cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of pro-opiomelanocortin biosynthesis and processing by transplantation immunity

IT is more than thirty years since Billingham and Medawar showed that adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol can prolong the survival of skin allografts1,2. It has since become clear that glucocorticoid hormones are critically involved in the regulation of immunity3,4. The level of glucocorticoids secreted in response to antigenic challenge corresponds to the magnitude of the immune response and in general reaches immunosuppressive levels5–7. Interestingly, not all immune responses enhance ACTH and glucocorticoid hormone production. In transplantation immunity, the reverse seems to be true: circulating glucocorticoid levels at the time of skin graft rejection are lower than control levels8. Because β-endorphin and ACTH originate from the same prohormone, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)9, and are closely related in their tissue-specific processing and coordinate release10–12, we have investigated the role of pituitary β-endorphin in transplantation immunity. We report here that POMC biosynthesis and processing in the pars intermedia, but not in the anterior pituitary, can be regulated by T cell-specific factors secreted in animals undergoing transplantation immunity.
Profiles of large-size system peaks and vacancy bands in liquid chromatography II. Comparison of experimental and calculated profiles

The profiles of large-size system peaks and vacancies have been studied andcompared. A reversed-phase system was used with analytical-size column packed with ZORBAX C18 spherical particles and methanol-water as the mobile phase. The analyte was 3-phenyl-1-propanol. The equilibrium-dispersive model of chromatography was used to calculate band profiles using the measured isotherm data and the column efficiency. The isotherm data were determined using frontal analysis and could be fitted to a simple Langmuir equation. Excellent agreement was found between experimental and calculated results.
A theory for creep by interfacial flaw growth in ceramics and ceramic composites

Abstract The nucleation and growth of flaws along grain boundaries and interfaces are known to cause significant reductions in elastic moduli and to play an important role in determining the deformation characteristics of ceramic materials at elevated temperatures. This paper presents an analysis of the creep behavior of deteriorating elastic solids where the principal mechanism of deformation is the growth of intergranular or interfacial flaws. The changes in elastic moduli induced by the growth of internal damage are used to derive the stress exponent in the power-law creep regime. When the flaws advance at a rate which is proportional to the local normal stress or normal strain, a power-law creep exponent of 2 is predicted for short time, steady-state creep for a population of aligned slit cracks and randomly oriented penny-shaped cracks. For long-time creep, the variation of nonsteady state creep strain rate as a function of the far-field stress and time is explicitly determined. General solutions for creep strain rates are also presented for situations where the microcrack growth rate has a power-law dependence on the local normal stress or stress intensity factor. The predicted dependence of creep strain rate on the far-field stress, the progression of damage and the consequent reduction in elastic moduli, overall creep ductility, and implications pertaining to microstructural and temperature effects on creep are found to be in accord with a wide variety of experimental observations for ceramics and ceramic composites. The temperature, stress and material conditions for which the proposed mechanism is applicable are discussed and a general theory of creep damage in progressively microfracturing elastic brittle solids is developed.
Systematic desensitization as counterconditioning: A retest with adequate controls

Davison's (1968) conclusion that systematic desensitization is a counterconditioning process is challenged because of failure to include in his design one group of “relaxation only” and, more importantly, one group receiving aversive imagery and relaxation but noncontiguously. The inclusion of the latter group is mandatory for testing the hypothesis. The results of the present experiment, which included all requisite groups, lead to the rejection of the counterconditioning explanation. Reference is made to an alternative interpretation which depicts desensitization as a complex process involving classical and instrumental conditioning. As an aside, there are also clear trends warranting a very cautious attitude regarding the respective roles of relaxation, extinction, and subject-experimenter relational factors.
The role of interphase boundary adsorption in the formation of spheroidal graphite in cast iron

