cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell-autonomous, myristyl-independent activity of the Drosophila Wnt/Wingless antagonist Naked cuticle (Nkd).

Robust animal development, tissue homeostasis, and stem cell renewal requires precise control of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis. In the embryo of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the naked cuticle (nkd) gene attenuates signaling by the Wnt ligand Wingless (Wg) during segmentation. nkd mutants have been reported to exhibit abnormalities in wg transcription, Wg protein distribution and/or transport, and the intracellular response to Wg, but the relationship between each alteration and the molecular mechanism of Nkd action remains unclear. In addition, whether Nkd acts in a cell-autonomous or nonautonomous fashion in the embryo is not known. Mammalian Nkd homologs have N-terminal consensus sequences that direct the post-translational addition of a lipophilic myristoyl moiety, but fly and mosquito Nkd, while sharing N-terminal sequence homology, lack a myristoylation consensus sequence. Here we provide evidence that fly Nkd acts cell-autonomously in the embryo, with its N-terminus able to confer unique functional properties and membrane association that cannot be mimicked in vivo by heterologous myristoylation consensus sequences. In conjunction with our recent observation that Nkd requires nuclear localization for function, our data suggest that Nkd acts at more than one subcellular location within signal-receiving cells to attenuate Wg signaling.
Inhibition of DNA synthesis and cytotoxic effects of some DNA topoisomerase II and gyrase inhibitors in Chinese hamster V79 cells

Abstract In this study, some DNA topoisomerase II and gyrase inhibitors have been identified as inhibitors of polymerization of deoxyribonucleotides [novobiocin (NVB), nalidixic acid (NDA), oxolinic acid (OXA)], or inhibitors of replicon initiation and DNA-chain elongation [etoposide (VP-16), teniposide (VM-26), 4′-(9-acridinylamino)methansulfon- m -anisidine ( m -AMSA), ellipticine (ELT)]. The inhibitors of deoxyribonucleotide polymerization produced a significant (> 85%) suppression of [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation into V79 cells within 20 min of treatment, followed by a rapid recovery of DNA synthesis, and reduced cell killing. In contrast, the inhibitors of replicon initiation and DNA-chain elongation needed about 60 min to induce a partial, but irreversible inhibition of DNA replication, associated with extensive cell killing.
The effect of high frequencies on the cyclic creep behavior of an ods superalloy

Abstract 1. 1. The anelastic strain controlled model is capable of explaining the behavior of the cyclic creep rate as a function of frequency for the ODS superalloy MA 6000, especially the sharp droṕ in cyclic creep rate that occurs at a frequency of about 0.2 cycles/h. 2. 2. The success of the anelastic strain model depends upon the plausibility of assuming that anelastic strain storage completely delays nonrecoverable strain, i.e., that anelastic and nonrecoverable strain storage are a series process. This is an important point since, as seen in the comparison of the predicted and obtained cyclic creep results, there is the excellent fit of the data in the region where there is a sharp drop in the cyclic creep rate but a poorer fit in the higher frequency region. In the higher frequency regime, there is an observed positive cyclic creep rate when the refined anelastic model predicts a zero strain rate. This positive rate must be due to some small nonrecoverable creep occurring in the earliest portions of the on-load period. 3. 3. The implication, then, is that the storage of anelastic strain during the initial portion of the on-load cycle does not completely delay nonrecoverable creep. However, anelastic and nonrecoverable strain storage cannot be a purely parallel process. If so, there would be no effect of anelastic strain storage and recovery on the cyclic creep rates. 4. 4. A possible refinement of the model would be to assume the case where anelastic strain storage only partially delays nonrecoverable creep, i.e., the intermediate case of strain storage that is neither series nor parallel but a combination of the two.
Use of beryllium lymphocyte proliferation testing for screening of asymptomatic individuals: an evidence-based assessment.

Objective:We reviewed published data describing use of beryllium lymphocyte proliferation testing (BeLPT) to determine the appropriateness of BeLPT for screening asymptomatic individuals.Methods:Published studies were identified by computerized literature searches and hand searches of relevant bibli
Failure to Demonstrate Anti-Hormonal Antibodies in Rats after Maximal Response to Daily Administration of Growth Hormone.∗:

