica mask, magnetic dots with a periodic array were deposited onto the surface of YBCO thin films by a simple deposition. The I–V characteristics of an YBCO thin film strip with a uniform Ni dots have been measured. They were compared with that of a bare YBCO strip without any magnetic dots. The results show that as the magnetic field strength increases the critical current value of the strip with the magnetic dots reduces with a much slower pace in comparison with the values obtained from the bare sample.
Listening to the Claims of Experience: Psychology and the Question of Transcendence

The question of transcendence remains a problematic one for psychology, not least because it entails the possible existence of what William James (1902/1982) referred to as “higher energies” outside the perimeter of the self. As such, it also entails the possibility that naturalism may be inadequate as a foundational principle for the discipline. Acknowledging the difficulties posed by seeking to include the idea of transcendence within the province of psychology, compelling evidence may be found within experience itself for holding open the idea at hand. Seen from one angle, holding open the idea of transcendence may be seen as undermining the project of psychological science. Seen from another, however, it may be seen as serving this very project, albeit it in expanded form. Listening to the claims of experience may thus pave the way toward a more inclusive, capacious, and adequate psychology.
1169 EXERCISE IN THE HEAT IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS PATIENTS

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by high sweat sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl), yet little is known about CF patients' response to exercise in the heat. We examined the responses of 5 CF patients with mild lung disease and 3 non-CF controls (N) to single sessions of cycle exercise in the heat. Subjects had free access to water, and pedalled at 50% peak VO2 for 60-90 minutes in a heat chamber at 37-38°C (DB), 24-29°C(WB). Urine and serum osmolality and electrolytes were measured before and after exercise, as were serum renin and aldosterone. Sweat volume, rate, and electrolytes were measured. Rectal temperatures (Tr) and ECG were monitored continuously. N and CF had similar Tr (101. 1 ± 1.3, 101.0 ±.08, p>.5), peak HR (175 ± 16, 165 ±12, p>.25), sweat rates (5.8 ±2.0, 8.1 ±2.1 ml·m-2.min-1, p>.1). CF had the expected higher sweat Na (76 ±24 mEq.L-1) and Cl (70±21mEq.L-1) than control (44 ± 5 and 37 ± 7 mEq.L-1, p <.05). CF showed a normal rise in renin (6.8 before, 21.4 ng.ml-1.hr−1 after, p<.05) and aldosterone (13.6 before, 45.4 ng·dl-1 after, p<.05) with exercise. CF urine Na fell with exercise (172.2 to 119.8 mEq.L-1, p<.05). Despite this evidence of renal salt conservation, CF serum Cl fell (102.4 to 98.8 mEq.L-1, p <.05) while control serum Cl did not change (104 mEq.L-1) and CF serum osmolality fell (272.2 to 263.8 mosm.L-1, p<.05). Even though CF patients can mount hormonal responses to exercise/heat stress and can conserve salt through renal mechanisms they lose more salt than normal people. Prolonged or repeated exercise in the heat may be dangerous for CF patients.
The influenza A virus spliced messenger RNA M mRNA3 is not required for viral replication in tissue culture.

Influenza A virus genome RNA segment 7 encodes three known mRNAs, two of which, M2 mRNA and M mRNA3, are derived by alternative splicing of the primary collinear mRNA transcript using alternative 5′ splice sites. The function of M mRNA3 is currently unknown, therefore we attempted to determine whether it is essential for virus replication. Recombinant viruses unable to produce M mRNA3 and/or M2 mRNA were created by mutating the shared 3′ splice site. Growth of the mutant viruses in M2-expressing MDCK cells was not significantly affected by the lack of M mRNA3. During the course of a wild-type virus infection, levels of M mRNA3 began to decrease while those of M2 mRNA increased, which may indicate a potential mechanism of alternative splicing control. These data suggest that neither M mRNA3 nor any potential protein product are essential for influenza virus replication in tissue culture.
Dopamine and norepinephrine in discrete areas of the copper-deficient rat brain.

: Copper deficiency was induced in post-weaning rats by feeding the dams a low copper diet during gestation and lactation. In confirmation of an earlier study, both dopamine and norepinephrine concentrations in the total brain were approximately 30% lower in deficient than in control rats. Doparnine in the corpus striaturm was depressed nearly 60%, but the concentration of norepinephrine in the hypothalamus was unchanged. Tyrosine concentrations in the striatum, hypothalamus, and total brain were not affected by copper deficiency, suggesting a catalytic defect rather than lack of substrate. Copper repletion restored norepinephrine level in total brain but did not affect the low level of dopamine. The results suggest that copper deficiency depresses a catalytic function of the adrenergic pathways and, further, adversely affects a structural component of the dopaminergic system during development.
A newly developed EMS unit: some preliminary results demonstrating its efficacy

