cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved transformation efficiency of group A Streptococcus by inactivation of a type I restriction modification system

Streptococcus pyogenes or group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a leading cause of bacterial pharyngitis, skin and soft tissue infections, life-threatening invasive infections, and the post-infectious autoimmune syndromes of acute rheumatic fever and post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis. Genetic manipulation of this important pathogen is complicated by resistance of the organism to genetic transformation. Very low transformation efficiency is attributed to recognition and degradation of introduced foreign DNA by a type I restriction-modification system encoded by the hsdRSM locus. DNA sequence analysis of this locus in ten GAS strains that had been previously transformed with an unrelated plasmid revealed that six of the ten harbored a spontaneous mutation in hsdR, S, or M. The mutations were all different, and at least five of the six were predicted to result in loss of function of the respective hsd gene product. The unexpected occurrence of such mutations in previously transformed isolates suggested that the process of transformation selects for spontaneous inactivating mutations in the Hsd system. We investigated the possibility of exploiting the increased transformability of hsd mutants by constructing a deletion mutation in hsdM in GAS strain 854, a clinical isolate representative of the globally dominant M1T1 clonal group. Mutant strain 854ΔhsdM exhibited a 5-fold increase in electrotransformation efficiency compared to the wild type parent strain and no obvious change in growth or off-target gene expression. We conclude that genetic transformation of GAS selects for spontaneous mutants in the hsdRSM restriction modification system. We propose that use of a defined hsdM mutant as a parent strain for genetic manipulation of GAS will enhance transformation efficiency and reduce the likelihood of selecting spontaneous hsd mutants with uncharacterized genotypes.
A compact dual-band frequency-reconfigurable textile antenna for wearable applications

This communication presents a flexible, low-profile, frequency-tunable textile antenna for body area wireless communication. The antenna operates in both instrument, scientific and measurment (ISM), 2.45 GHz and wireless local area network (WLAN), 5 GHz bands. It features with an overall 5 × 23.5 mm2 compact planar geometry consisting of a well-optimized slotted radiating patch fabricated using conductive copper tape on Denim material as a very common flexible textile substrate. The antenna radiates unidirectionally, and the ground plane made up with copper tape avoids radiation coupling to the users’ body. A single PIN diode with simple biasing circuitry is used to tune the antenna between the two operating bands. The performance of the antenna in free space as well as under bending conditions and when placed on the body is presented. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:2251–2257, 2015
Connecting africa using the TV white spaces: from research to real world deployments

More than 4 billion people are not connected to the Internet. This is either because there is no infrastructure or because Internet access is not affordable. This digital divide is extreme in Africa. At Microsoft, we have been investigating various technologies to bridge this divide. In this paper we describe our research around the TV White Spaces, and how we have leveraged it, and worked with our partners to connect communities in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
An analysis of the grain refinement of magnesium by zirconium

A Design of Experiments approach was used to conduct a systematic study of the grain refinement of magnesium by zirconium; variables included the amount of zirconium, the pouring temperature, and the settling time prior to casting. Optical microscopy was used to measure the grain size. TEM was used to identify particles that are likely nucleation sites. The TEM results show that a range of particle sizes are likely substrates and that particles which are likely nucleation sites are faceted. Sample dissolution followed by SEM was used to characterize particle size and morphology while an AccuSizer 770 was used to measure particle size distributions, both in the master alloy and grain refined samples. While less than 2% of the total particles serve as nucleation sites, a comparison of the grain density vs. faceted particle density shows close agreement, suggesting that only faceted particles are likely nucleation sites.
Unders and Overs: Using a Dice Game to Illustrate Basic Probability Concepts.

Summary In this paper, the dice game Unders and Overs is described and presented as an active learning exercise to introduce basic probability concepts. The implementation of the exercise is outlined and the resulting presentation of various probability concepts are described.
Formal Ontology and Conceptual Realism

Formal Ontology.- Formal Ontology and Conceptual Realism.- Time, Being, and Existence.- Logical Necessity and Logical Atomism.- Formal Theories of Predication.- Formal Theories of Predication Part II.- Intensional Possible Worlds.- Conceptual Realism.- The Nexus of Predication.- Medieval Logic and Conceptual Realism.- On Geach Against General Reference.- Le?niewski's Ontology.- Plurals and the Logic of Classes as Many.- The Logic of Natural Kinds.
Scene tagging: image-based CAPTCHA using image composition and object relationships

In this paper, we propose a new form of image-based CAPTCHA we term "scene tagging". It tests the ability to recognize a relationship between multiple objects in an image that is automatically generated via composition of a background image with multiple irregularly shaped object images, resulting in a large space of possible images and questions without requiring a large object database. This composition process is accompanied by a carefully designed sequence of systematic image distortions that makes it difficult for automated attacks to locate/identify objects present. Automated attacks must recognize all or most objects contained in the image in order to answer a question correctly, thus the proposed approach reduces attack success rates. An experimental study using several widely-used object recognition algorithms (PWD-based template matching, SIFT, SURF) shows that the system is resistant to these attacks with a 2% attack success rate, while a user study shows that the task required can be performed by average users with a 97% success rate.
Characterization of a Pachymedusa dacnicolor–Sauvagine Analog as a New High-Affinity Radioligand for Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor Studies

