cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Papular dermatitis: response to cyclosporin

BACKGROUND/AIM: Papular dermatitis is a persistent pruritic papular dermatitis, often refractory to treatment. The objective was to examine the effectiveness of cyclosporin for the treatment of this condition. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of the medical records of a cohort of 16 patients with papular dermatitis who were treated with cyclosporin within the last 2 years. RESULTS: Twelve of the 16 patients improved. Of those who improved, two discontinued treatment because of side effects such as hypertension, infection, and tremors. In those that responded favorably, the cyclosporin was tapered slowly. Some patients, however, required continuous therapy due to relapse upon discontinuation of the cyclosporin. CONCLUSION: Cyclosporin is an effective treatment for papular dermatitis. (J Dermatol Treat (2000) 11: 253-257)
SIGNIFICANCE OF STAPHYLOCOAGULASE IN FOOD MICROBIOLOGY: A REVIEW

Staphylocoagulase is an important enzyme for the identification of Staphylococcus aureus. It is also commonly related to pathogenicity of the organism. This review discusses the history of staphylocoagulase, its importance in the identification of staphylococci, its relationship with other important enzymes of staphylococci, and its role in food microbiology and food safety. Chemical properties, synthesis, mechanism of enzymatic activities, factors influencing detection, methods of detection, possible occurrence of the enzyme in foods, and its heat stability are also reviewed.
Applied Flow and Solute Transport Modeling in Aquifers: Fundamental Principles and Analytical and Numerical Methods

Dr. Batu has prepared a useful and well-organized text that presents basic and advanced methods used to model groundwater flow and solute transport. Groundwater hydrologists often search their library shelves for an analytical solution or a table of solute transport parameters and find multiple
Growth Hormone in Malnutrition

Glucose tolerance tests (0.5 g glucose/kg, iv) and insulin tolerance tests (0.1 U regular insulin/kg, iv) were conducted among the malnourished patients of the Hospital Rosales of San Salvador, Central America. Normal controls were obtained among volunteers of the women's jail. In contrast to the normal volunteers, the malnourished showed glucose intolerance; but a much more striking difference appeared in their plasma growth hormone (hGH) concentrations. Among the controls hGH was readily detectable only in women and was suppressed by hyperglycemia; in the malnourished, of both sexes, on the other hand, hGH was elevated and rose further with glucose loading. Insulin hypoglycemia produced hGH rises in all groups, but the differences between malnourished and control subjects were minor, especially when compared to those after glucose administration. Nonessential to essential amino acid ratios were much less effective than hGH measurements in discriminating between malnourished patients and control subjects.
Guest Editorial: Special Section on Nonimpact Printing

This PDF file contains the editorial “Guest Editorial: Nonimpact Printing” for JEI Vol. 2 Issue 03
Performance of the quadrupole mass filter with separated RF and DC fringing fields

Abstract A leaky dielectric material can be used at the entrance aperture of a quadrupole mass filter to achieve a delayed DC ramp effect. The acceptance of such a quadrupole is calculated theoretically using the phase-plane analysis approach and is compared with measurements of transmissivity versus resolution for ions of different velocities and with the off-axis acceptance of ions. There is good agreement between the theory and the experiments. Compared with a mass filter having coincident RF and DC fringing fields, the important changes are greatly improved transmission for low velocity ions (much less velocity discrimination) and greater symmetry between the x - and y -transverse acceptances. The achievement of high transmission through the entrance fringing fields produces problems due to inefficient ion collection at the exit and also reveals the intrinsic limitations of the particular mass filter.
Statistical approach to shape from shading: Reconstruction of three-dimensional face surfaces from single two-dimensional images

The human visual system is proficient in perceiving three-dimensional shape from the shading patterns in a two-dimensional image. How it does this is not well understood and continues to be a question of fundamental and practical interest. In this paper we present a new quantitative approach to shape-from-shading that may provide some answers. We suggest that the brain, through evolution or prior experience, has discovered that objects can be classified into lower-dimensional object-classes as to their shape. Extraction of shape from shading is then equivalent to the much simpler problem of parameter estimation in a low-dimensional space. We carry out this proposal for an important class of three-dimensional (3D) objects: human heads. From an ensemble of several hundred laser-scanned 3D heads, we use principal component analysis to derive a low-dimensional parameterization of head shape space. An algorithm for solving shape-from-shading using this representation is presented. It works well even on real images where it is able to recover the 3D surface for a given person, maintaining facial detail and identity, from a single 2D image of his face. This algorithm has applications in face recognition and animation.
Stretching Fibroblasts Remodels Fibronectin and Alters Cancer Cell Migration

Most investigations of cancer-stroma interactions have focused on biochemical signaling effects, with much less attention being paid to biophysical factors. In this study, we investigated the role of mechanical stimuli on human prostatic fibroblasts using a microfluidic platform that was adapted for our experiments and further developed for both repeatable performance among multiple assays and for compatibility with high-resolution confocal microscopy. Results show that mechanical stretching of normal tissue-associated fibroblasts (NAFs) alters the structure of secreted fibronectin. Specifically, unstretched NAFs deposit and assemble fibronectin in a random, mesh-like arrangement, while stretched NAFs produce matrix with a more organized, linearly aligned structure. Moreover, the stretched NAFs exhibited an enhanced capability for directing co-cultured cancer cell migration in a persistent manner. Furthermore, we show that stretching NAFs triggers complex biochemical signaling events through the observation of increased expression of platelet derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα). A comparison of these behaviors with those of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) indicates that the observed phenotypes of stretched NAFs are similar to those associated with CAFs, suggesting that mechanical stress is a critical factor in NAF activation and CAF genesis.
Developmental changes in somatostatin-positive interneurons in a freeze-lesion model of epilepsy.

