cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Engaging Gender: Student Application of Theory through Digital Storytelling.

Enabling students' engagement with gender theory can be a difficult task. One of the best ways to help students learn difficult conceptual material, such as theoretical texts, is to provide them with opportunities to state and restate those ideas in multiple ways and through multiple means. Digital storytelling provides an effective pedagogy that enhances this process of stating and restating, forcing students to express themselves in the `new language' of multimedia. Through a detailed reading of one student's work the essay proposes a taxonomy for novice uses of theory, ranging from summary to development of theoretical symbols. I then argue that digital storytelling uniquely enables students to illustrate and apply difficult conceptual material. In some cases, the visual form can even open up new possibilities for the application and refinement of concepts.
Smoke knows no boundaries: legal strategies for environmental tobacco smoke incursions into the home within multi-unit residential dwellings

OBJECTIVE—To describe legal theories that non-smoking residents of multiple occupancy buildings may employ when affected by environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) from neighbouring units. DESIGN—Legal research was conducted in several US states. Research was performed among statutes and regulations. State health regulations were examined as well as common law claims of nuisance, warranties of habitability, and the right of quiet enjoyment. RESULTS—Through the use of state regulations, such as a sanitary code, several states provide general language for protecting the health of residents in multi-unit buildings. State law also supports more traditional claims of nuisance, warranties of habitability, and the right of quiet enjoyment. CONCLUSIONS—The use of state regulations has the potential to provide an effective, existing vehicle for resolution of ETS incursion problems. The general health protection language of the regulations, in conjunction with the latest evidence of the harmful effects of ETS, gives state agencies authority to regulate environmental tobacco smoke incursions among apartments in multi-unit dwellings. Where state regulations are not available, other common law legal remedies may be available. Keywords: environmental tobacco smoke; legal strategies; multiple occupancy dwellings
Biological Functions of miR-29b Contribute to Positive Regulation of Osteoblast Differentiation

Bone tissue arises from mesenchymal cells induced into the osteoblast lineage by essential transcription factors and signaling cascades. MicroRNAs regulate biological processes by binding to mRNA 3′-untranslated region (UTR) sequences to attenuate protein synthesis. Here we performed microRNA profiling and identified miRs that are up-regulated through stages of osteoblast differentiation. Among these are the miR-29, miR-let-7, and miR-26 families that target many collagens and extracellular matrix proteins. We find that miR-29b supports osteoblast differentiation through several mechanisms. miR-29b decreased and anti-miR-29b increased activity of COL1A1, COL5A3, and COL4A2 3′-UTR sequences in reporter assays, as well as endogenous gene expression. These results support a mechanism for regulating collagen protein accumulation during the mineralization stage when miR-29b reaches peak levels. We propose that this mechanism prevents fibrosis and facilitates mineral deposition. Our studies further demonstrate that miR-29b promotes osteogenesis by directly down-regulating known inhibitors of osteoblast differentiation, HDAC4, TGFβ3, ACVR2A, CTNNBIP1, and DUSP2 proteins through binding to target 3′-UTR sequences in their mRNAs. Thus, miR-29b is a key regulator of development of the osteoblast phenotype by targeting anti-osteogenic factors and modulating bone extracellular matrix proteins.
Structure and Function of the Tryptophan Synthase α2β2 Complex: ROLES OF β SUBUNIT HISTIDINE 86

Abstract To probe the structural and functional roles of active-site residues in the tryptophan synthase α2β2 complex from Salmonella typhimurium, we have determined the effects of mutation of His86 in the β subunit. His86 is located adjacent to β subunit Lys87, which forms an internal aldimine with the pyridoxal phosphate and catalyzes the abstraction of the α-proton of l-serine. The replacement of His86 by leucine (H86L) weakened pyridoxal phosphate binding ∼20-fold and abolished the circular dichroism signals of the bound coenzyme and of a reaction intermediate. Correlation of these results with previous crystal structures indicates that β-His86 plays a structural role in binding pyridoxal phosphate and in stabilizing the correct orientation of pyridoxal phosphate in the active site of the β subunit. The H86L mutation also altered the pH profiles of absorbance and fluorescence signals and shifted the pH optimum for the synthesis of l-tryptophan from pH 7.5 to 8.8. We propose that the interaction of His86 with the phosphate of pyridoxal phosphate and with Lys87 lowers the pK a of Lys87 in the wild-type α2β2complex and thereby facilitates catalysis by Lys87 in the physiological pH range.
Computer simulations of miscible displacement processes in disordered porous media

