cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antibiotics and Host-Tailored Probiotics Similarly Modulate Effects on the Developing Avian Microbiome, Mycobiome, and Host Gene Expression

ABSTRACT The microbiome is important to all animals, including poultry, playing a critical role in health and performance. Low-dose antibiotics have historically been used to modulate food production animals and their microbiome. Identifying alternatives to antibiotics conferring similar modulatory properties has been elusive. The purpose of this study was to determine if a host-tailored probiotic could recapitulate effects of a low-dose antibiotic on host response and the developing microbiome. Over 13 days of life, turkey poults were supplemented continuously with a low-dose antibiotic or oral supplementation of a prebiotic with or without two different probiotics (8 cage units, n = 80 per group). Gastrointestinal bacterial and fungal communities of poults were characterized by 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 amplicon sequencing. Localized and systemic host gene expression was assessed using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq), kinase activity was assessed by avian-specific kinome peptide arrays, and performance parameters were assessed. We found that development of the early-life microbiome of turkey poults was tightly ordered in a tissue- and time-specific manner. Low-dose antibiotic and turkey-tailored probiotic supplementation, but not nontailored probiotic supplementation, elicited similar shifts in overall microbiome composition during development compared to controls. Treatment-induced bacterial changes were accompanied by parallel shifts in the fungal community and host gene expression and enhanced performance metrics. These results were validated in pen trials that identified further additive effects of the turkey-tailored probiotic combined with different prebiotics. Alternative approaches to low-dose antibiotic use in poultry are feasible and can be optimized utilizing the indigenous poultry microbiome. Similar approaches may also be beneficial for humans. IMPORTANCE Alternative approaches are greatly needed to reduce the need for antibiotic use in food animal production. This study utilized a pipeline for the development of a host-tailored probiotic to enhance performance in commercial turkeys and modulate their microbiota, similar to the effects of low-dose antibiotic administration. We determined that a host-tailored probiotic, developed in the context of the commercial turkey gut microbiome, was more effective at modulating these parameters than a nontailored probiotic cocktail. Furthermore, the host-tailored probiotic mimicked many of the effects of a low-dose antibiotic growth promoter. Surprisingly, the effects of the antibiotic growth promoter and host-tailored probiotic were observed across kingdoms, illustrating the coordinated interkingdom effects of these approaches. This work suggests that tailored approaches to probiotic development hold promise for modulating the avian host and its microbiota.
Determination of chemical decay mechanisms of Parylene-C during X-ray irradiation using two-dimensional correlation FTIR

Abstract Parylene (poly-p-xylylene), and its family of halogenated variants, have a long history for application as protective coatings and dielectric barriers. Among them, Parylene-C is the most popular due to its high impermeability to moisture, resistance to corrosive environments, and its vapor deposition polymerization, which is self-initiated and unterminated creating an extremely pure polymer coating. In order to apply these advantageous material characteristics in an environment containing ionizing radiation the effects of irradiation on the chemical stability of the polymer throughout the lifetime of the material needs to be further understood. In this work, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and two-dimensional correlation (2D-COS) spectroscopies were used to monitor the structural changes in a ~25 μm freestanding film of Parylene-C after subjection to X-ray irradiation. Samples were exposed to X-ray doses up to 100,000 Gy in atmospheric conditions, and IR spectra were measured after each 500Gy dose. Using 2D-COS it was possible to gain insight into the chemical stability and temporal mechanisms of the chemical reactions accompanying X-ray radiation of Parylene-C. Oxidation was observed by the production of a new species absorbing in the IR at 1697 and 1740 cm−1. Additionally, skeletal stretching of the aliphatic back bone were positively correlated to C–O oxidation products found in the region of 1425–1100 cm−1. The present work is confirmation that Parylene-C does experience chemical degradation from x-ray dose caused by oxidation of the polymer structure.
Exendin-4 restores airway mucus homeostasis through the GLP1R-PKA-PPARγ-FOXA2-phosphatase signaling

Goblet cell hyperplasia and metaplasia and excessive mucus are prominent pathologies of chronic airway diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF), and chronic bronchitis. Chronic infection by respiratory pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, exacerbates cyclical proinflammatory responses and mucus hypersecretion. P. aeruginosa and its virulence factor pyocyanin contribute to these pathologies by inhibiting FOXA2, a key transcriptional regulator of mucus homeostasis, through activation of antagonistic signaling pathways EGFR-AKT/ERK1/2 and IL-4/IL-13-STAT6-SPDEF. However, FOXA2-targeted therapy has not been previously explored. Here, we examined the feasibility of repurposing the incretin mimetic Exendin-4 to restore FOXA2-mediated airway mucus homeostasis. We have found that Exendin-4 restored FOXA2 expression, attenuated mucin production in COPD and CF-diseased airway cells, and reduced mucin and P. aeruginosa burden in mouse lungs. Mechanistically, Exendin-4 activated the GLP1R-PKA-PPAR-γ-dependent phosphatases PTEN and PTP1B, which inhibited key kinases within both EGFR and STAT6 signaling cascades. Our results may lead to the repurposing of Exendin-4 and other incretin mimetics to restore FOXA2 function and ultimately regulate excessive mucus in diseased airways.
Ultrafast Exciton Transport with a Long Diffusion Length in Layered Perovskites with Organic Cation Functionalization