Somatostatin-expressing (SS) cells are inhibitory interneurons critical to the regulation of excitability in the cerebral cortex. It has been suggested in several animal models of epilepsy that the activity of these neurons reduces the occurrence and strength of epileptiform activity. The physiological properties of SS cells further support these hypotheses. Freeze lesions of neonatal rats serve as a model of human polymicrogyria, which is often characterized by severe seizures. Here we investigate the effects of neonatal freeze lesions on SS-expressing neurons by measuring their densities in control and lesioned hemispheres at two ages. We found that in late juveniles (P30–P32), SS-expressing neurons were depleted by 20% in areas adjacent to the freeze lesion, but at an earlier developmental age (P14-15), there was no significant loss. Since the deficit in SS-expressing neurons occurs well after the onset of epileptiform activity (P12–P18), we conclude that the death of these interneurons does not initiate hyperexcitability in this model.
Calculations of High-Temperature Jet Flow Using Hybrid Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Formulations

Two multiscale-type turbulence models are implemented in the PAB3D solver. The models are based on modifying the Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes equations. The first scheme is a hybrid Reynolds-averaged- Navier Stokes/large-eddy-simulation model using the two-equation k(epsilon) model with a Reynolds-averaged-Navier Stokes/large-eddy-simulation transition function dependent on grid spacing and the computed turbulence length scale. The second scheme is a modified version of the partially averaged Navier Stokes model in which the unresolved kinetic energy parameter f(sub k) is allowed to vary as a function of grid spacing and the turbulence length scale. This parameter is estimated based on a novel two-stage procedure to efficiently estimate the level of scale resolution possible for a given flow on a given grid for partially averaged Navier Stokes. It has been found that the prescribed scale resolution can play a major role in obtaining accurate flow solutions. The parameter f(sub k) varies between zero and one and is equal to one in the viscous sublayer and when the Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes turbulent viscosity becomes smaller than the large-eddy-simulation viscosity. The formulation, usage methodology, and validation examples are presented to demonstrate the enhancement of PAB3D's time-accurate turbulence modeling capabilities. The accurate simulations of flow and turbulent quantities will provide a valuable tool for accurate jet noise predictions. Solutions from these models are compared with Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes results and experimental data for high-temperature jet flows. The current results show promise for the capability of hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes and large eddy simulation and partially averaged Navier Stokes in simulating such flow phenomena.
Triangularizing semigroups of matrices over a skew field

Abstract We define a closure operation on semigroups of matrices over a skew field, and show that a semigroup of matrices can be (upper) triangularized if and only if its closure can be. We then give necessary and sufficient conditions for a closed semigroup to be triangularizable.
The small-trial PREE and interpolated CRF training

Rats given four running trials in an NRNR reward sequence did not perform differently in extinction than rats given an RRRR reward sequence. When 16 R trials were interpolated between the initial sequences and extinction, a PREE was observed. The results were interpreted as supporting a counterconditioning but not a sequential model.
Crystallization of a designed peptide from a molten globule ensemble

Backgound. The design of amino acid sequences that adopt a desired three-dimensional fold has been of keen interest over the past decade. However, the design of proteins that adopt unique conformations is still a considerable problem. Until very recently, all of the designed proteins that have been extensively characterized possess the hallmarks of the molten globular state. Molten globular intermediates have been observed in both equilibrium and kinetic protein folding/stability studies, and understanding the forces that determine compact non-native states is critical for a comprehensive understanding of proteins. This paper describes the solution and early solid state characterization of peptides that form molten globular ensembles. Results. Crystals diffracting to 3.5a resolution have been grown of a 16-residue peptide (alpha1A) designed to form a tetramer of alpha-helices. In addition, a closely related peptide, alpha1, has previously been shown to yield crystals that diffract to 1.2a resolution. The solution properties of these two peptides were examined to determine whether their well defined crystalline conformations were retained in solution. On the basis of an examination of their NMR spectra, sedimentation equilibria, thermal unfolding, and ANS binding, it is concluded that the peptides form alpha-helical aggregates with properties similar to those of the molten globule state. Thus, for these peptides, the process of crystallization bears many similarities to models of protein folding. Upon dissolution, the peptides rapidly assume compact molten globular states similar to the molten globule like intermediates that are formed at short times after refolding is initiated. Following a rate-determining nucleation step, the peptides crystallize into a single or a small number of conformations in a process that mimics the formation of native structure in proteins.
RNA-mediated gene assembly from DNA arrays.