SummarySerum from female rats plateaued while on treatment with a GH-containing extract (after reaching 2.4 times normal adult female size) was ineffective in attenuating GH response of previously uninjected assay rats.
Distinct roles of TRAF6 at early and late stages of muscle pathology in the mdx model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal genetic disorder caused by loss of functional dystrophin protein. Accumulating evidence suggests that the deficiency of dystrophin leads to aberrant activation of many signaling pathways which contribute to disease progression. However, the proximal signaling events leading to the activation of various pathological cascades in dystrophic muscle remain less clear. TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is an adaptor protein which acts as a signaling intermediate for several receptor-mediated signaling events leading to the context-dependent activation of a number of signaling pathways. TRAF6 is also an E3 ubiquitin ligase and an important regulator of autophagy. However, the role of TRAF6 in pathogenesis of DMD remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the levels and activity of TRAF6 are increased in skeletal muscle of mdx (a mouse model of DMD) mice. Targeted deletion of TRAF6 improves muscle strength and reduces fiber necrosis, infiltration of macrophages and the activation of proinflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in 7-week-old mdx mice. Ablation of TRAF6 also increases satellite cells proliferation and myofiber regeneration in young mdx mice. Intriguingly, ablation of TRAF6 exacerbates muscle injury and increases fibrosis in 9-month-old mdx mice. TRAF6 inhibition reduces the markers of autophagy and Akt signaling in dystrophic muscle of mdx mice. Collectively, our study suggests that while the inhibition of TRAF6 improves muscle structure and function in young mdx mice, its continued inhibition causes more severe myopathy at later stages of disease progression potentially through repressing autophagy.
Shedding Light on Enterprise Network Failures Using Spotlight

Fault localization in enterprise networks is extremely challenging. A recent approach called Sherlock makes some headway into this problem by using an inference algorithm over a multi-tier probabilistic dependency graph that relates fault symptoms with possible root causes (e.g., routers, servers). A key limitation of Sherlock is its scalability because of the use of complicated inference algorithms based on Bayesian networks. We present a fault localization system called Spotlight that essentially uses two basic ideas. First, it compresses a multi-tier dependency graph into a bipartite graph with direct probabilistic edges between root causes and symptoms. Second, it runs a novel weighted greedy minimum set cover algorithm to provide fast inference. Through extensive simulations with real service dependency graphs and enterprise network topologies reported previously in literature, we show that Spotlight is about 100× faster than Sherlock in typical settings, with comparable accuracy in diagnosis.
Optimization of high dose-rate cervix brachytherapy; Part I: Dose distribution

Computer controlled high dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy afterloading machines are equipped with a single, miniaturized, high activity Ir-192 source that can be rapidly moved in fine increments among several channels. Consequently, by appropriate programming of source dwell positions and times, the dose distribution can be optimized as desired. We have explored the optimization potential of this new technology for two applications: (a) cervix brachytherapy, and (b) transvaginal irradiation. Cervix brachytherapy with a gynecologic ring applicator was simulated by 48 sources of relative activities ranging from 0.17 to 1.00 that were equally distributed between the tandem and the ring. The results confirmed that the optimized distribution of physical doses are superior to those achievable with standard brachytherapy sources and applicators. For example, with five-point optimization, the relative dose-rate in the rectum was only 47% of that in point A; for standard application the dose rate was 47% higher. For transvaginal application 27 sources of relative activities between 0.07-0.79 were placed in the ring and a single source of unit strength in the tandem. Using dose distribution homogeneity as an optimization criterion, the results (+/- 2.5%) were again superior to those obtained for commonly used double ovoid (+/- 15%), linear cylinder (+/- 27%), or a "T" source (31%).
Reply: Objective measurement of the therapeutic effectiveness of continuous positive airway pressure versus oral appliance therapy for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

From the Editorialist: The letter by Dr. Vanderveken and colleagues in response to the article by Dr. Phillips and colleagues (1) and my accompanying editorial (2) nicely addresses both the problems encountered in predicting which patients are likely to respond to an oral appliance in the treatment of their obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the assessment of compliance with the device once it has been fabricated. I have only two comments in response to this letter. First, several of the approaches proposed by Vanderveken and colleagues are not broadly available at this time: • The embedded microsensor thermometer to measure oral appliance use is, to the best of my knowledge, not currently available in the United States, nor is the associated software to assess compliance. In addition, the device is certainly not provided on the commercially available oral appliances. Vanderveken and colleagues (3) have convincingly demonstrated the accuracy of this device in the clinical trial setting in Belgium and it is being used in several other current clinical trials. However, it needs to be more widely available before its true effectiveness can be determined. • The “remotely controlled mandibular positioner” for oral appliance titration in the sleep laboratory developed by Remmers and colleagues (4) also has credible data supporting the accuracy of the device in determining who will ultimately respond to an oral appliance. However, few sleep laboratories currently have this technology available. It is also unclear whether such titrations would be readily reimbursed by payers. Second, the use of drug-induced sleep endoscopy to assess the ability of an oral appliance to treat OSA in a given patient is arguably not sufficiently sensitive and specific to completely rule in or out the use of an oral appliance in that patient (5). It addition, the procedure itself may be more expensive (particularly in the United States) than fabricating the device and determining its efficacy with a home sleep test. That being said, several of the approaches proposed by Vanderveken and colleagues need to become both more broadly available and more commonly used as oral appliances are a viable method of treating OSA. Despite their being available for decades, use of oral appliances remains modest, and this needs to change.
Self-Adaptive Configuration of Visualization Pipeline Over Wide-Area Networks

