cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RadioHPLC profiles of acyl-camitines improve detection of mild Glutaric Acidemia type II and Short Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase deficiency

Detection and diagnostic confirmation of the mild variants of glutaric acidemia, type II (GAII), also termed ethylmalonic-adipic aciduria, and short chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (SCAD) and its variants are problematic and challenging at both the clinical, biochemical and molecular levels. The mild variants of GAII result from partial deficiencies of either electron transfer flavoprotein or its dehydrogenase and have highly variable clinical presentations and often ephemeral metabolite excretion. Direct assay of these latter two enzymes is difficult and performed at only a few laboratories worldwide. The clinical, biochemical, enzymatic, and molecular variation in SCAD is great and complicated by the presence of two common allelic variants, 625G/A and 511C/T, whose effects on enzymatic activities are not fully understood. Quantitation of urine organic acids, plasma acyl-camitines and urinary acyl-glycines may not suffice to clearly identify patients with these disorders due to variations in clinical status, substrate flux into the partially impaired pathways, and genetic heterogeneity. Therefore, we have modified an existing radioHPLC method for analysis of acyl-3H-carnitine esters in skin fibroblasts to optimize detection of these disorders (Schmidt-Sommerfeld, et al. Pediatr.Res, 44:210, 1998). Incubating fibroblasts with the branched-chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine and valine, as well as palmitale, improves detection of the mild GAII variants; the propionyl-carnitine to isovaleryl/α-methyl butyryl-carnitine ratio is a very sensitive index of impaired dehydrogenation of the branched chain acyl-CoAs. For SCAD and its variants, butyryl-carnitine content is a very sensitive measure of SCAD-mediated butyryl-CoA dehydrogenation in intact cells. In normal cells, butyryl-carnitine content is less than 2% of total cellular acyl-camitine content, while it ranges from 10 to 25% in well defined SCAD cases lacking enzyme activity, antigen and harboring two pathogenetic mutations. In addition, we are routinely identifying patients who have clearly impaired SCAD activity, as judged by fibroblast butyryl-carnitine accumulations of 4 to 8%, who probably represent genetic compounds for the 625A/G and 511C/T variant alleles and/or other pathogenetic mutations. RadioHPLC analysis of fibroblast acyl-carnitines permits uniform, optimal challenging of the metabolic pathways in question, while minimizing the metabolite variation seen in plasma and urine analyses from patients with varying clinical, metabolic and molecular conditions. It is an important adjunct to the laboratory diagnosis of the fatty acid oxidation disorders.
Astragaloside IV Inhibits NF-κB Activation and Inflammatory Gene Expression in LPS-Treated Mice

In this study we investigated the role of astragaloside IV (AS-IV), one of the major active constituents purified from the Chinese medicinal herb Astragalus membranaceus, in LPS-induced acute inflammatory responses in mice in vivo and examined possible underlying mechanisms. Mice were assigned to four groups: vehicle-treated control animals; AS-IV-treated animals (10 mg/kg b.w. AS-IV daily i.p. injection for 6 days); LPS-treated animals; and AS-IV plus LPS-treated animals. We found that AS-IV treatment significantly inhibited LPS-induced increases in serum levels of MCP-1 and TNF by 82% and 49%, respectively. AS-IV also inhibited LPS-induced upregulation of inflammatory gene expression in different organs. Lung mRNA levels of cellular adhesion molecules, MCP-1, TNFα, IL-6, and TLR4 were significantly attenuated, and lung neutrophil infiltration and activation were strongly inhibited, as reflected by decreased myeloperoxidase content, when the mice were pretreated with AS-IV. Similar results were observed in heart, aorta, kidney, and liver. Furthermore, AS-IV significantly suppressed LPS-induced NF-κB and AP-1 DNA-binding activities in lung and heart. In conclusion, our data provide new in vivo evidence that AS-IV effectively inhibits LPS-induced acute inflammatory responses by modulating NF-κB and AP-1 signaling pathways. Our results suggest that AS-IV may be useful for the prevention or treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Delivery of antiviral small interfering RNA with gold nanoparticles inhibits dengue virus infection in vitro.

Dengue virus (DENV) infection in humans can cause flu-like illness, life-threatening haemorrhagic fever or even death. There is no specific anti-DENV therapeutic or approved vaccine currently available, partially due to the possibility of antibody-dependent enhancement reaction. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that target specific viral genes are considered a promising therapeutic alternative against DENV infection. However, in vivo, siRNAs are vulnerable to degradation by serum nucleases and rapid renal excretion due to their small size and anionic character. To enhance siRNA delivery and stability, we complexed anti-DENV siRNAs with biocompatible gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and tested them in vitro. We found that cationic AuNP–siRNA complexes could enter Vero cells and significantly reduce DENV serotype 2 (DENV-2) replication and infectious virion release under both pre- and post-infection conditions. In addition, RNase-treated AuNP–siRNA complexes could still inhibit DENV-2 replication, suggesting that AuNPs maintained siRNA stability. Collectively, these results demonstrated that AuNPs were able to efficiently deliver siRNAs and control infection in vitro, indicating a novel anti-DENV strategy.
Microcomputer-based real-time monitoring and control of single-wafer processing

