cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of growth hormone on intestinal Na+/glucose cotransporter activity.

Background: Growth hormone (GH) has been used alone or as part of a defined regimen in the treatment of patients with short bowel syndrome; however its mode of action remains unclear. Growth hormone has been shown to increase amino acid, water, and electrolyte absorption from the small intestine. The acute effect of growth hormone on intestinal sugar transport has not been described previously. Methods: Mucosal preparations of rat jejunum were mounted in the Ussing chamber. Growth hormone (2 x 10 6 M or 8 x 10 6 M) or vehicle was added to the serosal chamber 1, 3, or 5 hours later. Twenty or 40 minutes after growth hormone addition, 30 mmol/L 3-O-methylglucose was added to both chambers, and the change in short-circuit current (ΔI sc ) was recorded. In separate experiments, tissues were pretreated with phloridzin, an inhibitor of Na + /glucose cotransport, before the addition of 3-O-methylglucose. In the final set of experiments, kinetic studies were performed. Results: GH did not induce any alterations in baseline electrical parameters. Only tissues left in the chambers for 5 hours, but not 1 or 3 hours, before GH treatment displayed a greater 3-O-methyl-glucose-induced ΔI sc than controls (p <.05). The increase in I sc induced by 3-O-methylglucose was 100% phloridzin-inhibitable. Kinetic analysis showed that growth hormone administration is associated with an increase in Na + /glucose cotransporter maximal velocity (V max ) but no significant change in carrier affinity for substrate (K m ). Conclusions: Growth hormone increases intestinal sugar transport, but only in tissue that has not been exposed to endogenous GH for over 3 hours.
Ribbon modulates apical membrane during tube elongation through Crumbs and Moesin

Although the formation and maintenance of epithelial tubes are essential for the viability of multicellular organisms, our understanding of the molecular and cellular events coordinating tubulogenesis is relatively limited. Here, we focus on the activities of Ribbon, a novel BTB-domain containing nuclear protein, in the elongation of two epithelial tubes: the Drosophila salivary gland and trachea. We show that Ribbon interacts with Lola Like, another BTB-domain containing protein required for robust nuclear localization of Ribbon, to upregulate crumbs expression and downregulate Moesin activity. Our ultrastructural analysis of ribbon null salivary glands by TEM reveals a diminished pool of subapical vesicles and an increase in microvillar structure, cellular changes consistent with the known role of Crumbs in apical membrane generation and of Moesin in the cross-linking of the apical membrane to the subapical cytoskeleton. Furthermore, the subapical localization of Rab11, a small GTPase associated with apical membrane delivery and rearrangement, is significantly diminished in ribbon mutant salivary glands and tracheae. These findings suggest that Ribbon and Lola Like function as a novel transcriptional cassette coordinating molecular changes at the apical membrane of epithelial cells to facilitate tube elongation.
Maternal Anthropometry and Infant Growth with Exclusive Breast Feeding in La Paz, Bolivia

The relationship between maternal anthropometric measures and infant growth was examined with bivariate regression techniques. 28 healthy exclusively breastfeeding mothers and their infants from La Paz Bolivia were studied. Infant weight gain between 3 and 6 months was significantly positively correlated with maternal arm circumference (sq.r=26%) and weight/height (sq.r=21%) measured at 34 weeks of pregnancy. Infant weight gain was also significantly positively correlated with the same maternal measurements taken at 3 months post-partum (sq.r=23% and sq.r=21% respectively). Infant length gain between 3 and 6 months was significantly positively correlated with maternal arm circumference (sq.r=16%) and weight/height sq.r=15%) measured at 3 months post-partum. Multivariate regression using multiple measures did not improve the correlations with infant growth. (authors modified)
Measurement Results with a New Small Cam-Driven Absolute Gravimeter

We describe the design of and measurement results from a new cam-driven compact and portable absolute gravimeter. The resulting instrument will serve a multitude of field (because of its compactness) and laboratory (including standards) applications
Digital Clubbing Associated With Polymyositis and Interstitial Lung Disease

Clubbing of the fingers is commonly associated with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). Although ILD occurs in as many as 40% of patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM), clubbing of the digits has never been reported to occur in patients with PM/DM and ILD. We report the first case of clubbing associated with PM/DM and ILD.
Aeroservoelastic aspects of wing/control surface planform shape optimization

Equivalent plate structural modeling and doublet point lifting surface unsteady aerodynamics are used to obtain analytic sensitivities of aeroelastic and aeroservoelastic response with respect to wing and control surface planform shape parameters. Rational function approximations for unsteady aerodynamic forces, their shape sensitivities, and the resulting linear time invariant state space models of aeroservoelastic systems and their shape sensitivities are examined. The goal is to develop effective and numerically efficient approximation techniques for wing shape optimization for use with nonlinear programming and approximation concepts as a multidisciplinary optimization strategy. Effects of structural and unsteady aerodynamic modeling errors are studied. Examination of approximation accuracy using alternative approximation techniques (and the resulting move limits) provide insight and experience on the way to realistic wing/control surface shape optimization with active controls and aeroservoelastic constraints.
Habitat use by subyearling Chinook and coho salmon in Lake Ontario tributaries

