cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Interferon and Retinoic Acid-induced Cell Death Activation through Thioredoxin Reductase

Interferons (IFNs) and retinoids are potent biological response modifiers. The IFN-β and all-trans-retinoic acid combination, but not these single agents individually, induces death in several tumor cell lines. To elucidate the molecular basis for these actions, we have employed an antisense knockout approach to identify the gene products that mediate cell death and isolated several genes associated with retinoid-IFN-induced mortality (GRIMs). One of the GRIM cDNAs, GRIM-12, was identical to human thioredoxin reductase (TR). To define the functional relevance of TR to cell death and to define its mechanism of death-modulating functions, we generated mutants of TR and studied their influence on the IFN/RA-induced death regulatory functions of caspases. Wild-type TR activates cell death that was inhibited in the presence of caspase inhibitors or catalytically inactive caspases. A mutant TR, lacking the active site cysteines, inhibits the cell death induced by caspase 8. IFN/all-trans-retinoic acid-induced cytochromec release from the mitochondrion was promoted in the presence of wild type and was inhibited in the presence of mutant TR. We find that TR modulates the activity of caspase 8 to promote death. This effect is in part caused by the stimulation of death receptor gene expression. These studies identify a new mechanism of cell death regulation by the IFN/all-trans-retinoic acid combination involving redox enzymes.
Structure and function of gustatory neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract. I. A classification of neurons based on morphological features.

Prior investigations in other laboratories have provided convincing evidence that the neurons of the rostral nucleus of the solitary tract (rNST) can be grouped according to their physiological response properties or morphologic features. The present study is based on the premise that the response properties of gustatory neurons are related to, and perhaps governed by, their morphology and, connectivity. In this first phase of our ongoing investigation of structure-function relationships in the rNST of the rat, we have used intracellular injection of neurobiotin to label individual physiologically characterized gustatory neurons. A total of 63 taste-sensitive neurons were successfully labeled and subjected to three-dimensional quantitative and qualitative analysis. A cluster analysis using six morphologic features (total cell volume, soma area, mean segment length, swelling density, spine density, and number of primary dendrites) was used to identify six cell groups. Subsequent analyses of variance and posthoc comparisons verified that each of these six groups differed from all others with respect to at least one variable, so each group was “typified” by at least one of the six morphologic features. Neurons in group A were found to be the smallest neurons in the sample. The cells in group B had small somata and exhibited the highest swelling density of any group. Group C neurons were distinguished by dendrites with long, spine-free branches. These dendrites were significantly longer than those of any other group except Group F. The neurons in group D had more primary dendrites; than any other group. Group E neurons possessed dendrites with the lowest swelling density but the most spines of any group. The cells in group F were the largest neurons in our sample and possessed the largest somata of any group. Thus, overall cell size and density of dendritic spines and swellings were found to be particularly important variables in this classification scheme. Our preliminary results suggest that the number and density of dendritic spines (as well as other morphologic features) may be related to a given neuron's most effective stimulus, indicating that it will indeed be possible to use the criteria established in the present investigation to derive structure-function relationships for gustatory neurons in the rNST. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Emerging drugs for the treatment of acne

Introduction: Acne is the most common skin condition in the US. The mainstay of acne therapy includes: topical retinoids, topical antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide (BP), and oral isotretinoin for severe cases. Although these treatment options are highly effective they do have certain drawbacks. Current acne treatment regimens often require patients to use multiple medications, some of which may have irritating side effects. Furthermore, Propionibacterium acnes resistance to antibiotics has become an increasing problem due to the rise in antibiotic use.Areas covered: New therapies that have either been released onto the market or that are being developed include: adapalene-BP combination agent, dapsone 5% gel, minocycline foam, topical nitric oxide-releasing agent, cortexolone 17 α-propionate, and CIP isotretinoin. Some of these new therapies address the challenges faced with existing treatment options. For instance, the relatively new combination therapy, adapalene-BP, limits antibiotic resistance and also he...
Configurational effects on membrane rejection

Abstract The reflection coefficients of rigid macromolecules (polystyrene latex and tobacco mosaic virus) and partially flexible macromolecules (branched dextrans) were experimentally determined by ultrafiltration with membranes having a capillary pore structure. The experiments were performed at very low ultrafiltration velocities to keep effects of membrane polarization negligible. Results for the neutral dextrans are in agreement with a theory for hard spheres if their equivalent radius is based on intrinsic viscosity. The measured rejection rates for the virus, which is a long cylinder about 150 A in diameter, also agree with the theory, once corrections are made to account for particle shape and polydispersity of the particle lengths. The data for the latex particles (425 A radius) and blue dextran (molecular weight 2 x 10 6 ) are more difficult to interpret because of adsorption to the membrane. After the pore radius is adjusted to account for adsorption, the latex data show fair agreement with the hard sphere theory. A possible explanation for the high rejection of latex is constriction of the pore structure due to adsorption of these particles.
The Stokesian flow field of an oscillatory submerged viscous jet impinging on a planar wall