Next-generation scientific applications require the capability to visualize large archival data sets or on-going computer simulations of physical and other phenomena over wide-area network connections. To minimize the latency in interactive visualizations across wide-area networks, we propose an approach that adaptively decomposes and maps the visualization pipeline onto a set of strategically selected network nodes. This scheme is realized by grouping the modules that implement visualization and networking subtasks and mapping them onto computing nodes with possibly disparate computing capabilities and network connections. Using estimates for communication and processing times of subtasks, we present a polynomial-time algorithm to compute a decomposition and mapping to achieve minimum end-to-end delay of the visualization pipeline. We present experimental results using geographically distributed deployments to demonstrate the effectiveness of this method in visualizing data sets from three application domains.
Species composition and structure of regenerated and remnant forest patches within an urban landscape

Regenerated and remnant forest patches were inventoried in Syracuse, New York, USA to determine differences in structure, species composition, human disturbances, and landscape context. Patches had similar mean stem diameter, total stem density, and total basal areas, but differed with respect to diameter distribution, disturbance regime, landscape context, and occurrence of introduced species. In regenerated patches, 23 introduced species were inventoried and they accounted for 48% of relative density. In remnant patches, only seven introduced species were inventoried and they accounted for 17% of the relative density. Cluster analyses identified two community types for remnant patches—sugar maple and black oak—and three for regenerated patches—sugar maple, Norway maple, and boxelder. For remnant patches, Rhamnus cathartica dominated the small diameter class in the black oak cluster, and Acer saccharum dominated the small diameter class in the sugar maple cluster. For regenerated patches, introduced species—A. platanoides and R. cathartica—dominated the small diameter class in the Norway cluster, and a mixture of native and introduced species—A. negundo, R. cathartica, A. saccharum, and Rhus typhina—dominated the small diameter classes in the sugar maple and boxelder clusters. Functionally, land covers containing remnant and regenerated patches, such as vacant lots and greenspaces, had the highest net rate of carbon sequestration (848.7 mt/ha/yr).
The story of a life

This essay explores the nature of narrative representations of individual lives and the connection between these narratives and personal good. It poses the challenge of determining how thinking of our lives in story form contributes distinctively to our good in a way not reducible to other value-conferring features of our lives. Because we can meaningfully talk about our lives going well for us at particular moments even if they fail to go well overall or over time, the essay maintains that our good must consist in something more than an accumulation of good discrete moments. Since persons have the capacities to reason, remember, and imagine, our good depends on a larger view of our lives that integrates its particular moments in a narrative. That narrative provides shape and texture to our lives. Storytelling serves to connect the events of our lives to each other, and to explain why the meaning and value of past events or features of our lives can shift as the life, and hence the story of the life, continues to unfold. The essay concludes that narrative enables us to see our lives in ways that support, encourage, or promote our self-concept and self-worth as agents who have controlling authority over our own lives.
Diagnostics and prognostics for multiple induction machines using a single set of current transducers

This paper describes a field-tested technique that uses aggregate current measurements to detect faults in multiple induction machines. This new approach reduces costs and potentially increases reliability. The paper begins with a description of the field-tested system. It then describes three analytical techniques that have been applied to aggregate data in order to identify faults. The paper uses specific examples taken from applications in power plants and shipboard environments.
Decision Makers as Statisticians: Diversity, Ambiguity, and Learning

I study individuals who use frequentist models to draw uniform inferences from independent and identically distributed data. The main contribution of this paper is to show that distinct models may be consistent with empirical evidence, even in the limit when data increases without bound. Decision makers may then hold different beliefs and interpret their environment differently even though they know each other's model and base their inferences on the same evidence. The behavior modeled here is that of rational individuals confronting an environment in which learning is hard, rather than individuals beset by cognitive limitations or behavioral biases.
Time Budget and Pair-bond Dynamics in the Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea: A Test of Hypotheses

The mating system and time budgets of colour banded Comb-crested Jacanas were studied at two sites near Townsville, Queensland, Australia. These Comb-crested Jacanas were polyandrous. Females copul...
Robust Detection of Rare Species Using Environmental DNA: the Importance of Primer Specificity

