cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GM-CSF-induced regulatory T cells selectively inhibit anti-acetylcholine receptor-specific immune responses in experimental myasthenia gravis.

We and others have demonstrated the ability of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to suppress autoimmunity by increasing the number of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs). In the current study, we have explored the critical role of induced antigen specific Tregs in the therapeutic effects of GM-CSF in murine experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). Specifically, we show that Tregs from GM-CSF treated EAMG mice (GM-CSF/AChR-induced-Tregs) adoptively transferred into animals with EAMG suppressed clinical disease more potently than equal numbers of Tregs from either GM-CSF untreated EAMG mice or healthy mice treated with GM-CSF. In addition, GM-CSF/AChR-induced-Tregs selectively suppressed antigen specific T cell proliferation induced by AChR relative to that induced by an irrelevant self antigen, (thyroglobulin) and failed to significantly alter T cell proliferation in response to an exogenous antigen (ovalbumin). These results are consistent with the hypothesized mechanism of action of GM-CSF involving the mobilization of tolerogenic dendritic cell precursors which, upon antigen (AChR) capture, suppress the anti-AChR immune response through the induction/expansion of AChR-specific Tregs.
Optimization schemas for parallel implementation of non-deterministic languages and systems

Naive parallel implementation of non-deterministic systems (such as a theorem proving system) and languages (such as logic, constraint, or concurrent constraint languages) can result in poor performance. We present three optimization schemas, based on flattening of the computation tree, procrastination of overheads, and sequentialization of computations that can be systematically applied to parallel implementations of non-deterministic systems/languages to reduce the parallel overhead and to obtain improved efficiency of parallel execution. The effectiveness of these schemas is illustrated by applying them to the ACE parallel logic programming system. The performance data presented show that considerable improvement in execution efficiency can be achieved. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Penis size increase between flaccid and erect states: An analysis of the Kinsey data.

(1988). Penis size increase between flaccid and erect states: An analysis of the Kinsey data. The Journal of Sex Research: Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 177-183.
Abstract A76: Cancer control outcomes in Asian Americans: Using secondary data from large surveys to investigate populations with limited sample

Background: Cancer control researchers studying Asian Americans face many challenges in utilizing/analyzing health survey data due to limited sample sizes and population heterogeneity resulting in underrepresented in many health surveys. National-level initiatives have begun to address this problem, including a recent White House initiative to increase representation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in research, data-collection, and analysis on AAPI populations and subpopulations. Within public health and specifically behavioral epidemiology, identifying and triangulating sources of data on Asian Americans can illuminate facilitate better understanding of health outcomes as well as behavioral mediators and moderators impacting this population. Purpose of Study: This project examines federal and state health surveys relevant to cancer control to: 1) identify sources and types of Asian American data, 2) identify the gaps in behavioral research in Asian Americans and 3) facilitate research in Asian American cancer health disparities. Special attention is paid to measurement of cancer control and prevention, including relevant health behaviors and social determinants. Method: Publically available health surveys including Asian-Americans will be presented and discussed, including but not limited to: the National Health Interview Survey, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Health Information National Trends Survey, the Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey, and the California Health Interview Survey. The analysis identifies how Asian Americans are reported and classified and highlights behavioral constructs relevant to cancer incidence and mortality. Differences between surveys will be presented along with an applied example of how data from different surveys may be merged together to create larger sample sizes to increase analytic power. Discussion: The results of this project will demonstrate the utility of using multiple data sets to better understand cancer-related outcomes in Asian American populations. The applied example of a combined analysis will address analytic challenges and opportunities in studying populations with small sample sizes and with heterogeneous sub-groups using available nationally representative data. Finally, we will discuss ways in which the available data can illuminate gaps in behavioral research in cancer control among Asian Americans. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):A76.
The effects of thyroxine and propanolol on the metabolic rate of degus.

Abstract 1. 1. The average resting metabolic rate (RMR) of young adult degus (Octodon degus) is 1257 ml O2/kg/hr. No differences exist between male and female animals. 2. 2. RMR is a function of body mass as described by the equation RMR = 19.5 W0.46 in which metabolic rate is expressed in ml O2/hr and W is body weight in g. 3. 3. Thyroxine elevates the metabolic rate of degus 18% within 15–35 min after injection. Such an immediate effect has not been described in other rodents. 4. 4. The metabolic effect of thyroxine is abolished if degus are pretreated with propanolol, suggesting that the hormone acts through B receptors.
KWOC indexes and vocabulary comparisons of summaries of LC and DC classification schedules

KWOC indexes based on summaries of the Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal classification schedules were prepared and the keyword vocabularies assembled in a side-by-side comparison. The indexes and the vocabulary comparison are briefly described and evaluated; significant differences in vocabulary are observed. The project serves as a demonstration of one method of examining editorial bias.
Measuring the flavor asymmetry in the sea quarks of the proton with the Drell–Yan process

