cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxidative stress is related to both melanin‐ and carotenoid‐based ornaments in the common yellowthroat

Summary Male ornaments are hypothesized to signal the ability of males to produce an effective immune response without extensive oxidative stress and damage to DNA. We examined this hypothesis in male common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas), which have two ornaments, a black (eumelanin-based) facial mask and a yellow (carotenoid-based) bib. In our study population, only the black mask is sexually selected. As predicted by the oxidative stress hypothesis, males with larger black masks were more resistant to oxidative stress, as measured by an in vitro assay of the resistance of erythrocytes to haemolysis by free radicals. Furthermore, males with larger masks also tended to have lower levels of glutathione, which was predicted because glutathione inhibits eumelanin production. In contrast, mask size was not related to absolute levels of oxidative stress measured in the plasma. Although the yellow bib is not under sexual selection in our population, males with larger bibs and feathers with greater carotenoid chroma had lower levels of oxidative stress. The oxidative stress hypothesis was first proposed for carotenoid-based ornaments. However, our results suggest that, even in the same individuals, carotenoid and eumelanin-based plumage ornaments may both signal the ability of males to resist or manage oxidative stress.
In vitro osteogenic differentiation of marrow stromal cells encapsulated in biodegradable hydrogels

Novel hydrogel materials based on oligo(poly- (ethylene glycol) fumarate) (OPF) crosslinked with a redox radical initiation system were recently developed in our laboratory as injectable cell carriers for orthopedic tissue engineering applications. The effect of OPF hydrogel mate- rial properties on in vitro osteogenic differentiation of encap- sulated rat marrow stromal cells (MSCs) with and without the presence of osteogenic supplements (dexamethasone) was investigated. Two OPF formulations that resulted in hydrogels with different swelling properties were used to encapsulate rat MSCs (seeding density 13 million cells/ mL, samples 6 mm diameter 0.5 mm thick before swell- ing) and osteogenic differentiation in these constructs over 28 days in vitro was determined via histology and biochem- ical assays for alkaline phosphatase, osteopontin and cal- cium. Evidence of MSC differentiation was apparent over the culture period for samples without dexamethasone, but there was large variability in calcium production between constructs using cells of the same source. Differentiation was also seen in samples cultured with osteogenic supplements, but calcium deposition varied depending on the source pool of MSCs. By day 28, osteopontin and calcium results sug- gested that, in the presence of dexamethasone, OPF hydro- gels with greater swelling promoted embedded MSC differ- entiation over those that swelled less (43.7 16.5 g calcium/sample and 16.4 2.8 g calcium/sample, respec- tively). In histological sections, mineralized areas were ap- parent in all sample types many microns away from the cells. These experiments indicate that OPF hydrogels are promising materials for use as injectable MSC carriers and that hydrogel swelling properties can influence osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated progenitor cells. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 70A: 235-244, 2004
Appearance of the hymen at birth and one year of age : a longitudinal study

The increase in the number of prepubertal girls who require evaluation of possible sexual abuse creates a need for detailed information, not previously available from cross-sectional studies, on the influence of aging on the hymen's appearance. This study was undertaken to evaluate and document, using a longitudinal design, changes in the hymen's morphology in 62 girls without a history of sexual abuse between birth and their first birthday. Labial agglutination extensive enough to obscure the inferior half of the hymen was observed in 5 girls (8%) at 1 year of age. Thirty-three (58%) of the remaining 57 infants experienced a marked decrease in the amount of their hymenal tissue between birth and 1 year. Significantly more infants at 1 year of age had a crescentic configuration (0% vs 28%), and significantly fewer had an external ridge (82% vs 14%) as compared to the newborn period. An annular hymen with a central or ventrally displaced opening progressed to a crescentic hymen in 13 children by 1 year, 77% (10/13) of whom were observed to have a notch (cleft) at the 12 o'clock position on the earlier study. A superior notch appeared for the first time in 9 girls. Lateral notches resolved in 5 cases and persisted in 2. Inferior notches between the 4 and 8 o'clock positions were not observed at birth or 1 year. Hymenal tags resolved in 2 instances, persisted in the same location in 2, and appeared for the first time in 4 cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Bioinformatic identification of novel early stress response genes in rodent models of lung injury

