cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES OF INSECT METAMORPHOSIS I. QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE BLOOD ANTIGENS OF THE CECROPIA SILKWORM

1. The cell-free blood of the Cecropia silkworm produces a maximum of nine bands of antigen-antibody precipitate when reacted in antiserum-agar tests with antisera prepared by injecting Cecropia extracts into rabbits. The blood antigens producing these bands of precipitate have the properties of proteins in that they are non-dialyzable, labile at 75°C., and salted out by 75 per cent saturated ammonium sulfate. One antigen was identified as a carotenoid protein. 2. Six bands of precipitate were selected for further study. Absorption tests revealed that the blood, at all stages of metamorphosis, is capable of precipitating the antibodies which produce five of these bands. This result indicates that five of the six antigens are present in the blood throughout metamorphosis. The sixth antigen is undetectable in blood from fourth instar larvae, appears in the blood late in the fifth instar, persists during the pupal stage, and disappears again during adult development. 3. When blood samples from various stages of metamorphosis were tested in antiserum-agar tubes, the rates of advance of the six bands of precipitate underwent systematic change in close correlation with the morphological stage of the silkworm's metamorphosis. These changes are interpreted in terms of concentration changes of the corresponding blood antigens. The validity of this interpretation was tested in several ways, with the conclusion that the interpretation was generally acceptable for the system under consideration. 4. All six antigens appear to increase in concentration during the last larval instar and to decrease in concentration during the period of adult development. However, each antigen has its own characteristic pattern of concentration change which differs from those of the other five. In order to explain this diversity, we conclude that the physiological mechanisms which regulate the synthesis and utilization of the blood antigens control each antigen on an individual basis.
Capillary-pressure driven adhesion of rigid-planar surfaces

Abstract A thin film of viscous-Newtonian fluid sandwiched between parallel-plane walls, is examined both experimentally and theoretically for gap spacings initially much smaller than the capillary length to determine the conditions for adhesion. The problem is parameterized by the variables F, which is the ratio of an external load generated by one of the parallel-plane surfaces, to the product of surface tension and a characteristic length scale, and the static contact angle α. An analytical solution for the change in gap height as a function of elapsed time is derived in the limit of small Reynolds and zero capillary numbers. The load is suspended for a long but finite elapsed time as the gap spacing approaches a critical value, and for gap spacing values less than the critical one the load is suspended indefinitely. Experiments are performed with typical elapsed times of O(100–1000 s) using fluids with viscosity, O(1000 cSt), but different surface tension and contact angle for gap spacings O(10–100 μm) with loads of either 2.7 N or 4.9 N. There is good agreement between the theory and experiments.
Analysis of self-aligned MOSFETs with modulation-doped SiGe channels

Abstract An analysis of enhanced performance field-effect transistor (FET) structures, incorporating the self-aligned gate feature of conventional Si MOSFETs and the higher carrier-mobility-channel configuration of modulation-doped FETs, is presented. A modified charge-control model is developed to account for the incorporation of the MOS gate in a modulation-doped FET structure. Electrical characteristics are computed for these devices having strained SiGe layers on Si and/or Ge substrates. Theoretical results are computed using the ultra-high hole mobility reported in the literature for the modulation-doped SiGe-Ge-SiGe p -MOSFETs. It is shown that these devices will extend the use of SiGe based FETs to over the 80 GHz range for a 0.25 μm gate at 77 K, while maintaining the high packing density inherent in Si MOSFETs.
Improved focused ion beam fabrication of near-field apertures using a silicon nitride membrane

We report an improved fabrication method for C-shaped near-field apertures resonant in the near-IR regime. The apertures are created in a metal layer on a silicon nitride membrane using a focused ion beam and a through membrane milling technique that avoids two problems with fabricating very small apertures: gallium contamination and edge rounding. Finite-difference time-domain simulations predict a 63× more intense near field with a 2.2× smaller spot versus conventionally milled apertures. We verify the position of the simulated resonance peaks with experimental far-field transmission measurements where we also find an increase of 8.8× in intensity. Our method has applications to many other plasmonic devices including bow-tie and fractal apertures, periodic arrays, and gratings.
Measuring Characteristics of Teacher Professional Development.