This model of experiments on auditory sensory hair cells extends previous work via distributions on a cylindrical pipe of tangentially and normally directed oscillatory point forces, which are modified to achieve no-slip at the wall in two stages. Starting with the pressure and vorticity jumps associated with the oscillatory pressure-driven flow upstream in the pipe, the adjustment of the interior pipe flow from its upstream complex-valued profile to its exit profile is fully included. This is essentially achieved by modifying the steps of the steady case analysis. The flow field oscillates with phase dependent on position, and the level curves of the streamfunction indicate instantaneous particle motion but not streamlines. Thus, an eddy is not indicated by the closed curve that occurs midway through the two half cycles and is due to competing forces between the inflow and outflow, particularly in the second half cycle as the fluid enters the pipe. The wall pressure and wall shear stress also oscillate with the non-uniformities concentrated near the origin, but are relatively damped midway through the two half cycles. Independent of the orifice location, there is a small effect of frequency on the wall pressure and the wall shear stress.
Density-yield relationships for rice water weevil on rice for different varieties and under different water management regimes

Abstract The rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, is the most destructive insect pest of rice in the United States. Two years of field experiments were conducted to quantify relationships between densities of immature rice water weevils and yields for two rice varieties under early and delayed flooding regimes. Larval densities during earlier stages of rice growth were more strongly correlated with yield losses than were larval densities later in the growing season. Slopes of regression models were more negative for early-flood than for delayed-flood plots, and more negative for ‘Bengal’ than for ‘Cocodrie’. The results of these experiments confirm that short delays in flooding reduce yield losses from the rice water weevil and that ‘Bengal’ is less tolerant of weevil feeding than ‘Cocodrie’. Estimates of yield loss caused by each weevil provide a key parameter for the calculation of economic injury levels under different management regimes. Data from this study suggest that it is possible to integrate the use of insecticides, cultural practices and host plant resistance in a management system for the rice water weevil.
Anomalous Magnetic Moment of the Electron

We present detailed results of our previously published calculation of the sixth-order magnetic moment of the electron. The numerical accuracy has been improved, resulting in a value ${a}_{e}=\frac{1}{2}\frac{\ensuremath{\alpha}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}\ensuremath{-}0.32847{(\frac{\ensuremath{\alpha}}{\ensuremath{\pi}})}^{2}+1.21{(\frac{\ensuremath{\alpha}}{\ensuremath{\pi}})}^{3}$, which is in reasonable agreement with the latest experimental result.
Statistical threshold decomposition for recursive and nonrecursive median filters

The statistical analysis of recursive nonlinear filters is generally difficult. The analysis of recursive median filters has been limited to the trivial cases of signals with a small number of quantization levels and to small window sizes. A block state description of recursively filtered signals is developed, and by applying this description to threshold decomposition, closed-form expressions for the statistics of recursive median filters are obtained. In this case, the number of quantization levels and the window size do not increase the analysis complexity since the output statistics depend on the distribution of a single-threshold filtered binary signal. The statistical decomposition is also developed for nonrecursive median filter operations yielding a connection from classical order statistics to the threshold decomposition approach. Finally, some statistical properties are derived for recursively median-filtered signals.
Towards automatic calibration of Fourier-Domain OCT for robot-assisted vitreoretinal surgery

We present a new real-time automatic spectral calibration (ASC) method for Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD OCT) that can be automatically performed by the system. The ASC method proposed can be performed during OCT scanning operation and does not require an external calibrating light source or a commercial optical spectrum analyzer. Spectral data used for calibration can be interferograms obtained from an arbitrary sample which may have complicated internal structures, such as ones found in biological tissue. Moreover, our ASC method incorporates known robot motion to calibrate physical pixel spacing of the A-scan in static or dynamic environments. Experimental results show that our ASC method can provide high-performance calibration for FD OCT in terms of axial resolution and ranging accuracy without increasing hardware complexity.
Mantle protein excretion and calcification in the hardshell clam Mercenaria mercenaria. II. Protein synthesis and excretion by the isolated mantle

Sheets of mantle tissue from above the mantle line of Mercenaria mercenaria were incubated for 2, 6 and 20 h at 20°C in 50 μCi 3H-glycine in 50 ml artificial seawater. Incorporation of tritium into soluble proteins excreted by the mantle and into tissue proteins was followed. The excretion of soluble protein continued throughout the experiment; the proportion of incorporated label excreted reached 17% by 20 h. The initiation of excretion of labelled protein seemed to lag 60 to 70 min behind the initiation of protein synthesis. Protein synthesis by the mantle contributed to proteins of the extrapallium and mantle chambers and, thus, may be involved in synthesis and regulation of proteins involved in the shell-formation process.
Age bias and individual variability in stress cardiomyopathy syndromes: mere observations or answers?