Abstract The habitat use of subyearling Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) and coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ) was examined in three tributaries of Lake Ontario. A total of 1781 habitat observations were made on Chinook salmon (698) and coho salmon (1083). During both spring and fall, subyearling coho salmon used pool habitat with abundant cover. During spring, principal component analysis revealed that water depth was the most important variable governing subyearling Chinook salmon habitat use. Substrate materials used by Chinook salmon in the spring and coho salmon in the fall were significantly smaller than were present on average within the study reaches. When the two species occurred sympatrically during spring they exhibited similar habitat selection. Although the habitat used by coho salmon in Lake Ontario tributaries was consistent with observations of habitat use in their native range, higher water velocities were less important to Chinook salmon than has previously been reported.
Identification of a Transversely Isotropic Material Model for White Matter in the Brain

Axonal fiber tracts in white matter of the brain form anisotropic structures. It is assumed that this structural anisotropy causes mechanical anisotropy, making white matter tissue stiffer along the axonal fiber direction. This, in turn, will affect the mechanical loading of axonal tracts during traumatic brain injury (TBI). The goal of this study is to use a combination of in-vitro tests to characterize the mechanical anisotropy of white matter and compare it to gray matter, which is thought to be structurally and mechanically isotropic. A more complete understanding of the mechanical anisotropy of brain tissue will provide more accurate information for computational simulations of brain injury.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Gold Nanoparticle Self Assembly on Diblock Copolymers for Application as Biomolecular Sensors

Current efforts in medical diagnostic technology focus toward developing biological sensors with the capacity for detecting trace quantities of specified organic molecules. In this study, metallic nanoparticles were investigated for the development of field-enhanced chemical and biological detection devices with the capacity to achieve single-molecule level detection resulting from surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) associated with closely spaced noble metal nanostructures.[1, 2] Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensors likewise benefit from the incorporation of ordered metal nanoparticles on surfaces, providing increased shift in minimum of reflectivity with biological binding event (figure 1).[3]Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Impact studies of five ceramic materials and pyrex

Summary We measured the ballistic performance of five ceramic materials (alumina, silicon carbide, boron carbide, aluminum nitride, and titanium diboride) and Pyrex, when they are backed by thick steel plates. The projectile for all tests was a right-circular cylinder of tungsten sinter-alloy W2 with length 25.4 mm and diameter 6.35 mm, fired at velocities from 1.35 to 2.65 km/s. For this threat we determined the minimum areal density of each material that is needed to keep the projectile from penetrating the backup steel. For all of the facing materials studied here, this performance measure increases approximately linearly with projectile velocity. However, the rate of increase is significantly lower for aluminum nitride than for the other materials studied. Indeed, aluminum nitride is a poor performer at the lowest velocity tested, but is clearly the best at the highest velocity. Our computer simulations show the significant influence of the backing material on ceramic performance, manifested by a transition region extending two projectile diameters upstream from the material interface. Experiments with multiple material layers show that this influence also manifests itself through a significant dependence of ballistic performance on the ordering of the material layers.
Olfactory discrimination in alcoholic Korsakoff patients.

Abstract Simple discrimination of various odorants and short-term memory for odors were assessed in alcoholic Korsakoff patients and alcoholic and non-alcoholic controls by means of a sniff-bottle technique. Korsakoff patients demonstrated a striking impairment of olfactory discrimination, scoring at a level no greater than chance on both delay and non-delay conditions. Neither control group showed a significant decay in olfactory STM over a 30-sec delay interval. The possibility that the Korsakoffs' olfactory impairment is related to thalamic and/or hypothalamic damage in this disease is discussed.
From waste-to-worth: energy, emissions, and nutrient implications of manure processing pathways