The primary purpose of the study was to create and psychometrically test an instrument which measured teachers’ perceptions of characteristics of professional development. The sample consisted of elementary teachers from five school districts in Washington State participating in a district improvement initiative. Results of exploratory factor analysis resulted in a five-component solution which provided evidence of construct validity. All components/subscales had moderate to strong internal consistency as measured by Cronbach’s alpha. The secondary purpose was to determine if characteristics of professional development predicted teachers’ use of new knowledge and skills, and student learning outcomes, thus contributing to the predictive validity of the instrument. There was a slight, but significant, correlation between Active Learning in Classroom and teachers’ use of new knowledge and skills, as measured by classroom observation scores. A small negative correlation emerged between Collective Participati...
Curvature Dynamics of α-Synuclein Familial Parkinson Disease Mutants : MOLECULAR SIMULATIONS OF THE MICELLE-AND BILAYER-BOUND FORMS

α-Synuclein remains a protein of interest due to its propensity to form fibrillar aggregates in neurodegenerative disease and its putative function in synaptic vesicle regulation. Herein, we present a series of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of wild-type α-synuclein and three Parkinson disease familial mutants (A30P, A53T, and E46K) in two distinct environments. First, in order to match recent NMR experiments, we have simulated each protein bound to an SDS detergent micelle. Second, in order to connect more closely to the true biological environment, we have simulated the proteins bound to a 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoserine lipid bilayer. In the micelle-bound case, we find that the wild type and all of the variants of α-synuclein flatten the underlying micelle, decreasing its surface area. A30P is known to lessen α-synuclein/membrane affinity and, consistent with experiment, destabilizes the simulated secondary structure. In the case of A53T, our simulations reveal a range of stabilizing hydrogen bonds that form with the threonine. In both environments, the E46K mutation, which is known to increase bilayer affinity, leads to an additional hydrogen bond between the protein and either the detergent or lipid. Simulations indicate that αS and its variants are less dynamic in the bilayer than in the micelle. Furthermore, the simulations of the mutants suggest how changes in the structure and dynamics of α-synuclein may affect its biological role.
Rhabdomyosarcoma involving the left mandible.

Abstract A case of rhabdomyosarcoma involving the left mandible is reported. This is a very unusual site for this tumor. Unfortunately, the patient died of a myocardial infarction eleven days following surgery. No evidence of metastasis was found.
Electrochemical Properties of Pt Coatings on Ni Prepared by Atomic Layer Deposition

Presented herein is an approach to fabrication of Pt coatings on non-noble metals with submonolayer thickness. The Pt coatings were prepared using atomic layer deposition ALD in which Ni-disk substrate is exposed to MeCpPtMe3 and H2 in alternating cycles. The structure and electrocatalytic activity of the coatings were characterized using elemental analysis and various electrochemical techniques. We found that the ALD results in micrometer-size Pt islands up to ca 3.7 monolayers of Pt loading and continues more uniformly at higher loadings. The islandlike growth at low Pt loadings is attributed to the presence of adsorbed O on atomically rough facets of polycrystalline Ni substrate. The thin films of Pt on Ni show enhancement factors in the oxygen reduction reaction similar to what has been reported for PtNi alloys. Potential applications of the methodology demonstrated in this work for the development of the third-generation polymer electrolyte fuel cell catalytic layers with ultralow Pt loading are briefly discussed.
Confusability and interference between members of parafoveal letter pairs.

In each of three experiments, confusability between members of a parafoveally exposed pair of letters affected accuracy of identifying the peripheral, but not the central, letter. Confusability was determined from a confusion matrix developed for each subject. In Experiment 1, only one letter in each pair was identified on each exposure, and the position of pair members was varied over trials while the absolute position of the pair was held at a constant distance from fixation. In Experiment 2, both letters were identified on each exposure. In Experiment 3, the criterion letter was presented at a constant distance from fixation, and both letters were identified on each exposure. Since results in Experiment 3 were the same as in Experiments 1 and 2, the effect cannot be explained with reference to an interaction between confusability and acuity. The implications of the findings for various models of visual information processing are discussed.
New therapeutic approaches for brain tumors

In the last decade, advances in the treatment of primary neuroglial tumors of the central nervous system in adults have been modest. Theories regarding their resistance to treatment have changed little, although now the heterogeneity of anaplastic astrocytomas is recognized. The most effective chemotherapeutic agents--the nitrosoureas and procarbazine--have been used for more than a decade, with no comparably active drugs identified in the meantime. The authors have initiated clinical trials using inhibitors of polyamine synthesis and augmentation of the known effectiveness of irradiation. These programs will be described with preliminary observations.
Modeling adverse birth outcomes via confirmatory factor quantile regression.