To the Editor:—In their detailed review of the Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, the authors1 did not include a discussion on the age-distribution and phenotypic variation seen in the syndrome that may be crucial in context of the proposed catecholamine-mediated mechanism. Majority of the reported patients with stress cardiomyopathy syndromes have mean age >50 years at presentation and the answer, perhaps, lies in the mechanism itself. Many physiological observations in apparently healthy subjects point towards age-related vulnerability to sympathetic perturbations. For example, aging of healthy women is associated with a decrease in the parasympathetic modulation of the heart in the setting of a preserved sympathetic tone leading to a net predominance of sympathetic control.2 Decreased baroreflex buffering ability is also seen with advancing age.2 Moreover, imaging studies after adjustment for perfusion changes in healthy hearts have shown that cardiac uptake 1 activity decreases with aging.3 These observations corroborate well with the known evidence on the increased cardiac norepinephrine spillover during normal aging4 and potentially make older hearts appear pre-disposed to catecholamine exposure in a given stressful situation.3 Why is it that while stress is ubiquitous, transient cardiomyopathy syndromes are not, and why are differences in pattern of contractile abnormalities seen? These points are worth exploring in the review for they have wide implications. A recent prospective genotype study of 182 patients of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) by Zaroff and colleagues provides valuable insights in this regard.5 They demonstrated that certain adrenoreceptor polymorphisms that are known to increase presynaptic catecholamine release or are associated with increased heart failure/adverse cardiovascular events in elderly are also associated with an increased risk of wall motion abnormalities, degree of troponin release and systolic dysfunction in SAH. Thus, apart from providing a basis for individual susceptibility and variable wall motion abnormality, indirect evidence on a unifying mechanism (neurocardiogenic) of the stress cardiomyopathy syndromes was also highlighted in the important study and warrants future research.
Efficient design of microstrip antennas using modified PSO algorithm

In this paper, various microstrip antennas (MAs) are designed using a new version of binary Particle Swarm Optimization (BPSO) algorithm in which the velocity calculation is modified in order to arrive at an accelerated and robust search procedure, particularly for software defined applications.
Immature forage mixtures with citrus pulp versus more mature forage without additive for silage.

Summary Two forage mixtures, each ensiled at two stages of maturity, were compared using lactating dairy cows in a switch-back feeding trial. Citrus pulp was added to the early-cut forage but not to the more mature forage. The mixture containing rye, rye grass, and crimson clover gave a higher yield of dry matter per acre at both dates of harvest than did a similar mixture which contained no rye. Likewise, the later stage of maturity resulted in a higher yield of each of the mixtures. Dry matter losses during the ensiling period were considerably higher in the early-cut material than those in the more mature forages. However, milk production was higher when the non-rye mixture was fed, and was higher at the early-cut stage of both forage mixtures.
Neuromuscular properties of different spastic human joints vary systematically

We quantified the mechanical abnormalities of the spastic wrist in chronic stroke survivors, and determined whether these findings were representative of those recorded at the elbow and ankle joints. System identification techniques were used to characterize the mechanical abnormalities of these joints and to identify the contribution of intrinsic and reflex stiffness to these abnormalities. Modulation of intrinsic and reflex stiffness with the joint angle was studied by applying PRBS perturbations to the joints at different joint angles over the range of motion. Age-matched healthy subjects were used as control.
Using Open Badges to Certify Practicing Evaluators.

For several decades members of the American Evaluation Association have discussed and disputed the issue of evaluator certification. Our past inability to agree on a certification solution may have...
The Subunit Composition of a GABAA/Benzodiazepine Receptor from Rat Cerebellum

The pentameric subunit composition of a large population (36%) of the cerebellar granule cell GABAA receptors that show diazepam (or clonazepam)-insensitive [3H]Ro 15-4513 binding has been determined by immunoprecipitation with subunit-specific antibodies. These receptors have alpha 6, alpha 1, gamma 2S, gamma 2L, and beta 2 or beta 3 subunits colocalizing in the same receptor complex.
A Mechanistic Model of Ocean Interdecadal Thermohaline Oscillations

Abstract Oceanic interdecadal thermohaline oscillations are studied in the context of a conceptual two box model. In this mechanistic model, two essential processes associated with convection, subsurface advective heating and surface freshening, are modeled in terms of horizontal relaxation processes, with the surface relaxation timescale shorter than the subsurface one. The model can oscillate with interdecadal periods within a certain parameter regime, and captures the fundamental characteristics of interdecadal oscillations: a clockwise trajectory in the T-S plane. The dependence of the amplitude and period of the oscillation on different model parameters is explored. It is shown that there are two important parameters in the model: 1) p, the ratio of the timescale of the surface freshening process to that of the subsurface advective heating process, and 2) q, the ratio of the saline forcing to the thermal forcing in maintaining the vertical halocline and inverted thermocline structure. Oscillatory sol...
Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage Induced by Chromium in Liver and Kidney of Goldfish, Carassius auratus.

