cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
M. paratuberculosis and Parkinson's disease - Is this a trigger

Abstract Genetic linkage studies and genome wide analysis have provided insights into complex medical diseases. Mycobacterium avium ss. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne's disease, an important enteric inflammatory disease mostly studied in ruminant animals. MAP is also the putative cause of Crohn's disease. Moreover, MAP has been linked to other inflammatory diseases: sarcoidosis, Blau syndrome, autoimmune diabetes, autoimmune thyroiditis and multiple sclerosis. Genetic studies reveal an association between Parkinson's disease (PD), leprosy and Crohn's disease and since discovered, these findings have been considered "surprising". Autophagy and ubiquitin–proteosome systems are cellular systems that both fight intracellular pathogens (xenophagy) and maintain cellular protein quality control. PD is a common neurodegenerative disease that manifests clinically as a profound movement disorder. The recognized genetic defects of PD create disruption of cellular homeostasis that result in protein folding abnormalities of PD called Lewy bodies. Those same genetic defects are associated with susceptibility to intracellular pathogens, including mycobacteria. It is now understood that PD Lewy body pathology starts in the enteric nervous system and "spreads" to the brain in a retrograde fashion via the vagus nerve. This is the same process by which prions affect the brain. Lewy body pathology of the enteric nervous system predates the Lewy body pathology of the central nervous system (CNS) by years or even decades. This article proposes that genetic defects associated with PD also result in a permissive environment for MAP infection – ineffective xenophagy. It postulates that beginning as an enteric infection, MAP – via the vagus nerve – initiates a pathologic process that results in a targeted neuroinvasion of the CNS. The article proposes that MAP infection and resultant PD pathology are due, in the genetically at-risk and age dependant, to the consumptive exhaustion of the protein quality control systems.
Position-operator method for evaluating the shift of a totally reflected electron

A method based on expectation values of a position operator is developed for evaluating the spatial shift of a polarized Dirac electron undergoing total reflection. Longitudinal and transverse components of the shift, as well as the associated time delay, are obtained by considering the differences in the expectation values for the physically reflected wave packet and a purely geometrically reflected wave packet. For a number of position operators, this method is used to calculate the mean shift arising from a single reflection of an electron from a step-function potential. Eigenpolarization states are determined by means of a localization form-invariance argument. For these states, results obtained employing the Newton-Wigner position operator are shown to be identical to those obtained using the phase-shift analysis method. A comparison calculation giving different results is made using the current-flux method. The current-flux results are shown to be inconsistent with conservation of total angular momentum normal to the reflecting boundary.
Prospective study of common variants in the retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor α gene and risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Objectives The retinoic acid receptor (RAR)–related orphan receptor α gene ( RORA ) is implicated as a candidate for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) through a previous microarray expression study, linkage data, biological plausibility, and 2 clinic-based cross-sectional studies. We aimed to determine if common variants in RORA predict future risk of neovascular AMD. Methods We measured genotypes for 18 variants in intron 1 of the RORA gene among 164 cases who developed neovascular AMD and 485 age- and sex-matched controls in a prospective, nested, case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. We determined the incidence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for neovascular AMD for each variant and examined interactions with other AMD-associated variants and modifiable risk factors. Results We identified one single-nucleotide polymorphism (rs12900948) that was significantly associated with increased incidence of neovascular AMD. Participants with 1 and 2 copies of the G allele were 1.73 (CI, 1.32-2.27) and 2.99 (CI, 1.74-5.14) times more likely to develop neovascular AMD. Individuals homozygous for both the G allele of rs12900948 and ARMS2 A69S had a 40.8-fold increased risk of neovascular AMD (CI, 10.1-164; P = .017). Cigarette smokers who carried 2 copies of the G allele had a 9.89-fold risk of neovascular AMD but the interaction was not significant ( P = .08). We identified a significant AMD-associated haplotype block containing the single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs730754, rs8034864, and rs12900948, with P values for ACA = 1.16 × 10 −9 , ACG = 5.85 × 10 −12 , and GAA = .0001 when compared with all other haplotypes. Conclusions Common variants and haplotypes within the RORA gene appear to act synergistically with the ARMS2 A69S polymorphism to increase risk of neovascular AMD. These data add further evidence of a high level of complexity linking genetic and modifiable risk factors to AMD development and should help efforts at risk prediction.
Association of SV40 large tumor antigen and cellular proteins on the surface of SV40-transformed mouse cells

