cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermodynamic studies for drug design and screening.

Introduction: A key part of drug design and development is the optimization of molecular interactions between an engineered drug candidate and its binding target. Thermodynamic characterization provides information about the balance of energetic forces driving binding interactions and is essential for understanding and optimizing molecular interactions. Areas covered: This review discusses the information that can be obtained from thermodynamic measurements and how this can be applied to the drug development process. Current approaches for the measurement and optimization of thermodynamic parameters are presented, specifically higher throughput and calorimetric methods. Relevant literature for this review was identified in part by bibliographic searches for the period 2004 – 2011 using the Science Citation Index and PUBMED and the keywords listed below. Expert opinion: The most effective drug design and development platform comes from an integrated process utilizing all available information from structur...
Improving Feature Subset Selection Using a Genetic Algorithm for Microarray Gene Expression Data

Microarray data usually contains a huge number of genes (features) and a comparatively small number of samples, which make accurate classification or prediction of diseases challenging. Feature selection techniques can help us identify important and irrelevant (unimportant) features by applying certain selection criteria. However, different feature selection algorithms based on various theoretical arguments often produce different results when applied to the same data set. This makes selecting an optimal or near optimal feature subset for a data set difficult. In this paper, we propose using a genetic algorithm to improve feature subset selection by combining valuable outcomes from multiple feature selection methods. The goal of our genetic algorithm is to achieve a balance between the classification accuracy and the size of the feature subsets selected. The advantages of this approach include the ability to accommodate different feature selection criteria and find small subsets of features that perform well for a particular inductive learning algorithm of interest to build the classifier. The experimental results demonstrate that our approach can find subsets of features with higher classification accuracy and/or smaller size compared with each individual feature selection algorithm.
The effect of pollen load and pollen grain competition on fertilization success and progeny performance in Fagopyrum esculentum

Flowers of cultivated buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) often receive natural pollen loads of fewer than 10 pollen grains. The cultivated varieties also have high genetic variability. These observations raise the question of whether seed production in buckwheat is often limited by pollen delivery, and whether small increases in pollen load could result in gametophytic selection through pollen grain competition. In greenhouse-grown buckwheat plants, embryo sac penetration by pollen tubes was universal with 10 or more pollen grains. However, seed production increased with pollen load up to 30 grains per flower. Larger pollen loads, which intensify selection among gametophytes, resulted in more vigorous progeny. Seedlings produced from high pollen load (15–20 pollen grains) were larger (40% by weight) than those from low pollen load (5 pollen grains). These results are evidence that pollen grain competition can occur in buckwheat with benefits for progeny performance.
Dynamics of jet streaks in a stratified quasi‐geostrophic atmosphere: Steady‐state representations

The structure and dynamics of jet streaks in the extratropical upper troposphere are examined in the context of a continuously stratified quasi-geostrophic (QG) framework. It is hypothesized that jet streaks may result from the superposition of monopolar or dipolar vortices of mesoscale dimensions with the enhanced potential-vorticity gradients constituting the tropopause. Based on this hypothesis, steady-state monopolar and dipolar vortices in a uniform zonal background flow on an f-plane are investigated for their applicability as idealized dynamical representations of jet streaks. The representations of jet streaks satisfy the nonlinear governing equations of the continuously stratified QG framework: the monopolar vortex is specified in terms of axisymmetric distributions of QG potential vorticity in the interior of the domain and perturbation potential temperature on upper (tropopause) and lower (surface) boundaries, whereas the dipolar vortex is adapted from a closed-form analytical solution for the geostrophic stream function. Through the incorporation of vertical structure and divergent circulations, these representations of jet streaks extend those presented previously by the authors using a non-divergent barotropic model. It is shown that these vortex representations display characteristic signatures similar to those observed in atmospheric jet streaks. In particular, both the monopole and the dipole exhibit an ageostrophic wind directed towards lower geopotential height in the entrance region of the streak and towards higher geopotential height in the exit region. For the monopole, this ageostrophic wind is entirely rotational and there is no vertical motion. For the dipole, the rotational part of the ageostrophic wind dominates the divergent part; the latter is associated with a four-cell pattern of vertical velocity similar to that described in conceptual models of straight jet streaks. For both the monopole and the dipole, the jet streak is induced by the vortex structure such that the wind speed maximum translates at the same speed as the individual vortices; this translation speed is slower than the maximum wind speed in the core of the speed maximum, consistent with observations of jet streaks. It is proposed that the above representations provide a formal theoretical foundation for the conceptual models of jet streaks prevalent in the literature; these conceptual models typically are based on heuristic kinematic or parcel arguments and not on consistent solutions to a physically plausible set of equations. The representations also provide a foundation upon which to explore the unsteady behaviour of jet streaks in terms of the superposition of monopolar and dipolar vortices with non-uniform zonal background flows. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society.
The pef fimbrial operon of Salmonella typhimurium mediates adhesion to murine small intestine and is necessary for fluid accumulation in the infant mouse

