cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HIV protease inhibitors increase TNF-α and IL-6 expression in macrophages: Involvement of the RNA-binding protein HuR

HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) have been associated with the serious Metabolic Syndrome, which is the major risk factor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis is widely considered to be a chronic inflammatory disease. Macrophages are the most prominent cell type present in atherosclerotic lesions and play essential roles in both early lesion development and late lesion complications. We previously reported that HIV PIs induced accumulation of intracellular free cholesterol and lipids, decreased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium stores, activated the unfolded protein response (UPR), significantly increased apoptosis, and promoted foam cell formation in macrophages. HIV PI-induced ER stress and subsequent activation of the UPR, represents an important cell signaling mechanism of HIV PI-induced metabolic syndromes. Here we show that all HIV PIs, except amprenavir, increased expression of the major mediators of inflammatory response, TNF-alpha and IL-6, to varying degrees. Furthermore, we show that the RNA-binding protein, HuR, plays an important role in HIV PI-induced expression of TNF-alpha and IL-6. Atazanavir increased the cytoplasmic levels of HuR and enhanced the binding of HuR to 3'-UTR of TNF-alpha and IL-6. Down regulation of HuR expression by siRNA prevented atazanavir-induced increase of TNF-alpha and IL-6. These results suggest that HuR might have an impact on pathophysiological processes of HIV PI-induced atherosclerosis.
Formation mechanisms and aggregation behavior of borohydride reduced silver particles

In this work, we examine the formation mechanisms of nanoscale silver particles produced by the reduction of silver perchlorate with sodium borohydride. Evidence is presented that the reaction pathway does not follow classical nucleation and growth theory, but is dominated by colloidal interactions. Upon injection of silver into a sodium borohydride solution, a molecular species absorbing at 220 nm is produced in less than 1 s. We suggest that this species contains borohydride and small particles of reduced silver. The reaction mixture is initially dark as the result of the aggregation of the small silver particles into larger particles which have broad absorption spectra. During an “intermediate” stage, transmission electron microscopy and absorbance data show that even larger (∼6−10 nm) particles grow at the expense of the “monomeric” silver particles. Later in the reaction, electrochemical potential measurements show that the borohydride concentration suddenly decreases. Direct measurement of interpart...
Cranial Capacity and Taxonomy of Olduvai Hominid 7

CALCULATION of the estimated cranial capacity of Olduvai hominid 7 (FLKNN I) was attempted on the basis of the ratio of biparietal endocast volume to total endocast volume1,2. No serious attempt has been made to determine the variability of this ratio within any hominoid species, although the lack of any significant variability is assumed in the calculation. Indeed, no criticism has been raised with respect to the original calculation of the ratio based on a sample of four, one of which is a juvenile. Of the four, only two are australopithecines, and the only adult of this type belongs to the one species within which Olduvai hominid 7 has not been included.
Adolescent alcohol exposure alters GABAA receptor subunit expression in adult hippocampus

Background The long-term consequences of adolescent alcohol abuse that persist into adulthood are poorly understood and have not been widely investigated. We have shown that intermittent exposure to alcohol during adolescence decreased the amplitude of GABAA receptor-mediated tonic currents in hippocampal dentate granule cells in adulthood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the enduring effects of chronic intermittent alcohol exposure during adolescence or adulthood on the expression of hippocampal GABAA receptors (GABAARs).
Computer-assisted self-directed learning: The future of continuing medical education

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to determine physicians' prior experience with computers, access to computers and on-line resources, and interest in computer-assisted continuing medical education (CACME). A survey was conducted among a random sample of primary care physicians in early 1995, wi
The Hg 6(3P1) photosensitized decomposition of 1,1,2,2-tetrafluorocyclobutane

Abstract The Hg 6(3P1) photosensitized decomposition of 1,1,2,2-tetrafluorocyclobutane (c-C4H4F4) was carried out by irradiating a mixture (50 or 150 Torr) of c-C4H4F4 and mercury vapor with 253.7 nm radiation from a low pressure mercury lamp. The photolysis of a mixture of hydrogen and a small amount of c-C4H4F4 was also carried out to investigate the reactions of hydrogen atoms with c-C4H4F4. Using the chemical method of Cvetanovic, the quenching cross section of c-C4H4F4 was determined to be 0.3 A2 relative to that of N2O. Major products in the photolysis of the Hg/c-C4H4F4 system and their relative initial yields include HF (1.0), H2 (0.06), CH4 (0.04), C2H6 (0.10), C2F4 (0.02), C2H2F2 (0.01), C2HF3 (0.13), c-C3H2F4 (0.34), two isomers of C6H4F6 (0.84 total), C8H6F8 (0.22) and an uncharacterized C8 product (about 0.1). One of the C6H4F6 isomers and all the lower molecular weight products except C2F4 were also formed in the system containing excess H2. It is suggested that the major primary process in the chemical quenching of Hg 6(3P1) by c-C4H4F4 is rupture of the CH bond to form H· and c-C4H3F4·. The low quantum yield of the primary process and the low efficiency of hydrogen abstraction from the substrate to form H2 are consistent with an earlier generalization that both processes occur efficiently in fluorohydrocarbons only if H and F occur on the same carbon centers. Alternative, more favorable routes of attack by the H atom on the substrate appear to be fluorine abstraction and ring opening.
The Politics of Priorities in Turbulent Times: Policy Logics, Faces of Power, and Reform Possibilities.

