cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Critical Role of a Survivin/TGF-β/mTORC1 Axis in IGF-I-Mediated Growth of Prostate Epithelial Cells

Survivin is a unique member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins that is overexpressed in numerous cancers through poorly defined mechanisms. One such mechanism may be through constitutive activation of the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) signaling pathway, implicated in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Using the pre-neoplastic NRP-152 rat prostate cell line as a model, we showed that IGF-I induces Survivin expression, and that silencing Survivin by lentiviral-mediated small hairpin RNA (shRNA) represses IGF-I-stimulated cell growth, implicating Survivin as a mediator of this growth response. Moreover, our data support that the induction of Survivin by IGF-I occurs through a transcriptional mechanism that is mediated in part by the PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 pathway. Use of various Survivin promoter-luciferase constructs revealed that the CDE and CHR response elements in the proximal region of the Survivin promoter are involved in this IGF-I response. Transforming growth factor (TGF-β) signaling antagonists similarly activated the Surivin promoter and rendered cells refractory to further promoter activation by IGF-I. IGF-I suppressed levels of phospho-Smads 2 and 3 with kinetics similar to that of Survivin induction. Suppression of TGF-β signaling, either by TGF-β receptor kinase inhibitors or by silencing Smads 2 and 3, induced Survivin expression and promoted cell growth similar to that induced by IGF-I. TGF-β receptor antagonists also rescued cells from down-regulation of Survivin expression and growth suppression by pharmacological inhibitors of PI3K, Akt, MEK and mTOR. Sh-RNA gene silencing studies suggest that mTORC1 induces while mTORC2 represses the expression of Survivin by IGF-I. Taken together, these results suggest that IGF-I signaling through a PI3K/Akt/mTORC1 mechanism elevates expression of Survivin and promotes growth of prostate epithelial cells by suppressing Smad-dependent autocrine TGF-β signaling.
Regional variability in changes in 5-HT2A receptor mRNA levels in rat brain following irreversible inactivation with EEDQ ☆

Abstract In this study, the relationship between the expression of 5-HT 2A receptors and level of 5-HT 2A receptor mRNA in discrete regions of rat brain was examined by inactivating 5-HT 2A receptors with the alkylating agent N -ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ; 10 mg/kg, i.p.) and measuring the time course of receptor recovery and changes in mRNA levels. In untreated controls, the distribution and levels of 5-HT 2A receptors labeled with [ 3 H]ketanserin and receptor mRNA labeled with a 230-base 33 P-labeled riboprobe were found to be highly correlated in most sub-regions of the cortex, the caudate-putamen and the claustrum but not in the piriform cortex or the hippocampus. Administration of EEDQ produced 90–99% inactivation of 5-HT 2A receptors and the rate of receptor recovery was uniform in most regions studied. 5-HT 2A receptors in most regions reached control levels by day 14, the lone exception being the caudate-putamen where receptors reached only 56% of control by day 14. Following inactivation of receptors with EEDQ there was a transient increase in levels of 5-HT 2A receptor mRNA in several regions. Although rates of receptor recovery were uniform, four distinct patterns of mRNA response were observed: (1) early elevation followed by late elevation, (2) early elevation only, (3) late elevation only, and (4) no detectable change. The absence of a direct relationship between changes in 5-HT 2A receptor mRNA and 5-HT 2A receptor recovery in this model system suggests that transcriptional regulation is not the mechanism controlling the recovery of these receptors after irreversible inactivation. This study also lends support to the idea that alternative mechanisms may play a role in 5-HT 2A receptor regulation after other pharmacological and physiological manipulations. The regional variability in 5-HT 2A mRNA regulation reported here highlights the importance of using techniques with a high level of anatomical resolution to study changes in 5-HT 2A receptor mRNA levels.
Motions in a bose condensate: VI. Vortices in a nonlocal model

Nonlocal nonlinear Schrodinger equations are considered as models of liquid helium II. The models contain a nonlocal interaction potential that leads to a phonon-roton-like dispersion relation. Also, a higher-order term in the local density approximation for the correlation energy is introduced into the model to overcome nonphysical mass concentrations. These equations are solved for straight-line vortices. It is demonstrated that the parameters of the equation can be chosen to bring into agreement the vortex core parameter and the healing length. The structure of vortex rings of large radius is studied. The family of the vortex rings of different radii propagating with different velocities is found numerically. As the velocity of the vortex ring reaches the Landau critical velocity the sequence of rings terminates.
Regulation of diacylglycerol levels in carbachol-stimulated pancreatic acinar cells: Relationship to the breakdown of phosphatidylcholine and metabolism to phosphatidic acid