The interphase boundaries in gray and ductile cast iron were studied with a scanning Auger microprobe (SAM). Sulfur and oxygen were found to be adsorbed at the flake/ metal interfaces in the gray iron, while the nodule/metal and intercrystalline graphite interfaces in the ductile iron were free of foreign elements. The only magnesium detected in the magnesium modified ductile iron was combined with phosphorus and sulfur as a compound. A model is presented which proposes that Fe−C−Si eutectic alloys in the absence of surface active impurities (such as in vacuum casting of high purity materials) produce nodular graphite due to the inherent instability of the graphite/melt interface. The sulfur and oxygen always present in commercial alloys adsorb at the graphite/melt interface, effectively “stabilizing” the active sites on the graphite basal planes, and preventing spherulitic growth. The purpose of modifiers is to getter these impurities.
Isothermal Titration Calorimetry and Macromolecular Visualization for the Interaction of Lysozyme and Its Inhibitors.

To provide a research-like experience to upper-division undergraduate students in a biochemistry teaching laboratory, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is employed to determine the binding constants of lysozyme and its inhibitors, N-acetyl glucosamine trimer (NAG3) and monomer (NAG). The extremely weak binding of lysozyme/NAG is determined using a competitive binding assay. Such interactions between lysozyme and its inhibitors are visualized with PyMol software, by which the hydrogen bond formation in the complexes is used to explain the binding specificity. The hydrogen bond inventory in the binding interface correlates with the heat enthalpy determined or derived from ITC measurements. A possible explanation for such a correlation is presented and used for an extensive discussion in thermodynamics and ligand–receptor interactions. This laboratory exercise stimulates students’ critical thinking about weak/strong binding interactions and the relationship between thermodynamics and structural changes.
Effects of soil management practices on soil microbial communities and development of southern blight in vegetable production

Abstract Soil microbial communities and their relationship with major soil factors and disease development under tillage, no-tillage and organic farming practices were studied. Real-time quantitative-PCR (Q-PCR) was performed to quantify soil fungal and bacterial abundance. Length heterogeneity polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR) combined with cloning and sequencing was used to assess microbial communities. Soil chemical characteristics were significantly different under different management practices. Organic agricultural practice significantly increased soil bacterial and fungal abundances, but not the diversity when compared to tillage and no-tillage management practices. Tillage farming agricultural practice yielded a significant higher bacterial abundance than no-tillage agricultural practice. No difference in fungal abundance was observed between tillage and no-tillage. Bacterial communities in no-tillage and organic cultivation were relatively similar, but significantly different from those in tillage cultivation. Differences of bacterial communities were correlated to soil organic matter (R2 = 0.558), cation exchange capacity (R2 = 0.583) and percentage of Mg (R2 = 0.590). Fungal communities in soil under organic cultivation were significantly different from relatively similar fungal community structure in no-tillage and tillage cultivation treatments. Differences of fungal communities were correlated to soil pH (R2 = 0.421) and soil organic matter (R2 = 0.401). In greenhouse assays, severity of southern blight on tomato plants grown in soils collected from the no-tillage was significantly lower than in soils from the tillage field. Different soil management practices have played an important role in altering soil microbial communities and potentially reducing disease incidence of southern blight on tomato.
In vivo fibrinolysis with a dialysable constituent of recalcified human plasma clots and gluconate.

In Vivo Fibrinolysis with a Dialysable Constituent of Recalcified Human Plasma Clots and Gluconate
Combined plastic waves in a thin-walled tube

Abstract A theory of plasticity without a yield surface is applied to obtain the simple wave solution of a thin-walled tube subject to the combined step loading. Four wave speeds are obtained in this analysis; all speeds involve the coupling of the longitudinal and the torsional motions as well as the loading and the unloading behaviors. Several numerical examples of our theoretical analysis and their comparisons with the experimental data and with the existing theory are also presented. The constant state region between slow and fast waves is not apparent in the present analysis. This is in good agreement with the experiment. Moreover, the predicted final state of shear strain is higher than the experimental, but less than Lipkin and Clifton's result.
Cognitive mechanisms underlying achievement deficits in children with mathematical learning disability.