We investigated the role of the pef operon, containing the genes for plasmid-encoded (PE) fimbriae of Salmonella typhimurium, in adhesion to the murine small intestine. In an organ culture model, a mutant of S. typhimurium carrying a tetracycline resistance cassette inserted in pefC was found to be associated in lower numbers with murine small intestine than the wild-type. Similarly, heterologous expression of PE fimbriae in Escherichia coli increased the bacterial numbers recovered from the intestine in the organ culture model. Adhesion to villous intestine mediated by PE fimbriae was further demonstrated by binding of an E. coli strain expressing PE fimbriae to thin sections of mouse small intestine. The contribution of pef-mediated adhesion on fluid accumulation was investigated in infant mice. Intragastric injection of S. typhimurium 14028 and SR-11 caused fluid accumulation in infant mice. In contrast, pefC mutants of S. typhimurium 14028 and SR-11 were negative in the infant mouse assay. Introduction of a plasmid containing pefBACD and orf5, the first five genes of the pef operon, into the pefC mutant complemented for fluid accumulation in the infant mouse assay. However, heterologous expression of PE fimbriae in E. coli did not result in fluid accumulation in the infant mouse, suggesting that factors other than fimbriae are involved in causing fluid accumulation.
Compatible analog coding of television signals for correction of transmission burst errors: a computer evaluation

Methods for encoding a TV signal in analog or digital formats in such a manner that bursts of impulse errors can be corrected are described. The procedure is insensitive to ghosts and other horizontal processing, and can be applied to composite signals prior to operations such as ghost removal, separation of chrominance and luminance, motion estimation, and scan conversion; thereby, these latter algorithms and the image viewing quality are enhanced by burst error correction. Redundant lines, transmitted during vertical retrace, are added to each field in a TV signal. As few as two lines need be added, amounting to 0.76% redundancy, and they can be computed by the addition and subtraction of field lines, a special case of vertical (comb) filtering. The predicted performance in the presence of background and impulse noise is good, and is verified by computations on NTSC fields. >
Discrimination and Assimilation

In a heterogeneous society with two social groups possessing competing social norms, members of the relatively worse-off group face an incentive to adopt the social norms of the better-off group and assimilate into it. I present a theory in which the cost of assimilation is endogenous and strategically chosen by the better-off group in order to screen those who wish to assimilate. In equilibrium, only high types, who generate positive externalities to the members of the better-off group, assimilate. As an application of the theory, I show that the so called “acting white” phenomenon in which students of a disadvantaged ethnic group punish peers who succeed academically can be explained as an optimal strategy on the part of untalented students to try to keep their more able co-ethnics in their community.
Endovascular intervention for delayed stenosis of extracranial–intracranial bypass saphenous vein grafts

Purpose Bypass graft stenosis is an uncommon but significant issue which can be encountered following extracranial–intracranial (EC–IC) bypass surgery and carries significant potential for morbidity and mortality. Angioplasty for graft stenosis (with or without stenting) has been extensively discussed in the cardiothoracic literature but its application for neurosurgical purposes has not been well documented. Methods Cases of EC–IC bypass undergoing endovascular intervention for graft stenosis were retrospectively reviewed; a literature search was performed. Diagnosis, pathology and indications for intervention were reviewed. Results Three patients underwent 13 endovascular interventions for EC–IC saphenous vein graft stenosis. The indication for the initial bypass was an unsecured intracranial aneurysm in all cases, using an interposition saphenous vein graft. The initial endovascular procedure was needed 9–23 weeks after the bypass surgery, a timeframe suggestive of intimal hyperplasia as the underlying etiology of stenosis. There were nine cases of angioplasty alone, three with stent placement and one case in which vasodilators were infused. Non-invasive phase contrast quantitative MR angiography was effective in predicting graft stenosis. Despite intervention, two grafts ultimately occluded and a third has remained patent only after multiple angioplasties and placement of a drug eluting coronary stent. Conclusion Although rare, bypass graft stenosis can occur in the subacute period, and likely represents a flow related venopathy. Given the challenges of re-do bypass surgery, endovascular intervention is an attractive treatment option. However, although repeated interventions with diligent follow-up may allow graft salvage, failure of endovascular intervention can also ultimately result in graft occlusion.
Comparison of sampling sizes for the co-evolution of cooperative agents