Following the U.S. financial crisis of 2008, demands on our social safety nets grew as federal, state, and local revenues declined. Projected shortfalls are forcing deep cuts in state and local services including education. It is too early to know fully the nature of the cuts or impacts on various communities and constituencies. This article looks to recent reform history to understand the shaping of educational priorities in the context of shrinking public coffers, disenchantment with public institutions, and anxiety about individual and collective positions in the global economy. I employ Steven Lukes's (2005) multidimensional view of power to examine the emergence of performance accountability policy as part and parcel of a neo-liberal reconsideration of schooling. From this recounting, I raise questions about the preference and press for particular reform priorities—reconstitution and pay for performance models of remuneration—ensconced in No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top.
Characterization of the structure and function of a novel MAP kinase kinase (MKK6)

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases require dual phosphorylation on threonine and tyrosine residues in order to gain enzymatic activity. This activation is carried out by a family of enzymes known as MAP kinase kinases (MKKs or MEKs). It appears that there are at least four subgroups in this family; MEK1/MEK2 subgroup that activates ERK1/ERK2, MEK5 that activates ERK5/BMK1, MKK3 that activates p38, and MKK4 that activates p38 and Jun kinase. Here we describe the characteristics of a new MKK termed MKK6. The clones we isolated encode two splice isoforms of human MKK6 comprised of 278 and 334 amino acids, respectively, and one murine MKK6 with 237 amino acids. Sequence information derived from cDNA cloning indicated that MKK6 is most closely related to MKK3. The functional data revealed from co-transfection assays suggests that MKK6, like MKK3, selectively phosphorylates p38. Unlike the previously described MKKs (or MEKs), MKK6 exists in a variety of alternatively spliced isoforms with distinct patterns of tissue expression. This suggests novel mechanisms regulating activation and/or function of various forms of MKK6.
Contributions of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System to national and regional coastal hazards and resources information, tools, and services

A changing climate, coupled with increasing development and population growth within the coastal margins of the United States, presents a growing threat to coastal populations, ecosystems, and infrastructure associated with chronic and catastrophic coastal hazards and a growing reliance on coastal resources. The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) provides a unique capability to observe the coastal and open ocean waters of the United States and provides value-added, customized data tools, products, and services to inform decisionmaking related to coastal hazards and resources management, assessment, and risk by individuals, resource managers, policymakers, and local agencies. Increasingly, the partnership of IOOS Regional Associations with the U.S. IOOS Program Office has the capacity to provide critical observational and scientific information needed to inform coastal planning and management efforts related to some of the most pressing problems facing coastal zones: namely, impacts of a changing climate on coastal communities and ecosystems, sea level rise, and the competing and often-times conflicting uses of the coastal zone that necessitate integrated Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning. Discussed herein are 3 examples of regional IOOS capacity to provide information related to beach safety, coastal inundation, and marine spatial planning.
Animal electricity from Bologna to Boston

This is an appreciation of 3 scientists who made historic contributions toward understanding bio-electrical activity. The discoveries of Galvani and Volta, who were contemporaries two hundred years ago, continue as basic supports in advancing the strength and health of all mankind. They, nevertheless, had political and scientific disagreements that still linger. The third scientist was our contemporary, Alexander Forbes who, throughout most of the 20th century, continued to increase our understanding of electrical activity in the nervous system.
Facial recognition using simulated prosthetic pixelized vision.

PURPOSE. To evaluate a model of simulated pixelized prosthetic vision using noncontiguous circular phosphenes, to test the effects of phosphene and grid parameters on facial recognition. METHODS. A video headset was used to view a reference set of four faces, followed by a partially averted image of one of those faces viewed through a square pixelizing grid that contained 10 × 10 to 32 X 32 dots separated by gaps. The grid size, dot size, gap width, dot dropout rate, and gray-scale resolution were varied separately about a standard test condition, for a total of 16 conditions. All tests were first performed at 99% contrast and then repeated at 12.5% contrast. RESULTS. Discrimination speed and performance were influenced by all stimulus parameters. The subjects achieved highly significant facial recognition accuracy for all high-contrast tests except for grids with 70% random dot dropout and two gray levels. In low-contrast tests, significant facial recognition accuracy was achieved for all but the most adverse grid parameters: total grid area less than 17% of the target image, 70% dropout. four or fewer gray levels, and a gap of 40.5 arcmin. For difficult test conditions, a pronounced learning effect was noticed during high-contrast trials, and a more subtle practice effect on timing was evident during subsequent low-contrast trials. CONCLUSIONS. These findings suggest that reliable face recognition with crude pixelized grids can be learned and may be possible, even with a crude visual prosthesis.
Mental Health Services in Faith Communities: The Role of Clergy in Black Churches

