cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxidation of PAHs in a simplified system using peroxy-acid and glass beads: Identification of oxidizing species.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic contaminants of concern due to their ubiquity, persistence in the natural environment and adverse health effects. Numerous studies have looked into the removal and treatment of these contaminants, with mixed results. High molecular weight PAHs have been particularly problematic due to their hydrophobicity and high affinity for organics, resulting in mass transfer limitations for even the fastest advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The peroxy-acid process has been used to successfully treat PAH contaminated matrices. Experiments were conducted on benzo[a]pyrene contaminated glass beads in order to elucidate the reaction mechanisms responsible for the effectiveness of this process. For the first time peracetic acid (PAA) was identified as the important oxidant in this reaction. Different v/v/v ratios of hydrogen peroxide/acetic acid/DI water were studied which illustrated the importance of reaction ratio on oxidant concentration and rate of formation. App...
The Microbiome of Pinus muricata Ectomycorrhizae: Community Assemblages, Fungal Species Effects, and Burkholderia as Important Bacteria in Multipartnered Symbioses

Bacteria have been observed to grow with fungi, and those that associate with ectomycorrhizal fungi have often been thought of as symbionts that may either increase or decrease ectomycorrhizal formation rate or provide other unaccounted benefits. To explore this symbiosis from a community ecology perspective, we sampled ectomycorrhizal root tips over a 3-year period and used 454 pyrosequencing to identify the bacteria that live inside the ectomycorrhizal root tips. The results showed that fungal community composition within the same soil core and fungal taxonomic identity had a stronger effect on bacterial community composition than sample year or site. Members of the Burkholderiales and Rhizobiales were most highly represented, reflecting many previous reports of these bacteria in association with fungi. The repeated occurrences of these two bacterial orders suggest that they may be symbiotic with their fungal hosts, although the nature of such mechanisms, be it symbiotic diazotrophy or otherwise, remains to be thoroughly tested.
Direct medical costs of constipation from childhood to early adulthood: a population-based birth cohort study.

Background Although direct medical costs for constipation-related medical visits are thought to be high, to date there have been no studies examining if longitudinal resource utilization is persistently elevated in children with constipation. Our aim was to estimate the incremental direct medical costs and types of health care utilization associated with constipation from childhood to early adulthood.
Role of Sodium Fluoride PET Imaging for Identification of Bony Metastases in Prostate Cancer Patients

Sodium fluoride (Na-F) PET/CT is an imaging technique which allows radiolabeled fluoride to help detect areas of bone turnover. Detecting metastatic prostate cancer earlier than is currently possible with standard imaging may help prevent unnecessary morbidity for patients and improve staging in an effort to more accurately select the appropriate therapy at an appropriate time. Na-F PET/CT has been investigated as a means to help detect osseous metastatic disease in prostate cancer. It is still unclear which clinical circumstances are beneficial for a patient to undergo Na-F PET/CT in addition to, or instead of, the current standard imaging. This review examines the most recent publications related to this topic.
Partitioning: A unifying framework for adaptive systems, I: Estimation

In this paper, partitioning and the associated generalized partitioned estimation algorithms are shown to constitute a unifying and powerful framework for optimal adaptive estimation in linear as well as nonlinear problems. Using the partitioning framework, the adaptive estimation problem is treated from a global viewpoint that readily yields and unifies seemingly unrelated results and, most importantly, yields fundamentally new families of nonlinear and linear estimation algorithms in a decoupled parallel-realization form. The generalized partitioned estimation algorithms are shown to have several important properties from both a theoretical and a realization or computational standpoint.
Enthalpy of combustion of adenine

Abstract The enthalpy of combustion for a commercial adenine sample of 99.9 moles per cent purity was measured in an aneroid adiabatic bomb calorimeter. The molar enthalpy of combustion at 298.15 K for the reaction: C 5 H 5 N 5 ( c )+6.25 O 2 ( g ) = 5 CO 2 (g)+2.5 H 2 O (1)+2.5 N 2 ( g ), was ΔcHmo = −(2779.02 ± 1.26) kJ · mol−1. The corresponding molar enthalpy of formation for adenine, C5H5N5, was calculated to be ΔfHmo = (96.90 ± 1.29) kJ · mol−1. The present results were found to be in good agreement with those of the earlier work of Stiehler and Huffman.
A survey of gastric tube practices in level II and level III nurseries.