Low cost microcomputers are an attractive approach for monitoring and control of future semiconductor processing equipment. A wide variety of low-cost off-the-shelfl/O boards are available for use with industry standard PCs. Such an approach is being implemented in a three-module singlewafer cluster-tool approach for forming a gate stack of oxide nitride and polysilicon. This work discusses hardware and software approaches for such a cluster tool and discusses some of the advantages of in-situ real-time process monitoring and control.
Significance of Elevated Cardiac Troponin T Levels in Critically Ill Patients with Acute Respiratory Disease

Abstract Background Elevations in cardiac troponin have prognostic importance in critically ill patients. However, there are no data addressing the independent association between troponin levels and mortality, adjusted for the severity of the underlying disease, in patients hospitalized for acute respiratory disorders. We investigated whether troponin T (cTnT) elevations are independently associated with in-hospital mortality in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) admitted for severe and acute respiratory conditions. After adjusting for the severity of disease measured by the Acute Physiology, Age, and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) III prognostic system, we evaluated short-term (30 days) and long-term (3 years) mortality. Methods We studied the APACHE III database and cTnT levels from patients admitted consecutively to the ICU at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Between January 2001 and December 2005, 2078 patients with respiratory conditions had cTnT measured at ICU admission. In-hospital, short-term (30 days) and long-term (3 years) all-cause mortality were determined. Results Of the study patients, 878 (42.3%) had elevated cTnT and 1200 patients (57.7%) had undetectable cTnT. During hospitalization, 1.1% of the patients with troponin T P P P P Conclusions In patients admitted to the ICU for respiratory disorders, cTnT elevations are independently associated with in-hospital, short-term and long-term mortality.
Institutions, inculcation, and black racial identity: pigmentocracy vs. the rule of hypodescent

This research paper investigates the effect political institutions have on black racial identity. In particular, I study individual inculcation in contexts where political institutions institutionalize either of two forms of racial social structures – a pigmentocracy (the Dominican Republic), or the rule of hypodescent (the US South), and the effect such inculcation has on black racial identity. I sampled 101 respondents from the Dominican Republic and 102 from the state of Mississippi, USA. Consistent with the basic assumptions of my hypotheses, respondents in the Dominican Republic study sites showed a weaker degree of identification with blackness vis-a-vis something ‘whiter’. Nevertheless, respondents in the Dominican Republic sites demonstrated a stronger identification with blackness than what most conventional observers would have anticipated. Respondents in the Mississippi study sites showed a stronger sense of identification with blackness. Surprisingly, however, Mississippi respondents demonstra...
Electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of PMMA/graphite nanoplatelet ensembles

Abstract Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/graphite nanoplatelet (GNP) ensembles were prepared by in situ polymerization of MMA in the presence of GNPs with the aid of sonication and heating. Electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of the ensembles were measured using the four-point probe resistivity measurement method and a Network Analyzer. The results showed that the electrical behavior of PMMA/GNP ensembles can be described well by percolation theory. The electrical conductivity of the ensemble was found to exhibit an insulator–conductor transition at a very low percolation threshold for GNPs. The percolation threshold of PMMA/GNP at room temperature was only about 1 wt % filler content, much lower than that of the ensembles filled with conventional graphite particles. Results showed that the difference in filler geometry (high aspect ratio and surface area) has a very significant effect on forming a conducting network in the PMMA matrix and improves both electrical and dielectric properties.
Determining Why Students Take More Science Than Required in High School

This study reports the results of a survey of 405 high school students in a school district in the western United States. The data were used to determine why so many students take only the minimal ...
Enterococcus faecalisPheromone-Responding Plasmid pAD1 Gives Rise to an Aggregation (Clumping) Response When Cells Are Exposed to Subinhibitory Concentrations of Chloramphenicol, Erythromycin, or Tetracycline

Abstract The Enterococcus faecalis conjugative cytolysin plasmid pAD1 encodes a specific aggregation (clumping) response to the peptide sex pheromone cAD1 secreted by plasmid-free strains. Here it is shown that, in the absence of cAD1, exposure of E. faecalis cells harboring pAD1 to subinhibitory concentrations of chloramphenicol, erythromycin, or tetracycline also results in an aggregation response that appears related to a stress-sensitive mechanism associated with a component of the pheromone response.
Efficient multistep procedures for nonlinear parabolic problems with nonlinear Neumann boundary conditions

Efficient multistep procedures for time-stepping Galerkin methods for nonlinear parabolic partial differential equations with nonlinear Neumann boundary conditions are presented and analyzed. The procedures involve using a precoditioned iterative method for approximately solving the differet linear equations arising at each time step in a discrete time Galerkin method. Optimal order convergence rates are obtained for the iterative methods. Work estimates of almost optimal order are obtained.
Immunologic Response of Turkey Poults of Various Ages to an Avirulent Pasteurella multocida Vaccine in the Drinking Water