The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) peptide family comprises the mammalian peptides CRF and the urocortins as well as frog skin sauvagine and fish urophyseal urotensin. Advances in understanding the roles of the CRF ligand family and associated receptors have often relied on radioreceptor assays using labeled CRF ligands. These assays depend on stable, high-affinity CRF analogs that can be labeled, purified, and chemically characterized. Analogs of several of the native peptides have been used in this context, most prominently including sauvagine from the frog Phyllomedusa sauvageii (PS-Svg). Because each of these affords both advantages and disadvantages, new analogs with superior properties would be welcome. We find that a sauvagine-like peptide recently isolated from a different frog species, Pachymedusa dacnicolor (PD-Svg), is a high-affinity agonist whose radioiodinated analog, [125ITyr0-Glu1, Nle17]-PD-Svg, exhibits improved biochemical properties over those of earlier iodinated agonists. Specifically, the PD-Svg radioligand binds both CRF receptors with comparably high affinity as its PS-Svg counterpart, but detects a greater number of sites on both type 1 and type 2 receptors. PD-Svg is also ∼10 times more potent at stimulating cAMP accumulation in cells expressing the native receptors. Autoradiographic localization using the PD-Svg radioligand shows robust specific binding to rodent brain and peripheral tissues that identifies consensus CRF receptor–expressing sites in a greater number and/or with greater sensitivity than its PS-Svg counterpart. We suggest that labeled analogs of PD-Svg may be useful tools for biochemical, structural, pharmacological, and anatomic studies of CRF receptors.
A search for non-chromosome 6 susceptibility loci contributing to rheumatoid arthritis

We conducted a search for non-chromosome 6 genes that may increase risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our approach was to retrospectively ascertain three "extreme" subsamples from the North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium. The three subsamples are: 1) RA cases who have two low-risk HLA-DRB1 alleles (N = 18), 2) RA cases who have two high-risk HLA-DRB1 alleles (N = 163), and 3) controls who have two low-risk HLA-DRB1 alleles (N = 652). We hypothesized that since Group 1's RA was likely due to non-HLA related risk factors, and because Group 3, by definition, is unaffected, comparing Group 1 with Group 2 and Group 1 with Group 3 would result in the identification of candidate susceptibility loci located outside of the MHC region. Accordingly, we restricted our search to the 21 non-chromosome 6 autosomes. The case-case comparison of Groups 1 and 2 resulted in the identification of 17 SNPs with allele frequencies that differed at p < 0.0001. The case-control comparison of Groups 1 and 3 identified 23 SNPs that differed in allele frequency at p < 0.0001. Eight of these SNPs (rs10498105, rs2398966, rs7664880, rs7447161, rs2793471, rs2611279, rs7967594, and rs742605) were common to both lists.
Gender and race/ethnic composition of technical work groups: Relationship to creative productivity and morale

Abstract This study explores the relationship of the gender and race/ethnic composition of work groups for 2331 research and development professionals with measures of creative productivity and morale. We find that male professionals appear to be more innovative and more likely to remain in their laboratories in predominantly male work groups, while female professionals appear to find more job satisfaction in predominantly female work groups. We find that non-Hispanic white technical professionals appear to have more patents in racially balanced work groups (defined by an equal number of whites and nonwhites), but they appear to find more job satisfaction where whites are the majority and are more likely to remain in the laboratory in all-white work groups. The relationships of group composition for nonwhites differed by subgroup. Outcomes for black technical professionals were less favorable in racially balanced work groups. No significant relationships of work group composition were found for Asians and Hispanics.
An Exploration of Genetic Counselors’ Needs and Experiences with Prenatal Chromosomal Microarray Testing

Because of the higher yield over traditional chromosomal analysis, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) is being used increasingly in prenatal diagnosis. Unfortunately, the clinical implication of many copy number variants found on prenatal CMA is uncertain, complicating genetic counseling. Recognizing that uncertain results will be encountered frequently as more of the genome is assayed prenatally, we set out to understand the experiences and needs of genetic counselors when counseling patients about uncertain prenatal microarray results, their comfort with various aspects of prenatal genetic counseling, and their interest in additional education and training about prenatal microarray testing. We first interviewed 10 genetic counselors about their experiences of providing pre- and post-test genetic counseling about prenatal CMA. Based on the findings from the counselor interviews, we developed items for a survey to assess the prevalence of genetic counselors’ attitudes towards, experience and comfort with, and educational needs regarding prenatal CMA. Based on surveys completed by 193 prenatal genetic counselors, we found that when there is an uncertain CMA result, only 59 % would be comfortable providing genetic counseling and only 43 % would be comfortable helping a patient make a decision about pregnancy termination. Being less comfortable was associated with seeing fewer patients having prenatal CMA testing. Respondents expressed a high degree of interest in additional education about prenatal CMA and counseling about uncertain results. Further genetic counselor education and training aimed at improving counselors’ personal comfort with uncertain results and communicating about them with patients is needed.
Martini's Equations for the Epidemiology of Immunising Diseases

