cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production and differentiation of NK lineage cells in long-term bone marrow cultures in the absence of exogenous growth factors

Abstract Neither lytic NK cells nor IL-2-responsive NK precursors were produced in myeloid (Dexter) long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMC). However, when myeloid LTBMC were switched to lymphoid (Whitlock-Witte) conditions and reseeded (“recharged”) with fresh bone marrow cells (BMC), nonadherent cells with NK lytic activity and NK 1.1 + phenotype were produced within 1–2 weeks without the addition of exogenous IL-2 to the cultures. NK- and T cell-depleted BMC proliferated extensively in switched cultures and in 2 weeks generated cells that lysed the NK target YAC-1 but not the LAK target P815. The presence of NK precursors in the cultures was confirmed by reculturing nonadherent cells harvested from recharged LTBMC in fresh medium containing 50 U rIL-2/ml. High levels of NK lytic activity were generated. Sequential expression of NK 1.1 and IL-2 responsiveness followed by lytic activity was demonstrated by harvesting cells early after recharge, prior to the appearance of lytic cells. Elimination of NK 1.1 + cells depleted the ability to respond to IL-2 in secondary culture. Our studies demonstrate that myeloid-to-lymphoid switched LTBMC support the proliferation and differentiation of NK lineage cells from their NK 1.1 − , nonlytic progenitors in the absence of an exogenous source of growth factors.
Photoelectron diffraction: new dimensions in space, time, and spin

Abstract The current status of photoelectron diffraction studies of surface structures is briefly reviewed, and several recent developments and proposals for future areas of application are then discussed. The application of full-solid-angle diffraction data, together with simultaneous characterization by low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunnelling microscopy, to epitaxial growth is first considered. New instrumentation for carrying out such studies with third-generation synchrotron radiation is then presented and several types of results obtained with it are discussed. These results include photoelectron diffraction from surface and interface atoms, the possibility of time-resolved measurements, and circular dichroism in photoelectron angular distributions. The addition of spin to the photoelectron diffraction measurement is also considered, and can be achieved either through core-level multiplet splittings or by circular-polarized excitation of spin-orbit-split levels. This last development makes it possible to study short-range magnetic order, perhaps even in a holographic fashion.
Prostaglandin E2 Stimulates Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia Cell Growth through Activation of the Interleukin-6/GP130/STAT-3 Signaling Pathway

Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretion are increased in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and prostate cancer. PGE2 biosynthesis by cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 plays a pivotal role in inflammation and carcinogenesis. One of the critical proinflammatory cytokines in the prostate is interleukin-6 (IL-6). We hypothesized that increased expression of COX-2, with resultant increased levels of PGE2 in human PIN cells, activates the IL-6 signaling pathway. We demonstrate an autocrine upregulation of PGE2 mediated by IL-6 in a human PIN cell line. We further demonstrate that PGE2 stimulates soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) release, gp130 dimerization, Stat-3 protein phosphorylation, and DNA binding activity. These events, induced by PGE2, lead to increased PIN cell growth. Treatment of PIN cells with a selective COX-2 inhibitor decreases cell growth. Finally, PGE2-stimulated PIN cell growth was abrogated by the addition of IL-6 neutralizing antibodies. These data provide mechanistic evidence that increased expression of COX-2/PGE2 contributes to prostate cancer development and progression via activation of the IL-6 signaling pathway.
Regulation of small RNAs in Escherichia coli. Alteration in the intracellular concentrations of small RNAs during amino acid and energy starvation

The accumulation of low molecular weight RNAs in Escherichia coli cells following amino acid or energy source starvation was examined using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 32P-labeled small RNA prepared from serine- or isoleucine-starved stringent strain (relA+) cells was shown to display gel patterns that were grossly different from that of unstarved cells. It appears that the deprivation of serine or isoleucine has little or no inhibitory effect on the accumulation of transfer RNA cognate to the deprived amino acid. This is demonstrated by a relative increase in the concentrations of small RNAs that can be charged with serine or isoleucine following starvation of these amino acids. However, small RNAs labeled during starvation of phenylalanine or energy source showed gel patterns similar to that of control cells. This suggested a heterogenous response in the accumulation of some low molecular weight RNAs, presumably transfer RNAs, following starvation of different amino acids.
Glycogen content of rabbit tubular genitalia from mating through implantation

Groups of five rabbits were killed at 0, 2, 4, 7, 10, 24, 48, 98, 168 and 240 hours after mating. The glycogen content of the lower half of the Fallopian tube was greater than in the upper half at each interval. Uterine and Fallopian tube levels of glycogen decreased during the interval from mating to ovulation. Both cervical and vaginal glycogen declined significantly within 24 hours after mating. Decidual uterine areas contained 1.5 and 5.0 times more glycogen on days 7 and 10, respectively, than interdecidual areas. Castrate rabbit Fallopian tube, uterus, cervix and vagina responded with glycogen synthesis to estradiol, but not to progesterone administration.
Pericardial tamponade in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.