An electromyostimulation (EMS) unit that provides a range of stimulation variables was developed and used in a preliminary study of the current-torque relationship during percutaneous EMS. The knee extensors of one lower limb of ten subjects received stimulation on three different days, and the current-torque relationship was studied using an incremental protocol. A 2-s train of 500- mu s/sup 2/ monophasic pulses at 60 Hz was used to elicit one contraction every minute. Peak current and peak torque values among subjects ranged from 229 to 344 mA and from 61% to 106% of a given subject's maximum voluntary isometric torque. The EMS unit consistently elicits torque during stimulated contractions, providing a basis for evaluating the efficacy of a wide range of stimulation protocols. >
Translocation of cytochrome c following transient global ischemia in the gerbil

Five minutes of transient global ischemia results in the delayed neuronal death of CA1 hippocampal cells. These pyramidal cells follow an apoptotic cell death cascade of events, initiated by the activation of the bcl-2 family of regulatory proteins and ending with caspase activation. The mitochondrial protein cytochrome c has been demonstrated to activate the precursor forms of caspase to their active forms. This is under the control of the bcl-2 protein family. The present study examined the accumulation of cytosolic cytochrome c following transient ischemia. At 72 h post-carotid artery occlusion there was a translocation of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm just prior to the onset of cell death. By 7 days, when CA1 cell death is complete, there was no longer a significant difference between control and ischemic tissue. Therefore, cytochrome c appears to be a vital component in the apoptotic sequence of events following global ischemia.
A note on the use of animals for remapping victimhood in J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace

This article aims to join a growing number of studies which examine how animals, especially dogs, are used in J.M. Coetzee's celebrated novel Disgrace (2000). Disgrace exposes in a unique manner the connections between the moral issues of animal rights and the ethical issues of the post‐apartheid state. By focusing on the role of animals not as metaphors but rather as characters in the novel, as real as its human characters, the article reveals parallel motifs shared by humans and animals, such as sacrifice and grief. In this way the novel allows the Eurocentric white protagonist David Lurie to regain his moral legitimacy. The animal, therefore, is used here as a surrogate medium which, by its innate innocence, displaces white guilt and racial violence into moral privilege in the field of animal welfare.
Toward more "ideal" polyketide natural product synthesis: a step-economical synthesis of zincophorin methyl ester.

A highly efficient and step-economical synthesis of zincophorin methyl ester has been achieved. The unprecedented step economy of this zincophorin synthesis is principally due to an application of the tandem silylformylation–crotylsilylation/Tamao oxidation–diastereoselective tautomerization reaction, which achieves in a single step what would typically require a significant multistep sequence.
The Impact of Specialized Sex Offender Legislation on Community Reentry

The authors sought to examine the impact of notification and residence restriction statutes on sex offender reintegration. Although previous research has primarily sampled sex offenders receiving treatment, the authors examined the impact of these policies on a broad sample of registered sex offenders subject to notification via the Internet. Findings from a survey of 138 community sex offenders revealed that a high percentage perceived residence restriction and community notification legislation to negatively affect employment, housing, and social relations. Consistent with prior research in this area, these findings suggest that such policies might hamper offenders' efforts toward community reintegration, which ultimately could serve to inflate rates of recidivism. Directions for future research and implications for practice and policy evaluation are discussed.
Local Environments and Plant Closures by Multi-locational Firms: A Cross–cultural Analysis

STAFFORD H. A. and WATTS H. D. (1991) Local environments and plant closures by multi-locational firms: a cross-cultural analysis, Reg. Studies 25, 427–438. This paper provides a comparison of continuing and closing plants in multi-locational firms in the US and UK in an attempt to identify local environment effects on plant closure decisions. Closed plants in two metropolitan areas (Cincinnati, USA, and Sheffield, UK) are compared with plants elsewhere in the USA and UK on twenty-four differentiating characteristics. In each case the comparator plant was operated by the same firm and undertook similar activities in a different urban area. A local environmental effect was detected, particularly through the influence of poor labour relations. By combining a measure of labour relations with appropriateness of plant size and degree of technological sophistication, it is possible to predict, with a high degree of accuracy, the closed and continuing plants amongst the pairs of plants operated by multi-locationa...
TRANSCRIBED REPETITIVE DNA SEQUENCES IN TELOMERIC REGIONS OF RICE (ORYZA SATIVA)

We have isolated and characterized from rice three repetitive DNA sequences, Os48, Osc-567, and OsG3-430. Our results indicate that these repetitive sequences are highly transcribed, and transcripts complementary to both strands of the Os48 family of sequences account for up to 3% of the total cellular RNA. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, restriction mapping, and DNA sequence analyses have revealed a complex pattern of structural organization of the three families of repetitive sequences. Os48 and Osc-567 are organized in long tandem arrays, whereas copies of the OsG3-340 sequence are interspersed with other sequences including arrays of the Os48 and Osc-567 families. Interestingly, the three families of repetitive sequences are closely linked not only to each other, but also to telomeric sequences of rice, suggesting that transcription of these repetitive sequences may occur in regions very close to telomeres in rice.
Ferns to fulfillment.

