cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shortened T cell culture with IL-7 and IL-15 provides the most potent chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells for adoptive immunotherapy.

Adoptive T cell immunotherapy involves the isolation, ex vivo expansion and reinfusion of T cells, and is dependent on T cell engraftment and persistence for efficacy. IL-2 is the most commonly used cytokine for ex vivo T cell culture; however, there is renewed interest in IL-7 and IL-15 due to their ability to enhance the survival and proliferation of stem cell memory (T scm ) T cells. Peripheral blood (PB) contains substantial numbers of T scm , central memory (T cm ) and effector subsets. During ex vivo culture, PB T cells differentiate into cells with a predominantly CD45RO+, CD27−, CCR7− effector phenotype. Exogenous IL-7/15 delays this transition in phenotype and preserves a greater proportion of T scm and T cm cells. We hypothesize that limited ex vivo T cell culture in the presence of IL-7/15 rather than IL-2 will enhance engraftment and persistence of T cells in vivo. We show that T cells can be harvested from ex vivo cultures as early as day 3 (d3) following activation. T cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor targeting CD19 (CART-19) show potent yet specific cytotoxicity in vitro. We investigated the therapeutic potential of cells harvested at d3 versus later time points using a Nalm-6 leukemic cell xenograft mouse model. We demonstrate that d3 CART-19 cells show potent anti-leukemic activity compared to day 5 or day 9 cells. Comparing CART19 cells cultured in IL-2 or IL-7/15 for 3 or 9 days, we show that mice treated with d3 cells cultured in IL-7/15 exhibit the greatest anti-leukemic efficacy at a 10-fold lower dose compared with day 9 cells. In summary, we show that limiting T cell culture ex vivo to the minimum required for lentiviral transduction, in the presence of IL-7/15, provides the most efficacious T cells for adoptive immunotherapy.
Electrical properties tunability of large area MoS2 thin films by oxygen plasma treatment

MoS2 thin films prepared via sulfurization of molybdenum films have attracted great attention due to their advantage for scalable synthesis with a large area coverage. However, the MoS2 thin films are typically more resistive than their exfoliated and co-evaporation chemical vapor deposition based counterparts. The ability to modulate the electrical property of MoS2 thin films will have a significant impact on scalable device applications in electronics, sensors, and catalysis. Here, we report the tuning of electrical transport properties of large area MoS2 thin films with different oxygen plasma exposure times. The electrical transport measurements of the pristine and plasma treated samples reveal that with increasing oxygen plasma treatment, the resistance of the MoS2 thin films first decreases by almost an order of magnitude and then increases again. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements show that the S:Mo ratio continuously decreases with increasing plasma exposure time. For a short plasma exposure time, the resistance decrease can be explained due to the creation of sulfur vacancies leaving unsaturated electrons with molybdenum (Mo) atoms which act as electron donors. With increasing plasma exposure, more sulfur vacancies and hence more Mo atoms are created, many of which get converted to insulating MoO3 resulting in an increase in the resistance of the MoS2 thin film. The results presented here are a major step forward in realizing the overreaching goals of MoS2 thin films for practical device applications.
(S)‐4‐Amino‐5‐phenoxypentanoate designed as a potential selective agonist of the bacterial transcription factor GabR

Addressing molecular recognition in the context of evolution requires pursuing new molecular targets to enable the development of agonists or antagonists with new mechanisms of action. Disruption of transcriptional regulation through targeting transcription factors that regulate the expression of key enzymes in bacterial metabolism may provide a promising method for controlling the bacterial metabolic pathways. To this end, we have selectively targeted a bacterial transcription regulator through the design and synthesis of a series of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) derivatives, including (S)-4-amino-5-phenoxypentanoate (4-phenoxymethyl-GABA), which are based on docking insights gained from a previously-solved crystal structure of GabR from Bacillus subtilis. This target was selected because GabR strictly controls GABA metabolism by regulating the transcription of the gabT/D operon. These GabR transcription modulators are selective for the bacterial transcription factor GabR and are unable to bind to structural homologs of GabR due to distinct steric constraints. We have obtained a crystal structure of 4-phenoxymethyl-GABA bound as an external aldimine with PLP in the effector binding site of GabR, which suggests that this compound is capable of binding and reacting in the same manner as the native effector ligand. Inhibition assays demonstrate high selectivity of 4-phenoxymethyl-GABA for bacterial GabR versus several selected eukaryotic enzymes. Single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) experiments reveal a ligand-induced DNA distortion that is very similar to that of the native effector GABA, suggesting that the compound functions as a potential selective agonist of GabR.
Assessing organic material on single-use vessel sealing devices: a comparative study of reprocessed and new LigaSure™ devices.