Abstract The results of a detailed study of miscible displacement processes (MDP) in disordered porous media are presented. The main goal is to develop efficient computer simulation methods for investigating the effect of disordered morphology of the pore space on the MDP. A two-dimensional network of interconnected tubes with distributed effective radii is used as a model of the pore space. We use a percolation network to study the effect of random topology on the displacement processes, and the effect of the geometry of the pore space is investigated by using various probability density functions for the effective radii of the tubes. We study MDP over a wide range of values of the mobility ratio, and several quantities of interest, such as the sweep efficiency of the process and its dependence on the length of the porous medium, and the fractal dimension characterizing MDP are determined and compared with the experimental data and previous predictions obtained by other methods. The results show the strong effect of the disordered morphology of the porous medium on MDP. In addition, it is shown that MDP are sensitive to the length scale over which the porous medium is macroscopically homogeneous. If MDP take place over a length scale that is smaller than a certain characteristic length scale over which the porous medium is macroscopically homogeneous, the macroscopic continuum equations which are usually used to describe MDP may not be valid. In addition, we are able to map the problem onto an equivalent random-walk problem for any value of mobility ratio and any type of disorder. The laws governing this random-walk are derived from the flow equations. The predictions of the random-walk model are in agreement with the results of direct simulations, and they both agree quantitatively with the available experimental data. The effect of dispersion on MDP is briefly discussed, and two models are proposed for studying the effect of dispersion on MDP.
A new thermal gradient device for culturing algae

A temperature gradient plate was constructed for use in culturing marine and freshwater microalgae. The apparatus can be used to study the effect of temperature and its interaction with other variables on the growth, reproduction and physiology of many aquatic organisms. In the present apparatus a constant temperature gradient from 0–40°C was produced along the length of a 1 m × 1 m × 1·25 cm aluminum plate by heating one end of the plate with a heating element and cooling the opposite end with a standard refrigeration evaporator. Variations from mean temperatures along a transect at right angles to the gradient were less than 1·5°C. The temperature gradient device discussed here is easy to build, has a low cost compared to devices previously described and requires little maintenance.
A Perspective on Distributed Computer Systems

Distributed computer systems have been the subject of a vast amount of research. Many prototype distributed computer systems have been built at university, industrial, commercial, and government research laboratories, and production systems of all sizes and types have proliferated. It is impossible to survey all distributed computing system research. Instead, this paper identifies six fundamental distributed computer system research issues, points out open research problems in these areas, and describes how these six issues and solutions to problems associated with them transect the communications subnet, the distributed operating system, and the distributed database areas. It is intended that this perspective on distributed computer system research serve as a form of survey, but more importantly to illustrate and encourage a better integration and exchange of ideas from various subareas of distributed computer system research.
Growth cone steering by receptor tyrosine phosphatase δ defines a distinct class of guidance cue

Receptor-type tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) are involved in pathfinding decisions by elongating axons, but how they function in these decisions remains unclear. A vertebrate RPTP, PTP-δ, is a neurite-promoting homophilic adhesion molecule; here we demonstrate chemoattraction of CNS growth cones by a locally applied gradient of soluble PTP-δ. The attractive effect of PTP-δ was abolished by inhibition of tyrosine phosphatase activity, but in contrast to other guidance proteins was unaffected by inhibition of cyclic nucleotide activities. Gradients of PTP-δ or of laminin-1 also promoted increases in the speed of growth cone migration, but laminin-1 did not steer growth cones. Our results indicate that PTP-δ is a chemoattractant for vertebrate CNS neurons in vitro and suggest that it represents a distinct class of guidance protein from those previously defined. Further, our data indicate that growth cone attraction is mechanistically distinct from increases in the speed of growth cone movement.
Combined imaging and chemical sensing of fertilization-induced acid release from single sea urchin eggs.

We demonstrate a microarray sensor capable of obtaining both chemical and visual information on multiple cells simultaneously with single-cell resolution. The array was fabricated by covalently immobilizing a thin, pH-sensitive polymer layer on the distal end of an optical imaging fiber. The sensor's ability to measure localized chemical dynamics in real-time was evaluated using sea urchin fertilization biochemistry as a model system. Following sea urchin fertilization, the Na(+)/H(+) transporter is activated to exchange extracellular sodium ions for intracellular hydrogen ions, causing a release of hydrogen ions at the egg's surface. By placing the pH sensor proximal to the egg and switching between a fluorescence image and a white light image, we were able to observe both localized pH changes following fertilization as well as morphological transformations during cell division.
Characteristics of Summer Trade Wind Rainfall over Oahu

Abstract In this study, characteristics of summer trade wind rainfall over Oahu, Hawaii, are analyzed. In the early morning before sunrise, flow deceleration on the windward coastal area is the greatest when the island land surface is the coldest. Furthermore, relatively calm winds are found over central Oahu between the Ko’olau Mountains and the Waianae Mountains, with weak westerly katabatic winds on the windward side of the Waianae Mountains. Most windward stations have an early morning rainfall maximum with a secondary rainfall maximum in the early evening. Morning (afternoon) land (sea) breezes dominate under variable winds, and are more pronounced over leeward Oahu. Precipitation on the western leeside coast has a slight peak in the afternoon due to an increase of cloud development from the afternoon sea breezes. Daily orographic rainfall over Oahu is greater under the strong trade wind regime, and less under weak trade wind and variable-wind flow regimes. However, the maximum correlation between da...
The Dirichlet problem for elliptic systems in multiconnected rough regions

We present a new integral formulation for the L 2 Dirichlet boundary value problem associated with second order elliptic systems in multiconnected regions with rough boundaries. This study has been motivated by displacement prescribed problems arising in solid mechanics and our results are relevant to their numerical treatment.
Effect of intraparticle convection on the chromatography of biomacromolecules.