Abstract The proton is a composite object made of fundamental, strongly interacting quarks. Many of the features of the proton can be described by a simple picture based on three “valence” quarks bound by the exchange of gluons. However, protons are much more complex objects with the vast majority of their mass dynamically generated by quantum chromodynamics (QCD). This mass manifests itself through a “sea” of gluons and quark–antiquark pairs. By measuring Drell–Yan scattering, the Fermilab E-906/Drell–Yan experiment will study the sea quark distribution in the proton and, in particular, the unusually large asymmetry between anti-up and anti-down quarks measured by earlier Drell–Yan experiments. This asymmetry cannot simply be generated through pair creation, but rather indicates an underlying, fundamental antiquark component in the proton. Using the same technique, the E-906/SeaQuest experiment will also investigate the differences between the antiquark distributions of the free proton and a proton bound in a nucleus. Nuclear binding is expected to modify the quark distributions and it has long been known that the overall quark distributions are different (the EMC effect). Surprisingly, present data suggest, however, that the antiquark distributions are not modified. To accomplish these goals, the experiment will use a 120 GeV proton beam extracted from the Fermilab Main Injector. While the experiment will be taking advantage of equipment from earlier Drell–Yan experiments, the changes in kinematics of the experiment require several, significant upgrades to the spectrometer. Japanese institutions, including Tokyo Institute of Technology, KEK, RIKEN, Kyoto University and Yamagata University, are making substantial contributions to this upgrade. The collaboration expects to begin data collection in Summer, 2010.
Economic development and the role of agricultural technology

In earlier debates on economic development, the agricultural sector's role was somewhat controversial. While dualistic models highlighted the importance of agriculture, the mainstream literature placed a greater emphasis on the creation of a modern industrial sector. Soon agriculture disappeared from the mainstream development literature to re-emerge recently with a variety of multiple-sector growth models emphasizing the key role of agriculture and specifically technology in agriculture. This article is an empirical cross-country analysis of agricultural technology's role in economic development. Specifically, the hypothesis being tested is whether improvements in agricultural technology have a significant impact on long-run economic growth. The results indicate that agricultural modernization has a positive effect on both measures of economic growth and human development.
Thermal behavior of single-walled carbon nanotube polymer–matrix composites

Abstract Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)–poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) composites were fabricated by dispersion of SWNT in an aqueous surfactant solution, followed by mixing with PVDF powder, filtration and hot pressing. The thermal properties of the composites at various SWNT volume fraction up to 49% were investigated. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) was decreased with increase of the SWNT content. The thermal conductivity increased with temperature in the temperature range from 25 to 150 °C. The thermal conductivity was enhanced, but not up to the level required by heat sink applications. The melting point was not affected significantly by the addition of SWNT, but the degree of crystallinity was increased and the decomposition temperature of the matrix was decreased. The large number of junctions among SWNT largely offsets the benefit of the high thermal conductivity of SWNT. In addition, the impurity and defects in SWNT are believed to limit the thermal conductivity of the composites. Lastly, the reduced thermal stability of the composite compared to the matrix might result from the presence of the metal catalyst contained in the SWNT.
The Effects of Student–Faculty Interaction on Academic Self-Concept: Does Academic Major Matter?

Using cross-classified multilevel modeling, this study attempted to improve our understanding of the group-level conditional effects of student–faculty interaction by examining the function of academic majors in explaining the effects of student–faculty interaction on students’ academic self-concept. The study utilized data on 11,202 undergraduate students who completed both the 2003 Freshman Survey and the 2007 College Senior Survey at 95 baccalaureate institutions nationwide. The results show that the strength of the relationship between having been a guest in a professor’s home and students’ academic self-concept varies by academic major. Findings also suggest that some aspects of departmental climate, such as a racially more diverse student body and greater faculty accessibility, can possibly magnify the beneficial effects of student–faculty interaction. The study discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the findings.
Enhanced quantum efficiency from hybrid cesium halide/copper photocathodes

The quantum efficiency (QE) of Cu is found to increase dramatically when coated by a CsI film and then irradiated by a UV laser. Over three orders of magnitude quantum efficiency enhancement at 266 nm is observed in CsI/Cu(100), indicating potential application in future photocathode devices. Upon laser irradiation, a large work function reduction to a value less than 2 eV is also observed, significantly greater than for similarly treated CsBr/Cu(100). The initial QE enhancement, prior to laser irradiation, is attributed to interface interaction and the intrinsic properties of the Cs halide film. Further QE enhancement following activation is attributed to formation of inter-band states and Cs metal accumulation at the interface induced by laser irradiation.
PROTEINS IN NUCLEOCYTOPLASMIC INTERACTIONS III. Redistributions of Nuclear Proteins During and Following Mitosis in Amoeba proteus