The widespread availability of peptides and oligonucleotides synthesized by solid-phase methods has had a profound impact upon biology and medicine, with a myriad of important uses in research, diagnostics, and therapeutics. A limitation of current technologies is the relatively short length of the molecules that can be synthesized, as determined by the stepwise reaction yield, and thus peptides and oligonucleotides are usually restricted to lengths below approximately 50 amino acids or 100 nucleotides (nt), respectively. This synthetic limitation has driven interest in the development of alternative approaches for the production of full-length genes and proteins. The most common strategy has been to splice together shorter segments into a full-length, functional assembly; for example, the Staudinger ligation reaction permits full-length proteins to be constructed from a series of peptides,[1] and full-length genes can be obtained from multiple short single strands in a series of sequential ligation steps[2] or by polymerase cycling assembly (PCA).[3] However, the assembly based strategies for gene synthesis reported to date remain laborious, expensive, and time-consuming, and thus have not yet provided the level of accessibility needed for widespread utility.
Quantum inequalities in two-dimensional Minkowski spacetime

We generalize some results of Ford and Roman constraining the possible behaviors of the renormalized expected stress-energy tensor of a free massless scalar field in two-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. Ford and Roman showed that the energy density measured by an inertial observer, when averaged with respect to the observers proper time by integrating against some weighting function, is bounded below by a negative lower bound proportional to the reciprocal of the square of the averaging time scale. However, the proof required a particular choice for the weighting function. We extend the Ford-Roman result in two ways. (i) We calculate the optimum (maximum possible) lower bound and characterize the state which achieves this lower bound; the optimum lower bound differs by a factor of six from the bound derived by Ford and Roman for their choice of smearing function. (ii) We calculate the lower bound for arbitrary, smooth positive weighting functions. We also derive similar lower bounds on the spatial average of energy density at a fixed moment of time.
SYNTHESIS OF PHENOXYPHENYLATED 4,4″-DICARBOXY-p-TERPHENYLS

(1980). SYNTHESIS OF PHENOXYPHENYLATED 4,4″-DICARBOXY-p-TERPHENYLS. Organic Preparations and Procedures International: Vol. 12, No. 6, pp. 327-336.
Presence of immunoreactive α3 subunit isoform of Na,K-ATPase in mitochondria of kidney

Background Sodium-potassium-adenosinetriphosphatase (Na,K-ATPase) is the primary membrane enzyme responsible for the reabsorption of sodium ions in the kidney. It is known that in the nephron the major subunit isoforms of Na,K-ATPase are α1 and β1. Previous reports on the presence of α2 and α3 isoforms in the kidney were mixed and controversial. Methods Techniques of ultrathin cryosectioning and immunoelectron microscopy were used to study the distribution of α subunit isoforms (α1, α2, α3) and β subunit (β1 isoform) of Na,K-ATPase in renal tubular cells. Western blot analysis was used to show the presence of the α3 isoform in the extract of kidney mitochondria. Results We were able to confirm the previous finding that the α1 isoform and the β1 isoform were the preponderant isoforms of the α and β subunits of Na,K-ATPase in the basolateral membrane. In addition, we unexpectedly found the presence of the α3 isoform in the mitochondria of rat renal tubular cells. The α2 and α3 isoforms were not observed in either the apical or basolateral membrane. Conclusions Both immunoelectron microscopy and Western blot analysis of the rat kidney mitochondria confirm the presence of the α3 isoform of Na,K-ATPase in the rat kidney mitochondria. The function of this enzyme in the mitochondria is not clear at this time.
Thoracic Needle Biopsy: Improved Results Utilizing a Team Approach

Transthoracic needle aspiration biopsy (TNAB) is a useful diagnostic technique in the evaluation of thoracic disease. Previous reports have shown that this technique has a high positive but a low negative predictive value. The latter has limited the clinical usefulness of a negative biopsy. To improve the reliability of a negative TNAB, a series of thoracic needle biopsies was done using a team approach, having a cytopathologist, with the necessary equipment to examine the biopsy specimens, in attendance at the biopsy. As biopsy specimens were obtained, they were reviewed to ensure an adequate and representative sampling. The positive predictive value was 98.6 percent and the negative predictive value was 96.7 percent. The high negative predictive value obtained using this approach allows clinical decisions to be based on the results of a negative TNAB.
Development and application of a flow cytometric potency assay for DNA vaccines

We have developed a rapid, reliable, and sensitive quantitative flow cytometric assay to measure the in vitro potency and stability of DNA vaccines to be delivered either by particle-mediated epidermal delivery (PMED) or by electroporation. The method involves transfecting cells with test DNA and comparing the measured antigen expression to that generated with expression from known quantities of reference material DNA. The assay was adapted for performance under Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) guidelines and was successfully utilized to perform potency testing in support of a Phase I study for two hantavirus DNA vaccines delivered by gene gun. The results from the potency assays conducted over a 24-month period using this method proved to be highly reproducible with high signal-to-noise ratios. The assay was also adapted to assess the in vitro potency and stability of a DNA vaccine for Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus that will be delivered by electroporation. Our results indicate that this assay can be readily applied to support potency and stability testing of numerous DNA vaccines delivered by various methods, including multiagent vaccines.
Reciprocal Hemizygosity Analysis of Mouse Hepatic Lipase Reveals Influence on Obesity