A small but growing literature recognizes the varied roles that clergy play in identifying and addressing mental health needs in their congregations. Although the role of the clergy in mental health services delivery has not been studied extensively, a few investigations have attempted a systematic examination of this area. This article examines the research, highlighting available information with regard to the process by which mental health needs are identified and addressed by faith communities. Areas and issues where additional information is needed also are discussed. Other topics addressed include client characteristics and factors associated with the use of ministers for personal problems, the role of ministers in mental health services delivery, factors related to the development of church-based programs and service delivery systems, and models that link churches and formal services agencies. A concluding section describes barriers to and constraints against effective partnerships between churches, formal services agencies, and the broader practice of social work.
Therapeutic implications of vitamin D and calcium in overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective: To assess effects of vitamin D and Calcium (Ca) on hormonal and metabolic milieu of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Design: Single arm open label trial. Methods: Twelve overweight and vitamin D deficient women with PCOS underwent a 2 hour oral glucose tolerance testing at baseline and following 3-month supplementation with vitamin D (daily dose of 3533 IU, increased to 8533 IU after the first five participants) and 530 mg elemental Ca daily. Main outcome measures: Blood pressure (BP), plasma glucose, insulin, total testosterone (T) androstenedione (A), sex hormone binding globulin, lifestyle parameters were assessed at baseline and following 3-month intervention. Insulin resistance (IR) and area under the curve for glucose and insulin were computed; paired analyses were conducted. Results: Improved serum 25OHD (p < 0.001) and reductions in total T (p = 0.036) and A (p = 0.090) levels were noted following 3-month supplementation, compared to baseline. Significant lowering in BP parameters was ...
Characterization of ceramic-metal composite hydrogen separation membranes consisting of barium oxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide and palladium

Abstract Cermet (ceramic-metal composite) hydrogen separation membranes consisting of barium oxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide and palladium were characterized by utilizing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). Characterization was performed at room temperature and 650 °C, and after exposure to hydrogen. Changes in both elemental composition and oxidation states were observed at elevated temperatures and as a function of time. Permeation of hydrogen through the membranes also changed with time and temperature.
Corporate Culture, Minority Hiring, and Newspaper Coverage of Affirmative Action

This article examines how a publicly reporting newspaper corporation's culture affects whether its newspapers hire minorities and how its newspapers cover affirmative action stories. Companies were operationalized as either more socially responsible or more profit-oriented. More socially responsible corporations were more likely to hire minority newsroom employees than more profit-oriented corporations. More profit-oriented corporations, in contrast, were more likely to publish news stories about affirmative action than more socially responsible corporations. In addition, hiring minority newsroom employees seems to have little influence on the number of affirmative action stories published by daily newspapers.
Discounted expert weighting for concept drift

Multiple expert systems (MES) have been widely used in machine learning because of their inherent ability to decrease variance and improve generalization performance by receiving advice from more than one expert. However, a typical MES explicitly assumes that training and testing data are independent and identically distributed (iid), which, unfortunately, is often violated in practice when the probability distribution generating the data changes with time. One of the key aspects of any MES algorithm deployed in such environments is the decision rule used to combine the decisions of the experts. Many MES algorithms choose adaptive weighting schemes that adjust the weights of a classifier based on its loss in recent time, or use an average of the experts probabilities. However, in a stochastic setting where the loss of an expert is uncertain at a future point in time, which combiner method is the most reliable? In this work, we show that non-uniform weighting experts can provide a stable upper bound on loss compared to techniques such as a follow-the-Ieader or uniform methodology. Several well-studied MES approaches are tested on a variety of real-world data sets to support and demonstrate the theory.
Proton Block of Human CLC-5 Cl-/H+ Exchanger

CLC-5 is a human Cl-/H+ exchanger of the CLC family. It is expressed in intracellular compartments such as endosomes, where it regulates their acidification and is indirectly involved in the re-uptake of small molecular weight proteins in renal proximal tubule. Mutations in the CLC-5 gene lead to Dent's disease, a human disorder characterized by low molecular-mass proteinuria, kidney stones and renal failure. CLC-5 currents are strongly outwardly rectifying suggesting that the rates in the transport cycle are highly asymmetrical so that Cl- influx and H+ efflux is permitted while the converse is not. Additionally CLC-5 currents are strongly inhibited by low external pH. It has been proposed that the rectification arises from the voltage dependence of a H+ transport step and that the pH dependence is a result of a reduction in the total driving force for turnover. We studied the extracellular pH dependence of CLC-5 currents between pH 9 and 4.5. We found that the pH dependence is not solely due to changes in the driving force. Rather, we found that the degree of current inhibition is voltage dependent: at less positive potentials H+ inhibition becomes stronger. This is consistent with a direct modulation of CLC-5 activity by H+ at a single site located ∼70% deep into the electric field. We propose that this site is E211, the extracellular gating glutamate. In the presence of extracellular SCN- H+ transport is abolished but both rectification and H+ inhibition remain largely unaltered. This suggests that H+ transport determines neither the pH dependence nor rectification. We propose that the extracellular pH inhibition of CLC-5 currents arises from H+ trying to drive the transport cycle in the non-permissive direction. In other words, inhibition of the CLC-5 currents by extracellular H+ is a consequence of its rectification.
Rotational injuries of the cervical spine