Abstract A cellular protein with a molecular weight of about 53,000 (53K) and histocompatibility antigens (mouse H-2 antigens) have been reported to be associated with viral-specified proteins in transformed cells. We investigated whether such associations could be detected on the surface of SV40-transformed mouse cells. A differential immunoprecipitation technique was adapted so that surface-associated antigens could be detected independently from intracellular antigens. Cells grown as monolayers were enzymatically labeled with 125 I-Na using a lactoperoxidase-catalyzed reaction, or metabolically labeled with either [ 35 S]methionine or 32 P i , and were then incubated with antisera against mouse H-2 antigens or SV40 large T-antigen (T-ag) or with monoclonal antibodies against mouse 53K nonviral T-antigen (nvT-ag). The cells were then disrupted with an NP40 solution, the extracts were clarified by centrifugation, and the immune complexes in the supernatant fluids adsorbed with protein A-containing Staphylococcus aureus . Internal antigens, present in the cell lysates, were precipitated by a second incubation with antiserum and the antigen-antibody complexes collected again with immunoadsorbent. The precipitated proteins were eluted and analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Reconstruction experiments established that T-ag released from the nucleus during the extraction procedure was not combining with free antigen-binding sites on antibodies bound to the cell surface in the external reaction, that nuclear unbound T-ag was not exchanging with bound surface antigen during extraction, and that the surface reaction was not due to nuclear T-ag released from dead cells and nonspecifically adsorbed onto the surface of living cells. Iodinated 94K T-ag was specifically immunoprecipitated by T antibody during the external reaction; an iodinated 53K polypeptide was coprecipitated. Conversely, labeled T-ag and 53K were coprecipitated from surface-iodinated transformed cells by monoclonal antibodies against mouse 53K nvT-ag. Thus, it appears that SV40 large T-ag and cellular 53K protein are associated on the surface as well as within SV40-transformed mouse cells. In contrast, no detergent-stable complex between T-ag and mouse H-2 antigens was detected on the transformed cells. The possibility that molecular interactions between viral- and cell-coded proteins could be involved in determining some of the observed transformation-related cellular phenotypic changes is discussed.
Image Reinforcement or Impairment: The Effects of Co-Branding on Attribute Uncertainty

Co-branding is often used by managers to reinforce the image of their brands. In this paper, we investigate when a brand's image is reinforced or impaired as a result of co-branding, and which partner is right for a firm that considers co-branding for image reinforcement. We address these issues by examining the effects of co-branding on attribute uncertainty of partner brands. We conceptualize attribute beliefs as two-dimensional constructs. The first dimension reflects the expected value of the attribute, while the second dimension reflects the degree of certainty about the attribute. We argue that these parameters are updated after consumers are exposed to a co-branding activity and develop an analytical model that incorporates these notions. Based on categorization theory, the model describes the updating mechanism of partner brand beliefs that occur as a result of co-branding. An analysis of the model leads to several propositions, which we test in an experiment. Our findings indicate that it is not necessarily in a brand's best interest to choose a partner that is of the highest performance possible. Moreover, we find that while expected values of the brand attributes may improve as a result of co-branding, under certain conditions, uncertainty associated with the brands increases through the alliance, increasing the risk of image impairment.
Insulin-like growth factor-I given subcutaneously reduces clinical deficits, decreases lesion severity and upregulates synthesis of myelin proteins in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Abstract To extend our evaluation of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) treatment for human demyelinating diseases, we compared effects of s.c. and i.v. IGF-I in an in vivo model with lesions resembling those seen in multiple sclerosis. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in Lewis rats with an emulsion containing guinea pig spinal cord and treatment with placebo or with s.c. or i.v. IGF-I was started when definite clinical weakness was present. IGF-I given subcutaneously significantly reduced clinical deficits and lesion severity. The clinical improvement, as measured by clinical deficit scores, stride lengths and exercise wheel rotations, was evident in 48 hrs and was comparable to that produced by the same IGF-I dose administered intravenously. Subcutaneously administered IGF-I also increased relative mRNA levels of myelin basic protein (MBP), proteolipid protein (PLP) and 2′,3′ cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNP), thereby promoting myelin regeneration. We conclude that s.c. IGF-I produces dramatic improvement in acute, demyelinating EAE. Our results also suggest that this growth factor may be useful in treating multiple sclerosis patients with active demyelination.
Spatial and temporal patterns of algae in newly constructed freshwater wetlands

Spatial and temporal patterns of metaphyton, periphyton, phytoplankton, and water-column primary productivity were studied in two 1-ha newly constructed riparian freshwater marshes (one planted with macrophytes and the other unplanted) at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, USA. Surface cover and mid-summer biomass of metaphyton, biomass and production of periphyton and phytoplankton, and water-column primary productivity were sampled from July to November 1994. Methods of spatial statistics were used to examine the spatial patterns in surface coverage and mid-summer biomass of metaphyton. Our results showed that for both wetlands, dense mats of metaphyton (up to 86% surface coverage) acted as nutrient “filters” shaping the spatial distribution of nutrients that in turn affected the spatial pattern of metaphyton by limiting the growth at locations further away from inflow. Metaphyton cover was strongly correlated with phosphorus retention and also influenced the spatial pattern of periphyton and water-column primary productivity. There was no significant difference between the two wetlands in the production and spatial distribution of metaphyton and phytoplankton or water-column primary productivity.
Fly Away: The Great African American Cultural Migrations