Gastric tube placement practices were identified by a telephone survey of 113 Level II and Level III nurseries in five states (Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania). The purpose was ...
Wear Assessment of Large Aspect Ratio Silicon Microbearing Systems

This paper addresses the wear characteristics of large aspect ratio (length-to-diameter) silicon microbearing systems using an enhanced experimental test rig. The test system is comprised of a rigid rotor which has been manually assembled onto a fixed hub to form the microbearing. CMOS-based lithographic and etching processes, including deep-reactive ion etching, are employed in the construction of the rotor and hub with length to diameter ratio of approximately 0.5 and radial clearance values in the range from 3.5 to 9.2 microns. The rotor is pneumatically driven by nitrogen gas at a constant supply pressure delivered through a rectangular microchannel.A new methodology for measuring wear was developed by digitizing optical microscope images of the rotor system, and the rotor load was calculated from CFD models of the entire rotor-hub system. It was found that the tested silicon microbearings have an adhesion wear coefficient (based on the well-known Archard relation) which falls within a relatively narrow band bounded by previously published values for polysilicon materials tested at the macroscale and microscale.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
A survey of energy drink consumption patterns among college students

Energy drink consumption has continued to gain in popularity since the 1997 debut of Red Bull, the current leader in the energy drink market. Although energy drinks are targeted to young adult consumers, there has been little research regarding energy drink consumption patterns among college students in the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine energy drink consumption patterns among college students, prevalence and frequency of energy drink use for six situations, namely for insufficient sleep, to increase energy (in general), while studying, driving long periods of time, drinking with alcohol while partying, and to treat a hangover, and prevalence of adverse side effects and energy drink use dose effects among college energy drink users. Based on the responses from a 32 member college student focus group and a field test, a 19 item survey was used to assess energy drink consumption patterns of 496 randomly surveyed college students attending a state university in the Central Atlantic region of the United States. Fifty one percent of participants (n = 253) reported consuming greater than one energy drink each month in an average month for the current semester (defined as energy drink user). The majority of users consumed energy drinks for insufficient sleep (67%), to increase energy (65%), and to drink with alcohol while partying (54%). The majority of users consumed one energy drink to treat most situations although using three or more was a common practice to drink with alcohol while partying (49%). Weekly jolt and crash episodes were experienced by 29% of users, 22% reported ever having headaches, and 19% heart palpitations from consuming energy drinks. There was a significant dose effect only for jolt and crash episodes. Using energy drinks is a popular practice among college students for a variety of situations. Although for the majority of situations assessed, users consumed one energy drink with a reported frequency of 1 – 4 days per month, many users consumed three or more when combining with alcohol while partying. Further, side effects from consuming energy drinks are fairly common, and a significant dose effect was found with jolt and crash episodes. Future research should identify if college students recognize the amounts of caffeine that are present in the wide variety of caffeine-containing products that they are consuming, the amounts of caffeine that they are consuming in various situations, and the physical side effects associated with caffeine consumption.
Studies on the mechanism of action of thymic leukemogenic virus.

SummaryMurine Leukemia virus (Rich) was inoculated into only one of the 2 thy-muses of infant mice which were sacrificed 2 months later. The animals were analyzed to compare the incidence of lymphoma evolving in the inoculated thymus with the incidence of lymphoma evolving in the uninocu-lated thymus. It was found that of 30 animals suitable for analysis, in 90% of cases the tumor arose in the inoculated thymus, supporting the view that the mechanism of viral leukemogenesis is direct.
The immune response to Nipah virus infection

Nipah virus has recently emerged as a zoonotic agent that is highly pathogenic in humans. Outbreaks have occurred regularly over the last two decades in South and Southeast Asia, where mortality rates reach as high as 100 %. The natural reservoir of Nipah virus has been identified as bats from the Pteropus family, where infection is largely asymptomatic. Human disease is characterized by both respiratory and encephalitic components, and thus far, no effective vaccine or intervention strategies are available. Little is know about how the immune response of either the reservoir host or incidental hosts responds to infection, and how this immune response is either inadequate or might contribute to disease in the dead-end host. Experimental vaccines strategies have given us some insight into the immunological requirements for protection. This review summarizes our current understanding of the immune response to Nipah virus infection and emphasizes the need for further research.
Uptake of polychlorinated biphenyls by natural phytoplankton assemblages: Field and laboratory determination of 14C-PCB particle-water index of sorption☆

Abstract Uptake of 14 C-PCB (approximately 54% chlorine by weight) by mixed species assemblages of estuarine phytoplankton and naturally occurring particulate matter was investigated in glass containers in the laboratory and in dialysis culture in Long Island Sound, USA. At a particle concentration of 25 × 10su6 μmsu3 mlit su−1 (it25 ppm), 1555 1160 it19–22% of the 14 C-PCB was sorbed to particles, with it70–72% in the water and it2–3% on container surfaces. At particulate concentrations fourfold higher, 66–69% of the 14 C-PCB activity was sorbed to particles, while water retained 22–23% . In these natural particulate assemblages, which were numerically dominated by the centric diatom Skeletonema costatum , the calculated index of sorption (the ratio of 14 C-PCB sorbed to particles to that in an equal volume of water) averaged 2 ± 1 × 10 4 . Sorption of 14 C-PCB to particles was reversible and most 14 C-PCB leached from them within five days when dialysed against 14 C-PCB-free water.
The effects of anxiety and response cost manipulations on the eating behavior of obese and normal-weight subjects.