Acute lung injury is a complex illness with a high mortality rate (>30%) and often requires the use of mechanical ventilatory support for respiratory failure. Mechanical ventilation can lead to clinical deterioration due to augmented lung injury in certain patients, suggesting the potential existence of genetic susceptibility to mechanical stretch (6, 48), the nature of which remains unclear. To identify genes affected by ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), we utilized a bioinformatic-intense candidate gene approach and examined gene expression profiles from rodent VILI models (mouse and rat) using the oligonucleotide microarray platform. To increase statistical power of gene expression analysis, 2,769 mouse/rat orthologous genes identified on RG_U34A and MG_U74Av2 arrays were simultaneously analyzed by significance analysis of microarrays (SAM). This combined ortholog/SAM approach identified 41 up- and 7 downregulated VILI-related candidate genes, results validated by comparable expression levels obtained by either real-time or relative RT-PCR for 15 randomly selected genes. K-mean clustering of 48 VILI-related genes clustered several well-known VILI-associated genes (IL-6, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1, CCL-2, cyclooxygenase-2) with a number of stress-related genes (Myc, Cyr61, Socs3). The only unannotated member of this cluster (n = 14) was RIKEN_1300002F13 EST, an ortholog of the stress-related Gene33/Mig-6 gene. The further evaluation of this candidate strongly suggested its involvement in development of VILI. We speculate that the ortholog-SAM approach is a useful, time- and resource-efficient tool for identification of candidate genes in a variety of complex disease models such as VILI.
Analysis of individual and occupational risk factors on task performance and biomechanical demands for a simulated drilling task

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate age- and gender-dependent effects of shoulder fatigue on task performance and muscular responses of a drilling task commonly observed within the construction industry. Twelve younger (18–35 years) and ten older (45–60 years) participants, balanced by gender, were recruited from the local community. Task performance (task completion times and errors made), muscle activity of the anterior deltoid (static, mean, and peak amplitude probability density function), coactivity indices of the upper and lower arm, and perceived discomfort ratings were obtained for a series of drilling tasks at three levels of task difficulty, before and after manifestation of shoulder fatigue. To induce fatigue, participants performed a sustained sub-maximal fatigue task at 40% of their maximum voluntary shoulder exertion. Fatigue decreased task completion times, irrespective of age and gender. Higher errors were observed in the fatigued condition, especially for younger participants. Females showed higher shoulder muscle activity compared to men. Additionally, fatigue resulted in lower shoulder APDF measures compared to the no-fatigue condition. Muscle recruitment patterns differed within the fatigue condition, with higher coactivity indices in the upper and lower arm muscles compensating for decreases in shoulder muscle activity. Task difficulty was not found to affect any dependent measures. Participants reported higher discomfort in the fatigued state; this effect was more prominent in females. Overall, this study demonstrated, through objective and subjective measures, that task performance and biomechanical demands are affected by fatigue, and that this effect varies with individual factors such as gender and age. Relevance to industry This paper explored the influence of task demands (fatigue and task difficulty) and individual factors (gender and age) of a drilling task on the development of musculoskeletal injuries of construction workers. The results may contribute towards an understanding of the interplay of certain occupational task demands and worker characteristics on common construction tasks.
Lunch with Walter

Walter is famous for many things, not least of which are his lunches. I have experienced two kinds of lunches with Walter. Weekly “brown bag” lunches in the Physics Department conference room, and lunch parties on his sunny patio. Through these lunches, Walter has nourished me and my family in many ways.
With great reliability comes great responsibility: tradeoffs of run-time policy on high reliability systems

In this paper we describe a simulation study to improve performance on a large highly utilized cluster at Sandia National Laboratories. The unique characteristic about the cluster is that there are very few constraints on job size. In particular, the run-time is limited only by system times which occur about every two weeks. The major contribution of this paper is that we quantify the difference in makespan between running a single long job and its equivalent in many shorter jobs. We find that running longer jobs is beneficial to the facility as a whole when the cycle-weighted makespans are considered and that running shorter jobs has an overall beneficial effect on the makespan for the jobs taken unweighted and for most users.
Magnetic Alignment of Bi and T1 Cuprates Containing Rare Earth Elements (II)

Magnetodiffractometry is a new technique n which an intense magnetic field is used to align crystalline grains1 in preparation for X-ray diffraction analysis. The field orientation greatly simplifies the resulting spectra, similar to using single crystals. This technique was instrumental in identifying the fist four-Cu layer superconductor, TlBa2Ca3Cu4Ox (T1-1234), Tc = 122 K.2 Furthermore, since well-oriented crystallites produce intense reflections, this technique allows the detection of minority phases.
Functional consequences of somatic mutations in cancer using protein pocket-based prioritization approach

Recently, a number of large-scale cancer genome sequencing projects have generated a large volume of somatic mutations; however, identifying the functional consequences and roles of somatic mutations in tumorigenesis remains a major challenge. Researchers have identified that protein pocket regions play critical roles in the interaction of proteins with small molecules, enzymes, and nucleic acid. As such, investigating the features of somatic mutations in protein pocket regions provides a promising approach to identifying new genotype-phenotype relationships in cancer. In this study, we developed a protein pocket-based computational approach to uncover the functional consequences of somatic mutations in cancer. We mapped 1.2 million somatic mutations across 36 cancer types from the COSMIC database and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) onto the protein pocket regions of over 5,000 protein three-dimensional structures. We further integrated cancer cell line mutation profiles and drug pharmacological data from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) onto protein pocket regions in order to identify putative biomarkers for anticancer drug responses. We found that genes harboring protein pocket somatic mutations were significantly enriched in cancer driver genes. Furthermore, genes harboring pocket somatic mutations tended to be highly co-expressed in a co-expressed protein interaction network. Using a statistical framework, we identified four putative cancer genes (RWDD1, NCF1, PLEK, and VAV3), whose expression profiles were associated with overall poor survival rates in melanoma, lung, or colorectal cancer patients. Finally, genes harboring protein pocket mutations were more likely to be drug-sensitive or drug-resistant. In a case study, we illustrated that the BAX gene was associated with the sensitivity of three anticancer drugs (midostaurin, vinorelbine, and tipifarnib). This study provides novel insights into the functional consequences of somatic mutations during tumorigenesis and for anticancer drug responses. The computational approach used might be beneficial to the study of somatic mutations in the era of cancer precision medicine.
Regulation of human neutrophil guanylate cyclase by metal ions, free radicals and the muscarinic cholinergic receptor.