Abstract Fowl cholera has been reported in turkey poults in South Carolina between 5 and 6 weeks of age. An experiment was conducted to determine the earliest age that poults could be vaccinated with the Clemson University Pasteurella multocida strain (using the drinking water route) that would result in an effective immunity at 5 to 6 weeks of age. In groups of vaccinates challenged with a virulent P. multocida (P-1059 strain) at 5 weeks of age, none were infected in groups vaccinated at either 20 days or at 25 days, 1 of 10 vaccinated at 15 days, 3 of 10 vaccinated at 10 days, 6 of 10 vaccinated at 5 days, and 8 of 10 became infected of those vaccinated at 1 day of age. Eight of 10 of each of 2 groups of nonvaccinates developed evidence of infection. In groups of vaccinated challenged at 12 weeks of age, 2 of 10 turkeys became infected that had been vaccinated at 25 days of age, 4 of 10 that had been vaccinated at 20 days, 8 of 10 vaccinated at 15 days, 8 of 10 vaccinated at 10 days, 8 of 9 vaccinated at 5 days, and 8 of 9 became infected of those vaccinated at 1 day of age. All 10 of one group of nonvaccinates and all 9 of a second group developed evidence of infection. These results suggest, under the conditions of this experiment, that turkey poults vaccinated at 35 days of age and poults vaccinated at 20 days of age experienced an excellent immunological response by 5 weeks of age. This response was less evident but, for the most part, still present, at 12 weeks of age.
The Compressive Deformation Behavior of Long Range Ordered Polycrystalline iron—aluminum Alloys

The compressive deformation behavior of polycrystalline iron-aluminum alloys has been investigated (i) at 298°K for specimens heat treated in various ways and containing from 22.0 to 31.7 at% Al, and (ii) from 77 to 655°K for well-annealed specimens containing 26.6 at% Al. Alloys which possess significant DO3 type long range order exhibit marked composition and temperature dependent variations in deformation behavior. Specifically, those containing ⪆ 27 at% Al exhibit two linear and one parabolic deformation stage at 298°K. The linear stages are shown to be a result of the production and motion of DO3 type superlattice dislocations. The absence of these stages in well-annealed specimens is attributed to the lack of thermal assistance for the DO3 superlattice dislocation nucleation process. The flow stress levels which characterize the two linear stage behavior agree with calculations of the stress required for production of antiphase boundaries. Results obtained from quenched specimens are in agreement with the above conclusions, and the changes induced by quenching are in accord with calculations of the effect of thermal antiphase boundaries upon dislocation motion. Das Verformungsverhalten bei Kompression von polykristallinen Eisen-Aluminium-Legierungen wurde: 1. bei 298°K fur Proben, die in verschiedener Weise getempert waren und zwischen 22,0 und 31,7 At% Al enthielten und 2. zwischen 77 und 655 °K fur ausgetemperte Proben mit 26,6 At% Al untersucht. Legierungen, die eine betrachtliche Fernordnung von DO3-Typ besitzen, zeigen merkliche Anderungen im Deformationsverhalten, die von Zusammensetzung und Temperatur abhangen. Proben mit ⪆ 27 At% Al zeigen spezifisch einen parabolischen und zwei lineare Deformationsstufen bei 298 °K. Es wird gezeigt, das die linearen Stufen ein Ergebnis der Bildung und Wanderung von Versetzungen des DO3-Ubergitters sind. Das Fehlen dieser Stufen in ausgetemperten Proben wird dem Fehlen thermischer Assistenz fur den Bildungsprozes der DO3-Ubergitterversetzungen zugeschrieben. Die niedrigen Flusniveaus, die das Verhalten der beiden linearen Stufen charakterisieren, stimmen mit den Berechungen der Spannungen uberein, die fur die Bildung von Antiphasengrenzen notwendig sind. Die Ergebnisse, die fur die getemperten Proben erhalten werden, befinden sich in Ubereinstimmung mit den oben angefuhrten Schlussen, und die durch Tempern induzierten Anderungen stimmen mit Berechnungen des Einflusses der thermischen Antiphasengrenzen auf die Versetzungswanderung uberein.
Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells: Their unique role in immune tolerance

Background The liver may play a role in peripheral tolerance, by serving as a site for trapping, apoptosis and phagocytosis of activated T cells. It is not known which hepatic cells are involved in these processes. We hypothesized that liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC) which are strategically placed for participation in the regulation of sinusoidal blood flow, and express markers involved in recognition, sequestration, and apoptosis, may contribute to peripheral tolerance by inducing apoptosis of activated T cells. Methods Using immunoassays and western blot analysis we investigated the fate of activated T cells when incubated with human LSEC isolated from normal healthy livers. Results We provide evidence that activated (app. 30%) but not non-activated T cells undergo apoptosis upon incubation with human LSEC in mixed cell cultures. No difference in the results was observed when unstimulated and cytokine stimulated LSEC were used. T cell-LSEC contact is required for induction of apoptosis. Apoptosis induced by LSEC was associated with caspase 8 and 3 activity and strong expression of the pro-apoptotic molecule Bak. TGF-beta produced constitutively by LSEC is partly responsible for the caspase-induced apoptosis, since neutralizing antibodies to TGF-beta markedly attenuated apoptosis, upregulated the anti-apoptotic molecule Bcl-2 and partially blocked caspase-3 activity. Conclusion These findings broaden the potential role of LSEC in immune tolerance and homeostasis of the immune system. The present study may provide insight for exploring the mechanisms of immune tolerance by liver allografts, immune escape by some liver pathogens including hepatitis C and pathogenesis of liver diseases.
Control of preharvest aflatoxin contamination in maize by pyramiding QTL involved in resistance to ear-feeding insects and invasion by Aspergillus spp.