Abstract Sixty-four normal-weight and obese subjects were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design that assessed the effect of anxiety level and response cost on their eating behavior. The study was conducted in the context of a concept formation experiment. High-anxiety condition subjects were told that correct responses were related to intelligence and that electric shock would be dispensed for errors, while relaxation-inducing instructions were given to subjects in the low-anxiety condition. In addition, half the subjects had access to either tightly wrapped (high-response cost condition) or unwrapped (low-response cost condition) candies. Findings indicated that neither the anxiety or response-cost manipulations affected the number of normal-weight subjects who ate. However, more obese subjects in the low-response cost and low-anxiety conditions tended to eat than did the obese subjects in high-response cost, high-anxiety conditions. The obese were also more inaccurate in estimates of amount eaten. Theoretical and treatment implications of these findings are discussed.
The Effects of Ultrasonic Treatment on Fiber-Reinforced Composite Materials

The mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced composite materials are highly dependent on proper saturation of the resin within the reinforcement fibers. The research evaluates the effect of ultrasonic treatment during composite curing, in an effort to increase interlaminar bonding strength, lower void content, and improve the matrices ability to transfer stresses to the reinforcement fiber. The testing methods that were performed evaluated the effects or the ultrasonic treatment on the specimen in three point bending, and shear between layers of the matrix. The mechanical properties and the microstructure of the test specimen are discussed.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Microbial Manipulation of Immune Function for Asthma Prevention: Inferences from Clinical Trials

The "hygiene hypothesis" proposes that the increase in allergic diseases in developing countries reflects a decrease in infections during childhood. Cohort studies suggest, however, that the risks of asthma are increased in children who suffer severe illness from a viral respiratory infection in infancy. This apparent inconsistency can be reconciled through consideration of epidemiologic, clinical, and animal studies. The elements of this line of reasoning are that viral infections can predispose to organ-specific expression of allergic sensitization, and that the severity of illness is shaped by the maturity of immune function, which in turn is influenced by previous contact with bacteria and viruses, whether pathogenic or not. Clinical studies of children and interventional studies of animals indeed suggest that the exposure to microbes through the gastrointestinal tract powerfully shapes immune function. Intestinal microbiota differ in infants who later develop allergic diseases, and feeding Lactobacillus casei to infants at risk has been shown to reduce their rate of developing eczema. This has prompted studies of feeding probiotics as a primary prevention strategy for asthma. We propose that the efficacy of this approach depends on its success in inducing maturation of immune function important in defense against viral infection, rather than on its effectiveness in preventing allergic sensitization. It follows that the endpoints of studies of feeding probiotics to infants at risk for asthma should include not simply tests of responsiveness to allergens, but also assessment of intestinal flora, immune function, and the clinical response to respiratory viral infection.
Vitamin A homeostasis endangered by environmental pollutants.

Normal vitamin A function depends on adequate stores of the vitamin, a finely regulated supply of the vitamin to target tissues, and an ability of cells to generate functionally active forms of the vitamin. Both endogenous and exogenous factors can adversely affect vitamin A homeostasis. Polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons are ubiquitous environmental pollutants and cause severe disturbances in vitamin A metabolism, manifested by an accelerated metabolism and breakdown of vitamin A and its metabolites and a depletion of vitamin A from the body; this sequence of events accounts for the vitamin A deficiency-like symptoms associated with PHAH intoxication. The mechanism(s) responsible for these events most likely includes altered activities of enzymes that are either directly or indirectly involved in critical vitamin A metabolic pathways. Human populations that continue to be exposed to environmental pollutants, may accumulate critical levels of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons and will be at risk for inadequate vitamin A function as well as for other health impairments that have been difficult to link to any specific causes. Therefore, it is important to seriously evaluate the similarities in physiological disturbances across species that have become apparent in studies with wildlife inhabiting polluted environments similar to ours; the relevance to humanmore » health is evident.197 references.« less
Methyl halide hydrolysis rates in natural waters

International regulations are under consideration for methyl bromide because of its high time dependent ozone depletion potential. Geocycling of the species is not well understood, and removal may occur in several types of natural water incuding the oceanic and those in soils. The hydrolysis reaction is a dominant loss pathway in environmental aqueous systems, but rate constants have generally been reported only in distilled water and at greater than room temperature. Here we present measurements in sodium chloride solutions and in seawater in addition to pure water, and at temperatures across the oceanographic range. The reaction could be followed even in solutions near the freezing point because product methanol was monitored in the method of initial rates. Time constants for methyl bromide hydrolysis fall between 10 and 1000 days over the temperatures of the sea, and are always within an order of magnitude of the fastest abiotic destruction mode, chlorination. Activation energies for the two processes are similar so that the ratio of their time scales does not vary with oceanic location. Hydrolysis rate constants are also listed for the closely related compounds methyls iodide and chloride. Solvolysis of the methyl halides in natural waters acts as a source of methanol to the ocean and atmosphere.
mTOR and the health benefits of exercise