Reprocessed devices must be thoroughly cleaned prior to sterilization to ensure efficacy of sterilization agents. Many single-use devices are not designed to be thoroughly cleaned. Interlocking design features inherent to LigaSure™ vessel sealing devices may prevent thorough cleaning and promote accumulation of human tissue that cannot be removed. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare industry reprocessed and new LigaSure™ vessel sealing devices for organic material. A total of 168, 84 new and 84 reprocessed, vessel sealing devices were disassembled and inspected for the presence of residual organic matter using visual, microscopic, and chemical analysis. Devices were randomized and test conductors blinded to group membership. Devices were aseptically disassembled and sent through visual inspection. Next, devices were either examined using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or exposed to a solution that luminesces in the presence of hemoglobin. Additionally, 165 reprocessed devices were sent to a 3rd party lab for sterility testing via direct immersion culture for 14 days. Significant amounts of remnant organic material (C, N, O, S, Na, P) were observed with 81/84 reprocessed and 0/84 new devices failing inspection protocols. When tested for the presence of hemoglobin, only 1/12 reprocessed devices passed inspection. SEM of reprocessed devices revealed residues with liquid patterns and diffuse soiling with foreign material. Sterility testing of reprocessed devices revealed a sterility level < 6–3. The abundance of material resembling human tissue observed on reprocessed VSDs suggests inadequate cleaning prior to sterilization. Atomic and morphological analyses of the remnant materials suggest that bacterial biofilms could also be present. Additionally, surface degradation and release of reinforcing glass fibers from the device were observed. Devices designed for single use can harbor significant amounts of remnant material that likely interfere with the sterilization process.
Urine-Derived Epithelial Cell Lines: A New Tool to Model Fragile X Syndrome (FXS)

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an X-linked neurodevelopmental condition associated with intellectual disability and behavioral problems due to the lack of the Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), which plays a crucial role in synaptic plasticity and memory. A desirable in vitro cell model to study FXS would be one that can be generated by simple isolation and culture method from a collection of a non-invasive donor specimen. Currently, the various donor-specific cells can be isolated mainly from peripheral blood and skin biopsy. However, they are somewhat invasive methods for establishing cell lines from the primary subject material. In this study, we characterized a cost-effective and straightforward method to derive epithelial cell lines from urine samples collected from participants with FXS and healthy controls (TD). The urine-derived cells expressed epithelial cell surface markers via fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). We observed inter, and the intra-tissue CGG mosaicism in the PBMCs and the urine-derived cells from participants with FXS potentially related to the observed variations in the phenotypic and clinical presentation FXS. We characterized these urine-derived epithelial cells for FMR1 mRNA and FMRP expression and observed some expression in the lines derived from full mutation mosaic participants. Further, FMRP expression was localized in the cytoplasm of the urine-derived epithelial cells of healthy controls. Deficient FMRP expression was also observed in mosaic males, while, as expected, no expression was observed in cells derived from participants with a hypermethylated full mutation.
Living Up to Expectations: Corporate Reputation and SustainableCompetitive Advantage

I develop a theory of corporate reputation as a source of sustainable competitive advantage. I show how a relatively simple and reasonable assumption regarding the dynamics of corporate reputation leads to a self-reinforcing process whereby cross-firm differences in corporate reputation (and performance) are significant and relatively permanent. Numerical simulations suggest that persistence in cross-firm differences is largely due to endogenous investment incentives: firms with higher corporate reputation invest more in corporate reputation. I provide a series of examples consistent with the model’s prediction. W R Berkley Term Professor of Economics, Stern School of Business, New York University; Research Fellow, IME and PPRC (IESE); and Research Fellow, CEPR; luis.cabral@nyu.edu. I am grateful to Bruno Cassiman, David Collis and Avi Goldfarb for suggestions; and to seminar participants at Harvard Business School and NYU for comments on a preliminary draft. Clare Finnegan provided excellent research assistance. The usual disclaimer applies.
When Does the Underdog Win

In several celebrated examples, incumbents with significant resources have been beaten, in their own core businesses, by young start-ups. We identify a general mechanism that explains how these ent...
New evidence concerning mechanisms of action of vitamin E and selenium.

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the evidences concerning mechanisms of action of vitamin E and selenium. Hypotheses concerning the mechanisms of action of vitamin E and selenium have been sharply divided between those holding that both of these substances act simply as nonspecific biological antioxidants. It is found that selenium participates in the activity of the glutathione peroxidase of rat erythrocytes and that highly purified glutathione peroxidase contains 4 gram atoms of selenium per mole of enzyme. The glutathione peroxidase levels in livers of selenium-deficient chicks also showed a severe drop, reaching very low levels by the time the chicks were 13–15 clays of age. This drop occurred whether or not the diet contained vitamin E. The lipid peroxidation of washed hepatic mitochondria and microsomes from newly hatched chicks of breeding hens receiving a diet low in vitamin E and selenium was found to be very high. The mitochondria and microsomes from these chicks had very little innate protection against lipid peroxidation.
A Robot of My Own: Participatory Design of Socially Assistive Robots for Independently Living Older Adults Diagnosed with Depression