Peter M. Rutkoff and William B. Scott, Fly Away: The Great African American Cultural Migrations. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010, 432 pp., £23.50/$45.00 hb. (ISBN 978-0-801-89477-0)...
Diminished respiratory sinus arrhythmia in asphyxiated term infants

Spectral analysis techniques were used to quantitate the association between respiration and heart rate variability in eight healthy and eight asphyxiated infants born at term gestation. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia was demonstrated in all healthy infants. This arrhythmia was significantly diminished in asphyxiated newborn infants. We conclude that newborn infants with low Apgar scores have a reduced respiratory sinus arrhythmia and that this reduction could account for the loss of short-term heart rate variability commonly associated with asphyxia.
Inhibitors of glycolytic metabolism affect neurulation-staged mouse conceptuses in vitro

In order to evaluate the apparent discordance between altered glucose metabolism and embryonic energy production, the effects of inhibitors of glucose utilization on morphological development and biochemical changes in mouse embryos in culture were evaluated. Day 9 ICR mouse conceptuses having 3-6 pairs of somites were prepared for culture as previously described. 2-Deoxyglucose (2DG) produced a concentration-dependent effect on development. A 25 microM 2DG concentration did not induce neural tube closure defects (NTDs) but 100 microM, 100% of embryos exhibited this defect. A 17% reduction in the rate of lactate production by the conceptus was produced by a 24-hr exposure period to 100 microM 2DG. Iodoacetate, which inhibits glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in adult tissues, produced high rates of NTDs at concentrations > or = 2.5 microM. Following a 24 hour exposure to iodoacetate, lactate production was inhibited at 10 and 25 microM. The effects of 2DG on embryonic ATP content were assessed to test the hypothesis that effects on glucose utilization would effect embryonic ATP content. Despite using 2DG concentrations that alter development and inhibit glycolysis, there were no effects on whole embryo or visceral yolk sac (VYS) ATP content. However, when the embryo was divided into regions, there was a specific reduction in ATP content in the head following a 24-hr exposure period. No effect of 2DG on head ATP content was produced after 12 hr of exposure. To determine if there were region specific differences in 2DG uptake and distribution that could account for the differential effects of 2DG on ATP content, 14C-2DG accumulation in different regions of the embryo and VYS was determined over the 24-hr culture period. The uptake of 2DG was dependent on the medium 2DG concentration and suggested a higher accumulation in regions with decreased ATP. However, when the uptake was monitored for a 1-hr period after a 24-hr exposure, there was no region specific differences in 2DG uptake. These studies further document the adverse developmental effects of inhibitors of glucose utilization during the early stage of neurulation. The biochemical mechanism for induction of these defects is unclear, but an effect on ATP content does not appear to be solely responsible for the dysmorphogenesis.
Optimal scheduling of control surfaces on flexible wings to reduce induced drag

An aircraft wing structure is a complex assemblage of interconnected elements composed of both metallic and composite materials. To capture the physics of the structural response at an appropriate level of accuracy the finite element method is employed to model the aircraft structure. The external aerodynamic loads distribution in both the chord and span direction are predicted using the USSAERO paneling method. The Automated StRuctural Optimization System[1] (ASTROS) is used for modeling the structure, the steady aerodynamic loads, and carrying out the trim analysis of a free flying flexible air vehicle. Two wing models are selected for this investigation. The first model, referred to as the Goland Wing[2], has a “beam-rod” structural model. The second model considered is a built-up model typical of a fighter type aircraft[3] and is shown in Figure 7 with the corresponding aerodynamic panel model. Both models have 20 discrete control surfaces along the trailing edge of each aerodynamic model. The aerodynamic effects of gaps between each of the discrete surfaces are ignored to simulate a “so-called” conformal control surface[4]. R.T. Jones[5] has demonstrated that wings having an elliptical spanwise lift distribution ensures minimum induced drag. Therefore, in the present study, the control surfaces are scheduled to obtain an elliptical spanwise load distribution. It is worth noting that the methodology developed in this work is general and can be used to obtain any desired distribution, not just elliptical. In addition, as demonstrated by Munk[7], induced drag is independent of the distribution of lift in the chordwise direction. For the current study induced drag calculations are carried out considering the “Trefftz-plane”[6] downstream from the trailing edge. The wing is held at a trimmed level flight condition using the angle of attack while the control surfaces are used only to obtain the desired elliptical spanwise pressure distribution.
Identification of protein-ligand binding sites by the level-set variational implicit-solvent approach.