The effect of intraparticle convection in chromatographic columns packed with gigaporous particles (i.e., where dpore/dparticle > 10(-2)) on the band spreading of unretained biomacromolecules is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. A model is developed for the analysis of mass transfer in spherical particles of bidisperse pore structure when both convection and diffusion take place in the larger pores but only diffusion occurs in the smaller pores. The predictions of the model were experimentally verified. It is demonstrated that gigaporous particles have advantages over conventional porous particles (i.e., where dpore/dparticle < 10(-3)) for applications that do not require high resolving power, to bring about fast separation. This is because columns packed with gigaporous particles can be operated at high flow velocities without significant loss of efficiency due to the enhancement of mass transfer by intraparticle convection. The results of the model are used to examine the effectiveness of gigaporous column packings for rapid analytical chromatography and for the concentration and recovery of a dilute solute in a saturation-regeneration cycle utilizing frontal chromatography.
Energetics and mechanism for hydroxyl radical production from the Pt-catalyzed decomposition of water

Abstract The catalytic decomposition of H 2 O over a polycrystalline platinum surface has been studied in a low pressure flow system. Hydroxyl radicals were detected in gaseous decomposition products above about 820 K by laser-induced fluorescence at 300 nm. The activation energy for the HO desorption process, HO* → HO(g)+*, was determined to be 30 ± 1 kcal/mol, which is in excellent agreement with the values reported previously for the Pt-catalyzed oxidation of H 2 by O 2 and N 2 O. The effects of added H 2 , D 2 and O 2 on HO formation were also investigated and the observed data can be satisfactorily accounted for by a mechanism which involves chemically adsorbed H, O and HO species. A similar but brief experiment was carried out for the catalytic decomposition of NH 3 over the same catalyst. However, no NH or NH 2 radicals were detected in gaseous decomposition products up to 1100 K.
Method-of-moments estimators of stable distribution parameters

A method is developed for estimating the four parameters of stable Paretian distributions. Based on a procedure proposed by an earlier researcher but never developed, the method proves to be mathematically simple and easy to apply. The method is extensively tested and sampling properties of the estimators are studied, providing approximate confidence intervals for the estimators.
The Permutizer Condition in Infinite Soluble Groups

Abstract A group satisfies the permutizer condition P if each proper subgroup permutes with some cyclic subgroup not contained in it. Here we characterize the classes of soluble minimax groups and finitely generated soluble groups with P .
Drosophila in cancer research: the first fifty tumor suppressor genes.

SUMMARY In Drosophila, over 50 genes have been identified in which loss-of-function mutations lead to excess cell proliferation in the embryo, in the central nervous system, imaginal discs or hematopoietic organs of the larva, or in the adult gonads. Twenty-two of these genes have been cloned and characterized at the molecular level, and nine of them show clear homology to mammalian genes. Most of these mammalian genes had not been previously implicated in cell proliferation control. Overgrowth in some of the mutants involves conversion to a cell type that, in normal development, shows more cell proliferation than the original cell type. Thus the neurogenic mutants, including Notch, show conversion of epidermal cells to neuroblasts, leading to the ‘neurogenic’ phenotype of excess nervous tissue. The ovarian tumor mutants show conversion of the female germ line to a cell type resembling the male germ line, which undergoes more proliferation than the female germ line. Mutations of the fat locus cause hyperplastic overgrowth of imaginal discs, in which the epithelial structure is largely intact. The predicted fat protein product is a giant relative of cadherins, supporting indications from human cancer that cadherins play an important role in tumor suppression. Mutations in the lethal(2)giant larvae and lethal(1)discs large genes cause neoplastic overgrowth of imaginal discs as well as the larval brain. The dlg gene encodes a membrane-associated guanylate kinase homolog that is localized at septate junctions between epithelial cells. This protein is a member of a family of homologs that also includes two proteins found at mammalian tight junctions (ZO-1 and ZO-2) and a protein found at mammalian synaptic junctions (PSD-95/SAP90). Genes in which mutations cause blood cell overproduction include aberrant immune response-8, which encodes the RpS6 ribosomal protein and hopscotch, which encodes a putative non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase. The gene products identified by ovarian tumor mutants do not show clear amino acid sequence homology to known proteins. Drosophila provides an opportunity to rapidly identify and characterize tumor suppressor genes, many of which have mammalian homologs that might also be involved in cell proliferation control and tumor suppression.
Evaluation of ozone-alkylpyridine reaction kinetics using spectroscopic measurements