At first, I was saddened when I read the Working Life article “For the love of ferns” (19 December 2014, p. [1586][1]), in which K. Perkins describes getting into science by accident, pursuing her graduate degree in a top lab at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, accepting a tenure-track position at Johns Hopkins, and subsequently withdrawing from biomedical sciences. The pressures of funding and establishing one's own lab, along with life circumstances including an unexpected divorce, ended what by all appearances was a promising career. However, after a little reflection, I saw the story through a different lens. Perkins' relatively convoluted path led to a career as a high school physiology teacher, which she describes as “a life of work but also a life of people and play.” It seems she ultimately found the elusive work-life balance, and that is indeed something to celebrate. [1]: pending:yes
Modeling Insect Filiform Hair Motion Using the Penalty Immersed Boundary Method

Many insects are able to sense their surrounding fluid environment through induced motion of their filiform hairs. The mechanism by which the insect can sense a wide range of input signals using the canopy of filiform hairs of different length and orientation is of great interest. Most of the previous filiform hair models have focused on a single, rigid hair in an idealized air field. We have developed [1] a model for a canopy of filiform hairs that are mechanically coupled to the surrounding air. The model equations are based on the penalty immersed boundary method. The key difference between the penalty immersed boundary method and the traditional immersed boundary method is the addition of forces to account for density differences between the immersed solid (the filiform hairs) and the surrounding fluid (air). In this work we validate the model by comparing the model predictions to experimental results on cricket Acheta domestica cercal system.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Sums, products, and ratios for Freund's bivariate exponential distribution

We derive the exact distributions of R=X+Y, P=XY and W=X/(X+Y) and the corresponding moment properties when X and Y follow Freund's bivariate exponential distribution. The expressions turn out to involve special functions. We also provide extensive tabulations of the percentage points associated with the distributions. These tables-obtained using intensive computing power-will be of use to practitioners of the bivariate exponential distribution.
A tale about tau.

Diminished levels of the tau protein seem to protect mice from the development of behavioral abnormalities and memory loss that are brought about by mutant amyloid precursor protein.
The 5'-cytosine in CCGG1 is methylated in two eukaryotic DNAs and Msp I is sensitive to methylation at this site.

Abstract Novikoff rat hepatoma and bovine liver DNAs were digested with Msp I or Hpa II. Restriction fragments were end-labeled using [alpha-32P]-dCTP and the Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I and then digested to 2'-deoxyribonucleoside-3'-monophosphates using micrococcal nuclease and spleen phosphodiesterase. Mononucleotides were separated by two-dimensional thin layer chromatography, localized by radioautography, and the [32P]-label quantitated by scintillation spectrometry. This method, based on known specificities of Msp I and Hpa II, shows that CCGG, CMGG, and MCGG (M refers to 5-methylcytosine) occur at frequencies of 89.6%, 1.4%, and 9.0%, respectively, in the rat DNA and at 41.6%, 48.3%, and 10.0%, respectively, in the bovine DNA. [32P] recovery in 3'-5-MedCMP from end-labeled Msp I digests was negligible compared to recovery from Hpa II digests. Hence, Msp I is sensitive to methylation at the 5' cytosine in the sequence CCGG.
Atypical pupillary light reflex and heart rate variability in children with autism spectrum disorder

We investigated pupillary light reflex (PLR) in 152 children with ASD, 116 typically developing (TD) children, and 36 children with non-ASD neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured simultaneously to study potential impairments in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) associated with ASD. The results showed that the ASD group had significantly longer PLR latency, reduced relative constriction amplitude, and shorter constriction/redilation time than those of the TD group. Similar atypical PLR parameters were observed in the NDD group. A significant age effect on PLR latency was observed in children younger than 9 years in the TD group, but not in the ASD and NDD groups. Atypical HRV parameters were observed in the ASD and NDD groups. A significant negative correlation existed between the PLR constriction amplitude and average heart rate in children with an ASD, but not in children with typical development.
The Effect of HU Protein on Lac-Repressor-Mediated DNA Looping

The regulation of transcription includes the formation of DNA loops mediated by proteins that bind to DNA. DNA stiffness and supercoiling influence DNA loop-formation and can be modified by abundant nucleoid associated-proteins in bacteria that bind to DNA. Studies indicate substantial redundancy between different nucleoid proteins in vivo, but deletion of the heat unstable protein (HU) makes the formation of short loops between strong recognition sequences dependent on the sequence of the loop segment. The HU protein has two subunits (α and β), induces negative supercoiling of DNA, and changes the flexibility of DNA upon binding non-specifically. For loops longer than a persistence length, for which DNA stiffness is not limiting, the effect of HU on loop formation is not well understood. In tethered particle motion (TPM) experiments, a titration of the formation of a 900 bp loop between strong recognition sequences, OID and O1, as a function of HU concentration exhibits mild changes across a broad range of concentration (0-900 nM). This was surprising since the overall tether length simultaneously decreased which should have facilitated looping. It suggests that HU has no specific effect on the lac repressor-induced DNA loop, the effect of HU is more prominent on shorter loops, or the strong OID operator, which supports up to 90% looping at a variety of loop lengths across a large range of LacI concentrations, overwhelms the effect of HU. Indeed, this last possibility may be significant, since the formation of a 400 bp loop with wild-type spacing and Lac loop operators, O1 and O2, exhibits a narrower range of looping as a function of LacI concentration with a maximum of 50%.
Effects of ionic strength and chloride ion on activities of the glucose-6-phosphatase system: regulation of the biosynthetic activity of glucose-6-phosphatase by chloride ion inhibition/deinhibition