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is being rapidly adopted as a tool to detect rare animals. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) using probe-based chemistries may represent a particularly powerful tool because of the method’s sensitivity, specificity, and potential to quantify target DNA. However, there has been little work understanding the performance of these assays in the presence of closely related, sympatric taxa. If related species cause any cross-amplification or interference, false positives and negatives may be generated. These errors can be disastrous if false positives lead to overestimate the abundance of an endangered species or if false negatives prevent detection of an invasive species. In this study we test factors that influence the specificity and sensitivity of TaqMan MGB assays using co-occurring, closely related brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and bull trout (S. confluentus) as a case study. We found qPCR to be substantially more sensitive than traditional PCR, with a high probability of detection at concentrations as low as 0.5 target copies/µl. We also found that number and placement of base pair mismatches between the Taqman MGB assay and non-target templates was important to target specificity, and that specificity was most influenced by base pair mismatches in the primers, rather than in the probe. We found that insufficient specificity can result in both false positive and false negative results, particularly in the presence of abundant related species. Our results highlight the utility of qPCR as a highly sensitive eDNA tool, and underscore the importance of careful assay design.
The process variability of a V-band LC-VCO in 65nm SOI CMOS

The process variability of a V-band LC-VCO implemented in 65 nm SOI CMOS is examined. A complementary LC-VCO design, test set up, and measurements are presented. One lot of 300 mm wafers are measured for statistics. There are 8 wafers in the lot, and 67 VCOs per wafer. The VCO frequency tuning range statistics, analog variability against digital benchmark, yield estimation, and intra- vs. inter-wafer variations are analyzed and discussed. The VCO average frequency tuning is 63.7-69.6 GHz, and it shows 90% yield from 65.1 to 67.9 GHz.
Presence of Asbestos Bodies in Organs Other than the Lung

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that subjects with many asbestos bodies in their lungs at autopsy would also have asbestos bodies in various other organs. The subjects included 19 cases with diagnosis of asbestosis at death (two of these had mesothelioma, five had lung cancer) and 18 with pleural plaques but not asbestosis. Occupational histories were obtained from relatives. In subjects occupationally exposed to asbestos, large numbers of asbestos bodies were found in the lungs, and in most of these, asbestos bodies were found in many of the other organs examined. In the 18 cases with only pleural plaques found at autopsy, considerably fewer asbestos bodies were found in the lungs. The number of other organs with one or more asbestos bodies ranged from 32 percent to 62 percent of the sites examined. The findings seem to confirm the hypothesis of the study.
Does Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Increase the Risk for Acquisition of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1

Plourde et al. concluded that pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) may increase the risk of HIV-1 acquisition among Kenyan women with genital ulcers by six-fold. On the basis of their data however their conclusion seems premature. Upper and lower genital tract infections including PID may increase the risk of HIV acquisition because they may increase the cervical and vaginal pool of T lymphocytes and macrophages which are target cells of HIV. However until the relationship of PID and HIV is carefully examined in controlled epidemiologic clinical and laboratory studies the association of PID with HIV acquisition will be difficult to evaluate. Their report also concluded that cervical ectopy may increase by five-fold the risk of HIV acquisition in women with genital ulcers. Cervical ectopy may indeed play a role in heterosexual HIV transmission. Accurate and reliable methods of measuring ectopy and more knowledge about factors which affect the variability of ectopy are however needed before one can readily evaluate the association of cervical ectopy with HIV acquisition.
Habitat Fragmentation and the Demographic Structure of an Amazonian Understory Herb ( Heliconia acuminata )

Little is known about the demographic consequences of fragmentation for plant populations. By assessing the population structure of a common herb ( Heliconia acuminata ) in an experimentally fragmented landscape in the central Amazon, we tested the predictions that fragmentation could reduce population den- sity, alter population structure, and reduce reproductive effort. Population density in continuous forest var- ied six-fold, some areas having high density and others low density. Population density in small fragments and on the edges of large fragments was often low, but it was within the range of densities found in continu- ous forest, and the difference between locations was not significant. Heliconia populations in forest fragments were skewed toward smaller demographic size classes, however. Because reproduction in H. acuminata is pos- itively correlated with plant size, these shifts were predicted to result in fewer flowering plants in forest frag- ments. The proportion of the population flowering in forest fragments and continuous forest was not signifi- cantly different, although there was a trend toward proportionately greater flowering in continuous forest. For plants that did flower, per-individual reproductive success (measured as developing fruit set) was the same in forest fragments and continuous forests. Our results suggest that per-individual and population-level reproduction by understory herbs in tropical forest fragments may be resistant to the detrimental conse- quences of fragment isolation. Our study also highlights the need to consider how fragmentation influences aspects of population structure and demography beyond abundance and fruit production, because these al- ternative measures of population structure can be modified in forest fragments in subtle, unexpected ways. Fragmentacion del Habitat y la Estructura Demografica de una Hierba ( Heliconia acuminata ) del Sotobosque Amazonico
Upper bounds on processing loss for wideband, long-CPI space-time adaptive processing