E. MARTINI, in his “Berechnungen und Beobachtungen zur Epidemiologie und Bekampfung der Malaria” (Gente, Hamburg, 1921), sets up a system of differential equations to represent the presumptive course of events in the development of an endemic in which recovery is accompanied by acquired immunity. He adopts the notation:
the Critical Thickness of Dislocation-free Stranski-Krastanov Growth Atop a Deformabile Substrate

We investigate the influence of mass forces (in particular, of gravitation and van der Waals forces) on the critical film thickness of thin films attached to solid substrates and establish corresponding corrections of the earlier published formula Hcrit = σμ/τ2 (where CT is the surface energy, μ - the shear modulus, and τ - the mismatch stress). It is assumed that the films’ particles are able to rearrange their relative positions in the lattices, and the equilibrium rearrangement is determined by minimizing the total static energy. Recently, it was demonstrated that morphological stability of interfaces in crystalline solids with the rearrangement is extremely sensitive to the presence of shear stresses. Equilibrium theory of elasticity of pre-stressed solids with the rearrangement of their material particles has already allowed the prediction of the appearance of corrugations in He4 films and to explain the dislocation-free Stranski-Krastanov pattern of epitaxial growth of thin solid films. The explicit asymptotic formulae announced here are especially useful in the case of small mass force, the effects of which can be detectable and even significant for some of the above mentioned phenomena.
Navigating the Doctoral Journey

Earning a PhD is a complex process that complements the existing skills developed working in hospital or academic libraries. Two medical librarians who are now doctoral candidates, provide definitions of the PhD and reasons for pursuing this degree. Further, they present information on the three phases of earning a doctorate degree in the fields of Library and Information Studies (LIS) or Education—the coursework, comprehensive exams, and, the most difficult part, the dissertation process. They provide methods for survival, including selecting and cultivating advisors, creating a dissertation support group, and developing personal habits that help to assure success in this major initiative. The authors have shared their perceptions and personal motivations in the hope that these personal stories, complemented by the information and strategies about the PhD process, will be helpful both to those who are considering this major change in lifestyle and to those who support others undertaking this endeavor.
METAPHYSICAL ARGUMENTS AGAINST ORDINARY OBJECTS

Several prominent attacks on the objects of ‘folk ontology’ argue that these would be omitted from a scientific ontology, or would be ‘rivals’ of scientific objects for their claims to be efficacious, occupy space, be composed of parts, or possess a range of other properties. I examine causal redundancy and over determination arguments, ‘nothing over and above’ appeals, and arguments based on problems with collocation and with property additivity. I argue that these share a common problem: applying conjunctive principles to cases in which the claims conjoined are not analytically independent. This unified diagnosis provides a way of defending ordinary objects against these common objections, while also yielding warnings about certain uses of general conjunctive principles.
Ansteigen von Faktor VIII-(Antihämophiles Globulin)-Aktivität im Plasma von Hämophilen nach Zusatz synthetischer fibrinolytischer Verbindungen

Gewisse synthetische fibrinolytische organische Anionen induzierten in vitro im Plasma von Hamophilen einen Anstieg von Faktor VIII-Aktivitat.
Extracellular heat shock cognate protein 70 induces cardiac functional tolerance to endotoxin: Differential effect on TNF-α and ICAM-1 levels in heart tissue

Endotoxin provokes cardiac dysfunction, and induction of tolerance to endotoxin has therapeutic potential. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) can induce endotoxin tolerance in macrophages. We recently found that heat shock cognate protein 70 (HSC70) induces pro-inflammatory cytokines via activation of TLR4 in macrophages and the myocardium. We hypothesize that HSC70 preconditioning induces cardiac tolerance to endotoxin. Pretreatment of peritoneal macrophages with HSC70 for 24h reduced TNF-alpha levels following endotoxin stimulation. Preconditioning of mice with HSC70 24h prior to endotoxin attenuated endotoxemic cardiac dysfunction. HSC70 preconditioning reduced TNF-alpha levels in plasma and heart tissue by 33.3% and 35.4%, respectively, and decreased ICAM-1 levels in heart tissue by 63.5% following endotoxin challenge. The effect of HSC70 on TNF-alpha was less robust than endotoxin preconditioning (79.7% and 75.0% reduction in TNF-alpha levels in plasma and heart tissue, respectively); however, HSC70 and endotoxin preconditioning had comparable effects on ICAM-1 levels in heart tissue. While HSC70 preconditioning had no effect on myocardial TLR4 protein levels, it suppressed NF-kappaB activation induced by endotoxin. We conclude that HSC70 preconditioning (1) attenuates the TNF-alpha response to endotoxin in macrophages in vitro, (2) induces cardiac functional tolerance to endotoxin and (3) reduces NF-kappaB activity, and TNF-alpha and ICAM-1 levels in heart tissue. Thus, the mechanism of HSC70-induced cardiac tolerance to endotoxin appears to involve down-regulation of myocardial TLR4 signaling and inflammatory responses.
Adaptive multilevel diagnostic system for video information fusion

