cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Orientia tsutsugamushi Strain Ikeda Ankyrin Repeat-Containing Proteins Recruit SCF1 Ubiquitin Ligase Machinery via Poxvirus-Like F-Box Motifs

ABSTRACT A rising theme among intracellular microbes is the delivery of ankyrin repeat-containing effectors (Anks) that interact with target proteins to co-opt host cell functions. Orientia tsutsugamushi, an obligate intracellular bacterium and the etiologic agent of scrub typhus, encodes one of the largest Ank repertoires of any sequenced microorganism. They have been previously identified as type 1 secretion system substrates. Here, in silico and manual sequence analyses revealed that a large proportion of O. tsutsugamushi strain Ikeda Anks bear a eukaryotic/poxvirus-like F-box motif, which is known to recruit host cell SCF1 ubiquitin ligase machinery. We assessed the Anks for the ability to serve as F-box proteins. Coimmunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that F-box-containing Anks interact with overexpressed and/or endogenous SCF1 components. When coexpressed with FLAG-Ank4_01 or FLAG-Ank9, a glutathione S -transferase (GST)-tagged version of the SCF1 component SKP1 localized to subcellular sites of FLAG-Ank accumulation. The abilities of recombinant Anks to interact and colocalize with SKP1 were F-box dependent. GST-SKP1 precipitated O. tsutsugamushi-derived Ank9 from infected host cells, verifying both that the pathogen expresses Ank9 during infection and the protein9s capability to bind SKP1. Aligning O. tsutsugamushi, poxviral, and eukaryotic F-box sequences delineated three F-box residues that are highly conserved and likely to be functionally important. Substitution of these residues ablated the ability of GFP-Ank9 to interact with GST-SKP1. These results demonstrate that O. tsutsugamushi strain Ikeda Anks can co-opt host cell polyubiquitination machinery, provide the first evidence that an O. tsutsugamushi Ank does so during infection, and advance overall understanding of microbial F-box proteins. IMPORTANCE Ankyrin repeat-containing proteins (Anks) are important virulence factors of intracellular bacteria that mediate protein-protein interactions with host cell targets. Orientia tsutsugamushi, which causes a debilitating infection called scrub typhus in one of the most densely populated regions of the world, encodes one of the largest Ank armamentariums of any sequenced bacterium. This study demonstrates that O. tsutsugamushi strain Ikeda Anks also bear F-box motifs that interact with host cell polyubiquitination machinery. By proving that an Orientia-derived Ank interacts with SKP1 in infected cells, this evidences the first bona fide Orientia effector and the first example of an endogenous F-box-containing Ank–mammalian-host ligand interaction for any intracellular bacterium. Also, importantly, this work identifies key residues that are essential for microbial F-box function.
Inter-frame motion correction for small animal PET imaging

Quantitative analysis of dynamic PET images provides invaluable information to biomedical research. Subject motion during the long dynamic image acquisition can cause motion artifacts that deteriorate quantitative analysis. Image registration technique can compensate for such motion and has been applied for human images especially in the context of dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. The same principle can be applied to small animal PET imaging. In this study, we developed and evaluated several strategies using image registration based technique to compensate for inter-frame motion. Based on realistic simulation studies, it was determined that using principle component analysis to create a synthetic dynamic sequence as the reference for registration was the best performing motion compensation technique. Sub-millimeter accuracy was achieved even for the early five second frames. The motion correction technique was also able to improve the region of interest time activity curves and arterial input function (AIF). The proposed inter-frame technique generated promising results and warranted more extensive evaluation with animal PET data.
Readmissions After Ventricular Assist Device: Etiologies, Patterns, and Days Out of Hospital

Background Scarce literature exists describing the patterns of readmission after continuous flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implantation. These carry significant cost and quality of life implications. We sought to describe the etiology and pattern of readmission among patients receiving CF-LVADs. Methods Frequency, reason, urgency, and duration of readmission as well as freedom from readmission were examined in a retrospective review of our institutional experience. As an indirect means of quality of life, the ratio of days out of hospital (OOH)/days alive with device was calculated. Results From 2006 to 2011, 71 adult patients implanted with a CF device were included. Indication for device implantation was bridge to transplant (n = 19), potential bridge to transplant (n = 25), or destination therapy (n = 27). Length of support averaged 359 days. Total support time was 69.7 patient years. One hundred fifty-five readmissions accounted for a total of 1,659 hospital days. Fifty-six patients were readmitted during the study period. Median time to first readmission was 48 days (range 2 to 663 days). Median length of stay was 5 days. The single most common etiology for readmission was gastrointestinal bleeding accounting for 14% of readmissions. Readmissions were urgent (87%), elective (10%), or life-threatening (3%). Patients on the average enjoyed 92% of their time OOH. Conclusions Patients undergoing CF-LVAD support are often readmitted within 6 months of discharge. Readmissions tend to be of short duration and the most common reason is for gastrointestinal bleeding. Importantly, following discharge after implant procedure, 51 patients spent at least 90% of days OOH.
Hypertension in apparently normal children