The evolution of heterogeneous team behaviour can be a very demanding task. In order to promote the greatest level of specialization team members should be evolved in separate populations. The greatest complication in the evolution of separate populations is finding suitable partners for evolution at trial time. If too few combinations are tested, the genetic algorithm loses its ability to recognize possible solutions and if too many combinations are tested the algorithm becomes too computationally expensive. In previous work a method of punctuated anytime learning was employed to test all combinations of possible partners at periodic generations to reduce the number of evaluations. In further works, it was found that by varying the number of combinations tested, the sample size, the GA could produce an accurate and even less computationally expensive solution. In this paper, we compare different sampling sizes to determine the most effective approach to finding the solution. We use a box pushing task to compare these different sampling sizes.
Shaping up for e-commerce: institutional enablers of the organizational assimilation of web technologies

The global reach of the Web technological platform, along with the range of services that it supports, makes it a powerful business resource. However, realization of operational and strategic benefits is contingent on effective assimilation of this type III IS innovation. This paper draws upon institutional theory and the conceptual lens of structuring and metastructuring actions to explain the importance of three factors-top management championship, strategic investment rationale, and extent of coordination-in achieving higher levels of Web assimilation within an organization. Survey data are utilized to test a nomological network of relationships among these factors and the extent of organizational assimilation of Web technologies.
Multi-resolution path planning: Theoretical analysis, efficient implementation, and extensions to dynamic environments

A multi-resolution path planning algorithm based on the wavelet transform of the environment has been reported previously in the literature. In this paper, we provide a proof of completeness of this algorithm. In addition, we present an implementation of this algorithm that reuses information obtained in previous iterations to perform subsequent iterations more efficiently. Finally, we extend this path planning algorithm to dynamic environments by presenting a simple scheme for updating the wavelet transform coefficients to reflect changes in the environment.
Head/disk interface failure mechanism

The problem of head crashes in magnetic disk recording is discussed. The events which precede typical failures of head/disk interfaces have been studied. These include perturbations in the slider dynamics, which was studied with a laser system; debris buildup on head and disk; and the cross transfer of debris, which starts a cycle that can ultimately lead to failure. Based on these observations, a qualitative model of the mechanism leading to typical head crashes is proposed. This model can be extended to many atypical head/disk interface failures as well. >
Levels of herbivory in two Costa Rican rain forests: Implications for studies of fossil herbivory

We measured changes in insect herbivore intensity and guild structure in two tropical forests of Costa Rica over a three-year period. We estimated herbivory levels using discrete leaf litter samples to account for factors that influence the types of leaves most likely to be preserved in the fossil record. We found that leaf area removed by insect herbivores did not vary significantly between years within the two sampled forests, but differed across years between forests. The lack of variation in herbivore intensity within forests suggests that estimates of herbivore damage from fossil assemblages may reflect levels of herbivore intensity typically experienced by a given forest, at least over a short ecological timescale. The differences in herbivore intensity between similarly categorized forests suggest that simple one-to-one comparisons between fossil and modern sites can be problematic. The distribution of functional feeding groups also differed on an interannual basis both within and between forests. As guild structure can be highly variable, caution should be taken when comparing modern herbivore guild structures with those from fossil assemblages. Studies of herbivory in fossil assemblages have yielded much lower levels of damage than those found in this study as well as those measured from other modern forests. Leaf fossil preservation, environmental differences, and changes in plant‐insect associations through time may account for these differences.
On Optimal Assembly of Systems

Abstract : The paper discusses the following reliability problem: A system has k different types of components. Associated with each component is a numerical value. Let the set(a sup j) (j = 1,...,k) denote the set of numerical values of the k components. Let R(a(sup 1),...,a(sup k) denote the probability that the system will perform satisfactorily (i.e. R(a(sup 1),...,a(sup k) is the reliability of the system) and assume R(a(sup 1),...,a(sup k) has the properties of a joint cumulative distribution function.
Hazard Alerting using Line-of-Sight Rate

This paper presents an analysis of an electro-optical hazard alerting system based on intruder line-of-sight rate. We use a recently-developed airspace encounter model to analyze intruder line-of-sight rate behavior prior to near miss. We look at a simple hazard alerting system that alerts whenever the line-of-sight rate drops below some set threshold. Simulations demonstrate that such an approach, regardless of the chosen threshold, leads to frequent false alerts. We explain how the problem of hazard alerting can also be formulated as a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) and show how such an approach signicantly decreases the false alert rate.
Transgenic RNA Interference in Mice