Layered perovskites have been employed for various optoelectronic devices including solar cells and light-emitting diodes for improved stability, which need exciton transport along both the in-plane and the out-of-plane directions. However, it is not clear yet what determines the exciton transport along the in-plane direction, which is important to understand its impact toward electronic devices. Here, by employing both steady-state and transient photoluminescence mapping, it is found that in-plane exciton diffusivities in layered perovskites are sensitive to both the number of layers and organic cations. Apart from exciton-phonon coupling, the octahedral distortion is revealed to significantly affect the exciton diffusion process, determined by temperature-dependent photoluminescence, light-intensity-dependent time-resolved photoluminescence, and density function theory calculations. A simple fluorine substitution to phenethylammonium for the organic cations to tune the structural rigidity and octahedral distortion yields a record exciton diffusivity of 1.91 cm2 s-1 and a diffusion length of 405 nm along the in-plane direction. This study provides guidance to manipulate exciton diffusion by modifying organic cations in layered perovskites.
A Constitutional Framework for Enforcing Statewide Quarantine Orders: Banning Out-of-State Residents from In-Person Transactions

As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, optimism for “flattening the curve” to reduce hospital overflow and contain the virus’s spread has given in to a far bleaker outlook for the fall flu season. The Memorial Day and Fourth of July spikes in nationwide case counts have hit all areas of the country; no community, urban, suburban, or rural, has remained untouched. But the patterns in spread in the Northeast differ significantly from the rest of the country. While the New York area has seen grim numbers at the beginning of the pandemic, the area has shifted to containment mode, and thanks to strict mask orders and widespread regional compliance with public health directives, the Northeast has so far managed to avoid further spread of the virus. The region’s low rate of transmission is in spite of widespread weekend travel during the aforementioned holidays and a series of national protests. The biggest threat to this progress is the influx of entrants to the area hoping to “escape” unfavorable pandemic conditions in their areas. The governors of those states, however, have made it clear that their options to contain out-of-state entrants are constitutionally limited, and the strict enforcement of quarantine orders can only go so far before constitutional challenges will arise. My Note proposes a creative solution for state governors to discourage out-of-state “escapees” from entering compliant states: a ban on out-of-state residents engaging in in-person transactions. I anticipate challenges brought about by the two most likely sources – the Privileges and Immunities and Commerce Clauses – and expound on why the lack of relevant case law and ambiguity in construction may help governors take interim measures to best protect their populations.
Palliative Care Referral in the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Population.

Palliative care can mistakenly be thought of as precise synonym of hospice care, with the misunderstanding that curative or life-sustaining therapies are no longer pursued once palliative care is incorporated. Typically, palliative care may not be incorporated until a later disease stage in patients with COPD. This letter discusses the value of making a referral to palliative care at an earlier stage of COPD with the goals of providing more holistic, comprehensive treatment for the patient and their family.
Dual-Task Costs of Quantitative Gait Parameters While Walking and Turning in People with Parkinson's Disease: Beyond Gait Speed.

Background There is a lack of recommendations for selecting the most appropriate gait measures of Parkinson's disease (PD)-specific dual-task costs to use in clinical practice and research. Objective We aimed to identify measures of dual-task costs of gait and turning that best discriminate performance in people with PD from healthy individuals. We also investigated the relationship between the most discriminative measures of dual-task costs of gait and turning with disease severity and disease duration. Methods People with mild-to-moderate PD (n = 144) and age-matched healthy individuals (n = 79) wore 8 inertial sensors while walking under single and dual-task (reciting every other letter of the alphabet) conditions. Outcome measures included 26 objective measures within four gait domains (upper/lower body, turning and variability). The area under the curve (AUC) from the receiver-operator characteristic plot was calculated to compare discriminative ability of dual-task costs on gait across outcome measures. Results PD-specific, dual-task interference was identified for arm range of motion, foot strike angle, turn velocity and turn duration. Arm range of motion (AUC = 0.73) and foot strike angle (AUC = 0.68) had the largest AUCs across dual-task costs measures and they were associated with disease severity and/or disease duration. In contrast, the most commonly used dual-task gait measure, gait speed, showed an AUC of only 0.54. Conclusion Findings suggest that people with PD rely more than healthy individuals on executive-attentional resources to control arm swing, foot strike, and turning, but not gait speed. The dual-task costs of arm range of motion best discriminated people with PD from healthy individuals.
Long-Term Leaching Behavior of Chromite Ore Processing Residue as Backfill Material and the Propagation of Chromium in the Surrounding Soil