Protein–ligand binding is a key biological process at the molecular level. The identification and characterization of small-molecule binding sites on therapeutically relevant proteins have tremendous implications for target evaluation and rational drug design. In this work, we used the recently developed level-set variational implicit-solvent model (VISM) with the Coulomb field approximation (CFA) to locate and characterize potential protein–small-molecule binding sites. We applied our method to a data set of 515 protein–ligand complexes and found that 96.9% of the cocrystallized ligands bind to the VISM-CFA-identified pockets and that 71.8% of the identified pockets are occupied by cocrystallized ligands. For 228 tight-binding protein–ligand complexes (i.e, complexes with experimental pKd values larger than 6), 99.1% of the cocrystallized ligands are in the VISM-CFA-identified pockets. In addition, it was found that the ligand binding orientations are consistent with the hydrophilic and hydrophobic descr...
Genotype by smoking interaction for leptin levels in the San Antonio Family Heart Study.

Recent studies reported a marked inverse effect of smoking on serum levels of leptin (an adipocyte derived protein), offering a possible explanation for variation in body weight between smokers and non-smokers. The goal of this study was to examine the genetic architecture of the response to smoking in leptin levels using data from the San Antonio Family Heart Study. We employed a variance decomposition analysis using maximum likelihood methods to model genotype by smoking interactions for leptin levels, examined the impact of the exclusion of smokers in a subsequent linkage analysis, and incorporated the QTL identified in the linkage analysis in a model of genotype by smoking interaction. We found significant evidence (P = 0.001) for a genotype by smoking status interaction for serum leptin levels. In the subsequent linkage analysis with smokers excluded, we obtained a maximum LOD score of 3.1 (P = 0.00008) near D8S1102. Using this QTL in a model of genotype by smoking status interaction, we identified significant evidence for an interaction at this specific locus (P = 0.04). Given these results, we hypothesize that a quantitative trait locus in this vicinity of chromosome 8 may have a differential effect on the expression of leptin in smokers versus non-smokers.
The rook partition algebra

The rook partition algebra RPk(x) is a generically semisimple algebra that arises from looking at what commutes with the action of the symmetric group Sn on U⊗k, where U is the direct sum of the natural representation and the trivial representation of Sn. We give a combinatorial description of this algebra, construct its irreducible representations, and exhibit a Murnaghan-Nakayama formula to compute certain character values.
Electrochromatographic studies on infectious nucleic acid from tobacco mosaic virus

Abstract Nucleic acid separated from purified tobacco mosaic virus by Gierer and Schramm's phenol method was subjected to fractionation by paper electrochromatography. The flow pattern was wedge-shaped, and the concentration of nucleic acid in the fraction collectors approximated a normal distribution with a distinct maximum. However, the maximum relative infectivity usually did not coincide with the maximum concentration of nucleic acid. The highest relative infectivity was found in seven out of nine experiments in fractions farther from the anode than those fractions containing the peak concentrations of nucleic acid.
Copper-Coated Amorphous Silicon Particles as an Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Colloidally grown hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) particles offer promise as anodes for lithium ion batteries with a much higher energy density than graphite. We have found that significantly improved battery cycle performance and enhanced lithium storage capacity (by a factor of 7) is achieved by depositing copper (Cu) on the a-Si:H particles using a polyol reduction method. The superior performance appears to result from an electronically conducting network formed by the Cu coating. High-resolution interfacial spectroelectrochemical studies with in situ Raman spectroscopy illustrates the role of Cu coating over a-Si:H particles and provides insight into improving low Coulombic efficiency and capacity fading on cycling of Si-based anodes in Li-ion batteries.
Clinical impact of sacroplasty on patient mobility.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the effect of sacroplasty on patient mobility and pain when performed as a treatment for sacral insufficiency fractures. Materials and Methods Imaging with computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, or bone scan confirmed the diagnosis of sacral insufficiency fractures. Baseline clinical mobility scale (CMS) score and visual analog scale (VAS) pain score were recorded. Sacroplasty was performed under CT guidance. Follow-up CMS and VAS scores were assessed at 4, 24, and 48 weeks. Results Eighteen elderly patients (age 80 y ± 8.5; 17 women) were treated. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to assess changes in CMS and VAS scores over time. Pairwise comparisons revealed a significant increase in average CMS score between baseline and all three follow-up points—4 weeks ( P P P P P P Conclusions Treatment with CT-guided sacroplasty for sacral insufficiency fractures in this elderly population resulted in significant improvement in patient mobility.
Reduction and reoxidation of pepsinogen and pepsin

Abstract The three disulfide bonds of pepsinogen and pepsin are reduced by β-mercaptoethanol in the absence of urea with a concomitant loss of the potential enzymic activity. The potential pepsin activity of the zymogen and the proteolytic activity of the enzyme can be restored if only two of the three disulfide linkages are reduced initially. Both the initial concentration of the reducing agent and of the protein are critical in the reoxidation process. However, the enzyme is less susceptible to reduction by mercaptoethanol than the zymogen. Reoxidized pepsinogen was similar to the native zymogen in its kinetic parameters, ultraviolet absorption, optical rotatory dispersion, and circular dichroism. Reoxidized pepsin, however, differed from the native enzyme in its catalytic and optical properties, suggesting impairment in the refolding of this protein.
Strategic Arts‐Based Peacebuilding