The behavior of nuclear proteins in Amoeba proteus was studied by tritiated amino acid labeling, nuclear transplantation, and cytoplasmic amputation. During prophase at least 77% (but probably over 95%) of the nuclear proteins is released to the cytoplasm. These same proteins return to the nucleus within the first 3 hr of interphase. When cytoplasm is amputated from an ameba in mitosis (shen the nuclear proteins are in the cytoplasm), the resultant daughter nuclei are depleted in the labeled nuclear proteins. The degree of depletion is less than proportional to the amount of cytoplasm removed because a portion of rapidly migrating protein (a nuclear protein that is normally shuttling between nucleus and cytoplasm and is thus also present in the cytoplasm) which would normally remain in the cytoplasm is taken up by the reconstituting daughter nuclei. Cytoplasmic fragments cut from mitotic cells are enriched in both major classes of nuclear proteins, i.e. rapidly migrating protein and slow turn-over protein. An interphase nucleus implanted into such an enucleated cell acquires from the cytoplasm essentially all of the excess nuclear proteins of both classes. The data indicate that there is a lack of binding sites in the cytoplasm for the rapidly migrating nuclear protein. The quantitative aspects of the distribution of rapidly migrating protein between the nucleus and the cytoplasm indicate that the distribution is governed primarily by factors within the nucleus.
Feline ocular emergencies

Feline ocular emergencies include any ophthalmic condition that has rapidly developed or is the result of trauma to the eye or periocular structures. Common feline emergencies include proptosis, lid lacerations, corneal ulcers, and foreign bodies. Complete ophthalmic examination including procurement of the minimal ophthalmic database (Schirmer tear test, fluorescein stain, and intraocular pressure measurement) should be obtained whenever possible to ensure that the complete and correct diagnosis is made. Concern for the patient's vision and ocular comfort should guide the practioner's diagnostic and therapeutic plan. This article reviews some of the more common feline ocular emergencies, including conditions affecting the orbit and globe, adnexa, conjunctiva, and cornea. Feline uveitis, glaucoma, and lenticular diseases are covered more thoroughly elsewhere in this issue.
Acheulean artifact accumulation and early hominin land use, Garden Route Casino Road, Pinnacle Point, South Africa

An Early Stone Age Acheulean lithic assemblage collected along a 1.5-km transect at the Garden Route Casino near Pinnacle Point, Mossel Bay, South Africa, was examined in order to assess the relative degree to which assemblage variability is impacted by post-occupational processes and/or terrain. It was found that post-occupational variables do vary across the study area, and they affect the positions of artifacts to different degrees. Terrain structure was determined to have minimal effect on artifact movement. Three analysis sections were identified as having artifacts that were likely close to their original positions and compositions. Future interpretations of differential land use can now be tempered with considerations of the post-occupational processes that formed the recovered assemblage. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interaction of Inhibitor-2 with the Catalytic Subunit of Type 1 Protein Phosphatase IDENTIFICATION OF A SEQUENCE ANALOGOUS TO THE CONSENSUS TYPE 1 PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE-BINDING MOTIF

Abstract Inhibitor-2 (I-2) is the regulatory subunit of a cytosolic type 1 Ser/Thr protein phosphatase (PP1) and potently inhibits the activity of the free catalytic subunit (CS1). Previous work from the laboratory had proposed that the interaction of I-2 with CS1 involved multiple sites (Park, I. K., and DePaoli-Roach, A. A. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 28919–28928). The present study refines the earlier analysis and arrives at a more detailed model for the interaction between I-2 and CS1. Although the NH2-terminal I-2 regions containing residues 1–35 and 1–64 have no inhibitory activity on their own, they increase the IC50 for I-2 by ∼30-fold, indicating the presence of a CS1-interacting site. Based on several experimental approaches, we have also identified the sequence Lys144-Leu-His-Tyr147 as a second site of interaction that corresponds to the RVXF motif present in many CS1-binding proteins. The peptide I-2(135–151) significantly increases the IC50 for I-2 and attenuates CS1 inhibition. Replacement of Leu and Tyr with Ala abolishes the ability to counteract inhibition by I-2. The I-2(135–151) peptide, but not I-2(1–35), also antagonizes inhibition of CS1 by DARPP-32 in a pattern similar to that of I-2. Furthermore, a peptide derived from the glycogen-binding subunit, RGL/GM(61–80), which contains a consensus CS1-binding motif, completely counteracts CS1 inhibition by I-2 and DARPP-32. The NH2-terminal 35 residues of I-2 bind to CS1 at a site that is specific for I-2, whereas the KLHY sequence interacts with CS1 at a site shared with other interacting proteins. Other results suggest the presence of yet more sites of interaction. A model is presented in which multiple “anchoring interactions” serve to position a segment of I-2 such that it sterically occludes the catalytic pocket but need not make high affinity contacts itself.
Cotton Fabric Graft Copolymerization Using Microwave Plasma. I. Universal Attenuated Total Reflectance- FTIR Study