Injuries which are caused in part by a rotational mechanism include atlantoaxial rotatory fixation (AARF), traumatic isolation of the articular pillar (TIAP), and unilateral interfacetal dislocation (UID). The anatomy, classification, radiographic findings, and frequency of neurological signs are reviewed. Key points include: AARF: (1) Mild injury is not diagnosed radiographically since the appearance is the same as for physiologic rotation. More significant injuries demonstrate widening of the atlanto-dens interval ( > 3 mm in adults) and/or abnormal rotation ( > 45 °) of C1 on C2. (2) AARF refers to an inability to return the head to a neutral position. This may be due to trauma resulting in subluxation or dislocation or may be due to muscle spasm in torticollis. TIAP: (1) Radiographic diagnosis depends on visualizing ipsilateral pedicle and lamina fractures. (2) Rotation of an articular mass from its normal orientation on radiographs implies the presence of this injury. However, rotation of the articular mass is not always present, and the ipsilateral pedicle and lamina fractures must be seen on radiographs or CT. UID: (1) Less rotational discrepancy than expected can occur in two circumstances: articular mass fracture with dislocation or significant subluxation on the contralateral side. (2) Less anterolisthesis than expected can occur if there is articular mass fracture with dislocation.
Serum effects on DNA repair in human cells.

Summary Freshly isolated human lymphocytes were used to determine how serum supplements affect cellular capacity to repair UV damage. Repair capacity was always found to be greatest in medium supplemented with autologous plasma. Variability in repair capacity among individuals was greater in serum supplemented medium than in unsupplemented medium. Thus, in vitro cellular responses will most accurately represent in vivo responses if autologous serum factors are present in the culture medium. This is of particular importance in studies attempting to correlate DNA repair capacity with age or susceptibility to carcinogenesis.
Early Effects of ACTH on Adrenal Protein Synthesis

The sequential changes in activity of adrenal subcellular fractions for supporting incorporation of 14C-amino acid into protein in a cell-free system have been followed during the first 24 hr of in vivo ACTH administration. During the first 2–4 hr of ACTH stimulation the incorporating activity of the 15,000×g supernatant is decreased, and this appears to be due to a decrease in microsomal activity. The decrease in microsomal activity is accompanied by a parallel decrease in microsomal (ribosomal) RNA, suggesting that ACTH, in the doses employed, results in an early enhancement of microsomal RNA turnover. In contrast to the early decrease in microsomal activity, there is concomitantly a moderate, transient increase in soluble cell fraction activity which appears to be due to an increase in soluble transfer enzymes. Subsequent to these changes at 2–4 hr, microsomal activity and microsomal RNA increase progressively, while soluble cell fraction activity decreases transiently and then increases. The reciproca...
Separation of surface and bulk phase diffusivities: A kinetic theory analysis

Abstract A kinetic model for the effective (e.g. surface plus bulk) diffusivity in a porous bed composed of rectangular channels is presented. The merit of this approach is that no distinction is made between the bulk and adsorbed phase and the effective axial flux can therefore be compared directly with experimental measurements. We utilize the elements of the BGK kinetic equation and express D eff as an explicit function of the surface potential and collision frequency. Details concerning gas-gas collision dynamics and gas-solid interactions are contained in the relaxation time, τ, and the external force, F s , respectively. For definiteness, the analysis is limited to hard sphere gas-gas collisions, although no special significance is implied by this choice. The assumption of a discontinuous gas-solid interaction potential results in a separation of the form D eff = D g + K eq D s , with interactive modification of both D g and D s . Preliminary calculations indicate that only when K eq , is large will surface diffusion become a significant mode of transport.
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL TRENDS AND FINANCIAL OUTCOMES IN RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY AMONG MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES, 1991 TO 1993

AbstractPurpose: We define epidemiological trends in radical prostatectomy among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States, describe related financial reimbursement to hospitals and physicians, and determine how many men received adjuvant therapy with androgen ablation or pelvic irradiation from 1991 to 1993.Materials and Methods: We examined radical prostatectomy claims from a national 5% simple random sample (688,000 men) of 1991, 1992 and 1993 data on Medicare beneficiaries from the Health Care Financing Administration. We determined rates of radical prostatectomies among patients stratified by age, race and geographical region, and measured the fraction of men who had claims submitted for postoperative therapies for prostate cancer. We also collected financial information for Medicare parts A and B to estimate federal government economic burden from radical prostatectomy in this population.Results: Among the 5,016 patients identified with Medicare claims for radical prostatectomy during 1991 to 1993...
Demonstration of the Ramsauer-Townsend Effect in a Xenon Thyratron