We have examined the properties of soluble guanylate cyclase activity in the human neutrophil. The enzyme showed complex regulation by metal ions. A 10-fold higher activity was observed in the presence of Mn^(2+) than Mg^(2+), while Ca^(2+) caused an increase in activity only in the presence of Mg^(2+) ion. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), azide and hydrogen peroxide were activators of the enzyme. Dithiothreitol blocked the activation by SNP, suggesting the involvement of thiol groups in the activation process. Carbachol acting through the muscarinic cholinergic receptor caused a dose-dependent activation, which was blocked by atropine. Higher concns of carbachol were required to activate guanylate cyclase than were required for the modulation of enzyme release elicited by N-fortnyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine. Nordihydroguaracetic acid inhibited carbachol stimulation of guanylate cyclase. By contrast, trifluoperazine (TFP), a calmodulin antagonist, caused a biphasic modulation of basal activity in the presence or absence of carbachol. Our results indicate that: (a) allosteric interactions of metal ions are important to the regulation of the enzyme, (b) the free radical nitroxide as well as hydrogen peroxide enhances enzyme activity, (c) agonist occupancy of the muscarinic cholinergic receptor activates neutrophil guanylate cyclase probably through a mechanism involving calcium influx and the activation of the lipoxygenase pathway, and (d) a TFP-sensitive site (possibly calmodulin) is involved in the selective regulation of basal enzyme activity.
ANTIBIOTICS IN THE TREATMENT OF BETA-HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCAL PHARYNGITIS: FACTORS INFLUENCING THE RESULTS

The effectiveness of penicillin V, penicillin V potassium, benzathine penicillin G, erythromycin and tetracycline in eradicating beta-hemolytic streptococci from the pharynx of 410 infected patients or carriers was studied. Penicillin V and penicillin V potassium were administered in daily oral doses of 375 to 750 mg (600,000 and 1,200,000 units), respectively, for 10 days. The benzathine penicillin G was injected once intramuscularly in similar doses. The broad spectrum antibiotics were given in daily oral doses of 30 to 50 mg/kg, up to 1 gm, for 10 days. The bacterial cure rate was 84% for 224 patients treated with penicillin V and penicillin V potassium, and 86% for 129 patients treated with benzathine penicillin G in combined doses. Forty-eight percent of 23 patients treated with erythromycin and 38% of 34 patients treated with tetracycline were cured. The majority of the clinical bacterial relapses developed 14 to 28 days after the onset of treatment with penicillin V orally and 24 to 32 days after benzathine penicillin G, 375 mg intramuscularly. Approximately half of the patients with bacterial relapses had clinical manifestations of pharyngitis. Factors which might be responsible for the development of relapses and failures are discussed. Complications consisted of one case of otitis media and one case of glomerulonephritis, developing 12 and 22 days, respectively, after the onset of treatment. No case of rheumatic fever was observed. The data indicate that penicillin was definitely more effective than erythromycin and tetracycline in eradiating beta-hemolytic streptococci from the host, in the doses used. There was no significant difference in the effectiveness of penicillin V, penicillin V potassium and benzathine penicillin G. Attention is drawn to the relapse-and-failure rate of 15% in these patients despite penicillin therapy.
In situ monitoring of free‐radical polymerization by fluorescence quenching of fluorene and reactive derivatives

A new approach for monitoring in situ the progress of an addition polymerization has been developed based on the fluorescence quenching of fluorene. Fluorene is quenched by the enone functionality on acrylates and methacrylates, but is not quenched after the carbon-carbon double bond in this group is broken by incorporation into the polymer backbone. Ethyl (2-fluorenyl)methacrylate was used as a self-quenching comonomer during the 2,2'-pazo bis(2-methylpropionitrile)-initiated free-radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate at 60°C. The fluorescence intensity increases by 60% up to the onset of the gel effect (defined as the sudden increase in the temperature profile). The system shows sensitivity well into the glassy state, with fluorescence increasing more than two orders of magnitude from the beginning of the reaction. This sensitivity is compared with that of two free-volume-dependent probes, 1,3-bis(1-pyrene)propane and dimethylaminobenzylidenemalononitrile, and to fluorene. The temperature profile of the test-tube-scale reaction was used as an internal reference for characterizing the sensitivity of the probes with respect to the gel effect region. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Autonomous docking algorithm development and experimentation using the SPHERES testbed