An adaptive multi-level diagnostic system capable of processing and filtering multimedia information to extract the most relevant information is described. Experimental results show that such an adaptive multi-level diagnosis system in general performs better than a single-stage detector both in processing speed and in recognition rate and overall rejection rate.
Cross-tropopause tracer transport in midlatitude convection

[1] A three-dimensional cloud-resolving model is used to simulate the transport of lower-tropospheric passive tracers into the lowermost stratosphere via midlatitude convection. In previous studies of troposphere-to-stratosphere convective transport the extent of irreversible transport is unclear because the tropopause location is difficult to determine in the highly perturbed environment directly above an active storm. To determine the irreversibility of cross-tropopause transport in this study, 10-hour simulations are carried out to cover the growth and decay cycles of the storm. After the decay of convection, isentropes relax to quasi-flat surfaces, and the position of the tropopause becomes much easier to establish. Air parcels containing boundary layer tracers were able to penetrate the stable stratosphere because diabatic processes increased the parcel's potential temperature sufficiently to make the parcel neutrally buoyant at stratospheric altitudes. The boundary layer tracer was carried upward in the core of the updraft whereas tracers originating from higher levels were lifted on the flanks of the updraft and therefore underwent less transport into the stratosphere. Three different cases were simulated: a prototypical supercell, a prototypical multicell, and a supercell observed during the Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study (STEPS) field campaign. In the prototypical supercell simulation, at 1 km above the tropopause the maximum concentration of boundary layer tracer is diluted to 26% of its original concentration; the maximum concentration of the tracer originating in the layer between 1 and 4 km is diluted to 23% of its original concentration. Simulation of the STEPS storm showed similar irreversible transport in a less idealized case. Both supercell storms produced more transport than the prototypical multicell storm.
A tile with surround number 2

(2002). A Tile with Surround Number 2. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 109, No. 4, pp. 383-388.
DFT/QTAIM analysis of the effect of late transition metal doping on methane selectivity in Fischer–Tröpsch catalysis

Abstract The effect of late transition metal substitution into Fe(1 0 0), Ni(1 1 1), and Co(0 0 0 1) surface analogs has been investigated density functional theory (DFT) methods. The surface was modeled using a 7-atom cluster, with perimeter atoms saturated with hydrogen atoms to approximate surface coordination and mitigate dangling bond artifacts. All calculations were performed at the B3PW91 level of theory with the LANL2DZ basis. Eight surface adsorbates were studied: C, CH, CH 2 , and CH 3 represented the hydrogenating steps on surface carbide, while C+CH, CH+CH, C+CH 3 , and CH 2 +CH 2 represented four competitive coupling pathways. A review of the effect of Cu, Ag, Au, and Pd on the reaction energies and barriers associated with these critical steps is discussed. QTAIM is employed to develop a picture of the electronic environment associated with methane selectivity. Attention is focused on the charge trends for the involved surface atoms and coupling species. Our results suggest that promising candidates for the reduction of FT methane selectivity include Au and Pd on Ni, Au and Ag on Co, and Cu, Ag, and Pd on Fe.
The effects of bound anions on the reactivity of residues in hemerythrin.

Abstract Perchlorate ions, and to a lesser extent, nitrate, phosphate, borate, and carbonate ions, are bound by hemerythrin near but not directly to the coordinating iron site. These bound anions affect the stabilities of methemerythrin coordination complexes and alter the reactivities of cysteine and lysine residues in the protein.
Estructura térmica superficial del mar asociada a la distribución espacio-temporal de sardina y anchoveta en la zona norte de Chile entre 1987 y 1992

Utilizando un sistema de informacion geografica (SIG), se analizan los cambios de la estructura termica superficial del mar asociados a las variaciones espaciales y mensuales de sardina (Sardinops sagax) y anchoveta (Engraulis ringens), en la zona norte de Chile (18°21'-24°00'S) entre 1987 y 1992. Para tal efecto se toma en cuenta el indice de abundancia CPUE, estimado para ambas especies a partir de la informacion de una flota cerquera industrial. y datos de temperatura superficial del mar (TSM) recolectados con satelites NOAA. Ademas se analizan datos de TSM y nivel del mar de estaciones de mareografos, y de viento e insolacion de estaciones meteorologicas. En 1987 y 1992 la TSM presenta anomalias positivas asociadas a eventos El Nino, en tanto que 1990 se presenta como el ano mas frio del periodo de estudio. Se destaca la marcada senal anual de la TSM, con una estacion calida entre noviembre y abril, mientras que entre julio y septiembre se registran las TSM mas bajas. Al comparar las distribuciones anuales de CPUE se determinan diferencias significativas entre ambas especies. A su vez, cada especie presenta distribuciones de CPUE diferentes entre anos. Las dos especies presentan un patron de migracion norte-sur de la estacion fria a la estacion calida, el cual se alteraria cuando se producen fuertes anomalias de TSM
Connective tissue growth factor: expression in human skin in vivo and inhibition by ultraviolet irradiation.