Summary We describe a Bayesian quantile regression model that uses a confirmatory factor structure for part of the design matrix. This model is appropriate when the covariates are indicators of scientifically determined latent factors, and it is these latent factors that analysts seek to include as predictors in the quantile regression. We apply the model to a study of birth weights in which the effects of latent variables representing psychosocial health and actual tobacco usage on the lower quantiles of the response distribution are of interest. The models can be fit using an R package called factorQR.
Bacterial Postgenomics: the Promise and Peril of Systems Biology▿

A postulate of systems biology is that, within the sum total of its genomic data, a network map of all functional interactions exists for each organism ([5][1]), and this “interaction map” can be assembled from that data agglomeration through the application of integration algorithms ([9][2], [
Lower midlatitude ionospheric disturbances and the perkins instability

Abstract This paper presents a preliminary study of ionospheric disturbances at dip latitudes less than 40° as seen by the ion drift meter and the retarding potential analyzer on board Atmosphere Explorer E during a period of low solar activity. The altitude of observation was relatively low, mostly below 300 km. The emphasis is on the midlatitude region, where some features resemble equatorial bubbles; no clear demarcation in latitude could be recognized between the bubbles and other midlatitude disturbances. Excellent evidence was found that the Perkins instability is responsible for very structured disturbances which were frequently observed. In most cases where regions of inward and outward E × B drift were encountered, diffusive motion up or down the field line partially cancelled the vertical component of the cross-field drift. In some cases cancellation was almost perfect, but in others it appeared not to occur at all (probably cases involving rapid changes). Within the larger structures caused by the Perkins instability there were places where the secondary gradient drift instability was also active.
The value of the Health Assessment Questionnaire and special patient-generated scales to demonstrate change in systemic sclerosis patients over time.

Objective. To determine the validity and usefulness of a modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) for measurement of disease status and changes in disease status over time in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods. Since 1985,1,250 patients attending the University of Pittsburgh Scleroderma Clinic have completed a modified HAQ annually. In addition to the standard HAQ questions about disability, the questionnaire includes visual analog scales (VAS) to evaluate SSc organ system symptoms, Raynaud's phenomenon, gastrointestinal (GI) tract and lung involvement, pain, and overall disease severity. In this study, the disability index (DI) (from the HAQ) and the VAS scores (on a 0–3 scale) were compared with various clinical and laboratory features recorded within 3 months of administration of the HAQ and VAS, using t-tests and Spearman's correlation tests. Results. The HAQ DI correlated directly with skin involvement, scleroderma heart or kidney disease, tendon friction rubs, hand contractures, and proximal muscle strength. Over time, the DI correlated with changes in skin score and was a good predictor of survival. There was a significant improvement in the DI during a 2-year time period in patients treated with D-penicillamine. The VAS for digital ulcers, GI symptoms, and lung symptoms correlated very closely with subjective and objective findings for these organ systems. The presence of new digital ulcers or improvement in digital ulcers showed significant associations with the Vascular scale, new GI symptoms or improvement in GI symptoms and institution of H2-blockers showed appropriate strong correlations with the GI scale, and changes in the forced vital capacity had an excellent correlation with the Lung scale (r = 0.58, P < 0.001). By Cox regression analysis, the HAQ DI was one of the best predictors of survival. Conclusion. These data provide convincing evidence that a self-administered questionnaire is an accurate and inexpensive tool to measure disease status changes in SSc. Prospective studies with the HAQ administered at regular intervals, as in controlled trials, should be performed to further assess the benefits and limitations of this instrument.
Grid enabled magnetic resonance scanners for near real-time medical image processing

This paper presents the initial steps taken to integrate the University of California at San Francisco Radiology Department's magnetic resonance (MR) scanners with its high-performance computing (HPC) grid. The objective is to improve patient care by enabling near real-time, computationally intensive medical image processing, directly at an MR scanner. A graphical software tool is described that was developed to run on the MR scanners for submitting processing jobs to the Departmental grid. The computationally intensive parallel reconstruction and quantification of large, multi-dimensional MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) data sets was used as the prototype application for this system. Initial results indicate that real-time processing of medical imaging data on a shared HPC resource is reliable and possible in a clinically acceptable time of less than 5min. The Department's HPC resource is comprised of hardware owned by multiple research groups at three separate University facilities throughout San Francisco.
Durability Methodologies for Material Systems

In the present work, we are concerned with heterogeneous material systems that have multiple distinct materials and void phases, and associated interfaces, for which the geometric scale and specific morphology at the micro/nano-level play an essential role in the global properties, functional behavior, and material system performance. Such heterogeneous combinations of materials that are engineered to function together to create unique properties and performance that is a function of their interaction are called material systems. Engineered heterogeneous material systems are at the heart of revolutionary advances in devices that convert and store energy (e.g., batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, capacitors, and many electro-optical devices), and other membrane-based devices used in chemical and fuel processing, sequestration, and extraction. In recent years, advances in a variety of additive manufacturing methods and techniques have made it possible to design, control, and fabricate specific micro- or nano-structures to achieve prescriptive functional performance of the material systems and devices in which they appear. However, systematic multiphysics analysis methods properly set on field equations that represent the local details are not available, so that first-principles understandings and designs of those materials are not properly founded. Recently, the DoE established an Energy Frontiers Research Center for Physics Based Nanostructure Design and Fabrication of Heterog eneous F unctional M aterials, called the HeteroFoaM Center, to address this and related questions. The present paper presents some initial findings of part of that effort related specifically to durability. For the present study, our approach to the question of durability of engineered material systems will be to construct a damage model, wherein damage is defined as (and by) changes in material state as a function of some generalized time variable that defines the intensity and history of the applied conditions that drive those changes. To bring the reality of engineering practice to our discussion, the durability concepts will be related to the damage and functional degradation observed in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) during service. SOFCs convert the chemical energy of fuel to electrical power. This focus will serve to define the scope of our discussion, which will be the durability of complex, heterogeneous material systems as measured by degradation of their functional performance defined by mechanical, thermal, and electrical behavior.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Improving instructional systems through confidence testing