A. Butron thanks ‘Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia’ of Spain that supported her while she was carrying out the present study. Research was supported by funds provided by USDA Agricultural Research Service and by the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Corn.
From stimulus estimation to combination sensitivity: encoding and processing of amplitude and timing information in parallel, convergent sensory pathways

Information theoretical approaches to sensory processing in electric fish have focused on the encoding of amplitude modulations in a single sensory pathway in the South American gymnotiforms. To assess the generality of these studies, we investigated the encoding of amplitude and phase modulations in the distantly related African fish Gymnarchus. In both the amplitude- and time-coding pathways, primary afferents accurately estimated the time course of random modulations whereas hindbrain neurons extracted information about specific stimulus features. Despite exhibiting a clear preference for encoding amplitude or phase, afferents and hindbrain neurons could encode significant amounts of modulation of their nonpreferred attribute. Although no increase in feature extraction performance occurred where the two pathways converge in the midbrain, neurons there were increasingly sensitive to simultaneous modulation of both attributes. A shift from accurate stimulus estimation in the periphery to increasingly sparse representations of specific features appears to be a general strategy in electrosensory processing.
Theoretical study of thet CH3SOO radical

Abstract The binding energy of CH 3 SOO with respect to CH 3 S and O 2 ( 3 Σ − g ) has been examined at three levels of theory. Only the highest level, modified G1 theory, is able to describe the SO interaction adequately. Vibrational frequencies are reported at the MP2/6-31G(d) level as an aid to possible identification of the complex. The OO stretch at 1162 cm −1 is predicted to be the most intense band in the IR spectrum.
Integrating Nutrition Therapy into Medical Management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus

This supplement to Clinical Infectious Diseases contains a report on the current nutrition management and concerns of HIV infection. It represents the collaborative work of >50 authorities who have brought a wide range of expertise to produce 9 documents in conjunction with 5 federal agencies: the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Crystal structure of Leishmania mexicana glycosomal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in a new crystal form confirms the putative physiological active site structure.

Abstract The structure of glycosomal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) from the trypanosomatid parasite Leishmania mexicana in a new crystal form has been determined by X-ray crystallography. The protein crystallizes in space group P21 with one 156 kDa tetramer per asymmetric unit. The model of the protein with bound NAD+s and phosphates has been refined against 81% complete data from 10.0 to 2.8 A to a crystallographic Rfactor of 0.217. The present structure confirms two key aspects of the previously reported orthorhombic crystal structure of L. mexicana GAPDH (LmGAPDH): the unusual conformation of a loop in the active site, and the repositioning of the inorganic phosphate binding site compared with crystal structures of GAPDHs from other organisms. As the monoclinic crystals of LmGAPDH were grown at a phosphate concentration and pH that were even closer to physiological conditions than were the orthorhombic LmGAPDH crystals, the present structure reinforces the physiological relevance of the active site structure seen in the previous orthorhombic crystal of LmGAPDH.
Sporulation-inducing factor in slime mould Physarum polycephalum.

THE highly synchronous sporulation of Physarum polycephalum is an attractive model of cell differentiation. Virtually all of the nuclei in a starved plasmodium proceed in step through the sporulation process in response to a well defined stimulus, light1–4. The regulatory mechanisms of this differentiation are unknown but several studies have been presented on the conditions necessary for sporulation. These have been reviewed by Sauer5, who concludes that two elements are necessary for sporulation, substrate and light. These must be applied sequentially. The substrate requirement is for starvation in the dark for at least 4 d in the presence of niacin and niacinamide4. The light requirement is for at least 4 h illumination by a 40 W fluorescent light. Sauer also cites unpublished results which suggest that the effect of illumination is a local one which cannot be transferred to an unilluminated, starved plasmodium or even from the illuminated half to the unilluminated half of the same plasmodium.
Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species: risk factors for colonization and impact of antimicrobial formulary interventions on colonization prevalence.