Certain amino acids stimulate glycogenesis from glucose. The regulatory volume decrease mechanism explaining these effects was defined by Meijer et al. (1992, J. Biol. Chem. 267, 5823-5828). It involves amino acid-induced swelling of hepatocytes resulting in loss of chloride ions which leads to deinhibition of glycogen synthase phosphatase. This results in enhanced conversion of the inactive to active form of glycogen synthase and thus enhanced glycogen synthesis. We have studied the effects of amino acids and chloride ion on the glucose-6-phosphatase system (Glc-6-Pase) with rat liver microsomal preparations, and correlated our results with those reported by others with glycogen synthase. Glc-6-Pase activities are increased by elevated ionic strength varied by increasing the concentration of various buffers or charged amino acids but are not affected by changes in osmolarity, varied with disaccharides or uncharged amino acids. With undisrupted microsomes, chloride ion competitively inhibits carbamyl phosphate: glucose phosphotransferase (KCP,t,UMi,Cl- = 19 mM) more extensively than Glc-6-P phosphohydrolase (KG6P,h,UMi,Cl- = 117 mM). Inhibition by chloride ion and activation due to ionic strength may be important considerations when assessing in vitro Glc-6-Pase activities where an attempt is made to replicate physiologic conditions. Further we propose that amino acids may play a role in increasing biosynthetic activity of Glc-6-Pase, as well as previously characterized glycogen synthase (Meijer et al., op. cit.), via the regulatory volume decrease mechanism through diminished chloride ion inhibition. Reduced concentration of chloride ion will (1) deinhibit the biosynthetic activity of Glc-6-Pase, while still inhibiting Glc-6-P hydrolysis, leading to an increased cellular concentration of Glc-6-P (an important glycogenic intermediate as well as allosteric activator of glycogen synthase) and (2) increase the active form of glycogen synthase by deinhibiting glycogen synthase phosphatase both through the previously defined mechanism (see above) and via Glc-6-P-enhanced conversion of glycogen synthase from its inactive to active form. We propose that the biosynthetic activity of Glc-6-Pase may act in concert with glycogen synthase during amino acid-induced glycogenesis from glucose.
Reduction: a method of proving properties of parallel programs

When proving that a parallel program has a given property it is often convenient to assume that a statement is indivisible, i.e. that the statement cannot be interleaved with the rest of the program. Here sufficient conditions are obtained to show that the assumption that a statement is indivisible can be relaxed and still preserve properties such as halting. Thus correctness proofs of a parallel system can often be greatly simplified.
Skin cancer in Egypt: a word in your ear.

Background and objectives: In Egypt, the clinicopathologic features of skin cancer are still unknown. Materials and Methods: To define these features, registries of the Pathology Departments, Assiut and South Valley University Hospitals were reviewed. The lesions included 21 melanomas, 39 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), and 202 basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). Results: Skin cancer represented 5% of the malignant tumors of the entire body. BCC (77%) was the most common skin cancer followed by SCC (15%) and melanomas (8%). The mean age was 54±3 (melanomas), 66 ± 10 (BCC), and 60 ± 5.18 (SCC). The most common sites were the face (BCCs), face and extremities (SCCs), and face and lower limbs (melanomas). The average size (mm) was 21±0.3 ( melanomas), 28±0.3 (BCC) and 30±1.1 (SCC). Melanomas, BCCs, and SCCs were of nodular, keratotic invasive and nodular infiltrative types, respectively. Conclusions: In Egypt, skin cancer is uncommon malignancy. As compared to Western societies, the incidence rate of melanoma is ...
Partisan Orientations over the Long Haul: Results from the Three-Wave Political Socialization Panel Study

The present study examines the dynamics of partisanship and voting behavior by utilizing national survey panel data gathered in 1965, 1973, and 1982 from two strategically situated generations—members of the high school senior class of 1965 and their parents. At the aggregate level, generational effects appeared in the persistently weaker partisan attachments of the younger generation. At the individual level, strong effects based on experience and habituation appeared in the remarkable gains occurring in the stability of partisan and other orientations among the young as they aged from their mid-20s to their mid-30s. Dynamic modeling of the relationship between partisanship and voting choice demonstrated that the younger voters had stabilized at an overall weaker level of partisanship, leading to more volatile voting behavior which, in turn, failed to provide the consistent reinforcement needed to intensify preexisting partisan leanings.
Government revenue from monopoly supply of currency and deposits

Abstract This paper analyses the revenue-maximising problem for a government with a monopoly over the entire money industry, i.e., over the supply of bank deposits as well as currency in circulation. In this case, the government determines both the inflation rate and the nominal rate of interest on deposits. Provided currency and deposits are not perfect substitutes, a positive nominal deposit rate is warranted. Illustrative estimates for Turkey show that the revenue- maximising deposit rate there would be 16 1 2 percent and the inflation rate 35 percentage points above the deposit rate, i.e., 51 1 2 percent.
A comparison of the effects of social rearing and social training on approach responding of Gallus chicks.