Abstract Rat pancreatic acinar cells prelabeled with [14C]palmitic acid and then exposed to carbachol (CCh) exhibited a time-dependent increase in 1, 2-[14C]diacylglycerol ([14C]DAG) levels, which was first detected at 2 min and then continued to rise in a linear manner. There was a concomitant increase in [14C]phosphatidic acid, which plateaued after 2 min and then remained at steady-state levels. CCh also promoted the release of phosphocholine, but not choline, within 60 s and caused a decrease in [14C]phosphatidylethanol accumulation and a fallin [14C]phosphatidate 15 min. The inability to detect a rise in [14C]phosphatidylethanol accumulation and a fall in [14C]phosphatidate levels in [14C]palmitate prelabeled cells after exposure to CCh plus ethanol documented the absence of a phospholipase D-mediated pathway. The rapid phosphorylation of diglyceride in homogenates from unstimulated and carbachol-treated cells increased with increasing concentrations of exogenous substrate, thereby affirming that carbachol stimulates the phosphorylation of DAG by promoting the accumulation of the diglyceride. These collective findings provide evidence for the existence of an integrative control mechanism for regulating endogenous DAG levels during pancreatic acinar cell activation involving phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C and DAG kinase.
Compartmentation of Camp Signaling in Complex and Simple Cells

Differences in compartmentation of cAMP signaling were compared in adult rat cardiac ventricular myocytes and HEK293 cells. The freely diffusible Epac2-camps FRET-based biosensor was used to monitor cAMP responses in the bulk cytoplasmic compartment of these cells, while Epac2-MyrPalm and Epac2-CAAX versions of the probe were used to measure subcellular cAMP responses associated with lipid raft and non-lipid raft domains of the plasma membrane, respectively. Stimulating raft associated beta-adrenergic receptors (βAR) or non-raft associated E-type prostaglandin receptors (EPR) elicited markedly different cAMP responses in the two cell types. In HEK293 cells, maximal βAR or EPR stimulation produced saturating cAMP responses in all three domains. In cardiac myocytes, maximal βAR stimulation produced non-saturating responses in all three domains. However, EPR stimulation produced responses that were smaller, transient, and more consistently observed in non-lipid raft and bulk cytoplasmic domains. There were also significant differences in the pattern of basal cAMP activity associated with the different microdomains of the two cell types. Direct inhibition of adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity with MDL12330A (MDL) only produced a decrease in basal cAMP activity in non-lipid raft domains of HEK293 cells. However, MDL inhibited basal cAMP activity in non-lipid raft domains as well in the bulk cytoplasmic compartment of cardiac myocytes. In cardiac myocytes, responses detected in all three locations were significantly more sensitive to inhibition of phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity. However, in HEK293 cells, responses detected in non-lipid raft domains were more sensitive to direct stimulation of AC activity with forskolin. Computational modeling suggests that AC activity may play a more important role in explaining the compartmentalized responses observed in HEK293 cells, while PDE activity may be more important in cardiac myocytes.
Abstract LB-13: The role of p38/MAPK14 in Sonic Hedgehog-driven CGNP proliferation

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Development of the cerbellum occurs primarily postnatally and is marked by a rapid proliferation of cerebellar granule neuron precursors (CGNPs). This proliferation requires the activity of the mitogen Sonic Hedgehog (Shh). The rapid proliferation stage of CGNPs has led to speculation that they are the cells of origin for some classes of medulloblastoma, the most common solid pediatric tumor. Since MAP kinases play important roles in many aspects of development, proliferation, and cancer we investigated if any of the three major classes of MAP kinases were involved in Shh-driven CGNP proliferation. We have previously shown that p42/p44 ERK MAP kinases are not involved in Shh signaling in CGNP proliferation. We have also shown that JNK/SAP kinases are not involved in Shh-driven proliferation. However, p38/MAPK14 is induced and activated in proliferating CGNPs compared to CGNPs that exit the cell cycle and differentiate in the absence of Shh. Other known pathway components upstream and downstream of MAPK14, such as ASK1, MKK3 and ATF-2, are also activated in the presence of Shh. Antioxidants such as lipoic acid and n-acetyl-cysteine that relieve oxidative stress reduced Shh-induced activation of MAPK14 and caused a marked decrease in CGNP proliferation measured by Ki67 and BrdU staining. We are currently investigating the role of oxidative stress and MAPK14 in CGNP proliferation by over-expressing and knocking down MAPK14 in CGNPs under oxidative stress conditions. Preliminary data suggests that knocking down MAPK14 reduces CGNP proliferation. Elucidating the role of MAPK14 pathway in CGNP proliferation will not only help us understand normal cerebellum development but may also lead to possible therapies for diseases where constitutive Shh signaling has been shown to play a role such as some classes of medulloblastoma and Gorlin's syndrome. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-13.
Plasmid maintenance and gene expression of a recombinant culture under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

The stability and gene expression of a batch culture ofEscherichia coli, strain C600, carrying the plasmid pKN401 under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions were studied. It was observed that the plasmid was stable under both conditions and during a step change in the environment in which oxygen and nitrogen were supplied alternately. In addition, the β-lactamase specific activity was sensitive to the availability of oxygen, with higher activities and a strong dependence on optical density observed under anaerobic conditions.
Melanoma-inhibiting activity assay predicts survival in patients receiving a therapeutic cancer vaccine after complete resection of American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage III Melanoma.