Abstract Rate constants for bimolecular reactions between ozone and a group of alkylpyridines were estimated by application of a pseudo-first-order technique involving time-course monitoring of reactor contents. The method used was a modification of an existing protocol for evaluation of gas-phase reaction kinetics. Reaction progress was followed spectroscopically. The method was found to be inadequate for accurate determination of kinetic parameters due to absorptive interferences; however, it was sufficient for defining lower limits of reaction rate constants. Tropospheric reactions of alkylpyridines with ozone were found to be extremely slow, with atmospheric lifetimes of the order of years.
An overview of homologous pairing and DNA strand exchange proteins

Processes fundamental to all models of genetic recombination include the homologous pairing and subsequent exchange of DNA strands. Biochemical analysis of these events has been conducted primarily on the recA protein of Escherichia coli, although proteins which can promote such reactions have been purified from many sources, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic. The activities of these homologous pairing and DNA strand exchange proteins are either ATP-dependent, as predicted based on the recA protein paradigm, or, more unexpectedly, ATP-independent. This review examines the reactions promoted by both classes of proteins and highlights their similarities and differences. The mechanistic implications of the apparent existence of 2 classes of strand exchange protein are discussed.
Simultaneous non-parametric confidence intervals for survival probabilities from censored data

In medical studies with censored data Kaplan and Meier's product limit estimator has frequent use as the estimate of the survival function. Simultaneous confidence intervals for the survival function at various time points constitute a useful addition to the analysis. This study compares several such methods. We consider in a simulation investigation two whole curve confidence bands and four methods based on the Bonferroni inequality. The results show that three Bonferroni-type methods are essentially equivalent, all being better than the other methods when the number of time points is small (3 or 5).
Tasting the good life: wine tourism in the Napa Valley

In this book the authors' look at wine tourism as a particular type of tourism, the working lives of people in tourism, and the social and environmental impacts of tourism in the Napa Valley. Their...
Neonatal bladder inflammation alters activity of adult rat spinal visceral nociceptive neurons.

Abstract Purpose : This investigation examined the effect of inflammation produced by intravesical zymosan during the neonatal period on spinal dorsal horn neuronal responses to urinary bladder distension (UBD) as adults. Methods : Female rat pups (P14–P16) were treated with intravesical zymosan or with anesthesia-only. These groups of rats were subdivided forming four groups: half received intravesical zymosan as adults and half received anesthesia-only. One day later, rats were anesthetized, the spinal cord was transected at a cervical level and extracellular single-unit recordings of L6-S1 dorsal horn neurons were obtained. Neurons were classified as Type I—inhibited by heterotopic noxious conditioning stimuli (HNCS) or as Type II – not inhibited by HNCS – and were characterized for Spontaneous Activity and responses to graded UBD (20–60 mm Hg). Results : 227 spinal dorsal horn neurons excited by UBD were characterized. In rats treated as neonates with anesthesia-only, Type II neurons demonstrated increased spontaneous and UBD-evoked activity following adult intravesical zymosan treatment whereas Type I neurons demonstrated decreased spontaneous and UBD-evoked activity relative to controls. In rats treated as neonates with intravesical zymosan, the spontaneous and UBD-evoked activity of both Type I and Type II neurons increased following adult intravesical zymosan treatment relative to controls. Conclusions : Neonatal bladder inflammation alters subsequent effects of acute bladder inflammation on spinal dorsal horn neurons excited by UBD such that overall there is greater sensory neuron activation. This may explain the visceral hypersensitivity noted in this model system and suggest that impaired inhibitory systems may be responsible.
Post-Deposition Porous Etching of Polysilicon: Fabrication and Characterization of Free-Standing Structures

In this paper, we explored the development of porous polysilicon as a free-standing structure in MEMS. Being turned porous by electrochemical porous etching “after” it is deposited on typical insulators, the process is well suited for integration with many processes including typical polysilicon surface micromachining. Free-standing porous polysilicon microstructures have been successfully fabricated. Stress in porous polysilicon thin film, generated in porous etching, can be released by short time annealing at 700°C. Etching rate and Young’s modulus of porous polysilicon are characterized. As a demonstration of the applicability of porous polysilicon in MEMS, two types of self-closed microchannels are fabricated using porous polysilicon as the channel wall.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Internet congestion control