Chromium (Cr) is an abundant element in the Earth’s crust. It exhibits various oxidation states, from divalent to hexavalent forms. Cr has diverse applications in various industrial processes and inadequate treatment of the industrial effluents leads to the contamination of the surrounding water resources. Hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) is the most toxic form, and its toxicity has been associated with oxidative stress. The present study was designed to investigate the toxic potential of Cr (VI) in fish. In this research, we investigated the role of oxidative stress in chromium-induced genotoxicity in the liver and kidney cells of goldfish, Carassius auratus. Goldfish were acclimatized to the laboratory conditions and exposed them to 5% and 10% of 96 hr-LC50 (85.7 mg/L) of aqueous Cr (VI) in a continuous flow through system. Fish were sampled every 7 days for a period of 28 days to analyze the lipid hydroperoxides (LHP) levels and genotoxic potentials in the liver and kidney. LHP levels were analyzed by spectrophotometry while genotoxicity was assessed by single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay. LHP levels in the liver increased significantly at week 1, followed by a decrease. LHP levels in the kidney increased significantly at weeks 1, 2, and 3, and decreased at week 4 compared to the control. The percentage of DNA damage increased in both liver and kidney at both test concentrations. The results clearly indicate that Cr (VI) induces significant levels of DNA damage in liver and kidney cells of goldfish. The induced LHP levels in both organs were concentration-dependent and were directly correlated with the levels of DNA damage. The two tested Cr (VI) concentrations induced significant levels of oxidative stress in both organs, however the kidney appears to be more vulnerable and sensitive to Cr-induced toxicity than the liver.
Reentrant wavefronts anchoring to the papillary muscle during ventricular fibrillation in open chest swine and dogs

SESSION 44: PEDIATRIC/ADULT CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE III: Advances in Device Therapy in Pediatrics and Congenital Heart Disease Friday, May 6, 2005 4:45 p.m.–6:15 p.m.
The association between laryngeal pseudosulcus and laryngopharyngeal reflux

Background: A pattern of edema on the ventral surface of the vocal fold, called pseudosulcus vocalis, was described in 1995. It refers to infraglottic edema extending from the anterior commissure to the posterior larynx. It can be differentiated from sulcus vergeture, which is caused by adhesion of the vocal fold epithelium to the vocal ligament. Although it has been related to laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), this has not been thoroughly investigated. Purpose: Our goal was to evaluate the association between pseudosulcus and LPR. Methods: Thirty patients with a clinical diagnosis of LPR confirmed by double-probe pH monitoring and 30 controls without LPR were enrolled. The prevalence of pseudosulcus was determined with fiberoptic laryngoscopy. Results: Seventy percent (21 of 30) of patients with lpr and 30% (9 of 30) of controls had pseudosulcus. Patients with pseudosulcus were 2.3 times more likely to have pH-documented LPR (95% confidence interval 1.3-4.2). The sensitivity and specificity of pseudosulcus in the diagnosis of LPR are 70% and 77%, respectively. Conclusions: Pseudosulcus is highly correlated with pH-documented LPR (P < 0.001). The presence of pseudosulcus is suggestive of LPR. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002;126:649-652.)
Nitric Oxide: Biological Role and Clinical Uses

Nitric oxide is a product of the conversion of L-arginine by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase. Nitric oxide is involved in a variety of physiological situations and is produced by many different cell types. It is involved in neurotransmission, maintenance of vascular smooth muscle tone, and cytotoxicity. Nitric oxide has been suggested to play an anti-inflammatory role by inhibiting the expression of the genes for inflammatory cytokines. The pathophysiological role of nitric oxide is also evident in a variety of diseases, including septic shock, asthma, reperfusion injury, etc. Nitric oxide, by stimulating the production of cyclic GMP, relaxes smooth muscles of the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genito-urinary systems. Recent studies have provided important information on the use of inhaled nitric oxide for the management of several diseases characterized by the presence of abnormal pulmonary vascular tone, such as persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. This review addresses the biology and clinical uses of inhaled nitric oxide.
Reliability and Validity of Nutrition Knowledge, Social-Psychological Factors, and Food Label Use Scales from the 1995 Diet and Health Knowledge Survey