The discovery that small interfering RNA duplexes (siRNA) can silence gene expression in mammalian cells has revolutionized biomedical research. The most successful application of the discovery has been to study gene function in cultured human or mouse cells. However, the knockdown effect of siRNA is only transient. To achieve a more sustained gene-silencing effect, shRNA (small hairpin RNA) expressed from a vector is preferred. An additional benefit of shRNA is that RNA interference (RNAi) can now be applied in vivo through delivering shRNA-expressing vectors by transgenic technology. Transgenic RNAi not only allows the study of biological processes not present in cultured cells but also offers chronic therapeutic potentials. In this review, we will summarize the developments in the generation of transgenic RNAi mice.
An Evaluation of Computer-Based Instruction in Microbiology

There has been a tremendous increase in the availability of computer-based instructional (CBI) materials. Some studies have shown an improvement in learning when CBI is used. However, many researchers believe the current studies are inadequate. While CBI software should be thoroughly tested by developers, as educators, we should be concerned about whether or not the CBI materials we use are improving learning in our classrooms with our students. We present an evaluation of a computer-based hypermedia tutorial that was delivered over our General Microbiology website. We found that CBI was at least as effective as text-based material. However, of all students who used CBI, only those who explored most of the site benefited from using the site. Tracking each student’s use of the CBI was critical for understanding who was learning and why.
A reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) approach to the optimal modeling, identification, and design of nonlinear adaptive systems

A general approach is presented for modeling, identification, and design of nonlinear adaptive systems and filters in a setting of a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) F(E/sup N/) of Volterra series on the N-dimensional Euclidean space E/sup N/. The space F(E/sup N/) was introduced by De Figueiredo and Dwyer (1980) to solve nonlinear estimation problems by orthogonal projection methods. In the present case, the nonlinear adaptive system model is captured in two stages. In the first stage, which is nonparametric, the model structure is obtained as a best approximation in F(EN). In the second stage, which is parametric, the model parameters, which are coefficients of a linear combination of known nonlinear functions of the data, are obtained by linear mean square estimation. Developments and results of Eltoft and de Figueiredo on models based on dynamical functional artificial neural networks (D-FANNs) are briefly mentioned.
Novel Potassium Channel Blocker, 4-AP-3-MeOH, Inhibits Fast Potassium Channels and Restores Axonal Conduction in Injured Guinea Pig Spinal Cord White Matter

We have demonstrated that 4-aminopyridine-3-methanol (4-AP-3-MeOH), a 4-aminopyridine derivative, significantly restores axonal conduction in stretched spinal cord white-matter strips and shows no ...
Time-Temperature Reconstructions of Diagenetic Systems: ABSTRACT

Predicting the distribution of porosity and permeability enhancement in hydrocarbon reservoirs can be achieved by integrating the generation of carboxylic acids, phenols, mineral oxidants, and liquid hydrocarbons in time-temperature space. Such predictive models can be constructed by linking data from oil-field water chemistry, source rock geochemistry, clay mineralogy, clastic diagenesis, thermal modeling and basin analysis. The detailed organic and inorganic geochemistry and the thermal scenarios used in the time-temperature analysis must be basin specific. Predictive time-temperature models using kerogen-specific kinetic parameters have been developed for two tectonic settings: rift or "pull-apart" basins, and intermontane or "Laramide" basins. From these integrated reconstructions, the optimum conditions and capacity for porosity and permeability enhancement can be predicted. The optimum conditions for porosity and/or permeability enhancement are: (1) short migration distances, (2) rapid evolution from organic solvent generation to the liquid hydrocarbon window (thermal environments associated with crustal attenuation or overpressuring could cause such perturbations), (3) adequate fluid flux (organic acids are highly water soluble), and (4) available conduits in potential reservoir rocks (fractures, unconformities, or preserved original porosity). End_of_Article - Last_Page 868------------
Specific and time-dependent effects of glucocorticoid receptor agonist RU28362 on stress-induced pro-opiomelanocortin hnRNA, c-fos mRNA and zif268 mRNA in the pituitary.