The arts offer peacebuilders unique tools for transforming intractable interpersonal, intercommunal, national, and global conflicts—tools that are not currently prevalent or available within the peacebuilding field. The task for peacebuilding practitioners is to find strategic ways of incorporating the arts into the work of peacebuilding and to create a space where people in conflict can express themselves, heal themselves, and reconcile themselves through the arts. There is very little solid theory, research, or evaluation of arts-based peacebuilding. This article seeks to move beyond a simplistic approach that asserts the “arts are powerful” to a richer articulation of how they function in peacebuilding, when to use them, what they can do, and how to evaluate their usage. This article provides examples of and the conceptual frameworks behind strategic arts-based peacebuilding.
Pseudoscalar Higgs boson production at hadron colliders in NNLO QCD

We compute the total cross section for direct production of the pseudoscalar Higgs boson in hadron collisions at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in perturbative QCD. The $\mathcal{O}({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}^{2})$ QCD corrections increase the NLO production cross section by approximately 20--30%.
Results from the Carbon-Land Model Intercomparison Project (C-LAMP) and availability of the data on the Earth System Grid (ESG)

This paper describes the Carbon-Land Model Intercomparison Project (C-LAMP) being carried out through a collaboration between the Community Climate System Model (CCSM) Biogeochemistry Working Group, a DOE SciDAC-2 project, and the DOE Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI). The goal of the project is to intercompare terrestrial biogeochemistry models running within the CCSM framework to determine the best set of processes to include in future versions of CCSM. As a part of the project, observational datasets are being collected and used to score the scientific performance of these models following a well-defined set of metrics. In addition, metadata standards for terrestrial biosphere models are being developed to support archival and distribution of the C-LAMP model output via the Earth System Grid (ESG). Progress toward completion of this project and preliminary results from the first set of experiments are reported.
The Predictive Validity of Dynamic Assessment A Review

The authors report on a mixed-methods review of 24 studies that explores the predictive validity of dynamic assessment (DA). For 15 of the studies, they conducted quantitative analyses using Pearson's correlation coefficients. They descriptively examined the remaining studies to determine if their results were consistent with findings from the group of 15. The authors implemented analyses in five phases: They compared the predictive validity of traditional tests and DA, compared two forms of DA, examined the predictive validity of DA by student population, investigated various outcome measures to determine whether they mediate DA's predictive validity, and assessed the value added of DA over traditional testing. Results indicated superior predictive validity for DA when feedback is not contingent on student response, when applied to students with disabilities rather than at-risk or typically achieving students, and when independent DA and criterion-referenced tests were used as outcomes instead of norm-re...
Algebraic grid generation with boundary orthogonality control

This paper presents a new approach in applying the blending function method to the generation of structured finite-difference meshes. It is shown that the surface equation developed by Coons (1967) can be easily adapted to generate two-dimensional meshes, and its extension to hyperspace allows the construction of three-dimensional meshes. The robust method in its basic form blends among the boundary curves/surfaces conforming to their intrinsic slopes. When parameter-controlled boundary-slope corrections are introduced, it is possible to establish varying degrees of orthogonality along the boundaries. Additional controls are made possible by moving points in the parameter space, which affects the movement of points in the physical space. The combination of these controls provides a simple and yet powerful means for exploiting the blending-function method to satisfy the needs of practical CFD applications. Results from a validation program for two-dimensions are shown for a variety of geometries.
The Neuroanatomic Basis of the Acupuncture Principal Meridians

Acupuncture involves treating illness by inserting needles at specified body locations (acupoints). The Principal meridians are pathways that join acupoints with related physiologic effects. Despite nearly 5000 years of continuous clinical study, an accepted anatomic or physiologic basis for acupuncture's clinical effects has remained elusive. Some acupoints overlie peripheral nerves, and fMRI studies demonstrate that acupoints have specific effects on central nervous system processing. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) founders described the body's viscera based on anatomic dissections yet not a discrete nervous system. By applying computer graphics and virtual human imaging techniques to human developmental neuroanatomy, this paradox may potentially be explained: acupuncture Principal meridians likely are TCM's representation of the nervous system. This neuroanatomic model of the Principal meridians is consistent with acupuncture's known neurophysiologic effects, and may allow 5 millennia of accumulated TCM observations regarding human health and illness to be understood in modern anatomic and physiologic terms.
Chemosensory Stimulation of Luteinizing Hormone Secretion in Male Siberian Hamsters (Phodopus sungorus)