Using strict and lenient mathematics achievement cutoff scores to define a learning disability, respective groups of children who are math disabled (MLD, n = 15) and low achieving (LA, n = 44) were identified. These groups and a group of typically achieving (TA, n = 46) children were administered a battery of mathematical cognition, working memory, and speed of processing measures (M = 6 years). The children with MLD showed deficits across all math cognition tasks, many of which were partially or fully mediated by working memory or speed of processing. Compared with the TA group, the LA children were less fluent in processing numerical information and knew fewer addition facts. Implications for defining MLD and identifying underlying cognitive deficits are discussed.
Self-aligned 40-nm channel carbon nanotube field-effect transistors with subthreshold swings down to 70 mV/decade

Much progress has been made in recent years in the fabrication and understanding of the operations of Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) field effect transistors (FETs). Nevertheless, it remains a challenge to develop highly scaled device structures for nanotube transistors and push to the performance limit of these molecular materials. The purpose of this work is to fabricate highly scaled SWNT field effect transistors (FETs) and approach the performance limit of carbon nanotube FETs.
UTILIZATION OF HAIL-DAY DATA IN DESIGNING AND EVALUATING HAIL SUPPRESSION PROJECTS

Abstract Historical hail-day records of U.S. Weather Bureau first-order stations and cooperative substations are the only long, objective records of hail occurrence available throughout the United States. Although hail-day data are limited in areal density and are not necessarily the most desired measure of seeding effects, they are the only data available to obtain a measure of the areal-temporal variability of hail for most areas of the United States. Consequently, hail-day data from Illinois have been employed in a pilot project to determine the time required to obtain statistically significant changes in hail-day frequencies over various sized areas. Four statistical designs were investigated using the historical hail-day data for five areas in Illinois. The results show that the optimum design for hail-day data is the continuous seeding (seeding on all days likely to have hail) over an area. The optimum test is the sequential test involving the Poisson and Negative Binomial distributions. Detection o...
Robust polygon modelling

Abstract The paper provides a set of algorithms for performing set operations on polygonal regions in the plane using standard floating-point arithmetic. The algorithms are robust, guaranteeing both topological consistency and numerical accuracy. Each polygon edge is modelled as an implicit or explicit polygonal curve which stays within some distance s of the original line segment. If the curve is implicit, s is bounded by a small multiple of the rounding unit. If the curves are explicit, the bound on s may grow with the number of curves. One can mix implicit and explicit representations to suit the application.
Discrete Wigner synthesis

Abstract An important application of the Wigner distribution (WD) is the synthesis of a discrete-time signal whose WD approximates a specified time-frequency distribution in the minimum mean-square error sense. One approach previously proposed (Yu and Cheng, Proc. ICASSP , 1985, pp. 1037–1040) is based upon the notion of expressing the desired signal in terms of orthonormal functions and applying the resulting induced Wigner distributions for WD synthesis. In this paper, we prove that the induced WDs cannot be orthonormal for any choice of the original orthonormal functions. We also prove that the induced WDs can be orthogonal only for particular original basis functions. We utilize these results to introduce a rigorous approach for discrete WD synthesis. We then illustrate our approach through analytical and computational examples.
Microvilli defects in retinas of ezrin knockout mice.

Ezrin, a member of the ezrin/moesin/radixin (ERM) family, localizes to microvilli of epithelia in vivo, where it functions as a bridge between actin filaments and plasma membrane proteins. In the eye, ezrin has been localized to both apical microvilli of Muller cells and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) apical microvilli and basal infoldings. In the present study, we analyze these structures in the eyes of early postnatal ezrin knockout mice. This analysis indicates that the loss of ezrin leads to substantial reductions in the apical microvilli and basal infoldings in RPE cells and in the Muller cell apical microvilli. The absence of apical microvilli in the RPE is accompanied by the presence of microvilli-like inclusions (MIs) in the RPE cytoplasm. Finally, photoreceptors in the ezrin knockout animals show substantial retardation in development as compared to their wild type littermates.
G1 domain of aggrecan cointernalizes with hyaluronan via a CD44-mediated mechanism in bovine articular chondrocytes†