ABSTRACT The MIT Space Systems Laboratory (SSL) has developed a testbed for the testing of formation flight and autonomous docking algorithms in both 1-g and microgravity environments. The SPHERES testbed consists of multiple micro-satellites, or Spheres, which can autonomously control their position and attitude. The testbed can be operated on an air table in a 1-g laboratory environment, in NASAs KC-135 reduced gravity research aircraft and inside the International Space Station (ISS). SPHERES launch to the ISS is currently manifested for May 19 2004 on Progress 14P. Various types of docking maneuvers, ranging from doc king with a cooperative target to docking with a tumbling target, have been developed. The ultimate objective of this research is to integrate the different algorithms into one program that can assess the health status of the target vehicle, plan an optimal docking maneuver while accounting for the existing constraints and finally, execute that maneuver even in the presence of simulated failures. In this paper, results obtained to date on the ground based air table using the initial version of the program will be presented, as well as results obtained from microgravity experiments onboard the KC-135. Keywords: autonomous docking, ISS laboratory, microgravity experiment, control systems, autonomy, SPHERES
Abstract 570: Aptamers Against Factor Xa or Thrombin Synergize With Catalytic Site Inhibitors of FXa or Thrombin, Respectively, to Effectively Anticoagulate Blood in an Ex Vivo Oxygenator Circuit

Introduction: The RNA aptamers 11F7t and R9D-14T, which inhibit Factor (F)Xa and thrombin respectively, function as reversible anticoagulants but achieve less intense anticoagulation than unfractionated heparin (UFH). Neither aptamer inhibits the catalytic site of its target; 11F7t binds a FXa exosite in a manner that impedes FVa binding, while R9D-14T binds thrombin exosite I, thereby obstructing fibrinogen binding. However, 11F7t synergizes with a FXa catalytic site inhibitor and R9D-14T synergizes with a thrombin catalytic site inhibitor; each combination prevents clot formation for >180 minutes (min) in a whole blood thromboelastography (TEG) assay, thereby replicating the effect of UFH (5U/mL). Aims: To determine whether 11F7t plus a FXa catalytic site inhibitor, or R9D-14T plus a thrombin catalytic site inhibitor, can also maintain the fluidity of blood circulated continuously for 120 min within an ex vivo membrane oxygenator circuit. Methods: Human whole blood anticoagulated with (A) 11F7t (2μM) + edoxaban (2μM), (B) 11F7t (2μM) + apixaban (2μM), (C) 11F7t (2μM) + fondaparinux (2μM), (D) R9D-14T (10μM) + argatroban (10μM), or (E) UFH (5U/ml) was circulated continuously within the oxygenator circuit at 33°C for 120 min at a flow rate of 50 mL/min. Activated Clotting Time (ACT) was assessed at 0, 5, 60, and 120 min after circulation was initiated, and post-circulation scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the oxygenator membranes were obtained. Results: 11F7t (2μM) or R9D-14T (10μM) alone failed to prevent visible clot formation in the circuit. In contrast, strategies (A) through (E) each prevented visible clot formation for 120 min. At 120 min, ACTs (mean ± SE) were, respectively, 565.8 ± 34.7, 446.5 ± 7.4, 387.6 ± 1.6, 903.4 ± 19.0, and 411.4 ± 16.5 seconds. Post-circulation SEM images of oxygenator membranes were similar for all five strategies and revealed minimal fibrinous and cellular debris. Conclusion: The anticoagulant synergy achieved by combining aptamer 11F7t or aptamer R9D-14T with a FXa or thrombin catalytic site inhibitor, respectively, can maintain the fluidity of blood circulated continuously within an ex vivo oxygenator circuit. Such synergy may prove useful in clinical settings that require intense anticoagulation.
Deep Vein Thrombosis Provoked by Inferior Vena Cava Agenesis

Inferior vena cava agenesis (IVCA) is a rare congenital anomaly that can be asymptomatic or present with vague, nonspecific symptoms, such as abdominal or lower back pain, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Here, we present a 55-year-old male who came with painless swelling and redness of his left lower limb. On examination, swelling and redness were noted extending from the left foot to the upper thigh; it was also warm compared to his right lower limb. Venous Doppler ultrasound was done which showed DVT extending up to the common femoral vein. Subsequently, computed-tomography (CT) of the chest and abdomen was done to exclude malignancy or venous flow obstruction; it revealed congenital absence (agenesis) of the infrarenal inferior vena cava (IVC).
Bullcoming and Cold Cases: Reconciling the Confrontation Clause with DNA Evidence