Confidence testing is a probabilistic measurement technique which provides the teacher a mechanism for maximizing information about the student's current state of knowledge by examining the degree of confidence he has in his answers. The student's estimate of his level of knowledge provides valuable diagnostic information for assessing the effectiveness of instruction. This report outlines four operational levels of a student's knowledge ranging from true knowledge to pure chance. The confidence testing formats described permit students to select and weight test items making both the student and the teacher active participants in the testing process.
Utility of preoperative serumprostate-specific antigen concentration and biopsy Gleason score in predicting risk of pelvic lymph node metastases in prostate cancer

Objectives. To determine the accuracy of the preoperative serum concentrationof prostate-specific antigen (PSA) plus the Gleason pathology score of biopsy specimens in predicting the presence of disease in the pelvic lymph nodes in patients with prostate cancer.
Fiber Optic Fabry-Perot Sensors Embedded in Metal and in a Composite

In recent years a strong interest has developed in embedded fiber optic sensors for the monitoring of strain, temperature, and other parameters in structural materials [1]. The fiber Fabry-Perot interferometer (FFPI) using internal mirrors [2-4] is a strong candidate for this application because it provides localized ("point") sensing capability and high sensitivity, and is amenable to time-division multiplexing. Here, new results on the embedding of FFPIs in metals and composites are reported.
Whose Information Age?: Employment Prospects for Non—College-Educated Women and Men

It is taken for granted that those who have only a high school education will not easily find jobs in information technology industries, that in the current economy, they will inevitably be left at a disadvantage. But this economist finds that the conventional wisdom is exaggerated.
Perceptions of the Environment for Eating and Exercise in a Rural Community

Abstract Objective To understand how members of a rural community perceive the effect of the built, natural, and social environments on their food choice and physical activity behaviors. Methods A constructivist community environmental assessment was conducted including 17 individual qualitative interviews, 2 focus groups, and photo elicitation (n = 27) in a rural northeastern community where over 60% of the adult population is overweight or obese. Results Participants described social, natural, and physical environmental factors that influenced their food choice and physical activity behaviors. Overweight and obesity were variably presented as an individual and/or a collective problem. Participants described conflicting goals for food choice and physical activity in the community, and an interrelationship between the social and physical environments. Conclusions and Implications A community environmental assessment provides a view of the physical and social environments from the perspective of community residents that can serve as a foundation for locally tailored, community-based approaches to obesity prevention.
Genotype‐by‐Tillage Interactions in Hard Red Winter Wheat Quality Evaluation

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is grown under both conventional-till and conservation-till systems in the Northern Great Plains. A benefit of sowing winter wheat into standing stubble is the protection the crop receives from trapped snow and the resultant reduction in winter kill. A 5-yr study was conducted at four locations in North Dakota to measure cultivar-by-tillage interactions for quality parameters of wheat and to determine whether testing under both conventional-till and no-till systems was advantageous (...)
Behavioral assessment of c-fos mutant mice

Induction of the proto-oncogene c-fos has been associated with a number of neural and behavioral responses to acute stimuli. Behavioral characterization of mice containing a mutant c-fos allele created via homologous recombination-based gene targeting was performed to analyze the role of this protein in baseline neurological properties as well as paradigms that require neural adaptive responses. Performance of 9 out of 11 c-fos-deficient animals was impaired in the spatial version of the Morris water task. However, this poor performance in the spatial version of the task was highly correlated to their performance in the non-spatial version of the task which suggests that they have a behavioral impairment that interrupts their ability to perform adequately on both versions of the task with the same proficiency as wild-type and heterozygous litter mates. To examine learning impairments further, a simple left/right discrimination in a T-maze was used. Mutants were not impaired in this simple learning task. These results suggest that c-fos mutants have some behavioral impairments that interfere with evaluation of complex learning on the Morris water task, but because all genotypes could perform a simple discrimination task, it is clear that c-fos is not essential for this simpler form of learning and memory.
Bright, saturated, red-to-yellow organic light-emitting devices based on polarization-induced spectral shifts

We demonstrate red, orange, and yellow organic light-emitting devices (OLED) with the electroluminescent layer consisting of aluminum tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) (Alq3) doped with laser dye DCM2, with the emission color dependent on the concentration of DCM2. A peak emission wavelength shift of up to 50 nm is found to be due to strong polarization effects. For red and yellow–orange OLEDs, a maximum luminance of 1400 cd/m2 and 15200 cd/m2 is measured, with a luminance of 100 cd/m2 attained at 100 mA/cm2 (14 V) and 10 mA/cm2 (12 V), respectively. The current versus voltage dependencies of these devices are consistent with trap-limited conduction, unaffected by the presence of DCM2.
Ultrastructure of rat mammary-gland anlagen in vivo and after culture with hormones.