It has been shown in an earlier paper that chicks that were housed and trained in pairs demonstrated a greater resistance to extinction of the neonatal approach response than did chicks that were housed and trained in isolation. The purpose of the present study was to attempt to replicate these results and to determine whether housing or training is the more important factor in generating the previous finding. Eighty-three, white Leghorn chicks were tested in an experiment employing a 2 × 2 factorial design comparing social vs isolate housing and social vs isolate imprinting training on resistance to extinction of a socially-reinforced running response. The data were consistent with the earlier findings and also revealed that the housing condition is more important in producing subsequent social searching than is the training condition.
Teacher learning in context: The special case of rural high school teachers

Falling under the umbrella of teacher quality, professional development is an important policy issue in US public education. Understanding teacher learning and its relationship to teacher work is critical if efforts to improve teacher quality are to be successful. This article examines one overlooked context in the discourse about teacher learning and work—rural high schools. The study focuses on 20 teachers across 3 case study schools and conceptualizes the relationship between teacher learning and work according to three contexts: the core, intermediate and peripheral contexts. These contexts are explored and important features discussed.
Reducing the Risk of an Accidental Launch

One of the serious risks associated with the strategic nuclear arsenals of Russia and the United States is that an accidental launch might result from a false alarm or from misinterpreting information provided by an early-warning system. This risk will not be reduced by bringing down the number of strategic missiles on high alert to the level of about 500 warheads on each side because this measure will not significantly affect first-strike vulnerability of the Russian strategic forces. Other measures that have been suggested so far, namely an upgrade of the Russian early-warning system, establishing additional channels of real-time exchange of early-warning data, or transparent and verifiable de-alerting of strategic forces, are more likely to increase the probability of an accident than to reduce it. To address the problem of an accidental launch in the short term, the United States and Russia, while continuing to work toward deep reductions of their strategic nuclear forces, should develop and implement...
Life cycle assessment of fresh pineapple from Costa Rica

Costa Rica is the largest exporter of fresh pineapple to US and European markets and production area has tripled since 2002 with associated economic benefits and environmental concerns. A detailed life cycle assessment of fresh pineapple from the farm to retail shelf in the US was performed to characterize the range of environmental performance and identify important sources of environmental impact and opportunities for improvement. Participating producers representing three major production regions and a range of field conditions and management practices provided data to support the assessment. Impacts estimated included energy demand, carbon footprint, stress-weighted water footprint, soil erosion, emergy, human and ecosystem toxicity, and others from TRACI with models customized for Costa Rican conditions. Using the functional unit of 1 serving of fruit for comparative purposes, pineapple likely has a higher energy demand and carbon footprint than common tree fruits such as apples and oranges because it is more input intensive but causes less water stress because of ideal climatic conditions in Costa Rica. The farming stage was the most important source of impacts and thus provides the most opportunities for improvements; packaging was significant due to the packing material, and refrigeration is the primarily contributor to impact during distribution, although it is a small contribution to overall impact. Selecting flat terrain, maximizing the yield:input ratio, packing in reusable cartons without crowns, and using energy-efficient refrigeration can provide significant reduction of measureable impacts, but these need to be considered alongside other impacts such as worker health and site-specific ecological and human risks that are not typically part of LCA. This approach and selected impact indicators provide a model for characterizing environmental performance of other fruits, especially in the humid tropics.
Effect of living (buckwheat) and UV reflective mulches with and without imidacloprid on whiteflies, aphids and marketable yields of zucchini squash.

The silverleaf whitefly, B biotype of the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius also known as B. argentifolii Bellows and Perring, and the melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, are key pests of zucchini squash in Florida. The use of mulches, living or synthetic, is one of the tactics that could be used to suppress whitefly and aphid populations and their associated transmitted viruses. Buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum Moench – a living mulch, and a synthetic, UV reflective mulch, were evaluated alone or in combination with a reduced-risk insecticide, imidacloprid Admire® 2F in two field experiments carried out during the Autumn of 2005 and 2006. Four 80-m2 plots were used for each treatment with standard white mulch as a control in a randomized complete block design. Imidacloprid was applied at planting and buckwheat mulch was planted approximately 2 weeks before the squash was seeded. Addition of imidacloprid to the mulches significantly reduced the number of whiteflies and apterous aphids in 2005 ...
Effect of divalent cations on hemolysin synthesis by Serpulina (Treponema) hyodysenteriae: inhibition induced by zinc and copper