The anomalously small scattering of electrons near 1 eV energy by noble gas atoms may be easily demonstrated using a 2D21 xenon thyratron. This experiment is suitable for a lecture demonstration or for an undergraduate physics laboratory. The probability of scattering and the scattering cross section may be obtained as a function of electron energy by measuring the grid and plate currents in the tube.
Effects of linear birefringence and polarization-dependent loss of supermirrors in cavity ring-down spectroscopy.

In cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS), residual or stress-induced birefringence (10−7-10−6 rad) of supermirrors will lift the polarization degeneracy of TEM00 modes and generate two new polarization eigenstates in the cavity with small resonant frequency splitting (~0.1 kHz); the new eigenstates are nearly linearly polarized. When both modes are excited simultaneously, the intracavity polarization state will evolve as the energy decays in the cavity. Without polarization analysis, such mode beating would not be observable. However, real supermirrors have a linear polarization-dependent loss (dichroism) that leads to a change in the loss rate as the polarization state evolves and thus to deviation from the expected single-exponential decay. We develop a model for the evolution of the intracavity polarization state and intensity for a cavity with both birefringence and polarization-dependent loss in the mirrors. We demonstrate, experimentally, that these parameters (both magnitudes and directions) can be extracted from a series of measurements of the cavity decay and depolarization of the transmitted light.
Intrinsic gating mechanisms of epithelial sodium channels.

The hypothesis that there is a highly conserved, positively charged region distal to the second transmembrane domain in α-ENaC (epithelial sodium channel) that acts as a putative receptor site for the negatively charged COOH-terminal β- and γ-ENaC tails was tested in mutagenesis experiments. After expression in Xenopus oocytes, α-ENaC constructs in which positively charged arginine residues were converted into negatively charged glutamic acids could not be inhibited by blocking peptides. These observations provide insight into the gating machinery of ENaC.
Development of a prompting method to promote adolescent mother/infant verbal interactions using bug-in-the-ear-feedback

It has been documented that adolescent mothers are less verbally and emotionally responsive in their interactions with their children compared to adult mothers. These less than optimal adolescent mother/infant interactions have been found to affect the child’s healthy growth and development. This small study aimed to identify and characterize the frequency of verbal behaviors exhibited in the infant/adolescent mother dyad during feeding sessions during a baseline phase of a study that employed single subject methodology. An individualized bug-in-the-ear feedback and prompting parent training model was instituted in the intervention phase of the study to improve the frequency and quality of infant-mother interaction. Results of the study clearly revealed low frequency of verbal interaction in the baseline phase. After a structured prompting intervention was instituted there were positive effects in the mother’s behaviors which in turn positively impacted infant behavior.
The influence of unique features and direction of comparison of preferences

Abstract Preference choices between two objects belonging to the same category were examined as a function of (i) the nature of the unique versus shared features of the two objects (unique good-shared bad features, unique bad-shared good features) and (ii) which object was made the starting point, or Subject, of the comparison and which was made the target, or Referent. In was expected on the basis of a feature matching model that the unique features of the Subject of comparison would determine the preference. Thus, the Referent would be preferred when negative features were unique, and the Subject when positive features were unique. Experiment 1 was designed so that subjects would use the more recently seen object as the Subject of comparison and the first seen object as the Referent. Results were consistent with predictions. Experiments 2 and 3 yielded similar results, indicating the use of the more recent object as the Subject of comparison. Experiment 4 presented the features of each item in an interweaved manner. All the features of one of the items were then reinstated as a unified set as subjects indicated their preferences. Results were consistent with expectations as the unreinstated item was preferred when negative features were unique, and the reinstated item when positive features were unique. The implications of these results for understanding the general role of unique features and the direction of comparison in judgments of preference and decision making are discussed.
Assembly units of clathrin coats

Clathrin, a polypeptide of molecular weight (MW) 180,000, is the main constituent of the polygonal network that forms the coat of coated pits and vesicles; these vesicles play a part in intracellular transport between membranous organelles. This function involves specific recognition of target membranes as well as fusion and fission events that must be coordinated with the assembly, partial disassembly or reorganization of the clathrin coats. To understand these interactions on a molecular level, information about the structure of clathrin and the interactions of clathrin with itself and other proteins is required. Here we show that purified clathrin coats dissociate reversibly into triskelions, structures composed of three usually bent, rather flexible legs irradiated from a centre. We have determined the molecular weight of these triskelions and conclude that they contain trimers of clathrin together with about three light molecular weight polypeptide chains.
Passive, opportunistic wildlife disease surveillance in the Rocky Mountain Region, USA.