Objectives: We previously demonstrated coincident quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for percentage body fat, plasma hepatic lipase (HL) activity, and plasma cholesterol on mouse chromosome 7. In the present study, we investigated whether hepatic lipase (Lipc) is an obesity gene, whether Lipc interacts with an unknown gene on chromosome 7, and how HL activity is linked to the chromosome 7 locus. Research Methods and Procedures: BSB mice are a model of complex obesity due to interactions among genes from C57BL/6J and Mus spretus (SPRET) in (C57BL/6J × SPRET) × C57BL/6J backcross mice. Five crosses tested the impact on obesity of combinations of inactive (knockout) and wild-type Lipc alleles from C57BL/6J or SPRET in a reciprocal hemizygosity analysis. Results: The combined data from this allelic series suggest that Lipc alleles, and not alleles from a gene linked to Lipc, influence obesity. No interaction between Lipc and chromosome 7 was demonstrated. We confirmed the chromosome 7 QTLs for obesity, HL activity, and cholesterol. Because obesity and HL activity are not consistently associated in the BSB model, linkage of HL activity to chromosome 7 is not secondary to obesity per se. We also report, for the first time to our knowledge, a QTL in mammals for food intake. Discussion: This use of reciprocal hemizygosity analysis in mammals, which, to our knowledge, is the first reported, reveals its power to detect previously unknown effects of Lipc on obesity.
Human parathyroid adenoma adenylate cyclase: stimulation by histamine that is blocked by cimetidine.

Abstract Recent evidence suggests that the histamine receptor blocking agent cimetidine can decrease parathyroid hormone release from human parathyroids. To determine the mechanism for inhibition we examined the ability of histamine 1 × 10 −5 moles/liter to stimulate adenylate cyclase in a particulate membrane preparation from 13 human parathyroid glands. Histamine significantly increased adenylate cyclase activity as compared to control; however, the degree of stimulation was variable among the individual tissue samples. Enzyme stimulation was dose dependent over the concentration range of 1 × 10 −7 to 1 × 10 −4 moles/liter. Cimetidine at 1 × 10 −4 moles/liter completely abolished the histamine mediated increase in activity, but did not block the epinephrine-induced stimulation. The identification of an adenylate cyclase system in certain human parathyroid adenomas that is stimulated by histamine and blocked by cimetidine may offer a basis for the pharmacologic alteration of parathyroid hormone secretion.
Generalized one-dimensional, compound compressible nozzle flow

wave. Waves at X 0 incident at an angle with respect to the normal, have only the normal component completely absorbed. For the PPT, RFI experiments, a significant portion of the radiated wave was not normal to the absorber and some ringing took place within the cavity formed by the vacuum tank walls. This ringing was due to the presence of high-order coaxial modes propagating parallel to the absorber sheet. RFI measurements were made initially on a PPT mounted in the flight configuration with respect to the antennas. The results of the experiment were in error for the chamber acted as an echo box to yield erroneous time duration RFI measurements. Two successive experiments were subsequently performed. One used a vacuum bell jar to house the PPT and a monopole antenna cut for 300 MHz (VSWR = 1.35:1) mounted both inside and outside the jar. The walls of the measurement area were lined with the broadband absorber blocks of the type used in large anechoic chambers to prevent reflections of the rf energy. The effects of antenna coupling were proved to be small in this experiment for the amplitude of the RFI was essentially independent of antenna location. Finally, RFI measurements were made in a 4 ft diam vacuum tank completely lined with broadband ferrite absorber material. J This environment rendered measurements free from any chamber resonance effects. Measurements were made of RFI time duration above the measurement threshold as seen in a 100 kHz bandwidth. The amplitude results of the three experiments agreed to within a few db/Hz and the time duration results varied from 40 jitsec in the first experiment § to 10-15 jitsec in the last experiment. Although there were some uncertainties in the discharge time of the thruster, it was expected to be more in the neighborhood of 2-3 ptsec rather than 10-15 pi sec. This additional stretching is attributed to the (relatively) narrow bandwidth of observation. The answers, nonetheless, were sufficient for the LES-6 purposes. Figure 3 gives the RFI power vs time recorded from measurements on five successive firings in the 4-ft-diam ferrite lined chamber. The center frequency was 300 MHz and the Bandwidth 100 kHz. The peak power varied from -139 dBmw/Hz to -149 dBmw/Hz with successive firings of the plasma thruster. Conclusions A technique has been evolved to measure RFI emanating from a Pulse Plasma Thruster. This involves the measurement of the amount of r.f. power received at an antenna having a plasma in the near field. It is desirable to make the measurement in a vacuum anechoic chamber with the plasma and receiving antenna in their flight orientation. If this is not possible a good estimation of the RFI power may be obtained by using smaller vacuum anechoic chambers of low electrical Q to house the PPT and a test antenna. Reference
Production of monoclonal antibodies with preselected submolecular binding specificities to protein antigenic sites: antibodies to sperm whale myoglobin sites.