Connective tissue growth factor, which is induced by transforming growth factor β, has been reported to mediate the stimulatory actions of transforming growth factor β on type I procollagen synthesis. Connective tissue growth factor is expressed in fibrotic disease such as scleroderma, where it is believed to promote abnormal deposition of collagen. Connective tissue growth factor expression has not been described in normal human skin or cultured skin cells, however. We report here that connective tissue growth factor mRNA is constitutively expressed in normal human skin. In situ hybridization demonstrated that connective tissue growth factor mRNA was expressed in keratinocytes throughout the epidermis and in dermal cells. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed that the level of connective tissue growth factor mRNA in the epidermis and dermis of normal human skin was comparable to the level of housekeeping gene 36B4. Ultraviolet irradiation (2 minimal erythema dose, UVB/A2 source) reduced connective tissue growth factor mRNA expression throughout the epidermis and dermis in normal human skin in vivo. Connective tissue growth factor mRNA was reduced (30%) within 4 h post ultraviolet irradiation, and remained reduced (50%) 8–24 h post ultraviolet. Connective tissue growth factor mRNA and protein were also constitutively highly expressed in normal cultured human skin keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Ultraviolet irradiation of cultured normal human skin fibroblasts resulted in a time-dependent inhibition of connective tissue growth factor mRNA expression. At 24 h post ultraviolet, connective tissue growth factor mRNA expression was reduced 80%. Transforming growth factor β1 rapidly induced connective tissue growth factor mRNA levels (5-fold within 4 h) in skin fibroblasts, but not keratinocytes, and this induction was attenuated 80% by ultraviolet irradiation. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that ultraviolet irradiation reduced protein binding to the transforming growth factor β/Smad responsiveness elements in the connective tissue growth factor gene promoter, in human skin in vivo and human skin fibroblasts. Constitutive expression of connective tissue growth factor in normal human skin suggests that it is a physiologic regulator of procollagen synthesis. Ultraviolet reduction of connective tissue growth factor expression may contribute to reduced procollagen synthesis observed in ultraviolet-irradiated normal human skin and human skin fibroblasts.
Signal estimation with low infinity-norm error by minimizing the mean p-norm error

We consider the problem of estimating an input signal from noisy measurements in both parallel scalar Gaussian channels and linear mixing systems. The performance of the estimation process is quantified by the l ∞ -norm error metric (worst case error). Our previous results have shown for independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) Gaussian mixture input signals that, when the input signal dimension goes to infinity, the Wiener filter minimizes the l ∞ -norm error. However, the input signal dimension is finite in practice. In this paper, we estimate the finite dimensional input signal by minimizing the mean l p -norm error. Numerical results show that the l p -norm minimizer outperforms the Wiener filter, provided that the value of p is properly chosen. Our results further suggest that the optimal value of p increases with the signal dimension, and that for i.i.d. Bernoulli-Gaussian input signals, the optimal p increases with the percentage of nonzeros.
Electrochemical Characterization of Various Carbon-Supported Pt-Pd Bimetallic Electrocatalysts Prepared by Electroless Deposition

Various Pt-Pd/C bimetallic compositions have been prepared by electroless deposition (ED) methods. The morphology has been identified as Pd cores partially encapsulated by Pt shells by various spectroscopic techniques. No monometallic Pt or Pd particles have been detected. The ratio of Pt to Pd was also well controlled. Although the electrochemical activity of the Pt-Pd/C catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was equal to or less than that for commercially available Pt/C catalysts, the amount of hydrogen peroxide detected as ring current was reduced by the exposed Pd component, suggesting that such a catalyst has the potential to decrease ionomer degradation in certain applications. The Pt on Pd/C catalysts also show much higher resistance to agglomeration induced by potential cycling. Analysis by high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy following potential cycling reveals no changes in both particle sizes and electrochemical active areas.
Transformation by subgenomic fragments of Rous sarcoma virus DNA