Abstract Leaching characteristics of chromium ore processing residue (COPR) for the long term (simulating a 20-year leaching scenario) were investigated using laboratory flow-through column testing...
Intravenous magnesium in the management of rapid atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Background The aim of this meta-analysis is to investigate the effectiveness of intravenous magnesium (IV Mg2+) in rate and rhythm control of rapid atrial fibrillation (AF) when administered in addition to standard-of-care for non-post-operative patients. Previous meta-analyses on this topic have demonstrated the efficacy of IV Mg2+ in achieving rate control, but not rhythm control. Methods Six randomized controlled trials comparing IV Mg2+ to placebo in the treatment of rapid AF were obtained from electronic databases totaling 745 patients. Outcomes were analyzed using a Mantel-Haenszel random-effects model and expressed as odds ratios (OR) for dichotomous outcomes with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Our pooled analysis showed that IV Mg2+ given in addition to standard-of-care was superior in achieving rate control (63% vs 40%; OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.80–3.45) and rhythm conversion to sinus (21% vs. 14%, OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.08–2.84) compared to standard-of-care alone. Flushing was more frequently observed in patients receiving IV Mg2+ compared to placebo (9% vs. 0.4%, OR 19.79, 95% CI 4.30–91.21). Subgroup analysis showed the superiority of a lower dose of IV Mg2+, which we designated as 5 g or lower (24% vs 13%, OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.22–3.61) compared to the higher dose (>5 g) (16% vs 13%, OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.65–2.32) in rhythm control when compared to placebo. Conclusions IV Mg2+ administered in conjunction with standard-of-care is effective for rate control and modestly effective for restoration of sinus rhythm in rapid AF without clinically significant adverse effects.
From 3D to 2D: Multifunctional metal-organic layers for organic synthesis

Recently, in Journal of the American Chemical Society, Quan et al. presented a novel bifunctional metal-organic layer (MOL) that hierarchically integrated organic photosensitizer eosin Y and 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine ligated iron triflate. Under blue light irradiation, the self-supporting two-dimensional MOL efficiently catalyzed trifluoromethylative difunctionalization of alkenes, including bulky bioactive molecules. This work highlights the bright future of low-dimensional molecular materials in organic synthesis.
Kinetics of Organic Reactions at High Pressure

With the privilege of participating as a repeater in this second Advanced Study Institute on High Pressure comes the duty not only to state one’s objectives, but also to outline the differences with the Chapters written for the earlier occasion. Both of those Chapters dealt with kinetics at high pressure, the first with “model reactions”1 and the other with “problem reactions”.2 The model reactions included, especially, protic acid base equilibria. The reaction volumes of large numbers of such equilibria are known, and these provide a wealth of information on which kinetic studies can be securely founded. However, the models also included a number of data on rate constants under pressure. The reactions discussed comprised those in which the mechanism is exceedingly simple and dominated by a single feature, and in which alternative studies had left essentially no doubt about the pathway. The second chapter described the application of knowledge thus gained, to reactions the mechanisms of which were still unsettled, or even controversial.
New Year Tidings

Some changes have occurred in the structure of the editorial board. Claus Michelsen (University of Southern Denmark) has served his term as an Associate Editor and is being replaced by Simon Goodchild of the University of Agder (Norway). I thank Claus for his support of TMME over the last 3 years. Simon brings tremendous editing experience as well as expertise in statistical techniques, methodological issues, as well as research in learning communities in mathematics teacher development. In addition I am pleased to welcome three new editorial board members, namely Raymond Bjuland and Reidar Mosvold both from the University of Stavanger (Norway), and Mehdi Alaeiyan from Iran University of Science and Technology. These three scholars add to the diversity and strength of the journal.
Electronic Engineering in River and Ocean Technology

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the importance of electronic engineering in river and ocean technology. The most common way of measuring temperature is to measure the change in electrical resistance of a material that is subjected to that temperature, a high sensitivity thus obtained by balancing the resistance of the material against highly stable resistors in a Wheatstone bridge arrangement. Semiconducting materials having a high temperature coefficient have been developed for this purpose. An expendable instrument that is very widely used for measuring and recording temperature–depth profiles in the ocean is described. A convenient method of measuring the concentration of dissolved oxygen in water is by using a galvanic cell that is dependent upon the availability of oxygen for its operation. The current that flows in the external circuit through a low-resistance load is therefore proportional to the rate at which oxygen is supplied to the cell. This is made available through a gas-permeable polythene membrane that covers the outer surface of the cathode and separates it from the surrounding water. The chapter also attempts to explain how temperature and salinity effects are minimized by using salt water inside a polyvinyl tube as the conductor.
Rehabilitation ergonomics: a client-centered ecological approach

Although I agree that health care practitioners use a client-centered approach, I found some areas of disagreement with the above mentioned article by Matheson, Isernhagen, and Hart Rehabilitation Ergonomics is an important new area of practice. It is therefore meaningful to establish accurate definitions and terminology to reflect what is accomplished within such a practice arena. My areas of disagreement involve the following convictions and I will elaborate in the following paragraphs.
Effects of hops (Humulus lupulus L.) extract on volatile fatty acid production by rumen bacteria.