Exercise is the greatest physiological stress that our bodies experience. For example, during maximal endurance exercise in elite athlete's cardiac output can increase up to 8-fold and the working muscles receive 21-times more blood each minute than at rest. Given the physiological stress associated with exercise and the adaptations that occur to handle this stress, it is not surprising that exercise training is known to prevent or effectively treat a multitude of degenerative conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and many others. Many of the health benefits of exercise are mediated by the mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), either in complex 1 or 2, not only within the working muscle, but also in distant tissues such as fat, liver, and brain. This review will discuss how exercise activates mTOR in diverse tissues and the ways that mTOR is important in the adaptive response that makes us bigger, stronger, and healthier as a result of exercise.
Complete purification of human renal renin and sequence of the amino terminus

Renin was completely purified from human kidney cortex using a rapid 3-step procedure which included homogenization and ammonium sulfate precipitation, aminohexyl pepstatin affinity chromatography, and affinity chromatography using a synthetic octapeptide renin inhibitor (H-77) with a reduced peptide bond between Leu 5 – Leu 6 . Three kg of cortex dissected from 10 kg of human cadaver kidney yielded 0.7mg protein with a specific activity of 1123 GU/mg protein and an overall recovery of 52%. Both gel filtration high pressure liquid chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE) revealed a molecular weight of 44,000, although 22,000 and 18,000 molecular weight bands were also identified by SDS PAGE. Amino terminal sequencing demonstrated a leucine residue at the 1 position indicating that prorenin is converted to renin following cleavage at the carboxyl end of two dibasic residues, Lys- −2 Arg −1 . Sequencing of the first 19 amino acids was in agreement with the sequence deduced from human renin cDNA sequence.
Tracing structural optima as a function of available resources by a homotopy method

Optimization problems are typically solved by starting with an initial estimate and proceeding iteratively to improve it until the optimum is found. The design points along the path from the initial estimate to the optimum are usually of no value. The present work proposes a strategy for tracing a path of optimum solutions parameterized by the amount of available resources. The paper specifically treats the optimum design of a structure to maximize its buckling load. Equations for the optimum path are obtained using Lagrange multipliers, and solved by a homotopy method. The solution path has several branches due to changes in the active constraint set and transitions from unimodal to bimodal solutions. The Lagrange multipliers and second-order optimality conditions are used to detect branching points and to switch to the optimum solution path. The procedure is applied to the design of a foundation which supports a column for maximum buckling load. Using the total available foundation stiffness as a homotopy parameter, a set of optimum foundation designs is obtained.
Natural convection on a vertical radially stretching sheet

Abstract The natural convection on a vertical radially stretching surface is studied. The resulting flow is a new exact similarity solution of the Navier–Stokes and energy equations. Asymptotic properties and uniqueness are shown.
Investigation on self-aligned HgTe nano-crystals induced by controlled precipitation in PbTe–HgTe quasi-binary compound semiconductor alloys

Abstract The present paper reports the results of the controlled precipitation for the HgTe nano-crystals in the PbTe semiconductor matrix and demonstrates its effectiveness in producing well-organized and crystallographically aligned semiconductor nano-crystals. Following the same procedure used in metallic alloys, the semiconductor alloys are treated at 600°C for 48 h, quenched and aged up to 400 h at 300°C and 400°C to induce homogeneous nucleation and growth of HgTe precipitates. Examination of the resulting precipitates using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the coherent HgTe precipitates form as thin disks along the {1 0 0} habit planes of PbTe matrix. It is also found that the precipitate undergoes a gradual shape change without any noticeable coarsening, from a disk to a cube, as the aging time increases. The microstructure after full aging is found to contain almost equal sized HgTe cubes, roughly 7 nm, that maintain coherency with {1 0 0} planes of the matrix. These results combined with the extreme dimension of the precipitates and the simplicity of the formation process leads to a belief that controlled precipitation can be an effective method in preparing a desirable quantum-dot microstructure.
Eigenvalue problem of the Hückel Hamiltonian for carbon-240

Abstract The Huckel problem for carbon-240 involves finding the eigenvalues of a 240×240 matrix which is too large even for a modern computer. We show that by utilizing the icosahedral symmetry of the molecule the characteristic polynomial is factorized and the eigenvalues obtained.
The dynamical stability of isometrically contracting muscle and its relation to transient force response

Abstract The length-tension relation for tetanically contracting muscle indicates that for lengths longer than the resting length, the muscle should be dynamically unstable; i.e. some sarcomeres should lengthen and others shorten. This behavior is not observed experimentally. The theoretical behavior of muscle in this respect is determined both by the length-tension curve, and by the response of muscle to rapid changes in its mechanical state. In this paper it is shown that the force generated after a small step change in length is related to the dynamical stability of muscle. By means of a simple model, the behavior of isometrically contracting muscle is predicted based on in vitro mechanical studies and classical control theory. It is found that inhomogeneities in sarcomere length can develop only after many seconds, and that this relative stability is due entirely to the presence of the muscle transients.
Identification of a syndecan 4 pseudogene.