The combination of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and space-time adaptive processing (STAP) for moving target indication (MTI) radar applications allows the use of long, potentially sparse arrays, wide bandwidths, and long coherent processing intervals (CPIs), all of which enable detection of a greater variety of targets than is possible with traditional systems. In this paper, upper bounds on the signal-to-interference-plus-noise (SINR) loss are derived for post-SAR processing in the presence of three types of impairments: internal clutter motion, volumetric clutter, and antenna backlobes. These bounds are important for both the design and assessment of this type of MTI system, as impairments such as these can influence the entire system architecture.
Perspectives on joint competitive advantages in buyer-supplier relationships

Abstract A critical outcome of competitive strategy is the attainment of competitive advantages. Recently, there has been a growing recognition that such advantages may reside in the boundaries of a firm—via its relationships with outside organizations. However, there is little understanding regarding how such advantages are created, eroded, and preserved in such relationships. In this paper, I summarize the findings around competitive advantages from three studies, all of which involve longitudinal empirical tests of over 200 industrial buyers and their suppliers in a variety of industries. The collective results indicate that specialized investments facilitate the attainment of joint competitive advantages and these advantages are positively correlated with economic outcomes, organizational behavior, and expectations of continuity. Competitive advantages can also be eroded over time for buyers by suspicions of ex post opportunism that arise within the course of the relationship. However, the detrimental effects of opportunism suspicions for both firms can be mitigated via the strategic use of various governance modes such as bilateral investments, goal congruence, and interpersonal trust.
Improving stream control transmission protocol performance over lossy links

The current stream control transmission protocol (SCTP) does not work well over lossy links. To make SCTP congestion control algorithms robust in lossy networks, the paper first introduces a fine-tuned explicit congestion notification (ECN) mechanism for SCTP in such environment, and then discusses the ECN-D SCTP that can differentiate noncongestion losses from congestion losses. We identify the optimal value of the congestion window for an SCTP source in response to ECN messages in order to maximize the throughput and maintain relatively small end-to-end delay. A simple and practical method to achieve the optimal value is developed by carefully choosing the threshold of queues that support ECN. Because the total goodput performance of SCTP associations is not sensitive to window reduction policies when the network load is heavy, and because fine-tuning SCTP or transmission control protocols congestion window in response to congestion indications using complicated methods may not be worth the increase in complexity of the protocol, the simplified method becomes attractive in achieving the optimal congestion window.
Cellular Mechanism of Calcium-Mediated Triggered Activity in the Heart

Calcium overload due to enhanced calcium entry is a mechanism for spontaneous calcium release (SCR) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, delayed-afterdepolarizations (DAD), and triggered activity. However, the exact mechanistic relationship between elevated intracellular calcium levels and triggered activity originating from a specific location remains unclear. We hypothesize that under conditions of enhanced calcium entry, elevation of intracellular calcium will result in multiple calcium release events of which only one is more likely to initiate a triggered beat. We used optical mapping of action potentials and ratiometric calcium transients in an electromechanically-uncoupled canine wedge model of enhanced calcium entry, using I Ks blockade with β-adrenergic stimulation. Under conditions of enhanced calcium entry, the rate of calcium uptake was faster compared with control conditions; however, during rapid pacing, cytoplasmic calcium elevation at the endocardium was significantly increased (15±4%) compared with control (10±3, P
Role of steroidogenic-factor 1 in basal and 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate-mediated regulation of cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme in the mouse.

The orphan receptor steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) plays a major role in adrenal and gonadal development and sexual differentiation, and it has been shown to interact with shared promoter elements to increase the expression of cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage (P450sc) and other steroid hydroxylases in vitro. We took a step-wise approach to define the role of SF-1 in regulation of hormone-induced steroidogenesis. In a mouse Leydig cell line (MA-10) we show that hCG and forskolin are effective inducers of progesterone production and P450,cc expression. In contrast, endogenous SF-1 expression was not increased by either hCG or forskolin. Similarly, these agents did not enhance the activity of SF-1 promoter transfected into MA-10 cells. The transcriptional activity of SF-1, measured by induction of an SF-1 synthetic reporter, was only minimally increased by forskolin. Within the context of the rat P450,c promoter, mutation of the two SF-1-binding sites caused a dramatic decrease in constitutive activity of this promoter, but the degree of induction by 8-bromo-cAMP was only reduced from 7.9-fold to 5.9-fold. We conclude that SF-1 is required for the constitutive activity of P450,,, but that it does not play a direct role in the early induction of steroidogenesis by hCG or forskolin in MA-10 cells.
Serum biomarkers in a mouse model of bacterial-induced inflammatory bowel disease