This study examined the effects of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) agonist RU28362 on stress-induced gene expression in the pituitary of rats to investigate mechanisms of glucocorticoid negative feedback in vivo .I n an initial experiment, acute restraint stress produced rapid (within 15 min) induction ofc-fos mRNA, zif268 mRNA and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) hnRNA within the anterior and intermediate/posterior pituitary as determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Treatment with RU28362 (150 lg/kg, i.p.) 60 min before restraint inhibited adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone secretion and selectively suppressed the stress-induced increase in POMC hnRNA in the anterior pituitary gland. The failure of RU28362 to surpress the stress-induced rise in c-fos and expression of zif268 mRNA suggests that the central release of ACTH secretagogues was not affected at this time point by treatment with the GR agonist. Rather, the inhibition of ACTH release appeared to be due to a direct effect of RU28362 within the pituitary. A follow-up time-course study varied the interval (10, 60 or 180 min) between RU28362 pretreatment and the onset of restraint. The stress-induced increase in POMC hnRNA was completely blunted by RU28362 treatment within 10 min of treatment, although the stress induced hormone secretion, c-fos mRNA and zif268 mRNA were unaffected. The rapid inhibition of the stress-induced rise in POMC hnRNA in the anterior pituitary appears to reflect direct, GR-mediated suppression of POMC gene expression. RU28362 pretreatment 180 min before restraint onset was sufficient to suppress the stress-induced expression in the anterior pituitary gland of all three genes examined. Thus, the delayed negative feedback effects on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity that emerged after 180 min after glucocorticoid treatment were not evident at 60 min. Taken together, the data suggest that the inhibition of the stress-induced release of ACTH apparent within the first hour of glucocorticoid exposure is effected at the level of the pituitary gland. The delayed glucocorticoid effects evident 180 min after RU28362 treatment may include glucocorticoid actions in the brain and additional actions within the pituitary.
A Morning Surge in Plasma Luteinizing Hormone Coincides with Elevated Fos Expression in Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Immunoreactive Neurons in the Diurnal Rodent, Arvicanthis niloticus

Arvicanthis niloticus is a diurnal murid rodent from sub-Saharan Africa. Here we report on processes associated with mating in this species in an attempt to elucidate how the neural mechanisms governing temporal organization differ in nocturnal and diurnal species. First, we systematically mapped the distribution of GnRH neurons in adult females. Second, we tested the hypothesis that Arvicanthis differ from nocturnal murid rodents with respect to the timing of the LH surge and the associated increase in Fos expression in GnRH-immunoreactive (IR) neurons. We examined these events around a postpartum estrus. When parturition occurred between zeitgeber time (ZT) 2 and 17 (lights on at ZT 0 and off at ZT 12; there are 24 ZT units a day, each equivalent to 1 standard hour), we collected blood and perfused females at ZT 17, 20, 23, or 2. A sharp peak in plasma LH occurred at ZT 20, and a 10-fold increase in the percentage of GnRH-IR neurons that expressed Fos-IR occurred between ZT 17 and 20. By contrast, this rise occurs in nocturnal rodents during the last few hours of the light period. This is the first indication of a difference between nocturnal and diurnal animals with respect to neural mechanisms associated with a precisely timed event of known significance.
Voice capacity evaluation of IEEE 802.11a with automatic rate selection

This paper analyzes the transmission of voice and isochronous traffic in general over an 802.11a wireless local area network. In particular, we provide a simple analytic technique for estimating the capacity of an 802.11a access point under the contention-based access method when all stations can select an optimal transmission rate using automatic rate selection. Capacity is additionally estimated using a wireless LAN (WLAN) system simulator that models contention-based access in a noise limited channel, in which packet erasures are modeled using quasi-static link simulation techniques. The impact of automatic rate selection on capacity is evaluated. Results from the analytic and simulation based methods of estimating capacity are compared. In addition, impact on voice capacity from data traffic is studied.
Production and uses of subject-matter research in federal service: observations from research on Farmer Mac

Abstract Rapid institutional innovation in the 1980's has led to problems that exceed the scope of research normally assumed by individual researchers. During such periods of rapid change, subject-matter research may be particularly useful. This paper reviews research on the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) and examines its role in the policy debate.
EDUCATION FOR INTERCULTURAL CITIZENSHIP: CONCEPTS AND COMPARISONS

EDUCATION FOR INTERCULTURAL CITIZENSHIP: CONCEPTS AND COMPARISONS. Geof Alred, Mike Byram, and Mike Fleming (Eds.). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters, 2006. Pp. xi + 254. $42.95 paper.This volume is the latest in the Languages for Intercultural Communication and Education series. The concept of interculturalism that underlies the editors' perspective emerged largely from the foreign language education context, but in this volume, it is applied to the case of citizenship education in a number of cases. The case studies are made especially strong by the inclusion of what can best be termed an ethical or moral perspective; ultimately, as the editors note, “an intercultural perspective on citizenship education also identifies ethical issues more clearly” (p. 3). Included in the volume are both theoretical rationales for intercultural citizenship education (especially Byram's excellent and powerful chapter, “Developing a Concept of Intercultural Education”) and a wide array of case studies, most from Asia and Europe. Interestingly, the major gap in the volume is the complete absence of Africa (and, indeed, of Latin America, save Mexico) from the cases explored—a gap that one hopes will later be filled in the literature inspired by this work.
Airport Accessibility and Detroit Passengers