OBJECTIVE The incidence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESbetaL)-mediated resistance has increased markedly during the past decade. Risk factors for colonization with ESbetaL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species (ESbetaL-EK) remain unclear, as do methods to control their further emergence. DESIGN Case-control study. SETTING Two hospitals within a large academic health system: a 725-bed academic tertiary-care medical center and a 344-bed urban community hospital. PATIENTS Thirteen patients with ESbetaL-EK fecal colonization were compared with 46 randomly selected noncolonized controls. RESULTS Duration of hospitalization was the only independent risk factor for ESbetaL-EK colonization (odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.21). Of note, 8 (62%) of the patients had been admitted from another healthcare facility. In addition, there was evidence for dissemination of a single K oxytoca clone. Finally, the prevalence of ESbetaL-EK colonization decreased from 7.9% to 5.7% following restriction of third-generation cephalosporins (P = .51). CONCLUSIONS ESbetaL-EK colonization was associated only with duration of hospitalization and there was no significant reduction following antimicrobial formulary interventions. The evidence for nosocomial spread and the high percentage of patients with ESbetaL-EK admitted from other sites suggest that greater emphasis must be placed on controlling the spread of such organisms within and between institutions.
Room temperature carrier transport in graphene

Graphene is a novel new material with an unusual zero-gap band structure, where electrons and holes are closely connected through a relativistic Dirac equation. It is of interest to study the various scattering mechanisms and the transport through device structures fabricated on this new material. Here, we use Rode’s method to study the transport through gated graphene devices. The results are compared with recent results obtained for both back-gates and electrochemical gates. The transport is dominated by the trapped charge at the graphene-SiO2, but phonon scattering is shown to be important.
Doing Research with Young People: Participatory Research and the Rituals of Collective Work

Abstract This is an exciting juncture at which to bear witness to the growing, multidisciplinary support for youth participation and more inclusive collaborative research practices in geography and the social sciences. Participatory action research and practice offers a promising new framework for researchers who are committed to social justice and change. The multiple benefits of engaging the perspectives of young people in research have served to challenge social exclusion, redistribute power within the research process and build the capacity of young people to analyze and transform their own lives and become partners in the building of more sound, democratic, communities. In this paper, I offer a broad overview of the principles of participatory research and reflect on my own experience of doing a participatory action research project with young people. Specifically, I will discuss a ‘collective praxis approach’ (a set of rituals and practices for sharing power within the research process), the role of...
The feasibility of risk-based cervical cancer screening.

Abstract Objective This study examined the feasibility of risk-based cervical cancer screening in primary care practices in Lansing, Michigan (United States). Methods We recruited adult women regardless of the reason for visit from March to June of 2001. Women completed a risk factor questionnaire including number of current and lifetime sexual partners, history of sexually transmitted diseases and smoking. We also explicitly extracted from the patients' medical records: Pap smear results, presence of a sexual history, and screening for sexually transmitted infections (STI). Results Of 1271 eligible women, 809 (64%) completed the questionnaire and 601 agreed to have their records reviewed. Women of minority race represented 28.6% of the sample and one-third were insured through Medicaid. The mean number of lifetime partners was 9 and average age of first intercourse was 17. Eighty-six percent of women provided complete information. Most women (83%) had at least one risk factor for cervical cancer. We found low rates of documented sexual history taking (54%) and STI testing (4%). Conclusion Women seeking care from a primary care clinician will provide, if asked, sensitive information, making risk-based cervical cancer screening feasible. However, since so many women had at least one identifiable risk factor, multivariate models or alternative approaches to assessing risk need to be developed.
Quality Cost Analysis of Typical Forging Based on SPC and DEA Model

In order to control the quality costs of forgings efficiently and ensure the optimization of enterprise production value input and benefit output, using piston, output shaft and other typical forgings as application objects, choosing cold and warm forging process instead of the former single hot forging or cold forging process, reinforcing Statistical Process Control (SPC) of processing quality and appropriately distributing quality failure cost and quality assurance cost in order to efficiently match the total cost of quality, quality process capacity index and production program so that the stability of forging quality can be improved. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to contrast and analysis the quality cost data of new process and old process, of which the result shows that the technical input and benefit output of new process accord with mass production requirements in the prior period of enterprise industrialization.
The acetylcholinesterase genes of C. elegans: Identification of a third gene (ace-3) and mosaic mapping of a synthetic lethal phenotype

In C. elegans, the newly identified ace-3 is the third gene affecting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. ace-3 II specifically affects class C AChE and is unlinked to ace-1 X or ace-2 I, which affect the other two AChE classes (A and B, respectively). Strains homozygous for an ace-3 mutation have no apparent behavioral or developmental defect; ace-1 ace-3 and ace-2 ace-3 double mutants are also nearly wild type. In contrast, ace-1 ace-2 ace-3 triple mutant animals are paralyzed and developmentally arrested; their embryonic development is relatively unimpaired, but they are unable to grow beyond the hatching stage. Based on the analysis of genetic mosaics, we conclude that in the absence of ace-2 and ace-3 function, the expression of ace-1(+) in muscle cells, but not in neurons, is essential for postembryonic viability.
The ecology of broadcasters in the United States

Stop someone in the U.S. labor force on the street, ask him his occupation, and the odds are more than 700 to one against him being a broadcaster. Even in New York, the location of over 15% of the jobs in broadcasting, the local police force outnumbers the broadcasters by better than 3 to 2. The following report, based on previously untabulated data, tells where broadcasting's jobs are. More than that, it provides information leading to some understanding of the parameters of a successful broadcasting operation: just how many people must there be in a market (and how much they must spend) to create proper conditions for a job for a broadcast employee? Although complete market‐by‐market data relating number of stations and number of employees to population and annual retail sales are unavailable, the tables on the following pages give us a rough idea of the relation of broadcasting industry to its environment.
Canine Rod Photoreceptor cGMP-gated Channel Protein α-subunit: Studies on the Expression of the Gene and Characterization of the cDNA