Abstract The five synthetic antigenic sites of sperm whale myoglobin were used in their free form (i.e. not coupled to any carrier) to immunize separate groups of BALB/cByJ mice. The synthetic peptides corresponded to: site 1, residues 15–22; site 2, residues 56–62; site 3, residues 94–99; site 4, residues 113–119; site 5, residues 145–151. Serum samples obtained from each group of mice contained antibodies that bound specifically to myoglobin and exclusively to the immunizing antigenic site. Monoclonal antibodies to each of the five antigenic sites were subsequently obtained by hybridizing Fa/0 mouse myeloma cells with spleen cells derived from each group of mice. These monoclonal antibodies were either IgM(κ) or IgGI(κ). They expressed the same isotypes as the antigen specific serum antibodies produced by the mice whose spleen cells were used for hybridization. Solid phase radioimmunoassay studies also indicated that each monoclonal antibody, like the immune serum of the parent animals, bound specifically to myoglobin and exclusively to the synthetic peptide used as an immunogen. These results suggested that the hybridoma antibodies expressed submolecular binding specificities that were the result of peptide immunization rather than hybrid selection. This strongly supports our previous findings that it is possible to produce monoclonal antibodies with preselected submolecular binding specificities to continuous protein determinants by the techniques of somatic cell hybridization when the corresponding free synthetic determinants are used as immunogens.
Exploiting sequential access when declustering data over disks and MEMS-based storage

Due to the large difference between seek time and transfer time in current disk technology, it is advantageous to perform large I/O using a single sequential access rather than multiple small random I/O accesses. However, prior optimal cost and data placement approaches for processing range queries over two-dimensional datasets do not consider this property. In particular, these techniques do not consider the issue of sequential data placement when multiple I/O blocks need to be retrieved from a single device. In this paper, we reevaluate the optimal cost of range queries by declustering two-dimensional datasets over multiple devices, and prove that, in general, it is impossible to achieve the new optimal cost. This is because disks cannot facilitate two-dimensional sequential access which is required by the new optimal cost. Then we revisit the existing data allocation schemes under the new optimal cost, and show that none of them can achieve the new optimal cost. Fortunately, MEMS-based storage is being developed to reduce I/O cost. We first show that the two-dimensional sequential access requirement can not be satisfied by simply modeling MEMS-based storage as conventional disks. Then we propose a new placement scheme that exploits the physical properties of MEMS-based storage to solve this problem. Our theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the new scheme achieves almost optimal I/O costs.
Thermodynamic Studies and Hydride Transfer Reactions from a Rhodium Complex to BX3 Compounds

This study examines the use of transition-metal hydride complexes that can be generated by the heterolytic cleavage of H2 gas to form B−H bonds. Specifically, these studies are focused on providing a reliable and quantitative method for determining when hydride transfer from transition-metal hydrides to three-coordinate BX3 (X = OR, SPh, F, H; R = Ph, p-C6H4OMe, C6F5, tBu, Si(Me)3) compounds will be favorable. This involves both experimental and theoretical determinations of hydride transfer abilities. Thermodynamic hydride donor abilities (ΔG°H−) were determined for HRh(dmpe)2 and HRh(depe)2, where dmpe = 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphinoethane) and depe = 1,2-bis(diethylphosphinoethane), on a previously established scale in acetonitrile. This hydride donor ability was used to determine the hydride donor ability of [HBEt3]− on this scale. Isodesmic reactions between [HBEt3]− and selected BX3 compounds to form BEt3 and [HBX3]− were examined computationally to determine their relative hydride affinities. The use o...
Physiologic assessment of coronary artery stenosis severity

For over a quarter-century, selective coronary arteriography has remained the ultimate diagnostic test for assessing the significance of atherosclerotic lesions in the coronary circulation of humans. Despite the development of many noninvasive techniques designed to assess effects of limitations in the ability to augment coronary flow on myocardial perfusion, function, and metabolism, the coronary arteriogram has maintained its clinical position of preeminence.
Akairos or Eukairos? The Nickname of the Seleucid King Demetrius III in the Transmission of the Texts of Josephus' War and Antiquities

Although modern scholars generally refer to Demetrius III as Eukairos, all the Greek manuscripts of Josephus' War and Antiquities reponed by Niese, as well as all editors since Niese, read Akairos in the three places the nickname is found. Attestations of Eukairos (Greek and Latin Table of Contents, Latin manuscripts of Antiquities, and early editions) are best explained as secondary developments in the transmission of the text. The influence of the Greek editio princeps, which unjustifiably prints Eukairos in all three places in Josephus' text, accounts for the appearance of the nickname in all editions of Josephus' works until the mid-nineteenth century and hence for its use in modern scholarship. Since Josephus is our only source for the nickname, Demetrius III should never be identified as Eukairos. If a nickname is to be used, it should either be Akairos or one (or more) of the official names found on the ruler's coinage.
Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 (LAG-3) Modulates the Ability of CD4 T-cells to Be Suppressed In Vivo