The effect of microwave plasma on lightweight cotton fabric was investigated. N2-plasma, O2-plasma, and Ar-plasma were obtained using a microwave generator at 2.45 GHz under vacuum. The universal attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (UATR–FTIR) instrument was used to monitor the changes created after N2-, O2-, and Ar-plasma treatments. The exposure of cotton fabrics to the plasma for 240 s with a microwave power of 500 W was sufficient to create active carbonyl groups, as shown by the presence of a peak around 1725 cm−1 in the FTIR spectra of the treated cotton fabrics. Ar-plasma was found to generate more active groups than N2- and O2-plasmas. The active centers created within the cellulose chains were used to initiate copolymerization reactions with vinyl monomers to impart hydrophobic character to lightweight cotton fabric. The efficiency of the grafting process and the presence of grafted monomers on fabric surface were confirmed using UATR–FTIR. Testing of treated fabric revealed that excellent water repellency was obtained. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 145–154, 2004
Basal activity of a PARP1-NuA4 complex varies dramatically across cancer cell lines

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) catalyze poly(ADP-ribose) addition onto proteins, an important posttranslational modification involved in transcription, DNA damage repair, and stem cell identity. Previous studies established the activation of PARP1 in response to DNA damage, but little is known about PARP1 regulation outside of DNA repair. We developed an assay for measuring PARP activity in cell lysates and found that the basal activity of PARP1 was highly variable across breast cancer cell lines, independent of DNA damage. Sucrose gradient fractionation demonstrated that PARP1 existed in at least three biochemically distinct states in both high- and low-activity lines. A discovered complex containing the NuA4 chromatin-remodeling complex and PARP1 was responsible for high basal PARP1 activity, and NuA4 subunits were required for this activity. These findings present a pathway for PARP1 activation and a direct link between PARP1 and chromatin remodeling outside of the DNA damage response.
Production of n-butanol from concentrated sugar maple hemicellulosic hydrolysate by Clostridia acetobutylicum ATCC824

Abstract Using fermentation to replace chemical processes in the production of acetone and butanol depends largely on the availability of inexpensive and abundant raw materials and efficient conversion of these materials to solvents. In this study solvent production of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC824 from nano-membrane concentrated hemicellulosic hydrolysate was investigated. Alkali pretreatment methods were applied to improve fermentability of nano-membrane concentrated hemicellulosic hydrolysate and solvent production by ATCC824. Results demonstrated that though nanofiltration could remove nearly all small molecular organic acids (acetic acid, formic acid), furfural and HMF, the resulting hydrolysate found to be still inhibiting solvent production of C. acetobutylicum . Solid particles separated from filtering hydrolysate were found not toxic to cells when xylose or glucose was used as carbon resource. Overliming treatment can significantly improve the ultimate butanol concentration to 7 g l −1 from 0.8 g l −1 . Providing cells with more carbon source at the final stage of fermentation was found to have no impact on butanol production, but acetic acid and butyric acid production were found to increase significantly. The reasons leading to low solvent yield at later fermentation stages is not cell degeneration, but the toxicity of butanol and inhibitors remaining in the hydrolysate.
Exports as a factor of production: A consistency test

Abstract For more than a decade, economists have routinely introduced an export growth variable into a crosscountry production function framework as a way of examining various aspects of the growth process in developing countries, the export promotion hypothesis in particular. While the authors of these studies have rejected the argument that their results are biased by the accounting relationship between exports and GDP, some recent studies offer evidence supporting this contention. Here a simple procedure is proposed to test for this bias. The procedure consists of testing directly for the implied lower productivity in the nonexport sector of the economy.
Precision implicit second order differences for numerical weather simulation

Abstract Optimal approximations are derived for locally linearized partial differential equations with matrices of the same form as Galerkin B-spline approximations. The matrix coefficients are chosen for correct frequency and group velocity of long waves and at four mesh lengths. An overall error of 1% for intermediate wavelengths is possible. Splitting methods are found to handle advection terms relatively realistically.
Water quality in a surface-flow constructed treatment wetland polishing tertiary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant.