Abstract Serpulina hyodysenteriae produces an oxygen-stable heat-labile hemolysin that may be an important virulence factor in the pathogenesis of swine dysentery. We examine the effect of Ca2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ on the hemolytic activity of cell-free supernatant (CFS) from S. hyodysenteriae, isolate B204. Cells harvested from late logarithmic phase cultures were incubated in phosphate-buffered saline containing glucose and RNA-core (PBS-GR) with or without cations and the hemolytic activity of CFS obtained after successive 30 min incubation and washing cycles was determined. The addition of either ZnSO4 or CuSO4 to the PBS-GR caused complete inhibition of hemolytic activity after 3 cycles; other cations gave results similar to control extracts. Reduction in the concentration of Zn2+ in CFS by 60 to 80% after each incubation cycle and binding of Zn2+ by EDTA indicated that Zn2+ was associated with the cell fraction, and inhibition of hemolysin activity was specifically mediated by Zn2+. When the spirochetes were washed after incubation in the presence of ZnSO4 for 2 cycles and incubated in fresh PBS-GR without Zn2+, inhibition of hemolysin activity remained unchanged, indicating that the inhibitory effect of ZnSO4 was due to a direct action of ZnSO4 on the spirochetes. Since neither the viability of the spirochetes nor the activity of pre-formed hemolysin were affected by the presence of ZnSO4, the inhibitory effect of Zn2+ cations was attributed to reduced biosynthesis by viable S. hyodysenteriae cells rather than interference of Zn2+ cations with lysis of erythrocytes by the hemolysin. Transmission electron microscopic examination of spirochetes after incubation in PBS-GR containing ZnSO4 revealed clumping of ribosomes and clearing of cell cytoplasm.
Seed and pollen dispersal by animals: convergence in the ecology of contamination and sloppy harvest

Seed dispersal and pollen movement by animals have very much in common, though we know so little of either that it is hard to be specific. The focus has been on animals at the fruit crop rather than the seed shadows that they generate (and the fate of those seeds), and on the animals that arrive at flowers rather than where they take the pollen obtained or whence came the pollen they are carrying. ‘Seed dispersal’ is a word that does not imply the fate of the seed; ‘pollination’ relates to the fate of the pollen grain, and therefore the two words are not of parallel meaning. In like manner, seeds (the zygote contained within, are different individuals from the parents while pollen is much more like the parent. The following areas are discussed with respect to how seed and pollen movement compare: ability of parent plant to assess success; gene flow; dependency of animals on seeds, pollen and bait; disruption by animal loss; secondary movements; fate of most seeds and pollen; syndromes; selection for maximization of movement; exclusion of ‘unwanted’ animals; adjustments to the needs of the animals; seeds and pollen as contaminants; necessity of dispersal and outcrossing. We need much more knowledge of what actually is happening in nature with seed and pollen shadows, and improved ability to think like a plant.
OBSERVATIONS ON “VAMPYRELLA PENULA‐STYLODINIUM SPHAERA” AND THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE CYST

Observation en MET et MEB et discussion sur la position taxonomique incertaine de cet organisme
Tibial hemimelia syndrome: Prenatal diagnosis by real‐time ultrasound

The tibial hemimelia syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant condition associated with limb deficiencies. We recently diagnosed this condition in a pregnancy at 16.5 weeks' gestation by ultrasound and a positive family history. To our knowledge, this represents the first case to be detected prenatally.
The fine structure of the bovine wart.

The fine structure of 5 naturally occurring and 4 experimentally produced cases of bovine cutaneous fibropapillomatosis was compared to that of normal bovine skin with both light and electron microscopy.Both degenerative and proliferative changes were found in the affected epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Virus-like particles (approximately 40 mμ) were first seen in the nuclei of degenerating fibroblasts and later in the epithelium. The number of virus-like particles was always small and they were associated with aggregates of chromatin. They were most numerous in the stratum granulosum. The degenerative changes were aggregation and margination of chromatin in the nucleus. In addition, epithelial cells had cytoplasmic vacuolization, loss of tonofibrils, focal necrobiosis, increased electron opaque globules and dilatation of intercellular spaces with changes of desmosomes. When these changes were marked the cells could be recognized as “pale cells” by light microscopy and usually occurred in groups. Viral...
Oleosins and oil bodies in seeds and other organs.

Diverse organisms store lipids in subcellular particles as food reserves, which will be mobilized during a forthcoming period of active metabolism. These lipid particles can be found in the seeds, pollens, flowers, roots, and stems of flowering plants, the spores and vegetative organs of nonflowering plants, and algae. They are also present in some animal cells, fungi, and Euglena. Of a11 these subcellular storage lipid particles, those from seeds have been studied most extensively. Seeds of most plant species store TAGs as food reserves for germination and postgerminative growth. The TAGs are present in small subcellular spherical oil bodies of approximately 1 pm in diameter. Each oil body has a matrix of TAGs surrounded by a layer of PLs. The small entities provide a large surface area per unit TAG, which would facilitate lipase binding and lipolysis during germination. Oil bodies inside the cells of mature seeds or in isolated preparations are remarkably stable and do not aggregate or coalesce. This stability is in contrast to the instability of artificial liposomes made from amphipathic and neutra1 lipids; the liposomes slowly coalesce after formation. Seed oil bodies are stable because their surface is shielded by a layer of unique proteins, termed oleosins. Oleosins, in addition to being present in the storage oil bodies of seeds and pollens, have recently been found in the nonstorage tissue of floral tapetum. The preliminary findings suggest that the tapetum oleosins are similar to seed oleosins in structure and function. They may prevent subcellular lipid droplets from coalescing; these lipid droplets are to be deposited onto the surface of the maturing
Intermittent Torsion of a Normal Ovary in a Child Associated with Use of a Trampoline