Abstract Subgenomic fragments of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) DNA, generated by Eco RI digestion of DNA of RSV-infected chicken cells, induced transformation of NIH/3T3 mouse cells with efficiencies that were 100–1000 fold lower than the efficiency of transformation by intact RSV DNA. Analysis of the DNAs of NIH cells transformed by Eco RI-digested RSV DNA indicated that these cells contained no more than 2 × 10 6 daltons of RSV DNA, and did not contain sequences from the 5′ terminus of RSV RNA which are included in the leader sequence of subgenomic src mRNA of RSV-infected cells. The product of the RSV src gene (pp60 src ), however, was produced in apparently similar quantities by NIH cells transformed by Eco RI fragments of RSV DNA and by intact RSV DNA. Thus expression of the src gene of RSV in NIH cells transformed by subgenomic fragments of RSV DNA did not require the terminal sequences of the RSV genome, which appear to be involved in synthesis and processing of src mRNA in RSV-infected cells. DNAs of NIH cells transformed by Eco RI-digested RSV DNA were found to induce transformation in secondary transfection assays with efficiencies that were similar to the efficiency of transformation by intact RSV DNA. These results suggest that transformation by subgenomic fragments of RSV DNA may be a consequence of integration of src gene-containing DNA fragments in the vicinity of a promoter site in the recipient cell genome, leading to efficient expression of the RSV src gene.
Women's health: Designing and implementing an interdisciplinary specialty

Contemporary physicians who wish to specialize formally in the care of women have inherited a surgical postgraduate program that focuses primarily on reproductive health. Mounting evidence suggests a broader perspective is needed. This article describes the role obstetrics-gynecology might play in this advancement.
Does direction of induced electric field or current provide a test of mechanism involved in nerve regeneration

We suggest an experimental comparison of two directions for applying the time-varying magnetic fields which have been found to speed spontaneous regeneration of injured peripheral nerves and in attempts to repair spinal cord injuries. Time-varying magnetic fields induce currents in a plane perpendicular to the magnetic field direction. The lower conductivity of the spinal cord's sheath (dura matter) or of the myelin sheath of peripheral nerves would seem to confine the induced electric fields and currents to the spinal cord or nerve itself. The proposed comparison could allow choosing between two possible modes of action of the fields: (1) Magnetically-induced electric fields or currents may be encouraging ion flow or otherwise helping enzyme, channel or other interactions at the cell membrane, as is thought to be the case in field stimulation of healing in bone. This mechanism should be independent of field direction. (2) Work in developing organisms and with fields applied to nerve cells in vitro has shown that neurite growth is guided parallel to both endogenous and external electric fields. This mechanism would be effective when induced electric fields are parallel, but not when they are perpendicular to the nerve. Any experimental test should seek to produce as close as possible to the same induced current intensity with both field directions. Possible confounding factors, as well as breakdowns in the assumptions of the simple model presented here, would have to be considered. This proposal was motivated by a recent report in which the authors listed a changed field direction as one of several possible reasons for an unsuccessful experiment.
R69-27 Demand Paging in Perspective

Suppose we have a computer system in which essentially all information is grouped for storage allocation purposes into fixed-length multiple word information units called pages. Suppose this system is being multiprogrammed or time-shared under the control of an appropriate supervisor system. For added flexibility and for implementing a so-called virtual memory (or one-level store), it is desirable to be able to execute programs without their being wholly in main memory. (Major examples of these systems include the Multics system of Project MAC and IBM's TSS system.) The following general problem arises. Which pages of a program to be executed are to be loaded into main memory: a) just prior to execution, and b) at those subsequent instants during program execution when it is decided to bring in other pages because of references outside the initial set of pages? It is in this context that demand paging is defined and discussed by the authors whose paper is being reviewed here. (A related problem involves the decision as to which pages should be replaced, when this is necessary. Belady1 has made a detailed study of this latter problem.)
Vibrations of continuous Timoshenko beams on Winkler-Pasternak foundations

Abstract The dynamic analysis of continuous Timoshenko beams on Winkler-Pasternak foundations by means of the general dynamic slope-deflection equations is presented. A three-span continuous beam on a Winkler-Pasternak foundation subjected to free and forced vibrations is used to illustrate the application of the proposed method and to show the effects of rotary inertia, transverse-shear deformation and foundation constants on the beam.
The Organization of schistosomiasis control programmes

Abstract A major constraint to the control of communicable diseases in developing countries is the lack of adequate institutionalization of public health activities. The usual political perception is that the public will benefit more from economic and social development than from public health interventions. Planners and politicians generally hold that investment in rural electrification, roads and education will bring more long-term benefit than equivalent investments in public health. Sadly therefore, public health interventions have usually been designed and implemented as short-term, high-return activities in an atmosphere of unrealistic optimism. This criticism can be applied to most tropical diseases, but the potential of new weapons against many of the most widespread parasitic diseases places some urgency on an analysis of the most effective way to implement these interventions. In an attempt to identify and begin to resolve some of these issues, The World Bank, WHO and McConnell Clark Foundation sponsored a workshop on the Organization and Management of Schistosomiasis and other Tropical Disease Control Programmes. The meeting addressed general issues of the organization of public health services, but focused on schistosomiasis where the development of effective, single oral dose chemotherapy (using oxamniquine or praziquantel) is seen as a realistic intervention for large-scale control throughout the 74 endemic countries. In this article, Bernhard Liese reviews the institutional questions, drawing examples from the often cited control programmes in Brazil, Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan and the Philippines.
Using Extended Hückel Theory as a Platform To Introduce Jahn–Teller Distortion: The Spontaneous Distortion of 1,3,5,7-Cyclooctatetraene from a Perfect Octagon