Constructed treatment wetlands (CTWs) are unique ecotechnologies that can sustainably treat a range of wastewaters. This study focused on a 0.23 ha vegetated surface-flow CTW polishing nitrate-rich (3–6 mg-N/L) tertiary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Water quality was monitored longitudinally in the fall of 2009 and 2010. The CTW cooled water by from around 20 °C to R 2 = 0.69; 2010 R 2 = 0.92). The magnitude of key model fitting parameters, including albedo (0.1–0.2) and convective transfer coefficient (0.1–0.9 MJ/m 2 d °C), were within ranges reported in the literature. In both years, dissolved oxygen decreased through the wetland from 6–7 mg/L to 3–4 mg/L, yielding an oxygen mass consumption rate of 0.08–0.09 g/m 2 d. Longitudinal nitrate profiles were well represented by the P-k-C* model (2009 R 2 = 0.88; 2010 R 2 = 0.92). First order removal rates were 20.2 m/yr in 2009 and 29.0 m/yr in 2010 at a P value of 6.0. Levels of ammonia and total phosphorus increased negligibly through the wetland, remaining below 0.25 mg/L. This study shows that vegetated surface-flow CTWs are well suited to cool and polish low-BOD nitrate-dominated tertiary effluents with little degradation of other water quality parameters of concern, including phosphorus and ammonia.
Comparison of the Measures of Pulsatile Arterial Function Between Asymptomatic Younger Adult Smokers and Former Smokers: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Cigarette smoking, an established cardiovascular (CV) disease risk factor, is known to impair pulsatile arterial function. However, information is scant in this regard on asymptomatic younger adult former smokers. As part of the Bogalusa Heart Study, the pulsatile arterial function was examined noninvasively in 278 nonsmokers, 277 current smokers, and 104 former smokers, aged 18 to 44 years, mean 36.4 years by radial artery pressure pulse contour analysis. Compared to current smokers, former smokers had higher body mass index (BMI, 29.6 v 27.7 kg/m2, P = .02), after adjusting for age, ethnicity, and sex, and higher levels of glucose (94.8 v 85.3 mg/dL, P = .008) and insulin (15.0 v 10.9 μU/mL, P = .01), after adjusting for age, ethnicity, sex, and BMI. Compared to nonsmokers, former smokers had similar BMI, but marginally high glucose (P = .08) and insulin (P = .11). With respect to measures of pulsatile arterial function, nonsmokers versus current smokers versus former smokers had similar large artery compliance (15.2 v 15.1 v 15.1 mL/mmHg × 10) but increased (P = .01) small artery compliance after smoking cessation (6.6 v 5.8 v 6.5 mL/mmHg × 100), and decreased (P = .03) systemic vascular resistance after smoking cessation (1300.5 v 1376.9 v 1292.2 dynes · sec · cm−5), and increases in small artery compliance (P = .0003) and decreases in systemic vascular resistance (P = .01) were found among those who quit smoking 10 years or more, after adjusting for ethnicity, sex, age, glucose, insulin, and alcohol use. These findings, although cross-sectional in nature, indicate the potential for improving arterial wall dynamics after smoking cessation in younger adults.
An Investigation of the Use of Wet Compression in Industrial Centrifugal Compressors

Industrial centrifugal compressors generally comprise a number of low pressure ratio intercooled stages. This is done primarily for the purpose of reducing the compressor power requirements and improving the operating range of the multi-stage compressor. In recent years, however, rapid increases in the per-kilowatt-hour prices both domestically and worldwide has led to renewed research efforts to further reduce the power requirements of this type of compression equipment. Several attempts have been made to use direct water injection as a means to overspray the compressor inlet to further reduce its power requirement. This paper presents an investigation into the use of this technology in industrial centrifugal compressors. A simple numerical method is presented for the computation of wet compression processes. The method is based on both droplet evaporation and compressor mean-line calculations. An assessment, based on the developed model, of the effectiveness of evaporative processes in reducing the compressor power consumption per stage is presented. The impacts on stage efficiency and operating range are also presented.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Theory of Raman spectra of correlated substitutional alloys

Abstract A method for computing the Raman spectra of substitutional crystalline III-V alloys, combining Monte Carlo and Recursion methods, is presented and applied to In 0.5 Ga 0.5 As 0.5 Sb 0.5 .
Simulating the cleft ion fountain at polar perigee altitudes

Abstract A dynamic fluid semi-kinetic (DyFK) model is used to simulate the cleft ion fountain. Ion field-aligned flows are modeled for a flux tube convecting along an empirical model specified convection trajectory across the polar ionosphere from the cusp/cleft region. In this DyFK model, the collision-dominated portion of the flux tube is treated with a moment-based fluid model for altitudes from 120 to 1100 km, while a generalized semi-kinetic model is used for the 800 km to 3 R E altitude region. Convection-driven frictional ion heating and the effects of cusp/cleft soft electron precipitation in the F region/topside ionosphere, and centrifugal acceleration of ions and wave-driven transverse ion heating at high altitudes, are incorporated into the present simulations of the ion field-aligned transport. The modeled evolution of the O+ flow parameters at 5500 km altitude exhibits typical patterns for the cleft ion fountain: O+ field-aligned flows are upward over the dayside cusp/cleft and remain upward for 5 or more degrees latitude into the polar cap, with decreasing magnitude towards the pole; the flows turn downward at about 86° invariant latitude and tend to increase in magnitude (downward) across the polar cap from dayside to nightside; the O+ density also displays apparent day–night asymmetry with higher density on the dayside. The simulated field-aligned flow pattern is in qualitative agreement with the observations from the thermal ion dynamics experiment (TIDE) during a Polar satellite southern perigee pass. The simulated ion densities and field-aligned fluxes are in general consistent with those observed. It is also shown in systematic simulations that the day–night asymmetry of the O+ density across the polar cap from dayside to nightside may be directly controlled by the cleft ion fountain, while the H+ density asymmetry is probably caused by day–night variations in solar illumination.
Expression of Two Late Adenovirus Genes Is Altered by Introducing Antibodies against Ribonucleoprotein into Living HeLa Cells