Aims: To determine the effects of hops extract on in vitro volatile fatty acid (VFA) production by bovine rumen micro-organisms. Methods and Results: When mixed rumen microbes were suspended in media containing carbohydrates, the initial rates of VFA production were suppressed by β-acid-rich hops extract. The rates of VFA production increased over extended incubations (24 h), and hops extract caused an increase in the propionate to acetate ratio. Hops extract inhibited the growth and metabolism of Streptococcus bovis, but Selenomonas ruminantium and Megasphaera elsdenii were not affected. Likewise, the propionate production of M. elsdenii/S. bovis co-cultures, but not M. elsdenii/S. ruminantium co-cultures, was decreased in the presence of hops extract. Conclusions: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the hops inhibit Gram-positive lactic acid bacteria (S. bovis), and the rumen microbial community requires a period of adaptation before normal VFA production resumes. Selenomonas bovis and S. ruminantium both produce lactate, which is the substrate for propionate production by M. elsdenii. However, S. ruminantium has an outer membrane, while S. bovis does not. Significance and Impact of Study: The enhanced production of the gluconeogenesis precursor, propionic acid, provides further evidence that plant secondary metabolites from hops could be used to improve rumen fermentation.
Studies on the Degradation of Tyrosine Aminotransferase in Hepatoma Cells in Culture: INFLUENCE OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE MEDIUM AND ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE DEPENDENCE

The degradation of glucocorticoid-induced tyrosine amino-transferase and of general cellular proteins in hepatoma (HTC) cells in culture is enhanced by the deprivation of both amino acids and of serum, and by lowering the pH of the medium. This "enhanced" degradation, but not the normal degradation, is inhibited by inhibitors of protein synthesis. Sodium fluoride and other inhibitors of cellular ATP production profoundly inhibit the degradation of tyrosine aminotransferase and other proteins. This effect was shown, in the case of tyrosine aminotransferase, to be rapidly reversible and exerted by a mechanism different from the inhibition of protein synthesis. It is proposed that ATP participates in an early phase of enzyme degradation.
A Molecular Switching Mechanism in Differentiation

Abstract The selection of polarity in cells of the cambium in higher plants is a regulated process of development which results in horizontally or vertically oriented cells. A set of mathematical equations suggestive of this developmental dichotomy is given a new biologic interpretation. As a result, a molecular scheme capable of acting as a biochemical switch is suggested. The model features two structural protein monomers whose synthesis is controlled autogenously by feedback repression. The implications of this and similar mechanisms to other differentiating systems is discussed.
Ontogeny of murine T lymphocytes: I. Maturation of thymocytes induced in vitro by tumor necrosis factor-positive serum (TNF+)☆

Abstract One question which is unresolved in developmental immunology is whether cortical thymocytes are the precursor cells which give rise to medullary thymocytes and peripheral T cells. Cortical thymocytes display a characteristic surface antigen phenotype (high TL and Thy-1, low H-2, no Qa-2, no Qa-3), are agglutinated by peanut agglutinin (PNA), and are unresponsive to concanavalin A (Con-A). The functionally more mature medullary thymocytes express a surface phenotype more closely resembling peripheral T cells (no TL, low Thy-1, high H-2, and some Qa-2), are not agglutinated by PNA, and are responsive to Con-A. An in vitro induction system has been devised in which mouse thymocytes undergo quantitative changes in surface antigens in less than 24 hr and increase their mitogen response to Con-A. The phenotypic changes are characterized by a decrease of TL and Thy-1 and an increase in H-2, Qa-2, and Qa-3. Studies in which thymocytes were fractionated on BSA gradients and by PNA agglutination demonstrate that the inducible cells have the properties of cortical thymocytes. Our data show that a subpopulation of cortical thymocytes can acquire phenotypic characteristics similar to medullary thymocytes and peripheral T cells.
Hypothermic preservation of hepatocytes: II. Importance of Ca2 and amino acids