Background More than half of melanoma patients rendered disease free by lymph node dissection will experience disease recurrence. We hypothesized that serum levels of melanoma-inhibiting activity (MIA) protein might be useful to stratify risk and identify subclinical recurrence in patients undergoing adjuvant immunotherapy. We examined MIA levels in the serum of stage III patients treated after surgery with a therapeutic cancer vaccine.
Charged scalar field and quantum number violations

Abstract We show that the introduction of a charged scalar particle into the standard theory leads to numerous phenomenological consequences. In particular, muon-neutrino scattering on electron can resonate in the s -channel, a fact which is potentially important in high-energy neutrino experiments and conceivably relevant in explaining the recently reported underground muon events from Cygnus X-3. We focus on the violation of various quantum numbers, including electron, muon, and tauon numbers.
On the discount sum of Bernoulli random variables

Abstract Let en∞n=1 be i.i.d. Bernoulli random variables. For 1 2 , let X = ∑∞n=1 ϱnen be the discount sum and let μϱ be the distribution measure. It is known that if ϱ−1 is a P.V. number, then μϱ is continuously singular. In this paper we use a Markov chain technique to obtain the precise L2-dimension of such measures. In particular for ϱ = (√5 − 1) 2 , we use a device of Strichartz et al. and the renewal equation to derive a formula for the Lϱ-dimension and the entropy dimension of the corresponding μϱ.
Object recognition in the enterprise: structural and behavioral capabilities of patient-centered medical homes

The healthcare industry in United States is the largest delivery system in the world. However, this system is facing significant pressures to transform itself to operate more efficiently. It is generally accepted that the use of health information technology can assist in solving the problem by reducing cost and increasing quality of patient care. However characteristics of adopters and quality of implementations are not well understood and are an ongoing challenge.Using an interdisciplinary study of healthcare and technology, the objective of this research is to measure the prevalence of health information technology capabilities and their impact on delivery of care. More specifically, this research will study health information technology adoption in context of Patient-Centered Medical Home implementations. By using as its basis the American Association of Family Physician recommendations for becoming a Patient-Centered Medical Home (one of the most widely disseminated models), the proposed research will survey health care providers for prevalence of structural and behavioral capabilities used to implement a Patient-Centered Medical Home.The general objectives of the feasibility study includes demonstrating the larger research objectives and demonstrating that the right mix of theories and methodologies have been considered. The small field study was conducted at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) with the Care Management Plus (CMP) Team. CMP is a proven HIT application for older adults and chronically ill patients with multiple conditions and the innovation includes software, clinic processes and training. Use of qualitative research based case study, with application of diffusion theory and dynamic capabilities using the Unified Modeling Language (UML) notation are demonstrated in this field study. In the following sections data collection, analysis, results, conclusions and limitations of research along with propositions for future research are discussed.
New literacies and the institution of old learning

Book reviewed in this article: What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. James Paul Gee. 2003. New Literacies: Changing Knowledge and Classroom Learning. Colin Lankshear and Michele Knobel. 2003.
Water Management and the Procedural Turn: Norms and Transitions in Alberta

Water management reforms promoting deliberative, decentralized decision making are often accompanied by procedures designed to accommodate a range of stakeholder perspectives. This paper considers the role of political and ethical norms affecting this ‘procedural turn’ in order to understand the management of transitions in complex socio-technical systems. It examines the discourse and practice of water reforms in Alberta, Canada in order to identify how new procedures were designed alongside changes to management institutions. It finds that the existing social and cultural context is an uneasy fit with procedural norms theorized in deliberative models of democracy. Using examples from the Alberta case, it draws out implications for understanding the procedural turn in water management and the role of norms affecting transitions toward sustainability.
Health care providers and dying patients: critical issues in terminal care.

Three major areas of concern can be identified in the relationship between health care providers and dying patients: a) the nature of the difficulties and stresses associated with terminal care, b) the education of providers for this kind of work, and c) the influence of organizational structure and institutionalized values on services for dying patients and their families. A review of the research literature indicates that obstacles to effective terminal care continue to exist at the personal, interpersonal, and social levels in the current American health care system. Particular attention is given to demonstrated differences among health care professionals in their sources of emotional support and to difficulties associated with innovations in terminal care. Recent developments such as the predetermined reimbursement for health care based on established diagnostic categories (DRGs) have the potential for generating further obstacles to the providers' efforts to function as one human being helping another.
The clinical features of anterior prostate cancers