Mammary gland anlagen from the 17-day fetal rat were grown for six and nine days in organ culture in basal (Waymouth's agar) nutrient medium only and with added insulin, insulin and prolactin, or insulin, prolactin, and aldosterone. Prior work has shown that the three-hormone combination is most effective in stimulating histologic differentiation and the synthesis of a casein-like material. Cultured explants from each group were examined by electron microscopy and compared with 17-day anlagen before culture and with the mammary gland of the newborn female rat. The 17-day anlage is a solid mass of cells, surrounded by a basal lamina and a partially oriented sheath of mesenchyme cells; ultrastructure of the epithelial cells shows the characteristics of fetal tissue. At birth, the normal mammary gland consists of an extensively branching system of ductules with continuous lumina and a well developed sheath of connective tissue. Luminal surfaces of epithelial cells bear numerous microvilli and are ringed by continuous belts of tight junctions. Fat droplets are present in cells and lumina and the Golgi apparatus is abundant but not visibly active in protein secretion; rough endoplasmic reticulum is present in moderate quantity and occasionally is distended with low-density, homogeneous content. Organ culture without hormones resulted in epithelial cell proliferation; however, the basal lamina disappeared, no connective-tissue sheath developed, and the epithelial mass showed no organized growth pattern. Some small, true lumina appeared within the cell mass. With insulin added, the anlagen ramified moderately and formed true lumina that were distinct but often discontinuous; the enveloping connective and adipose tissues were well developed. Epithelial cells showed little organellar differentiation but contained many fat droplets and abundant glycogen. In the presence of insulin and prolactin, ductal organization was much improved, whereas organellar differentiation within epithelial cells was only slightly better than with insulin alone. With the three-hormone combination, histologic organization and ultrastructural differentiation attained levels similar to those in the gland of the newborn rat; in addition, the Golgi complex in some cells was conspicuously active and many Golgi vesicles contained condensed material similar to the protein secretion products seen in pregnant and lactating mammary glands.
The Relationship between Piagetian Cognitive Development, Mental Test Performance, and Academic Achievement in High-Risk Students with and without Early Educational Experience.

Abstract The effects of early educational intervention upon socioeconomically disadvantaged children's attainment of the cognitive stage of concrete operations was assessed using the Concept Assessment Kit-Conservation (CAK). The test was administered longitudinally to 86 low-SES children at ages 5,6, and 7, and to random cross-sectional samples of more advantaged classmates at the same ages. Low-SES children who had early educational intervention developed the ability to conserve earlier than those without intervention, the order of difficulty for the different concepts was similar in all groups. The proportion of nonconservers in the low-SES intervention group did not differ significantly from that of their more advantaged peers in the first and third years in early elementary school, but low-SES Control children were more likely to be nonconservers. Scores on the CAK were significantly correlated with those on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Childre-Revised; correlations with the Verbal IQ were higher than those with Performance IQ. The CAK improved prediction of mathematics achievement above that possible with the WISC-R alone, but did not improve prediction for reading.
Interaction of a finite train of short pulses with an atomic ladder system

When a train of optical pulses interacts with a medium, the time between pulses and the pulse-to-pulse phase jump have a profound effect on the outcome of the interaction. For a near-infinite train of regularly separated pulses having a constant pulse-to-pulse phase jump, as in the output of a frequency comb laser interacting with a ladder system, excitation of that system has been previously calculated and compared with experiment. In that case, the number of pulses in the train is very large, and the energy per pulse is very small. In the present work, the other extreme is experimentally examined: A small number of regularly spaced optical pulses are made to interact with a three-level ladder system in atomic rubidium. The pulses have been amplified, possibly placing the interactions into a nonperturbative regime. The experimental results are compared to a simple intuitive model and found to be in good general agreement. However, some aspects of the experimental results seem to be at odds with the simple model.
Frequency-dependent viscous flow in channels with fractal rough surfaces