Seventy-four asymptomatic children, 4 to 18 years of age, whose blood pressures repeatedly exceeded previously reported standards, were investigated for possible causes of hypertension. All but 2 were under 15 years of age when the presence of increased blood pressure was first documented. No apparent cause for hypertension was found in 69 of them. However, the prevalence of obesity and of parental hypertension was significantly higher in these children than in normotensive subjects. The systolic or diastolic pressures or both were still elevated in 65 per cent of 46 patients followed for 3 to 8 years after their hypertension was first documented. These observations raise the question of whether such hypertension in childhood may be a prelude to essential hypertension in later life.
DNA methylation controls the inducibility of the mouse metallothionein-I gene in lymphoid cells

The W7 mouse thymoma cell line does not express the metallothionein-I (MT-I) gene in the presence of either cadmium or glucocorticoids, unlike most other cell lines. This cell line was therefore used as a model system for studying the role of DNA methylation on MT-I gene expression. The extent of DNA methylation within the MT-I gene and its flanking regions was determined by comparing the cleavage patterns generated by the isoschizomeric restriction enzymes Hpa II and Msp I. In W7 cells, all of the Hpa II sites in the vicinity of the MT-I gene are methylated, whereas in cells that have an expressible MT-I gene (for example, Friend erythroleukemia cells) all of these Hpa II sites are unmethylated. When W7 cells are treated for a few hours with 5-azacytidine, the MT-I gene becomes inducible by both cadmium and glucocorticoids. Addition of hydroxyurea along with 5-azacytidine prevents MT-I gene induction, suggesting that incorporation of 5-azacytidine into DNA is required before this gene can be activated. To determine whether 5-azacytidine treatment changes the methylation pattern near the MT-I gene, we treated W7 cells with 5-azacytidine and selected inducible cells in 10 micro M cadmium. all of the Hpa II sites within the MT-I gene are unmethylated in these cadmium-resistant W7 cells. In addition, flanking DNA sequences are also undermethylated in a pattern similar to that seen in Friend erythroleukemia cells that express the MT-I gene. The possible significance of methylation as a mechanism of gene commitment during cell differentiation is discussed.
Asymmetric Weight Gain and Loss from Increasing and Decreasing Exercise

Purpose: Although increases and decreases in physical activity are known to cause weight loss and weight gain, respectively, it is not known whether the magnitudes of these changes in weight are equal. Unequal (asymmetric) weight changes could contribute to overall weight gain or loss among individuals with seasonal or irregular activity. Methods: Changes in adiposity were compared with the running distances at baseline and follow-up in men and women whose reported exercise increased (N = 4632 and 1953, respectively) or decreased (17,280 and 5970, respectively) during 7.7 yr of follow-up. Results: Per km[middle dot]wk-1 decreases in running distance caused more than four times greater weight gain between 0 and 8 km[middle dot]wk-1 (slope +/- SE, males: -0.068 +/- 0.005 kg[middle dot]m-2; females: -0.080 +/- 0.01 kg[middle dot]m-2) than between 32 and 48 km[middle dot]wk-1 (-0.017 +/- 0.002 and -0.010 +/- 0.005 kg[middle dot]m-2, respectively). In contrast, increases in running distance produced the smallest weight losses between 0 and 8 km[middle dot]wk-1 and statistically significant weight loss only above 16 km[middle dot]wk-1. Above 32 km[middle dot]wk-1 (30 kcal[middle dot]kg-1) in men and 16 km[middle dot]wk-1 (15 kcal[middle dot]kg-1) in women, weight loss from increasing exercise was equal to or greater than weight gained from decreasing exercise; otherwise, weight gain exceeded weight loss. Conclusion: Weight gained because of reductions in weekly exercise below 30 kcal[middle dot]kg-1 in men and 15 kcal[middle dot]kg-1 in women may not be reversed by resuming prior activity. Current IOM guidelines (i.e., maintain total energy expenditure at 160% of basal) agree with the men's exercise threshold for symmetric weight change with changing exercise levels. Asymmetric weight changes below this threshold may contribute to weight gain among less-active subjects.
Continuous filament ceramic fibers via the viscose process

The process for making AVCERAM (FMC Corporation) fibers involves incorporation of lattice-forming inorganic materials, molecularly dispersed in a viscose batch, spinning, weaving, or winding the resultant fiber on conventional, production-type machinery, and firing the fiber or fabric so as to retain the unique, single, or multicomponent continuous filament structure. The versatility and practicality of the process give promise for new and unusual fiber compositions and fabric constructions in quantities and at prices attractive to the ultimate consumer. Of particular interest is the indication that in composite applications the carbon-silica fabric exhibits some advantages of both carbon and silica reinforcemeuts which may be partly due to in situ conversion to silicon carbide.
Swedish physicians' perspectives on work and the medical care system—III: Private practitioners on the public system