In Crawford v. Washington, the Supreme Court radically transformed Confrontation Clause doctrine. Immediately after Crawford, commentators predicted dire consequences for criminal prosecutions. These predictions have been renewed after each refinement of Crawford’s doctrine. So far, however, the sky has not fallen, because prosecutors and courts have managed to reconcile Crawford’s robust confrontation rights with the practical imperatives of criminal prosecution.This Essay argues that the Court’s recent decision in Bullcoming v. New Mexico threatens the uneasy balance between prosecutorial needs and the Crawford line. Specifically, Bullcoming could be used to exclude DNA database evidence in prosecuting cold cases. DNA evidence has been used in criminal prosecutions for only a few decades, but it has revolutionized criminal justice during that time. DNA evidence has been particularly important for prosecuting rape cases, which historically have low conviction rates. Prosecutors should therefore be concerned that they might lose an essential tool for prosecuting rape cases and seeking justice for victims. Defense attorneys have a stake, too. When prosecutors lose access to DNA evidence, they are more likely to turn to less reliable eyewitness testimony and circumstantial evidence.I argue that state legislatures and Congress can ensure that DNA evidence is available in cold-case prosecutions while simultaneously respecting defendants’ post-Crawford confrontation rights. Specifically, both state and federal policy makers should alter rules of evidence to include decades-old DNA database evidence under ancient document exceptions to hearsay rules. This approach, which establishes a narrow exception applicable only to cold cases, would more effectively balance defendants' confrontation rights against the demands of criminal prosecutions than the approach currently before Supreme Court in Williams v. Illinois.
Development of maize weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on corn lines resistant to an aflatoxin-producing fungus

Susceptibility to the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, of corn lines bred for their resistance to the aflatoxin-producing fungus Aspergillus flavus Link ex Frics was determined in the laboratory. Duration of maize weevil development, number of progeny produced, and an index of susceptibility varied with corn line; number of eggs laid and survivorship from egg to adult emergence did not vary with corn line. Soluble carbohydrate, kernel hardness, lipid, soluble nitrogen, free and bound phenolic acids, Kjeldahl protein, and protein/carbohydrate ratio varied with corn line; equilibrium moisture content did not vary with corn line. The only relationship between biological parameters of maize weevils and chemical lild physical properties of the stored corn that was predictable was that maize weevil development time increased as lipid content of the corn increased. Susceptibility to A. flavus infection in the field was not correlated with susceptibility to maize weevil population growth or with chemical or physical properties of the stored corn. Predicted weevil population growth over a 180-d period varied 50-fold among the corn lines. Some of the corn lines that are less susceptible to infection by A. flavus in the field were also less susceptible to maize weevils (particularly Mp420 and SC54).
ReiNF4rcing repair pathway choice during cell cycle

One of the most important questions in the double-strand break (DSB) repair field is what mechanisms govern the choice between repair pathways. Early studies established that the cell cycle influen...
The communication during innovative drug research and development and review

During key stages of drug research and development,the communication between drug applicants and Center for Drug Evaluation is to discuss major decision makings,important scientific issues and key technical problems in specific stages.This could help applicants to decide whether to promote,discontinue or suspend the research.In this article,we generalized and analyzed the situations and problems of communications on innovative drug research and development,expecting to benefit domestic innovative drug researchers.
Understanding Indian policy dilemmas in the Indo-Pacific through an India–US–China maritime triangle lens

ABSTRACTBetween the American rebalance strategy and Chinese Maritime Silk Road initiative, India is increasingly pressed to formulate a maritime strategy that ideally meets Indian economic and strategic objectives. This is generating major policy dilemmas for India stemming from the attraction of economic integration led by China on the one hand, versus the attraction of strategic integration offered by the United States on the other hand. This paper suggests that between these binary options, there are both opportunities and challenges for India, calling for fine-grained policymaking. The notional concept of an India–US–China maritime triangle is useful in sifting through the choices before India to meet its ambitions of development as well as retain and improve its strategic influence in the Indian Ocean and beyond.
Apical membrane permeability of MDCK cells

The osmotic water permeability (Pf) and permeability to nonelectrolytes were determined for the apical membrane of clonal strain Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) C12 cells cultured as cysts with the apical membrane facing the surrounding medium. Pf and solute permeabilities were calculated from the rate of volume change of cysts by digitizing images at 1-s intervals after instantaneous osmotic challenge. Image measurement was fully automated with the use of a program that separated the image of the cyst from the background by using adaptive intensity thresholding and shape analysis. Pf, calculated by curve fitting to the volume loss data, averaged 2.4 +/- 0.1 micron/s and was increased by addition of amphotericin B. The energy of activation for Pf was high (16.3 kcal/mol), and forskolin (50 microM) had no effect on Pf. Two populations of MDCK cysts were studied: those with two to three cells and those that appeared to be composed of only one cell. The Pf of multicell cysts was the same as single cell cysts, suggesting that paracellular water flow is not significant. Solute permeability was measured using paired osmotic challenges (sucrose and test solute) on the same cyst. Urea permeability was not different from zero, whereas the permeabilities of acetamide and formamide were consistent with their relative oil-water partition coefficients. Our data are similar to values from studies on the permeability properties of vesicles of water-tight epithelial apical membrane. The combination of the unique model of MDCK apical-out cysts and fully automated data analysis enabled determination of apical membrane permeability in intact epithelial cells with high precision.
Agent-based simulation for UAV swarm mission planning and execution