Herein, a slightly enhanced version of extended Huckel molecular orbital theory is applied to demonstrate the spontaneous distortion of 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene from a perfect octagon, a consequence of the Jahn-Teller effect. The exercise is accessible to students who have been introduced to basic quantum mechanics and extended Huckel molecular orbital theory and is easily implemented with widely available algebraic manipulation software such as Maple or Mathematica. This exercise is suitable for inclusion in the physical chemistry curriculum at the upper-level undergraduate or introductory graduate level.
Human H-kininogen Is a Ferritin-binding Protein

H-kininogen is a multifunctional protein: it inhibits cysteine proteases, plays a role in contact activation of the coagulation cascade, and is the precursor of the potent proinflammatory peptide bradykinin. In the experiments described here, we identify H-kininogen as a ferritin-binding protein. Ferritin is a cellular and serum protein that is elevated in acute and chronic inflammation and many cancers. Despite numerous reports of ferritin-binding protein(s) in human serum, the nature and function of these proteins remain unclear. As a first step in characterizing the interaction between ferritin and its binding protein(s), we devised a ligand blot assay and used it to guide purification of a ferritin-binding protein from human serum. Edman degradation of the purified protein determined the sequence HNLGHGHK(H)ERDQGHG, a sequence with identity to residues 421–436 of human H-kininogen. These results were confirmed by demonstrating that commercially purified H-kininogen possessed ferritin binding activity and that ferritin binding could not be detected in plasma from kininogen-deficient individuals. Ligand blot assays mapped the ferritin binding domain to the light chain of H-kininogen chain, and revealed that both H and L recombinant ferritins possess H-kininogen binding activity. The unexpected identification of H-kininogen as a ferritin-binding protein may link ferritin in the complex chain of interactions by which H-kininogen mediates its multiple effects in contact activation and inflammation.
A parallel 3D Poisson solver for space charge simulation in cylindrical coordinates

Abstract This paper presents the development of a parallel three-dimensional Poisson solver in cylindrical coordinate system for the electrostatic potential of a charged particle beam in a circular tube. The Poisson solver uses Fourier expansions in the longitudinal and azimuthal directions, and Spectral Element discretization in the radial direction. A Dirichlet boundary condition is used on the cylinder wall, a natural boundary condition is used on the cylinder axis and a Dirichlet or periodic boundary condition is used in the longitudinal direction. A parallel 2D domain decomposition was implemented in the ( r , θ ) plane. This solver was incorporated into the parallel code PTRACK for beam dynamics simulations. Detailed benchmark results for the parallel solver and a beam dynamics simulation in a high-intensity proton LINAC are presented. When the transverse beam size is small relative to the aperture of the accelerator line, using the Poisson solver in a Cartesian coordinate system and a Cylindrical coordinate system produced similar results. When the transverse beam size is large or beam center located off-axis, the result from Poisson solver in Cartesian coordinate system is not accurate because different boundary condition used. While using the new solver, we can apply circular boundary condition easily and accurately for beam dynamic simulations in accelerator devices.
Automatic determination of facial muscle activations from sparse motion capture marker data

We built an anatomically accurate model of facial musculature, passive tissue and underlying skeletal structure using volumetric data acquired from a living male subject. The tissues are endowed with a highly nonlinear constitutive model including controllable anisotropic muscle activations based on fiber directions. Detailed models of this sort can be difficult to animate requiring complex coordinated stimulation of the underlying musculature. We propose a solution to this problem automatically determining muscle activations that track a sparse set of surface landmarks, e.g. acquired from motion capture marker data. Since the resulting animation is obtained via a three dimensional nonlinear finite element method, we obtain visually plausible and anatomically correct deformations with spatial and temporal coherence that provides robustness against outliers in the motion capture data. Moreover, the obtained muscle activations can be used in a robust simulation framework including contact and collision of the face with external objects.
Nucleotide sequences of the cDNA and an intronless pseudogene for human lactate dehydrogenase-A isozyme.

Eight cDNA clones for lactate dehydrogenase-A isozyme (LDH-A) were isolated from a human fibroblast cDNA library, characterized, and no sequence heterogeneity was found. Four cDNA clones appear to contain nearly full-length cDNA inserts and the complete nucleotide sequence of 1710 base pairs consists of the protein-coding sequence (999 base pairs), the 5′ (97 base pairs) and 3′ (565 base pairs) untranslated regions and poly(dA) tail (49 base pairs). The predicted amino acid sequence of the human LDH-A polypeptide shows 92% homology (27 differences out of 331 amino acids compared) with that of the pig LDH-A subunit determined by direct protein sequencing [Kiltz et al. (1977) Hoppe-Seyler's Z. Physiol. Chem. 358, 123–127]. Human genomic clones containing an LDH-A pseudogene were isolated and the nucleotide sequence of 1635 base pairs from an intronless pseudogene was determined. The presence of two termination codons, two deletions of three nucleotides each and the replacement of three arginine residues at the active site (nos 98, 105 and 168) by other amino acids renders its coding region incapable of producing a functional LDH-A protein. A comparison between human LDH-A cDNA and the pseudogene sequences reveals 12.9% differences (114 transitions, 65 transversions and 36 deletions/insertions). Further, only four out of the 25 dCpdG dinucleotides present in the cDNA sequence remain unchanged, although the sequences possess 87.1% homology.
The Neuron Identity Problem: Form Meets Function