The importance of the components of a tissue culture media, Leibovitz-15 (L-15), for maintaining viability of hypothermically preserved hepatocytes was analyzed. Hepatocytes isolated from rat livers were incubated at 5 degrees C in an oxygenated environment with continuous shaking (to simulate organ perfusion preservation). L-15 + 5 g% polyethylene glycol (PEG) or variants of this solution were used as the preservation media. After 48 hr of storage, hepatocyte viability was assessed by measuring the release of LDH into the incubation medium and cell volumes were determined. Following 90 min of normothermic incubation (to simulate organ reperfusion), mitochondrial function was measured. Hepatocytes stored in the complete L-15 solution were about 90% viable at the end of 48 hr of storage, while cells stored in a solution containing only the principle electrolytes (PE) lost viability (70% viable). Only the addition of a combination of divalent cations (Ca/Mg) and amino acids was sufficient to maintain viability equivalent to that obtained in the complete L-15 mixture. Hepatocytes suspended in L-15 maintained normal cell volumes (3.85 microliters/mg protein), while cells in the PE solution were swollen with cell volumes of 4.66 microliters/mg protein. Only the addition of Ca/Mg to the PE solution was effective at suppressing cell swelling similar to the complete L-15 media. Both basal and uncoupler-stimulated respiration were depressed in cells stored in the PE solution (15 and 28 nmol O2/min/mg protein) as compared to cells in L-15 (21 and 41 nmol O2/min/mg protein).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
UCR IntelliShare : An Intelligent Shared Electric Vehicle Testbed at the University of California, Riverside

In 1992, the University of California, Riverside's College of Engineering established a Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT). The research center's mission is to be a recognized leader in environmental education, collaborate with industry and government, create new technology, and be a major contributor in improving our understanding of the environment. There are three primary laboratories at CE-CERT dealing with: 1) emissions and fuels research; 2) environmental policy, atmospheric processes, and air quality modeling; and 3) transportation systems and vehicle technology research. This paper provides a brief background on these research laboratories. In addition, focus is placed on a particular transportation systems research program at CE-CERT: the development and operation of an intelligent shared electric vehicle testbed that operates on and around the UCR campus, called UCR IntelliShare. This program has been operational for nearly three years and has provided a wealth of data on various aspects of shared vehicle systems such as operational strategies, carsharing technology, user behavior, and how these type of systems can impact society as a whole. In this paper, the operation of the system is described in detail, along with a description of the latest results.
Social Web Marketing

This article provides a review of social web marketing, the use of social technologies such as social media and social applications to build social brand capital. Keywords: social web; social technologies; social media; social media marketing; social brand capital
Responses of the ciliates Tetrahymena and Paramecium to external ATP and GTP

The unicellular ciliates Paramecium and Tetrahymena are the simplest eukaryotic cells to show reliable depolarizing responses to micromolar concentrations of external ATP and GTP. Their simplicity allows for combined analysis of swimming behavior, electrophysiology, receptor binding, behavioral mutant and drug screens as well as molecular genetic approaches such as RNAi and gene knockouts experiments. ATP and GTP are depolarizing chemorepellents in both ciliates, producing measurable receptor potentials and Ca2+-based action potentials that are correlated with jerking behaviors called avoiding reactions (AR). GTP also causes repetitive continuous ciliary reversals (CCR) and oscillating plateau depolarizations in Paramecium. Both ciliates show high affinity, saturable external binding of 32P-GTP and 32P-ATP but GTP does not compete for ATP binding and vice versa. Chemosensory adaptation occurs after continued exposure (15 min) to these ligands, producing a loss of external binding and forward swimming. However, cells adapted to ATP still bind and respond to GTP and GTP-adapted cells still bind and respond to ATP. This, combined with pharmacological analyses, suggests that there are two separate receptor systems: A metabotropic ATP receptor pathway and a different, novel GTP receptor pathway. A Paramecium mutant (ginA) lacks the GTP-induced oscillating depolarizations but does show AR in GTP, unveiling isolated GTP-receptor potentials for study. An ecto-ATPase is also present that may be involved in inactivation of ATP and GTP signals. Gene knockout experiments are currently underway to determine the roles of the ecto-ATPase and a putative 7-transmembrane spanning receptor in these responses.
Introduction to design ethnography

Design Ethnography is a set of data collection and analysis perspectives, assumptions and skills that can be used effectively and efficiently to understand a particular environment, or domain, of people for the express purposes of designing new technology products. Working from the data one forms models of the environment explicitly considering the peoples' relationship to other people, space, time, artifacts, activities and nature. The models, graphically represented, are used explicitly to derive and test product concepts.
Organochlorine pesticide residues in marine sediment and biota from the northern Florida reef tract

Abstract As part of a two-phased study, sediment and biota were collected from Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary and analysed for organochlorine pesticide residues. Phase 1 consisted of an inter-laboratory comparison using replicates of unspiked field samples. The five participating contract-laboratories differed in methodology, detection limits and their ability to detect pesticides. The highest concentration of pesticide reported in Phase 1 samples was 4.4 ng g−1 wet wt aldrin, found in a fillet of Haemulon plumieri. Based on the inter-laboratory comparison, one laboratory was selected to analyse additional samples collected in Phase 2. Pesticides were detected in 43 of the 52 Phase 2 samples. The highest concentration reported in Phase 2 samples was 2.3 ng g−1 α-BHC in Panulirus argus tail muscle. These results suggest that while most samples contained one or more residues, pesticide concentrations were low and trends in residue profiles were minor.
A study of an analog computing system for an analytical plotter