Abstract Objective To test the reliability and validity of scales on nutrition knowledge, social-psychological factors, and use of food labels developed from the 1995 Diet and Health Knowledge Survey (DHKS) questions. Design The 1995 DHKS questions within a section were pooled together as a scale and their reliability and validity were examined. Participants US adults (≥ 20 years) in the 1995 DHKS who responded to questions selected for this study (n = 1196). Variables Nutrition knowledge about the diet-disease relationship and nutrient content of products, perceived barriers and benefits of food labels, perceived ease of understanding food labels, food label use, and importance of healthful eating. Analysis Scales validity, Cronbach α, item total correlation, α if the item was deleted, and discriminant, convergence, and correspondence validity. Results Scales on perceived ease of understanding the food label, benefits of using food labels, food label use, and importance of healthful eating were reliable (Cronbach α = .78, .82, .91, and .82, respectively) and valid. Conclusion and Implications Accurate findings and interpretation of survey data depend on the use of reliable and valid instruments. This study identified the scales in the DHKS that can substantiate the conclusion on which effective nutrition education strategies should be established.
The prevention of dental caries in the Syrian hamster after repeated topical application of sodium fluoride gels.

Water-soluble gels containing 0.5 percent (5,000 ppm) fluoride were applied to the upper teeth of an experimental group of Syrian hamsters. After 40 days of exposure to caries-conductive challenge, no caries developed in the fluoride-treated animals, but every untreated and placebo-treated hamster exposed to the challenge showed rampant decay.
Minority Group Status of the Disabled

An analysis of the definition of minority group indicated that the disabled can be considered as holding that status. Further exploration of the similarities and differences between the disabled and other minority groups yielded an array of factors which can have profound effects on every disabled person. The importance of using this information in a practical way was stressed.
Characterization of monotonic static CMOS gates in a 65nm technology

This paper reviews the use of skewed monotonic static CMOS logic gates in scaled technologies where gate leakage currents become significant. High-level tradeoffs and synthesis approaches are discussed, and some experiments are constructed to evaluate the gate-level performance tradeoffs in a hypothetical standard 65nm CMOS technology. At the gate level, significant improvements in static power consumption are possible without reduction in evaluation delays, but the tradeoffs vary as the conditions and the amount of skewing are changed. NAND forms are still preferred as the gate leakage grows.
The enemy: a twenty‐first century archetypal study

This paper delineates the biologically based archetype of the enemy, showing how it derives ideationally and affectively from the archetype of the stranger, the latter an evolutionary given within the lives of animate creatures. In doing so, it both extends Jung's classic exposition of archetypes and sustains their relationship to instincts. It shows how globalization magnifies the archetype of the enemy; how, in a living sense, stranger and archetype are taxonomically distinct; and how, just as the enemy is the cultural elaboration of the biologically based archetype of the stranger, so war is the cultural elaboration of male-male competition. In elucidating these aspects of the enemy, it makes explicit reference to Darwin's lengthy descriptive writings about male-male competition across invertebrate and vertebrate species. Key implications and ramifications are discussed on the basis of both Jung's and Darwin's insights into what is commonly known as ‘the mind/body problem.’ Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Your Ad here: optimizing adenoviral vector-based vaccines

Comment on Tang et al, page [2704][1] Tang and colleagues extend their studies of a recombinant adenoviral vector encoding a tumor-associated antigen fused to the CD40 ligand, and report of the multistep process through which this vaccine overcomes anergy to tumor associated antigens. V iral
The rate of induction of hypothermic arrest determines the outcome in a Swine model of lethal hemorrhage.

Background: Lethal injuries can be surgically repaired under asanguineous hypothermic condition (suspended animation) with excellent outcome. However, the optimal rate for the induction of hypothermic metabolic arrest following uncontrolled lethal hemorrhage (ULH) is unknown. Methods: ULH was induced in 32 female swine (80-120 Ibs) by creating an iliac artery and vein injury, followed 30 minutes later by laceration of the descending thoracic aorta. Through a left thoracotomy approach, total body hypothermic hyperkalemic metabolic arrest was induced by infusing organ preservation fluids into the aorta. Experimental groups were: normothermic controls (no cooling, NC), or hypothermia induced at a rate of 0.5°C/min (slow, SC), 1°C/min (medium, MC), or 2°C/min (fast, FC). Vascular injuries were repaired during the 60 minutes of profound (10°C) hypothermic arrest. Hyperkalemia was reversed by hypokalemic fluid exchange, and blood was infused for resuscitation during the re-warming (0.5°C/ minute) period. The survivors were monitored for 6 weeks. Results: The 6 week survival rates were 0% (NC), 37.5% (SC), 62.5% (MC), and 87.5% (FC) respectively (p < 0.05 MC&FC versus NC). All of the surviving hypothermic arrest animals were neurologically intact and displayedl no long term organ dysfunction. Conclusion: Hypothermic metabolic arrest can be used to maintain viability of key organs during repair of lethal injuries. Survival is influenced by the rate of cooling with the best outcome following rapid induction of hypothermia.
Adaptive chip-rate equalization of downlink multirate wideband CDMA