The syndecan family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans participates in cellular activation through interactions with growth factors, extracellular matrix, and other molecules. The family consists of four proteins that share sequence homology within their cytosolic domains. Here we report that a 5.8 kb region of human chromosome 22q12.2 contains multiple segments that share greater than 80% sequence homology to the syndecan 4 transcript, including homology to 443 nucleotides of the syndecan 4 coding region. Three pieces of evidence indicate that the chromosome 22 sequences are a syndecan 4 pseudogene. First, single nucleotide gaps need to be inserted into the chromosome 22 sequence in order to maintain maximal alignment to the syndecan 4 coding sequence, and this introduces stop codons into a deduced amino acid sequence. Second, the total length of chromosome 22 containing the homologous sequences is compressed when compared to the genomic organization of the complementary syndecan 4 sequences. Third, the 5....
The gas phase X-ray photoelectron spectrum of para-nitroaniline

Abstract The X-ray photoelectron spectrum of gaseous para-nitroaniline has been obtained using MgKα radiation. The N1s spectrum differs from that of the solid in that one peak is obtained in the nitro region instead of the doublet splitting of 1.8 eV observed in the solid. It is therefore concluded that the recent calculation of Domcke does not agree with experiment as well as was previously believed but that the main conclusion of their work about the existence of negative shake up remains a possibility. The O1s spectrum agrees better with the measurements on the solid, with a peak 2.4 eV to the high binding energy side of the main line possessing a relative intensity of 24%.
Autocrine and paracrine functions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in renal tubular epithelial cells

Autocrine and paracrine functions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in renal tubular epithelial cells . Background VEGF secreted by organ parenchymal cells controls vascularization by recruiting endothelial cells and supporting their proliferation. In the developing kidney VEGF-expressing epithelial cells also express VEGF receptors. We showed that VEGF stimulates tubulogenesis in addition to promoting vascularization in metanephric explants. Since explants are grown in serum-free media and are not perfused, we hypothesized that VEGF secreted by renal epithelia may induce their proliferation in an autocrine manner and chemoattract endothelial cells. Methods To test these hypotheses, we analyzed VEGF-mediated responses in vitro using several renal epithelial cell lines [immortalized rat proximal tubular cells (IRPT), transformed mouse proximal tubular cells (tsMPT), and normal rat kidney cells (NRK-52E)] expressing VEGF receptors (VEGFR). Results We demonstrated that VEGFR-2 phosphorylates upon human recombinant VEGF (rhVEGF) exposure, indicating that VEGFR-2 is the signaling receptor. All three cell lines secreted VEGF into the media as indicated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting. We showed that these tubular epithelial cells chemoattract endothelial cells when cocultured in vitro and that the chemoattraction is abolished by anti-VEGF neutralizing antibody. rhVEGF (10 ng/mL) induced a mitogenic effect similar to 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) as assessed by H 3 -thymidine incorporation and elicited 30% decrease in apoptosis as determined by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) staining. Conclusion These in vitro studies indicate that ( 1 ) tubular epithelial cells chemoattract endothelial cells in a paracrine fashion by secreting VEGF, and ( 2 ) VEGF stimulates proliferation and promotes survival of renal epithelial cells in an autocrine manner via VEGFR-2. Taken together, our results suggest that VEGF supports the growth of renal epithelia in addition to mediating kidney vascularization.
High-power microwave amplifier using an antiparallel avalanche-diode pair

Two high-efficiency avalanche diodes, each placed in opposite polarity to the other at the ends of an approximately one-half wavelength transmission line, have worked as a high-power reflection-type amplifier. The circuit configuration is called an antiparallel pair of high-efficiency avalanche diodes. The antiparallel amplifier has provided 200-W pulsed output power with a 10-dB gain at 1.01 GHz.
Evolution of threading dislocations in MOCVD-grown GaN films on (1 1 1) Si substrates

We have quantitatively compared the evolution of threading dislocations (TDs) in GaN films grown on (111) Si substrates using different buffer/interlayer structures: a compositionally graded Al x Ga 1-x N (0≤x≤1) buffer layer, a thin high-temperature (HT) A1N interlayer (IL), and an A1N/GaN/Al x Ga 1-x N multilayer. Plan-view transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows a reduction in TD density in GaN films grown on graded Al x Ga 1-x N buffer layers, and an increase in TD density in GaN films grown on HT A1N ILs, in comparison with those grown directly on an A1N buffer layer. Cross-sectional TEM reveals bending and annihilation of TDs within the graded Al x Ga 1-x N buffer layer, which lead to a decrease of TD density in the overgrown GaN films. On the other hand, a high density of TDs forms at the GaN/AIN IL interface, resulting in an increase in TD density in the GaN film. In addition, growing a thin A1N + GaN bilayer before growing the compositionally graded Al x Ga 1-x N buffer layer significantly reduces the TD density in the Al x Ga 1-x N buffer layer, which subsequently further reduces the TD density in the overgrown GaN film.
CD8α+ dendritic cells are the critical source of interleukin-12 that controls acute infection by Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites

Summary CD8α + dendritic cells (DCs) are important in vivo for cross-presentation of antigens derived from intracellular pathogens and tumors. Additionally, secretion of interleukin-12 (IL-12) by CD8α + DCs suggests a role for these cells in response to Toxoplasma gondii antigens, although it remains unclear whether these cells are required for protection against T. gondii infection. Toward this goal, we examined T. gondii infection of Batf3 −/− mice, which selectively lack only lymphoid-resident CD8α + DCs and related peripheral CD103 + DCs. Batf3 −/− mice were extremely susceptible to T. gondii infection, with decreased production of IL-12 and interferon-γ. IL-12 administration restored resistance in Batf3 −/− mice, and mice in which IL-12 production was ablated only from CD8α + DCs failed to control infection. These results reveal that the function of CD8α + DCs extends beyond a role in cross-presentation and includes a critical role for activation of innate immunity through IL-12 production during T. gondii infection.
Answering imprecise database queries: a novel approach

A growing number of databases especially those published on the Web are becoming available to external users. Users of these databases are provided simple form-based query interfaces that hide the underlying schematic details. Constrained by the expressiveness of the query interface users often have difficulty in articulating a precise query over the database. Supporting imprecise queries over such systems would allow users to quickly find relevant answers without iteratively refining their queries. For databases to support imprecise queries they must provide answers that closely match the query constraints. In this paper we focus on answering imprecise user queries without changing the existing database system. We propose to support imprecise queries over a database by identifying a set of related precise queries that provide answers that are relevant to the user given query. We present a domain independent approach based on information retrieval techniques to estimate the distance between queries. To demonstrate the utility and usefulness of our approach we perform usability tests and provide results.
Spatial distribution of predators and prey affect biological control of twospotted spider mites by Phytoseiulus persimilis in greenhouses

Abstract We evaluated the effects of predator release pattern and prey distribution on rate of suppression of the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari, Tetranychidae) and visual damage to the ornamental plant, Impatiens wallerana Hook.f., in a greenhouse. Sixteen impatiens plants were arranged in a square and infested with the same total number of spider mites distributed either evenly (equal numbers on all plants) or clumped (divided equally among the 4 central plants), simulating a “hot spot.” The predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, was released at a 1:4 predator:prey ratio based on total spider mites in the experimental unit, but the pattern of release was either even or clumped, which simulated broadcast or point-release strategies, respectively. Nine days after predator release, spider mite populations were reduced in all treatments, but only in the clumped pest-clumped predator treatment were spider mites undetectable. Poorest pest suppression occurred in the clumped spider mite-even predator treatment. Eighteen days after predator release, spider mites were eliminated in all treatments, but a reduction in average plant damage occurred only in treatments in which the predator release pattern matched the spider mite distribution (i.e., even-even or clumped-clumped) with the greatest reduction in the even-even treatment. Results suggest that there is an advantage to releasing predators in “hot spots” provided that the recommended predator:prey ratio is maintained within infested patches. If more uniform predator releases are planned, overall predator numbers need to be kept sufficiently high so that the predator:prey ratio of 1:4 shown to prevent damage on impatiens is achieved in higher-density spider mite patches.
Interventions for panic disorder: A critical review of the literature

Abstract Initial etiological theories of panic were largely grounded in a biological framework due to the seemingly spontaneous nature of most attacks. More recently, however, cognitive, hyperventilatory, and conditioning theories of panic have been proposed. Cognitive theorists emphasize the causal role of catastrophic missattributions of benign somatic cues in panic; therefore, treatment involves providing the client with corrective information. Proponents of the hyperventilatory theory of panic implicate inappropriately increased ventilation; consequently, interventions emphasize breathing retraining. Finally, conditioning theorists hold that initial attacks are caused by hyperventilation or some other discrete event and that contiguous interoceptive stimuli become conditioned elicitors of future panics; as a result, treatment consists of exposure to the interoceptive cues which trigger panic. Combinations of treatments address possible multiple causal pathways and have been found to be relatively more effective than interventions based on only one etiological perspective.
MicroRNA-34a Modulates MDM4 Expression via a Target Site in the Open Reading Frame