Abstract This paper reports the results of focused interviews in 1978–1979 with Swedish physicians in private practice about the public system of medical care in Sweden. They were asked about the system as a work environment for physicians and as a system of care for patients. Respondents, who were outside the public system (although financed mainly by public mechanisms) said the public system as a place to work had advantages in its high technical quality, facilities for research and training, and the capacity to treat complicated disease; its disadvantages were said to be inefficiency, lack of communication, poor patient care, and blocked mobility for physicians without doctorates. As a system of care, its one advantage was said to be that it provided care at less out-of-pocket cost to patients; its reported disadvantages were poor quality care and a tendency to be overly comprehensive. These perspectives are discussed with respect to their structural and historical contexts.
Agitation effects on microcarrier and suspension CHO cells

The growth properties of attachment-dependent and attachment-independent CHO cells cultured in spinner-flask bioreactors were compared to investigate cell damage from rapid agitation. Damage was attributed to bulk-fluid turbulence for attachment-dependent CHO cells and bubble breakup associated with vortex formation for attachment-independent CHO cells. Radiolabeling demonstrated that cell damage included intrinsic changes in DNA synthesis.
BH3 domains as BCL-2 inhibitors: prototype cancer therapeutics

It is likely that most, if not all, cancer cells possess a mechanism for opposing programmed cell death, or apoptosis. One mechanism often used by cancer cells to escape apoptosis is the overexpression of B cell leukaemia/lymphoma-2 protein (BCL-2) or related antiapoptotic proteins. Inhibiting BCL-2, therefore, is an anticancer strategy worthy of attention. BCL-2 homology 3 (BH3) domains are α-helical segments found in BCL-2 family member proteins. In pro-apoptotic members, the BH3 domain is necessary for pro-apoptotic function. It has been shown that short peptides derived from the BH3 region possess intrinsic pro-death activity. Furthermore, certain peptides of this group exert their pro-death function by specifically binding BCL-2 and opposing BCL-2’s antideath function. Therefore, BH3 domains are prototype BCL-2 inhibitors. Mimetics of BH3 domains, whether derived from peptides or small molecules, have promise as cancer therapeutics.
Trade and domestic financial market reform under political uncertainty : implications for investment, savings, and the real exchange rate

This paper presents a model that incorporates uncertainty about trade reform and analyzes the effects of trade and financial liberalization on domestic investment and savings, the current account balance and the real exchange rate, both when the capital account is open and when it is closed. Under certain assumptions financial liberalization leads to a movement of resources in the opposite direction to that implied by trade liberalization and to real exchange rate appreciation, thus defeating one of the objectives of tariff reform, when the capital account is open. When political economy linkages are taken into account, however, the indirect effects of financial liberalization may offset the direct effects, encouraging a movement of resources in the desired direction. With a closed capital account these results should still hold unless there are strong negative income effects from trade reform.
ALK-mediated oncogenesis: mechanisms that matter

Comment on Han et al, page [2796][1], and comment on Fawal et al, page [2780][2] Two reports in this issue of Blood provide new insights into the lymphomagenic mechanisms used by ALK fusions, one highlighting the effects of loss of expression of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP1 that occurs in the
Specified Neural Progenitors Sort to Form Sharp Domains after Noisy Shh Signaling

Summary Sharply delineated domains of cell types arise in developing tissues under instruction of inductive signal (morphogen) gradients, which specify distinct cell fates at different signal levels. The translation of a morphogen gradient into discrete spatial domains relies on precise signal responses at stable cell positions. However, cells in developing tissues undergoing morphogenesis and proliferation often experience complex movements, which may affect their morphogen exposure, specification, and positioning. How is a clear pattern achieved with cells moving around? Using in toto imaging of the zebrafish neural tube, we analyzed specification patterns and movement trajectories of neural progenitors. We found that specified progenitors of different fates are spatially mixed following heterogeneous Sonic Hedgehog signaling responses. Cell sorting then rearranges them into sharply bordered domains. Ectopically induced motor neuron progenitors also robustly sort to correct locations. Our results reveal that cell sorting acts to correct imprecision of spatial patterning by noisy inductive signals. PaperFlick
Cooperation in rats without prior individual training

Pairs of rats were placed in a mixed-motive situation in which they were dependent upon each other in order to avoid electric shock and obtain food. The results show that rats are capable of establishing behavioral interdependence in the absence of individual training to perform certain components of the interdependent behavior.
Weighted Optimality in Designed Experimentation

An optimality framework is developed for designing experiments in which not all treatments are of equal interest, such as those including an established control. Differential interest in treatments is formalized by assignment of weights, incorporated into optimality measures through a weighted version of the information matrix. All conventional measures of design efficacy are shown to have weighted analogs. The properties of weighted measures are explored, some general theory is developed, and weighted optimal designs are determined for unblocked experimentation. This new approach includes “test treatments versus control” experiments as a special case. Supplementary materials for the article are available online.
Elimination of climbing fiber instructive signals during motor learning