Rod photoreceptor cyclic GMP gated-channel protein is a key component of the visual transduction cascade in the vertebrate retina. The protein is composed of at least two subunits (alpha and beta). Mutations in the alpha-subunit (CNGC1) have been shown to cause retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in humans. Several heterogeneous canine retinal diseases, which are clinically similar to RP, are known collectively as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and occur in dogs in a breed-specific manner. For the purpose of examining CNGC1 gene as a candidate for PRA, we report here the characterization of canine CNGC1 cDNA, and examine the expression of the gene in different tissues by northern analysis, reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and retinal immunocytochemistry. The characterized canine CNGC1 cDNA sequence contains 2717 nucleotides which include 211 bp 5"-untranslated region and 430 bp 3"-untranslated region including the poly A tail. It is predicted to encode a protein containing 691 amino acids which include six putative transmembrane domains, a pore loop and a cGMP binding domain as well as one potential extracellular site for N-linked glycosylation. Over the coding region, the canine CNGC1 shares 85-90% identity in the nucleotide sequence and 91-94% identity in the deduced amino acid sequence with its homologues in other mammalian species. However, the homology drops to only 71% and 78% of shared nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences, respectively, when compared to the chicken CNGC1. Among all the tissues examined the gene is expressed at a much higher level in retina as a major transcript of 3.5 kb length. In addition, another minor transcript (9.8 kb) is consistently observed in the canine retinal RNA which may represent the canine homologue of the rod specific beta-subunit of the cyclic nucleotide-gated channel protein. Transcripts were detected only in retina by northern analysis but low level of expression of CNGC1 was detected in liver, kidney, heart and brain by RT-PCR. The expression of the CNGC1 protein was found to be localized specifically to the photoreceptor outer segment by immunocytochemistry.
Comparison of sum absolute QRST integral, and temporal variability in depolarization and repolarization, measured by dynamic vectorcardiography approach, in healthy men and women.

Background Recently we showed the predictive value of sum absolute QRST integral (SAI QRST) and repolarization lability for risk stratification of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in heart failure patients. The goal of this study was to compare SAI QRST and metrics of depolarization and repolarization variability in healthy men and women. Methods Orthogonal ECGs were recorded at rest for 10 minutes in 160 healthy men and women (mean age 39.6±14.6, 80 men). Mean spatial TT′ angle, and normalized variances of T loop area, of spatial T vector amplitude, of QT interval and Tpeak-Tend area were measured for assessment of repolarization lability. Normalized variances of spatial QRS vector and QRS loop area characterized variability of depolarization. In addition, variability indices (VI) were calculated to adjust for normalized heart rate variance. SAI QRST was measured as the averaged arithmetic sum of areas under the QRST curve. Results Men were characterized by shorter QTc (430.3±21.7 vs. 444.7±22.2 ms; P<0.0001) and larger SAI QRST (282.1±66.7 vs.204.9±58.5 mV*ms; P<0.0001). Repolarization lability negatively correlated with spatial T vector amplitude. Adjusted by normalized heart rate variance, QT variability index was significantly higher in women than in men (−1.54±0.38 vs. −1.70±0.33; P = 0.017). However, in multivariate logistic regression after adjustment for body surface area, QTc, and spatial T vector amplitude, healthy men had 1.5–3 fold higher probability of having larger repolarization lability, as compared to healthy women (T vector amplitude variability index odds ratio 3.88(95%CI 1.4–11.1; P = 0.012). Conclusions Healthy men more likely than women have larger repolarization lability.
xMapper: an architecture-implementation mapping tool

xMapper is an Eclipse-based tool that implements a new architecture-implementation mapping approach called 1.x-way mapping. xMapper is able to record various architecture changes during software development, and automatically map specific kinds of architecture changes to code in specific ways. In addition, xMapper supports the mapping of behavioral architecture specifications modeled as UML-like sequence diagrams and state diagrams.
Sickness, Recovery, and Death Among the Enslaved and Free People of Santos, Brazil, 1860–1888

Between 1802 and 1849, cholera and influenza pandemics killed hundreds of thousands from Shanghai to Seville to New York, but these diseases did not dip below the South American portion of the equator. As a result, Brazil gained a reputation of good health, an opinion confirmed by European travelers and some provincial authorities. This rosy reputation wilted in 1849 when a yellow fever epidemic devastated several seaports, including the imperial capital of Rio de Janeiro. Following this outbreak, waves of epidemics swept the nation with unfamiliar and terrifying virulence. Brazilians were struck again and again by cholera, smallpox, yellow fever, and bubonic plague until the early 1900s.
The Role of T Cells in the Enhancement of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection Severity during Adult Reinfection of Neonatally Sensitized Mice