This paper presents an ongoing project using participatory design methods to develop design concepts for socially assistive robots SARs with older adults diagnosed with depression and co-occurring physical illness. We frame SARs development in the context of preventive patient-centered healthcare, which empowers patients as the primary drivers of health and aims to delay the onset of disease rather than focusing on treatment. After describing how SARs can be of benefit in this form of healthcare, we detail our participatory design study with older adults and therapists aimed at developing preventive SARs applications for this population. We found therapists and older adults to be willing and able to participate in assistive robot design, though hands-on participation was a challenge. Our findings suggest that important areas of concern for older adults with depression are social interaction and companionship, as well as technologies that are easy to use and require minimal intervention.
Cytochemical and biochemical observations on the digestive tracts of digenetic trematodes. V. Ultrastructure of Schistosomatium douthitti gut.

Abstract The gut of Schistosomatium douthitti can be conveniently divided into two distinct regions, the esophagus and the cecum. The former region is a syncitium with the underlying cell bodies communicating with the cytoplasmic layer via extensions. Multivesicular inclusion bodies are apparently produced by these cells and are secreted into the lumen via luminal processes. Two other types of inclusion bodies are evident in the anterior region of the esophagus. These are identical with inclusion bodies found in the tegument, supporting the premise that the anterior region of the esophagus is probably a modified tegument. The cecal region consists of a gastrodermis that also possesses processes on its luminal surface. No evidence of endocytotic activities is observed in the gut. The major difference existing between the gut of male and female worms is consistent with the greater digestive activities of the latter sex. Comparisons between the ultrastructure of the gut of S. douthitti and other bloodfeeding trematodes are discussed.
The burden of bladder cancer in men and women: analysis of the years of life lost

Study Type – Harms (individual cohort) Level of Evidence 2a What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? Previously, it was appreciated that men lost about 12 years of expected remaining life if they died of bladder cancer. However, nothing was known about how exposure history, gender, age and stage at diagnosis, and other factors affected life expectancy of bladder cancer patients. The impact of these factors was now taken into consideration when determining years of potential life lost from bladder cancer death and the loss in median life expectancy at bladder cancer diagnosis. Compared with men, women lose more years of life and a greater fraction of their life expectancy to bladder cancer. OBJECTIVE • To estimate the average loss in life expectancy (LE) due to bladder cancer (BC) in men and women in the USA. PATIENTS AND METHODS • Cancer records for 51 528 patients diagnosed with BC during 1988–1997 were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. • Potential follow-up ranged from 10 to 20 years (median 14 years). Loss in median LE at BC diagnosis was computed as the difference between expected median survival and observed median survival. • Expected survival was calculated using two methods: method 1 used age, sex, and race-specific LE in the general population, method 2 used the hazard of death from non-BC causes in patients with BC (to account for past exposures and treatment-related toxicities not present in the general population). RESULTS • During the study period, BC death occurred in 17% of men and 23% of women and non-BC death occurred in 53% of men and 47% of women. • Using LE in the general population as the reference (method 1), loss in median LE at BC diagnosis was 3.9 years for men (33% of their potential remaining years of life) and 6.5 years for women (47% of their potential remaining years of life). • Using non-BC-specific hazard as the reference (method 2), loss in median LE was 2.7 years for men (26% of their potential remaining years of life) and 4.1 years for women (36% of their potential remaining years of life). CONCLUSION • Compared with men, women loose more years of life and a greater fraction of their life expectancy to BC.
Criminal Justice and Christian Community

The Collapse of American Criminal Justice is a wonderful book for a serious response by Christian ethicists, particularly those who are citizens or residents of the United State.1 It focuses our at...
Molecular Dynamics Computer Simulations of Charged Metal Electrode-Aqueous Electrolyte Interfaces

When two different substances are joined material flows across the interface (sometimes almost imperceptibly) until the chemical potentials of the component species are equalized. When the sustances are solid or liquid and some of the chemical species are charged then the interface developes a net electrical polarization due to the formation of an electric double layer. The existence of electric double layers was first recognized by von Helmholtz1 who studied them in the last century. In many chemical and biological systems the electric double layer exerts a profound effect on function. For example in aqueous electrolyte solution the electric field of a charged object (electrode surface or an ion) is completely shielded by the movement of ions of opposite sign toward the surface until charge balance is achieved. The distribution of ions around charged objects is described simply by the classical theories of Gouy2–4 and Chapman5 for flat surfaces and by the theory of Debye and Huckel6 for spherical ions.
Public support for policies to reduce risk after Hurricane Sandy