These experiments describe the effect on adenovirus gene expression of tranfusing liposome-encapsulated antibodies directed against a 10-S ribonucleoprotein complex into infected Hela cells. Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrate that this particular serum contains antibodies directed against particles containing U1 RNA and five polypeptides in the molecular weight range of 45000–60000. The procedure of fusing liposomes successfully treats nearly all the cells in culture, and the transfused material has access throughout the cell. The IgG fraction from this serum is introduced into adenovirus-infected cells shortly before the transition from the early to the late stage of the lytic cycle; 19 h after fusion the accumulated effects of the antibodies on late virus expression are examined by pulse-labeling cells with radioactive methionine and observing the synthesized proteins. While most late viral genes are expressed normally in treated cells, fiber synthesis is reduced to a very low level and hexon synthesis is reduced twofold. That most viral genes are expressed normally demonstrates that many cell activities (transcription, transport, processing and translation) are minimally affected. The effects on these two genes can be distinguished by varying the concentration of antibody transfused : interference with hexon synthesis occurs at a lower dosage than fiber. A simple interpretation of these results is that the antibody has bound to its antigen and prevented the latter from participating in its role in message processing.
Foxn1 is required to maintain the postnatal thymic microenvironment in a dosage-sensitive manner

The postnatal thymus is the primary source of T cells in vertebrates, and many if not all stages of thymocyte development require interactions with thymic epithelial cells (TECs). The Foxn1 gene is a key regulator of TEC differentiation, and is required for multiple aspects of fetal TEC differentiation. Foxn1 is also expressed in the postnatal thymus, but its function after birth is unknown. We generated a Foxn1 allele with normal fetal expression and thymus development, but decreased expression in the postnatal thymus. This down-regulation causes rapid thymic compartment degeneration and reduced T-cell production. TEC subsets that express higher Foxn1 levels are most sensitive to its down-regulation, in particular MHCIIhiUEA-1hi medullary TECs. The requirement for Foxn1 is extremely dosage sensitive, with small changes in Foxn1 levels having large effects on thymus phenotypes. Our results provide the first evidence that Foxn1 is required to maintain the postnatal thymus. Furthermore, the similarities of this phenotype to accelerated aging-related thymic involution support the possibility that changes in Foxn1 expression in TECs during aging contribute to the mechanism of involution.
Combined conjugated heat transfer from a scattering medium

Combined heat transfer from a radiating and convecting flow of an absorbing, emitting, and scattering medium in a reflecting channel with conducting wall was numerically investigated. The results clearly indicate that in any high-temperature applications, if the effects of scattering and wall reflection are ignored, the position and magnitude of the maximum wall temperature and the behavior of the convective Nusselt number can be grossly misrepresented.
Activation of the Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 Origin-binding Protein (UL9) by Heat Shock Proteins

Heat shock proteins participate in the initiation of DNA replication of different organisms by facilitating the assembly of initiation complexes. We have examined the effects of human heat shock proteins (Hsp40 and Hsp70) on the interaction of the herpes simplex virus type-1 initiator protein (UL9) with oriS, one of the viral origins of replication. Hsp40 and Hsp70 act substoichiometrically to increase the affinity of UL9 for oriS. The major contributor to this effect is Hsp40. Heat shock proteins also stimulate the ATPase activity of UL9 with oriS and increase opening of the origin. In contrast, heat shock proteins have no effect on the origin-independent activities of UL9 suggesting that their role is not merely in refolding denatured protein. These observations are consistent with a role for heat shock proteins in activating UL9 to efficiently initiate viral origin-dependent DNA replication. The action of heat shock proteins in this capacity is analogous to their role in activating the initiator proteins of other organisms.
Effect of Flagellar Mutations on Yersinia enterocolitica Biofilm Formation