Abstract The results of a partial simulation of an analytical plutter first described at the International Photogrammetric Conference on Aerial Triangulation held in Ottawa, Canada in August 1957 are presented. The simulation was carried out using a commercially available general purpose analog computer and specially prepared input and output equipment. Some of the factors in the study which would affect the extension of the results given to those obtainable with a completed instrument are discussed.
Fine-Mapping of Vitiligo Susceptibility Loci on Chromosomes 7 and 9 and Interactions with NLRP1 (NALP1)

Generalized vitiligo is the most common pigmentation disorder, the result of autoimmune loss of melanocytes from the skin and hair, with a high frequency of other autoimmune diseases in vitiligo patients and their relatives. We previously reported the linkage signals on chromosomes 1, 7, and 17 in Caucasian families with generalized vitiligo and associated autoimmune diseases and identified the risk loci of chromosomes 17 and 1 as NLRP1 (NALP1) and FOXD3, respectively. Here, we describe fine-scale genetic association analyses in two independent series of Caucasian multiplex families, refining localization of the chromosome 7 locus and a locus on chromosome 9. Three susceptibility signals, represented by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs6960920 in 7p13, rs734930 in 7q11, and rs4744411 in 9q22, were significantly associated with vitiligo and other autoimmune diseases. We also detected significant three-way interaction effects of chromosome 7 SNP rs6960920, chromosome 9 SNP rs4744411, and NLRP1 SNP rs6502867 on both the vitiligo phenotype and an expanded autoimmune disease phenotype, and significant three-way interaction effects of both chromosome 7 SNPs and NLRP1 SNP rs6502867 on the vitiligo phenotype. These support the validity of the chromosomes 7 and 9 linkage/association signals and underscore the utility of gene–gene interaction analysis in characterizing the genetic effects of candidate association signals.
Escherichia coli DnaA protein: specific biochemical defects of mutant DnaAs reduce initiation frequency to suppress a temperature-sensitive dnaX mutation

The Escherichia coli dnaA73, dnaA721, and dnaA71 alleles, which encode A213D, R432L, T435K substitutions, respectively, were originally isolated as extragenic suppressors of a temperature-sensitive dnaX mutant. As the A213D substitution resides in a domain that functions in ATP binding and the R432L and T435K substitutions affect residues that recognize the DnaA box motif, they might be expected to reduce ATP and specific DNA binding, respectively. Therefore, a major objective was to quantify the biochemical defects of the mutant DnaAs to understand how the altered proteins suppress the temperature-sensitive phenotype of a dnaX mutant. A second purpose was to address the paradox that mutant proteins with substitutions of amino acids essential for recognition of the DnaA box motifs within the E. coli replication origin (oriC) may well be inactive in initiation, yet chromosomal dnaA mutants expressing DnaA proteins with the R432L and T435K substitutions are viable at temperatures from 30 to 39 degrees C. We show biochemically that mutant DnaAs carrying R432L and T435K substitutions fail to bind to the DnaA box sequence. The A213D mutant is sevenfold reduced in its affinity for ATP compared to wild-type DnaA, and its affinity for the DnaA box sequence is also reduced. However, the reduced activity of the A213D mutant in oriC plasmid replication appears to arise from a defect in DnaA oligomerization. Although the T435K mutant fails to bind to the DnaA box sequence, other results suggest that DnaA oligomerization stabilizes the binding of the mutant DnaA to oriC to support its partial activity in initiation in vitro. These results support a model that suppression of dnaX occurs by reducing the frequency of initiation to a manageable level for the mutant DnaX so that viability is maintained.
Ongoing Notch signaling maintains phenotypic fidelity in the adult exocrine pancreas

The Notch signaling pathway regulates embryonic development of the pancreas, inhibiting progenitor differentiation into exocrine acinar and endocrine islet cells. The adult pancreas appears to lack progenitor cells, and its mature cell types are maintained by the proliferation of pre-existing differentiated cells. Nonetheless, Notch remains active in adult duct and terminal duct/centroacinar cells (CACs), in which its function is unknown. We previously developed mice in which cells expressing the Notch target gene Hes1 can be labeled and manipulated, by expression of Cre recombinase, and demonstrated that Hes1+ CACs do not behave as acinar or islet progenitors in the uninjured pancreas, or as islet progenitors after pancreatic duct ligation. In the current study, we assessed the function of Notch signaling in the adult pancreas by deleting the transcription factor partner of Notch, Rbpj, specifically in Hes1+ cells. We find that loss of Rbpj depletes the pancreas of Hes1-expressing CACs, abrogating their ongoing contribution to growth and homeostasis of more proximal duct structures. Upon Rbpj deletion, CACs undergo a rapid transformation into acinar cells, suggesting that constitutive Notch activity suppresses the acinar differentiation potential of CACs. Together, our data provide direct evidence of an endogenous genetic program to control interconversion of cell fates in the adult pancreas.
Doppler weather radar observations of the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska

Abstract The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) deployed a transportable Doppler C-band radar during the precursory stage of the 2009 eruption of Redoubt Volcano, Alaska that provided valuable information during subsequent explosive events. We describe the capabilities of this new monitoring tool and present data captured during the Redoubt eruption. The MiniMax 250-C (MM-250C) radar detected seventeen of the nineteen largest explosive events between March 23 and April 4, 2009. Sixteen of these events reached the stratosphere (above 10 km) within 2–5 min of explosion onset. High column and proximal cloud reflectivity values (50 to 60 dBZ) were observed from many of these events, and were likely due to the formation of mm-sized accretionary tephra-ice pellets. Reflectivity data suggest that these pellets formed within the first few minutes of explosion onset. Rapid sedimentation of the mm-sized pellets was observed as a decrease in maximum detection cloud height. The volcanic cloud from the April 4 explosive event showed lower reflectivity values, due to finer particle sizes (related to dome collapse and related pyroclastic flows) and lack of significant pellet formation. Eruption durations determined by the radar were within a factor of two compared to seismic and pressure-sensor derived estimates, and were not well correlated. Ash dispersion observed by the radar was primarily in the upper troposphere below 10 km, but satellite observations indicate the presence of volcanogenic clouds in the stratosphere. This study suggests that radar is a valuable complement to traditional seismic and satellite monitoring of explosive eruptions.
Firm-level ecosystem service valuation using mechanistic biogeochemical modeling and functional substitutability

Increasingly, private firms are focusing on environmental sustainability. However, such entities continue to experience difficulty in operationalizing sustainable practices in management decisions. For firms that own natural ecosystems, part of the difficulty stems from their inability to balance the environmental value of conserving these ecosystems against potential profits that could be captured through their development. To overcome this, we present a new comparative framework for natural and engineered systems, which allows for a rigorous valuation of ecosystem services based on functional equivalence with engineered systems. This framework allows for the opportunity of such value to be represented within international accounting standards, thus aligning biological ecosystem service valuation with current, rigorous, accepted accounting norms. Looking specifically at the removal of phosphorus via wetland, we characterize an ecosystem service using a mass-balance mechanistic biogeochemical model. We then simulate the ecosystem performance under various loading conditions to determine the limit state for which the wetland can perform the service of phosphorus removal in the long-term. Finally, using functional substitutability, we apply an appropriately scaled price of the engineered equivalent system to determine a market-based value of the ecosystem service. As a demonstration, we apply this methodology to an estuary located in Southern California.
On Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morals

L'A. mesure la contribution de la critique vivante de la morale du maitre et de l'esclave, developpee par Nietzsche dans «La genealogie de la morale», a la recherche contemporaine sur les valeurs. Rejetant les valeurs positives et chretiennes, Nietzsche reaffirme la vie dans la realite concrete de notre experience
Simulation and analysis of biochemical systems: I. representation of chemical kinetics

In the study of problems in chemical kinetics in ordinary solution, reactions which may be represented by chemical equations of the form3A + B = C + D (1) are represented kinetically by the differential equations d(C)/dt = d(D/dt = -d(A)/dt = - d(B)/dt = k(A)(B) (2) where (A), (B), (C), ··· , are the concentrations of A, B, C, ··· , and k is the kinetic constant for the reaction (assuming it to be occurring in ordinary solution).
Stratospheric transport using 6‐h‐averaged winds from a data assimilation system

[1] Stratospheric transport calculated using assimilated winds has been shown to be too fast in many cases, because of excessive mixing and an overstrong residual circulation. It is shown that the use of 6-h-averaged wind fields instead of instantaneous analyses can substantially reduce this problem for NASA's Goddard Earth Observing System version 4 (GEOS-4) sequential data assimilation system. Two examples are used to illustrate impacts in an off-line chemistry transport model. An age-of-air computation shows that the stratosphere becomes substantially older when time-averaged winds are used, yet still not as old as that determined from observations. An ozone assimilation experiment reveals improvements in the spatial structure of assimilated ozone, better agreement with independent observations, and a 40–60% reduction in observation-minus-forecast residuals. The averaged meteorological fields have also been incorporated in the on-line transport computations: This is equivalent to using a 6-h square-wave filter at the analysis times. Sub-6-h noise in the system is substantially reduced with this approach. Two additional examples of transport are shown. A simulation of 2004–2005 shows that the descent of N2O in the Arctic polar vortex is represented more accurately than in previous studies. A tape recorder signal is evident in the tropical moisture; it ascends about 30% faster than that in the real atmosphere. In summary, the use of 6-h-averaged winds substantially improves the transport characteristics of the assimilated data, although the circulation remains too fast.
The retinoblastoma gene in human pituitary tumors.