Swarms of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) have been foreseen by multiple organizations to serve an important role in future air-based warfare and civilian operations. UAVs are less expensive than their piloted counterparts, provide greater flexibilities and remove the need for on-board pilot support. Efficient control of swarms opens a set of new challenges, such as automatic UAV coordination, efficient swarm monitoring and dynamic mission planning. In this paper, we investigate the problem of dynamic mission planning for a UAV swarm. An agent-based control framework is proposed, which employs a control agent for task assignment and multiple UAV agents for local task scheduling. A prototype simulation framework is implemented as a proof-of-concept. Experimentation with the framework suggests the effectiveness of swarm control using several mission planning mechanisms.
Evaluation and improvement of the default soil hydraulic parameters for the Noah Land Surface Model

Abstract Soil hydraulic parameters used in estimating soil water and energy fluxes are included in a lookup table in the Noah Land Surface Model (LSM). The purpose of the study was to examine the Noah default soil hydraulic parameters and compare them to soil measurements across Texas, USA. These default soil parameters were compared to measured soil properties from a soil database including 6749 soil samples located within and around Texas. Mean differences between measured and default soil parameters were tested using a t-test (α = 0.05). To assess the proposed changes to default soil parameters, water retention curves were created using updated parameters and compared to measured soil moisture content at field capacity (θfc) and permanent wilting point (θwp). Spatial trends across major land resource areas in Texas were also demonstrated for water retention parameters. Our findings indicate that 95% of the default soil parameters were significantly different from the region-specific measured values. Measured soil water content at air-dry, θwp, and θfc are better replacements than default values. Consequent changes in θwp and θfc yielded a 35 to 76% decrease in plant available water compared to default. Updated water retention curves showed improved agreement between estimated soil water and measured values in 95% of cases. For three texture classes, the standard deviations of parameters for water retention parameters ranged 30% for the slope of the water retention curve and 65% for saturated hydraulic conductivity. These results indicate the importance of accounting for spatial variability of soil parameters rather than combining these parameters into texture classes alone. The revised parameter table improves modeling of soil hydraulic properties. Ultimately spatially distributed databases of hydraulic soil parameters will better capture variability and spatial structure of soil processes modeled by Noah LSM.
An Asset Class Characterization of the U.S. Equity Index Volatility Risk Premium

The authors use a novel 32-year return series to study the risk, return, and predictability of a strategy that sells one-month S&P 500 variance swaps with fixed ex-ante tail risk. They find that unconditional short exposure in their sample is characterized primarily by two features: (1) a very high Sharpe ratio exceeding 1.2 and (2) a severe but infrequent crash risk. From a forecasting perspective, the authors find a generally lower premium following market sell-offs and crashes. However, they fail to find significant evidence linking returns to the level of either implied or realized volatility.
Code combining techniques for FH/SSRA slotted networks

The idea of code combining is applied to slotted frequency-hopping spread-spectrum random-access (FH/SSRA) networks. M-ary symbol modulation schemes with hard-decision decoding are examined. Both cases of decoding, with and without side-information, are considered. In the case of decoding without side-information two decoding methods are examined: in the first (ideal decoding) the decoder uses a large number of decoding trials, while in the second (practical decoding) it uses a smaller number of trials, based on the combining of only the last two available copies of a packet. Asymptotic results are derived as the code-length goes to infinity. It is shown that significant utilization/delay gains are obtained by using code combining techniques. A 20% performance improvement is observed for systems in which side-information is available at the decoder and the number of frequency slots is small. In this case, higher utilization, along with robust system operation is obtained without increased system complexity (only memory size of one codeword is the additional requirement). >
Levetiracetam Add-On Therapy for Rolandic and Other Benign Idiopathic Focal Epilepsies

Effectiveness of levetiracetam (LEV) in treatment of typical benign rolandic epilepsy and variants of benign idiopathic focal epilepsies was studied in 32 children (mean age 10.6 years, range 4-14) by researchers at Epilepsy Centre for Children and Young People, Vogtareuth, Germany.
97. Stability and Inactivation of AAV Serotype 1 Vectors

Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors have become a commonplace tool for gene delivery ranging from cell lines to human gene therapy. One feature that makes AAV desirable for gene delivery is its relative safety owing to no known disease associated with wild-type AAV. For this reason, it is often used with BSL1 practices negating the need for dedicated BSL2 facilities. Another useful property of AAV is its stability, both the duration of transgene expression and retention of infectivity as a viral particle. In the current study, we examine the stability of AAV serotype 1 vectors which are capable of transducing human cells and are routinely produced and used in our facility. First, we examined stability at 4° C for up to 7 weeks and found <10% decrease in transduction efficiency compared to a freshly-thawed aliquot. After 10 freeze-thaw cycles, 25% loss in transduction efficiency was observed. These data indicated that AAV serotype 1 is a highly stable viral particle with regards to retaining infectivity. Using small stainless steel slugs to mimic a biosafety cabinet or metal lab bench surface, we demonstrate that infectious AAV vector expressing Cre-recombinase can be reconstituted and used up to 7 days at room temp, although there was a clear decrease in transgene expression over time. The stability of AAV is a desired feature as a tool; however, it is important that the vector can be inactivated to avoid transgene delivery to end users or cross-contamination of non-disposable instruments. AAV decontamination procedures can vary. We tested multiple disinfectants commonly used in the laboratory for their ability to inactivate an AAV serotype 1 vector. The vector was added directly into solution for 5 or 30 minutes at a 1:10 ratio. It was then diluted, dialyzed, concentrated, and tested for transduction on primary neurons. Of the decontamination procedures tested, only autoclaving, 3.9% peracetic acid, iodine or 10% Clorox bleach completely prevented the subsequent detection of transgene expression. Although the nature of the transgene (e.g. proto oncogene or toxin) can elevate an AAV vector to BSL2, our data show that when working with AAV serotype 1 vectors, it's important that safety procedures for handling and decontaminating AAV are effective to avoid inadvertent transgene expression in human cells or cross contamination of AAV vectors used in non-disposable instruments. Other serotypes have not yet been tested.
Acinar cell plasticity and development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Acinar cells in the adult pancreas show high plasticity and can undergo transdifferentiation to a progenitor-like cell type with ductal characteristics. This process, termed acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM), is an important feature facilitating pancreas regeneration after injury. Data from animal models show that cells that undergo ADM in response to oncogenic signalling are precursors for pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia lesions, which can further progress to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). As human pancreatic adenocarcinoma is often diagnosed at a stage of metastatic disease, understanding the processes that lead to its initiation is important for the discovery of markers for early detection, as well as options that enable an early intervention. Here, the critical determinants of acinar cell plasticity are discussed, in addition to the intracellular and extracellular signalling events that drive acinar cell metaplasia and their contribution to development of PDAC.
Mechanism of Charge Separation in Photosynthetic Reaction Centers: Electric Field Effects on the Initial Electron Transfer Kinetics

The effect of an applied electric field on the kinetics of the initial electron transfer step in Rb. sphaeroides reaction centers has been measured in isotropic samples at 77 K. The rate of formation of $$ {H_L}^{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\cdot}$}}{ - } } $$ is slowed slightly upon application of an electric field of 106 V/cm. This result is consistent with earlier measurements of the electric field effect on the steady-state fluorescence [1,2]. No evidence was found for electron transfer down the M-side at the highest applied field.
Delay in an Eating Disorder Diagnosis: The Reason Was a "Shox".

Abstract Background Patients’ underlying medical conditions might affect the presentation and progression of an eating disorder. Case We describe a patient with an undiagnosed, rare, genetic skeletal dysplasia with effects on body mass index that likely led to body image distortion and delayed the diagnosis of an eating disorder. Summary and Conclusion It is critical to fully assess disordered eating in the context of each patient's clinical status.
Multiple midline defects identified in a litter of golden retrievers following gestational administration of prednisone and doxycycline: a case series

The teratogenic effects of immunomodulatory and certain antimicrobial therapies are described in small rodents and humans. While the described teratogenic effects in small rodents have been extrapolated to make conclusions about its use in the pregnant dam, teratogenic effects of prednisone and doxycycline have not yet been reported in the dog. Here we report and describe midline defects observed in a litter of golden retriever puppies exposed to mid-gestational immunosuppressive and antimicrobial therapy. Twenty-one days into gestation, the dam of a litter of eight golden retriever puppies was administered prednisone, doxycycline, and tramadol as treatment for immune-mediated polyarthritis. The individuals in the litter were subsequently diagnosed with a variety of midline defects and congenital cardiac defects. This case series describes the variety of identified defects and presents a descriptive account of complex congenital abnormalities that are likely secondary to teratogenic effects of one or more drugs administered during gestation. The available puppies, dam, and grand dam underwent thorough physical examination, complete echocardiogram, and where indicated, advanced imaging with various surgical corrections when possible. Numerous midline congenital defects and congenital heart disease were identified in the puppies evaluated. Ultimately 5 of 8 puppies born to the dam were presented for thorough evaluation. The midline defects include: gastroschisis (1), peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernias (4, PPDH), umbilical hernia (4), unilateral cryptorchidism (1 of 4 males), cleft palate (1), renal agenesis (1), renal abnormalities (1), sternal and vertebral abnormalities (3), remnant liver lobe (1) and malformations consistent with ductal plate malformations with congenital hepatic fibrosis (1). The congenital cardiac defects include: ventricular septal defect (4, VSD) and subaortic stenosis (4, SAS). The presence of greater than one congenital defect was noted in all 5 of the dogs evaluated. Surgical correction was necessary for PPDH in 4 puppies. Medical intervention was recommended for congenital cardiac disease in 1 puppy. This case report is the first to describe midline defects in dogs that have been exposed to immunomodulatory therapy during gestation. A causative relationship between mid-gestational immunomodulatory exposure and midline defects cannot be proven, however, this case supports a clear association and provides case-based evidence to support its avoidance when possible.
On the effects of pirate evolution on the design of digital content distribution systems