A phone survey was conducted in New Jersey in 2013 four months after the second of two major devastating tropical storms (Sandy in 2012 and Irene in 2011). The objective was to estimate public support for restricting land uses in flood zones, requiring housing to be built to resist storm waters, and otherwise increasing mitigation and resilience. Respondents who supported these mitigation and resilience policies disproportionately were concerned about global climate change, trusted climate scientists and the federal government, and were willing to contribute to a redevelopment program through taxes, bonds, and fees. They also tended to have collectivist and egalitarian worldviews. Half of the respondents supported at least four of the seven risk-reducing policies. How their support translates into public policy remains to be seen. Lack of willingness to personally fund these policies is an obstacle.
Engineering for middle school: a web-based module for learning and designing with simple machines

The current work describes an instructional module which emphasizes integrative design using the six simple machines of the lever, the wheel and axle, the pulley, the inclined plane, the screw, and gear. The emphasis of this module is on having the students investigate the underlying scientific and mathematical properties of the 'machines', and then integrating this knowledge to design creative solutions to problems. This simple machines module makes use of an original web-based multimedia learning environment as well as off-line hands-on building activities with the LEGO Technic I set.
Methylphenidate Redistributes Vesicular Monoamine Transporter-2: Role of Dopamine Receptors

It is well accepted that methylphenidate (MPD) inhibits dopamine (DA) transporter function. In addition to this effect, this study demonstrates that MPD increases vesicular [3H]DA uptake and binding of the vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT-2) ligand dihydrotetrabenazine (DHTBZ) in a dose- and time-dependent manner in purified striatal vesicles prepared from treated rats. This change did not result from residual MPD introduced by the original in vivo treatment, because application of MPD in vitro (< or =1 miccrom) was without effect, and higher concentrations decreased vesicular [3H]DA uptake. In addition, MPD treatment increased and decreased VMAT-2 immunoreactivity in striatal vesicle subcellular and plasmalemmal membrane fractions, respectively. The MPD-induced increase in both VMAT-2 immunoreactivity and DHTBZ binding was attenuated by pretreatment in vivo with either the DA D(1) receptor antagonist SCH23390 or the DA D2 receptor antagonist eticlopride. Coadministration of these antagonists in vivo inhibited completely the MPD-induced increase in DHTBZ binding in the purified vesicular preparation. These observations suggest a role for DA in the MPD-induced redistribution of VMAT-2. The implications of this phenomenon will be discussed.
Mentorship in an academic medical center.

Effective mentorship has been shown to be essential for faculty career success in a wide array of academic disciplines, including medicine (1–3).Faculty members who are engaged in effective mentoring relationships are more likely to remain at academic medical centers and advance in rank more rapidly (4–8). Furthermore, effective mentorship is associated with greater career satisfaction and better career performance including improved teaching of residents and medical students and increased quality of patient care (5, 7). Nevertheless, there are multiple challenges to assuring that all members of a faculty receive needed mentorship in academic medical centers. These challenges include the significantly smaller proportion of senior faculty who are best qualified to mentor faculty members at an earlier career stage. Time is at a premium for all members of academic medical center faculties limiting the capacity to have sufficient length and numbers of effective mentorship meetings. Academic reward and support may be lacking for the faculty members who do devote the time required to develop effective mentorship relationships limiting the sustainability of mentorship. Academic medical centers comprise a wide array of disciplines making not only the number but the expertise of senior faculty a further barrier to establishing mentorship for all faculty members. In addition, faculty members may not understand the value of an effective mentorship relation and therefore not seek or accept opportunities to be mentored. Despite the recognition of these challenges, the degree to which they limit effective mentorship in academic medical centers is not well defined. It is possible that despite these challenges, many are successful in identifying mentors. It is also unknown whether gender or academic track are factors that are associated with success in establishing mentorship relationships. We conducted a survey of all members of the faculty at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor in the Tenure and Clinical Tracks of The Ohio State University College of Medicine to determine mentorship prevalence. The results demonstrate a “mentorship gap” between total faculty numbers and those who report the existence of a mentorship relationship. They also reflect significant trends in the differences between academic tracks, departments, rank and gender in successfully establishing mentorship relations. These results from a single large academic medical center may reflect the challenges to assuring mentorship of faculty at a wide array of academic medical centers and indicate the need to establish structured mentorship programs.
On the use of semimartingales and stochastic integrals to model continuous trading

Abstract The continuous-time contingent claim valuation model is generalized to stopping times (random trading dates), giving substance to the question of what it means to have unlimited opportunities to trade while trading intercessions may occur only finitely, albeit arbitrarily, often. Robustness and stability of the contingent claim valuation formula are demonstrated, validating the use of continuous-time models for approximating discrete-time trading environments. The no-arbitrage value of a redundant contingent claim is shown to be a stochastic integral obtained as the limit of bounded arbitrage opportunities. As a corollary, we find that the hypothesis needed to value an American call option is significantly stronger than that sufficient to value a European call option.
Fruit and Seed Exploitation by Central American Spiny Rats, Proechimys semispinosus