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause of infantile bronchiolitis and hospitalization. Severe RSV disease is associated with the development of wheezing in later life. In a mouse model of the delayed effects of RSV, the age at primary infection determines responses to reinfection in adulthood. During primary RSV infection, neonatal BALB/c mice developed only mild disease and recruited CD8 cells that were defective in gamma interferon production. Secondary reinfection of neonatally primed mice caused enhanced inflammation and profuse lung T-cell recruitment. CD4 cell depletion during secondary RSV challenge attenuated disease (measured by weight loss); depletion of CD8 cells also markedly attenuated disease severity but enhanced lung eosinophilia, and depletion of both CD4 and CD8 cells together completely abrogated weight loss. Depletion of CD8 (but not CD4) cells during primary neonatal infection was protective against weight loss during adult challenge. Therefore, T cells, in particular CD8 T cells, play a central role in the outcome of neonatal infection by enhancing disease during secondary challenge. These findings demonstrate a crucial role for T cells in the regulation of immune responses after neonatal infection.
Increased serum nIgM in voluntarily physically active rats: a potential role for B-1 cells

Moderate, habitual physical activity improves health, possibly because of beneficial changes in immune function. For example, physical activity can increase natural killer cell cytotoxicity, T cell...
Microstructures of silver films plated on different substrates and annealed at different conditions

We performed systematic experiments to study the morphologies and microstructures of silver (Ag) films grown on different substrates and annealed at different conditions. It was found out that Ag microstructure varies widely versus the surface onto which Ag is plated and versus annealing conditions. The substrates used in this study include alumina/TiW(40nm)/Au(2.5μm), Bi 2 Te 3 /Pd(100nm)/ Au(100nm), Cu, Si/Cr(30nm)/Au(100nm), Si/Pd(100nm)/ Au(100nm), and 304 stainless steel(304SS)/Ni(2um). The annealing conditions are from 250°C to 550°C for 5 to 30 hours. The microstructures and grain size are evaluated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD). The grain size ranges from 13nm to 15μm. Ag surface morphology looks pretty similar on all these substrates expect Si. Ag films plated on alumina, Bi 2 Te 3 , Cu and stainless steel show smooth and flat morphology. However, Ag plated on the Si has dome-shaped morphology. This is true even when Ag is grown on the same adhesion material. These Cr, Pd, and Au adhesion layers are all coated on the substrates by thermal evaporation in high vacuum. All Au layers demonstrate same morphology. But the Ag films grown on these Au layers show different morphologies. XRD results indicate that Ag has preferred orientation on (111) plane; the preference is especially manifest on Si. Ag grain sizes on Si/Cr(30nm)/Au(100nm) and alumina/TiW(40nm)/Au(2.5μm) were studied before and after various annealing processes by either XRD analysis or SEM observation. The grain size growth seems to follow the grain growth law. The activation energy is calculated to be 134∼140kJ/mol and 118∼128kJ/mol, respectively at 523K to 723K.
The Successful Treatment of Specific Phobia in a College Counseling Center

Specific phobias are highly prevalent among college students and can be quite debilitating. However, students often do not present for treatment for phobias and, when they do, often do not receive effective treatment. This article will present a case study of the effective treatment of specific phobia using cognitive-behavioral therapy with an emphasis on in vivo exposure. It will provide a template for how to conduct this efficient and effective therapy and suggest several benefits of incorporating this treatment into the repertoire offered by a college counseling center.
Advances in Microwave Acoustic Frequency Sources

This paper reviews the principal advances with microwave frequency sources that use mechanical vibrations and waves in their frequency-controlling elements. Specifically, the review discusses the direction microwave acoustic technology has taken in the utilization of bulk acoustic-wave (BAW), surface acoustic-wave (SAW), shallow bulk acoustic wave (SBAW), thin-film membrane, and composite structures to generate stable microwave frequency sources in the range from 100 MHz to 1 GHz and above.
Performance optimizations for group key management schemes

Recently, many group key management approaches based on the use of logical key trees have been proposed to address the issue of scalable group rekeying that is needed to support secure communications for large and dynamic groups. In this paper, we present two optimizations for logical key tree organizations that utilize information about the characteristics of group members to further reduce the overhead of group rekeying. First, we propose a partitioned key tree organization that exploits the temporal patterns of group member joins and departures to reduce the overhead of rekeying. Using an analytic model, we show that our optimization can achieve up to 31.4% reduction in key server bandwidth overhead over the unoptimized scheme. Second, we propose an approach under which the key tree is organized based on the loss probabilities of group members. Our analysis shows this optimization can reduce the rekeying overhead by up to 12.1%.
THE ROLE of PHYTASE and LIGNIN IN DECORTICATED DRY BEAN (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS) HARDENING DURING STORAGE