The viscous dynamic permeability of some fractal-like channels is studied. For our particular class of geometries, the ratio of the pore surface area-to-volume tends to ∞ (but has a finite cutoff), and the universal scaling of the dynamic permeability, k(ω), needs modification. We performed accurate numerical computations of k(ω) for channels characterized by deterministic fractal wall surfaces, for a broad range of fractal dimensions. The pertinent scaling model for k(ω) introduces explicitly the fractal dimension of the wall surface for a range of frequencies across the transition between viscous and inertia dominated regimes. The new model provides excellent agreement with our numerical simulations.
Law after Society

For a very long time it has seemed that something important was going to happen at the intersection of law and society (or more specifically law and those discourses we have called at various times the human, social, or behavioral sciences). Many of the truly great intellects of political and social thought in this century and the last have wagered their careers on this intersection including, Jeremy Bentham's "science of legislation" (1987); Leon Duguit's "social law" (1921); Roscoe Pound's "sociological jurisprudence"; and Karl Llewellyn's "legal realism." All looked promising. All failed to achieve really dramatic success as either academic or governmental programs.'
In vitro and in vivo regulation by macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) of expression of MHC-II, costimulatory, adhesion, receptor, and cytokine molecules.

Abstract The secretion of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is enhanced by inflammatory and other stimuli. MIF regulates innate and adaptive immune responses, but the mechanisms of this regulation are poorly understood. Our hypothesis was that MIF generated by these stimuli regulates these responses by modulating key molecular expression. This hypothesis was tested by adding greater than constitutive concentrations of recombinant MIF to cultures of various cell types and flow cytometric assay. MIF modulated surface expression of MHC-II, B7-2, CD40, CD40 ligand, ICAM-1 and Fcγ, CR1/CR2, and IL-10 receptors and intracellular expression of IL-10, TNFα, and p40 (IL-12). MIF increased expression of B7-1 by B cells and CD40 L by T cells in spleens from Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice. Footpad injection of MIF reduced expression of MHC-II and CD40 by B cells in draining lymph nodes. Footpad injection of Mab to MIF reduced expression of B7-2 and CR1/CR2 by B cells and B7-2 by macrophages in these nodes. These data support our hypothesis.
Reintroduction programmes: genetic trade-offs for populations

Reintroductions of captive-managed animals are a vital tool for the conservation of populations and species extinct in the wild. Because genetic diversity may impact population persistence, the genetic composition of reintroduced and captive populations is critical. For captive-managed species with known pedigrees, individual animals can be selected to create reintroduced populations with specific genetic compositions. Five genetic and demographic strategies for selecting animals were tested on four species. Selection strategies were based on criteria identified in field and theoretical studies. Simulated reintroductions of animals from captive-breeding programmes created a genetic conflict. Among the different strategies, increases in the genetic diversity of one subpopulation were negatively correlated with changes in the genetic diversity of the other subpopulation. For example, the release of genetically over-represented animals was the most beneficial strategy for a captive-breeding programme, but provided the least genetic diversity for the reintroduced population. However, gains and losses in genetic diversity between populations varied with different selection criteria and different population structures. Because captive-breeding histories vary for each species, changes in genetic composition cannot be accurately predicted and no one strategy is universally optimal. Thus, genetic trade-offs must be assessed for each population relative to specific programme goals.
Growing Populus biomass: Comparison of woodgrass versus wider-spaced short-rotation systems

Abstract Growth and yield of Populus were examined in a 5-year test of five spacing-harvest regimes in western Washington. Two hybrid clones (D-O1 and H-11) were planted at two woodgrass spacings (0.18 and 0.3 m) and three wider spacings (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 m). All treatments were replicated three times in a randomized block design; all plots were fertilized, irrigated, and weeded uniformly. Mean annual harvest yields in the woodgrass treatments did not differ significantly between the two clones (D-O1 and H-11) or two spacings (0.18 and 0.3 m), averaging 6.4 to 7.0 Mg ha −1 (tonnes ha −1 ) over the 5-year period. The highest yield in woodgrass treatments was produced in the second year (first year of coppice), and it declined thereafter. Cumulative growth in the wider spacings was significantly greater than in the two woodgrass spacings. Per hectare yields of clone H-11 in the wider spacings at age 5 were two to three times greater than cumulative yields obtained with annually cut woodgrass, averaging 15.7 to 18.8 Mg ha −1 yr −1 . Fifth-year increments in all wider spacings (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 m) of clone H-11 exceeded 30 Mg ha −1 . Yields of clone D-01 in the wider spacings ranged from 8.1 to 10.9 Mg ha −1 yr −1 , and thus were also substantially greater than cumulative yields of woodgrass. We conclude that annually harvested woodgrass shows little promise as a viable system for growing Populus for biomass. On the other hand, yields in the wider spacings with a longer harvest cycle were substantially higher than previously expected, especially for clone H-11. Thus, possibilities for application of the wide-spaced regimes and longer cutting cycles appear promising.
Regulation of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Receptor Promoter Activity by Wild-Type and Mutant Versions of the WT1 Tumor Suppressor

The insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase that mediates the growth-promoting effects of IGF-I and IGF-II. Changes in IGF-I receptor messenger RNA levels are reflected in cell surface receptor number, and modulation of IGF-I receptor levels affects tumorigenicity in numerous cellular models; thus, control of IGF-I receptor gene expression appears to be an important level at which cellular proliferation and tumorigenic potential may be regulated. We have previously shown that the product of the WT1 Wilms' tumor suppressor gene represses IGF-I receptor gene expression both in vitro and in vivo, and that decreased WT1 levels are correlated with up-regulation of IGF-I receptor gene expression in Wilms' tumor, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and breast cancer. Gene regulation by WT1 is complex, in that the WT1 gene encodes a variety of products as a result of alternative splicing and RNA editing, and a number of missense point mutations have been characterized in Wilms' tumor-associated syndromes. Additionally, the WT1 protein has been demonstrated to self-associate through its N-terminal domain, although the role of this intermolecular interaction in transcriptional regulation by WT1 is unclear. In this report, we analyze the relative activity of wild-type and mutant versions of the WT1 protein with respect to IGF-I receptor promoter activity in transient transfection assays and assess the potential contribution of WT1 self-association to IGF-I receptor regulation using the yeast two-hybrid system. Of the naturally occurring variations in WT1 structure, only the presence of a three-amino acid KTS insert in the zinc finger domain introduced by alternative splicing of exon 9 had a significant effect on WT1 repression of IGF-I receptor promoter activity. The N- and C-terminal domains of WT1 also exhibited partial repression, as did the most common mutant version of the WT1 protein associated with Denys-Drash syndrome. Mutations in the WT1 N-terminus attenuated WT1 self-association in the yeast two-hybrid system, but did not impair transcriptional repression. Our results suggest that 1) the DNA-binding capacity of WT1 is critical for maximal repression of the IGF-I receptor promoter, but some effects may be mediated through protein-protein interactions involving the N-terminal domain; 2) WT1 self-association may not be required for repression of the IGF-I receptor promoter; and 3) the Denys-Drash syndrome version of the WT1 protein may exhibit residual or possible gain of function activity in some contexts rather than exerting dominant negative effects, as has been proposed previously.
On the role of storage granules in the functional utilization of newly synthesized dopamine.

Previous studies have provided evidence for the prime importance of newly synthesized dopamine as compared with the large endogenous stores of amine in the functional mobilization of dopamine under conditions of a heavy demand on the neuron such as in the presence of a neuroleptic. The present study was designed to examine the role of storage granules in the utilization of newly synthesized dopamine and to examine the mechanism of the cataleptic action of reserpine-like drugs. It was found that the injection of a small dose of L-Dopa did not reverse the catalepsy produced by the short-acting dopamine depleter, Ro 4-1284, either when the depleter was given alone or was given after tyrosine hydroxylase blockade byα-methyltyrosine, provided that the L-Dopa was given at a time when Ro 4-1284 was present. However, the same dose of L-Dopa quickly reversed catalepsy when given at a time of dopamine depletion but in the absence of Ro 4-1284. Sinceα-methyltyrosine alone does not produce catalepsy until exhaustion of the large endogenous dopamine pool, but quickly potentiates neuroleptic-induced catalepsy, it is suggested that under normal conditions the slow transfer of stored dopamine to a releasable site is sufficiently rapid to maintain striatal function. However, the transfer rate appears to be too slow for adequate mobilization of the store under conditions of a heavy demand. It is further suggested that a prime role of storage granules is to channel newly synthesized dopamine into the synaptic cleft. Reserpine-like drugs appear to produce catalepsy, not by depletionper se of the main dopamine pool, but by interference with this granule channeling function.
PSYCHOLINGUISTIC PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN VARYING IN SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND HOME-LANGUAGE BACKGROUND

60 second-grade children varying in socioeconomic status and home-language background (30 Greek, 30 English) were administered Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, and the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability. English verbal deficits were associated with delayed reading achievement only for native English speakers.
Ab initio and classical simulations of the temperature dependence of zeolite pore sizes

Ab initio and classical simulations were used to study the equilibrium and fluctuating ring diameters for all-silica zeolites SOD, FER, and MFI over the temperature range 300–900 K. Such simulations are important for understanding and predicting zeolite/guest fit, especially for relatively bulky guest species, e.g., those derived from biomass. We simulated equilibrium zeolite structures, IR spectra, thermal expansion coefficients, and ring breathing vibrations to investigate the competition between negative thermal expansion and enhanced vibrational amplitudes with increasing temperature. We find that although negative thermal expansion tends to shrink equilibrium ring sizes with increasing temperature, this trend is nullified by considering ring breathing vibrations, giving effective pore sizes that are roughly constant with temperature, and larger than those extracted from X-ray data. Several force fields were tested and a modified BKS force field was found to give the best agreement with the simulated properties listed above, especially for MFI. Our results are consistent with previous work suggesting that effective zeolite ring sizes are underestimated by using oxygen ionic radii for estimating atomic excluded volume.
Remote office work: changing work patterns in space and time