Central American spiny rats (Proechimys semispinosus) maintained in outdoor enclosures were fed fruits from 97 species of native and naturalized forest plants to examine patterns of fruit and seed exploitation. Individuals had very broad diets and consumed soft parts or seeds of all but three species of fruits included in the trials. Fruits and seeds were eaten even though individuals were provided with abundant alternative food. For most species of fruits that contained a fleshy aril or mesocarp, spiny rats generally consumed both seeds and fleshy parts. Spiny rats often exploited seeds with hard endocarps even when those seeds were surrounded by an abundant pulpy mesocarp or aril that was also eaten. Spiny rats also preferentially ate seeds of several large‐seeded species and primarily peeled off the mesocarp or aril. Seeds of species that contained no mesocarp or aril were also quickly eaten. Fruits from trees in the Moraceae were consumed entirely, including the seeds. Results indicate that, because o...
Submerged citric acid fermentation of ferrocyanide‐treated cane molasses

Ferrocyanide-treated cane molasses was fermented in 2.5-l. Pyrex tower fermenters using pellets of Aspergillus niger, grown in beet molasses, as an inoculum. The success of the process depended on accurate control of the ferrocyanide concentration in the fermentation mash. Highest yields (up to 80% conversion of available sugar in 8 days) were obtained when the ferrocyanide concentration was 20 p.p.m. at the start of fermentation and then increased to 80–150 p.p.m. at the 24-hr. period. Addition of phosphate, nitrate, or methanol to fermentation mash did not increase rate of acid production or final yield.
Hepatic-cerebral interactions in insulin-induced eating and gastric acid secretion☆

Abstract This paper describes experiments on the metabolic and physiological controls of insulin-induced eating and gastric acid secretion. Evidence is presented which suggests that (1) insulin injections stimulate eating in diabetic rats without producing hypoglycemia, (2) different controls underlie the increases in food intake which occur during or after an insulin-induced hypoglycemic episode, and (3) alterations in hepatic metabolism are associated with increased eating following recovery from hypoglycemia. In addition, findings are presented which indicate that the liver modulates insulin-induced feeding and gastric acid secretion and that this control is dependent on the integrity of the hepatic branch of the vagus nerve. The findings are discussed in the context of hepatic-cerebral receptor interactions and a view of the function and integrative nature of these receptor processes is presented.
Collaborative Optimization Analysis on GSM/WLAN and TD-S/TD-L Network

Mobile operators faced with rapid growth in data throughput, However, the rapid growth of traffic from 2G networks led to the 2G network load increases, even affect the quality of voice communications. At the same time, TD-SCDMA network is relatively light load and WLAN network is limited by the terminal and the hot spots, they can’t give users a seamless broadband data services. It is discussed in this article on how to quadruple collaboration and flow of business to make the optimization analysis from the user traffic bandwidth requirements for different types of data services.
A regulatory hierarchy for cell specialization in yeast

The specialized sets of genes that determine different cell types in yeast are controlled by combinations of DNA-binding proteins some of which are present only in certain cell types whereas others are present in all cell types. Final differentiation requires an inductive signal that triggers both gene transcription and cell-cycle arrest. Synthesis of the proteins coded by the 'master regulatory' mating-type locus is regulated so as to generate a heterogeneous mitotic cell population containing a stem-cell lineage.
Scanning tunneling microscope computer automation

Abstract A complete data acquisition and image processing computer workstation has been developed to complement the STM. The computer is used to control the raster scans, to acquire multi-channel analog data, and to store the data for later analysis at the workstation. Both 2D gray scale and 3D line scan images can be processed, and displayed with 1K × 1K pixel resolution in real time. Topography and real space spectroscopy images are acquired on up to 48 channels using signal conditioners and a multiplexed A/D converter. Computer image processing such as contrast enhancement, convolution filtering, and real-time background subtraction is provided. This computer workstation is proposed as a cost effective universal controller/recorded for STM.
An uncertainty principle for finite frames

Abstract We consider the notion of uncertainty for finite frames. Using a difference operator inspired by the Gauss–Hermite differential equation we obtain a time-frequency measure for finite frames. We then find the minimizer of the measure over all equal norm Parseval frames, dependent on the dimension of the space and the number of elements in the frame. Next we show that given a frame one can find the dual frame that minimizes this time-frequency measure, generalizing some work of Daubechies, Landau and Landau to the finite case and extending some recent work on Sobolev duals for finite frames.
Diffuse Locally Invasive Lipomatosis of the Pericardium

The chest radiographic, echocardiographic (transthoracic and transesophageal), MRI, CT and cardiac catheterization findings in a 72-year-old patient with extensive pericardial lipomatosis are presented. Diastolic pressures in the left heart were elevated. The massive lipomatous mass was partially resected surgically with good symptomatic relief. Histologically the neoplasm consisted of mature non-malignant adipose tissue. Cushing's Syndrome was absent. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 20, February 2003)
Morphological and molecular characterization of a new microsporidian species from the predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt) (Acari, Phytoseiidae).