We report four eases of malignant pleuroperieardial effusions in patients with chronic phase myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Based on current literature, this event is rare and very poorly understood. Our cases shed light on three important clinical characteristics: (1) patients with CMML develop effusions during uncontrolled leukocytosis; (2) these effusions are very responsive to conventional chemotherapy; and (3) effusions may develop without clinical forms of disease in other sites of extramedullary hematopoiesis.
The Effectiveness of Yaz and Yasmin Administered Orally and Vaginally for the Primary Treatment of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Background: It is estimated that 5.3-7.8% of adolescents are affected PMDD, but a study of college age girls has demonstrated PMDD and severe PMS have a prevalence as high as 18.2%. Several studies have demonstrated that combined regimens containing ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone have been effective in the reduction of premenstrual symptoms and improving health related quality of life. The objective of this study was to determine if Yaz and Yasmin when adminstered orally or vaginally exhibit similar effectiveness based on the daily record of severity problems scale. Methods: This was a non-blinded randomized control pilot trial. Adolescents age 13-20 years who met diagnostic criteria for PMDD based on the DSM IV criteria were included. Block randomization was used to randomize participants to receive Yaz orally, Yaz vaginally, Yasmin orally or Yasmin vaginally. Subjects kept a weekly diary of symptoms typically associated with PMDD for 6 months. IRB approval was obtained by our institution. Results: 7 subjects were included in the study. 2 subjects dropped before the 6 month duration of the study was complete. 4 subjects were randomized to either oral (PO) Yasmin or Yaz and 3 were randomized to Yasmin or Yaz vaginally (PV). The mean age was 15+/1.63 years. The average number of days of bleeding reported during menses at baseline was 5.85. 42.9% reported cramps during their cycle and 57.1% cited regular cycles at baseline. 85.7% of subjects reported problems with irritability, concentrating, energy, anxiety, increased appetite and feeling overwhelmed during the week before menses and remission within days of menses at baseline. 71.4% of subject’s reported decreased interest in activities, tensions and depression symptoms at baseline The most common adverse event was headaches and was more common in the PV group at one month (66%). By 3 months only 33% reported headaches in the PV group. Nausea at baseline and at 3 months was more common in the PO group. No subjects had VTE events. None of the participants were sexually active during the duration of the study, all had a normal physical exam including normal blood pressure and no subjects had a positive pregnancy test. For all subjects, PMDD symptoms improved based on their Daily Record of severity of problems scores by 3 months post treatment initiation. Conclusions: This was a pilot study with a small sample size. More research with larger sample size will be needed to confirm our findings that both Yaz and Yasmin orally and vaginally can effectively treat PMDD in the adolescent population. Although minor side effects were cited, no major cardiovascular side effects were observed.
Nuclear Levels Associated with Zirconium 95 and Niobium 95

Using sources of zirconium 95, both as a fission product and as derived from neutron capture in enriched ${\mathrm{Zr}}^{94}$, in magnetic spectrometers, a study has been made of the beta- and gamma-energies and of the half-lives associated with the radioactive decay. Zirconium 95 emits three beta-rays of energy about 910, 405, and 360 kev, each followed by a gamma-transition leading to a radioactive daughter product, niobium 95. The gamma-energies are 758, 725, and 235.2 kev. The niobium 95 decays by beta-emission, of energy 165 kev, to molybdenum 95 with accompanying gamma-energies of 753 and 768 kev. The observed transitions are found to fit a level scheme that is not incompatible with shell theory.
Incorporation and dilution values—Their calculation in mass spectrally assayed stable isotope labeling experiments

Abstract The significance and validity of incorporation and dilution values in radioisotope tracer work are reviewed. The parallels between specific activity and enrichment factor are drawn. Methods of obtaining enrichment factors from mass spectral data are examined, and examples are given. Natural-abundance correction procedures are documented.
Selective self-assembly of single walled carbon nanotubes in long steel tubing for chemical separations

This paper reports the scaled-up self-assembly of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on the inside wall of a long silica-lined steel capillary tubing for applications such as chemical processing and separations. A unique one step self-assembly process has been developed and the effect of the substrate on the morphology of the CVD growth has been studied. With the aerosol spray of an ethanolic solution consisting of dissolved cobalt and molybdenum as metal catalysts and co-catalysts respectively, the catalyst was generated and activated in situ inside the interior of the tubing, in parallel with the synthesis of SWCNTs, thus eliminating the need to coat the substrate with the catalyst prior to the synthesis of the nanotubes. The presence of a silica layer on the steel tubing was found to be critical for the formation of SWCNTs. Gas chromatographic separation of aromatic compounds is demonstrated on the capillary tube.
Numerical Simulation of the Effects of St. Louis on Mesoscale Boundary-Layer Airflow and Vertical Air Motion: Simulations of Urban vs Non-Urban Effects

Abstract A three-dimensional mesoscale computer model is used to assess the importance of urban effects, relative to non-urban effects, on mesoscale boundary-layer vertical air motion and on the height of the boundary layer downwind of St. Louis, Missouri. Simulations are made for south, southwest, west and northwest winds, with urban land uses replaced by rural land uses, both with and without topography. Simulations including urban effects indicated mesoscale upward air motion downwind of the city for all wind directions, strongest for southwest winds and weakest for northwest winds. With urban effects excluded, much weaker upward motion was found downwind for south, southwest and west winds, and downward vertical velocities occurred in the downwind areas for northwest winds. The results of this study imply that mesoscale boundary-layer upward air motion occurs downwind of St. Louis, primarily as a result of urban effects. Local geographic influences may tend to enhance or suppress this upward air motio...
Photoneutron Yields in the Rare-Earth Region

The total photoneutron yield curves for Sn, I, La, Ce, Sm, Tb, Ho, Er, Yb, Ta, Au, and Pb have been measured for x-ray energies from 7 to 40 Mev with about one percent statistical uncertainty. The Penfold-Leiss matrix was used to convert these yield curves to integrated neutron yield cross sections directly without smoothing the original activation curves. The cross sections derived from the integral curves were corrected for multiple neutron emission above the ($\ensuremath{\gamma}, 2n$) threshold using the statistical model. The widths found for the giant resonances for the closed-shell nuclei decreased from 5 Mev to 3.8 Mev in going from Sn to Pb. The widths for the elements having large nuclear deformations for most of their isotopes were considerably broader. These widths decreased slowly from 8.6 Mev for Sm to 6 Mev for Ta. These widths are consistent with the broadening of the giant resonance to be expected on the Danos model if values of the intrinsic quadrupole moment are taken from Coulomb excitation data. The neutron yield cross sections corrected for multiple neutron emission were integrated to 22 Mev. Using these integrals and defining $f$ by $\ensuremath{\int}\ensuremath{\sigma}\mathrm{dE}=0.06(\frac{\mathrm{NZ}}{A})f$, these data gave an average value of $f=1.34\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.21$.
Variations In Prenatal Care Quality For The Rural Poor In Mexico

Quality is high on the Mexican health policy agenda. In this paper we evaluate the quality of prenatal care for rural low-income women. Women who obtained care from private practitioners and non-MDs received fewer procedures on average. Poverty predicts poor quality; however, indigenous women in private settings received fewer procedures, after household wealth was controlled for. We recommend strengthening clinical skills and providing incentives to adhere to quality standards. Quality reporting could promote informed employer care-purchasing and individual care-seeking choices. The national health reforms should be monitored to determine their success in not only increasing access among the poor and indigenous but also ensuring that such care meets quality norms.
Process optimization for continuous extrusion wet granulation

Three granulating binders in high drug-load acetaminophen blends were evaluated using high shear granulation and extrusion granulation. A polymethacrylate binder enhanced tablet tensile strength with rapid disintegration in simulated gastric fluid, whereas polyvinylpyrrolidone and hydroxypropyl cellulose binders produced less desirable tablets. Using the polymethacrylate binder, the extrusion granulation process was studied regarding the effects of granulating liquid, injection rate and screw speed on granule properties. A full factorial experimental design was conducted to allow the statistical analysis of interactions between extrusion process parameters. Response variables considered in the study included extruder power consumption (screw loading), granule bulk/tapped density, particle size distribution, tablet hardness, friability, disintegration time and dissolution.
Memory for redundant information.

Ss learned a paragraph consisting of two four-term linear orderings. Such an ordering is comprised of six pairwise relations, three of which (the adjacent pairs) are essential to the establishment of the ordering and three of which (the remote pairs) are redundant. For one of the orderings only the three Adjacent pairs were presented, for the other all six pairs were presented. Previous work indicated that, when Ss are asked to determine whether a test sentence is true (consistent with the ordering) or false (inconsistent with the ordering), proportion correct is higher on the remote pairs than on the adjacent pairs. The present experiment examined Ss’ ability to determine whether a particular test sentence had actually been presented. For false sentences the above effect was replicated; for true sentences the effect was reversed. This result supports the argument that Ss store “semantic descriptions” rather than individual sentences.
The frog dorsal column nucleus.

Abstract A morphological description is given of a small, but well defined, collection of neurons in the frog medulla located at the rostral end of the dorsal column. Anatomical and electrophysiological data reveal that collaterals of primary afferent fibers terminate in this area which can be defined as a primordial dorsal column nucleus (DCN). Thus, ascending dorsal column axons come into close apposition with neurons in the DCN and afferent volleys from cutaneous and mixed nerves evoke a large negative (N-) wave on the surface of the medulla corresponding to the anatomically defined DCN. The N-wave reached its greatest amplitude within the depth of the nucleus. The existence of primary afferent depolarization (PAD) in the frog DCN was demonstrated by means of a surface positive (P-) wave and more directly by increased excitability of dorsal column terminals. Depression of DCN synaptic activity as manifested by the ability of an afferent volley to reduce the effectiveness of a succeeding volley to produce thalamic potentials was correlated with PAD. It is concluded that synaptic mechanisms exist in the frog DCN which are similar to those present in the mammalian dorsal column nuclei.
A Safe Method of Exposing Microthreads in the Open Air

A safe method for exposing pathogenic organisms held on microthreads to realistic environmental conditions is described. The apparatus consists of an air duct in which the organisms on microthreads are exposed, and contiguous to it a safety cabinet, air from both systems being continuously extracted into high efficiency aerosol filters.
Ancylostoma ceylanicum excretory-secretory protein 2 adopts a netrin-like fold and defines a novel family of nematode proteins.

Abstract Hookworms are human parasites that have devastating effects on global health, particularly in underdeveloped countries. Ancylostoma ceylanicum infects humans and animals, making it a useful model organism to study disease pathogenesis. A. ceylanicum excretory–secretory protein 2 (AceES-2), a highly immunoreactive molecule secreted by adult worms at the site of intestinal attachment, is partially protective when administered as a mucosal vaccine against hookworm anemia. The crystal structure of AceES-2 determined at 1.75 A resolution shows that it adopts a netrin-like fold similar to that found in tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteases (TIMPs) and in complement factors C3 and C5. However, recombinant AceES-2 does not significantly inhibit the 10 most abundant human matrix metalloproteases or complement-mediated cell lysis. The presence of a highly acidic surface on AceES-2 suggests that it may function as a cytokine decoy receptor. Several small nematode proteins that have been annotated as TIMPs or netrin-domain-containing proteins display sequence homology in structurally important regions of AceES-2′s netrin-like fold. Together, our results suggest that AceES-2 defines a novel family of nematode netrin-like proteins, which may function to modulate the host immune response to hookworm and other parasites.
Re-examining a Landmark Research Study: A Teaching Editorial

A landmark research study from the 1950s was reanalyzed. Part of the study's results were confirmed, but other parts were found to have been incompletely analyzed and therefore incorrectly reported. Subsequent scholars who reviewed the study often did not distinguish between the accurate and inaccurate parts of the study. Furthermore, two of the main hypotheses of the study were that one variable (A) was not related to another variable (B) and that variable B was not related to another variable (C). In fact, both null hypotheses, insofar as data could be reconstructed from the original study, could be rejected. A reanalysis is presented here to encourage students in the family field to be bold and not accept published reports “just because” but to evaluate them carefully, perhaps even reanalyzing the data when available. It is hoped that scholars who submit reviews of the literature to Marriage and Family Review will use similar care and attention to assessing the scholarly literature in their particular ...
The shallow salinity minima of the Pacific Ocean

Abstract From the high latitudes of the Pacific Ocean, where surface salinity is low, two shallow subsurface salinity minima extend equatorward along the eastern boundary currents and turn westward with the Trade Wind Drift. The density at the source is such that the waters sink beneath the lower-density, more saline waters within the subtropical anticyclonic gyres and the intertropical zones. The shallow minima are relatively minor features within the intertropical zones and lie beneath the high-salinity layers extending from the high-salinity cells of the anticyclones and above the major salinity minima of the Intermediate Water. Vertical mixing eventually eliminates the shallow minima, but only after some thousands of kilometers of flow. Because the high-salinity cell of the North Pacific is at a higher latitude than that in the South Pacific, the northern minimum can extend farther west (to the Philippine Islands) in the intertropical zone; the southern minimum extends (along 15°S) only to about 160°W. Both summer and winter maps of characteristics along an isanostere that lies near the minima have been prepared, and they indicate that in the western Pacific both the North Equatorial Counter-current and the South Equatorial Countercurrent shift northward in winter.
Safety is as safety is seen

The Cult of the Atom: The Secret Papers of the Atomic Energy Commission. By Daniel Ford. Simon & Schuster: 1982. Pp.270. $13.95.
Conceptual, methodological, and theoretical problems in studying social support as a buffer against life stress.

The buffering hypothesis suggests that social support can moderate the impacts of life events upon mental health. However, several problems have yet to be resolved in this literature. Social support has been inadequately conceptualized and operationalized; therefore, the specific dimensions of support that reduce event impacts cannot be identified. The direct effect of events upon support and the interactive (buffering) effect of events with support have been confounded in many studies, such that results may have been biased in favor of the hypothesis. The relationships between events, support, and psychological disturbance have not been clarified theoretically; thus, the possibility that support itself is an etiologicalfactor has been overlooked. This article reviews empirical work on the buffering hypothesis, outlines alternate conceptualizations and operationalizations of support, presents a refined hypothesis and model for analysis, and suggests three theoretical approaches that may be used to explain the interrelationships between support, events, and disturbance.
Understanding the Impact of the P-loop Conformation on Kinase Selectivity

This work addresses the link between selectivity and an unusual, folded conformation for the P-loop observed initially for MAP4K4 and subsequently for other kinases. Statistical and computational analyses of our crystal structure database demonstrate that inhibitors that induce the P-loop folded conformation tend to be more selective, especially if they take advantage of this specific conformation by interacting more favorably with a conserved Tyr or Phe residue from the P-loop.
Steady-state multiplicity in a solid oxide fuel cell: Practical considerations

Abstract Steady-state multiplicity in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) in three modes of operation, constant ohmic external load, potentiostatic and galvanostatic, is studied using a detailed first-principles lumped model. The SOFC model is derived by accounting for heat and mass transfer as well as electrochemical processes taking place inside the fuel cell. Conditions under which the fuel cell exhibits steady state multiplicity are determined. The effects of operating conditions such as convection heat transfer coefficient and inlet fuel and air temperatures and velocities on the steady state multiplicity regions are studied. Depending on the operating conditions, the cell exhibits one or three steady states. For example, it has three steady states: (a) at low external load resistance values in constant ohmic external load operation and (b) at low cell voltage in potentiostatic operation.
Host association, on-host longevity and egg production of Ctenocephalides felis felis

Host association, on-host longevity and egg production of Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouche) were evaluated using fleas from a commercial laboratory colony and first generation, laboratory-reared, native Indiana fleas. Fleas were placed on cats that were declawed, fitted with Elizabethan collars and housed in specially designed metabolic cages. An average of 85% of the female and 58% of the male fleas stayed continuously on the cats for at least 50 days, indicating that the cat flea is a permanent ectoparasite. The maximum longevity of the cat flea was not determined, but it was shown that it can survive and reproduce on the cat for at least 113 days. A female cat flea may produce up to 1745 eggs during a 50-day period.
Comparison of Nd 1.06 and 1.33 &#181;m operation in various hosts

Performances of Nd in various hosts including Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF, Nd:BEL, and Nd:Cr:GSGG were characterized and compared for operation on the nominal 1.06 μm and 1.33 μm transitions. Comparison included continuous mode operation, normal mode operation, Q -switched operation, and gain measurements. Continuous lasing of Nd:Cr:GSGG under lamp pumping is reported for what may be the first time. Characterization included operation with different mirror reflectivities to obtain the internal losses, measurement of the upper laser level lifetime, measurement of the beam quality of the lasers operating under nominally similar circumstances, and measurement of the wavelength. These measurements should provide a comparison of the various Nd hosts under similar circumstances for a wide variety of operational modes and at both wavelengths of interest.
Maternal reproductive exhaustion in a broadcast spawning marine finfish cultured for conservation

Reproductive exhaustion can be defined as a decline in reproductive potential or output over time. We studied seasonal maternal reproductive exhaustion in a large, freely mating captive population of white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis), a marine finfish cultured in southern California for conservation. Using genetic parentage data, we identified 34 single-maternity spawns produced during the 2008 spawning season and quantified four physical egg characteristics for each spawn, including egg volume (EV), oil volume (OV), percent oil volume (POV), and the number of oil globules (NOG). The mean batch egg measures decreased between the beginning and end of the spawning season by 19%, 45%, 33%, and 12%, respectively. OV and POV declined linearly, whereas the trend in NOG was parabolic and negatively correlated to water temperature and light duration, which reach apices mid-season. EV displayed a similar, though not significant, trend. We also evaluated the egg measures within and among six dames that solo-spawned two or more times. The seasonal trends were similar to those observed at the population-level, but the relative measures varied significantly among dames, indicating factors other than the common broodstock diet and holding conditions may influence egg production in individual A. nobilis females. In terms of species conservation, assessing these egg characteristics, some of which may be associated with larval quality in A. nobilis, in conjunction with estimating genetic diversity for each spawn is important when choosing spawns to rear for stock supplementation, but more research into their relationship with subsequent offspring quality is warranted.
A nucleotide insertion in the transcriptional regulatory region of FADS2 gives rise to human fatty acid delta-6-desaturase deficiency

Fatty acid delta-6-desaturase (FADS2) is the rate-limiting enzyme in mammalian synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. We investigated the molecular mechanism of FADS2 deficiency in skin fibroblasts from a patient deficient in this enzyme. Expression analyses demonstrated an 80% to 90% decrease in the steady-state level of FADS2 mRNA in patient-derived cells compared with normal controls that was consistent with previous metabolic biochemical studies. In vitro transcription assays indicated an 80% decrease in the rate of transcriptional initiation in patient-derived cells, thus implicating transcriptional regulation as the mechanism for the decreased transcript levels. Sequence analysis of the 5′ end of the gene revealed the insertion of a thymidine between positions −941 and −942 upstream of the translation start site in patient-derived cells compared with normal cells and published sequences. Promoter-reporter assays demonstrated a 6-fold decrease in promoter activity in the polymorphic variant FADS2 regulatory region compared with the normal gene, confirming the functional relevance of the insertion mutation to the decreased expression of the gene in the patient-derived cells. These findings indicate that fatty acid delta-6-desaturase deficiency and decreased FADS2 transcription are caused by a nucleotide insertion in the transcriptional regulatory region of the human FADS2 gene.
Numerical modeling of strike/slip creeping faults and implications for the Hayward fault, California

Abstract The seismic potential of creeping faults such as the Hayward fault (San Francisco Bay Area, CA) depends on the rate at which moment (slip deficit) accumulates on the fault plane. Thus, it is important to evaluate how the creep rate observed at the surface is related to the slip on the fault plane. The surface creep rate (SCR) depends on the geometry of locked and free portions of the fault and on the interaction between the fault zone and the surrounding lithosphere. Using a viscoelastic finite element model, we investigate how fault zone geometries and physical characteristics such as frictionless or locked patches affect the observed surface creep when the system is driven by far field plate motions. These results have been applied to creep observations of the Hayward fault. This analysis differs from most previous fault creeping models in that the fault in our model is loaded by a distributed viscous flow induced by far field velocity boundary conditions instead of imposed slip beneath the major faults of the region. The far field velocity boundary conditions simulate the relative motion of the stable Pacific plate respect to the Rigid Sierra Nevada block, leaving the rheology, fault geometry, and mechanics (locked or free to creep patches), to determinate the patterns of fault creep. Our model results show that the fault geometry (e.g. length and depth of creeping) and the local rheology influence the surface creep rate (SCR) and the slip on the fault plane. In particular, we show that the viscoelastic layer beneath the elastic seismogenic zone plays a fundamental role in loading the fault. Additionally, the coupling with the surrounding lithosphere results in a smooth transition from regions free to creep to locked patches.
Non-reciprocal crossing over in phage λ

In replication-blocked crosses in phage λ,cos, λ’s packaging origin, provokes Red-mediated recombination in its neighborhood. In crosses of wild-type x mutantcos, cosstimulated crossover products can be packaged fromcos sites cloned medially in the two parents (Stahl F W, Kobayashi I and Stahl M M 1985J. Mol. Biol. 181: 199–209). We find that the complementary crossover products are not produced in equal numbers. In agreement with the model presented earlier (ibid), most of the recombinants inherit λ’ s right arm (R arm) from thecos +parent and λ’s left arm (A arm) from the parent with the mutantcos.
Zircon: A host-phase for the disposal of weapons plutonium

Zircon, ZrSiO4, is a well-characterized, naturally occurring phase that is extremely durable. Zircon has been synthesized with Pu-concentrations up to 10 wt. % and radiation-damage effects studied to saturation doses of nearly 0.8 displacements per atom. We propose that zircon be used as a waste form for the disposal of the more than 100 metric tons of plutonium that will result from the dismantling of nuclear weapons. There are already several demonstrated processing technologies, of which hot pressing offers the most potential. This highly durable material, even under hydrothermal conditions, with its high waste loading and smaller volume allows deep, permanent disposal of the weapons plutonium in geologic environments in which the borosilicate waste-form glass would not be stable.
No firewalls or information problem for black holes entangled with large systems

We discuss how under certain conditions the black hole information puzzle and the (related) arguments that firewalls are a typical feature of black holes can break down. We first review the arguments of Almheiri, Marolf, Polchinski and Sully favoring firewalls, focusing on entanglements in a simple toy model for a black hole and the Hawking radiation. By introducing a large and inaccessible system entangled with the black hole (representing perhaps a de Sitter stretched horizon or inaccessible part of a landscape), we show complementarity can be restored and firewalls can be avoided throughout the black hole's evolution. Under these conditions black holes do not have an ``information problem.'' We point out flaws in some of our earlier arguments that such entanglement might be generically present in some cosmological scenarios and call out certain ways our picture may still be realized.
Functional electrical stimulation after spinal cord injury : current use, therapeutic effects and future directions

Repair of the injured spinal cord by regeneration therapy remains an elusive goal. In contrast, progress in medical care and rehabilitation has resulted in improved health and function of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). In the absence of a cure, raising the level of achievable function in mobility and self-care will first and foremost depend on creative use of the rapidly advancing technology that has been so widely applied in our society. Building on achievements in microelectronics, microprocessing and neuroscience, rehabilitation medicine scientists have succeeded in developing functional electrical stimulation (FES) systems that enable certain individuals with SCI to use their paralyzed hands, arms, trunk, legs and diaphragm for functional purposes and gain a degree of control over bladder and bowel evacuation. This review presents an overview of the progress made, describes the current challenges and suggests ways to improve further FES systems and make these more widely available.
Acquisition, retention, and discrimination reversal after hippocampal ablation in monkeys.

Abstract The effect of hippocampal ablation on acquisition, retention, and learning-set formation in a simple auditory discrimination task was studied in rhesus monkeys. Hippocampal ablation was found to interfere with the retention of discriminations, those learned postsurgically being more affected than those learned presurgically. Successive postsurgical discrimination reversals resulted in the formation of discrimination reversal learning sets. It was concluded that while the hippocampus may subserve a facilitatory function in retention, its presence is not an essential condition for retention or for new learning.
Amphiphilic Block Copolymer of Styrene and Ionic Acetylene

A novel amphiphilic block copolymer of an ionic acetylene and styrene was prepared. Initiation of the N-methyl-2-ethynylpyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate (2EPyMeTf) by living anionic polystyryl-−Li+ resulted in polystyrene12-block-poly(2EPyMeTf)4. This amphiphilic block copolymer (PS-PA) contains a conjugated and strongly hydrophilic polyacetylene chain attached to a more flexible hydrophobic polystyrene chain. The structure of PS-PA was confirmed by FT-IR, UV−visible, and 1H, 13C, 14N, and 19F NMR spectroscopy. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), vapor pressure osmometry (VPO), and viscometry were used to obtain information on the molecular mass and molecular mass distribution. Thermal properties were investigated by thermogravimetry (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). PS-PA was shown to form a stable monolayer at the air−water interface. The positively charged rigid polyacetylene segments are believed to be at the water surface and only partially submerge, while the more flexible hydr...
A Background Correction Technique for Furnace or Flame Atomic Absorption with Double Beam Spectrophotometers

Using furnace atomic absorption an optical method for reducing the effects of the background absorption, especially with solid samples, is discussed. The system is suitable for both furnace and flame atomic absorption. With Cu, Co, Cr, Mg, Mn, Al, and Dy hollow cathodes no blank reading was recorded. Calibration curves for Co, Cr, and Ag were obtained. Both solid and liquid samples were run. An optical system employing a Glan–Taylor calcite polarizer was used. A Beckman model D. B. was used to compare the polarized beams from a hollow cathode and a continuous background source. Sensitivities ranged from about 10−11 g for solid samples and 10−10 g/ml for liquid samples.
From resistance to stimulation: the evolution of a virus in the presence of a dominant lethal inhibitory scaffolding protein.

By acquiring resistance to an inhibitor, viruses can become dependent on that inhibitor for optimal fitness. However, inhibitors rarely, if ever, stimulate resistant strain fitness to values that equal or exceed the uninhibited wild-type level. This would require an adaptive mechanism that converts the inhibitor into a beneficial replication factor. Using a plasmid-encoded inhibitory external scaffolding protein that blocks φX174 assembly, we previously demonstrated that such mechanisms are possible. The resistant strain, referred to as the evolved strain, contains four mutations contributing to the resistance phenotype. Three mutations confer substitutions in the coat protein, whereas the fourth mutation alters the virus-encoded external scaffolding protein. To determine whether stimulation by the inhibitory protein coevolved with resistance or whether it was acquired after resistance was firmly established, the strain temporally preceding the previously characterized mutant, referred to as the intermediary strain, was isolated and characterized. The results of the analysis indicated that the mutation in the virus-encoded external scaffolding protein was primarily responsible for stimulating strain fitness. When the mutation was placed in a wild-type background, it did not confer resistance. The mutation was also placed in cis with the plasmid-encoded dominant lethal mutation. In this configuration, the stimulating mutation exhibited no activity, regardless of the genotype (wild type, evolved, or intermediary) of the infecting virus. Thus, along with the coat protein mutations, stimulation required two external scaffolding protein genes: the once inhibitory gene and the mutant gene acquired during evolution.
Participatory Democracy Revisited

Over the past two decades we have heard an historically unprecedented volume of talk about and praise of democracy, and many governmental, non-governmental, and international organizations have been engaged in democracy promotion. Democracy is a subject that crosses the boundaries in political science, and within my own field of political theory there has been a major revival of democratic theory. In political theory, argument about “democracy” is usually now qualified by one of an array of adjectives, which include cosmopolitan, agonistic, republican, and monitory. But the new form that has been by far the most successful is deliberative democracy. By 2007 John Dryzek could write that “deliberative democracy now constitutes the most active area of political theory in its entirety (not just democratic theory).” Not only is there an extremely large and rapidly growing literature, both theoretical and empirical, on deliberative democracy, but its influence has spread far outside universities.
Marital Harmony and Conflict: Links to Infants' Emotional Regulation and Cardiac Vagal Tone

This study is an investigation of linkages between marital quality (conflict and harmony)and infants' emotional and physiological regulation. It was hypothesized that infants exposed to greater levels of marital conflict would demonstrate lower levels of emotional and physiological regulation. Fifty-six low-risk infants and their mothers attended a laboratory session when infants were 6 months of age. A baseline EKG was gathered to assess infants' cardiac vagal tone and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and Behavior Rating Scales were administered. Mothers also completed Braiker and Kelley's (1979) marital quality questionnaire. Consistent with past research with preschoolers, marital conflict was found to be linked to lower levels of emotion regulation in infants. However, unlike past research (Gottman & Katz, 1989), results indicated that marital conflict was associated with lower levels of cardiac vagal tone in infants as opposed to higher levels of vagal tone among preschoolers. These findings a...
The Influenza Primer Design Resource: a new tool for translating influenza sequence data into effective diagnostics.

Background Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza and multiple occurrences of zoonotic infection and deaths in humans have sparked a dramatic increase in influenza research. In order to rapidly identify and help prevent future influenza outbreaks, numerous laboratories around the world are working to develop new nucleotide-based diagnostics for identifying and subtyping influenza viruses. While there are several databases that have been developed for manipulating the vast amount of influenza genetic data that have been produced, significant progress can still be made in developing tools for translating the genetic data into effective diagnostics. Description The Influenza Primer Design Resource (IPDR) is the combination of a comprehensive database of influenza nucleotide sequences and a web interface that provides several important tools that aid in the development of oligonucleotides that may be used to develop better diagnostics. IPDR’s database can be searched using a variety of criteria, allowing the user to align the subset of influenza sequences that they are interested in. In addition, IPDR reports a consensus sequence for the alignment along with sequence polymorphism information, a summary of most published primers and probes that match the consensus sequence, and a Primer3 analysis of potential primers and probes that could be used for amplifying the sequence subset. Conclusions The IPDR is a unique combination of bioinformatics tools that will greatly aid researchers in translating influenza genetic data into diagnostics, which can effectively identify and subtype influenza strains. The website is freely available at http://www.ipdr.mcw.edu.
Precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia presenting as obstructive jaundice: a case report

Introduction Acute leukemias very rarely present with jaundice. Herein we report a case of precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia that presented with jaundice in an adult.
Policy, Markets, and Bureaucracy: Reexamining School Choice

Public choice is an idea that is gaining support as a policy option for the nation's schools. Advocates of choice argue decoupling education from the control of democratic institutions and substituting a market mechanism will promote effective schools. This paper analyzes the underlying premises of the public choice argument and empirically tests them on a district-level data set of Florida schools. The relationships hypothesized by public choice advocates to be important determinants of performance often fail to appear. The results raise questions about the effectiveness of the public choice policy option.
Duplication 15q as the sole anomaly in an acute promyelocytic leukemia patient without t(15;17).

We present a unique chromosomal abnormality found in a patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia of French–American–British subtype M3. The patient was referred for an evaluation of a chromosomal anomaly exclusively associated with FAB M3 or acute promyelocytic leukemia: a translocation between chromosomes 15 and 17, t(15;17)(q22;q21.1). Neither t(15;17) nor rearrangement of RARα was detected by routine G-banded chromosome as well as fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis using the commercial dual-color PML/RARα translocation probe and the RARα probe, a break apart rearrangement dual-color probe. Instead of the typical rearrangement between chromosomes 15 and 17, all cells analyzed had a duplication of the segment of chromosome 15 between bands 15q15 and 15q26.
Relationship between Diet and Microhabitat Use of Red-legged Salamanders (Plethodon shermani) in Southwestern North Carolina

The selection of a foraging habitat may be driven by food availability or by the cost associated with the use of that habitat. This basic tradeoff can lead individuals in the same population to occupy different habitats in response to perceived risk levels. In the southeastern United States, plethodontid salamanders are often observed climbing vegetation, which represents a potential foraging habitat. We examined whether diet composition of the Red-legged Salamander, Plethodon shermani, differed between salamanders found on vegetation and on the ground surface. Contrary to the results of a previous study, we found that the overall number and mass of prey items did not differ between salamanders in these two microhabitats. Furthermore, we found no evidence that the relative use of different prey categories varied in relation to a salamander's selected microhabitat. Although salamanders of all body sizes had consumed a diverse range of prey items, we found evidence of an ontogenetic shift in prey utilizatio...