Authors from New York present their experience with exclusively anteriorly located prostate cancers and compare them to those located only in the posterior part of the prostate. In this very large series, they found that the former group had lower Gleason grades and lower rates of extraprostatic extension. In a paper from Cleveland, USA, the authors evaluate the rates of local and systemic progression, recurrence-free survival and overall survival for patients with bladder carcinoma after limited pelvic lymph node dissection. In keeping with other reports where extended pelvic lymph node dissection was used, these authors reported decreased rates of survival with the limited dissection. OBJECTIVE To identify the clinical characteristics of anterior prostate cancers (APCs) and to compare these with posterior prostate cancers (PPCs). PATIENTS AND METHODS We reviewed 1290 consecutive open and laparoscopic radical prostatectomies (RPs) at the authors’ institution from January 2000 to March 2004. Prostates were processed using a whole-mount technique. Each surgical specimen was reviewed by one pathologist, and tumour areas were marked, measured and mapped. Positive surgical margins (PSMs) were defined as the presence of cancer cells at the inked surface of the specimen. Specimens were then categorized by the location of their dominant tumour, i.e. pure anterior, anterior > posterior, posterior > anterior, or pure posterior. We compared the clinical and pathological characteristics of 259 patients in the pure-anterior group with the 594 in the pure-posterior group. RESULTS Before RP, APCs had a significantly lower biopsy Gleason score (78% vs 68% with Gleason 4–6), fewer mean biopsy cores positive (2.0 vs 2.6), a smaller median percentage of positive cores (17% vs 26%), lower clinical stage (T1 in 79% vs 62%), and higher progression-free probability estimated by preoperative nomogram (86% vs 84%) than PPCs. Patients with APCs also had more previous negative biopsy sessions. The pathological analysis of RP specimens showed that those with APCs had higher tumour volume (1.6 vs 0.83 mL) and had a higher PSM rate (12% vs 7%) than those with PPCs, despite specimens with PPCs having higher rates of extraprostatic extension (10% vs 19%). CONCLUSIONS APCs have lower Gleason grade and lower rates of extraprostatic extension, yet patients with anterior tumours have higher overall tumour volumes and higher PSM rates. Because current tools for detecting and staging prostate cancer can underestimate the extent of anterior prostate disease, improved methods are needed for localizing and characterizing anterior cancers.
Sugarcane Response to Phosphorus Fertilizer on Everglades Histosols

Determining sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) yield response to P fertilizer supports the development of agricultural best management practices consistent with Everglades restoration efforts. Field studies were conducted on organic soils to determine sugar-cane yield responses to P fertilizer. Four test sites were established on Florida Histosols (water-extractable P = 1.3, 1.7, 2.1, and 9.0 g P m ―3 ) with annual banded rates of 0, 9, 18, 36, 72, and 144 kg P ha ―1 . There were a total of 13 crop years with duration of each test ranging from 2 to 4 yr. Linear and quadratic regression and single degree of freedom contrasts were used to determine P fertilizer requirements. There were responses in t cane ha ―1 (TCH) and t sucrose ha ―1 (TSH) to P fertilizer application at four and three sites, respectively. Annual fertilizer P requirement at the four sites ranged from 18 to 33 kg P ha ―1 , with no consistent change in P requirement across crop years. Based on measured response (95% of maximum yield) in TCH and TSH up to 33 kg P ha ―1 , the maximum P recommendation for sugarcane grown on Florida Histosols should be maintained at 36 kg P ha ―1 . Minimal reductions in sucrose concentration (kg sucrose t ―1 cane) were measured at P rates ≤36 kg P ha ―1 . Water-extractable P did not predict the measured yield response at all sites, demonstrating the need for an updated soil test calibration that should be applicable over a wide pH range and include both quickly available and reserve soil P.
Flow rate and vertical position influence ingestion rates of colonial zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)

Summary 1. Zebra mussels aggregate to form dense colonies where, depending on the flow rate, individuals in different vertical locations within the colony may experience restricted food availability. 2. Using 32P-labelled Chlamydomonas angulosa, we found ingestion rates of individual mussels located at the surface to exceed those in the bottom of a 6 cm thick colony by up to 75%. 3. Higher velocities (10 and 20 cm s−1) increased algal delivery to the colony's middle layer (2–4 cm depth), subsequently increasing ingestion rates to equal those in the surface layer, while increasing ingestion only for the smallest mussels in the bottom (4–6 cm). 4. At all vertical locations within the colonies, smaller mussels showed higher ingestion rates per unit mass than larger mussels, particularly at higher flow rates.
Abundance of brachyuran larvae in a small coastal inlet over six consecutive tidal cycles

Brachyuran larvae were sampled every two hours at two depths in Indian River Inlet over six consecutive tidal cycles. Larvae from seven taxa were collected. Three taxa were identified at the level of species. Pinnixa spp. and Uca spp. zoeae were most common at the surface on ebbing tides and were apparently exported to coastal shelf waters. Uca spp. and Callinectes sapidus megalopae were common near the bottom on flooding tides. This would promote retention in the estuary and is consistent with previous reports in the literature. Ovalipes ocellatus, Cancer irroratus and Libinia spp. were most common on flooding tides. This suggests that a pool of these larvae existed in adjacent coastal waters, and that these larvae were carried into the inlet on flooding tides.
Automatic isolation of compiler errors

This paper describes a tool called vpoiso that was developed to isolate errors automatically in the vpo compiler system. The two general types of compiler errors isolated by this tool are optimization and nonoptimization errors. When isolating optimization errors, vpoiso relies on the vpo optimizer to identify sequences of changes, referred to as transformations, that result in semantically equivalent code and to provide the ability to stop performing improving (or unnecessary) transformations after a specified number have been performed. A compilation of a typical program by vpo often results in thousands of improving transformations being performed. The vpoiso tool can automatically isolate the first improving transformation that causes incorrect output of the execution of the compiled programs by using a binary search that varies the number of improving transformation performed. Not only is the illegal transformation automatically isolated, but vpoiso also identifies the location and instant the transformation is performed in vpo. Nonoptimization errors occur from problems in the front end, code generator, and necessary transformations in the optimizer. If another compiler is available that can produce correct (but perhaps more inefficient) code, then vpoiso can isolate nonoptimization errors to a single function. Automatic isolation of compiler errors facilitates retargeting a compiler to a new machine, maintenance of the compiler, and supporting experimentation with new optimizations.
Effects of the Periodic Administration of Odor or Vibration on a 3-hr. Vigilance Task:

The present study examined performance during 3 hr. of simulated sentry duty with and without the intermittent administration of low-level sensory stimuli (odor or vibration). For odor and control conditions, target-detection latency increased steadily over the course of the 3-hr. session. Administration of a tactile stimulus reduced the increase in detection latency compared to that found in odor and control conditions. For all conditions, there were no significant differences in target-detection frequency, shot accuracy, or friend-foe discrimination. Across all conditions, restlessness (motor activity) increased significantly the first hour and remained elevated for the rest of the session. Subjective measures of workload (NASA-TLX) indicated that the 3-hr. task rated high on physical demand, mental demand, frustration, and overall workload. These findings suggest that the intermittent delivery of a clearly detectable tactile stimulus can reduce reaction-time decrements that occur as time on task increases.
Single-fiber myosin heavy chain polymorphism: how many patterns and what proportions?

Previous studies have reported the existence of skeletal muscle fibers that coexpress multiple myosin heavy chain isoforms. These surveys have usually been limited to studying the polymorphic profi...
Freshwater content variability in the Arctic Ocean

Arctic Ocean model simulations have revealed that the Arctic Ocean has a basin wide oscillation with cyclonic and anticyclonic circulation anomalies (Arctic Ocean Oscillation; AOO) which has a prominent decadal variability. This study explores how the simulated AOO affects the Arctic Ocean stratification and its relationship to the sea ice cover variations. The simulation uses the Princeton Ocean Model coupled to sea ice. The surface forcing is based on NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis and its climatology, of which the latter is used to force the model spin-up phase. Our focus is to investigate the competition between ocean dynamics and ice formation/melt on the Arctic basin-wide fresh water balance. We find that changes in the Atlantic water inflow can explain almost all of the simulated fresh water anomalies in the main Arctic basin. The Atlantic water inflow anomalies are an essential part of AOO, which is the wind driven barotropic response to the Arctic Oscillation (AO). The baroclinic response to AO, such as Ekman pumping in the Beaufort Gyre, and ice meldfreeze anomalies in response to AO are less significant considering the whole Arctic fresh water balance.
The pennatulacean genus Cavernularia Valenciennes (Octocorallia: Veretillidae)

Two new species of sea pens referable to the genus Cavernularia Valenciennes are described from Natal and Transkei, east coast of southern Africa, at depths of 24 and 190 to over 300 m. The two new species are distinguished from other members of the genus by unique combinations of features regarding the axis, colonial growth form, autozooid size, as well as the size, shape, and distribution of sclerites. A comparative review of the genus is included. The 13 presently recognized worldwide species are differentiated and a key for their separation, together with a table of comparative characters, is provided. Of these, ten (77%) are Indo-Pacific in distribution whilst the remainder (23%) are presumably restricted to the eastern Atlantic. Four species are presently recorded from southern Africa. The deepest known bathymetric stations for the genus are here recorded from northern Namibia at 274 m, and from northern Natal at 310/320 m. Relationships to members of the related genus Cavernulina Kukenthal & Broch are discussed.
A 5-Year Review of Recurrent Group B Streptococcal Disease: Lessons from Twin Infants

Recurrent invasive disease due to group B Streptococcus (GBS) in twin infants has not been reported. We report 2 cases of recurrent GBS afflicting both siblings of a set of dichorionic twin infants. The maternal and infant colonizing and invasive strains were identical by serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Despite attempts at eradication with different antibiotic regimens, the infants remained colonized after treatment of the second episode. A 5-year review of recurrent invasive GBS disease in infants in our affiliated hospitals was undertaken, and 6 further cases were identified. Serotyping and PFGE of isolates from initial and second episodes were genotypically identical for each case. Three infants each had GBS serotype Ia or V disease and 2 had GBS serotype III disease. The exact pathogenesis of recurrent GBS disease remains unclear, but our data support the hypothesis that persistent mucosal colonization with the original GBS strain rather than new acquisition is a pivotal factor in disease recurrence.
Flexible a-Si:H-based Image Sensors Fabricated by Digital Lithography