Yersinia enterocolitica biovar 1B is one of a number of strains pathogenic to humans in the genus Yersinia. It has three different type III secretion systems, Ysc, Ysa, and the flagella. In this study, the effect of flagella on biofilm formation was evaluated. In a panel of 31 mutant Y. enterocolitica strains, we observed that mutations that abolish the structure or rotation of the flagella greatly reduce biofilm formation when the bacteria are grown under static conditions. These results were further evaluated by assessing biofilm formation under continuous culture using a flow cell chamber. The results confirmed the important contribution of flagella to the initiation of biofilm production but indicated that there are differences in the progression of biofilm development between static growth and flow conditions. Our results suggest that flagella play a critical role in biofilm formation in Y. enterocolitica.
White matter is altered with parental family history of Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Background Brain alterations in structure and function have been identified in people with risk factors for sporadic type Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting that alterations can be detected decades before AD diagnosis. Although the effect of apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) ɛ4 on the brain is well-studied, less is known about the effect of family history of AD. We examined the main effects of family history and APOE ɛ4 on brain integrity, in addition to assessing possible additive effects of these two risk factors. Methods Diffusion tensor imaging was performed in 136 middle-aged asymptomatic participants stratified on family history and APOE ɛ4. Mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy (FA) were entered in factorial analyses to test the effect of AD risk on microstructural brain integrity. We performed a post hoc analysis of the three principal diffusivities (λ1, λ2, λ3) to provide potential additional insight on underlying tissue differences. Results Parental family history of AD was associated with lower FA in regions of the brain known to be affected by AD, including cingulum, corpus callosum, tapetum, uncinate fasciculus, hippocampus, and adjacent white matter. Contrary to previous reports, there was no main effect of APOE ɛ4; however, there was an additive effect of family history and APOE ɛ4 in which family history–positive participants who were also APOE ɛ4 carriers had the lowest FA compared with the other groups. Conclusions The data indicate that unknown risk factors contained in family history are associated with changes in microstructural brain integrity in areas of the brain known to be affected by AD. Importantly, the results provide further evidence that AD pathology might be detected before cognitive changes, perhaps decades before disease onset.
Past pushdown timed automata and safety verification

We consider past pushdown timed automata that are discrete pushdown timed automata with past formulas as enabling conditions. Using past formulas allows a past pushdown timed automaton to access the past values of the finite state variables in the automaton. We prove that the reachability (i.e., the set of reachable configurations from an initial configuration) of a past push-down timed automaton can be accepted by a nondeterministic reversal-bounded counter-machine augmented with a pushdown stack (i.e., a reversal-bounded NPCM). By using the known fact that the emptiness problem for reversal-bounded NPCMs is decidable, we show that model-checking past pushdown timed automata against Presburger safety properties on discrete clocks and stack word counts is decidable. We also investigate the reachability problem for a class of transition systems under some fairness constraints in the form of generalized past formulas. Finally, we present an example ASTRAL specification to demonstrate the usefulness of the results.
Raconteur: from intent to stories

When editing a story from a large collection of media, such as photos and video clips captured from daily life, it is not always easy to understand how particular scenes fit into the intent for the overall story. Especially for novice editors, there is often a lack of coherent connections between scenes, making it difficult for the viewers to follow the story. In this paper, we present Raconteur, a story editing system that helps users assemble coherent stories from media elements, each annotated with a sentence or two in unrestricted natural language. It uses a Commonsense knowledge base, and the AnalogySpace Commonsense reasoning technique. Raconteur focuses on finding story analogies - different elements illustrating the same overall "point", or independent stories exhibiting similar narrative structures.
Interpreting computational neural network quantitative structure-activity relationship models: a detailed interpretation of the weights and biases.

In this work, we present a methodology to interpret the weights and biases of a computational neural network (CNN) quantitative structure−activity relationship model. The methodology allows one to understand how an input descriptor is correlated to the predicted output by the network. The method consists of two parts. First, the nonlinear transform for a given neuron is linearized. This allows us to determine how a given neuron affects the downstream output. Next, a ranking scheme for neurons in a layer is developed. This allows us to develop interpretations of a CNN model similar in manner to the partial least squares (PLS) interpretation method for linear models described by Stanton (Stanton, D. T. J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci. 2003, 43, 1423−1433). The method is tested on three datasets covering both physical and biological properties. The results of this interpretation method correspond well to PLS interpretations for linear models using the same descriptors as the CNN models, and they are consistent wit...
Fast Simulation of Realistic Trees

Trees in 3D interactive applications began mostly as textured billboards, scaled semi- transparent pictures that spun around their vertical axis to face the viewer. Those situations where vegetation began to play a stronger foreground role required higher fidelity, and simple geometric structures emerged. Although initially rudimentary and sometimes combined with textured subshapes, these new forms signaled a focus on increasing requirements for botanical structures. We have developed a method that uses separable projections and streamlined mechanics to efficiently simulate the motion of vegetation. The associated algorithm is about 15 to 2,000 times faster than recently published methods.
Vision in athletes with intellectual disabilities: the need for improved eyecare.

Background Special Olympics provides sporting opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities (ID), and Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes GB offers vision screening for athletes at Special Olympics Games. Methods Opening Eyes GB screened the vision of 505 UK athletes at its inaugural event in 2001. The results were analysed and are presented here. Results Results showed that athletes do not differ from other people with ID in being at high risk of ocular and visual defects and many are not accessing eyecare. 15% reported never having an optometric eye examination, and yet 19% of these athletes had a significant refractive error, 32% had ocular anomalies and 6% were visually impaired. Overall, findings confirmed the high prevalence of refractive errors and strabismus amongst people with ID. 40% of athletes had ocular abnormalities, including 15.6% with blepharitis, a readily treatable condition that causes discomfort. 9% had lens opacities, of which half were probably impairing sight. An important finding was that many athletes have reduced vision and 14% could be classified as visually impaired (WHO definition) even when refractive errors were fully corrected. Conclusions Special Olympics athletes should be encouraged to have regular eye examinations (as indeed, should all people with ID), and educators, carers and coaches need appropriate information about the visual status of their charges.
Partial least squares regression and projection on latent structure regression (PLS Regression)