Remote work refers to organizational work that is performed outside of the normal organizational confines of space and time. The term telecommuting refers to the substitution of communications capabilities for travel to a central work location. Office automation technology permits many office workers to be potential telecommuters in that their work can be performed remotely with computer and communications support. This paper examines some behavioral, organizational, and social issues surrounding remote work, particularly work at home.An exploratory study was conducted of 32 organizational employees who were working at home. Important characteristics of jobs that can be performed at home were: minimum physical requirements, individual control over work pace, defined deliverables, a need for concentration, and a relatively low need for communication. The individuals who worked at home successfully were found to be highly self-motivated and self-disciplined and to have skills which provided them with bargaining power. They also made the arrangement either because of family requirements or because they preferred few social contacts beyond family.
Induction of urinary excretion of 3-nitrotyrosine, a marker of oxidative stress, following administration of pyridostigmine bromide, DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) and permethrin, alone and in combination in rats

In this study, we determined levels of 3-nitrotyrosine in rat urine following administration of a single oral dose of 13 mg/kg pyridostigmine bromide (PB) (3-dimethylaminocarbonyloxy-N-methylpyridinum bromide), a single dermal dose of 400 mg/kg N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) and a single dermal dose of 1.3 mg/kg permethrin, alone and in combination. Urine samples were collected from five treated and five control rats at 4, 8, 16, 24, 48, and 72 h following dosing. Solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection at 274 nm was used for the determination of tyrosine and 3-nitrotyrosine. A single oral dose of PB and a single dermal dose of DEET or their combination significantly (P<0.05) increased levels of 3-nitrotyrosine starting 24 h after dosing compared with control urine samples. The maximum increase of 3-nitroytyrosine was detected 48 h after combined administration of PB and DEET. The ratio of 3-nitrotyrosine to tyrosine in urine excreted 48 h after dosing was 0.19+/-0.04, 0.20+/-0.05, 0.28+/-0.03, 0.32+/-0.04, 0.19+/-0.05, 0.42+/-0.04, 0.27+/-0.03, 0.36+/-0.04, and 0.48+/-0.04 following administration of water, ethanol, PB, DEET, permethrin, PB+DEET, PB+permethrin, DEET+permethrin, and PB+DEET+permethrin, respectively. The results indicate that an oral dose of PB and a dermal administration of DEET, alone and in combination, could generate free radical species, and thus increase levels of 3-nitrotyrosine in rat urine. Induction of 3-nitrotyrosine, a marker of oxidative stress, following exposure to these compounds could be significant in understanding the proposed enhanced toxicity following combined exposure to these compounds.
An examination of calcium current function on heterotopic neurons in hippocampal slices from rats exposed to methylazoxymethanol.

Summary: Purpose: To study voltage-dependent calcium currents (VDCCs) on hippocampal heterotopic neurons by using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques in brain slices prepared from methylaxozymethanol (MAM)-exposed rats. Methods: Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings were obtained from visually identified neurons in acute brain slices by using an infrared differential interference contrast (IR-DIC) video microscopy system. Heterotopic neurons were compared with normotopic pyramidal cells in hippocampal slices from MAM-exposed rats or CA1 pyramidal neurons in slices from controls. Results: Heterotopic neurons expressed a prominent VDCC, which exhibited a peak current maximum around –30 mV (holding potential, –60 mV) and an inactivation time constant of 48.2 ± 2.4 ms (n = 91). VDCC peak current and inactivation time constants were similar for normotopic (n = 92) and CA1 pyramidal cells (n = 40). Pharmacologic analysis of VDCC, on heterotopic, normotopic, and CA1 pyramidal cells, revealed an ∼70% blockade of peak Ca2+ current with nifedipine and amiloride (L- and T-type channel blockers, respectively). Inhibition of VDCC, for all three cell types, also was similar when more specific Ca2+ channel antagonists were used [e.g., ω-conotoxin GVIA (N-type), ω−agatoxin KT (P/Q-type), and sFTX-3.3 (P-type)]. VDCC modulation by norepinephrine (NE) or adrenergic receptor–specific agonists [clonidine (α2), isoproterenol (β), and phenylephrine (α1)] was similar for heterotopic and CA1 pyramidal cells. Conclusions: Heterotopic neurons do not appear to exhibit Ca2+ channel abnormalities that could contribute to the reported hyperexcitability associated with MAM-exposed rats.