Summary Wild animals can play an important role in the epidemiology of infectious disease with significant public health, economic and ecological consequences. As it is often challenging to conduct unbiased surveillance in free-ranging mammal populations, passive, opportunistic case identification has been widely used for detection of disease events in wild animals. This study evaluated the role of different agencies and organizations in the Rocky Mountain Region of the USA to identify significant wildlife health events or aggregate information from multiple sources. Overall wildlife rehabilitators were in contact with the greatest number of animals; however, the data from these groups, in its current state, are insufficient for surveillance purposes. Wild animal data from all survey groups aggregated at the level of state wildlife organizations; these agencies are therefore central in this type of surveillance activity and require sufficient resources to ensure that appropriate testing is conducted.
Effects of charge state on fragmentation pathways, dynamics, and activation energies of ubiquitin ions measured by blackbody infrared radiative dissociation.

Blackbody infrared radiative dissociation spectra of the (M + 5H)5+ through (M + 11H)11+ ions of the protein ubiquitin (8.6 kDa) formed by electrospray ionization were measured in a Fourier-transform mass spectrometer. The 5+ ion dissociates exclusively by loss of water and/or ammonia, whereas the 11+ charge state dissociates only by formation of complementary y and b ions. These two processes are competitive for intermediate charge state ions, with the formation of y and b ions increasingly favored for the higher charge states. The y and b ions are formed by cleavage of the backbone amide bond on the C-terminal side of acidic residues exclusively, with cleavage adjacent to aspartic acid favored. Thermal unimolecular dissociation rate constants for the dissociation of each of these charge states were measured. From the temperature dependence of these rates, Arrhenius activation parameters in the rapid energy exchange limit are obtained. The activation energies (Ea) and preexponential factors (A) for the 5...
Relation of feeding, growth, and metabolism to age in the larval, female house cricket

Abstract The maximum growth rate occurs in the first half of the 7th and 8th larval instars of the house cricket, at which time food and water consumption is maximal. Growth ceases in the last 2 to 3 days of each instar when food consumption is almost nil. The metabolic rate is twice, and the locomotory activity is four times, higher in the first 2 to 3 days than in the last 2 to 3 days of each instar. The %-gain in dry wt is 120% for the 7th and 139% for the 8th instar. The average digestive coefficient (AD) for the 8th instar is 67% and the average efficiency of food conversion to tissue (dry wt ECI) is 27%. The average daily food consumption for 8th instar larvae is 31.4 mg, and, therefore, we calculate that an average of 12 mg food is burnt per day for energy which is confirmed by the observed average VO2 of 1.2 ml O2/g-cricket/hr. Total lipids as %-total wt (239% mg-gain) increases in the first 4 days then remains constant in spite of cessation of feeding in the last 2 days. The RQ confirms the conversion of carbohydrates to lipids in the first half of each instar. In the moulting cycle carbohydrates are used for maintenance (when not feeding), but lipids are used at apolysis.
The effect of line-tying on the radiative MHD stability of coronal plasmas with radial pressure profile

The role of photospheric line-tying, i.e., solar coronal loop structures, was investigated in terms of the effect on radiative modes and the influence that different radial pressure profiles exert on the effects of line-tying on radiative MHD stability. Energy is assumed dissipated by heat conduction and radiation and zero- and first-order solutions are obtained for the radiative time scales. Line-tying is a magnetic tension in the zero-order MHD mode and produces stability. Heat conduction occurs along bent field lines in first-order MHD modes when plasmas cross the field lines. Irradiated cool-core loops can experience MHD instabilities in the cylinder center, while line-tying can stabilize the plasma in the surrounding hot medium. Line-tying also adds stability to magnetosonic and condensation modes.
A solar system formation model based on supernova shell fragmentation

Abstract A new model of solar system formation is presented which rests on the postulated breakup of an ejected supernova shell into massive fragments. Each fragment subsequently evolves into a separate and complete solar system. The model produces a powerful description of our solar system in both its overall regularity and its many anomalies.
Parallelizing heavyweight debugging tools with mpiecho