A cryptographic primitive that is widely deployed commercially for digital content distribution is the subset-difference (SD) method of Naor, Naor and Lotspiech that was introduced in Crypto 2001. This encryption mechanism, called a trace and revoke scheme, is part of the Advanced Access Content System (AACS), and is used for encrypting Blu-Ray movie disks and is based on an explicit combinatorial construction of an exclusive set system. At the time of its introduction the only attacks cryptographers considered against such schemes were against the revocation and tracing algorithms. The SD method defended against them successfully and provided a superior ciphertext length compared to other known techniques : the length of the ciphertext grew only linearly with the number of revocations r; in contrast, e.g., the simpler complete subtree (CS) method requires ciphertexts of length O(r ċ log N/r) where N is the total number of users. In Crypto 2007 a new class of attacks was discovered against trace and revoke schemes called "pirate evolution." Pirate evolution refers to the ability of the adversary to schedule the key material it possesses in such a way so that it can withstand a great number of rounds of tracing and revocation. With the introduction of pirate evolution, the reduction of the number of rounds of pirate evolution became a design consideration for trace and revoke schemes. In 2009, Jin and Lotspiech proposed a mechanism for defending against pirate evolution in the SD method that is a tradeoff between ciphertext size and the pirate evolution bound. In this article we provide a review of all the above results. Moreover, we compare the modified SD scheme to the CS method (similarly modified to address pirate evolution) and find that for many choices of the parameters that are relevant to practice SD can be a less preferable choice. This fact highlights the importance of considering all relevant attack scenarios when applying a specific cryptographic primitive to a certain application domain.
Pond Design and Construction

Ponds may be classified as watershed ponds, levee ponds, and excavated ponds. A watershed pond is created by constructing a dam across a watershed where the valley is depressed enough to permit storage of runoff. A levee pond is made by building levees around the area in which water is to be impounded. Water for filling levee ponds must be derived from wells, storage reservoirs, streams, or canals, because watersheds are absent. An excavated pond is constructed by digging a pit in which water is stored. Excavated ponds are filled by runoff, well water, or ground-water seepage. Pond construction is a broad subject. Construction techniques used for a particular pond depend on site characteristics, available equipment and material, cost, and preference.
Transmitter-activated ion channels as the target of chemical agents.

The transmitter-activated ion channels are known to be important target sites of a variety of therapeutic and toxic agents. The GABA-activated chloride channel has been shown to be modulated by general anesthetics, alcohols, and the pyrethroid, cyclodiene and lindane insecticides. The general anesthetics halothane, enflurane and isoflurane greatly augmented the GABA-activated current before desensitization took place, and suppressed it after desensitization at clinically relevant concentrations equivalent to 1-2 minimum alveolar concentrations. The stimulating effect appears to be a mechanism of general anesthesia. It seems that general anesthetics have a specific affinity for the GABA receptor-channel complex. Ethanol also augmented the GABA-activated peak chloride current with little or no effect on the desensitized sustained current. Longer chain alcohols n-butanol, n-hexanol, n-octanol, and n-decanol also exerted the same type of effect, with the potency and efficacy increasing with lengthening of the carbon chain.
A Comparison of the Inertia Friction Welding Behavior of Similar and Dissimilar Ni-Based Superalloys

The inertia friction welding behavior of similar (LSHR to LSHR or Mar-M247 to Mar-M247) and dissimilar (LSHR to Mar-M247) alloy pairs was determined. The relationships between the IFW process parameters and welding response, such as the kinetics and efficiency of the transformation of the mechanical energy of the flywheel into heat of joining samples, weld duration, kinetics of flash formation, and bond quality were identified. Conditions resulting in sound welding were determined. It was found that the mechanistic behavior of each of the alloys during dissimilar welding can be approximated by the behavior of the respective alloy during similar welding. By contrast, the microstructure, microhardness and the thickness of the heat affected zone depended on the type of the alloy pair used during IFW.
Dedifferentiated gastrointestinal stromal tumor: Recent advances

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. A small minority of GISTs exhibit morphologic and phenotypic changes and differentiate into an unusual phenotype through the process of dedifferentiation. Dedifferentiation can occur either de novo or after prolonged treatment with imatinib, a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor. GISTs can present with various morphologies including rhabdomyosarcoma, angiosarcoma, or undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. The unusual histologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of these tumors can be diagnostically challenging. Therefore, it is essential that the pathologists recognize GISTs with unusual morphology and be aware of the dedifferentiation process. This review aims to provide an overview of the morphologic and molecular features of dedifferentiated GISTs. Additionally, we discuss diagnostic dilemmas and recent immunohistochemical markers that are useful in distinguishing dedifferentiated GISTs from other gastrointestinal tumors.