Abstract Background Ovarian torsion is rare in children. It usually occurs in the presence of ovarian or pelvic pathology. The course of symptoms is typically hours to days. Some authors have speculated that sudden acceleration/deceleration movements may precipitate torsion. Objectives The objective of this report is to describe a case of intermittent abdominal pain lasting nearly 6 months, which started when the child began playing regularly on a trampoline, and was ultimately diagnosed as intermittent ovarian torsion of an otherwise normal ovary. Case Report A 12-year-old girl presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with 2 h of abdominal pain and vomiting. She reported similar episodes over the previous 6 months. Initial ultrasound, obtained between episodes, was normal. Repeat ultrasound at ED presentation showed no blood flow to the left adnexa. Surgery confirmed the ovary to be twisted 1080 degrees and markedly edematous due to vascular engorgement. The family retrospectively identified the onset of the first episode as happening the same week the child had begun playing regularly on a trampoline. After surgery, she no longer played on the trampoline. At follow-up 22 months later, she had had no recurrence of her symptoms. Conclusion Intermittent ovarian torsion should be considered as a rare cause of recurrent abdominal pain in children. The presence of blood flow with Doppler ultrasound during acute symptoms does not exclude the diagnosis. Clinicians might also ask about unusual physical activities because several authors have theorized that ovarian torsion could be precipitated by sudden acceleration/deceleration movements.
Tissue-type plasminogen activator mutants. Theoretical and clinical considerations.

W'ITithin a short timeafter thefirst report on ~ thesuccessful cloning andexpression of TV tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA),l several laboratories beganworking oncreating newt-PAderivatives through site-directed mutagenesis.2-4 t-PAhasuniqueproperties that makeitanattractive choice forthrombolytic therapy.t-PAis"fibrin directed"; thatis, itpreferentially activates thefibrinolytic proenzyme plasminogenintoplasmin onfibrin thrombi. Incontrast, streptokinase andurokinase, theolder-used thrombolytic agents, indiscriminately activate thrombus aswell asplasma plasminogen.5 Nevertheless, work oncreating newt-PAmutants continued because thefollowing shortcomings ofthenative enzyme wererealized: 1)t-PAisnotaveryefficient plasminogenactivator evenon a fibrin thrombus; 2) although t-PAwasanticipated tocauseminimal bleeding complications, this prediction wasnotconfirmed inmajorclinical trials inwhicht-PAwas given inthedoses necessary foreffective coronary thrombolysis (100 mgpertreatment); itproved as likely tocauseminorandmajor bleeding complications asstreptokinase andinsomepatients caused profound fibrinogen depletion andaserious coagulation defect6-8; 3)t-PA, evenwhengiven concomitantly withorfollowed byheparin, carried ahigh risk ofreocclusion (10-20%) oncereperfusion has beenestablished; 4)theactivity ofinfused t-PAis attenuated because itisneutralized byanumberof plasma protease inhibitors, mostnotably plasminogenactivator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1)9; and5)t-PA possesses averyshort biologic half-life (<5minutes) inhumansand,therefore, mustbeadministered inhighdoses asaconstant intravenous infusion. Thestudy byC.E.L.Lucore, S.Fujii and
Predictors of Early Adult Outcomes in Pediatric-Onset Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the childhood clinical predictors of early adult outcomes in pediatric-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and to assess whether dimensional subtypes of OCD and the presence of comorbid tic symptoms influence long-term outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal cohort study in which 45 of 62 eligible children with OCD were reassessed an average of 9 years later, in early adulthood. Main outcome measures included expert-rated, obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptom severity and time to remission of OC symptoms. Baseline clinical characteristics were evaluated in terms of their influence on OCD severity in adulthood and time to remission of OC symptoms. RESULTS: Forty-four percent of subjects were determined to have subclinical OC symptoms at the follow-up evaluation. The absence of a comorbid tic disorder and the presence of prominent hoarding symptoms were associated with the persistence of OCD symptoms. Female gender, earlier age at childhood assessment, later age of OCD onset, more-severe childhood OCD symptoms, and comorbid oppositional defiant disorder also were associated with persistence of OCD symptoms into adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm that a significant proportion of treated children with OCD experience remission by adulthood. The presence of comorbid tics heralds a positive outcome, whereas primary hoarding symptoms are associated with persistent OCD.
The inhibitory action of corticotropin-releasing hormone on gonadotropin secretion in the ovariectomized rhesus monkey is not mediated by adrenocorticotropic hormone.