The climbing fiber input to the cerebellum from the inferior olive is thought to act as a teacher whose activity controls the induction of motor learning. We designed training conditions that did not elicit instructive signals in the climbing fibers, but nevertheless induced robust and consistent motor learning in the vestibulo-ocular reflex of rhesus monkeys. Our results indicate that instructive signals in the climbing fibers are not necessary for cerebellum-dependent learning. Instead, instructive signals carried by either the climbing fibers or Purkinje cell simple spikes may be sufficient to induce motor learning, with additive effects occurring when both instructive signals are present during training.
Calibration of subjective scaling responses

Subjective scaling is being used more frequently to assess the lighting characteristics of interiors, although there has been little attempt to validate the responses that subjects provide. It is a...
Evolutionary Diversification of Multigene Families: Allelic Selection of Toxins in Predatory Cone Snails

In order to investigate the evolution of conotoxin multigene families among two closely related vermivorous CONUS: species, we sequenced 104 four-loop conotoxin mRNAs from two individuals of CONUS: ebraeus and compared these with sequences already obtained from CONUS: abbreviatus. In contrast to the diversity of conotoxin sequences obtained from C. abbreviatus, only two common sequence variants were recovered from C. ebraeus. Segregation patterns of the variants in these two individuals and restriction digests of four-loop conotoxin amplification products from nine additional individuals suggest that the common variants are alleles from a single locus. These two putative alleles differ at nine positions that occur nonrandomly in the toxin-coding region of the sequences. Moreover, all substitutions are at nonsynonymous sites and are responsible for seven amino acid differences among the predicted amino acid sequences of the alleles. These results imply that conotoxin diversity is driven by strong diversifying selection and some form of frequency-dependent or overdominant selection at conotoxin loci, and they suggest that diverse conotoxin multigene families can originate from duplications at polymorphic loci. Furthermore, none of the sequences recovered from C. ebraeus appeared to be orthologs of loci from C. abbreviatus, and attempts to amplify orthologous sequences with locus-specific primers were unsuccessful among these species. These patterns suggest that venoms of closely related CONUS: species may differ due to the differential expression of conotoxin loci.
Friction and wear characteristics of hard coatings

Abstract The friction and wear behavior of four hard coatings (Metco, Diamalloy, Stellite, and ZnSiC) was determined using a pin-on-disk machine. The coatings were thermal sprayed on cast iron disks. The coating compositions were Ni17Cr2.5Fe2.5Si2.5B0.15C (Metco), Fe30Mo2C (Diamalloy), Co30Cr12W2.4C (Stellite), and Zn50SiC (ZnSiC). Sliding was performed between cylindrical pins machined from non-asbestos organic (NAO) brake lining and the coated and uncoated disks. The lining, consisting of resin, aramid pulp, zirconia, graphite, calcium fluoride, rubber and barium sulfate, was developed as a material for automotive brake pads. The coatings were characterized by measuring their hardness, porosity, and corrosion resistance. The Metco and Stellite coatings had a uniform morphology in all directions. The Diamalloy coating had a lamellar microstructure whereas the ZnSiC coating was very porous. The corrosion resistance of the coatings was tested with exposure to 5% NaCl for 168 h. The Stellite coating had the best corrosion resistance. The friction and wear tests were conducted at contact pressures of 1.72, 3.45 and 6.89 MPa and sliding speeds of 1 and 3 m/s. The wear of the lining material was lowest when it slid against the Stellite coated disks and the highest coefficient of friction was observed for the Metco coated disks.
Simple Coordination Complexes: Drugs and Probes for DNA Structure

Abstract Specific interactions of some simple transition metal complexes with DNA are described. Several binding modes and reactions, intercalation, covalent modification, and oxidative cleavage, are discussed and all have in common the specific recognition by metal complexes of subtle features of DNA helical structure. The versatility of the metal center, from its spectroscopic properties to stereochemistry, suggests that coordination complexes may be promising candidates to exploit in the design of drugs and probes for DNA.
Optimal Allocation of Water Quality Controls in Urbanizing River Basins

: Urbanizing river basins in the west are encountering serious water quality degradation resulting from the expanded water utilization. In order to avoid aggravating such conditions, water quality controls need to be implemented. The important questions are, therefore, where and how to impose such constraints on the urban and agricultural sectors to achieve the desired level of pollution control. An application of the model developed to address such questions is made in the Utah Lake drainage area of Central Utah as a test of the model's utility. The region is subdivided into five major sub-basins containing both municipal and agricultural water demands. A submodel of each sub-basin is developed which optimizes the water quality control strategies by linking the urban to the agricultural uses and then evaluating the levels of control for each sector. From these results, a cost-effectiveness function for each sub-basin is generated. By jointly considering the cost-effectiveness relationship for each sub-basin, an optimum policy for the entire basin is determined.
Social Responsibility in Nursing Education