Idioms created for debugging execution on single processors and multicore systems have been successfully scaled to thousands of processors, but there is little hope that this class of techniques can continue to be scaled out to tens of millions of cores. In order to allow development of more scalable debugging idioms we introduce mpiecho, a novel runtime platform that enables cloning of MPI ranks. Given identical execution on each clone, we then show how heavyweight debugging approaches can be parallelized, reducing their overhead to a fraction of the serialized case. We also show how this platform can be useful in isolating the source of hardware-based nondeterministic behavior and provide a case study based on a recent processor bug at LLNL. While total overhead will depend on the individual tool, we show that the platform itself contributes little: 512x tool parallelization incurs at worst 2x overhead across the NAS Parallel benchmarks, hardware fault isolation contributes at worst an additional 44% overhead. Finally, we show how mpiecho can lead to near-linear reduction in overhead when combined with maid, a heavyweight memory tracking tool provided with Intel's pin platform. We demonstrate overhead reduction from 1466% to 53% and from 740% to 14% for cg (class D, 64 processes) and lu (class D, 64 processes), respectively, using only an additional 64 cores.
Cost and mortality associated with hospitalizations in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is associated with low platelet counts and, consequently, a high risk of adverse events leading to hospitalization. However, there are few data on the clinical and economic burden of hospitalizations for ITP. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database of discharges, a stratified 20% sample of all United States (US) community hospitals across all payers, was used to evaluate discharges in ITP patients. We developed nationally representative numbers of discharges in ITP patients from 2003 to 2006 based on diagnosis codes. Using appropriate weights for each NIS discharge, we created national estimates of average cost, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality for specific groups of ITP-related hospitalizations. Approximately 129,000 discharges occurred between 2003 and 2006 in ITP patients. The average cost associated with all discharges in 2008 dollars was 16,476, with a 6.4-day length of stay and in-hospital mortality of 3.8%. In contrast, the average cost of all hospitalizations in the US population during the same period was 10,039, the average length of stay was 4.8 days, and in-hospital mortality was 2.5%. Mortality risk was higher for ITP patients than for the standard US population adjusted for age and gender, with a relative mortality ratio of 1.5 (95% CI: 1.4-1.6). On the basis of a nationally representative sample of US discharge records from 2003 to 2006, hospitalization with ITP represents an economically and clinically important event. ITP was associated with higher costs, longer stays, and more in-hospital deaths on average than all other hospitalized patients combined.
Gene delivery through the use of a hyaluronate-associated intracellularly degradable crosslinked polyethyleneimine.

Abstract For a non-viral gene delivery system to be clinically effective, it should be non-toxic, compatible with biological components, and highly efficient in gene transfection. With this goal in mind, we investigated the gene delivery efficiency of a ternary complex consisting of DNA, an intracellularly degradable polycation, and sodium hyaluronate (DPH complex). Here, we report that the DPH ternary complex achieved significantly higher transfection efficiency than other polymer systems, especially in the presence of serum. The high transfection efficiency and serum tolerance of DPH are attributed to a unique interplay between CLPEI and HA, which leads to (i) the improved stability of DNA in the extracellular environment and at the early stage of intracellular trafficking and (ii) timely dissociation of the DNA–polymer complex. This study reinforces findings of earlier studies that emphasized each step as a bottleneck for efficient gene delivery; yet, it is the first to show that it is possible to overcome these obstacles simultaneously by taking advantage of two distinctive approaches.
A Review of the “Open” and “Closed” Circulatory Systems: New Terminology for Complex Invertebrate Circulatory Systems in Light of Current Findings

Invertebrate cardiovascular systems have historically been viewed as sluggish, poorly regulated, and “open”, where blood bathes the tissues directly as it moves through a system of ill-defined sinuses and/or lacunae without an endothelial boundary. When examining cardiovascular/circulatory morphology and physiology in a broader evolutionary context, one can question the very nature of the definition of a “closed” versus “open” circulatory system. Viewed in this context a number of invertebrates have evolved incomplete or even completely cell-lined vessels and or lacunae with a highly branched vasculature that allows for the production of significant driving pressures and flows to meet relatively high metabolic demands driven by active life styles. In light of our current understanding of invertebrate cardiovascular systems and their paralleled complexity to vertebrate systems, a number of long established paradigms must be questioned and new definitions presented to better align our understanding of the nature of “open” versus “closed” cardiovascular systems.
The magnetic susceptibility of Eu2RuH6 below 77 K

Abstract Magnetic susceptibility measurements for Eu2RuH6 at temperatures as low as 7 K are interpreted as (1) confirming a previous inference of ferromagnetic behavior, (2) indicating a Curie temperature of 29 K and (3) suggesting a reduction in the amount of EuO impurity. Eu2RuH6 remains structurally intact after exposure to hydrogen at 700 atm and 250°C. The amount of EuO observed in the X-ray diffractograms of Eu2RuH6 is substantially less after exposure to a high pressure of hydrogen.
Eimeria tenella: Effect of narasin, a polyether antibiotic on the ultrastructure of intracellular sporozoites

Abstract Eimeria tenella sporozoites were inoculated into cultures of chick kidney cells in the presence of 0.01 or 0.1 μg/ml of narasin and incubated at either 40 or 30 C for 24 hr. Electron microscopic examination revealed that either concentration of this polyether ionophore caused extensive ultrastructural damage to the intracellular sporozoite at 40 but not at 30 C, indicating that the severity of the coccidiocidal effect is influenced by temperature. The effect of 0.01 μg/ml monensin on the intracellular parasite was similar to that of narasin, suggesting a common destructive mechanism. The host cells were unaffected by 0.01 μg/ml of narasin at either temperature and by 0.1 μg/ml at 30 C, indicating that the polyether ionophores can be selectively lethal for the parasite. However, when the host cells were treated with 0.1 μg/ml narasin and incubated at 40 C, ultrastructural abnormalities were evident. The results suggest that the coccidiocidal effect of the polyether ionophorous antibiotics may be a general osmotic phenomenon.
Fast-varying pitch tracking: a new approach to speech modeling