Abstract A new microsporidian species is described from the predatory mite Metaseiulus (formerly Typhlodromus or Galendromus) occidentalis (Nesbitt) (Acari, Phytoseiidae). The ultrastructure of this new species is presented together with the first molecular characterization for a microsporidium of mites. All stages of this new microsporidium are haplokaryotic and develop in direct contact with the host-cell cytoplasm. Sporogony is disporoblastic and spores are formed in eggs, immature stages, and adults of M. occidentalis. There are two morphological classes of spores, one with a short polar filament (3–5 coils) that measured 2.53×1.68 μ m and one with a longer polar filament (8–9 coils) that measured 3.14×1.77 μ m. Horizontal transmission of this new species occurs by cannibalism of eggs and other stages and perhaps involves the spores with the long polar filament. Spores with the short polar filament may play a role in autoinfection and vertical (transovarial) transmission that is highly efficient in transferring the microsporidium from adults to progeny. Analysis of the small subunit ribosomal DNA indicated that this species from M. occidentalis is most closely related to the Nosema/Vairimorpha clade of microsporidia. A conflict between the morphological and molecular data is discussed. The species is compared to previously described microsporidia of arachnids resulting in creation of Oligosporidium occidentalis n. sp. in the family Unikaryonidae.
MHD surface waves in high- and low-beta plasmas. Part 1. Normal-mode solutions

Since the first paper by Barston (1964) on electrostatic oscillations in inhomogeneous cold plasmas, it has been commonly accepted that all finite layers with a continuous profile in pressure, density and magnetic field cannot support normal surface waves but instead the waves always decay through phase mixing (also called resonant absorption). The problem is reanalyzed by studying a compressible current sheet of a general structure with rotation of the magnetic field included. All inhomogeneous layers considered in the high-beta plasma limit do not support normal modes. However, in the limit of a low-beta plasma there are some cases when normal-mode solutions are recovered. The latter means that the process of resonant absorption is not common for all inhomogeneous layers.
Virus World as an Evolutionary Network of Viruses and Capsidless Selfish Elements

Viruses were defined as one of the two principal types of organisms in the biosphere, namely, as capsid-encoding organisms in contrast to ribosome-encoding organisms, i.e., all cellular life forms. Structurally similar, apparently homologous capsids are present in a huge variety of icosahedral viruses that infect bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. These findings prompted the concept of the capsid as the virus "self" that defines the identity of deep, ancient viral lineages. However, several other widespread viral "hallmark genes" encode key components of the viral replication apparatus (such as polymerases and helicases) and combine with different capsid proteins, given the inherently modular character of viral evolution. Furthermore, diverse, widespread, capsidless selfish genetic elements, such as plasmids and various types of transposons, share hallmark genes with viruses. Viruses appear to have evolved from capsidless selfish elements, and vice versa, on multiple occasions during evolution. At the earliest, precellular stage of life's evolution, capsidless genetic parasites most likely emerged first and subsequently gave rise to different classes of viruses. In this review, we develop the concept of a greater virus world which forms an evolutionary network that is held together by shared conserved genes and includes both bona fide capsid-encoding viruses and different classes of capsidless replicons. Theoretical studies indicate that selfish replicons (genetic parasites) inevitably emerge in any sufficiently complex evolving ensemble of replicators. Therefore, the key signature of the greater virus world is not the presence of a capsid but rather genetic, informational parasitism itself, i.e., various degrees of reliance on the information processing systems of the host.
Black Orpheus, Myth and Ritual: A Morphological Reading*

Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro; M. Camus, 1959) drew on classical myth and ritual to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Yet no one has analyzed the film with reference to its classical background. This paper argues that the film closely follows two narrative patterns (Separation-Lirrunality Incorporation and the Heroic Journey) employed by the myth of Orpheus and Eury dice, and related stories. This morphological approach reveals the cinematic Euridice as a "female adolescent initiand" whose loss of virginity and death are foreshadowed from her first scene. The film's setting of Carnaval promotes Euridice's adolescent ini tiation as it duplicates ancient Greek Dionysian festivals. Orfeu emerges as not only a shamanistic hero, but also an associate of Apollo and, antithetically, an avatar of Diony sus and substitute sacrifice for the god. Finally, the film not only replicates but also reinvents the ancient, rural and European myth of Orpheus and Eurydice by resituat ing it in a modern city of the Africanized "New World."
An Application of Goal Programming in Healthcare Planning

The advantages of Goal Programming (GP) over linear programming (LP) are discussed in the context of the healthcare industry. Decision makers must give considerable attention to the formulation of a GP model. However, long‐ and short‐term solutions must not be confused. Solutions also require implementations, which may be impractical or difficult. The full utilisation of facilities is recommended in an attempt to reduce unit costs and increase output.
Detecting Signage and Doors for Blind Navigation and Wayfinding.