Nurses will be key participants in health care reform as health care shifts from a hospital-based disease orientation to a community-centered health promotion focus. Nursing in communities, the environmental context of clients' everyday lives, requires attention to social, economic, and political circumstances that influence health status and access to health care. Therefore, nursing educators have the responsibility to prepare future nurses for community-based practice by instilling moral and professional practice obligations, cultural sensitivity, and other facets of social responsibility. In this article, social responsibility and journaling, a teaching/learning strategy suggested by the new paradigm approach of the curriculum revolution, are explored. A qualitative research study of more than 100 nursing student journal entries illustrates the concept of social responsibility and how it developed in a group of baccalaureate nursing students during a clinical practicum in a large urban homeless shelter.
Double-Blind Study of Papaverine Hydrochloride on the Efficacy in the Treatment of Intermittent Claudication:

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel groups study design was utilized to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of papaverine HCL (PA, 300- 1,500 mg/day) in the treatment of intermittent claudication. The study was in two phases: Phase I-6 weeks duration with treadmill claudication tests and doppler ankle/brachial pressure studies every 2 weeks to establish disease stability; Phase II-12 weeks double-blind evaluation of PA versus placebo (PL) with treadmill claudication tests and doppler ankle/brachial pressure studies every 4 weeks. Intermittent claudication was documented by symptoms, his tory and objective evidence of decreased blood supply to the lower ex tremities : decreased resting and post-exercise ankle/brachial pressure indices (A/B Pr), diminished segmental pulse-volumes and physical findings. Data were collected to determine the distance to initial pain (IP), rapidly increasing pain (RIP) and absolute claudication (AC) during treadmill tests and also the changes in resting and post-exerc...
Ground-state correlation energies for atomic ions with 3 to 18 electrons.

Recently Davidson [ital et] [ital al]. [Phys. Rev. A 44, 7071 (1991)] have estimated nonrelativistic correlation energies and relativistic corrections to ionization potentials for atomic ions with up to 10 electrons. In this work, this approach is extended to atomic ions with 11 to 18 electrons. The correlation energies for 3- to 10-electron atomic ions are also recomputed using more recent experimental and theoretical data. Unlike other work the method focuses on the correlation contribution to the individual ionization energies which are obtained by comparing experimental data with relativistic complete-valence-space energies. [ital Ab] [ital initio] estimates of correlation contributions to the ionization energies with extensive configuration-interaction calculations of 3- to 10-electron atomic ions with nuclear charge from 4 through 10 and 18, 36, 50, 72, 100, and 144 have been obtained. The correlation energies obtained from some density-functional models are also compared to these correlation energy data.
Demo: SNEAP: a social network-enabled EAP method no more open hotspots

As mobile devices evolve, end users have ever increasing demand for ubiquitous network access. WiFi, being now commonplace, has the potential to fulfill this demand. Apart from WiFi hotspots deployed by ISPs, home users start showing interest in sharing bandwidth with others (e.g. Fon bases its business model on users sharing open access points.) However, all existing WiFi sharing approaches are unsecured due to the difficulty of distributing access keys, discouraging potential users.Meanwhile, social networking provides a large scale, well established social graph, which is an attractive candidate for authentication services. Previous work on social networks as authentication mechanisms such as Social WiFi requires users to first register with a third-party server through an open Access Point (AP), which adds an unneeded step to the process, and complicates user management at the third-party.Our Social Network-Enabled EAP method (SNEAP) integrates the authentication services in social networks with the widely-adopted EAP framework. In addition, the extensibility of EAP and our software-based solution allow easy incremental deployment, and our chosen platform offers broad hardware compatibility.
Heat exchange in the aquatic salamander, Amphiuma means

Abstract 1. 1.|Heating and cooling half-times were determined for 15 Amphiuma means (77–784 g) subjected to reciprocal transfers between 22.1 and 28.3°C. 2. 2.|Double logarithmic regressions yielded best fits; log half-times equalled − 1.44 + 0.74 log wt (r2 = 0.91) and − 1.30 + 0.70 log wt (r2 = 0.93) for heating and cooling, respectively. 3. 3.|Although 10 of the 15 individuals heated more rapidly, mean heating and cooling half-times differed by less than 7%. 4. 4.|At thermal equilibrium, body temperatures did not exceed ambient temperature by more than 0.1°C. 5. 5.|These results indicate that over the temperature range examined A. means possess little capacity for physiological thermoregulation.
The N matrix model and gauged WZW models

Abstract It has been shown that the N matrix model two-dimensional gravity is related to certain topological field theories obtained by twisting the N = 2 minimal models. In this paper, the latter theories are studied by realizing them as gauged WZW models. This leads to an algebrogeometric description of the topological correlation functions from which many of their standard properties can be recovered. We find that in a certain sense the model at level k, with k analytically continued to −3, is equivalent to the Penner model (which computes the Euler characteristic of the moduli space of Riemann surfaces). We also gain better understanding of formulas of Lerche, Vafa, and Warner; Gepner; and Spiegelglas.
High-resolution imaging using ultrasound-modulated optical tomography

We present an implementation of ultrasound-modulated optical tomography that has the potential to provide high resolution images of tissue structures at a penetration depth of several millimeters. Light and pulsed ultrasound are focused on an approximately 100 μm wide area below the sample surface. With this configuration, the length of the ultrasonic pulses determines the axial resolution, and the lateral resolution results from the width of the ultrasonic beam at the focus. Diffuse light reflected from the sample is collected into a fiber and the modulated component is separated from the background by a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer. Using this setup, high contrast images are obtained of 100 μm wide pieces of hair that are buried one millimeter below the surface of the tissue-mimicking sample. It is the first time, to the authors' knowledge, that images with such high resolution have been obtained using ultrasound-modulated optical tomography in the reflection mode.
Electronic structure of rare-earth pnictides.