Background: The diagnosis and classification of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) require both clinical and histopathologic data. Serum biomarkers would be of considerable benefit to noninvasively monitor the progression of disease, assess effectiveness of therapies, and assist in understanding disease pathogenesis. Currently, there are limited noninvasive biomarkers for monitoring disease progression in animal IBD models, which are used extensively to develop new therapies and to understand IBD pathogenesis. Methods: Serum biomarkers of early and late IBD were identified using multianalyte profiling in mdr1a-/- mice with IBD triggered by infection with Helicobacter bilis. The correlation of changes in these biomarkers with histopathology scores and clinical signs in the presence and in the absence of antibiotic treatment was determined. Results: Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-11, IL-17, 10-kDa interferon--inducible protein (IP-10), lymphotactin, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 were elevated early in IBD. In late, more severe IBD, serum levels of IL-11, IP-10, haptoglobin, matrix metalloproteinase-9, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1, fibrinogen, immunoglobulin A, MIP-3 beta (), VCAM-1, apolipoprotein (Apo) A1, and IL-18 were elevated. All late serum biomarkers except Apo A1 correlated with histopathology scores. Antibiotic treatment improved clinical signs of IBD and decreased mean serum values of many of the biomarkers. For all biomarkers, the individual pathology scores correlated significantly with individual serum analyte levels after treatment. Conclusions: Serum analyte measurement is a useful, noninvasive method for monitoring disease in a mouse model of bacterial-induced IBD.
Beam characterization with video imaging systems at the ANL 50 MeV H/sup -/ beamline

Video imaging systems consisting of scintillators, charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras, and in-beam CCD detectors are being used to characterize beams at the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) 50 MeV H/sup -/ beamline. The characterization technique consists of placing pinholes, slits, or wires in the beam and viewing the resulting images or shadows on a downstream scintillator or CCD. The images are digitally recorded using a frame grabber and stored in computer memory where they are analyzed to determine Twiss parameters and local beam divergence. Since many of the measurements involve low-intensity beams and require good position resolution, studies have been performed on scintillators to obtain sensitivity and resolution data. Various scintillators, including Rarex, CsI, and CaF/sub 2/, have been evaluated. An in-beam CCD imager has also been tested. >
Key Attributes Influence the Performance of Local Weed Management Programs in the Southwest United States

In the southwestern United States, local weed management programs are increasingly important in weed prevention and control; however, little is known about the effectiveness of different local approaches to weed management. We surveyed coordinators of 53 local weed management programs in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah to determine how 4 key program attributes (interagency coordination, volunteer participation, regulatory authority and enforcement, and the state in which the program was located) were related with 4 performance measures: weed control, public education and outreach, weed monitoring, and integrated weed management. Based on the responses of 42 program coordinators (79%) we found that 1) weed programs that coordinated their activities with other organizations and those with citizen volunteers conducted more monitoring, but programs that did not coordinate or use volunteers treated more of their infested acreage; 2) programs that used a light-handed regulatory approach conducted more weed control than those with more punitive enforcement regimes or no enforcement authority; and 3) Colorado programs conducted more outreach and education than did programs in the other 3 states. Thus, although volunteer involvement and interagency coordination contributed to the performance of the local weed programs studied, particularly in monitoring, they have not compensated for the lack of locally enforceable weed regulations or adequate funding. Successful weed management in southwestern United States will require adequately funded, locally adapted approaches supported by locally enforceable weed regulations.
Trauma Readiness Training for Military Deployment: A Comparison Between a U.S. Trauma Center and an Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq

ABSTRACTThe U.S. Air Force created the Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills at the Shock Trauma Center (STC) where staffs rotate before deployment. We sought to investigate the value of this training. A retrospective review of prospectively collected data of patient volume, injury severity, mechanism of injury, operative cases, and massive transfusion data from September 2006 to August 2007 was obtained from the STC in Baltimore and the Air Force Theater Hospital (AFTH) in Balad. Severity of injury and massive transfusions were higher at the AFTH. Soft tissue wound care represented approximately 25% of AFTH cases; a soft tissue service performed 465 operative debridements for severe soft tissue infections at STC. The STC's high-volume of major soft tissue debridement cases may offer the closest approximation of high energy wound care. Training at selected U.S. trauma centers may prepare military staff to care for war injuries, particularly those who do not practice in high-volume Level 1 ...
Relative Contribution of the Subsheath to Extensor Carpi Ulnaris Tendon Stability: Implications for Surgical Reconstruction and Rehabilitation