Four manure processing pathways are evaluated to provide a system-level understanding of their impacts on different sustainability indicators. In particular we look at how solid-liquid separation (SLS), anaerobic digestion (AD), and AD + SLS affect depletion of fossil fuels (DFF), nutrient balances, global warming potential (GWP), and ammonia emissions when compared to the base-case (BC) pathway of direct land application. Lifecycle sustainability assessment techniques are applied to develop inventory data and model a Wisconsin dairy farm. For the BC, net GWP is 101.2 kg CO2-eq, DFFS is 106.1 MJ, ammonia emissions are 2.62 kg, and nitrogen availability is 2.45 kg per ton of excreted manure. Net GWP is reduced in all pathways compared to BC by 19% for SLS, 48% for AD, and 47% for AD + SLS. DFF is reduced by 43% for AD and 40% for AD + SLS, but increased by 13% for SLS. Ammonia emissions are increased in all pathways by 2% for SLS, 40% for AD, and 44% for AD + SLS. Nitrogen availability remains the same in SLS but decreases in AD and AD + SLS due to higher ammonia volatilization, which could be reduced by injecting manure. Ratios of fossil energy (FERAD) and energy return on investment (EROIAD) of 3.7 and 0.98–1.8 are determined for AD pathways, compared to FER of 0.29 and EROI of 0.27 for grid electricity. When allocating results to specific outputs, variability can be reduced by applying system subdivision and allocation. Sensitivity analyses highlight the importance of reducing emissions during manure storage and the influence of changes in fertilizer and sand bedding. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
An assessment of the alternative vote system in Fiji

Fiji adopted the alternative vote system in 1997 as part of a constitutional reform package aimed at promoting multi-ethnic government and moderation. This study examines the rationale for the adoption of the new voting system, and its operation in the 1999 and 2001 elections. It finds that the alternative vote has failed to achieve its intended objectives. Instead of promoting moderation, the system has rewarded extremist parties and produced highly disproportionate outcomes, which has weakened the legitimacy of elections and democracy. The alternative vote should be replaced with a proportional electoral system. Such a system would make it more likely that Fiji addresses fundamental domestic challenges to democratic stability.
Season of birth and disordered eating in female college students.

Objective: Earlier studies have suggested relationships between season of birth and eating disorders. These studies have found that women with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are more likely to be born in the first 6 months rather than in the last 6 months of the year. The current study examines relationships between season of birth and general disordered eating in female college students. Method: Subjects included 155 female twin and triplet participants from the Michigan Twin Study. Disordered eating was assessed with subscales from the Minnesota Eating Disorders Inventory (M-EDI) and the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ). Both a two-group comparison and a three-group comparison of M-EDI and EDEQ scores were conducted. The two-group comparison comprised subjects born between January and June and subjects born between July and December. The three-group comparison comprised subjects born between January and April, between May and August, and between September and December. Results: No significant differences in M-EDI or EDEQ scores were observed in any of the group comparisons. Discussion: The lack of significant differences across birth periods suggests that season of birth effects may not generalize to general disordered eating characteristics in nonclinical samples.
SERS probes for the detection and imaging of biochemical species on the nanoscale

We have developed novel surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based nanoimaging probes for dynamic chemical imaging in a non-scanning format. These probes have been developed for obtaining sub-diffraction limited chemical measurements of various biochemical species (e.g., lipids, proteins, etc.) as well as biological organisms (e.g., bacteria, etc.). They combine qualitative and quantitative information obtained from SERS with the imaging capabilities of coherent fiber optic bundles. Nanoimaging probes are fabricated from coherent fiber optic bundles composed of 30,000 individual 4 μm diameter fiber elements. Using a CO2 laser based micropipette puller, bundles are tapered on one end resulting in the formation of equi-diameter individual elements tens of nanometers to hundreds of nanometers in diameter. Employing these probes, inherent image magnification and submicron spatial resolution is possible. Across these tapered probe tips, uniformly roughened surface features are creating by HF acid etching. These surface features consist of six cladding peaks that surround each individual fiber elements' core, which are uniform in size, shape, structure, and spacing. SERS active surfaces are created on the tapered tips of the probes by selectively depositing silver onto these cladding peaks, creating an array of highly ordered uniform silver islands across these nanoimaging probes' surfaces. This fabrication process results in a high degree of uniformity in SERS enhancement across the image surface of the probes (< 3.0% RSD), which is essential for reproducible quantitative imaging applications. Further SERS enhancement and specific excitation wavelength tuning can be achieved by controlling the spacing between silver islands and the overall size of the silver islands uniformly arrayed across these SERS probe tips. Characterization and imaging of biochemical species and model compounds using these SERS nanoimaging probes is presented in this manuscript.
Use of avidin to prepare biotin-free culture media

Dialysis of avidin-treated casein hydrolysate and peptone solutions produced biotin-free dialysates which, when incorporated into growth media resulted in media devoid of biotin. Wright-Skeggs medium supplemented with dialyzed, avidin-treated, casein hydrolysate did not support significant growth of Bacillus coagulans or Lactobacillus plantarum without biotin supplementation. Eagle's minimal essential medium supplemented with avidin-treated, peptone dialysate (MEMAPD) would not support the growth of LM strain mouse cells through more than a single passage without biotin supplementation. MEMAPD supplemented with biotin supported good growth of the LM cells through repeated passages. Using this medium it was possible to demonstrate that LM cells require biotin for growth and that they cannot utilize avidin-complexed biotin. Avidin treatment of peptone or casein hydrolysate solutions allowed accurate control of the biotin content in culture media and did not remove significant amounts of substances other than biotin. By comparison, activated charcoal nonspecifically removes biotin as well as other essential nutrients and adds unknown substances to the medium which interfere with the growth of tissue culture cells.
Adjustment and Value Conflict in Urbanizing Dakota Indians Measured by Q-Sort Technique'