Objective To determine whether aggrecan fragments bound to hyaluronan (HA) can be retained and internalized by articular chondrocytes and whether these events are dependent on HA and its receptor, CD44. An additional objective was to determine whether partial degradation of aggrecan is a prerequisite for internalization. Methods Binding and internalization of a variety of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)– or biotin-labeled HA/proteoglycan probes were investigated on normal bovine articular cartilage chondrocytes, bovine articular chondrocytes transfected with a dominant-negative construct of CD44, or COS-7 cells transfected with wild-type CD44. The probes were defined as being internalized by the presence of label associated with the cells following extensive trypsinization of the cell surface. Results Biotinylated aggrecan fragments bound to FITC-HA were cointernalized in bovine articular chondrocytes or COS-7 cells transfected with CD44. Intracellular vesicles containing FITC-HA colocalized with a fluorescent probe for lysosomes. The internalization of the aggrecan fragments was dependent on the presence of HA as well as the presence of functional CD44. Intact aggrecan/FITC-HA complexes bound to the cell surface but were not internalized. However, following brief trypsin digestion of the aggrecan/HA complex, the remaining proteoglycan fragments were bound and internalized. Conclusion Partially degraded aggrecan fragments (e.g., aggrecan G1 domains bound to HA) can be internalized by articular chondrocytes via a mechanism involving HA/CD44-mediated endocytosis. Further, the presence of an intact aggrecan monomer bound to HA inhibits the internalization of HA as well as HA-bound fragments.
Symptom Prevalence of ADHD in a Community Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program

Objective: ADHD is a common comorbid condition with substance use disorder. This study seeks to examine the discrepancy in the prevalence rate between those previously diagnosed with ADHD and those...
Effect of Anionic and Nonionic Contrast Media on Renal Extraction of Para-Aminohippurate in the Dog

SummaryNonionic and anionic contrast media, isosmotic or hyperosmotic, decrease EPAH while equiosmolar NaCl does not; this effect is mediated by the organic iodinated portion of the molecule.
Physicochemical Characterization of Starch From Peruvian Sweetpotato SelectionsASA Alimentos S.A., Lima, Peru

Laboratory starches, isolated from seven sweetpotato selections grown at two locations in Peru, and commercially available Peruvian starch were characterized with regard to physicochemical properties. Chemical analyses included determination of nitrogen, ash, and amylose content. Physical characterization was based on results from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), swelling power, solubility, and rheology of the pastes. We found that nitrogen and amylose content were not affected by location or selection, while ash content was affected by location. Results from the DSC analysis showed that selection identity (SI) did not affect DSC enthalpy, onset, peak, and final temperatures. Location affected only peak temperature. Investigation of starch swelling power showed that SI and location did not affect swelling power above 75°C, and that laboratory starch samples had greater swelling power than commercial samples. Solubility was affected by location, but not by SI. Maximum viscosities of heated starch slurries were not affected by SI or location. Although laboratory and commercial samples did not differ significantly in chemical composition, physical behavior of their pastes was significantly different.
William and Dorothy Wordsworth: All in Each Other

In this delightful book, Lucy Newlyn probes Dorothy and William Wordsworth's lifelong domestic and written partnership. One part biography and two parts literary criticism, William and Dorothy Word...
Control of Texas Citrus Mite Populations on Oranges with Selected Petroleum Oil Fractions

Residual control of Eutetranychus banksi (McGregor), lasted for 2 months or more with 440 and 410 oils, but populations were generally smaller following 440 oils than following 410 oils during the 1963–66 period. Populations were similar following 448 paraffinic oil, 443 naphthenic oil, and dicofol-malathion. For 2 months or more following 1.0% post-bloom oil, control of Texas citrus mites with 448 paraffinic oil was better than with 410 or 412 paraffinic oils. Smaller mite populations were generally found following 1.6% 448 paraffinic oil than 410 paraffinic oil applied in June, July, or August. Erratic control was found following post-bloom oil and selective miticide treatments during 1965 when large initial populations were present.
Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of long-term combination antiretroviral therapy in asymptomatic treatment-naïve adults with early HIV infection.