Male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) housed in long days (LD), but not short days (SD) release luteinizing hormone (LH) when exposed to females. This study examined whether this response is specific to a female and identifies the source of a stimulus that induces LH release. Serum concentrations of LH, testosterone (T), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and cortisol were examined in all experiments. T concentrations mirrored the LH response; FSH and cortisol were unchanged in response to all stimuli. Exposure to an LD female, irrespective of her reproductive status, but not an SD female, elicited LH release. Exposure to another male did not trigger LH release. Males released LH when allowed physical contact with an anesthetized female, but not when separated from a normally active female, suggesting that tactile or nonvolatile chemosensory stimuli elicit LH release. Urine and secretions collected from the vagina as well as oral, midventral, perineal, and rectal glands, elicited marked behavioral responses in male P. sungorus. Despite these behavioral responses, only feces from females elicited LH release in males. Males released LH in response to feces extracted from the rectum and to cotton swabs that had been rubbed against the rectal mucosa, suggesting that a component of rectal secretions may trigger LH release in male Siberian hamsters. Taken together, these data and previous data from our laboratory indicate that both the production of and the response to a pheromone that triggers the selective release of LH is regulated by day length.
A Genetic Analysis of hermaphrodite, a Pleiotropic Sex Determination Gene in Drosophila melanogaster

Sex determination in Drosophila is controlled by a cascade of regulatory genes. Here we describe hermaphrodite (her), a new component of this regulatory cascade with pleiotropic zygotic and maternal functions. Zygotically, her+ function is required for female sexual differentiation: when zygotic her+ function is lacking, females are transformed to intersexes. Zygotic her+ function may also play a role in male sexual differentiation. Maternally, her+ function is needed to ensure the viability of female progeny: a partial loss of her+ function preferentially kills daughters. In addition, her has both zygotic and maternal functions required for viability in both sexes. Temperature sensitivity prevails for all known her alleles and for all of the her phenotypes described above, suggesting that her may participate in an intrinsically temperature-sensitive process. This analysis of four her alleles also indicates that the zygotic and maternal components of of her function are differentially mutable. We have localized her cytologically to 36A3-36A11.
Past agricultural land use and present-day fire regimes can interact to determine the nature of seed predation

Historical agriculture and present-day fire regimes can have significant effects on contemporary ecosystems. Although past agricultural land use can lead to long-term changes in plant communities, it remains unclear whether these persistent land-use legacies alter plant-consumer interactions, such as seed predation, and whether contemporary disturbance (e.g., fire) alters the effects of historical agriculture on these interactions. We conducted a study at 27 sites distributed across 80,300 ha in post-agricultural and non-agricultural longleaf pine woodlands with different degrees of fire frequency to test the hypothesis that past and present-day disturbances that alter plant communities can subsequently alter seed predation. We quantified seed removal by arthropods and rodents for Tephrosia virginiana and Vernonia angustifolia, species of conservation interest. We found that the effects of land-use history and fire frequency on seed removal were contingent on granivore guild and microhabitat characteristics. Tephrosia virginiana removal was greater in low fire frequency sites, due to greater seed removal by rodents. Although overall removal of V. angustifolia did not differ among habitats, rodents removed more seeds than arthropods at post-agricultural sites and non-agricultural sites with low fire frequencies, but not at non-agricultural sites with high fire frequencies. Land-use history and fire frequency also affected the relationship between microhabitat characteristics and removal of V. angustifolia. Our results suggest that historical agriculture and present-day fire regimes may alter seed predation by shifting the impact of rodent and arthropod seed predators among habitats, with potential consequences for the establishment of rare plant species consumed by one or both predators.
Hemorrhagic-Shock/Resuscitation-Induced Microvascular Permeability in the Rat Mesentery is Exacerbated by Acute Alcohol Intoxication

Traumatic injury and acute alcohol intoxication (AAI) often are associated, yet little is known about how this combination affects the microcirculation. We tested the hypothesis that AAI exacerbate...
Role of immune aging in susceptibility to West Nile virus

West Nile virus (WNV) can cause severe neuroinvasive disease in humans and currently no vaccine or specific treatments are available. As aging is the most prominent risk factor for WNV, age-related immune dysregulation likely plays an essential role in host susceptibility to infection with WNV. In this review, we summarize recent findings in effects of aging on immune responses to WNV infection. In particular, we focus on the age-dependent dysregulation of innate immune cell types-neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells-in response to WNV infection, as well as age-related alterations in NK cells and γδ T cells that may associate with increased WNV susceptibility in older people. We also highlight two advanced technologies, i.e., mass cytometry and microRNA profiling, which significantly contribute to systems-level study of immune dysregulation in aging and should facilitate new discoveries for therapeutic intervention against WNV.
Regulation of p21(WAF1) expression during normal myeloid differentiation