As part of a larger study of American Indian migration to the San Francisco Bay Area, a Q-Sort test was devised to discover and measure value conflict Methodological problems in the administration and analysis of the test are discussed. In addition, comparison of the performance of selected individuals with their observed behavior shows that individual behavioral change in acculturation cannot be described in linear acculturation continuum models Some alternative hypotheses are proposed. THERE IS NO ADVANTAGE to be gained by rehashing all the arguments over the relative merits of quantitative testing and ethnographic description in the study of cultural-psychological processes. Others have done this with more interest, energy, and rigor than is appropriate here. This report is an attempt to integrate results of these two investigative methods with results not originally foreseen, and to point out some propositions about value conflict in acculturation that developed from this analysis.
Polychlorinated biphenyls are not substrates for the multidrug resistance transporter-1

Abstract The multidrug resistance (MDR) transporter is a phosphorylated glycoprotein (P-gp) that has been implicated in the efflux of a large variety of xenobiotics, thereby protecting vital organs. This study examines the hypothesis that the multidrug resistance transporter is involved in restricting the entry of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the brain. Three test systems were used. First, the ATPase activity of the human P-gp was measured as an indicator of the interaction of PCBs with the MDR transporter. PCB congeners and metabolites included in the study were PCB 153, PCB 169, PCB 77, and the 4-hydroxy and 4,4′-dihydroxy metabolites of PCB 77. An increase in ATPase activity was observed for all the PCBs tested except the 4-hydroxy metabolite of PCB 77. Second, we studied the transport of 14 C-PCB 77 and 14 C-PCB153 in a cell-culture model using porcine kidney cells expressing the human MDR1 or the mouse mdr1a gene and compared it to the transport in control cells. No difference in directional transport due to P-gp was observed with either of the congeners in any of the cell lines. Finally, the distribution pattern of 14 C-PCB 77 in mdr1a knockout mice and genetically matched wild-type mice was measured. No significant differences in tissue distribution, especially in the brain tissue, were observed between wild-type and mdr1a knockout mice. These results suggest that some PCB congeners can bind to the MDR1 transporter; however, they may not be transported by it.
Comparative study of the efficacy and specificity of tissue plasminogen activator and pro-urokinase: demonstration of synergism and of different thresholds of non-selectivity

Abstract Clot lysis and non-specific plasminogen activation in human plasma by tissue tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and/or pro-urokinase (pro-UK) were studied. The fibrinolytic activity of pro-UK was expressed as latent units, i.e. measured after activation with plasmin on a fibrin plate against the reference standard. The t-PA unitage was assigned on a weight basis of a similar equivalence of 100,000 IU/mg. To simplify comparison, both activators were expressed in IU (1 IU = −10 ng). At low concentration (1–50 IU/ml), t-PA induced more effective and more linear clot lysis, whereas pro-UK induced lysis was preceded by a lag phase. The two activators were equivalently effective at higher concentrations and saturated at the same lysis rate. Clots made from platelet rich plasma or whole blood were more responsive to lysis by pro-UK but not t-PA than corresponding platelet poor clots. At very low concentrations (2.5–5 IU/ml) of t-PA combined with moderate concentrations (25–50 IU/ml) of pro-UK, a synergistic effect on clot lysis, which was fibrin-specific, was observed. Plasminogen and fibrinogen and the appearance of plasmin-inhibitor complexes in plasma were measured after incubation with either activator with and without a clot present. Non-specific plasminogen activation occurred above a certain concentration of either activator but was found at lower concentrations of t-PA than pro-UK. In the absence of a clot, plasmin generation occurred with t-PA at about 30% of the concentration at which pro-UK induced a corresponding effect. It is concluded that there are important differences in the fibrinolytic and clot selective properties of t-PA and pro-UK, and that some of these properties may be complementary resulting in a fibrin specific, synergistic fibrinolytic effect.
Molecular imaging and therapy directed at the neovasculature in pathologies

This paper discussed the impact of molecular imaging on clinical and preclinical medicine. Potential problems of delivering the effective therapeutic dose and the properties that can help contribute to the drug efficacy were presented. The rationale for the design of new antiangiogenic agents that can be used for imaging and therapy was presented. Finally, results from imaging and targeted nanoparticle-based therapies were presented. In vivo imaging of angiogenic tumors using anti-/spl alpha//sub v//spl beta//sub 3/-targeted polymerized vesicles composed of the murine antibody LM609 attached to nanoparticles labeled with the MR contrast agent gadolinium in the V2 carcinoma model in rabbits. MRI studies using this targeted contrast agent revealed large areas of /spl alpha//sub v//spl beta//sub 3/ integrin expression in tumor-associated vasculature that conventional MRIs failed to show. By modification of the nanoparticles this imaging agent was used as an antiangiogenic gene delivery system.
Toward a "magenta" public bioethics discourse--Bart Stupak and health care reform.