The effect of decreased accessibility on passenger usage of the Detroit airport is investigated using techniques of statistical inference. The purpose is to demonstrate the usefulness, even necessity, of these techniques for the proper analysis of many of the data that arise in transportation engineering problems. The great variability inherent in growth rates for individual city-pairs makes isolation of the accessibility effect at Detroit difficult. However, after certain adjustments to the data, an analysis of variance strongly indicates the presence of an accessibility effect on 1946 to 1947 growth. Conversely, the data do not offer any evidence of further accessibility effects on growth rates in later years. A point estimate of the percentage of passengers lost because of relocation is 28.7%, and 95% confidence limits are 12.4% to 41.9%.
Symmetry and Its Use

The basic ideas involved in the use of available symmetries are outlined in App. A. Here, we discuss the preparation of a program in terms of the use of the symmetries that may exist in any particular application. The user needs to go through this reasoning in order to set up the program properly, if symmetry is to be exploited.
Transient CD4+ T Cell Depletion Results in Delayed Development of Functional Vaccine-Elicited Antibody Responses.

UNLABELLED We have recently demonstrated that CD4(+)T cell help is required at the time of adenovirus (Ad) vector immunization for the development of functional CD8(+)T cell responses, but the temporal requirement for CD4(+)T cell help for the induction of antibody responses remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that induction of antibody responses in C57BL/6 mice can occur at a time displaced from the time of Ad vector immunization by depletion of CD4(+)T cells. Transient depletion of CD4(+)T cells at the time of immunization delays the development of antigen-specific antibody responses but does not permanently impair their development or induce tolerance against the transgene. Upon CD4(+)T cell recovery, transgene-specific serum IgG antibody titers develop and reach a concentration equivalent to that in undepleted control animals. These delayed antibody responses exhibit no functional defects with regard to isotype, functional avidity, expansion after boosting immunization, or the capacity to neutralize a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Env-expressing pseudovirus. The development of this delayed transgene-specific antibody response is temporally linked to the expansion of de novo antigen-specific CD4(+)T cell responses, which develop after transient depletion of CD4(+)T cells. These data demonstrate that functional vaccine-elicited antibody responses can be induced even if CD4(+)T cell help is provided at a time markedly separated from the time of vaccination. IMPORTANCE CD4(+)T cells have a critical role in providing positive help signals to B cells, which promote robust antibody responses. The paradigm is that helper signals must be provided immediately upon antigen exposure, and their absence results in tolerance against the antigen. Here we demonstrate that, in contrast to the current model that the absence of CD4(+)T cell help at priming results in long-term antibody nonresponsiveness, antibody responses can be induced by adenovirus vector immunization or alum-adjuvanted protein immunization even if CD4(+)T cell help is not provided until >1 month after immunization. These data demonstrate that the time when CD4(+)T cell help signals must be provided is more dynamic and flexible than previously appreciated. These data suggest that augmentation of CD4(+)T cell helper function even after the time of vaccination can enhance vaccine-elicited antibody responses and thereby potentially enhance the immunogenicity of vaccines in immunocompromised individuals.
Puritanism and Refinement in Early New England: Reflections on Communion Silver

The Puritan colonists of seventeenth-century New England were under no theological or ecclesiastical obligation to celebrate the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper using refined silver vessels for the wine and bread. Yet despite the dire scarcity of precious metals in the colony, they chose to take silver out of circulation and use it to make silver communion vessels. These vessels were in widespread use throughout the region, in churches both rich and poor, and are widely seen as chief exemplars of the Puritans’ finest art. This essay explores the reason for this counterintuitive development by examining the spiritual value of material objects in the development of Puritan religious sensibilities. It argues for a closer connection between early modern religious reformations and the spread of refinement and consumption than previous scholarship has suggested, by showing the parallels in the construction of desire shared by pious and genteel cultures.
Tests of SU(3) and quark-line rules in ee anti e 3P, PPV reactions and psi decay

It has been shown that reactions ee anti e 3P and PPV are excellent means for testing SU(3) sum rules as well as the quark-line rule. We can derive various relations involving the cross sections for these reactions if the quark-line rule is valid. The connection with various decay modes of the psi meson is emphasized. We can also test the absence of the SU(3)-singlet component in the electromagnetic interaction. (AIP)
Aligning Athletes’ Career Choices and Graduate Degree Pathways: Implications for 21st-Century Career Development Professionals

Higher education career development professionals are charged with more than understanding the challenges and needs of a diverse student body, and they must also prepare students for career fields in life after higher education. This empirical study explored the graduate degree choices and career aspirations of 14 college athletes who competed in football at large, highly selective Division I/Research I universities. This study aimed to further understand how life experiences influence graduate degree choice and the subsequent alignment of chosen degree path and future career aspirations. Findings of this study were guided by Savickas’ career construction theory. Personal narratives were collected in semi-structured individual interviews and analyzed using the constant comparative method. This study presents implications and recommendations for contemporary career development practitioners who work with college athletes as they engage in processes of career exploration, choice, and preparation.
Strategies of Chunan County Biodiversity Conservation