Amorphous silicon-based x-ray image sensor arrays were fabricated on poly-ethylene naphthalate substrates at process temperatures below 180°C Patterning of the thin-film transistor backplane was accomplished using ink-jet printed etch masks. The sensor devices were found to be comparable to high-temperature processed devices. The integration of the sensor stack, TFT array and PEN substrate resulted in a flexible x-ray image sensor with 180×180 pixels with 75 dpi resolution. © 2007 Materials Research Society.
Towards stability analysis of jump linear systems with state-dependent and stochastic switching

This paper analyzes the stability of hierarchical jump linear systems where the supervisor is driven by a Markovian stochastic process and by the values of the supervised jump linear system?s states. The stability framework for this class of systems is developed over infinite and finite time horizons. The framework is then used to derive sufficient stability conditions for a specific class of hybrid jump linear systems with performance supervision. New sufficient stocbnstic stability conditions for discrete-time jump linear systems are also presented.
Interaction of posture and conscious perception of gravitational vertical and surface horizontal

The extent to which postural orientation and perception of orientation share common central processes is unknown. If central resources are shared, automatic postural orientation in space and conscious perception of gravitational vertical (GV) or surface horizontal (SH) orientation should vary similarly with changing frequencies of surface tilts. Furthermore, shared central processing may result in altered postural orientation depending on the focus of conscious perception. Blindfolded, healthy subjects indicated perception of gravitational vertical and surface horizontal while standing on a tilting surface or sitting in an earth-fixed chair with only the feet on the tilting surface. Subjects oriented a hand-held rod to GV or perpendicular to the tilting support surface to indicate SH during anterior-posterior (A/P) sinusoidal surface tilt oscillation (+/-5 degrees /0.025-0.4 Hz). The gain and phase relationships of rod and postural tilt with respect to surface tilt were analyzed in all conditions. Average rod-tilt during the GV task was below 1.5 degrees and decreased with increasing frequency of surface oscillation, similar to the decrease in trunk tilt. Average rod-tilt when indicating SH was three to four times that of actual surface tilt during both sitting and standing postures and did not change across frequencies, unlike trunk tilt. Measures of postural stability were less variable during the GV than the SH task. This increased postural stability during the GV task and similar gain/phase patterns of postural and GV perceptual orientation across frequencies is consistent with shared central processing of automatic postural and conscious perception of orientation to gravity. In contrast, different gain/phase patterns of posture and conscious perception of SH orientation are consistent with separate processing of postural responses of changing surface orientation and perception of it. Conscious perception of sensory inputs related to verticality share central processing with postural control, which when accessed can have a stabilizing effect, whereas consciously perceiving a moving support surface can be destabilizing.
Knockdown of T‐bet expression in Mart‐127–35‐specific T‐cell‐receptor‐engineered human CD4+ CD25− and CD8+ T cells attenuates effector function

Gene transfer to create tumour epitope-specific cytolytic T cells for adoptive immunotherapy of cancer remains an area of active inquiry. When the Mart-127–35-specific DMF5 T-cell receptor (TCR) is transferred into peripheral human CD4+ T cells, the reprogrammed cells exhibit a T helper type 1 (Th1) phenotype with significant multifactorial effector capabilities. The T-bet transcription factor plays an important role in determination of the Th1 differentiation pathway. To gain a deeper understanding of how T-bet controls the outcome of human T-cell reprogramming by gene transfer, we developed a system for examining the effects of short hairpin RNA-mediated T-bet gene knockdown in sorted cell populations uniformly expressing the knockdown construct. In this system, using activated peripheral human CD4+ CD25− and CD8+ T cells, T-bet knockdown led to attenuation of the interferon-γ response to both antigen-specific and non-specific TCR stimulation. The interleukin-2 (IL-2) antigen-specific response was not attenuated by T-bet knockdown. Also, in TCR-reprogrammed CD8+ cells, the cytolytic effector response was attenuated by T-bet knockdown. T-bet knockdown did not cause redirection into a Th2 differentiation pathway, and no increased IL-4, IL-10, or IL-17 response was detected in this system. These results indicate that T-bet expression is required for maintenance of the CD4+ CD25− and CD8+ effector phenotypes in TCR-reprogrammed human T cells. They also suggest that the activation protocol necessary for transduction with retrovectors and lentivectors may commit the reprogrammed cells to the Th1 phenotype, which cannot be altered by T-bet knockdown but that there is, nevertheless, a continuous requirement of T-bet expression for interferon-γ gene activation.
Gastroschisis: Embryology, Pathogenesis, Epidemiology