Modern American politics (and often academic bioethics) tends to be viewed through a lens that sees positions as either liberal or conservative, red state or blue state. But the recent public debat...
Ready And Willing? Physicians’ Sense Of Preparedness For Bioterrorism

Little is known about contemporary physicians’ sense of preparedness for bioterrorism, willingness to treat patients despite personal risk, or belief in the professional duty to treat during epidemics. In a recent national survey few physicians reported that they or their practice are “well prepared” for bioterrorism. Still, most respondents reported that they would continue to care for patients in the event of an outbreak of “an unknown but potentially deadly illness,” although only a narrow majority reported believing in a professional duty to treat patients in epidemics. Preparing physicians for bioterrorism should entail providing practical knowledge, preventive steps to minimize risk, and reinforcement of the profession’s ethical duty to treat.
Remarks on semiclassical quantization

Semiclassical quantization in the basic, or ‘‘primitive,’’ version often predicts a simpler, more highly degenerate energy level spectrum than is observed. This point is illustrated by remarks on two‐dimensional systems with threefold and higher rotational symmetry and on perturbations of such systems. For example, according to semiclassical quantization essentially all energy levels of a C3 system are at least doubly degenerate. Such ‘‘incorrect’’ degeneracy predictions are to be interpreted as predictions of coalescence of levels in the semiclassical (ℏ→0) limit, coalescence which may manifest itself in real spectra as an excess of near degeneracies. Finally, a consideration on degeneracy rules out one possible solution to the problem of semiclassical quantization of ergodic systems.
Influence of DNA sequence and supercoiling on the process of cruciform formation.

Abstract We have studied some of the effects of DNA sequence and negative superhelicity on the rate of cruciform formation. Replacing the sequence AATT at the center of a perfect 68 base-pair palindromic sequence with the sequence CCCGGG decreases the rate of cruciform formation by a factor of at least 100. The logarithm of the rate constant of cruciform formation was found to increase linearly with linking difference. For the 68 base-pair perfect palindrome in a 4400 base-pair plasmid, each additional negative superhelical turn increased the rate of cruciform formation by a factor of 1·6. These results are consistent with a mechanism in which cruciform formation is initiated by the formation of a single-stranded bubble, 10 base-pairs in length, near the center of the palindromic sequence. In addition, we have examined the effect of introducing an asymmetric insertion into the palindromic sequence.
Dyslexia: Especially for parents

Dyslexia is one kind of learning disability. Although there are many definitions, dyslexia is most widely used to refer to problems with reading or decoding words and with spelling. If one cannot de code words, it is unlikely that he or she will be able to spell. There is not a single pattern that classifies a child as dyslexic. Some dyslexies show reversals of letters, but others do not. The child with dyslexia may or may not show related problems with spoken language or with other areas of learning or behavior. Some dyslexies will have problems with attention, referred to as attention deficit disorder, which may or may not include hyperactivity. Treatment may include behavior management, psychotherapy, and/or medication. Problems with auditory or visual memory may coexist with dyslexia. An auditory memory deficit will make it difficult to carry out instructions, follow oral directions, remember assignments, take class notes, and profit from verbal lectures without visual aids. Weak visual memory may impede memory for the sequence of letters in printed words or for retaining visual nonverbal images for such tasks as reading maps. If the dyslexic has problems with comprehending spoken lan guage, he or she may need additional help understanding words after they are decoded. Comprehension problems in spoken language will cause difficulty with reading comprehension. Some dyslexies may in terpret language well but have problems with retrieving words to recall them quickly for use, even though the words are in their vocabularies. A word-finding problem can affect conversation, saying letter names or sounds, naming colors, and completing tests where specific informa tion is needed such as filling in the blanks.
Visualization of A-Train vertical profiles using Google Earth