We consider a downlink direct sequence-code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) system in which multirate user signals are transmitted via synchronous orthogonal short codes overlaid with a common scrambling sequence. The transmitted signal is subjected to significant time- and frequency-selective multipath fading. In response to this scenario, a novel two-mode receiver is proposed that accomplishes chip-rate adaptive equalization aided by filtering and/or cancellation of multiaccess interference (MAI). In the acquisition mode, a code-multiplexed pilot is used to adapt the equalizer from cold start or loss-of-lock. The use of MAI filtering results in a third-order least mean squares (LMS) algorithm, which has significant advantages over standard (i.e., first-order) LMS in nonstationary environments. In the tracking mode, decision-direction facilitates MAI-cancellation in the equalizer update, which enhances performance. The receiver monitors pilot decision quality as a means of switching between the two modes. The performance of the adaptive receiver is studied through analysis and simulation.
Uprobe 2008: an online resource for universal overgo hybridization-based probe retrieval and design

Cross-species sequence comparisons are a prominent method for analyzing genomic DNA and an ever increasing number of species are being selected for whole-genome sequencing. Targeted comparative genomic sequencing is a complementary approach to whole-genome shotgun sequencing and can produce high-quality sequence assemblies of orthologous chromosomal regions of interest from multiple species. Genomic libraries necessary to support targeted mapping and sequencing projects are available for more than 90 vertebrates. An essential step for utilizing these and other genomic libraries for targeted mapping and sequencing is the development of the hybridization-based probes, which are necessary to screen a genomic library of interest. The Uprobe website (http://uprobe.genetics.emory.edu) provides a public online resource for identifying or designing ‘universal’ overgo-hybridization probes from conserved sequences that can be used to efficiently screen one or more genomic libraries from a designated group of species. Currently, Uprobe provides the ability to search or design probes for use in broad groups of species, including mammals and reptiles, as well as more specific clades, including marsupials, carnivores, rodents and nonhuman primates. In addition, Uprobe has the capability to design custom probes from multiple-species sequence alignments provided by the user, thus providing a general tool for targeted comparative physical mapping.
Is A Purely First Person Account Of Human Action Defensible

There are two perspectives available from which to understand an agent's intention in acting. The first is the perspective of the acting agent: what did she take to be her end, and the means necessary to achieve that end? The other is a third person perspective that is attentive to causal or conceptual relations: was some causal outcome of the agent's action sufficiently close, or so conceptually related, to what the agent did that it should be considered part of her intention? Recent goods based views in ethics are divided as to whether only the first person perspective, or a mix of both perspectives, are necessary to understand intention and action. But resolution of the issue is necessary if goods based views are to be able to deploy to principle of double effect; for that principle requires an account of how to distinguish what is genuinely a matter of intention in human action from what is not. I argue that the pure first person account is better than the mixed account.
p120-ctn: A nexus for contextual signaling via Rho GTPases.

Abstract p120 catenin (p120) is the prototypic member of a subfamily of armadillo repeat domain proteins involved in intercellular adhesion. Recent evidence indicates that p120 associates with classical cadherins and regulates their stability. Ectopic p120 expression results in a variety of morphological effects, and promotes cell migration. There is now strong evidence that p120 acts, at least in part, through regulation of Rho GTPases. The data suggest that p120 may act as a signaling nexus, conveying messages from the cellular micro- and macro-environment to the cell's interior. By regulating Rho GTPases in a context-dependent manner p120 can exert profound effects on cellular responses from synaptic plasticity to vesicle trafficking, as well as regulate the motile vs. sessile, and possibly the proliferative vs. quiescent phenotype of epithelial cells. Here, we review the new evidence on the relationship of p120 to Rho GTPases, and discuss potential roles for the p120–Rho connection in normal and malignant cells.
Adam Smith and Bruce Yandle: Bootleggers and Baptists: How Economic Forces and Moral Persuasion Interact to Shape Regulatory Politics

Adam Smith and Bruce Yandle’s book, Bootleggers and Baptists: How Economic Forces and Moral Persuasion Interact to Shape Regulatory Politics, provides a great introduction to some of the fundamental principles of public choice theory (chapters 1–3), as well as interesting applications of that theory to current regulatory topics (chapters 4–7). In addition, the book provides inspiration and food for thought for researchers in public choice and regulatory studies. As a result, the book will serve as excellent supplemental reading for introductory public choice courses, as well as required reading for scholars in the discipline. In chapter one, the authors review and expand on the original bootlegger and Baptist theory. They suggest that there are four potential, empirically observable, bootlegger and Baptist dynamics. First, in the absence of actual Baptist support, bootleggers can covertly advance their own objectives by using Baptist rhetoric. Second, bootleggers and Baptists sometimes pursue similar objectives independently of each other using distinct methods and strategies in doing so. Third, private firms may pursue their public interests by directly funding the activities of public advocacy groups in a cooperative manner. And finally, politicians may coordinate the activities of different groups of bootleggers and Baptists in a concerted effort to promote specific policy goals. Chapter two, ‘‘Bootleggers, Politicians, and Pork,’’ ties the bootlegger and Baptist theory into the larger public choice literature, connecting it to some of the most important contributions in that tradition—e.g., behavioral symmetry, rational ignorance, concentrated benefits and dispersed costs, the logic of collective action, rent seeking, the transitional gains trap, as well as different theories of regulation. In this chapter the authors make the very interesting point that there are high up-front costs of lobbying that, once incurred, make additional rent-seeking activities relatively cheap. This argument has often been cited casually as a potential explanation for the Tullock paradox, i.e. the observation that
Integrating standards in data QA/QC into OpenGeospatial Consortium sensor observation services