This article reviews the current transmission control protocol (TCP) congestion control protocols and overviews recent advances that have brought analytical tools to this problem. We describe an optimization-based framework that provides an interpretation of various flow control mechanisms, in particular, the utility being optimized by the protocol's equilibrium structure. We also look at the dynamics of TCP and employ linear models to exhibit stability limitations in the predominant TCP versions, despite certain built-in compensations for delay. Finally, we present a new protocol that overcomes these limitations and provides stability in a way that is scalable to arbitrary networks, link capacities, and delays.
Indomethacin tocolysis and risk of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Abstract Objective: To investigate the possible association of indomethacin tocolysis with neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. Methods: A case-control study was performed for the period November 1, 1997, through May 1, 1999. All cases of proven necrotizing enterocolitis were ascertained, and four controls for each case were randomly identified from all Special Care Nursery admissions before 37 weeks’ gestation without necrotizing enterocolitis during that same period. Results: During the 18-month period there were 24 cases of necrotizing enterocolitis out of 10,200 deliveries. Infants with necrotizing enterocolitis were more preterm (29.7 ± 3.9 compared with 32.7 ± 6.0 weeks; P = .03) and had lower birth weights (1453 ± 777 compared with 1820 ± 678 g; P = .02) compared with controls ( n = 96). Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and sepsis were both significantly associated with an increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis: 16 of 24 cases compared with 40 of 96 controls had RDS (odds ratio [OR] 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0, 8.3) and 14 of 24 cases compared with 11 of 96 controls were septic (OR 10.8, 3.4, 95% CI 34.2). Indomethacin as a single agent was not associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.2, 4.8). Using a logistic regression model, necrotizing enterocolitis was strongly associated with sepsis (adjusted OR 8.5, 95% CI 2.2, 32.5). When sepsis was removed from the model, double-agent tocolytic therapy was significantly associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (adjusted OR 6.9, 95% CI 1.1, 43.6). Conclusion: Tocolysis with indomethacin as a single agent was not associated with necrotizing enterocolitis in this case-control study. Combination tocolytic therapy may be a marker for subclinical infection and not causally related to necrotizing enterocolitis.
Medicalizing Gutom: Hunger, Diet, and Beriberi during the American Period

This article looks at American responses to food scarcity in the colonial Philippines. Dismissive of hunger and starvation in the early occupation, Americans initially ascribed ill health to poorly chosen foods like rice. Labor unrest, crop failures following Taal Volcano’s 1911 eruption, and Jose Albert’s identification of infantile beriberi, however, forced American administrators, doctors, and agriculturalists to confront scarcity in several ways. First, “corn campaigns” sought to enhance rice-based diets with corn. Second, research linking beriberi to mechanically milled rice led to vitamin B supplementation campaigns. However, the medicalization of hunger obscured the root causes of scarcity, which American rule exacerbated. KEYWORDS: BERIBERI • FAMINE • UNITED STATES • HEALTH • PHILIPPINE–AMERICAN WAR
Intestinal lymphangiectasia and bilateral pleural effusions: Effect of dietary therapy and surgical intervention on immunologic and pulmonary parameters

This article describes the immunologic and pulmonary abnormalities and the chemical composition of pleural effusion fluid in a patient with intestinal lymphangiectasia as they are effected by therapeutic measures during a 7-year period. Lymphedema was first noticed in the patient at 3 years of age, and pleural effusions developed 7 years later. Thoracentesis demonstrated that the right pleural fluid was yellow, clear, and had the composition of lymph. The left pleural fluid was milky and had a higher triglyceride and lymphocyte content than the right pleural fluid. Complete removal of pleural fluid transiently increased total lung capacity to a maximum of 52% predicted. Strict dietary management with a low-fat and high-protein diet resulted in a transient partial reversal of circulating lymphopenia and low T cell concentration. This was accompanied by a decrease in lymphocyte and T cell concentration in the pleural fluid. Unstimulated mononuclear cells from pleural fluid synthesized increased amounts of DNA, and added mitogens or antigens further increased DNA synthesis. Dietary therapy had a minimal effect on this DNA synthesis. Despite circulating hypogammaglobulinemia, normal antibody activity was detected. The proportion of B cells in pleural fluid was greater than that in the circulation, and dietary therapy did not alter this difference. Pulmonary physiology improved during the initial 9-month period of diet therapy, but then the rate of fluid accumulation increased, causing respiratory compromise. Stability was achieved by a right-sided pleurodesis, followed 18 months later by a left pleurodesis with the addition of a shunt to provide internal lymph drainage.
Influence of stent design and material composition on procedure outcome

Although intravascular stents have received widespread application, significant limitations remain. In stent restenosis, the most pervasive problem affecting stents, is related in part to technical aspects of the device. Design features of the stent that influence outcome have been identified and optimized for improved performance. The influence of stent materials on critical aspects of healing, such as thrombotic, inflammatory, and hyperplastic responses, are less well understood. For this reason, significant progress in this area is lacking. Current stents have significant contamination with industrial impurities on the surface and in the bulk. This fact adds to the difficulties in interpreting the biologic reaction of the host to the device. Better understanding of the basic biologic interactions is the path to significant improvement.
Soliton photogeneration in Trans-polyacetylene: Light-induced electron spin resonance