Lymphocyte Activation Gene – 3 (LAG-3) is an immune checkpoint molecule that regulates both T-cell activation and homeostasis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying LAG-3’s function are generally unknown. Using a model in which LAG-3 blockade or absence reliably augmented homeostatic proliferation in vivo, we found that IL-2 and STAT5 are critical for LAG-3 function. Similarly, LAG-3 blockade was ineffective in the absence of regulatory T-cells (Treg), suggesting an important role for LAG-3 in either the responsiveness of conventional T-cells (Tconv) to regulation, or a relative defect in the ability of LAG-3 KO regulatory T-cells (Treg) to suppress the proliferation of Tconv. In this model, LAG-3 KO Treg suppressed proliferation in a manner fairly similar to wild-type (WT) Treg, but LAG-3 KO Tconv were relatively resistant to suppression. Further studies also identified a role for LAG-3 in the induction/expansion of Treg. Finally, we found that LAG-3 blockade (or knockout) led to a relative skewing of naive CD4 T-cells toward a TH1 phenotype both in vitro and in in vivo. Together, these data suggest that LAG-3 expression on Tconv cells makes them more susceptible to Treg based suppression, and also regulates the development of a TH1 T-cell response.
Spin reorientation and Ce-Mn coupling in antiferromagnetic oxypnictide CeMnAsO

Structure and magnetic properties of high-quality polycrystlline CeMnAsO, a parent compound of the ``1111''-type oxypnictides, have been investigated using neutron powder diffraction and magnetization measurements. We find that CeMnAsO undergoes a C-type antiferromagnetic order with ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}(S=5/2)$ moments pointing along the $c$ axis below a relatively high N\'eel temperature of ${T}_{\mathrm{N}}=347(1)$ K. Below ${T}_{\mathrm{SR}}=35$ K, two simultaneous transitions occur where the Mn moments reorient from the $c$ axis to the $ab$ plane preserving the C-type magnetic order, and Ce moments undergo long-range AFM ordering with antiparallel moments pointing in the $ab$ plane. Another transition to a noncollinear magnetic structure occurs below 7 K. The ordered moments of Mn and Ce at 2 K are 3.32(4) ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$ and 0.81(4)${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$, respectively. We find that CeMnAsO primarily falls into the category of a local-moment antiferromagnetic insulator in which the nearest-neighbor interaction $({J}_{1})$ is dominant with ${J}_{2}l{J}_{1}/2$ in the context of ${J}_{1}\ensuremath{-}{J}_{2}\ensuremath{-}{J}_{c}$ model. The spin reorientation transition driven by the coupling between Ce and the transition metal seems to be common to Mn, Fe, and Cr ions, but not to Co and Ni ions in the isostructural oxypnictides. A schematic illustration of magnetic structures in Mn and Ce sublattices in CeMnAsO is presented.
Marital Status, Marital Transitions, and Body Weight

We consider how marital status and marital transitions, important features of the social environment, influence weight change over time, and how these effects vary by age, race, and gender. Growth curve analysis of a four-wave national survey suggests that marital transitions are more important than marital status in predicting change in body weight, and that marital dissolution is more important than marital formation in affecting weight. Widowhood effects on weight loss are a particular concern for population health trends, especially among African Americans.
Superiority of intracoronary papaverine to radiographic contrast for measuring coronary flow reserve in patients with ischemic heart disease

Measurement of coronary flow reserve has been suggested as an adjunct to anatomic assessment of coronary stenoses in patients with ischemic heart disease. We compared papaverine hydrochloride and radiographic contrast to determine which agent was superior for the determination of coronary flow reserve. Coronary flow reserve was determined during cardiac catheterization by means of digital coronary angiography and parametric imaging. Two groups of patients were studied. Among patients in group 1, coronary flow reserve was determined by means of both papaverine and contrast. In group 1 patients with normal coronary arteries, papaverine-induced flow reserve was greater than contrast-induced reserve in all but one vascular region (n = 9, 4.98 ± 1.15 vs 3.56 ± 0.89; p = 0.29). Group 1 patients with coronary disease also demonstrated significantly greater flow reserve with papaverine (n = 25, 2.57 ± 0.20 vs 1.83 ± 0.11, p < 0.01). Group 2 included patients with single-vessel coronary artery stenoses. These patients were studied by means of either papaverine or contrast to determine coronary flow reserve for both the stenotic “ischemic” region and an adjacent nonstenotic, “nonischemic” region. Those patients in group 2 who wers studied by means of contrast had a modest difference between flow reserve values in the nonischemic and those in the ischemic regions (n = 15, 1.78 ± 0.10 vs 1.26 ± 0.09; p < .0001) with considerable overlap. Patients studied by means of papaverine had a much greater separation in flow reserve between nonischemic and ischemic regions (n = 22, 2.78 ± 0.19 vs 1.46 ± 0.14; p < 0.0001). We conclude that papaverine is superior to radiographic contrast for measuring coronary flow reserve in patients with ischemic heart disease, because of the greater degree of induced hyperemia and the ability to more accurately differentiate nonischemic from ischemic vascular regions in individual patients.
T7 lysozyme inhibits transcription by T7 RNA polymerase