Signage plays a very important role to find destinations in applications of navigation and wayfinding. In this paper, we propose a novel framework to detect doors and signage to help blind people accessing unfamiliar indoor environments. In order to eliminate the interference information and improve the accuracy of signage detection, we first extract the attended areas using a saliency map. Then the signage is detected in the attended areas using a bipartite graph matching. The proposed method can handle multiple signage detection. Furthermore, in order to provide more information for blind users to access the area associated with the detected signage, we develop a robust method to detect doors based on a geometric door frame model which is independent to door appearances. Experimental results on our collected datasets of indoor signage and doors demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed method.
Numerical approach to Cryptosporidium risk assessment using reliability method

A previously developed Cryptosporidium transport model is solved numerically to investigate the transport and interactions between Cryptosporidium, water and surface sediment and to estimate the risk of surface water contamination by Cryptosporidium. The primary objective of this study is to expand the work of Yeghiazarian (Ph.D. dissertation, Cornell University 2001)where the analytical solution of the Cryptosporidium transport model was obtained for a simple case of specific attachment of Cryptosporidium oocysts to fine soil particles wherein some parameters have zero values. However, some studies have shown several cases where these parameters are not zero. This necessitated further study to generate a solution to the complete Cryptosporidium transport model. Utilizing the finite difference method, the Cryptosporidium transport model is solved numerically for the general case of a system with any parameter values. Previously, first- and second-order reliability methods (FORM and SORM) were employed for risk assessment using analytical transport results (Yeghiazarian, Ph.D. dissertation, Cornell University, 2001), but in this work, FORM and SORM are applied to the numerical solution of the Cryptosporidium transport model to estimate the risk of Cryptosporidium contamination in surface water. The risk of surface water contamination is estimated by the probability that the Cryptosporidium concentration in surface water at a given time and location exceeds a safety threshold. The numerical solution is interfaced with the general-purpose reliability code, CALREL, to estimate the probability of failure on one hillslope. The sensitivity of system reliability to process parameters is reported.
Error detection and correction using SN54/74LS630 or SN54/74LS631

Abstract Although dynamic memory is much cheaper than static memory, bit for bit, many designers prefer to use static memory if they require highly reliable systems. Dynamic memory is prone to random errors caused by subatomic ionizing particles passing through a cell and destroying the stored charge. Many microcomputers employing dynamic memory use an extra parity bit per stored word to detect a single error. This detects a single error when a faulty word is read and an interrupt can be generated to halt the processor. Detecting an error seems to leave one hardly better off than not detecting it. By adding several reductant bits per word, it becomes possible both to detect and correct errors. Error detecting and correcting circuits require rather a large number of TTL chips and are therefore expensive to implement. This application report from Texas Instruments describes the 74LS630 error detecting and correcting circuit which enables engineers to produce economic error correcting memories.
Contour thin-layer chromatography

Abstract Examinations were conducted of the tendency of migrating substances to ascend on thin strips of varying widths, to follow: 1 cm strips at varying angles above the horizontal compared with the vertical and with reversal of angle of solvent flow, varying degrees of curvature in a single narrow arc or in a series of ascending arcs producing reversal of lateral direction, progress up the center of a pyramid panel, follow the outer curve of a hemidisc, the center pathway of a tapered curve with pyramid control panels, and to course along the curved lateral border of wide panels. It was established that solute migrations could be directed along a wide variety of paths without alteration of rate factor, provide the shape of the panel was designed so the solvent front of areas lateral to the front passing through the advancing solute did not advance at a faster rate.
Factors Controlling Carbonate Sand Distribution in Shallow Shelf Environment: Illustrated by Texas Cretaceous: ABSTRACT