Abstract We have confirmed the previous LESR results of Flood and Heeger and demonstrated that the photoexcitations of trans -(CH) x are spinless. The absence of a negative LESR ( i.e. , decrease in ESR intensity) during illumination of high-quality samples proves that photoproduction of charged solitons need not occur through the mechanism of conversion of neutral solitons. Photoconversion of neutral solitons has been observed in a sample with optical and magnetic properties that imply short chain lengths and increased disorder. The pathways for photoproduction of long-lived charged solitons are discussed and identified.
Schizophrenia risk gene CAV1 is both pro-psychotic and required for atypical antipsychotic drug actions in vivo

Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) is a scaffolding protein important for regulating receptor signaling cascades by partitioning signaling molecules into membrane microdomains. Disruption of the CAV1 gene has recently been identified as a rare structural variant associated with schizophrenia. Although Cav-1 knockout (KO) mice displayed no baseline behavioral disruptions, Cav-1 KO mice, similar to schizophrenic individuals, exhibited increased sensitivity to the psychotomimetic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist phencyclidine (PCP). Thus, PCP disruption of prepulse inhibition (PPI) and PCP-induced mouse locomotor activity were both enhanced by genetic deletion of Cav-1. Interestingly, genetic deletion of Cav-1 rendered the atypical antipsychotics clozapine and olanzapine and the 5-HT(2A)-selective antagonist M100907 ineffective at normalizing PCP-induced disruption of PPI. We also discovered that genetic deletion of Cav-1 attenuated 5-HT(2A)-induced c-Fos and egr-1 expression in mouse frontal cortex and also reduced 5-HT(2A)-mediated Ca(2+) mobilization in primary cortical neuronal cultures. The behavioral effects of the 5-HT(2A) agonist (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine) including head twitch responses and disruption of PPI were also attenuated by genetic deletion of Cav-1, indicating that Cav-1 is required for both inverse agonist (that is, atypical antipsychotic drug) and agonist actions at 5-HT(2A) receptors. This study demonstrates that disruption of the CAV1 gene--a rare structural variant associated with schizophrenia--is not only pro-psychotic but also attenuates atypical antipsychotic drug actions.
Rover autonomy for long range navigation and science data acquisition on planetary surfaces

This paper describes recent work undertaken at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA in the area of increased rover autonomy for planetary surface operations. The primary vehicle for this work is the Field Integrated, Design and Operations (FIDO) rover. The FIDO rover is an advanced technology prototype that is a terrestrial analog of the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) being sent to Mars in 2003. We address the autonomy issue through improved integration of rover based sensing and higher level onboard planning capabilities. The sensors. include an inertial navigation unit (INU) with 3D gyros and accelerometers, a sun sensor, mast and body mounted imagery, and wheel encoders. Multisensor fusion using an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) approach coupled with pattern recognition and tracking algorithms has enabled the autonomy that is necessary for maximizing science data return while minimizing the number of ground loop interactions. These algorithms are coupled with a long range navigation algorithm called ROAMAN (Road Map Navigation) for an integrated approach to rover autonomy. We also report the results of algorithm validation studies in remote field trials at Black Rock Summit in Central Nevada, California's Mojave Desert, and the Arroyo Seco at JPL.
Parasite-induced alterations of sensorimotor pathways in gammarids: collateral damage of neuroinflammation?

Summary Some larval helminths alter the behavior of their intermediate hosts in ways that favor the predation of infected hosts, thus enhancing trophic transmission. Gammarids (Crustacea: Amphipoda) offer unique advantages for the study of the proximate factors mediating parasite-induced behavioral changes. Indeed, amphipods infected by distantly related worms (acanthocephalans, cestodes and trematodes) encysted in different microhabitats within their hosts (hemocoel, brain) present comparable, chronic, behavioral pathologies. In order to evaluate the potential connection between behavioral disturbances and immune responses in parasitized gammarids, this Review surveys the literature bearing on sensorimotor pathway dysfunctions in infected hosts, on the involvement of the neuromodulator serotonin in altered responses to environmental stimuli, and on systemic and neural innate immunity in arthropods. Hemocyte concentration and phenoloxidase activity associated with melanotic encapsulation are depressed in acanthocephalan-manipulated gammarids. However, other components of the arsenal deployed by crustaceans against pathogens have not yet been investigated in helminth-infected gammarids. Members of the Toll family of receptors, cytokines such as tumor necrosis factors (TNFs), and the free radical nitric oxide are all implicated in neuroimmune responses in crustaceans. Across animal phyla, these molecules and their neuroinflammatory signaling pathways are touted for their dual beneficial and deleterious properties. Thus, it is argued that neuroinflammation might mediate the biochemical events upstream of the serotonergic dysfunction observed in manipulated gammarids – a parsimonious hypothesis that could explain the common behavioral pathology induced by distantly related parasites, both hemocoelian and cerebral.
Fluid–structure interaction models of the mitral valve: function in normal and pathological states