As systems developers build the tools and methods for transport and discovery of marine data, we must carefully consider what information must accompany these data and how it is transported in order to enable adequate assessment and understanding in a machine-to-machine global exchange. Providing a common framework to communicate the history of a sensor, data processing and processing results can create a shared understanding which will build a solid foundation for the development of a trusted system of systems for sharing global environmental data. In this paper, we will present an oceanographic wave height offering, using the Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc (OGC) Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) framework, which documents not only the sensor characteristics, but also the processing steps and an assessment of the data quality based on recommended quality control tests.
Decentralized detection over multiple-access channels

We study the decentralized detection problem in a general framework where arbitrary number of quantization levels at the local sensors are allowed, and transmission from the sensors to the fusion center is subject to both noise and interchannel interference. We treat both Bayesian and Neyman-Pearson approaches to the problem, and develop an iterative descent algorithm to design the optimal quantizers and fusion rule. Some numerical examples for both approaches are also presented.
Adaptive signal processing techniques for short-code CDMA

The use of short, or repeated, spreading codes for direct-sequence (DS)-code-division multiple access (CDMA) enables the application of adaptive filtering techniques for interference mitigation. An attractive property of these techniques is that given a training sequence, little additional side information is required for estimation of the optimal filter. We describe some previously proposed adaptive filtering methods for short-code DS-CDMA, including reduced-rank filtering for fast convergence and tracking, adaptive decision-feedback multiuser detectors, and joint transmitter-receiver adaptation.
Improving surveillance of the impact of influenza and its prevention in Canada.

The organization of Canada’s provincial health care systems and the administrative databases that sustain them provide physicians, epidemiologists and public health officials with unique opportunities to improve surveillance of influenza and its prevention. These databases can be used to measure the impact of influenza on excess mortality, hospitalization and costs to the health care system. They can also be used to study the epidemiology of influenza vaccination practices. Studies using the administrative database for the province of Manitoba have established the epidemiological rationale for hospital-based vaccination and have evaluated the clinical effectiveness of influenza vaccination. As pneumococcal vaccination becomes widespread in Canada, provincial databases should also prove useful in assessing the impact of the pneumococcal infections and their prevention with pneumococcal vaccine.
Heterophil-negative mononucleosis-like illnesses with atypical lymphocytosis in patients undergoing seroconversions to the human immunodeficiency virus.

The authors present data from four patients with acute heterophil-negative mononucleosis-like illnesses who were initially thought to have primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections but eventually were shown to be seroconverting to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Widespread lymphadenopathy and blood smears indistinguishable from those typically en-countered in the acute phase of infectious mononucleosis were present in all cases. There were also varying combinations of fever, sore throat, and malaise, as well as mild abnormalities of hepatic function and elevated cold agglutinins (anti-I). Anti-HIV was detected by both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot techniques in all cases, with increasing titers noted in two of three serially studied cases. In one patient, a dual infection with the hepatitis B virus was also documented. Diagnostic possibilities in patients with acute mono-nucleosis-like illnesses dominated by prominent lymphadenopathy should include primary seroconversions to HIV.
Stimulation of the Growth of Organ Cultures by Methyl and Propyl Parabens.

SummaryWhen 10-day-old chick embryo femora were cultured for 2 days in medium containing methyl or propyl paraben, there resulted an increase in dry weight as compared with femora cultured in the c...
Evaluation of Human Machine Interface Design Factors on Situation Awareness and Task Performance

In centralized process control facilities, system performance likely hinges on effective interface design, because these interfaces are typically the only connection operators have with the systems they are managing. Decisions regarding interface design can be influenced by a variety of factors from user centered design principles to regulatory guidelines. While such guidance adds value to interface design, it does not reveal the underlying attributes that result in increased operator situation awareness and task performance. Current research focuses on design heuristics-neglecting empirical evaluations of interface design type attributes. The purpose of this research effort was to explore the effects on situation awareness and task performance for two display design attributes: information presentation (numeric versus graphic) and information arrangement (functionally grouped versus spatially mapped). FINDINGS show negligible differences amongst these attributes for a conventional multi-process monitoring task. However, data trends toward graphic depictions arranged in a functionally grouped manner cannot be discounted as potentially being beneficial toward situation awareness and task performance. Keywords: Driver distraction; Language: en
Seasonal variations in red pine (Pinus resinosa) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana) foliar physio-chemistry and their potential influence on stand-scale wildland fire behavior.