This paper introduces a new autocorrelation (ACR)-based approach for pitch detection in speech, designed especially to deal with voluntary and involuntary fast variations of the pitch period. The technique may be employed independently, or may be used to substitute the traditional ACR function used in existing techniques. Experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique in determining the pitch period, and especially for rapid pitch period variations where the traditional ACR fails.
The cytoplasmic appearance of three functions expressed during the G0→G1→S transition is nucleus‐dependent

tsAF8, ts13, tsHJ-4, and TK−ts13 cells are G1-specific temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of BHK cells that do not enter S phase when serumstimulated from quiescence at nonpermissive temperature (39.6°-40.6°). TK−ts13 are, in addition, defective in thymidine kinase. Different G1 functions must be involved in these cells, since the first three cell lines complement each other when forming heterokaryons. We have used these cells to study the role of the nucleus in the cytoplasmic expression of these G1 functions during the transition of cells from the non-proliferating to the proliferating state. We fused cytoplasts from either serumstarved (G0) or serum-stimulated (S) tsAF8 cells with G0-ts13, G0-tsHJ-4, and G0-TK−ts13 recipient cells and determined, after serum stimulation of the fusion products, which type of cytoplasts could complement the defective G1 functions. Cytoplasts from S-tsAF8 cells complemented all three functions, i.e., cybridoids between S phase cytoplasts and ts13 or tsHJ-4 recipient cells entered S at the nonpermissive temperature, and TK−ts13 recipient cells incorporated exogenous thymidine. Cytoplasts isolated from G0-tsAF8 cells (3 days of serum starvation) complemented ts13 cells but not tsHJ-4 and TK−ts13 cells. Cytoplasts from 6-day starved tsAF8 cells lost the complementing capacity for ts13 cells. However, when the 6-day starved tsAF8 cells were fused with G0-ts13 cells, the heterokaryons entered S phase at the nonpermissive temperature. Also, cytoplasts isolated from the 6-day starved cells that were serum stimulated for 40 hr before enucleation regained the capacity to complement ts13 cells. These results demonstrate that three functions required in G1 cannot be detected in the cytoplasm of serum-starved cells, although they are present in the cytoplasm of S-phase cells. These results suggest that a functional nucleus is required for the cytoplasmic appearance of certain G1 functions in serumstimulated cells.
Impurity effects on gas tungsten arc welds in V-Cr-Ti alloys

Abstract Plates 6.4 mm thick of V–Cr–Ti alloys, mostly V–4Cr–4Ti, were welded in a glove box argon atmosphere. A hot titanium getter led to excessive hydrogen concentrations. A cold zirconium–aluminum getter was used to reduce both oxygen and hydrogen. It was observed that a major source of hydrogen was dissociation of water vapor by the electric arc of the welding torch. Careful monitoring of atmospheric impurities and successive pumping and backfilling cycles permitted welds of higher quality than previously achieved. Welds were evaluated primarily by the Charpy impact test. A ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) of −28°C was achieved in V–4Cr–4Ti. Previous GTA welds in the same material seldom had a DBTT below room temperature. Electron beam welding can achieve a DBTT of below −90°C in the V–4Cr–4Ti alloy, indicating a lower limit to the DBTT by impurity control.
Stable Split Time Stepping Schemes for Large-Scale Ocean Modeling

An explicit time integration of the primitive equations, which are often used for numerical ocean simulations, would be subject to a short time step limit imposed by the rapidly varying external gravity waves. One way to make this time step limit less onerous is to split the primitive equations into a simplified two-dimensional set of equations that describes the evolution of the external gravity waves and a much more slowly evolving three-dimensional remainder. The two-dimensional barotropic equations can be rapidly integrated over a large number of short time steps, while a much longer time step can be used with the much more complicated remainder. Unfortunately, it has recently been demonstrated that an inexact splitting into the fast and slow equations can lead to instability in the explicit integration of the slow equations. Here a more exact splitting of the equations is proposed. The proposed split time stepping scheme is demonstrated to be stable for linear inertia?gravity waves, subject to a time step limit based on the inertial frequency and internal gravity wave speeds.
Major legal and ethical issues in behavioral treatment: Focus on institutionalized mental patients

Proponents of behavior therapies advocate expanded use of this approach based on its pragmatics and clinical successes. Critics, however, point not only to abuses in implementation, but charge that the behavioral approach is inherently unethical, especially when used with institutionalized mental patients. This article will review these arguments as well as provide an updated exploration of relevant court decisions impacting behavioral treatment in mental institutions. Suggested courses of action are then provided. Language: en