The G1-phase cell-cycle inhibitor p21 has been proposed to mediate growth arrest during differentiation. Upregulation of p21 has been shown in multiple cell lines induced to differentiate; however, the mechanism of p21 induction during normal differentiation is largely unknown. In this report, we use normal hematopoietic precursor cells obtained from umbilical cord to model p21 regulation during differentiation. Myeloid maturation of CD34+ precursor cells is associated with a marked increase in p21 expression at the RNA and protein level. The upregulation of p21 transcripts during differentiation is associated with decreased binding to a highly conserved 44-bp fragment within the p21 promoter. This 44-bp regulatory element binds a novel modulator of p21 expression. It is of considerable interest that, although the binding activity is expressed in p53-negative as well as in p53-positive cells, the DNA sequence recognized by this protein overlaps a PuPuPuC(A/T)(T/A)GPyPyPy consensus sequence for p53.
Artificial Valve Endocarditis Reduction Trial (AVERT): protocol of a multicenter randomized trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY This article presents the protocol of the Artificial Valve Endocarditis Reduction Trial (AVERT), a multicenter, international randomized trial to assess the efficacy of the SilzoneTM coating of St. Jude Medical Masters Series mechanical heart valves in the prevention of prosthetic heart valve endocarditis (PVE). A total of 4,400 eligible patients will be randomized within three years of study commencement at 17 participating clinical centers in North America and Europe, with study completion within four years. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Eligible patients are candidates for St. Jude mechanical valves with either the Silzone or conventional cuff, in the mitral and/or aortic position, who give informed written consent to participate. Major exclusion criteria are the presence of prosthetic valves that do not require replacement, and the need for tricuspid valve replacement. Bypass surgery and valve repair are allowed during the implant operation. Patients will be randomized using an envelope-based intraoperative randomization scheme, stratified by clinical center and by the presence of endocarditis at the time of surgery. FOLLOW UP Patients will be contacted at discharge, three months, and each anniversary of the implant procedure. A brief follow up survey, administered via clinic interview, telephone or mail, will elicit events associated with possible endocarditis (unexplained fever, worsening angina, hospitalization) that will initiate contact with the patient's following physician. OUTCOME ANALYSIS The primary PVE endpoint will be based upon a published algorithm, with two infectious disease specialists making the final determination of cases classified as possible endocarditis. Study data will be periodically reviewed by a Data Safety Monitoring Board. The primary analysis will be an intention-to-treat comparison of freedom from PVE curves between the Silzone and conventional cuff treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS AVERT will provide much-needed information on the effectiveness of Silzone in preventing PVE, as well as practice patterns and outcomes of valve replacement.
Abstract 255: Neutrophil-to-Eosinophil Ratio Predicts Mortality in Patients with Advanced Heart Failure

Background: Higher neutrophil count has been associated with poor prognosis in patients with heart failure. Also, eosinopenia has been recently described in some studies as a prognostic marker. The prognostic value of neutrophil-to-eosinophil ratio (NER) in advanced heart failure patients has not been explored. Methods: We reviewed 491 consecutive patients with stage D heart failure who underwent transplant evaluation from 2007 to 2010. NER = absolute neutrophil count / absolute eosinophil count. Based on NER, patients were divided into tertiles. Survival (death or heart transplant) analysis was analayzed by Kaplan-Meier curves in different tertiles. Results: Mean NER was 62.8 ± 111.3. Mortality/transplant rates increased with increasing NER tertiles (43.6%, 50.6%, and 54.9%). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed statistically significant prognostic importance with increasing NER tertiles. (log rank, p = 0.03, Figure.1). NER (HR, 1.24, 95% CI, 1.05, 1.46, p = 0.009) proved to be an independent predictor of mortality in a multivariate model including age, gender, diabetes, albumin, sodium, creatinine, etc. Conclusion: Neutrophil-to-Eosinophil ratio may provide independent prediction of adverse outcomes in patients with advanced heart failure. ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Sardonic Intellectualising in ‘Head to Toe’

Head to Toe (1971) is Orton’s only published novel; it was originally written in 1961 as The Vision of Gombold Proval. It is a dream-vision allegory of a journey on the body of a great giant or ‘afreet’ (a figure from Arabic mythology) from head to toe and back, both on the body and in the body. On the return voyage, the travellers come through the colon and alimentary canal. In the apocalyptic ending, the afreet finally dies and all possibility of continuing the parasitic human existence on its body comes to an end. Gombold disappears down the same hole in the forest with which the novel began, thus establishing its ironic relation to Alice in Wonderland.
Embolization of the Hepatic Artery in Traumatic Liver Injury

This section provides a comprehensive procedural report for embolization of the hepatic artery in traumatic liver injury procedure with up-to-date explanatory notes, synopsis of the indications and contraindications, and potential complications in an organized and practical format.
Glass/Crystal Interfaces in Liquid-Phase Sintered Materials