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe normal embryology and various theories contributing to derangements in development leading to gastroschisis. 2. Delineate several theories regarding the pathogenesis of gastroschisis. 3. Explain the environmental and other risk factors linked to gastroschisis. 4. Describe the prevalence of gastroschisis in developed countries and various theories explaining it. Gastroschisis is a congenital anterior abdominal wall defect, adjacent and usually to the right of the umbilical cord insertion. It occurs as a small, full-thickness periumbilical cleft either immediately adjacent to the umbilicus or separated from it by a strip of skin. This results in herniation of the abdominal contents into the amniotic sac, usually just the small intestine, but sometimes also the stomach, colon, and ovaries (Figure⇓). The abdominal wall defect is relatively small compared with the size of the eviscerated bowel, which often develops walls that are matted and thickened with a fibrous peel. Gastroschisis has no covering sac and no associated syndromes. This differentiates it from an omphalocele, which usually is covered by a membranous sac and more frequently is associated with other structural and chromosomal anomalies (Table 1). In addition, although gastroschisis may be associated with gastrointestinal anomalies such as intestinal atresia, stenosis, and malrotation, it has a much better prognosis than omphalocele. Figure. Gastroschisis, resulting in herniation of the abdominal contents into the amniotic sac. | | Gastroschisis | Omphalocele | |:---------------------------:| ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | | Incidence | 1 in 10,000 (now increasing) | 1 in 5,000 | | Defect Location | Right paraumbilical | Central | | Covering Sac | Absent | Present (unless sac ruptured) | | Description | Free intestinal loops | Firm mass including bowel, liver, etc | | Associated With Prematurity | 50% to 60% | 10% to 20% | | Necrotizing Enterocolitis | Common (18%) | Uncommon | | Common Associated Anomalies | Gastrointestinal (10% to 25%) | Trisomy syndromes (30%) | | | Cardiac defects (20%) | | | Beckwith-Weidemann syndrome | | | Cryptorchidism (31%) | Bladder extrophy | | Prognosis | Excellent for small defect | Varies with associated anomalies | | Mortality | 5% to 10% | Varies with associated anomalies (80% with cardiac defect) | Table 1. Differences Between Gastroschisis and Omphalocele The term gastroschisis is derived from the Greek word laproschisis , meaning “bellycleft.” It was used in the 19th and early 20th centuries by teratologists to designate all abdominal wall defects. No clear distinctions were made between abdominal wall defects until 1953, when Moore and Stokes classified them based on their appearance at birth. They suggested that the term gastroschisis be reserved for those cases in which the …
RF front-end system gain and linearity built-in test

This work addresses the concurrent on-chip measurement of the gain, the input 1-dB compression point (ICP/sub 1-dB/), and the input-referred third-order interference point (IIP/sub 3/) of individual RF building blocks in RF front-end systems, using introduced high speed CMOS RF on-chip amplitude detectors, which work up to 20 GHz with high accuracy, small area, and low power consumption.
Shuttle/Centaur G-prime composite adapters damage tolerance/repair test program

One major question involved in selection of a composite material system for structural applications is, "How damage-tolerant is it?" While this is a valid concern, the term "damage-tolerant" must be better defined. The purpose of our program was to answer that question for one particular application and also to define clearly "damage tolerance" with respect to the ShuttleICentaur G-Prime composite corrugated adapters. There were three main objectives in the Composite Adapters Damage ToleranceIRepair (DTIR) Test program. The first one was to determine the effects of likely-to-occur and potentially critical defects or damages on the adapters' strength and stability. The second was to determine the adequacy of repairs on significantly damaged areas, and the third was to generate enough nondestructive investigation (NDI) damage data to upgrade C-SCAN acceptance criteria for production parts. Justification for the program's existence was based on three premises: (I) defects and damage would occur. It was imperative to develop a sound rationale for accepting or rejecting discrepant parts. (2) Competent repair methods had to be developed to deal with significantly damaged areas, and most important was (3) the need to determine the structural effects of nonvisible damage that could accidentally occur subsequent to final ultrasonic inspection during assembly, shipment, or in service. The benefits to be realized were many. Rational accept1 reject criteria and repair methods would reduce both engineering liaison costs and any unnecessary scrappage of parts. Most importantly, a successful "damage-tolerant" design would ensure that degradations of strength and stability due to the presence of undetected defects or damage would not be catastrophic.
Optimization of a dual concentric conductor antenna for superficial hyperthermia applications

Dual concentric conductor antennas (DCCs) have been proposed as effective radiators for microwave hyperthermia applications, due to simplicity of construction from flexible printed circuit board (PCB) material. With proper design, the power deposition (SAR) pattern is uniform across the DCC. The effect of a single antenna can be combined in conformal nonphased arrays to form a region of nearly flat temperature distribution over a large area down to 1-1.5 cm depth. In the past, DCC antenna performance was analyzed using in-house FDTD software. Recently available electromagnetic simulation software provides reduced simulation time, increased accuracy and a user friendly interface with the ability to sweep design parameters to achieve critical optimization goals. More detail on antenna loading conditions provides enhanced design accuracy by accounting for second order effects neglected in previous modeling. In particular, recent design efforts have focused on improving antenna efficiency and reducing losses and reflections in the feedline network. A second challenge involves measurement of antenna properties in conditions more similar to the treatment environment, since temperature and loading condition affect antenna radiation and thus design requirements. We present the challenges of both antenna design and characterization, along with preliminary results of recent design improvements.
High gradient acceleration in a 17 GHz photocathode RF gun