The results of first-principles calculations of the electronic band structures, equilibrium lattice constants, cohesive energies, bulk moduli, and magnetic moments are presented for the rare-earth pnictides with the rocksalt structure and chemical formula R-V, where R=Gd, Er, and the group-V elements N, P, and As. The linear-muffin-tin-orbital method was used in the atomic sphere approximation. The 4f states were treated as localized corelike states with fixed spin occupancies. Justifications for this procedure are presented. The systems were studied with the 4f spins on all rare-earth ions aligned (ferromagentic phase) and with the spins randomly oriented (paramagentic phase). Within the local spin-density approximation, all systems studied were found to be semimetallic with a hole section of the Fermi surface near \ensuremath{\Gamma} and electron section near X. The nitrides, however, have a nearly zero band-gap overlap. We estimated quasiparticle self-energy corrections using an approach previously used for semiconductors. With these corrections, GdN is found to be a semiconductor in the paramagnetic phase and a semimetal in the ferromagnetic phase. ErN, on the other hand, is found to be a semiconductor in both phases. All systems correspond to a trivalent state of the rare-earth element and are characterized by ionic bonding. The results for the lattice constants and the qualitative conclusion about the semimetallic nature are in agreement with experimental data and with the previous calculations for Gd-pnictides. For ErAs, the calculated magnetic exchange splittings, electron and hole concentrations, Fermi-surface cross-sectional areas, and cyclotron masses are in satisfactory agreement with the available Shubnikov--de Haas data on ${\mathrm{Er}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Sc}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$As when account is taken of the differences due to the presence of Sc and of the self-energy corrections to the local-density approximation. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Readability of Basal Readers and Workbooks: A Comparison

The readability level of instructional materials for learning disabled students is commonly determined by practitioners. In this article, the author stresses the importance of assessing the readability of all instructional materials used with LD students and not merely of basal readers, as is often the case. Moyer's findings indicate that the readability level of workbooks, for example, is considerably higher than that of their companion readers; moreover, the difference between them increases significantly with grade level. The two readability variables, word length and sentence length, were found to contribute differentially to the readability estimates across levels. D.D.D.
The influence of mountain meteorology on precipitation chemistry at low and high elevations of the Colorado Front Range, U.S.A.

We explored the seasonal characteristics in wet deposition chemistry for two sites located at different elevations along the east slope of the Colorado Front Range in Rocky Mountain National Park. Seasonally separated precipitation was stratified into highly concentrated (high salt), dilute (low salt), or acid-dominated precipitation groups. These groups and unstratified precipitation data were related to mean easterly or westerly zonal winds to determine direction of local transport. Strong acid anion associations were also determined for the stratified and unstratified precipitation data sets. We found that strong acid anions, acidity, ammonium, and high salt concentrations originate to the east of Rocky Mountain National Park, and are transported via up-valley funneling winds or convective instability from differential heating of the mountains and the plains to the east. These influence the composition of precipitation at Beaver Meadows, the low elevation site, throughout the year, while their effect on precipitation at Loch Vale, the high elevation site, is felt most strongly during the summer. During the winter, Loch Vale precipitation is very dilute, and occurs in conjunction with westerly winds resulting from the southerly location of the jet stream.
The flow phase of wound metabolism is characterized by stimulated protein synthesis rather than cell proliferation.

Background Healing of a skin wound requires net protein deposition to repair the tissue defect and new epidermal cells to cover the wound. However, the true course of changes in rates of cell proliferation and protein deposition following skin injury has not been previously determined. This experiment was to measure DNA fractional synthetic rate (FSR), reflecting cell division, and protein FSR and fractional breakdown rate (FBR) in skin wound at three times after injury. Materials and methods The experiment consisted of a surgery and a tracer infusion on separate days. During the surgery (day 0), a donor wound was created and indwelling catheters were inserted into the carotid artery and jugular vein under general anesthesia. On day 1, day 3, or day 7, stable isotope tracer infusion was performed in conscious rabbits to determine DNA FSR and protein FSR and FBR in the wound. Results Protein FSR and FBR in the day 7 wound were 20.5 ± 8.4 and 12.6 ± 4.7%/day, respectively, which were greater (P Conclusions The flow phase in the wound is characterized by increased protein synthesis rather than cell proliferation; net protein deposition in the wound is a major cause of protein requirements in severe burns.
Beyond Good and Evil in the Oral Cavity: Insights into Host-Microbe Relationships Derived from Transcriptional Profiling of Gingival Cells