Abstract The ‘Spring Dip’ in conifer live foliar moisture content (LFMC) has been well documented but the actual drivers of these variations have not been fully investigated. Here we span this knowledge gap by measuring LFMC, foliar chemistry, foliar density and foliar flammability on new and old foliage for an entire year from both Pinus resinosa (red pine) and Pinus banksiana (jack pine) at a site in Central Wisconsin. We found that needle dry mass increased by up to 70% in just three weeks and these increases were manifested as strong seasonal variations in foliar moisture content and foliar density. These needle dry mass changes were driven by an accumulation of starch in old foliage, likely resulting from springtime photosynthesis onset, and also by accumulations of sugar and crude fat in new needles as they fully matured. Foliar starch, sugar and crude fat content accounted for 84% of the variation in foliar density across both species. Flammability differences were also strongly related to changes in foliar density, where density accounted for 39% and 25% of the variations in foliar time-to-ignition of jack pine and red pine respectively. Finally, we use the computational fluid dynamics-based wildland fire model FIRETEC to examine how these foliar physio-chemical changes may influence wildland fire behavior. Under the lowest canopy density and windspeed, simulated fires in dormant condition stands did not propagate as crown fires while spring dip stands successfully spread as crown fires as a result of the higher potential energy content of the canopy. Simulated wildland fire spread rates increased by as much as 63%, nominal fireline width increased by as much as 89% and active fire area more than doubled relative to dormant season fuel conditions and the most significant changes occurred in areas with low canopy cover and low within-tree bulk density. Our results challenge the assumption that live conifer foliage flammability is limited only by its water content; this study suggests a new theory and an expanded view of the factors that dominate live fuel flammability and that subsequently influence larger scale wildland fire behavior.
Design and Pricing of Energy Electricity Derivatives and Risk Management

We provide a review on the frontier research on the design and pricing of electricity financial derivatives in the restructured electricity industry around the world. We also offer a detailed discussion on important applications of the electricity derivatives in enhancing the economic efficiency of the electricity industry and helping industry participant to manage various types of business risks in a restructured electricity industry.
Strengthening Moral Education inColleges and Universities to Cultivate QualifiedTalents for the Western Development

Abstract: By discussing the relationship between strengthening moral education in colleges and univer-sities and implementing the strategy of developing the westarn region, the importance of strengtheningmoral education is analyzed and the priorities and measures in moal education are suggested for carrying outthe strategy of developing the western region.
From to Epidemiology to the Science of Infectious Diseases: The Inevitable Trend of Disciplinary Development

In recent years,the incidence of various classical infectious diseases has been declining obviously.However,newly emerging infective diseases such as AIDS,SARS,human bird flu,and human streptococcicosis suis have become new problems in public health.Drug-resistant infections,opportunistic infections,and hospital infections are on an increase tendency;therefore,epidemiology dealing with classical infectious diseases can no longer meet the needs of the new situation,and transformation to the science of infectious diseases from epidemiology is an inevitable trend of disciplinary reform.The formation and development of the science of infectious diseases do not change the general structure of current medical science,but develop and improve the science of epidemiology,and maintain the disciplinary integrity and scientificness.It is beneficial to health care,research and teaching management of infectious diseases.
Searching for the rules that govern hadron construction

Just as quantum electrodynamics describes how electrons are bound in atoms by the electromagnetic force, mediated by the exchange of photons, quantum chromodynamics (QCD) describes how quarks are bound inside hadrons by the strong force, mediated by the exchange of gluons. QCD seems to allow hadrons constructed from increasingly many quarks to exist, just as atoms with increasing numbers of electrons exist, yet such complex constructions seemed, until recently, not to be present in nature. Here we describe advances in the spectroscopy of mesons that are refining our understanding of the rules for predicting hadron structure from QCD.
IPSECvalidate: A Tool to Validate {IPSEC} Configurations

This paper describes a tool for validating the proper configuration of the IPSEC protocol suite including IKE. The tool validates that two hosts are able to communicate (normal ping functionality) and that this communication is occurring using the proper authentication/encryption transformations as required by IPSEC. IPSEC configuration is very complex, and administrators are often unable to determine if a machine configuration is offering the desired protection. IPSEC and IKE operate in a manner transparent to IP applications; an administrator is therefore unable to check the proper operation of an IPSEC ‘‘security association’’ using traditional IP tools.