Purpose To identify the varying contributions of the proximal and distal portions of the subsheath of the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) to its stability, evaluate the correlation of ulnar groove depth and ECU subluxation, and observe the effect of forearm and wrist positions on ECU stability. Methods Extensor carpi ulnaris tendon position relative to the ulnar groove was measured in 10 human cadaveric specimens with the subsheath intact, partially sectioned (randomized to distal or proximal half), and fully sectioned. Measurements were obtained in 9 positions: forearm supinated, neutral, and pronated and wrist extended, neutral, and flexed. Ulnar groove depth was measured on all specimens. Results In 7 of 10 specimens with an intact subsheath, the ECU tendon subluxated out of the groove in at least 1 forearm-wrist position. We noted the subluxation of the ECU tendon in all wrist-forearm positions with the exception of pronation-extension in at least 1 specimen. For partial subsheath sectioning, tendon displacement markedly increased after distal subsheath sectioning but not after proximal sectioning. For full subsheath sectioning, wrist flexion produced subluxation in all forearm positions, and forearm supination produced subluxation in all wrist positions. Maximum displacement occurred in supination-flexion. There was no correlation between ulnar groove depth and ECU subluxation. Conclusions Mild tendon subluxation occurred in the intact specimens in most tested positions. Two positions were remarkable for their consistency in maintaining the tendon within the groove: pronation-neutral and pronation-extension. In fully sectioned specimens, the greatest subluxation occurred in supination-flexion, with supination and flexion independently producing subluxation. Partial sectioning demonstrated that the distal portion of the subsheath played a more important role than the proximal portion in stabilizing the ECU. Clinical relevance Subsheath repair or reconstruction should target the distal portion of the subsheath. During postinjury rehabilitation or following surgical reconstruction, combined forearm supination and wrist flexion should be avoided.
Parameter Comparison Between Fast-Water-Exchange-Limit-Constrained Standard and Water-Exchange-Modified Dual-Input Tracer Kinetic Models for DCE-MRI in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) data have often been analyzed using classic standard tracer kinetic models that assume a fast-exchange limit (FXL) of water. Recently, it has been demonstrated that deviations from the FXL model occurs when contrast agent arrives at the target tissue. However, no systematic analysis has been reported for the liver tumor with dual blood supply. In this study, we compared kinetic parameter estimates from DCE-MRI in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma that have the same physiological meaning between five different FXL standard dual-input tracer kinetic models and their corresponding water-exchange-modified (WX) versions. Kinetic parameters were estimated by fitting data to analytic solutions of five different FXL models and their WX versions based on a full two-site-exchange model for transcytolemmal water exchange or a full three-site-two-exchange model for transendothelial and transcytolemmal water exchange. Results suggest that parameter values differ substantially between the FXL standard and WX tracer kinetic models, indicating that DCE-MRI data are water-exchange-sensitive.
Optical response and yield behavior of a polyester model material

A mixture of flexible and rigid polyester resins is one of the materials that has been used in the past to model elasto-plastic prototype behavior. As a result of recent curtailments in plastic production, one of the constituents of the mixture is no longer available. A different flexible resin of the same family is available, however, and has been shown in this program to be suitable for optical-model studies involving deformations into the plastic range of material response. In this paper, complete mechanical and optical properties for the new model material are presented for both uniaxial tensile and compressive loadings. Results from a series of thin-walled cylinder tests under internal-pressure loadings are also presented which provide some information on the optical and yield characteristics of the polyester model material under a biaxial state of stress. Results of the study indicate that stress-strain curves for the material can be modified significantly by changing the mixture ratio or the test temperature. Optical data from the study indicate that the fringe order in the material is a function of the instantaneous principal-strain difference. Data from the uniaxial tension and compression tests, together with limited data from the cylinder tests, indicate that the polyester material may follow a modified von Mises yield criterion which accommodates differences in tensile and compressive yield strengths of a material.
Giant-amplitude, high-work density microactuators with phase transition activated nanolayer bimorphs.

Various mechanisms are currently exploited to transduce a wide range of stimulating sources into mechanical motion. At the microscale, simultaneously high amplitude, high work output, and high speed in actuation are hindered by limitations of these actuation mechanisms. Here we demonstrate a set of microactuators fabricated by a simple microfabrication process, showing simultaneously high performance by these metrics, operated on the structural phase transition in vanadium dioxide responding to diverse stimuli of heat, electric current, and light. In both ambient and aqueous conditions, the actuators bend with exceedingly high displacement-to-length ratios up to 1 in the sub-100 μm length scale, work densities over 0.63 J/cm 3 , and at frequencies up to 6 kHz. The functionalities of actuation can be further enriched with integrated designs of planar as well as three-dimensional geometries. Combining the superior performance, high durability, diversity in responsive stimuli, versatile working environments, and microscale manufacturability, these actuators offer potential applications in microelectromechanical systems, microfluidics, robotics, drug delivery, and artificial muscles.
Genetics of Natural Populations. XXVII. The Genetic Changes in Populations of Drosophila pseudoobscura in the American Southwest