Background MDM4, also called MDMX or HDMX in humans, is an important negative regulator of the p53 tumor suppressor. MDM4 is overexpressed in about 17% of all cancers and more frequently in some types, such as colon cancer or retinoblastoma. MDM4 is known to be post-translationally regulated by MDM2-mediated ubiquitination to decrease its protein levels in response to genotoxic stress, resulting in accumulation and activation of p53. At the transcriptional level, MDM4 gene regulation has been less clearly understood. We have reported that DNA damage triggers loss of MDM4 mRNA and a concurrent increase in p53 activity. These experiments attempt to determine a mechanism for down-regulation of MDM4 mRNA. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we report that MDM4 mRNA is a target of hsa-mir-34a (miR-34a). MDM4 mRNA contains a lengthy 3′ untranslated region; however, we find that it is a miR-34a site within the open reading frame (ORF) of exon 11 that is responsible for the repression. Overexpression of miR-34a, but not a mutant miR-34a, is sufficient to decrease MDM4 mRNA levels to an extent identical to those of known miR-34a target genes. Likewise, MDM4 protein levels are decreased by miR-34a overexpression. Inhibition of endogenous miR-34a increased expression of miR-34a target genes and MDM4. A portion of MDM4 exon 11 containing this 8mer-A1 miR-34a site fused to a luciferase reporter gene is sufficient to confer responsiveness, being inhibited by additional expression of exogenous mir-34a and activated by inhibition of miR-34a. Conclusions/Significance These data establish a mechanism for the observed DNA damage-induced negative regulation of MDM4 and potentially provide a novel means to manipulate MDM4 expression without introducing DNA damage.
Engaging the Audience: A Primer for Sound Art in Public Spaces

ABSTRACT The author proposes and explains four “rules” for students creating sound art installations.
Extending a database system with procedures

This paper suggests that more powerful database systems (DBMS) can be built by supporting database procedures as full-fledged database objects. In particular, allowing fields of a database to be a collection of queries in the query language of the system is shown to allow the natural expression of complex data relationships. Moreover, many of the features present in object-oriented systems and semantic data models can be supported by this facility.In order to implement this construct, extensions to a typical relational query language must be made, and considerable work on the execution engine of the underlying DBMS must be accomplished. This paper reports on the extensions for one particular query language and data manager and then gives performance figures for a prototype implementation. Even though the performance of the prototype is competitive with that of a conventional system, suggestions for improvement are presented.
Preferential RNA editing at specific sites within transcripts of two plant mitochondrial genes does not depend on transcriptional context or nuclear genotype

Transcripts of most plant mitochondrial protein-coding genes exhibit C-to-U RNA editing events. In Petunia, two co-transcribed genes, nad3 and rps12, exhibit transcripts which are not fully edited at all potential editing sites. We investigated the nad3/rps12 transcript population in four different genotypes. In one pair of genotypes, the nuclear genome is identical but the nad3/rps12 genes are in different transcriptional contexts. Both the nad3/ rps12 genes and the plant mitochondrial genomes are identical in a second pair of genotypes, but the nuclear background is derived from two different Petunia species. We found that the overall extent of editing varied greatly between genotypes and is affected by nuclear genotype but not by the global transcriptional context. Local sequence context around a particular site does affect editing frequency. In all genotypes, certain sites exhibit high editing frequency, but these sites do not share obvious primary sequence characteristics. In all genotypes examined, editing sites which do not affect the encoded amino acid are less frequently edited than sites which alter codons to non-synonymous forms. All these data indicate that an unidentified property of the sequences immediately surrounding a cytosine affect its selection as a target in the editing process.
CHLOE: A Software Tool for Automatic Novelty Detection in Microscopy Image Datasets

The recent advancements in automated microscopy and information systems allow the acquisition and storage of massive datasets of microscopy images. Here we describe CHLOE, a software tool for automatic extraction of novelty in microscopy image datasets. The tool is based on a comprehensive set of numerical image content descriptors reflecting image morphology, and can be used in combination with ROI detection and segmentation tools such as ITK. The rich feature set allows automatic detection of repetitive outlier images that are visually different from the common images in the dataset. The code and software are publicly available for free download at http://vfacstaff.ltu.edu/lshamir/downloads/chloe .
Peripheral blood catalase in patients undergoing renal transplantation

Oxygen free radicals are mediators of tissue injury and catalase is an enzyme which is involved in limiting this process. We examined peripheral blood catalase activity (PBCA) to assess its value as a marker in detecting tissue injury related to renal allograft rejection. Thirty-one consecutive recipients of kidney (n = 29) or simultaneous kidney/pancreas (n = 2) transplants and 10 normal volunteers were studied. Catalase activity, measured by the disk-flotation method, was expressed as Sigma units X 10(-3)/ml (SU/ml) of whole blood. Normal PBCA was determined to be greater than 76 SU/ml. Twenty-nine episodes of renal allograft rejection (diagnosed by clinical criteria +/- biopsy [79%]) were observed in 26 patients. PBCA (mean +/- SEM) was found to be low (64 +/- 1 SU/ml) in 28/29 episodes (chi 2 = 46.3, P less than 0.001), and the decrease (at least two consecutive daily catalase values less than 76 SU/ml) occurred 2 days prior to the clinical/biopsy diagnosis of rejection in 26/28 episodes. The sensitivity of PBCA as a discriminant of rejection was 97%, specificity was 96%, and test accuracy was 96%. PBCA less than 50 SU/ml on two or more occasions occurred in five cases and transplant nephrectomy was required in four of these because of uncontrollable rejection. Nine episodes of cyclosporine nephrotoxicity occurred in 7 patients and none of these episodes was associated with a decreased PBCA. Our data suggest that decreased PBCA is a sensitive and specific indicator of renal allograft rejection. PBCA remains normal during episodes of cyclosporine nephrotoxicity and therefore provides a rapid and inexpensive discriminant from allograft rejection.
An improved flame ionization detector for high performance liquid chromatography