Online tools, such as those pioneered by Google Earth (GE), are changing the way in which scientists and the general public interact with three-dimensional geospatial data in a virtual environment. However, while GE provides a number of features to facilitate geospatial data visualization, there is currently no readily available method for rendering vertical geospatial data derived from Earth-viewing remote sensing satellites as an orbit curtain seen from above. Here, a solution (one of many possible) is demonstrated to render vertical profiles of atmospheric data from the A-Train satellite formation in GE, using as a proof-of-concept data from one of the instruments-the NASA CloudSat satellite. CloudSat carries a nadir-viewing Cloud Profiling Radar that produces data revealing the vertical distribution of cloud characteristics along the satellite track. These data are first rendered into a long vertical image for a user-selected spatial range through the NASA Goddard Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni) system (http://giovanni.gsfc.nasa.gov/). The vertical image is then chopped into small slices representing 15s of satellite time (~103km long ground distance). Each small piece, as a texture, is fed into a generalized COLLAborative Design Activity (COLLADA) three-dimensional (3-D) model. Using the satellite orbit coordinates, the repeated 15s ''3-D model slices'' are spliced together to form a vertical ''curtain'' image in Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format. Each model slice is geolocated along the CloudSat orbit path based on its size, scale and angle with the longitude line that are precisely calculated on the fly. The resulting vertical cloud data can be viewed in GE, either transparently or opaquely, superimposed above the Earth's surface with an exaggerated vertical scale. Since CloudSat is just a part of the A-Train formation, the full utility of this tool can be explored within the context of the A-Train Data Depot (ATDD, http://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/atdd/) and the corresponding Giovanni instance (http://disc1.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/daac-bin/G3/gui.cgi?instance_id=atrain). The latter portal allows scientists and the general public to access and visualize complex A-Train datasets without having to delve into data formats specific to a given mission.
Rapid detection of the active cardiac glycoside convallatoxin of lily of the valley using LOCI digoxin assay.

Objectives: To explore the luminescent oxygen channeling technology–based digoxin immunoassay (LOCI digoxin assay) for rapid detection of lily of the valley extract and convallatoxin. The potential in vitro binding of convallatoxin with Digibind was also evaluated. Methods: Aliquots of a drug-free serum pool and a digoxin serum pool were supplemented with lily of the valley extract or convallatoxin, and then apparent digoxin concentrations were measured using the LOCI digoxin assay. Mice were administered lily of the valley extract or 50 μg of convallatoxin, and digoxin concentrations in serum specimens were measured 1 and 2 hours after gavage. Aliquots of a serum pool supplemented with convallatoxin or lily of the valley extract were further supplemented with various concentrations of Digibind and free apparent digoxin concentrations were measured. Results: Apparent digoxin concentrations were observed when aliquots of a drug-free serum pool were supplemented with convallatoxin or lily of the valley extract, and also with convallatoxin or herbal extract. Bidirectional interference of convallatoxin and lily of the valley extract with serum digoxin measurement using the LOCI assay was also observed. Digibind was capable of binding convallatoxin in vitro. Conclusions: LOCI digoxin assay can be used for rapid detection of convallatoxin, and Digibind can bind convallatoxin in vitro.
George W. Bush, the Republican Party, and the “New” American Party System

Scholars have long expressed concern that the ascendance of the modern presidency since the New Deal and World War II, by hastening the decline of political parties and fostering the expansion of the administrative state, portended an era of chronically low public engagement and voter turnout and an increasingly fractious and impotent national politics. Presidents' inattentiveness to the demands of party-building and grassroots mobilization, coupled with their willingness to govern through administration, were seen as key obstacles to the revitalization of a politics based in widespread political interest and collective responsibility for public policy. This article argues that George W. Bush's potent combination of party leadership and executive administration, foreshadowed by Ronald Reagan's earlier efforts, suggests the emergence of a new presidential leadership synthesis and a “new” party system. This new synthesis does not promise a return to pre-modern party politics; rather, it indicates a rearticulation of the relationship between the presidency and the party system. The erosion of old old-style partisan politics allowed for a more national and issue-based party system to develop, forging new links between presidents and parties. As the 2006 elections reveal, however, it remains to be seen whether such parties, which are inextricably linked to executive-centered politics and governance, can perform the critical function of moderating presidential ambition and mobilizing public support for party principles and policies.Sidney M. Milkis is Professors of Politics (smm8e@cms.mail.virginia.edu) and Jesse H. Rhodes is a doctoral student (jhr7t@cms.mail.virginia.edu) at the University of Virginia. The authors would like to thank the anonymous readers who reviewed the manuscript for their thoughtful and constructive comments.
Law enforcement and criminal justice personnel interactions with transgender people in the United States: A literature review

Abstract This literature review examines research exploring the interactions between transgender people and law enforcement and criminal justice (LECJ) personnel in the U.S. to better understand the experiences of transgender people who come into contact with the criminal justice system. A search of existing academic literature, public health reports, and advocacy group publications revealed 33 studies that contained information about transgender people's interactions with LECJ personnel. Results highlight how large percentages of transgender people experience arrest and incarceration, unjustified stops and arrest, disrespect and poor case handling, and abuse and violence from LECJ personnel while in their communities. Large percentages of transgender people in institutional settings also reported abuse committed by criminal justice personnel, including harassment, assault, and a lack of protection from other inmates. This review also highlights evidence of discriminatory and abusive treatment when transgender victims seek assistance from the legal system. Taken together, this study suggests a need for further work to de-stigmatize the legal and criminal justice systems.
Microbial community response to soil solarization in Nepal's rice–wheat cropping system

The Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia support 13.5 million hectares of rice–wheat cropping systems, which currently feed over one billion people. Intensified agriculture has resulted in a more than two-fold increase in rice and wheat yields since the 1970s; however, this continuous cropping has also exacerbated weed, pest and disease problems. Soil solarization is an accessible, low-risk management practice for small-holder farmers that has ameliorated these problems in some settings and has the potential to dramatically improve yields. Field trials were conducted at two sites in Nepal to test whether soil solarization: (i) had a lasting effect on soil bacterial, fungal and nematode communities; (ii) altered the rhizosphere communities of rice nursery seedlings and (iii) improved crop growth and yield in the rice–wheat cropping system. Rice seedlings were grown in nursery plots that were solarized for 28 days or left untreated and were transplanted to field plots that were also either solarized for 28 days or not in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Rice was grown to maturity and harvested, followed by a complete wheat cropping cycle. Solarization of main field plots increased counts of fungal propagules and decreased root galling and nematode counts and decreased weed biomass. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analyses of extracted soil DNA revealed significant shifts in fungal community composition following soil solarization, which was sustained throughout the entire rice cropping cycle at both field sites. The bacterial community composition was similarly affected, but at only one of the two sites. Despite the observed changes in soil microbial community composition over more than one cropping period, solarization had no impact on crop productivity at either site. Nevertheless, such changes in soil microbial communities in response to solarization may be responsible for increased yields observed at other sites with greater pathogen pressure. This practice has shown promising results in many farmers’ fields in South Asia, but further elucidation of the mechanisms by which solarization increases productivity is needed. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Inhibition of neural and muscle degeneration after epineural neurorrhaphy

Investigations were undertaken on the regeneration of transected rat sciatic nerves. The ability of the protease inhibitor leupeptin to inhibit wallerian degeneration and muscle atrophy was evaluated. After transection of a sciatic nerve and immediate neurorrhaphy, animals were treated with leupeptin for a period of 1 week to 6 months. Our results indicate a significant increase in the numbers of myelinated and unmyelinated neurofibers in the distal segment of treated nerves. Peroxidase tracer, injected intramuscularly, was transported by retrograde axonal flow and was observed to label increased numbers of treated axons both distal and proximal to the repair site. This finding suggests that treated neurofibers are functionally viable. Evaluation of muscle showed that secondary muscular atrophy is also significantly inhibited by leupeptin.
The Etholén Collection

The Etholen Collection: The Ethnographic Alaskan Collection of Adolf Etholen and his contemporaries in the National Museum of Finland. PIRJO VARJOLA. with contributions by JULIA P. AVERKIEVA and ROZA G. LIAPUNOVA. Helsinki: National Board of Antiquities of Finland, 1990. 336 pp. 559 color and b/w illustrations; catalog; appendix; bibliographies. Out of print ($96 in 1992).
The Transient Atmospheric Circulation Response to North Atlantic SST and Sea Ice Anomalies

Abstract The objective of this study is to investigate the transient evolution of the wintertime atmospheric circulation response to imposed patterns of SST and sea ice extent anomalies in the North Atlantic sector using a large ensemble of experiments with the NCAR Community Climate Model version 3 (CCM3). The initial adjustment of the atmospheric circulation is characterized by an out-of-phase relationship between geopotential height anomalies in the lower and upper troposphere localized to the vicinity of the forcing. This initial baroclinic response reaches a maximum amplitude in ∼5–10 days, and persists for 2–3 weeks. Diagnostic results with a linear primitive equation model indicate that this initial response is forced by diabatic heating anomalies in the lower troposphere associated with surface heat flux anomalies generated by the imposed thermal forcing. Following the initial baroclinic stage of adjustment, the response becomes progressively more barotropic and increases in both spatial extent an...
Extraction and analysis of sea ice leads from SAR images

An approach using the technique of skeletonization to measure lead characteristics in Arctic sea ice radar images is presented. Skeletonization has been done in other studies using a mathematical morphology approach, but is approached using a thinning algorithm in the present study. The thinning approach guarantees maximally thin and minimally eroded skeletons. Image analysis techniques are then used to distinguish individual lead skeletons and measurements are made of these skeletons, including the main diagonal length, skeletal length, total skeletal length, linearity index, branching index, area, average width, main diagonal orientation, and average branching angles. Lead population measures are then calculated which include the overall lead density, average lead orientation, average length, average area, and categorization of leads by orientation. These population measures are aggregate measures of the individual lead measures compared across the entire image. >
Immunohistochemical Expression of Cell Cycle/Apoptosis Regulators and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Pediatric Intracranial Ependymomas