Evolutionary changes in time are studied mainly by paleontologists. However, in some exceptional cases evolutionary changes are rapid enough to be perceived within the human lifetime. This is true of some species of Drosophila. Drosophila populations which are polymoryphic for the gene arrangement in their chromosomes can be described in terms of the relative frequencies of the karyotypes which they contain. However, the genetic composition of a population may change perceptibly with time. Changes from year to year, as well as cyclic seasonal changes, have been reported in the populations of Drosophila pseudoobscura on Mount San Jacinto, in California (Dobzhansky, 1947; Epling and Lower, 1957). In the Yosemite Park region of the Sierra Nevada, in California, such changes have been described both in D. pseudoobscura and in D. persimilis (Dobzhansky, 1952, 1956). The causation of the year-to-year changes in the genetic composition of populations is obscure. In the Yosemite Park region, third chromosomes with the ST gene arrangement tended to decrease, and chromosomes with the AR gene arrangement tended to increase in frequencies, between 1945 and 1950. The direction of the changes became reversed between 1951 and 1957, and, as will be shown below, the frequencies observed in 1957 matched those in 1945 rather well.
Immunological unresponsiveness produced in adult guinea pigs by parenteral introduction of minute quantities of hapten or protein antigen.

SummaryDelayed hypersensitivity and circulating antibody production to a hapten (picryl chloride) and to a protein antigen (bovine gamma globulin) were regularly suppressed in mature guinea pigs injected twice into mesenteric veins prior to sensitization, with hapten or protein in gamma amounts.
Knowledge-based decision support strategies: linking spatial and temporal components within site-specific weed management.

Research and application of site-specific farming has focused on technological advancements that enable site-specific field operations. The current emphasis on technological tools of site-specific farming, rather than the development of new crop and pest management systems that integrate and optimize the use of these new tools, limits our abilities to realize the full potential and promise of site-specific management. The objective of this paper is to introduce a conceptual framework that integrates spatial and temporal data, information, knowledge, and wisdom into a knowledge-based decision support strategy (KBDSS). Our goal is to stimulate researchers, engineers, farmers, and other agri-business personnel to refocus their approach to site-specific resource management. Moreover, this knowledge-based decision support strategy must embrace questions of economic, environmental, and social sustainability as well as create an opportunity for people to share information and experiences in addressing emerging issues in crop production. Current strategies emphasize data collection and information management followed by an immediate action. We argue that implementation of decisions derived using only data and information circumvents knowledge and wisdom, often leading to inappropriate resource management. A successful KBDSS will incorporate a better understanding of interdependency among factors affecting or affected by a site-specific decision. We believe that the KBDSS outlined in this paper is a first step in improving integration of weed biology, enhancing the utility of bioeconomic models, shaping farmer/advisor relationships, and recognizing the importance of long-term learning and experience-building within the landscape.
Energy-adaptive codes

We provide the first constructions of a new family of error-correcting codes called “energy-adaptive codes.” These codes are designed to enable adaptive circuit implementations that minimize the total system-level energy based on varying distances and target error probabilities. Recent work has explored fundamental limits and practical strategies for minimizing total (transmit + circuit) power, considering both power consumed in computational nodes as well as wires in the circuit. It is now established that to minimize total power, code choice and circuit-design should change with communication distances and/or target error probability. Motivated by circuit area constraints, the energy-adaptive codes adapt energy consumption as distances and/or target error probability change. These codes shrink and expand the wiring area they occupy as demands on the system change, adjusting the hardware by turning on and off non-local wires in the circuit. The code constructions are hierarchical, and use QC-LDPC codes as the basis. We estimate the decoding power savings attained by use of these codes through simulation results. Such codes can be of increasing utility as we enter the era of 1000 devices per person where designing the skilled labor for obtaining optimized designs for each system will simply be unavailable. While our first constructions are admittedly simplistic, the goal of the paper is to bring this new problem to the attention of the coding-theory community.
Visualization of Hyperconjugation and Subsequent Structural Distortions through 3D Printing of Crystal Structures.

Background Structural distortions due to hyperconjugation in organic molecules, like norbornenes, are well captured through X-ray crystallographic data, but are sometimes difficult to visualize especially for those applying chemical knowledge and are not chemists. Methods Crystal structure from the Cambridge database were downloaded and converted to .stl format. The structures were then printed at the desired scale using a 3D printer. Results Replicas of the crystal structures were accurately reproduced in scale and any resulting distortions were clearly visible from the macroscale models. Through space interactions or effect of through space hyperconjugation was illustrated through loss of symmetry or distortions thereof. Conclusion The norbornene structures exhibits distortion that cannot be observed through conventional ball and stick modelling kits. We show that 3D printed models derived from crystallographic data capture even subtle distortions in molecules. We translate such crystallographic data into scaled-up models through 3D printing.
Journaling During a School-Based Secondary Methods Course: Exploring a Route to Teaching Reflection

(2003). Journaling During a School-Based Secondary Methods Course: Exploring a Route to Teaching Reflection. Journal of Science Teacher Education: Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 161-176.