According to the significance of biodiversity conservation in Chunan County,a comprehensive investigation and analysis of the biodiversity status of Chunan County were conducted.Although Chunan County has built network system from the regulations,policies,regulatory agencies,public education,animal and plant protection methods,but still there were many stress factors.Thus,strategies of Chunan County biodiversity conservation principles,objectives,zoning layout,implementation of major projects based on the continuation of the original ecological construction projects,including Thousand-island Lake forest and wetland ecosystem restoration project,Nature Conservation residential construction projects,old and valuable trees and tree germplasm resources protection projects,as well as the development of protection ability and support system,have been put forward.
Hydrothermal behavior of PEMFC stack under dynamic drive profiles

Hydrothermal behavior of PEMFC directly affects its performance and lifetime. The hydrothermal behaviors of a kW-class PEMFC stack under dynamic drive profiles was studied through in-situ temperature measurement and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. It is found that the distributions of temperature and membrane water content inside the stack are different from region to region and vary with the current density and the dynamic load cycle period. Such hydrothermal behavior will cause regional PEM hydrothermal degradation which can induce MEA structural damage, including the regional damage of catalyst layers and the degradation of the membrane. Controlling the hydrothermal behaviors inside PEMFC stack to reduce its damage to MEA should be an effective way to improve the durability of PEMFC stack.
Abstract IA08: Oxidative stress inhibits distant metastasis by human melanoma cells

Solid cancer cells commonly enter the blood and disseminate systemically but are highly inefficient at forming distant metastases for poorly understood reasons. We studied human melanomas that differed in their metastasis histories in patients and in their capacity to metastasize in NSG mice. All melanomas had high frequencies of cells that formed subcutaneous tumors, but much lower percentages of cells that formed tumors after intravenous or intrasplenic transplantation, particularly among inefficient metastasizers. Melanoma cells in the blood and visceral organs experienced oxidative stress not observed in established subcutaneous tumors. Successfully metastasizing melanomas underwent reversible metabolic changes during metastasis that increased their capacity to withstand oxidative stress, including increased dependence upon NADPH-generating enzymes in the folate pathway. Anti-oxidants promoted distant metastasis in NSG mice. Folate pathway inhibition using low-dose methotrexate, ALDH1L2 knockdown, or MTHFD1 knockdown inhibited distant metastasis without significantly affecting the growth of subcutaneous tumors in the same mice. Oxidative stress thus limits distant metastasis by melanoma cells in vivo. Citation Format: Elena Piskounova, Michalis Agathocleous, Ralph J. DeBerardinis, Sean J. Morrison. Oxidative stress inhibits distant metastasis by human melanoma cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Developmental Biology and Cancer; Nov 30-Dec 3, 2015; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(4_Suppl):Abstract nr IA08.
A new model of risk: implications of increasing pulse pressure and systolic blood pressure on cardiovascular disease.

Abstract Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) has historically functioned as the primary indicator of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Many clinical and observational, long-term, large population studies, including the Framingham Heart Study and Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT), have repeatedly demonstrated a positive correlation between CVD events and DBP. However, unexplained results, often emerged from the data, in the form of a DBP threshold (where lower rates of DBP were not associated with lower disease rates) and a J-shaped relationship (a decline of DBP that correlated with an increased risk of CVD), have complicated the association of blood pressure to events. In the past decade studies have focused on other indicators to explain these irregularities. From these clinical and observational studies, new evidence has become available which strongly indicates that systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse pressure (PP) may be more reliable predictors of CVD events than DBP. Indeed, in several studies, a wide baseline PP has been identified as the only measure of blood pressure that is an independent risk factor for cardiac events. Moreover, pretreatment SBP has linearly predicted future CVD events in treated patients, while DBP has not. These studies of treated patients have also led to the identification of pretreatment risk factors that can be applied to stratify risk among patients who go on to have controlled blood pressure on treatment. This new information can more precisely identify patients at increased risk of CVD events and thus make it possible to more precisely tailor therapy to enhance the potential for CVD prevention.
Surgery Illustrated--focus on details. Modified posterior reconstruction of the rhabdosphincter: application to robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) is being performed more frequently as a treatment for presumed localized prostate cancer. With the stage migration that has occurred in prostate cancer diagnosis, urologists are now frequently treating younger men with organ-conﬁned disease, who have good preoperative urinary and sexual function [1]. As the recovery period shortens, issues such as urinary incontinence play a larger role in the patient’s perception of recovery. Surgeons are making technical modiﬁcations to their surgical approach to improve ‘early continence’ after prostatectomy.In 2001, Rocco F. et al. [2] described a technique for posterior reconstruction of the rhabdosphincter. This entailed a two-layered reconstruction with apposition of the free edge of Denovilliers’ fascia and the posterior bladder with the posterior aspect of the
Attenuating the p53 Pathway in Human Cancers: Many Means to the Same End