Intracranial ependymomas are the third most common primary brain tumor in children. We set out to investigate the expression of p-53, p-27, bcl-2, and epidermal growth factor receptor in 13 pediatric infratentorial ependymomas, in correlation with Ki-67/ MIB-1 proliferation index and prognosis. The median progression-free survival was 37.5 months, and the 5-year overall survival was 50%. There was a statistically significant higher expression of Ki-67 and p-53 index in anaplastic tumors. There was also a higher expression of p-27, bcl-2, and epidermal growth factor receptor in anaplastic tumors, but the difference was not statistical significant. No significant correlation was found between overall survival and level of expression of Ki-67, p-53, p-27, bcl-2, and epidermal growth factor receptor. Epidermal growth factor receptor detection in a considerable number of ependymomas probably reflects its role in the neoplastic transformation and can serve as a therapeutic target.
Noise and tremor in the perception of vocal aging in males.

Summary Objective/Hypothesis To specify a set of acoustic cues for vocal aging and to establish their perceptual relevance. Study Design Perceptual testing. Methods To identify the acoustic and perceptual correlates of the aging voice, voice quality [in conjunction with speaking rate and fundamental frequency ( F 0 )] was systematically manipulated using resynthesis to determine its effect on perceived age. Ten young male voices were resynthesized using two levels of noise (random modulation of F 0 contour) and two levels of tremor (constant modulation of F 0 contour with a low-amplitude wave) under a speaking-rate manipulation (an increase in speaking rate that is common to older male voices). These materials were submitted to 40 naive listeners in an age-estimation task. Two sets of comparison materials were also included for evaluation: unmanipulated samples from a 150 voice database of young, middle-aged, and older voices and disordered voice samples representing natural manifestations of the voice qualities of interest. Results Speaking rate, highest degree of tremor, and highest degree of noise all shifted, in an additive manner, the mean perceived age of the young male voices by a maximum of 12 years on average; individual voices were observed being shifted by a generation. Fundamental frequency manipulations had no significant effect on perceived age. Conclusions Voice quality (both tremor and noise) and speaking rate are all perceptually relevant cues of age in male voices.
Intrapericardial paraganglioma associated with succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit C mutation syndrome.

Background Paragangliomas are benign neoplasms of neuroendocrine origin. It is estimated that from 20% to 50% of these tumors are familial. Mutations in the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) gene family have been found to be responsible for a significant percentage of familial paragangliomas. Methods A 33-year-old man who was found to have 3 synchronous primary tumors including a catecholamine-secreting intrapericardial paraganglioma is presented. Results Genetic workup diagnosed this patient with an underlying germ-line mutation in the succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit C (SDHC) gene; consistent with a diagnosis of hereditary paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma syndrome (PGL/PCC). Current knowledge regarding the clinical implications of an SDHC gene mutation is reviewed. Conclusion Modern molecular techniques have identified that a significantly greater proportion of paragangliomas are due to underlying hereditary conditions than was previously thought. Appropriate screening in these individuals and their immediate family members may allow for early tumor diagnosis and improved disease outcomes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2013
Bayesian learning in negotiation

Negotiation has been extensively discussed in game-theoretic, economic and management science literatures for decades. Recent growing interest in autonomous interacting software agents and their potential application in areas such as electronic commerce has give increased importance to automated negotiation. Evidence both from theoretical analysis and from observations of human interactions suggests that if decision makers can somehow take into consideration what other agents are thinking and furthermore learn during their interactions how other agents behave, their payoff might increase. In this paper, we propose a sequential decision-making model of negotiation, called Bazaar. It provides an adaptive, multi-issue negotiation model capable of exhibiting a rich set of negotiation behaviors. Within the proposed negotiation framework, we model learning as a Bayesian belief update process. In this paper, we present both theoretical analysis and initial experimental results showing that learning is beneficial in the sequential negotiation model.
Laser Guided Direct Writing

Laser-induced optical forces are used to guide and deposit 100 nm - 10 µm diameter particles onto solid surfaces in a process called laser-guided direct-writing. Nearly any particulate material, including both biological and electronic materials, can be manipulated and deposited with micrometer accuracy. Potential applications include three-dimensional cell patterning for tissue engineering, hybrid biological and electronic device construction, and biochip array fabrication
pH-induced structural changes regulate histidine decarboxylase activity in Lactobacillus 30a.

Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) from Lactobacillus 30a produces histamine that is essential to counter waste acids, and to optimize cell growth. The HDC trimer is active at low pH and inactive at neutral to alkaline pH. We have solved the X-ray structure of HDC at pH 8 and revealed the novel mechanism of pH regulation. At high pH helix B is unwound, destroying the substrate binding pocket. At acid pH the helix is stabilized, partly through protonation of Asp198 and Asp53 on either side of the molecular interface, acting as a proton trap. In contrast to hemoglobin regulation, pH has a large effect on the tertiary structure of HDC monomers and relatively little or no effect on quaternary structure.