Abstract A flame ionization detector and associated transport device of high sensitivity for liquid chromatography are described. The system is based on the moving chain principle and employs a stainless steel belt of perforated structure that confers on it superior surface properties for collection and transport of column eluent. After evaporation of the solvent, the solute is converted to hydrocarbons in a stainless steel reactor of sandwich construction and is combusted in a hydrogen flame. The universality of the system is demonstrated with albumin and glucose, as well as with lipids. Sensitivity and reproducibility of the system are demonstrated also with a standard mixture of neutral lipids.
Poster: Comparing usability of a single versus dual interaction metaphor in a multitask healthcare simulation

We present the results of a user study performed within a multitask healthcare simulation, where nurses are required to care for virtual patients within a 3D virtual environment while recording data in a 2D graphical user interface (GUI) based electronic health record system. We evaluated whether a single interaction metaphor of mouse and keyboard for both virtual and GUI sub-systems of our simulation was superior in terms of user preference and performance to a dual interaction metaphor of using touchscreen for the virtual environment while using mouse and keyboard for the GUI. User preference and performance both indicate that the single interaction metaphor was more usable, although each technique was sufficiently usable for accomplishing simulation goals.
Differences between the mechanism of action of MDMA, MBDB, and the classic hallucinogens. Identification of a new therapeutic class: entactogens.

(1986). Differences Between the Mechanism of Action of MDMA, MBDB, and the Classic Hallucinogens. Identification of a New Therapeutic Class: Entactogens. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs: Vol. 18, MDMA: Proceedings of the Conference, pp. 305-313.
Declarative temporal data models for sensor-driven query processing

Many sensor network applications monitor continuous phenomena by sampling, and fit time-varying models that capture the phenomena's behaviors. We introduce Pulse, a framework for processing continuous queries over these continuous-time data models. Pulse allows users to declaratively specify both their queries and models, and transforms these queries into simultaneous equation systems, which in many cases are significantly cheaper to process than a stream of discrete tuples. Pulse is able to guarantee user-defined error bounds between query results from continuous-time data models and sampled data, including cases of null results. We present a high-level overview of the design and architecture of Pulse and propose several query optimization techniques that are novel to our context, such as the simplification of our equation systems. We also discuss our plans for extending Pulse to support several novel model types, including differential equations and time series, and outline an abstraction to support query processing on these classes of models.
Surface immobilization of catalytic beacons based on ratiometric fluorescent DNAzyme sensors: a systematic study.

DNAzyme-based catalytic beacons have the potential for sensing a large number of relevant analytes. Thus, a systematic investigation of factors affecting their performance when immobilized into gold-coated nanocapillary array membranes (NCAMs) was undertaken. Enzyme immobilization times were varied to determine that as little as 15 min was sufficient for ratiometric detection of Pb2+-specific activity, while immobilization density saturated after 1.5 h. Immobilization of the DNAzymes into NCAMs with 600 nm pore size resulted in higher immobilization efficiency and higher enzymatic activity than that with 200 nm pore size. A poly-T linker length between the tethering thiol and first oligonucleotide, used to extend the DNAzyme above the backfilling mercaptohexanol (MCH) monolayer, had no effect on DNAzyme activity. The backfilling method of immobilization, involving backfilling followed by hybridization, was found most effective for DNAzyme activity compared to immobilization of hybridized DNAzyme complex (...
Comparative phylogeography of three endemic rodents from the Albertine Rift, east central Africa

The major aim of this study was to compare the phylogeographic patterns of codistributed rodents from the fragmented montane rainforests of the Albertine Rift region of east central Africa. We sampled individuals of three endemic rodent species, Hylomyscus denniae , Hybomys lunaris and Lophuromys woosnami from four localities in the Albertine Rift. We analysed mitochondrial DNA sequence variation from fragments of the cytochrome b and control region genes and found significant phylogeographic structuring for the three taxa examined. The recovered phylogenies suggest that climatic fluctuations and volcanic activity of the Virunga Volcanoes chain have caused the fragmentation of rainforest habitat during the past 2 million years. This fragmentation has played a major role in the diversification of the montane endemic rodents of the region. Estimation of the divergence times within each species suggests a separation of the major clades occurring during the mid to late Pleistocene.