The selectivity of T7 RNA polymerase for its own promoters is used to direct all transcription and replication to bacteriophage T7 DNA during infection. We now find that T7 lysozyme, which is known to cut a bond in the peptidoglycan layer of the cell wall, forms a specific complex with T7 RNA polymerase and inhibits transcription. Mutations that weaken this interaction have been found in the coding sequence for T7 RNA polymerase; an affinity column containing wildtype polymerase selectively binds T7 lysozyme, but a similar column containing mutant polymerase does not. The lysozyme-polymerase interaction ensures a controlled burst of late transcription during infection, and could possibly have some direct role in replication and/or control of lysis.
Empirical Study on Evaluating Value Creation Strategy Performance Based on GRA and Fuzzy TOPSIS

In this paper, we combine GRA(grey relation analysis) with fuzzy TOPSIS to evaluate performance of Iron and Steel Companies. In the empirical study of a Chinese Iron and Steel Company, we apply grey relation analysis to find representative indices. Then fuzzy TOPSIS is utilized to evaluate the value creation strategy performance of the company. By the evaluation, we can get the conclusion that the value creation strategy provided by Ruosheng Zhang is successful.
Whistlers with harmonic bands caused by multiple stroke lightning

Abstract : Whistlers received with the Injun 5 satellite are frequently observed to have bands with decreased signal amplitude at equally spaced frequency intervals. The frequency spacing between the bands is typically about 10 to 30 Hz. As many as 30 such bands have been observed on a single whistler. Subsequent investigations have shown that the bands are instead due to double or multiple strokes in the initial lightning discharge which result in destructive interference of the whistler signal at equally spaced frequency intervals. The frequency spacing between the interference bands is given by the inverse of the time interval between the lightning strokes. This simple explanation for these bands accounts for a number of peculiar characteristics which could not be accounted for with the gyrofrequency harmonic interaction hypothesis.
An Examination of Peer, Family, and Community Context Risk Factors for Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Intentions in Early Adolescents:

This study examines the relationship between peer, family, and community context risk factors and alcohol use; gender is examined as a potential moderator of these relationships. Hierarchical logis...
An NADPH Quinone Reductase of Helicobacter pylori Plays an Important Role in Oxidative Stress Resistance and Host Colonization

Oxidative stress resistance is one of the key properties that enable pathogenic bacteria to survive the toxic reactive oxygen species released by the host. In a previous study characterizing oxidative stress resistance mutants of Helicobacter pylori, a novel potential antioxidant protein (MdaB) was identified by the observation that the expression of this protein was significantly upregulated to compensate for the loss of other major antioxidant components. In this study, we characterized an H. pylori mdaB mutant and the MdaB protein. While the wild-type strain can tolerate 10% oxygen for growth, the growth of the mdaB mutant was significantly inhibited by this oxygen condition. The mdaB mutant is also more sensitive to H2O2, organic hydroperoxides, and the superoxide-generating agent paraquat. Although the wild-type strain can survive more than 10 h of air exposure, exposure of the mutant strain to air for 8 h resulted in recovery of no viable cells. The oxidative stress sensitivity of the mdaB mutant resulted in a deficiency in the ability to colonize mouse stomachs. H. pylori was recovered from 10 of 11 mouse stomachs inoculated with the wild-type strain, with about 5,000 to 45,000 CFU/g of stomach. However, only 3 of 12 mice that were inoculated with the mdaB mutant strain were found to harbor any H. pylori, and these 3 contained less than 2,000 CFU/g of stomach. A His-tagged MdaB protein was purified and characterized. It was shown to be a flavoprotein that catalyzes two-electron transfer from NAD(P)H to quinones. It reduces both ubiquinones and menaquinones with similar efficiencies and preferably uses NADPH as an electron donor. We propose that the physiological function of the H. pylori MdaB protein is that of an NADPH quinone reductase that plays an important role in managing oxidative stress and contributes to successful colonization of the host.
PGMapper: a web-based tool linking phenotype to genes.