Functional inactivation of the retinoblastoma (RB) tumor suppressor gene is important in the pathogenesis of many human tumors. Recently, the frequent occurrence of pituitary tumors was reported in mice genetically engineered to have one defective RB allele, a genetic background analogous to that of patients with familial retinoblastoma. The molecular pathogenesis of human pituitary tumors is largely unknown, and the potential role of RB gene inactivation in these neoplasms has not been examined. Consequently, we studied 20 human pituitary tumors (12 clinically nonfunctioning tumors, 4 somatotroph adenomas, 2 prolactinomas, and 2 corticotroph adenomas) for tumor-specific allelic loss of the RB gene using a highly informative polymorphic locus within the gene. Control leukocyte DNA samples from 18 of these 20 patients were heterozygous at this locus, permitting genetic evaluation of their paired tumor specimens. In contrast to the pituitary tumors in the mouse model, none of these 18 human tumors exhibited...
Mesoscale Convective Vortex Formation in a Weakly Sheared Moist Neutral Environment

Abstract Idealized simulations of a diabatic Rossby vortex (DRV) in an initially moist neutral baroclinic environment are performed using the fifth-generation National Center for Atmospheric Research–Pennsylvania State University (NCAR–PSU) Mesoscale Model (MM5). The primary objective is to test the hypothesis that the formation and maintenance of midlatitude warm-season mesoscale convective vortices (MCVs) are largely influenced by balanced flow dynamics associated with a vortex that interacts with weak vertical shear. As a part of this objective, the simulated DRV is placed within the context of the Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convective Vortex Experiment (BAMEX) field campaign by comparing its tangential velocity, radius of maximum winds, CAPE, and shear with the MCVs observed in BAMEX. The simulations reveal two distinct scales of development. At the larger scale, the most rapidly growing moist baroclinic mode is excited, and exponential growth of this mode occurs during the simulation. Embedded within the...
Patient-reported Quality of Life (QOL) in Unfavorable-Risk Prostate Cancer: Sexual Function Recovery after External Beam Radiation (RT) and 6 months of Androgen Deprivation

Materials/Methods: One hundred men with high-risk prostate cancer received RT to 72 Gy with rectal balloon placement for prostate immobilization. Patients received combined androgen blockade for a total of 6 months. Patients completed the validated Prostate Cancer Symptom Indices (PCSI), measuring sexual, urinary, and bowel QOL at baseline (pretreatment) and 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months after treatment completion. Sexual Dysfunction is scored from 0 (no dysfunction) to 100 (maximum dysfunction) on the PCSI. Scores are translated into ‘normal’ (no symptoms), ‘intermediate’ (symptoms but useful function) and ‘poor’ (no useful function) levels of sexual function to facilitate interpretation of QOL results, as previously validated. Men with normal or intermediate function have ‘useful’ sexual function, while those with poor function have ‘no useful’ function.
Microstructural observations of polycrystalline diamond: a contribution to the carbonado conundrum

Abstract The formation mechanism of carbonado, a polycrystalline variety of diamond, remains unresolved. Here we report a microstructural analysis of systematic defects and inclusions in carbonados from Brazil and the Central African Republic (CAR). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has revealed the presence of pervasive defect lamellae in both the CAR and Brazilian carbonados that are distinct from planar defects observed in synthetic polycrystalline diamond (PCD). Analyses of included minerals by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) yielded strong evidence for metallic Fe, Ti, and Si, as well as SiC and Fe–Cr alloys, within the diamond matrix. Our results offer strong evidence for a close genetic relationship between Brazilian and Central African carbonados, suggesting formation within a united landmass during the late Archaean. The data do not preclude carbonado nucleation by meteoritic impact, though this issue remains contentious. The role of water in the growth of carbonado merits further exploration.
Mucinous and nonmucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma and smoking.

The study by Sartori et al,1 from hospitals in 3 cities in Italy, using the 1999 World Health Organization lung cancer classification,2 found that “An active smoking habit was significantly associated with…mucinous-type BAC ( P <.001)….” It should be pointed …
Hostility and sex differences in the magnitude, duration, and determinants of heart rate response to forehead cold pressor: Parasympathetic aspects of risk

Recent models hypothesize that hostility confers increased risk of CHD through weaker parasympathetic dampening of cardiovascular reactivity (CVR). We tested this possibility using the forehead cold pressor task, a common maneuver which elicits the "dive reflex" characterized by a reflexive decrease in HR presumably through cardiac-parasympathetic stimulation. Participants were initially chosen from the outer quartiles of a sample of 670 undergraduates screened using the hostility subscale of the Aggression Questionnaire ([Buss, A.H., Perry, M., 1992. The Aggression Questionnaire. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 452-459.]). The final sample of 80 participants was evenly divided between men and women and high and low hostility. Following a 10-min baseline, participants underwent a 3-min forehead cold pressor task. The task evoked a significant HR deceleration that was mediated by PNS activation, as assessed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Replicating prior research, men displayed greater decrease in HR. More important, low hostiles maintained larger HR deceleration over time compared to high hostiles although the autonomic basis for this effect was unclear. The findings broaden understanding of hostility and sex-related cardiovascular functioning and support the task as a method for evoking PNS-cardiac stimulation.