The p53 pathway is perturbed in the majority of human cancers. Although this most frequently occurs through the direct mutation or deletion of p53 itself, there are a number of other alterations that can attenuate the pathway and contribute to tumorigenesis. For example, amplification of important negative regulators, MDM2 and MDM4, occurs in a number of cancers. In this work, we will review both the normal regulation of the p53 pathway and the different mechanisms of pathway inhibition in cancer, discuss these alterations in the context of the global genomic analyses that have been conducted across tumor types, and highlight the translational implications for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Does Implant Design Influence the Accuracy of Patient Specific Instrumentation in TKA

Introduction: Patient specific instrumentation (PSI) generates customized guides from a magnetic resonance imaging based preoperative plan for use in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). PSI software must be able to accommodate differences in implant design. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether any differences in the accuracy of limb alignment, component alignment, component sizing, or bony resection could be identified in patients undergoing PSI TKA with identical PSI software and one of two different implant systems. Methods: In this case-control study, two different implant systems from the same manufacturer were evaluated in 37 consecutive PSI TKA (Group 1) and 123 consecutive PSI TKA (Group 2) performed by a single surgeon. A third group (Group 3) consisted of 12 consecutive TKA performed with manual instrumentation and the same implant system as Group 1. Identical software was used to generate a preoperative plan from which planned limb alignment, component alignment, component sizes, and bony resection were determined. Intraoperatively, actual component sizes, bony resection, and recut frequency were determined. Long-standing and lateral radiographs were obtained preoperatively and 4-weeks postoperatively to evaluate limb and component alignment. Results: Groups were similar with regard to age, gender, BMI, and preoperative alignment. No differences in the accuracy of limb alignment, component alignment, component sizing, or PSI-planned versus actual resection were found between Groups 1 and 2. The rate of recuts required was lower in Group 1 than Group 2 for the proximal tibia (3% vs. 35%; p Discussion: No discernible differences in the accuracy of limb alignment, component alignment, and component sizing were found between Groups 1 and 2. Group 1 required fewer recuts than Group 2 for the proximal tibia. There may be characteristics of implant design, e.g. the slope of the tibial plateau, that may influence the ability of PSI to accurately determine cut thickness. No differences in limb alignment, component alignment, or bony resection were identified between Groups 1 and 3. Group 1 showed less variability in resection depth than Group 3 in the posterior femur and proximal tibia. This study suggests that PSI can be equally accurate for different implant systems. For a given implant system, PSI shows less variation in resection depth when compared to manual instrumentation.
0°: A Primer on Geographic Representation

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a technically accessible overview of geographic representation, geodesy, projections, and georeferencing. All four of these domains function as key building blocks for better understanding the important details associated with calculating distance, direction, and elevation, as well as locating features on the earth’s surface and transforming these features into positions on a flat map (or screen) through the use of projections. More importantly, as digital representations of the earth’s surface continue to grow in popularity and use, it is also important to provide a primer on how these data are conceptualized and handled in an electronic environment.
Formation of Ruthenium nanocrystals buried in HfO 2 matrix for nonvolatile memory applications

Nanocrystal (NC) floating gate flash memory is considered to be one of the most promising candidates to replace conventional highly doped polysilicon floating gate flash memory technology widely used today. [1] Metal NCs is more desirable compared to its semiconductors to work as charge storage storage node, because metals usually have large work function and can be engineered down to 1 nm without decreasing potential well depth. [2, 3] However, most metal NCs are easily oxidized and diffuse into the surrounding dielectric under high temperature process conditions, resulting in bad NC-dielectric interface quality and the degradation of the memory performance.[4] In this paper, for the first time, we present an approach using Ruthenium (Ru) NC buried in HfO 2 matrix to work as charge storage nodes, which can create a robust NC- high K dielectric interface. Combined with some advantages of Ruthenium, good memory device performance can be achieved.
RIP Josh Mann

College Night has been a Tenderloin U event since 1999. In a photograph of the first night, a young man sits in the front row, happily engaged in the goings-on. Three years later, he commits suicide. Big D is the first to tell me about Josh Mann’s death. We discuss it in his apartment with some of Big D’s friends, revealing their relationship and his living situation. The suicide reverberates throughout the neighborhood. I only discover later that day that I knew the young man. Many of the young people I know are close to him. I attend the funeral, the first of many I will go to over the years. The family is devastated. Three months later, a second son commits suicide.