Earlier observations in our laboratory indicated that i.v. infusion of human/rat corticotropin-releasing hormone (hCRH) suppresses pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) release in ovariectomized rhesus monkeys. Since cortisol secretion increased significantly as well, it was not possible to exclude the possibility that this inhibitory effect of hCRH on gonadotropins was related to the activation of the pituitary/adrenal axis. The purpose of the present study was to determine the role of pituitary/adrenal activation in the effect of hCRH on LH and FSH secretion. We compared the effects of 5-h i.v. infusions of hCRH (100 micrograms/h, n = 7) and of human adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) (1-24) (5 micrograms/h, n = 3; 10 micrograms/h, n = 3, 20 micrograms/h, n = 3) to ovariectomized monkeys on LH, FSH, and cortisol secretion. As expected, during the 5-h ACTH infusions, cortisol levels increased by 176-215% of baseline control, an increase similar to that observed after CRH infusion (184%). However, in contrast to the inhibitory effect observed during the CRH infusion, LH and FSH continued to be released in a pulsatile fashion during the ACTH infusions, and no decreases in gonadotropin secretion were observed. The results indicated that increases in ACTH and cortisol did not affect LH and FSH secretion and allowed us to conclude that the rapid inhibitory effect of CRH on LH and FSH pulsatile release was not mediated by activation of the pituitary/adrenal axis.
Experimental analysis of on-wafer de-embedding techniques for RF modeling of advanced RFCMOS and BiCMOS technologies

Based on hardware measurement of 45nm RFCMOS and 130nm SiGe BiCMOS wafers, we present the first experimental investigation of the accuracy of various de-embedding techniques for high-frequency (up to 110GHz) on-wafer s-parameter characterization. The results clearly show that 4-port COMPLETE de-embedding offers accurate results only if the non-ideality of resistor standards is properly taken into account by using a newly developed technique. The industry-standard open-short (OS) de-embedding causes error at frequencies above 30GHz, and the pad-open-short technique significantly improves de-embedding accuracy over OS and, therefore, becomes an attractive approach since it only requires one more test structure than OS. The effects of gate electrostatic-discharge protection diodes on de-embedding accuracy for RFCMOS FETs are also presented and a technique is proposed that minimizes the associated errors.
Humanized Transgenic Mouse Models for Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetic Research

Extrapolation of the metabolic, pharmacokinetic and toxicological data obtained from animals to humans is not always straightforward, given the remarkable species difference in drug metabolism that is due in large part to the differences in drug-metabolizing enzymes between animals and humans. Furthermore, genetic variations in drug-metabolizing enzymes may significantly alter pharmacokinetics, drug efficacy and safety. Thus, humanized transgenic mouse lines, in which the human drug-metabolizing enzymes are expressed in mouse tissues in the presence or absence of mouse orthologues, have been developed to address such challenges. These humanized transgenic mice are valuable animal models in understanding the significance of specific human drug-metabolizing enzymes in drug clearance and pharmacokinetics, as well as in predicting potential drug-drug interactions and chemical toxicity in humans. This review, therefore, aims to summarize the development and application of some humanized transgenic mouse models expressing human drug-metabolizing enzymes. The limitations of these genetically modified mouse models are also discussed.
The Zebrafish Information Network (ZFIN): a resource for genetic, genomic and developmental research

The Zebrafish Information Network, ZFIN, is a WWW community resource of zebrafish genetic, genomic and developmental research information (http://zfin.org). ZFIN provides an anatomical atlas and dictionary, developmental staging criteria, research methods, pathology information and a link to the ZFIN relational database (http://zfin.org/ZFIN/). The database, built on a relational, object-oriented model, provides integrated information about mutants, genes, genetic markers, mapping panels, publications and contact information for the zebrafish research community. The database is populated with curated published data, user submitted data and large dataset uploads. A broad range of data types including text, images, graphical representations and genetic maps supports the data. ZFIN incorporates links to other genomic resources that provide sequence and ortholog data. Zebrafish nomenclature guidelines and an automated registration mechanism for new names are provided. Extensive usability testing has resulted in an easy to learn and use forms interface with complex searching capabilities.
Tropical Cyclones and Drought Amelioration in the Gulf and Southeastern Coastal United States

Precipitation from land-falling tropical cyclones (TCs) has a significant hydroclimatic influence in the southeastern United States, particularly during drought years. The frequency with which TCs ended drought conditions was examined for southeasterncoastal states from Texas to North Carolina during 1895–2011. The region was divided into the Gulf Coast states (GCS) and the southeastern Atlantic coast states (ACS). The spatiotemporal patterns of tropical cyclone drought busters (TCDBs) were analyzed. Larger-scale ocean– atmosphere influences on TCDBs were examined using chi-squared analysis. The ACS experienced TCDBs more frequently and farther inland compared to the GCS. The number of TCDBs has significantly increased withtime in theACS.TCDBsnumbersin the GCSdidnot exhibitsignificant increases, butthe areaalleviated ofdroughtconditionsincreased significantlyin the last 117 years. The dominantlarger-scaleocean–atmosphere forcingofTCDBswasacombinationofawarmAtlanticOcean[positiveAtlanticmultidecadaloscillationindex (AMO1)] and weak westerlies [negative North Atlantic Oscillation index (NAO2)]. AMO1 leads to an increase in the number of TCs throughout the North Atlantic basin, and NAO2 increases the likelihood of TC landfall by controlling the steering of TCs toward the southeastern United States.