Successful mitral valve repair is dependent upon a full understanding of normal and abnormal mitral valve anatomy and function. Computational analysis is one such method that can be applied to simulate mitral valve function in order to analyse the roles of individual components and evaluate proposed surgical repair. We developed the first three-dimensional finite element computer model of the mitral valve including leaflets and chordae tendineae; however, one critical aspect that has been missing until the last few years was the evaluation of fluid flow, as coupled to the function of the mitral valve structure. We present here our latest results for normal function and specific pathological changes using a fluid-structure interaction model. Normal valve function was first assessed, followed by pathological material changes in collagen fibre volume fraction, fibre stiffness, fibre splay and isotropic stiffness. Leaflet and chordal stress and strain and papillary muscle force were determined. In addition, transmitral flow, time to leaflet closure and heart valve sound were assessed. Model predictions in the normal state agreed well with a wide range of available in vivo and in vitro data. Further, pathological material changes that preserved the anisotropy of the valve leaflets were found to preserve valve function. By contrast, material changes that altered the anisotropy of the valve were found to profoundly alter valve function. The addition of blood flow and an experimentally driven microstructural description of mitral tissue represent significant advances in computational studies of the mitral valve, which allow further insight to be gained. This work is another building block in the foundation of a computational framework to aid in the refinement and development of a truly non-invasive diagnostic evaluation of the mitral valve. Ultimately, it represents the basis for simulation of surgical repair of pathological valves in a clinical and educational setting.
The process of public policy formulation: the case of thimerosal in vaccines.

Effective immunization programs have markedly diminished the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases. As a result, there now exists in society a lower awareness of the actual risks associated with the diseases themselves and a greater prominence of the potential risks of adverse effects associated with vaccines. Concern regarding public reactions to new vaccine safety issues may place pressure on policymakers and/or health care providers to act quickly in response to new information. However, this concern must be tempered by the necessary caution required to assess the intended and unintended risks and benefits of any action undertaken. The interplay of these potentially competing demands is well illustrated by the recent safety concern involving the use of thimerosal in vaccines. Thimerosal is a mercury-containing compound that has been widely used as an antimicrobial agent in vaccines for over 60 years. Human exposure to mercury may have potentially significant health consequences. By mid-1999, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had discovered that children could be exposed to an amount of mercury from vaccines that exceeded 1 of 3 existing federal safety thresholds. After this realization, the organized medical and public health communities in the United States became involved in a series of urgent and intense discussions to determine an appropriate response to the issue. This manuscript describes and analyzes the process that led to the July 7, 1999, joint American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)/US Public Health Service (PHS) statement on thimerosal,1 with the goal of suggesting improvements for managing similar vaccine safety concerns in the future. We conducted structured interviews with over 15 individuals involved in the discussions and negotiations leading to the joint AAP/PHS statement on thimerosal. The individuals represented both the governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations involved, including the FDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control and …
Engineering Student Attitudes Assessment

ABET Engineering Criteria 2000 requires engineering faculty to not only develop methods and measures for evaluating their specific degree programs, but also to use the resultant information to improve the educational process. While this implies a need to measure students' acquisition of knowledge and skills, we propose that much can be learned by measuring student attitudes and their changes over the student's four years of study. To demonstrate this, we present a case study which illustrates the use of three different techniques for obtaining attitudinal measures—focus groups, open-ended surveys and structured interviews, and closed-form questionnaires. The advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed, and results are presented to illustrate their collective value as part of a comprehensive evaluation system.
Big roles for small GTPases in the control of directed cell movement

Small GTPases are involved in the control of diverse cellular behaviours, including cellular growth, differentiation and motility. In addition, recent studies have revealed new roles for small GTPases in the regulation of eukaryotic chemotaxis. Efficient chemotaxis results from co-ordinated chemoattractant gradient sensing, cell polarization and cellular motility, and accumulating data suggest that small GTPase signalling plays a central role in each of these processes as well as in signal relay. The present review summarizes these recent findings, which shed light on the molecular mechanisms by which small GTPases control directed cell migration.
A camera calibration technique using sets of parallel lines

A method is presented for three-dimensional camera calibration in which the rotation parameters are decoupled from the translation parameters. The rotation parameters are obtained by projecting three sets of parallel lines independently of the translation parameters and the imaging distance from the lens to the image plane. The virtual line passing through the image center, which is calculated by perspective projection of a set of parallel lines, depends only on the rotation parameters. The translation parameters and the imaging distance are analytically obtained. Experimental results show that the camera model can be reconstructed accurately. >
Jet Interaction and the Influence of a Minimum Phase Speed Bound on the Propagation of Eddies