A complete understanding of nervous system function cannot be achieved without the identification of its component cell types. In this Perspective, we explore a series of related issues surrounding cell identity and how revolutionary methods for labeling and probing specific neuronal types have clarified this question. Specifically, we ask the following questions: what is the purpose of such diversity, how is it generated, how is it maintained, and, ultimately, how can one unambiguously identity one cell type from another? We suggest that each cell type can be defined by a unique and conserved molecular ground state that determines its capabilities. We believe that gaining an understanding of these molecular barcodes will advance our ability to explore brain function, enhance our understanding of the biochemical basis of CNS disorders, and aid in the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Nesting Behavior of Philanthus albopilosus with Comparisons Between Two Widely Separated Populations

Nesting behavior of Philanthus albopilosus Cresson was studied near Albany, N.Y., and Roggen, Colo. In both localities the mounds of soil at nest entrances were partially leveled. In New York, 2 of 5 newly completed nests had one accessory burrow each, while in Colorado 26 of 33 such nests had accessory burrows numbering 1 to 6 per nest. Nests consisted of a nearly horizontal section (vestibule) followed by a nearly vertical section (gallery) penetrating the soil deeply. Cells, up to 4 per nest, were constructed at the ends of long side burrows and were provisioned with from 6 to 10 paralyzed bees or wasps per cell. Comparison of the 2 widely separated nesting aggregations revealed only one important difference : mean length of the gallery was 18.7 cm in New York (n=7) as compared to 45 cm in Colorado (n=8) .
Qualitative assessment of FMR1 (CGG)n triplet repeat status in normal, intermediate, premutation, full mutation, and mosaic carriers in both sexes: implications for fragile X syndrome carrier and newborn screening.

Purpose: Fragile X syndrome is caused by expansion and subsequent methylation of a CGG trinucleotide repeat in the FMR1 5′-untranslated region. Southern blot analysis is typically required to determine expansion size for triplet repeat lengths >200. We describe a triplet-primed polymerase chain reaction-based method using automated capillary electrophoresis detection for qualitative assessment of expanded CGG repeats. Methods: The assay uses triplet-primed polymerase chain reaction in combination with GC-melting reagents and substitution of 7-deaza-2-deoxyGTP for dGTP. Amplicons are resolved by capillary electrophoresis. Results: A distinctive pattern of tapering or “stutter” polymerase chain reaction amplification was evident on capillary electrophoresis in male and female patients harboring all expanded allele lengths examined (up to 2000 CGG repeats) and could be used to differentiate normal, intermediate, premutation, and full mutation alleles. Full mutation alleles exhibited an additional late-migrating amplicon on capillary electrophoresis. Mixing experiments demonstrated sensitivity as low as 1% for detection of the full mutation allele. In a 1275-sample concordance study against our existing polymerase chain reaction platform (with Southern blot analysis for repeat lengths ≥55), the triplet-primed polymerase chain reaction method exhibited 100% concordance for normal, intermediate, expanded, and full mutation alleles. This method also detected the full mutation alleles in DNA isolated from blood spots. Conclusion: This assay provides an accurate assessment of FMR1 repeat status and holds promise for use in carrier and newborn screening. The method distinguishes normal homozygous females from full mutation carrying females. Although the method is not useful for accurate sizing, it supplements the classic polymerase chain reaction method and results in significant reduction in the number of Southern blot analyses required to be performed in the laboratory to accurately assess the FMR1 genotype in all individuals.
Infrared Heat Transfer by Atmospheric Water Vapor

Abstract Empirical data on transmission functions are used to set up a general program to calculate the infrared radiation flux in the atmosphere in the two major regions of water vapor absorption. These empirical data are used as input together with atmospheric soundings and the problem is solved through the use of an electronic computer. The northern hemisphere average soundings for March determined by London are used as input to the computer program and the results obtained are compared with his cooling rate calculations. The results for an additional sounding are displayed to demonstrate the effect of lapse-rate stability on cooling rate.
Surgical management of non-traumatic pediatric ectopia lentis: A case series and review of the literature.

Purpose To report a small series of pediatric patients with ectopia lentis that underwent limbal-approach lensectomy and vitrectomy and scleral-fixated intraocular lens implantation and to review the literature on the topic of surgical management of ectopia lentis.