In many instances, the encounter between host and microbial cells, through a long-standing evolutionary association, can be a balanced interaction whereby both cell types co-exist and inflict a minimal degree of harm on each other. In the oral cavity, despite the presence of large numbers of diverse organisms, health is the most frequent status. Disease will ensue only when the host-microbe balance is disrupted on a cellular and molecular level. With the advent of microarrays, it is now possible to monitor the responses of host cells to bacterial challenge on a global scale. However, microarray data are known to be inherently noisy, which is caused in part by their great sensitivity. Hence, we will address several important general considerations required to maximize the significance of microarray analysis in depicting relevant host-microbe interactions faithfully. Several advantages and limitations of microarray analysis that may have a direct impact on the significance of array data are highlighted and discussed. Further, this review revisits and contextualizes recent transcriptional profiles that were originally generated for the specific study of intricate cellular interactions between gingival cells and 4 important plaque micro-organisms. To our knowledge, this is the first report that systematically investigates the cellular responses of a cell line to challenge by 4 different micro-organisms. Of particular relevance to the oral cavity, the model bacteria span the entire spectrum of documented pathogenic potential, from commensal to opportunistic to overtly pathogenic. These studies provide a molecular basis for the complex and dynamic interaction between the oral microflora and its host, which may lead, ultimately, to the development of novel, rational, and practical therapeutic, prophylactic, and diagnostic applications.
Non-myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for severe systemic sclerosis: graft-versus-autoimmunity without graft-versus-host disease?

Non-myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for severe systemic sclerosis: graft-versus-autoimmunity without graft-versus-host disease?
Shear-induced particle migration and margination in a cellular suspension

We simulate the cross-flow migration of rigid particles such as platelets in a red blood cell (RBC) suspension using the Stokes flow boundary integral equation method. Two types of flow environments are investigated: a suspension undergoing a bulk shear motion and a suspension flowing in a microchannel or duct. In a cellular suspension undergoing bulk shear deformation, the cross-flow migration of particles is diffusional. The velocity fluctuations in the suspension, which are the root cause of particle migration, are analyzed in detail, including their magnitude, the autocorrelation of Lagrangian tracer points and particles, and the associated integral time scales. The orientation and morphology of red blood cells vary with the shear rate, and these in turn cause the dimensionless particle diffusivity to vary non-monotonically with the flow capillary number. By simulating RBCs and platelets flowing in a microchannel of 34 μm height, we demonstrate that the velocity fluctuations in the core cellular flow ...
Workshop: Reconstructing the organization of cancer genomes

We apply our algorithms to multiple datasets. We apply PREGO to ovarian carcinoma samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) [3] and and identify rearrangements consistent with known mechanisms of duplication such as tandem duplications and breakage/fusion/bridge (B/F/B) cycles.
Fertilization-Induced Activation of Phospholipase C in the Sea Urchin Egg☆

Abstract Fertilization results in the biphasic activation of polyphosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) activity with an initial increase in activity coincident with the sperm-induced calcium transient, followed by a more sustained increase prior to mitosis. Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that the γ isoform of PLC is present in both the unfertilized and the fertilized egg and contributes to the initial phase of PLC activation. Fertilization also resulted in translocation of a significant fraction of PLC-γ from the cytosol to the membrane compartment of the egg.
Exercise Testing for Cardiorespiratory Fitness

The best available assessment of aerobic capacity is measurement of the consumption of oxygen at maximal dynamic effort. When carefully administered, this measurement is remarkably reproducible. Major sources of error in obtaining this measurement include improper gas collection apparatus, inaccurate flow meters, and failure to correct for water pressure in the expired gas. Obtaining a truly maximal effort in an objective manner is also a major limitation. The protocol used in the measurement is of minor importance although treadmill testing usually gives higher values than stationary bicycling. The cost and inconvenience of direct methods of measurement have made indirect methods attractive; however, these methods give less accurate quantifications of aerobic capacity and are not as useful to the athlete interested in gauging his or her improvement following a chronic exercise programme. Extrapolating data obtained from the laboratory to performance in specific athletic endeavours is tenuous. Of course, elite marathon runners will have high maximal oxygen consumption. But one cannot accurately predict how individual athletes will perform in their events; these measurements do not account for the psychological component so important in athletic performance. Perhaps the best use of the measurement of maximal oxygen consumption in athletes is in assessing the success of training programmes in a longitudinal manner.
The plastic behavior of cellular materials