The physics and technological issues involved in high gradient particle acceleration at high microwave (RF) frequencies are under study at MIT. The 17 GHz photocathode RF gun has a 1 1/2 cell room temperature copper cavity with a peak accelerating gradient of about 250 MV/m. The anticipated beam parameters, when operating with a photoemission cathode, are: energy 2 MeV, normalized emittance 0.43 /spl pi/ mm-mrad, energy spread 0.18%, bunch charge 0.1 nC, and bunch length 0.39 ps. The goal is to study particle acceleration at high field gradients and to generate high quality electron beams for potential applications in next generation linear colliders and free electron lasers. The experimental setup and status are described. >
Industry Choice and Product Language

We analyze the words that rms use to describe their products to examine in which industries rms operate. We nd strong support for the proposition that when asset complementarities across product markets are strong as measured by industry product language overlaps, rms are more likely to operate across industries. More generally, multiple-industry rms avoid industries with more distinct language boundaries, as measured using language transitivity from rival to rival. Multiple-industry rms are also less likely to operate in industries with high within-industry word similarity and high economies of scale. These ndings are consistent with rms choosing organizational form based on product market characteristics and asset complementarities.
Fatty Acid Transduction of Nitric Oxide Signaling NITROLINOLEIC ACID IS A HYDROPHOBICALLY STABILIZED NITRIC OXIDE DONOR

The aqueous decay and concomitant release of nitric oxide (*NO) by nitrolinoleic acid (10-nitro-9,12-octadecadienoic acid and 12-nitro-9,12-octadecadienoic acid; LNO2) are reported. Mass spectrometric analysis of reaction products supports a modified Nef reaction as the mechanism accounting for the generation of *NO by the aqueous reactions of fatty acid nitroalkene derivatives. Nitrolinoleic acid is stabilized by an aprotic milieu, with LNO2 decay and *NO release strongly inhibited by phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol liposome membranes and detergents when present at levels above their critical micellar concentrations. The release of *NO from LNO2 was induced by UV photolysis and triiodide-based ozone chemiluminescence reactions currently used to quantify putative protein nitrosothiol and N-nitrosamine derivatives. This reactivity of LNO2 complicates the qualitative and quantitative analysis of biological oxides of nitrogen when applying UV photolysis and triiodide-based analytical systems to biological preparations typically abundant in nitrated fatty acids. The results reveal that nitroalkene derivatives of linoleic acid are pluripotent signaling mediators that act not only via receptor-dependent mechanisms, but also by transducing the signaling actions of *NO via pathways subject to regulation by the relative distribution of LNO2 to hydrophobic versus aqueous microenvironments.
SHORTEST PATHS ON A POLYHEDRON, Part I: COMPUTING SHORTEST PATHS

We present an algorithm for determining the shortest path between any two points along the surface of a polyhedron which need not be convex. This algorithm also computes for any source point on the surface of a polyhedron the inward layout and the subdivision of the polyhedron which can be used for processing queries of shortest paths between the source point and any destination point. Our algorithm uses a new approach which deviates from the conventional “continuous Dijkstra” technique. Our algorithm has time complexity O(n2) and space complexity Θ(n).
Evolutionary Rates, Divergence Dates, and the Performance of Mitochondrial Genes in Bayesian Phylogenetic Analysis

The mitochondrial genome is one of the most frequently used loci in phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses, and it is becoming increasingly possible to sequence and analyze this genome in its entirety from diverse taxa. However, se- quencing the entire genome is not always desirable or feasible. Which genes should be selected to best infer the evolutionary history of the mitochondria within a group of organisms, and what properties of a gene determine its phylogenetic perfor- mance? The current study addresses these questions in a Bayesian phylogenetic framework with reference to a phylogeny of plethodontid and related salamanders derived from 27 complete mitochondrial genomes; this topology is corroborated by nuclear DNA and morphological data. Evolutionary rates for each mitochondrial gene and divergence dates for all nodes in the plethodontid mitochondrial genome phylogeny were estimated in both Bayesian and maximum likelihood frameworks using multiple fossil calibrations, multiple data partitions, and a clock-independent approach. Bayesian analyses of indi- vidual genes were performed, and the resulting trees compared against the reference topology. Ordinal logistic regression analysis of molecular evolution rate, gene length, and the F-shape parameter a demonstrated that slower rate of evolution and longer gene length both increased the probability that a gene would perform well phylogenetically. Estimated rates of molecular evolution vary 84-fold among different mitochondrial genes and different salamander lineages, and mean rates among genes vary 15-fold. Despite having conserved amino acid sequences, coxl, cox2, cox3, and cob have the fastest mean rates of nucleotide substitution, and the greatest variation in rates, whereas rrnS and rrnL have the slowest rates. Reasons underlying this rate variation are discussed, as is the extensive rate variation in coxl in light of its proposed role in DNA barcoding. (Divergence dates; DNA barcoding; mitochondrial genomes; molecular evolution; phylogenetic performance; salamander phylogeny)