The lignification-like mechanism and that involving phytic acid degradation by phytase were evaluated in the hard-to-cook phenomenon of decorticated Mala-wian white and red bean genotypes (Phaseolus vulgaris). Samples were stored under various temperatures (16C; 35C) aw; (0.55 aw; 0.85 aw) and time periods (4 and 8 months) compared to the control group (2C; 0.30 aw; zero months). Phytase activities (Pi), phytic acid, calcium and magnesium ions, water soluble pectic substances and lignin concentrations were determined spectrophoto-metrically. Elevated phytase activities and slight, but nonsignificant increase in lignin levels were produced in both bean genotypes maintained under adverse storage conditions for extended time periods. Positive correlations between phytase activities and cooked white bean hardness for the 4 month (r2= 0.844) (p ≤ 0.01) and 8 month (r2= 0.689) storage periods were found. Lignin content of red beans was significantly (p ≤ 0.01) correlated (r2= 0.669) with hardness for the extended (8 month) storage period. However, no clear relationships were found between lignin levels and the 4 month stored red (r2= 0.232) and white (r2= 0.210) bean hardness, and between lignin concentrations and the 8 month (r2= 0.232) stored white bean hardness. the mechanism involving phytic acid degradation appeared to be the dominant system influencing the hard-to-cook defect in the white, and to some extent the red bean genotypes for the storage period 0-8 months.
Immunocytochemical detection of milk proteins in tracheal aspirates of ventilated infants: A pilot study

In this study, we evaluated immunocytochemical staining for milk proteins (α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin) in tracheal aspirates of mechanically ventilated infants, and assessed whether this staining technique supported a clinical diagnosis of aspiration in infants receiving orogastric feedings. All newborns requiring mechanical ventilation in the neonatal intensive care unit of a major tertiary care hospital were potential subjects for this study. Tracheal aspirates were obtained prior to the introduction of enteral feeding and at various time points thereafter in newborns requiring mechanical ventilation. Cells were obtained and processed for immunocytochemical staining of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin. In total, 88 specimens recovered from 34 infants were adequate for staining. Alveolar macrophages recovered from most of the infants who were never fed (true negative controls) did not display immunoreactivity for milk proteins: 4/34 or 12% of infants' aspirates demonstrated presence of milk proteins before enteral feeding was commenced. Tracheal aspirates obtained from 12 infants after introduction of enteral feedings appeared to support clinical and radiological findings suggestive of aspiration events, with positive immunostaining on several occasions. These observations support our work in a murine model and demonstrate that immunocytochemical staining of tracheal aspirates for milk proteins may enhance the ability to diagnose pulmonary aspiration. Further studies are needed to define the clinical significance of our findings and the effects of single and repeated aspiration events on respiratory status. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2002; 34:369–374. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
REIT Advisor Performance

In this article, we examine whether the performance of real estate investment trusts (REITs) is correlated with advisor type. Seven categories of advisors are used in the analysis. All categories exhibit zero or negative performance measures and the average abnormal returns across advisor types are significantly different from each other. We conclude that advisor type is an important determinant of the returns realized by a REIT's shareholders. Additional analysis suggests that firm size and property location may partially explain REIT performance. Copyright American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.
Overcoming power/information tradeoffs in neural signal acquisition

This paper describes the power cost of high-resolution ADC arrays for neural signal acquisition, discusses techniques to estimate optimal ADC resolutions based on spike sorting and presents an adaptive resolution ADC array for an implantable prosthetic processor. A 100kS/s SAR ADC whose resolution can be varied from 3 to 8-bits with corresponding power consumption of 0.23µW to 0.90µW has been implemented in 0.13µm CMOS. Adaptation of ADC resolutions according to neural data content reduces power consumption by a factor of 2.3 whilst maintaining an effective 7.8-bit resolution.
Role of angiotensin in body fluid homeostasis of mice: fluid intake, plasma hormones, and brain Fos

CD1 mice injected peripherally with either ANG I or ANG II failed to drink substantial amounts of water or NaCl, yet showed strong Fos immunoreactivity (ir) in subfornical organ (SFO). Mice injected with furosemide showed modest stimulation of NaCl intake either 3 or 24 h later, were hypovolemic, and showed elevated plasma renin activity (PRA). The pattern of Fos-ir in the brain after furosemide was similar to that seen after peripheral injection of ANG II. Mice became hypovolemic after subcutaneous injection of polyethylene glycol (PEG), showed large increases in PRA, aldosterone, and water intake, but did not show sodium appetite. PEG-treated mice had strong activation of SFO as well as other brain regions previously shown to be related to ANG-associated drinking in rats. ANG II appears to have a modified role in the behavioral response to fluid loss in mice compared with rats.
An overview of the SPHINX speech recognition system

A description is given of SPHINX, a system that demonstrates the feasibility of accurate, large-vocabulary, speaker-independent, continuous speech recognition. SPHINX is based on discrete hidden Markov models (HMMs) with LPC- (linear-predictive-coding) derived parameters. To provide speaker independence, knowledge was added to these HMMs in several ways: multiple codebooks of fixed-width parameters, and an enhanced recognizer with carefully designed models and word-duration modeling. To deal with coarticulation in continuous speech, yet still adequately represent a large vocabulary, two new subword speech units are introduced: function-word-dependent phone models and generalized triphone models. With grammars of perplexity 997, 60, and 20, SPHINX attained word accuracies of 71, 94, and 96%, respectively, on a 997-word task. >