The plastic flow characteristics of cellular materials containing a large proportion of voids are discussed. A very low Poisson's ratio and a tendency toward orderly cellular collapse are identified as important characteristics of such materials. Compression studies reveal the appearance of slightly inclined Luder's-like bands and upper and lower yield points resembling those observed in mild steel. A simple cellular collapse mechanism is shown to be consistent with all observed behavior. The yield criterion for a cellular material is found to be the maximum compressive stress when experiments are performed on foamed polystyrene under a variety of loading conditions. The deformation properties of cellular materials are also investigated for conditions of localized loading. The ratio of hardness to compressive flow stress that is normally close to three for ordinary metals is found to be close to one for a cellular material having a very low Poisson's ratio. The ratio of hardness to flow stress is shown to vary from one to three as the plastic Poisson's ratio goes from 0 to 12.
Proteasome inhibition with bortezomib: A new therapeutic strategy for non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma

The incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has markedly increased in the US and other westernized countries in recent years and presents a considerable clinical challenge. NHL is divided into subtypes that follow an aggressive or indolent course. Follicular lymphoma (FL), the most common indolent subtype, and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), an aggressive subtype that accounts for approximately 5% of cases, are generally incurable. MCL has a relatively poor prognosis, with a median survival of 3-4 years. Despite improving response rates with new agents and regimens, the lack of demonstrated improvement in overall survival in many subtypes supports the development of novel approaches, such as proteasome inhibition. Bortezomib is the first proteasome inhibitor to be evaluated in human studies. It has already been approved as second-line treatment in multiple myeloma and is now under active investigation in NHL. The US FDA has granted bortezomib fast-track designation for relapsed and refractory MCL. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated single-agent activity against various lymphoid tumors, and additive or synergistic effects in combination with other agents, including standard chemotherapy drugs employed in NHL. Phase 2 clinical trials indicate that bortezomib is well tolerated and active in several NHL subtypes, with response rates of 18-60% in FL and 39-56% in MCL. A number of combination trials are currently underway with a range of standard agents. Bortezomib has the potential to play a significant role throughout the NHL treatment algorithm in the future.
Fracture process zone and tensile behavior of blended binders containing limestone powder

Abstract Higher volumes of limestone can be used as OPC replacement by exploiting its increased reactivity in the presence of aluminous sources, thereby ensuring property-equivalence or improvements (e.g., strength, ionic transport). To examine the improvements in matrix fracture response in blended binder systems, this study characterizes and quantifies the flexural fracture process zone (FPZ) using digital image correlation. For the traditional OPC mortar, the localized strain intensity in the crack vicinity is the highest, FPZ initiates at a lower crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD), and its width is the lowest, while OPC–limestone–metakaolin blends show the lowest localized strain intensity, higher CMOD at FPZ initiation, and the highest FPZ width. The ultimate tensile strain and tensile toughness, extracted via inverse analysis, are found to be the highest for the ternary blends. The tensile modulus and the area under the softening region of the tensile constitutive relationship correlate well to the FPZ parameters.
Mass energy-absorption coefficients and mass collision stopping powers for electrons in tumors of various histologies

The mass energy-absorption coefficients and electron mass collision stopping powers have been calculated for tumors of various histologies. Eleven excised or biopsied tumor specimens were considered, including samples from two squamous cell lungcarcinomas, two sarcomas, three adenoid cystic carcinomas, two melanomas and two rectal carcinomas. The hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen composition of the tumor samples was determined. Photon mass energy-absorption data in the energy range 1 keV to 20 MeV have been calculated using elemental mass energy-absorption coefficients previously calculated by Hubbell and Seltzer. Electron mass collision stopping powers for energies between 10 keV and 60 MeV were calculated from the values for water using the data and methodology described in ICRU Report #37. The ratio of the average mass energy-absorption coefficient of the tumor samples to the coefficient of water was found to be 0.99 across most of the energies of clinical interest (>100 keV) except for photon energies of 5 MeV and above for which the ratio dropped to 0.98. The ratio of the average electron mass collision stopping power of the tumor specimens to that of water was 0.99 for all energies.
Theory-driven evaluation: How conceptions of personal choice and organizational process can inform studies of energy conservation

Abstract This essay take a position not widely supported in the evaluation literature: general theory can usefully inform evaluative research. Current discussions of naturalistic methods and the problem of utilization can be read as supporting this view, as can several recent contributions concerning “program theory”. Evaluators can draw on general theory to drive investigations that are productive regardless of whether the results support the hypotheses being tested. Research examples that show how this can be done are introduced. They bring conceptions of personal choice and organizational process to bear on the evaluation of energy conservation programs.
Optimal Uniform Estimates and Rigorous Asymptotics beyond all Orders for a Class of Ordinary Differential Equations

For first-order differential equations of the form y9 = ∑ p p (x)y p and second-order homogeneous linear differential equations y" + a(x)y9 + b(x)y 0 with locally integrable coefficients having asymptotic (possibly divergent) power series when |x| —► oo on a ray arg(x) = const., under some further assumptions, it is shown that, on the given ray, there is a one-to-one correspondence between true solutions and (complete) formal solutions. The correspondence is based on asymptotic inequalities which are required to be uniform in x and optimal with respect to certain weights.