Partial least squares (PLS) regression (a.k.a. projection on latent structures) is a recent technique that combines features from and generalizes principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression. Its goal is to predict a set of dependent variables from a set of independent variables or predictors. This prediction is achieved by extracting from the predictors a set of orthogonal factors called latent variables which have the best predictive power. These latent variables can be used to create displays akin to PCA displays. The quality of the prediction obtained from a PLS regression model is evaluated with cross-validation techniques such as the bootstrap and jackknife. There are two main variants of PLS regression: The most common one separates the roles of dependent and independent variables; the second one—used mostly to analyze brain imaging data—gives the same roles to dependent and independent variables. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Leafcutter Bee Nests and Pupae from the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits of Southern California: Implications for Understanding the Paleoenvironment of the Late Pleistocene

The Rancho La Brea Tar Pits is the world’s richest and most important Late Pleistocene fossil locality and best renowned for numerous fossil mammals and birds excavated over the past century. Less researched are insects, even though these specimens frequently serve as the most valuable paleoenvironemental indicators due to their narrow climate restrictions and life cycles. Our goal was to examine fossil material that included insect-plant associations, and thus an even higher potential for significant paleoenviromental data. Micro-CT scans of two exceptionally preserved leafcutter bee nest cells from the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, California reveal intact pupae dated between ~23,000–40,000 radiocarbon years BP. Here identified as best matched to Megachile (Litomegachile) gentilis Cresson (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) based on environmental niche models as well as morphometrics, the nest cells (LACMRLP 388E) document rare preservation and life-stage. The result of complex plant-insect interactions, they offer new insights into the environment of the Late Pleistocene in southern California. The remarkable preservation of the nest cells suggests they were assembled and nested in the ground where they were excavated. The four different types of dicotyledonous leaves used to construct the cells were likely collected in close proximity to the nest and infer a wooded or riparian habitat with sufficient pollen sources for larval provisions. LACMRLP 388E is the first record of fossil Megachile Latreille cells with pupae. Consequently, it provides a pre-modern age location for a Nearctic group, whose phylogenetic relationships and biogeographic history remain poorly understood. Megachile gentilis appears to respond to climate change as it has expanded its distribution across elevation gradients over time as estimated by habitat suitability comparisons between low and high elevations; it currently inhabits mesic habitats which occurred at a lower elevation during the Last Glacial Maximum ~21,000 years ago. Nevertheless, the broad ecological niche of M. gentilis appears to have remained stable.
Lymphosarcoma associated with Heterobilharzia americana infection in a dog

Hepatic T-cell lymphosarcoma with involvement of regional lymph nodes and concurrent schistosomiasis were diagnosed in an 11-year-old male neutered mixed-breed dog with a history of chronic weight loss, inappetence, vomiting, and diarrhea. Trematode ova present in the hepatic parenchyma and mesenteric node were surrounded by sheets of neoplastic lymphocytes while those in the intestinal wall were surrounded by large numbers of non-neoplastic lymphocytes. Immunohistochemistry revealed that both the neoplastic and hyperplastic populations were T lymphocytes. The ova were identified by fecal saline sedimentation as Heterobilharzia spp., and fecal ova shedding resolved after praziquantel anthelmintic treatment. The lymphoma progressed despite chemotherapy, and the dog was euthanized after developing neurologic signs and a necropsy was performed. A monomorphic population of neoplastic T cells expanded and replaced normal architecture in the liver and spleen, surrounded nerve roots within the cauda equina, and ...
Mars: Hellas Planitia gravity analysis

Doppler radio tracking data from Viking Orbiter 1 has provided new detailed observations of gravity variations over Hellas Planitia. Line-of-sight Bouguer gravity definitely indicates that isostatic adjustment has occurred. Two theoretical models were tested to obtain fits to the gravity data. Results for a surface deficit model, and a model with a surface deficit and a mass excess at depth are displayed. The mass-at-depth model produced very marked improvement in the data fit as compared to the surface deficit model. The optimum depth for the mass excess is 130 km.
Electronic Distribution of Behavior Analytic Publications

The mainstay of professional behavior analytic publications is the venerable quarterly journal transcribed, reproduced and distributed on paper parchment. However, texts and diversified forms of publications are now being distributed via magnetic media. This advancement enables low cost distribution of text and software on 3.5-inch diskettes. Presently available word processors provide the means for generating electronic text, which, in turn, introduces the possibilities for journal distribution by diskette. If a journal were issued as a diskette the cost per copy would be substantially reduced. Articles with embedded charts, tables, and figures could be accepted on diskette, edited and included in the journal with no retyping costs. This strategy would provide editors and readers with a new options for distributing behavior analytic literature and technology.