Summary With the availability of whole genome sequence in many species, linkage analysis, positional cloning and microarray are gradually becoming powerful tools for investigating the links between phenotype and genotype or genes. However, in these methods, causative genes underlying a quantitative trait locus, or a disease, are usually located within a large genomic region or a large set of genes. Examining the function of every gene is very time consuming and needs to retrieve and integrate the information from multiple databases or genome resources. PGMapper is a software tool for automatically matching phenotype to genes from a defined genome region or a group of given genes by combining the mapping information from the Ensembl database and gene function information from the OMIM and PubMed databases. PGMapper is currently available for candidate gene search of human, mouse, rat, zebrafish and 12 other species. Availability Available online at http://www.genediscovery.org/pgmapper/index.jsp.
Cl-36 transfer to ryegrass and consequences for environmental modeling

There has been recent interest in the transport and fate of 36Cl in the environment. The IUR task force on Radioecology and Waste has identified the need for further uptake data. Reported here are the results of a 6-month study of the uptake in ryegrass of 36Cl in five lysimeters. Lysimeters were deployed in a greenhouse from November 2007 to May 2008. Except for an initial watering, exterior reservoirs connected to the base of the lysimeters maintained the water tables at a constant level with a solution containing 36Cl in a chloride form. A destructive analysis of the lysimeters showed that between 75 and 80% of 36Cl added to the system during the course of the experiments was taken up into the plant tissue. The quantities of 36Cl found in weekly soil tests and a simple mass balance provide supporting evidence for the significant bioavailability of 36Cl in a chloride form.
Senear-Usher syndrome with parathyroid adenoma

SUMMARY A patient with pemphigus erythematosus and parathyroid adenoma is discussed. He improved dramatically after excision of the tumour.
Feature Extraction from Microarray Expression Data by Integration of Semantic Knowledge

Microarray techniques give biologists first peek into the molecular states of living tissues. Previous studies have proven that it is feasible to build sample classifiers using the gene expressional profiles. To build an effective sample classifier, dimension reduction process is necessary since classic pattern recognition algorithms do not work well in high dimensional space. In this paper, we present a novel feature extraction algorithm based on the concept of virtual genes by integrating microarray expression data sets with domain knowledge embedded in gene ontology (GO) annotations. We define semantic similarity to measure the functional associations between two genes using the annotation on each GO term. We then identify the groups of genes, called virtual genes, that potentially interact with each other for a biological function. The correlation in gene expression levels of virtual genes can be used to build a sample classifier. For a colon cancer data set, the integration of microarray expression data with GO annotations significantly improves the accuracy of sample classification by more than 10%.
Seasonal Use of Lepidopteran Prey by Rafinesque's Big-eared Bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii)

Abstract We examined seasonal patterns in lepidopteran prey of Rafinesque's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) by collecting culled moth wings from March to September 1998 from the floor of the entrance room to a sandstone cave used as a roosting site by a maternity colony. We identified 22 species and 6 families (Arctiidae, Geometridae, Megalopygidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae and Sphingidae) in the diet of C. rafinesquii from 135 identifiable wings recovered from the cave floor. Twelve wings comprising >2 species of moths of the family Arctiidae were recovered, indicating that C. rafinesquii periodically preys on arctiids. Abundance of culled wings was highest from 24 May to 25 July. Mean wingspan of moth prey did not vary across seasons. We observed C. rafinesquii feeding at the entrance to the roost by gleaning moths from the walls and ceiling of the cave and by capturing moths directly in flight, confirming that this species does use more than one foraging strategy in capturing moth prey.
Myoadenylate Deaminase Deficiency: An Enzyme Defect in Search of a Disease

In 1978 Fischbein et a1,1 described 5 patients with a myoadenylate deaminase (MAD) deficiency, which were detected during a histochemical screening of 250 consecutive muscle biopsies. The deficiency was confirmed by a biochemical assay of the enzyme. Clinically three of the patients complained of muscle cramping, in one case associated with postexercise fatigue. CK was only moderately elevated, the myogram showed minor abnormalities, in muscle there were histologically no or only slight alterations. These three patients didn’t show any muscle weakness or atrophy. In 1979 they,2 described 7 other patients, three of them, however, showing a quite different clinical picture with signs of collagen vascular disease. In their series of consecutive muscle biopsies they found a frequency of about 1,5% of MAD deficient biopsies. Other authors,3,4,5 described a deficiency in about 1,5–2,0% of the biopsies. Half of these biopsies came from patients with a clinical symptomatology of exercise intolerance with muscular pain and/or fatigue. The other half came from patients displaying a wide diversity of partly well defined clinical entities, among others collagen vascular disease, neuropathy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, dystrophy, cardioskeletal myopathy, spinal muscular atrophy, paroxysmal myoglobinuria, facio-scapulo-humeral syndrome, infantile hypotonia and so on.
Personality constellations of adolescents with histories of traumatic parental separations

Consistent with attachment theory and a developmental psychopathology framework, a growing body of research suggests that traumatic parental separations may lead to unique pathways of personality adaptation and maladaptation. The present study both examined personality characteristics and identified personality subtypes of adolescents with histories of traumatic separations. Randomly selected psychologists and psychiatrists provided data on 236 adolescents with histories of traumatic separations using a personality pathology instrument designed for use by clinically experienced observers, the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure. Using a Q factor analysis, five distinct personality subtypes were identified as follows: internalizing/avoidant, psychopathic, resilient, impulsive dysregulated, and immature dysregulated. Initial support for the validity of the subtypes was established on the basis of axis I and axis II pathology, adaptive functioning, developmental history, and family history variables. The personality subtypes demonstrated substantial incremental validity in predicting adaptive functioning, above and beyond demographic variables and histories of other traumatic experiences.