AbstractThe feedback between planetary-scale eddies and analogs of the midlatitude eddy-driven jet and the subtropical jet is investigated in a barotropic β-plane model. In the model the subtropical jet is generated by a relaxation process and the eddy-driven jet by an imposed wavemaker. A minimum zonal phase speed bound is proposed in addition to the established upper bound, where the zonal phase speed of waves must be less than that of the zonal mean zonal flow. Cospectral analysis of eddy momentum flux convergence shows that eddy activity is generally restricted by these phase speed bounds.The wavenumber-dependent minimum phase speed represents a turning line for meridionally propagating waves. By varying the separation distance between the relaxation and stirring regions, it is found that a sustained, double-jet state is achieved when either a critical or turning latitude forms in the interjet region. The interjet turning latitude filters eddies by zonal wavenumber such that shorter waves tend to be r...
Online Recognition of Music Is Influenced by Relative and Absolute Pitch Information

Three experiments explored online recognition in a nonspeech domain, using a novel experimental paradigm. Adults learned to associate abstract shapes with particular melodies, and at test they identified a played melody’s associated shape. To implicitly measure recognition, visual fixations to the associated shape versus a distractor shape were measured as the melody played. Degree of similarity between associated melodies was varied to assess what types of pitch information adults use in recognition. Fixation and error data suggest that adults naturally recognize music, like language, incrementally, computing matches to representations before melody offset, despite the fact that music, unlike language, provides no pressure to execute recognition rapidly. Further, adults use both absolute and relative pitch information in recognition. The implicit nature of the dependent measure should permit use with a range of populations to evaluate postulated developmental and evolutionary changes in pitch encoding.
Existential relatedness in light of eudemonic well-being and religious coping among middle-aged and older cardiac patients

This study examined the prediction of preoperative faith factors for perceived spiritual support, indicating existential relationship as a dimension of eudemonic well-being (EWB), at 30 months after cardiac surgery (N=226). The study capitalized on data from preoperative surveys and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' National Database. Controlling for demographics, cardiac indices, and mental health, hierarchical regression showed that preoperative prayer coping, subjective religiousness, and internal control were positive predictors of spiritual support. Negative religious coping was a negative predictor. Internal control mediated the role of positive religious coping. Certain faith-based experiences may enhance aspects of EWB, but future research should investigate mechanisms.
New business models for antibiotic innovation

The increase in antibiotic resistance and the dearth of novel antibiotics have become a growing concern among policy-makers. A combination of financial, scientific, and regulatory challenges poses barriers to antibiotic innovation. However, each of these three challenges provides an opportunity to develop pathways for new business models to bring novel antibiotics to market. Pull-incentives that pay for the outputs of research and development (R&D) and push-incentives that pay for the inputs of R&D can be used to increase innovation for antibiotics. Financial incentives might be structured to promote delinkage of a company’s return on investment from revenues of antibiotics. This delinkage strategy might not only increase innovation, but also reinforce rational use of antibiotics. Regulatory approval, however, should not and need not compromise safety and efficacy standards to bring antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action to market. Instead regulatory agencies could encourage development of companion diagnostics, test antibiotic combinations in parallel, and pool and make transparent clinical trial data to lower R&D costs. A tax on non-human use of antibiotics might also create a disincentive for non-therapeutic use of these drugs. Finally, the new business model for antibiotic innovation should apply the 3Rs strategy for encouraging collaborative approaches to R&D in innovating novel antibiotics: sharing resources, risks, and rewards.
Identification of an Antimicrobial Agent Effective against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Persisters Using a Fluorescence-Based Screening Strategy

Persisters are a subpopulation of normal bacterial cells that show tolerance to conventional antibiotics. Persister cells are responsible for recalcitrant chronic infections and new antibiotics effective against persisters would be a major development in the treatment of these infections. Using the reporter dye SYTOX Green that only stains cells with permeabilized membranes, we developed a fluorescence-based screening assay in a 384-well format for identifying compounds that can kill methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) persisters. The assay proved robust and suitable for high throughput screening (Z`-factor: >0.7). In screening a library of hits from a previous screen, which identified compounds that had the ability to block killing of the nematode Caenorhabditis by MRSA, we discovered that the low molecular weight compound NH125, a bacterial histidine kinase inhibitor, kills MRSA persisters by causing cell membrane permeabilization, and that 5 μg/mL of the compound can kill all cells to the limit of detection in a 108 CFU/mL culture of MRSA persisters within 3h. Furthermore, NH125 disrupts 50% of established MRSA biofilms at 20 μg/mL and completely eradicates biofilms at 160 μg/mL. Our results suggest that the SYTOX Green screening assay is suitable for large-scale projects to identify small molecules effective against MRSA persisters and should be easily adaptable to a broad range of pathogens that form persisters. Since NH125 has strong bactericidal properties against MRSA persisters and high selectivity to bacteria, we believe NH125 is a good anti-MRSA candidate drug that should be further evaluated.