Carbonate sandstone bodies, attractive petroleum reservoirs, are present in significant concentrations adjacent to the shelf edge, at the shoreline, and associated with reef development. On the basis of the writer's studies of the Lower Cretaceous carbonate sequences in Texas, this paper outlines conditions whereby significant deposits of carbonate sand can be concentrated in the shallow-shelf environment, an area usually characterized by the deposition of fine-grained carbonate mud and silt. Three conditions must be met before carbonate sands can be deposited: (1) grains must be available; (2) high energy must be present to winnow the "fines" and concentrate the coarser grains; and (3) high-energy conditions must persist long enough to concentrate the sands. The first condition is easily met because of abundant fossil or biogenic material. The shallow shelf generally is a low-energy environment, therefore, the problem is to find a situation where high-energy conditions persist long enough to concentrate significant deposits of coarse-grained material. The most obvious high-energy situation occurs during a marine transgression across the shelf, but Texas Lower Cretaceous sequences indicate that transgressive deposits generally are deeper water, muddy sediments. In a regressive situation the high-energy zone shifts in front of the zone of concentration toward the shelf edge, allowing previously deposited sands to be preserved. The potential for widespread carbonate sand in the regressive phase is borne out by the presence of widespread, blanket, carbonate sandstones in Lower Cretaceous regressive sequences. Structural elements within the shelf tend to influence bottom topography for a long time, and positive features become the site of relatively high energy and of the deposition of carbonate sand bodies surrounded by fine-grained carbonate sediments. Structural control of carbonate-sand deposition is illustrated by Lower Cretaceous Fredericksburg linear carbonate sandstone bodies coincident with the San Marcos and Concho arches in Central and West Texas. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1834------------
The effects of phenylpropanolamine on food intake and body weight in the genetically obese (ob/ob) mouse.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the actions of the anorexigen phenylpropanolamine (PPA) on chronic feeding and body weight in lean and in genetically obese mice. Adult (8-week-old) female C57BL/6J ob/ob mice and female +/? lean control mice were treated (i.p.) twice daily (at 0800 hrs and 2000 hrs) for 21 days with either 0·9% saline or with 10 or 20 mg/kg PPA. Analyses of cumulative 72-hour food intake revealed that PPA induced significant and dose-dependent anorexia in ob/ob mice but that PPA was without significant anorectic effect in lean mice. PPA dose levels of 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg reduced food intake in ob/ob mice by 14 and 21%, but reduced food intake in lean mice by only 3 and 6%, respectively. Analyses of body weight, however, did not reveal significant changes in body weight induced by either PPA dose in ob/ob or lean mice. The enhanced anorexic effects induced by PPA and other adrenergic agents in the ob/ob mouse are discussed.
NGF AND BDNF IN THE ANTERIOR PITUITARY LOBE OF ADULT RATS

Previous studies revealed that NGF-like immunoreactivity is present in cells from the adult rat anterior pituitary lobe, both in vivo and in vitro, and that in both situations NGF colocalizes with the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). More recently, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was similarly found to occur in the anterior pituitary tissue, again with a general colocalization with TSH. In the present study, we have extended the use of adult rat anterior pituitary cultures to show their content of BDNF-immunoreactive cells and their main colocalization with TSH. We have also explored the question of whether neurotrophins nerve growth factor (NGF) and/or BDNF are actually produced within anterior pituitary cells. Use of the sensitive method reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has allowed us to confirm the presence of NGF and BDNF mRNAs in the cell suspension freshly derived from adult anterior pituitary. In situ hybridization techniques applied to the cell cultures from such a suspension, however, have revealed only a variable presence of NGF mRNA-positive cells but no recognizable BDNF mRNA. Thus, the question of whether the two neurotrophins are produced within the very cells whose immunoreactive content can be recognized remains an open one.
Effects of hemodialysis on protein metabolism

Uremic malnutrition, as evidenced by decreased muscle mass, is strongly associated with increased risk of death and hospitalization events in chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients. Several factors that influence protein metabolism predispose CHD patients to increased catabolism and loss of lean body mass. It has been long suspected that the hemodialysis (HD) procedure is a net catabolic event. Recent studies show that the HD procedure indeed induces a net protein catabolic state at the whole-body level as well as in skeletal muscle. There is evidence to suggest that these undesirable effects are caused by decreased protein synthesis and increased proteolysis. Animal studies suggest that decreased protein synthesis is likely mediated by the significant decrease in plasma amino acid concentrations during HD. On the other hand, increased protein degradation is, at least in part, mediated by the HD-associated inflammatory response.
Epidermal growth factor reduces ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat small intestine.

Objective: To measure the effect of pre-ischemic administration of intraluminal epidermal growth factor on the changes in intestinal permeability induced by 30 mins of superior mesenteric artery occlusion, followed by 2 hrs of reperfusion. Design: Prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled experimental study. Setting: University basic science research laboratory. Subjects: Healthy, young, adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats. Interventions: A 10-cm segment of small intestine was isolated and studied in situ in rats that were anesthetized with fentanyl and mechanically ventilated. Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced by temporary occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery for 30 mins, followed by 2 hrs of reperfusion. Three groups were studied: time controls with a sham operation, saline-treated ischemia-reperfusion, and epidermal growth factor-treated ischemia-reperfusion. Epidermal growth factor, 100 ng/ min, was infused intraluminally, beginning 30 mins before and continued until 40 mins after ischemia. Measurements and Main Results: Intestinal permeability was measured for each 10-min time period by using chromium-labeled EDTA. Histopathologic injury was assessed by light microscopy. After superior mesenteric artery occlusion, intestinal permeability increased approximately ten-fold and was sustained for 2 hrs of reperfusion in saline-treated rats. Pretreatment with epidermal growth factor significantly reduced the permeability changes during reperfusion by >60% compared with saline-treated animals (p <.05). Histopathologic sections revealed apparently more extensive loss of epithelial cells and mucosal disruption in saline-treated intestine compared with epidermal growth factor-treated intestine. Conclusion: Pre-ischemic administration of intraluminal epidermal growth factor significantly protects against intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury.