cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathogenesis of osteopetrosis induced by rapid and slow onset plaque isolates of an avian osteopetrosis virus

Examination of bone from chickens infected as 10-day-old embryos with isolates of an avian osteopetrosis virus revealed that MAV-2(O) plaque isolate 32/2/4 caused rapid bone growth, while MAV-2(O) plaque isolate 13 caused a mild form of bone growth. MAV-2(O) plaque isolate 32/2/4 caused anemia when injected into the 8-day-old hatched chick and bone growth in ovo when injected into the 4-day-old embryo. Passive administration of neutralizing antibody protected against MAV-2(O)-induced bone growth when antibody was given to the embryo 1 day after virus. Neutralizing antibody also protected against an acute anemia observed when normal and bursectomized chickens were given MAV-2(O) 32/2/4, but antibody did not prevent the appearance of a chronic anemia or osteopetrosis in bursectomized chickens. Repeated animal passage of a slow onset plaque isolate of MAV-2(O) caused the virus to progressively induce more severe bone growth and anemia.
Knockdown of Drosha in human alveolar type II cells alters expression of SP-A in culture: A pilot study

Human surfactant protein A (SP-A) plays an important role in surfactant metabolism and lung innate immunity. SP-A is synthesized and secreted by alveolar type II (ATII) cells, one of the two cell types of the distal lung epithelium (ATII and ATI). We have shown that miRNA interactions with sequence polymorphisms on the SP-A mRNA 3'UTRs mediate differential expression of SP-A1 and SP-A2 gene variants in vitro. In the present study, we describe a physiologically relevant model to study miRNA regulation of SP-A in human ATII. For these studies, we purified and cultured human ATII on an air-liquid interface matrix (A/L) or plastic wells without matrix (P). Gene expression analyses confirmed that cells cultured in A/L maintained the ATII phenotype for over 5 days, whereas P-cultured cells differentiated to ATI. When we transfected ATII with siRNAs to inhibit the expression of Drosha, a critical effector of miRNA maturation, the levels of SP-A mRNA and protein increased in a time dependent manner. We next characterized cultured ATII and ATI by studying expression of 1,066 human miRNAs using miRNA PCR arrays. We detected expression of >300 miRNAs with 24 miRNAs differentially expressed in ATII versus ATI, 12 of which predicted to bind SP-A 3'UTRs, indicating that these may be implicated in SP-A downregulation in ATI. Thus, miRNAs not only affect SP-A expression, but also may contribute to the maintenance of the ATII cell phenotype and/or the trans-differentiation of ATII to ATI cells, and may represent new molecular markers that distinguish ATII and ATI.
Emission spectrographic determination of selected metals in magnesium alloys by the dc Arc-Powder Technique

A method is presented for the determination of trace quantities of tungsten, tantalum, niobium, molybdenum, vanadium, and chromium in magnesium alloys. In the procedure, the alloys are converted to their sulfates and excited by a 12 A dc are for 70 s in a Harvey Crater graphite electrode. Magnesium sulfate synthetic standards are used. Minimum detectable concentrations ranging from 1 ppm molybdenum and chromium to 20 ppm tungsten and tantalum are indicated. The standard deviations range from 2.9 ppm for tantalum to 9.9 ppm for tungsten at the 50 ppm concentration range.
Vapor Phase Measurements in Subcooled Boiling Flow

Measurements of vapor fraction and bubble axial velocity were carried out in subcooled boiling flow using a newly designed two-sensor fiber-optic probe. The sensors encountered the axial motion of the vapor bubbles essentially head-on. The new measurements were more repeatable and had less scatter in the outer low vapor fraction region of the boiling layer compared to our earlier measurements
MAGNITUDE AND HEDONIC SCALES OF FOOD ACCEPTABILITY

SUMMARY Nine experiments were conducted to compare magnitude (ratio) and hedonic 9-point (category) scales of food acceptance. Five experiments were conducted with foods varied along one or more quantitative dimensions, and the remaining four with foods representing different flavors of a single product type. Both evaluation procedures appeared to be equally sensitive to differences in food acceptability, but each procedure provided additional information as well. Magnitude scales quantified the ratios of food acceptability among different items, and the hedonic scale provided numerical and verbal categories of acceptance. Each scale may be used to complement the other in the measurement of food acceptance.
Performance of packed columns. II. Wetted and effective‐interfacial areas, gas ‐ and liquid‐phase mass transfer rates

A study was made of separating the volumetric mass transfer coefficients, kGa and kLa, into their components kG, kL, and a so that the effects of variables might be determined separately for each component. Mass transfer rates for four packings, 1/2- and 1 1/2-in. Raschig rings and 1/2-in. and 1-in. Berl saddles, made of naphthalene, were determined by vaporization into air at gas rates from 100 to 1,000 1b./(hr.) (sq. ft.). The correlation for kGa was used to determine the wetted areas of those packings when irrigated with water and to calculate the effective interfacial areas, a, from Fellinger's data for ammonia absorption. These effective areas were then used to evaluate kL from previously published kLa data, and a correlation was obtained for all packings. The correlations for kGa and kLand the effective-interfacial-area data make possible a more rigorous method for the design of packed columns than was heretofore available.
Renal pressor effect of ethanol in the isolated perfused rat kidney.

Abstract These experiments were performed to detect changes in renal function produced by acute infusions of small amounts of ethanol into the isolated kidney of the rat. Ethanol was infused for 10 min beginning at 40 min to reach a final concentration of approximately 80 mg/100 ml in the recirculating perfusate. Control kidneys were perfused for 90 min without the addition of ethanol. Control and ethanol infused kidneys were compared with respect to the following measurements: glomerular filtration rate, urine volume, urine protein concentration, pressure and fractional excretion of sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Ethanol concentration in the perfusate was measured by gas chromatography. The only parameter affected by these concentrations of ethanol was pressure. During the ten min ethanol infusion, the pressure in the system rose significantly (P
Efficient Software Reliability Analysis With Correlated Component Failures

Correlated component failures (COCOF) may impact the reliability of a software application, and hence these types of failures must be explicitly incorporated into reliability analysis. The influence of COCOF on application reliability must be analyzed within the context of the application architecture. Contemporary reliability analysis approaches that incorporate COCOF, however, cannot scale to even moderate-sized software applications. This paper presents an efficient, scalable approach to analyze the reliability of a component-based software system, considering COCOF within the context of its architecture. The effectiveness of the approach is illustrated through two experimental studies. The results indicate that the approach is simple and efficient, and hence can be applied to large systems to identify correlations that impede system reliability.
The Effect of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) on Children's Growth |[dagger]| 691

We wanted to determine the effect of OSA on children's height, and to correlate this with our previously described study of the effect on their weight.
High-gain high-efficiency TWT (traveling wave tube) amplifiers

Results are presented from recent research carried out on the development of high efficiency, high power traveling wave tube amplifiers. A rippled wall traveling wave tube is used as a slow wave structure for wave interactions with an 850 kV, 1 kA electron beam. A 100 kW signal from a magnetron is injected at the front end of the device and amplified by 15-30 dB giving an output power of 100 MW from a single stage amplifier. At higher gains the system tends to oscillate due to feedback from impedance mismatches at the structure ends. To overcome this we have used a severed amplifier consisting of two identical amplifiers in series and separated by an absorbing graphite section between the two amplifiers. With this device we have obtained 400 MW output power with an energy conversion efficiency of 48%. We shall present a comparison between the amplifier characteristics for the single and two stage amplifiers. Peak output powers are obtained in the severed amplifier at a beam current of 900 A; however, sidebands have developed and the output is no longer single frequency. It should be noted that the relative distribution of power in the sidebands compared to the center frequency varies with the beam current and that the sideband power can approach 50% of the total radiated intensity at high beam currents. The sidebands are asymmetrically located on either side of the carrier frequency with the upper sideband displaced from the carrier by about three times the frequency shift for the lower sideband. The authors discuss mechanisms leading to the sideband behavior described. It seems likely that most of the phenomena observed can be accounted for by finite structure length effects, which lead to resonances in the transmission coefficient for the structure. Other effects of importance include a substantial spread in the electron energy spectrum as the wave develops.
Visualizing Chemistry with Infrared Imaging.

Almost all chemical processes release or absorb heat. The heat flow in a chemical system reflects the process it is undergoing. By showing the temperature distribution dynamically, infrared (IR) imaging provides a salient visualization of the process. This paper presents a set of simple experiments based on IR imaging to demonstrate its enormous potential for chemistry education. As the prices of IR cameras have plummeted recently, it is now time to consider bringing this powerful tool to every chemistry classroom.
Potential ocular complications from PUVA therapy and their prevention.

During the last decade psoralens have become increasingly popular in treating psoriasis. The well-known photosensitizing action of these drugs has led to increasing concern regarding potential ocular complications, particularly in patients receiving prolonged psoralen therapy. We have demonstrated that this drug can be found in lenses of rats injected (intraperitoneally) with 4–8mg/kg of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and that its presence can lead to a photosensitized enhancement of lenticular fluorescence. Our experiments suggest one mechanism regarding the photosensitizing properties of 8-MOP within the ocular lens. Photo-addition products are generated with certain amino acid residues in the lens proteins which may result in the permanent retention of this compound within the ocular lens. We have recently shown that free 8-MOP can also be detected in human lenses for at least 12hr following oral ingestion. Since the free 8-MOP tends to diffuse out of the lens during this period of time (as long as photic stimulation is prevented) it may be possible to prevent these photochemical reactions if the patient avoids exposure to ambient light for 12–24hr immediately following ingestion of the drug. It may also be possible to protect these patients with special glasses which are capable of reflecting all UV radiation (up to 400 nm) while completely transmitting the visible radiation (400–750 nm).
DNA, a controlling factor in the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin

Les resultats de ces etudes demontrent la formation de «complexes» entre l'acide desoxyribonucleique et la plasminogene. L'acide desoxyribonucleique inhibe l'action catalytique de la plasminogene humaine sur la plasmine.
Tetracyclic phenothiazines IV . Synthesis of 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-azepino [3,2,1-kl] phenothiazin -4-one†

The synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroazepine[3,2,1-kl]phenothiazin-4-one was accomplished by cyclization of phenothiazine-10-butanoic acid using phosphorus pentoxide and absolute ethanol. The title compound represents the first reported example of the azepino[3,2,1-kl]phenothiazine ring system. A vastly improved malonic ester-type synthesis of the precursor acid has also been developed.
Intracranial tumours in the first 18 months of life

There are few population-based studies of intracranial tumours in children. This study examines 93 brain tumours in children up to 18 months of age from over 800 childhood central nervous system tumours reported to the Manchester Children's Tumour Registry during the period 1953–1987. The incidence was 1 per 25 000 live births. Of these tumours, 85% were malignant. The three most common tumours were medulloblastoma, ependymoma and juvenile astrocytoma. Eighteen percent of the tumours were in the axial region. Twenty-five percent were connected to the ventricles. The tumour was supratentorial in two-thirds of the children under 6 months of age. A high incidence of tumours in the families of these children was found; tumours were noted in two sets of siblings.
Assessing information security risk in dual-use health information systems

Abstract This paper explores assessing the relationship between mission risk and information assurance risk in complex, dual-use information systems. Project Sentinel Collaboratory conducted a prospective information security risk assessment using the OCTAVE sm to help plan protection for a special information system that supported patient care in a multi-hospital network and medical surveillance for the Washington, DC region. Although the two missions function compatibly during baseline operations, conditions of heightened alert uncover incompatibilities that threaten both information and mission assurance.
Geometry, vibrational frequencies, and ionization potentials for CO/Ni(100); explanation of the disappearance of the 5σ peak in PES

Abstract Using a cluster of 14 Ni atoms to model a Ni(100) surface, we used ab initio methods [generalized valence bond (GVB)] to study CO chemisorbed at the on-top site. Reported are the optimum geometry, vibrational frequencies, and ionization potentials. We propose a new explanation for the two lowest levels of free CO (5σ and 1π) reducing to one level of chemisorbed CO.
The role of psychiatrists in family medicine training

The authors surveyed 356 family medicine residency training directors to determine the role of psychiatrists in family medicine training. Two hundred five responses were received, covering the training experiences of 3696 residents. Psychiatrists were actively involved in the training programs, but their role was circumscribed to areas of traditional, demonstrated expertise. Most of the program directors rated psychiatrists as highly useful. Programs rating psychiatrists highly useful differed from low usefulness raters only in having both general psychiatry and consultation-liaison rotations available. This lends support to the hypothesis that consultation-liaison activities provide the most useful method of integrating psychiatrists into family medicine training programs.
Female reproduction during chronic ethanol consumption in rats

Abstract This study was undertaken to ascertain ovarian function under the conditions of ethanol withdrawal and continued ethanol treatment to distinguish between a temporary delay in ovarian activity and a permanent suppression of ovarian function. Immature rats were fed the following diets for 16 weeks: a liquid diet containing 5% ethanol, a liquid diet without ethanol (pair-fed controls), a liquid diet with 5% ethanol for eight weeks followed by laboratory chow and water for eight weeks, or chow and water ad lib. Vaginal patency was significantly delayed in both groups of ethanol-treated rats compared to controls. The duration of an estrous cycle for the rats in the ad lib group was 5.0±0.3 days, while a “regular” estrous cycle was four to six days in duration. The rats which received ethanol for 16 weeks exhibited more irregular estrous cycles (both 6 days) than the rats with other treatments and the cycles were significantly longer. After 16 weeks of treatment, the rats were mated; ethanol was not given during pregnancy. The average number of pups per litter and body weight of the offspring were similar for all groups. These data show that although ethanol alters normal cyclic activity, it does not totally suppress ovarian function since alcohol-treated rats were capable of mating and delivering viable offspring.
A bioassay for Lafora disease and laforin glucan phosphatase activity.

Objectives Lafora disease is a rare yet invariably fatal form of progressive neurodegenerative epilepsy resulting from mutations in the phosphatase laforin. Several therapeutic options for Lafora disease patients are currently being explored, and these therapies would benefit from a biochemical means of assessing functional laforin activity following treatment. To date, only clinical outcomes such as decreases in seizure frequency and severity have been used to indicate success of epilepsy treatment. However, these qualitative measures exhibit variability and must be assessed over long periods of time. In this work, we detail a simple and sensitive bioassay that can be used for the detection of functional endogenous laforin from human and mouse tissue.
Relative influence of unfrozen fraction and salt concentration on the survival of slowly frozen eight-cell mouse embryos.

This laboratory has previously reported that the survival of frozen-thawed human erythrocytes is determined more by the fraction of the extracellular solution that remains unfrozen than by the salt concentration in that fraction, especially when the cells are frozen at low hematocrit. To determine the extent to which these findings are applicable to nucleated mammalian cells, we have studied the survival of some 3300 mouse embryos as a function of the unfrozen fraction and the concentration of salt in that unfrozen fraction. Also varied in the study was the weight percentage ratio of glycerol to salt. The concentration of embryos in these experiments (i.e., the cytocrit) was so low that embryo-embryo contacts should have been rare during the freezing. As in the case of the red cells at low hematocrit, we find that the survival of slowly frozen eight-cell embryos is not affected by the high concentrations of salt produced by freezing, at least up to 3.3 molal NaCl, and therefore is not affected by the extent to which the cells shrink below their isotonic volume, nor in general is survival influenced by the temperature at which given salt concentrations and unfrozen fractions are attained or by the glycerol concentration at those temperatures. On the other hand, the attainment of low values of the unfrozen fraction (U) is damaging, but the damage appears in part to be due to the fact that low values of U had to be achieved by placing embryos in solutions hypotonic with respect to NaCl, which caused their volume to be greater than isotonic prior to freezing.
Effect of Surface Configuration During Solid Particle Impingement Erosion

A study of the progression of erosion and its detrimental effects due to solid particle impingement requires a detailed understanding of the erosion process and morphology of real surfaces of ductile metals. A series of experiments was conducted to investigate the erosion characteristics of aluminum alloy surfaces during spherical glass bead and angular crushed glass particle impingement. The effects of particle shape on cylindrical surfaces and surfaces with pre-existing holes and slits were determined. An attempt was made to understand the relationship between erosion rate and pit morphology. Based on the experimental observations, an empirical relationship between erosion rate and volume loss is presented. This technique provides an improved prediction method for a wide spectrum of ductile materials.
Skin innate immune system in psoriasis: friend or foe?

Immunobiological and genetic approaches to understand psoriasis are rapidly converging. Psoriasis is a common inherited disease that has been described for 2000 years, and affects 2–3% of the world-wide population. Immunologists, cell biologists, and molecular geneticists are becoming increasingly preoccupied with the cellular and molecular events that produce the commotion in the epidermis that results in a psoriatic plaque. Dermatologists familiar with this enigmatic and chronic disorder recognize that emergence of the distinctive phenotype (widely scattered erythematous plaques; Figure ​Figure1)1) is likely to be multifactorial, related to both environmental and genetic triggering factors (1). Psoriasis currently tops the list, based on population frequencies and familial clustering, of human autoimmune and immune-related diseases (2). Figure 1 Clinical photograph of extensive psoriatic plaque formation with protective shield-like appearance encircling the trunk, arms, and lower back/buttocks. Despite its accessibility, frequency, and persistence since antiquity, many puzzling questions about psoriasis remain unanswered. Perhaps the most obvious unresolved issue, reflecting the lack of an identification of the major genetic susceptibility determinants, is whether this disorder fundamentally reflects an abnormality in the epidermal keratinocyte (KC) or bone-marrow derived immunocyte. This distinction becomes blurred because of cross-talk between activated KCs and immunocytes that begins immediately upon lesion formation and culminates in the mature psoriatic plaque. This uncertainty prompts further questions: Does psoriasis represent a primary defect in the terminal differentiation response to injury by KCs that fail to produce a normal stratum corneum and, therefore, do not create a protective physiological barrier? Alternatively, is the aberrant KC differentiation program in psoriasis a consequence of an influx of pathogenic immunocytes participating in a rogue auto-immune reaction? These possibilities are relevant to our understanding of the hyperresponsiveness of pre-psoriatic skin reported by Travers et al. in this issue of the JCI (3). In this Commentary, I synthesize available data into a multistep model, taking a novel view of psoriasis from the perspective of the innate immune system. This approach may lead to new avenues for investigators confronting this perplexing skin problem that involves dynamic and reversible epidermal remodeling.
Global minutes: oil purse or oil curse?

Oil and natural resources of a country are often considered to be national assets. Indeed, they should be economic bedrocks for the country. The record, however, shows that this is not true, say the analysts. The wide dichotomy of oil wealth and lack of social benefits has come to be known as "The Oil Curse."1 The "Oil Curse" or the "Resource Curse," as it is aptly known, is a reality. There are 34 less-developed countries that are rich in mineral and oil resources and natural resources constitute 30% of their total export revenues. In a third of these countries, however, the per capita income remains less than $1 per day. Their health indices are poor. Infant mortality is high literacy rate is low and life expectancy is low. Women's health status is poor.
Transventricular neuroendoscopic excision of giant racemose subarachnoid cysticercosis

Purpose Subarachnoid cysticercosis, an uncommon form of neurocysticercosis, can occasionally grow to giant size causing mass effect and obstructive hydrocephalus. These often require surgical excision to relieve the mass effect and re-establish the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathways.
Cleaning Up: ER-Associated Degradation to the Rescue

All cellular proteins are subject to quality control "decisions," which help to prevent or delay a myriad of diseases. Quality control within the secretory pathway creates a special challenge, as aberrant polypeptides are recognized and returned to the cytoplasm for proteasomal degradation. This process is termed endoplasmic-reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD).
Characterization of cerebral tissue by MRI map ISODATA in embolic stroke in rat.

Abstract ISODATA using MRI parameter-weighted images has been previously employed to characterize ischemic cell damage after stroke in rats. In an effort to increase the objectivity and to further automate the ISODATA, MRI parameter maps were now employed. Male Wistar rats were subjected to embolic stroke and received treatment via a femoral vein at 4 h post-stroke. The control rats received saline and were sacrificed at 6, 24 and 48 h after stroke, respectively. Treated rats received rtPA alone or were treated with a combination of rtPA and an antibody, 7E3 F(ab′)2, against the glycoprotein receptor that binds the platelet to fibrin. These rats were sacrificed at 24, or 48, h post-stroke. T1, T2 and diffusion maps were employed for map ISODATA analysis. H&E histological analysis of coronal sections of tissue was performed and compared with map ISODATA from the corresponding sections. ISODATA signatures were highly correlated (R ∼ 0.80, P 0.97, P
The Use of FFS Methodology for Determining the Residual Life of a High Pressure Autoclave Reactor

Autoclave reactors at SABIC Geleen were typically inspected at a four year interval. The inspection consisted of UT and eddy current inspection of the bore and cross-bores of the reactor. The possibilities of extending this interval were assessed using FFS methodologies from API 579-1/ASME FFS1 [1] in addition to the ASME VIII Division 3 [2] rules. ASME VIII Division 3 is primarily a design code, although Appendix B from the 2013 edition includes guidance on extension of inspection frequency. This work was performed in 2010 when this appendix was not included in the code.This paper describes the study, the results and indicates further opportunities of FFS methodology in high pressure equipment.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
ON THE MUSICAL EFFECT.

Our folklore and mythology have attributed a potent effect to musical stimulation, and in modern terminology the musical effect has often been said to be therapeutic. Despite the present widespread use of musical stimulation as a therapeutic agent, and as a method to increase man's personal comfort, little is known about its actual usefulness in these situations, and still less is known about the psychological dynamics that may intervene between the stimulus and the hypothesized responses. Some of the current applications of musical stimulation, and some of the research findings have been presented and reviewed critically. The meaning of the term “therapy”, as it has been used in the concept of music therapy, has been discussed. The observations, that subjects performing an experimental task with music were oblivious to fairly loud background noises which would normally have obtruded into their awareness, led to the formulation of an explanatory hypothesis. This phenomenon suggested that the musical stimulation affected a narrowing of the focus of attention, a limiting of the over-all range of available stimulation. It has been postulated that this effect ofnarrowed attention, produced by the musical stimulation, is similar to the psychological narrowing effect caused by central nervous system stimulation, by strong emotions, and also by a number of pharmacological agents. This theoretical formulation is consistent with the findings of other researchers who have studied the narrowed attention effect on the electrophysiological level. It has been proposed that what has been vaguely termed the musical therapy effect is in actuality this effect of narrowed attention, and that many research findings and common observations in the area of human responses to musical stimulation are best explained on this basis.
Ablation of Graphitic Materials in the Sublimation Regime

A large variety of graphitic materials have been tested in an arc heated air stream at a surface pressure of 4.3 atm and a nominal surface temperature of 3925 K. Included were commercial and developmental grades of artificial graphites, both two and three dimensional carbon-carbon composites, composites seeded with refractory compounds, and several special materials such as pyrolytic graphite, mesophase graphite, glassy carbon, and natural graphite. ATJ graphite was used as a control material. Except for the seeded materials which had poor performance, the mass loss rate for all the man-made graphitic materials fell within the range of 17 per cent less to 30 per cent more than the rate for ATJ. Thus it is concluded that wide variations in constituents, processing, fabrication and structure have relatively little effect on the ablation performance of graphitic materials, at least under the conditions of the present tests. Particulate mass loss was observed for all the materials tested and is the dominant mechanism for mass removal at the present test conditions. It is suggested that this mechanism results from physical failure, primarily by compressive thermal stress.
Aerodynamics and Aeroelasticity of Cable-Supported Bridges: Identification of Nonlinear Features

Modern bridge decks exhibit nonlinear behavior in wind tunnel experiments; this has placed increasing importance on nonlinear bridge aerodynamics/aeroelasticity considerations for long-span bridges. In this context, various observed nonlinear phenomena in wind tunnels are discussed, and their identification through high-order spectrum is illustrated.
Suppressors of a spo0A missense mutation and their effects on sporulation in Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract The spo0A gene product of Bacillus subtilis is a transcriptional regulator that is required for the initiation of sporulation. It has not been possible to isolate mutations that suppress the sporulation defect caused by s po0A null mutations. We describe the isolation and characterization of mutations that suppress the severe sporulation defect caused by a spo0A missense mutation ( spo0A9V ). Two suppressor mutations, spa2 and spa4 , have been characterized in combination with, and separated from, the spo0A9V mutation. Both were located in the carboxyl half of Spo0A, in the putative DNA binding, transcriptional activation region. spa2 was in codon 174, causing a leucine to arginine change ( spo0A174LR ), and spa4 was in codon 162 (of 267), causing a histidine to arginine change ( spo0A162HR ). spa2 and spa4 significantly restored sporulation to the spo0A9V mutant, however, the appearance of heat resistant spores was delayed relative to wild-type. When separated from spo0A9V , that is, as single mutations in spo0A , spa4 caused a delay in sporulation, while spa2 allowed apparently normal sporulation. The spa mutations caused interesting phenotypes when combined with other early sporulation mutations. spa2 suppressed the sporulation defect caused by spo0E11 . This was most easily seen in spo0E11 abrB double mutants, which had a much more severe sporulation defect than the spo0E11 single mutant. That is, spo0E11 and abrB mutations caused ay a synthetic (synergistic) sporulation phenotype. Both the spa2 spo0A9V and the spa4 spo0A9V alleles greatly enhanced the sporulation defect caused by mutations in spo11J, spo0J and spo0K . The significance of these synthetic sporulation defects is discussed.
Letter by Lehmann Regarding Articles “Electrocardiographic Abnormalities That Predict Coronary Heart Disease Events and Mortality in Postmenopausal Women: The Women’s Health Initiative” and “Electrocardiographic Predictors of Incident Congestive Heart Failure and All-Cause Mortality in Postmenopausal Women: the Women’s Health Initiative”

To the Editor: I read with interest the extensive analyses recently published by Rautaharju et al1 identifying traditional and nontraditional ECG predictors of coronary heart disease (CHD) events and mortality and incident congestive heart failure and all-cause mortality2 in a population of more than 38 000 postmenopausal women (Women’s Health Initiative participants). QT interval was the studied ECG index of repolarization duration, with rate adjustment achieved by using a …
Morphologic MRI features, diffusion tensor imaging and radiation dosimetric analysis to differentiate pseudo-progression from early tumor progression

Pseudo-progression (PsP) refers to the paradoxical increase of contrast enhancement within 12 weeks of chemo-radiation therapy in gliomas attributable to treatment effects rather than early tumor progression (ETP). This study was performed to evaluate the utility of morphologic imaging features, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and radiation dosimetric analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes in differentiating PsP from ETP. Serial MRI examinations of 163 patients treated for high-grade glioma were reviewed. 46 patients showed a recurrent or progressive enhancing lesion within 12 weeks of radiotherapy. We used an in-house modified scoring system based on 20 different morphologic features (modified VASARI features) to assess the MRI studies. DTI analyses were performed in 24 patients. MRI changes were defined as recurrent volume (Vrec) and registered with pretreatment computed tomography dataset, and the actual dose received by the Vrec during treatment was calculated using dose-volume histograms. Bidimensional product of T2-FLAIR signal abnormality and enhancing component was larger in the ETP group. DTI metrics revealed no significant difference between the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the location of Vrec between PsP and ETP groups. Morphologic MRI features and DTI have a limited role in differentiating between PsP and ETP. The larger sizes of the T2-FLAIR signal abnormality and the enhancing component of the lesion favor ETP. There was no correlation between the pattern of MRI changes and radiation dose distribution between PsP and ETP groups.
Abstract 2077: Downregulation of miR-21 induces differentiation of chemo-resistant colon cancer cells and enhances susceptibility to therapeutic regimens.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous posttranscriptional modulators that negatively control the expression of their target genes and play an important role in the development and progression of colorectal carcinoma. In particular, microRNA-21 (miR-21), whose expression is greatly increased in chemotherapy-resistant (CR) colon cancer cells that are enriched in undifferentiated cancer stem/stem-like cells (CSCs/CSLCs). We hypothesize that miR-21 plays a critical role in regulating differentiation of colon cancer (CR cells). Indeed, we observed that downregulation of miR-21 in CR colon cancer HCT-116 cells by anti-sense-miR-21 induced differentiation, as evidenced by marked increases in CK-20 (cytokeratin-20) expression and alkaline phosphatase activity. These changes were accompanied by a significant reduction in the expression of colon CSC/CSLCs marker CD44, colonospheres formation and TCF/LEF activity and increased expression of the pro-apoptotic gene PDCD4. Induction of differentiation greatly increased the sensitivity of CR cells to the growth inhibitory effects of all three regimens tested: 5- FU+ Oxaliplatin (FUOX), difluorinated curcumin (CDF), an analog of curcumin and the combination of CDF and FUOX. However, the magnitude of inhibition of growth by either CDF (75%) alone or CDF + FUOX (80%) was much higher than that observed with FUOX (40%). Growth inhibition by CDF and CDF + FUOX in differentiating CR colon cancer cells was associated with a 98-99% reduction in the expression of CD44 and EGFR. The current observation suggest that CDF as well as CDF + FUOX are highly effective in inhibiting growth and reducing colon CSCs/CSLCs in anti-miR-21-induced differentiating CR colon cancer cells, which supports our contention that differentiating cells become susceptible to conventional and non-conventional therapeutic regimen. Citation Format: Yingjie Yu, Fazlul H. Sarkar, Adhip P.N. Majumdar. Downregulation of miR-21 induces differentiation of chemo-resistant colon cancer cells and enhances susceptibility to therapeutic regimens. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2077. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2077
Fundamental, predictive approach to dipole-dipole interactions based on the dipole moment of the solute and the dielectric constant of the solvent

Abstract A new solvent polarity scale, the Taft π* scale, is explored for its utility in predicting partition coefficients and solubility parameters of non-hydrogen-bonding, non-aromatic solvents. A function of the dielectric constant of the solvent and the dipole moment and molar volume of the solute is used to obtain a priori estimates of orientation (permanent dipole-permanent dipole) solubility parameters. The correlation coefficient between measured and predicted orientation solubility parameters is 0.97; the slope is close to unity.
Long-term effect of September 11 on the political behavior of victims' families and neighbors.

This article investigates the long-term effect of September 11, 2001 on the political behaviors of victims’ families and neighbors. Relative to comparable individuals, family members and residential neighbors of victims have become—and have stayed—significantly more active in politics in the last 12 years, and they have become more Republican on account of the terrorist attacks. The method used to demonstrate these findings leverages the random nature of the terrorist attack to estimate a causal effect and exploits new techniques to link multiple, individual-level, governmental databases to measure behavioral change without relying on surveys or aggregate analysis.
Numerical solution of nonlinear two-point boundary problems by finite difference methods

Solution of nonlinear two-point boundary-value problems is often an extremely difficult task. Quite apart from questions of reality and uniqueness, there is no established numerical technique for this problem. At present, shooting techniques are the easiest method of attacking these problems. When these fail, the more difficult method of finite differences can often be used to obtain a solution. This paper gives examples and discusses the finite difference method for nonlinear two-point boundary-value problems.
Recursion Operators and Bi-Hamiltonian Structures in Multidimensions. II

The algebraic properties of exactly solvable evolution equations in one spatial and one temporal dimensions have been well studied. In particular, the factorization of certain operators, called recursion operators, establishes the bi-Hamiltonian nature of all these equations. Recently, we have presented the recursion operator and the bi-Hamiltonian formulation of the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation, a two spatial dimensional analogue of the Korteweg-deVries equation. Here we present the general theory associated with recursion operators for bi-Hamiltonian equations in two spatial and one temporal dimensions. As an application we show that general classes of equations, which include the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili and the Davey-Stewartson equations, possess infinitely many commuting symmetries and infinitely many constants of motion in involution under two distinct Poisson brackets. Furthermore, we show that the relevant recursion operators naturally follow from the underlying isospectral eigenvalue problems.
Surface Oxidation and Luminescence Properties of Weblike Agglomeration of Silicon Nanocrystals Produced by a Laser Vaporization−Controlled Condensation Technique

Weblike aggregates of coalesced Si nanocrystals are produced by a laser vaporization−controlled condensation technique. SEM micrographs show particles with ∼10 nm diameter but the Raman shift suggests the presence of particles as small as ∼4 nm. FTIR of the freshly prepared particles shows weak peaks due to the stretching, bending, and rocking vibrations of the Si−O−Si bonds, indicating the presence of a surface oxidized layer, SiOx (x < 2). Further oxidation of the Si core appears to be very slow and inefficient under ambient temperature, but annealing at higher temperatures facilitates the oxidation. The particles show luminescence properties that are similar to those of porous Si and Si nanoparticles produced by other techniques. The nanoparticles do not luminesce unless, by exposure to air, they acquire the SiOx passivated coating. They show a short-lived blue emission characteristic of the SiO2 coating and a biexponential longer-lived red emission. The short lifetime component of the red emission, ab...
An RBF Neural Network Combined with OLS Algorithm and Genetic Algorithm for Short-Term Wind Power Forecasting

An accurate forecasting method for power generation of the wind energy conversion system (WECS) is urgently needed under the relevant issues associated with the high penetration of wind power in the electricity system. This paper proposes a hybrid method that combines orthogonal least squares (OLS) algorithm and genetic algorithm (GA) to construct the radial basis function (RBF) neural network for short-term wind power forecasting. The RBF neural network is composed of three-layer structures, which contain the input, hidden, and output layers. The OLS algorithm is used to determine the optimal number of nodes in a hidden layer of RBF neural network. With an appropriate RBF neural network structure, the GA is then used to tune the parameters in the network, including the centers and widths of RBF and the connection weights in second stage. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, the method is tested on the practical information of wind power generation of a WECS installed in Taichung coast of Taiwan. Comparisons of forecasting performance are made to the persistence method and back propagation neural network. The good agreements between the realistic values and forecasting values are obtained; the test results show the proposed forecasting method is accurate and reliable.
Radiography of thoracic intravascular stents in children with congenital heart disease

Seventeen balloon expandable stents were placed in thoracic vessels in eleven children with vascular stenoses related to congenital heart lesions. We describe the normal radiographic appearance of three types of balloon expandable stents implanted in pulmonary arteries, pulmonary veins, and the superior vena cava of these children as well as the appearance of the complications we encountered. Knowledge of the radiographic appearance of these devices is important as chest radiography is a primary method of follow-up in children with balloon expandable stents placed to treat stenoses of intrathoracic vessels related to congenital heart disease.
Spin-injection experiment.

The spin-injection experiment is a two-probe, spin-injector and detector experiment that has demonstrated the validity of a charge-spin coupling at a ferromagnet-paramagnet interface. The spin coupled signal is unambiguously identified by utilizing the Hanle effect; this approach results in a new, nonresonance technique for measuring conduction-electron spin-relaxation times in vanishingly small applied magnetic fields. Details of the spin-injection experiment are presented. The apparatus and techniques of sample preparation are described. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the data are given, along with numerous examples. The results are discussed within the framework of the models developed in the preceding paper, and a few applications of the new technique are mentioned.
Bluetooth standard v4.1: Simulating the Bluetooth low energy data channel selection algorithm

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is gaining notoriety as a low cost and low energy standard for wireless communication in the ISM band. The technology has been adapted in a wide range of applications, including smartphones, medical devices, and electrical household equipment. BLE introduces a simplified channel-hopping algorithm as an alternative to Classic Bluetooth — one that masks unfair usage of available spectrum. This paper details a simulation of BLE's data channel selection algorithm. The authors describe a pseudo-code for simulation software to calculate selection probability for each data channel. Results demonstrate that data channels in a BLE system are not selected equitably and the algorithm is more inclined to select data channels with indices between 1 and 21. The probability of collision between multiple BLE communicating pairs is found to be higher than that of Classic Bluetooth which results in a reduced maximum achievable aggregate throughput of 3.18 Mbps.
Toxoplasma gondii levels in swine operations: differences due to technology choice and impact on costs of production

Abstract Human toxoplasmosis is an infection that has multiple sources: consumption of pork and lamb, water, and handling cat litter and garden soil. While some are, many are not related to livestock production methods. Therefore, there are weak market signals to farmers to change pig production systems, even when there are clear data indicating that pig confinement systems significantly lower the probability of pork being contaminated with the parasite, Toxoplasma gondii . We investigated cost differences for pig production systems. While confinement buildings are more expensive, these costs are offset by the greater feed and bedding costs in non-confinement production. There is a “slight cost advantage” of $0.31 per hundred weight for pigs produced in a confinement system.
Ketamine for pain: an update of uses in palliative care.

Abstract Ketamine is a lipophilic, general anesthetic. When given at subanesthetic doses, it also has been found to be an effective analgesic, with efficacy in cancer-associated neuropathic pain, ischemic pain, and regional pain syndromes. It can be administered orally, intravenously, subcutaneously, and topically, and interacts with several receptors important in pain management, most importantly the N-methyl-D aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Blockade of the NMDA receptor is associated with reversal of opioid tolerance. Ketamine is metabolized via cytochrome P450 3A4, although no significant interactions have been reported. Ketamine is considered one of the World Health Organization (WHO) essential drugs for the management of refractory pain.
In Vivo Human Coronary Magnetic Resonance Angiography at 7 Tesla

Introduction. Cardiac MRI at high fields faces many challenges including the lack of commercially available body RF coils, increased sample-induced B1 inhomogeneity, increased magnetic susceptibility effects which make imaging with balanced sequences difficult, and SAR limitations. However, if these can be at least partially overcome, then the higher signal-to-noise is advantageous both for imaging and localized spectroscopy. Here we investigate the feasibility of acquiring coronary magnetic resonance angiography (CMRA) scans, a promising technique for the non-invasive visualization of the coronary anatomy (1), in volunteers at 7 tesla (T) on a time-scale acceptable for clinical studies.
Performance Measurement, Strategic Planning, and Performance-Based Budgeting in Illinois Local and Regional Public Airports

The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) mandates federal agencies to develop and link strategic plans and performance measures into a budgeting sys-tem that allocates resources based on performance. Because the Act only applies to federal agencies, not many local governments have adopted performance-based budgeting; however, most state governments have used it well ahead of the GPRA. This research focused on determining the extent of airport facilities'use of (a) performance measures,(b) strategic planning, and (c) whether performance measures and strategic planning are integrated into a performance-based budgeting system. A total of 21 professionally managed public airports were studied, representing a mix of airline-based and general aviation facilities. We found that although strategic planning is a management tool utilized by 40% of airport administrators, performance measures are sparingly used, and budget allocations are not based on performance. Furthermore, budgeting is not linked to str...