This paper presents a review of our studies of interfaces in liquid-phase sintered materials. Recent studies of three different types of interface are discussed, namely, (i) the interface between the free surface of the crystal and the glass, (ii) the interface between the intergranular glass and the crystal and (iii) the interface between the crystallized glass and the substrate crystal. Model systems with relatively well known thermodynamic and crystallographic properties have been chosen. The relationship between the three types of interface is discussed. The dewetting of silicate liquids on free surfaces provides an opportunity to study directly the interface between the free surface and glass. Observations on polycrystalline samples and bicrystals give new understanding of the interplay between intergranular glass layers and the adjoining crystalline grains. Crystallization of the glass on single-crystal substrates directly gives information about the crystallized-glass/crystal interface.
Seeking Comfort in Past Media: Modelling Media Nostalgia as a Way of Coping with Media Change

Coping with media change is the modus operandi in societies shaped by an ongoing media saturation of everyday lifeworlds. However, demands to participate in media change are sometimes perceived as challenging. In this regard, media nostalgia, understood as the longing for past media culture and technology, is introduced as a resource to cope with media change. Presenting results from an online survey, a structural equation model (SEM) illustrates that those who are stressed by media change draw on media nostalgia as a way of coping whereas media nostalgic engagements become unlikely when individuals feel comfortable with media change. This article argues that certain current individual and societal appearances of media nostalgia are related to people’s coping attempts.
Zampolli, Antonio (1937–2003)

The computational linguist Antonio Zampolli (1937–2003) began his career as a student of Father Roberto Busa, who had been working in Gallerte, Italy, on a text concordance and index to the works of Thomas Aquinas, the Index Thomisticus. The application of computing technology for research in the humanities, such as linguistic computing, remained a fundamental concern throughout Zampolli's research career. His publications, numbering more than 250, addressed problems in corpus linguistics, mathematical linguistics, digital libraries, computational lexicography, standards for data sharing, machine translation, formal grammars and parsers, and computer-assisted language learning, among others.
Use Of Manganese Porphyrins As A Chemotherapeutic In Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a heterogeneous group of diseases with different molecular signatures. Prognosis using the current standard of care is good for some types while for others there is no cure. Compounding this issue, is the fact that some standard of care therapeutic regimens, have evolved empirically and the reason that treatment succeeds or fails in specific patients is not understood. Further characterization of tumor molecular profiles is suggesting additional targets in tumors from patients that fail current therapies. Generally, tumor tissues are more oxidized than their normal counterparts. Our laboratory is focused on understanding the contribution of redox processes to the response of current therapeutics and testing whether novel redox-based compounds could widen the therapeutic window. Recently, we found that the manganese porphyrins enhance cell death in lymphoma cells due to standard chemotherapeutics. The ability to induce cell death depends on a glutathione/H2O2 based mechanism that inhibits specific redox-sensitive proteins. Our most recent work has been testing the manganese porphyrins on difficult to treat lymphoma cell types that through molecular profiling have been shown to overexpress or depend on redox sensitive proteins. We found that the manganese porphyrins enhance (or cause) cell death in many of these cell types. Normal lymphocytes do not have this molecular profile. Treatment with manganese porphyrins does not cause cell death or enhance cell death due to standard chemotherapeutics in the normal cells.
Solar irradiance forecasting using deep recurrent neural networks

Solar irradiance prediction has a significant impact on various aspects of power system generation. The predictive models can be deployed to improve the planning and operation of renewable systems and can improve the power purchase process and bring several advantages to the power utilities. The irradiance is affected by several factors, such as clouds and dust, and it becomes challenging for physical models to predict and capture the dynamics. The statistical methods are commonly used to predict the irradiance. These methods include autoregressive moving average, support vector machine, and artificial neural network. Deficiencies and challenges of existing methods include low prediction accuracy, low scalability for big data, and inability to capture long-term dependencies. In this paper, a deep recurrent neural network is used to predict the solar irradiance. Deep recurrent neural network (DRNN) is an artificial neural network with more hidden layers to improve the complexity of the model and enable the extraction of high-level features. The neural network is trained, tested, and validated using real data from the National Resources in Canada. The simulation and experimental results are compared to other methods to illustrate the advantages using the proposed approach.
Fabrication of transparent superhydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene coating

Abstract Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) thin films were successfully deposited on glass substrates using pulsed laser deposition, with deposition times ranging from 30 to 120 minutes (min). The surface roughness of the films increased as deposition time increased, with micro/nanoscale roughness developing when deposition time increased over 60 min. This roughness made the surface superhydrophobic, having a contact angle of about 151.6°±1. UV–vis spectroscopic analysis of the PTFE films revealed that they were highly transparent, up to ∼90% in visible and near-infrared ranges. Furthermore, when the deposition time was increased—which increased the films’ thickness—the films were able to absorb 80–90% of ultraviolet light in the wavelength range