AbstractBackground: Initiating antiretroviral therapy in the early stages of HIV infection may afford benefits over delaying treatment. We evaluated the long-term efficacy and tolerrability of indinavir, zidovudine, and lamivudine begun in asymptomatic treatment-naive adults with baseline CD4 counts ≥500 cells/mm3 and HIV (v)RNA levels >1000 copies/mL in an open-label, noncomparative study. Method: Proportions of participants with suppressed viremia were assessed using observed data, a model derived from generalized estimating equations counting only treatment-related discontinuations as failures (TRD=F), and a strict intention-to-treat analysis counting all noncompleters as failures (NC=F). Results: 199 participants (median age 34; 79% men; 61% White) with a median CD4 count of 574 (range 130-1204) cells/mm3 and vRNA level of 3.89 (range 2.30-6.50) log10 copies/mL were followed up to 319 weeks. Overall, 142 participants (71%) discontinued the study after a median time of 112 weeks, including 4 (2%) due t...
A segmentation algorithm for color images

Abstract A method that combines clustering and region merging for color image segmentation is presented. We start with clustering based on recursive one-dimensional histogram analysis, where the parameter that controls the segmentation process has been set to produce an oversegmentation. The resulting regions are then merged on the basis of a criterion that takes into account color similarity and spatial proximity.
A new Costa Rican species of Centropogon: C. irazuensis (Campanulaceae-Lobelioideae)

A new species ofCentropogon (sect.Wimmeriopsis subsect.Falcati McVaugh) from Volcan IrazU, Costa Rica is described and compared with both C.valeri Standl., a closely related taxon endemic to the Cordillera de Talamanca, and with C.wimmeri Standl., known from a single specimen from the southwestern slope of Volcan IrazU. A key to and descriptions of these three taxa, which are the only North American representatives of subsect.Falcati south of Guatemala, are included.
Effects of Electroosmosis on Soil Temperature and Hydraulic Head. I: Field Observations

A field test to quantify the changes in soil temperature and the hydraulic head during electroosmosis was conducted. The anode (3.1 m×3.4 m) was created by laying pieces of titanium mesh coated with mixed metal oxides on top of a 3 cm thick sand layer to a depth of 0.4 m. The cathode (2.5 m in radius) was a hydraulic fracture filled with granular graphite to a depth of 2.2 m. A constant voltage of 47 V was applied for 4 weeks, resulting a nearly constant current of 42 A between the electrodes. The electrical potentials and soil temperatures were monitored at 7.5 cm depth intervals at distances 0.6, 1.2, 2.1, and 3.0 m from the cathode well. Arrays of piezometers were installed at various depths and at radial distances from the cathode well to monitor the hydraulic head distribution. The initial soil temperature decreased by 2–3°C/m of depth with a minor radial gradient. After the power was turned on, the temperature of soil in the vicinity of the graphite increased significantly. The increased temperature propagated outward as a contour in the radial direction of the graphite well causing the vertical temperature gradient to disappear. The propagating speed of the temperature contours decreased with the energy input. In addition, the temperature contours close to the edges of both the mesh and the graphite electrodes increased and propagated outward vertically. In the regions where these three propagating fronts met, the soil temperature profiles were distorted and formed “S” shaped contours. The hydraulic head close to the anode decreased between 0 and 10 cm, whereas it increased between 2 and 6 cm close to the cathode. The results show that electroosmosis caused a hydraulic gradient that was opposite to the electroosmotic flow.
A study of the reproducibility of analytical balances

Abstract The variation of balance rest point reproducibility over a wide range of sensitivities is surveyed. At low sensitivities, the reproducibility in scale units is a constant. The weighing reproducibility in milligram units in this region is limited by the readability of the scale and may be improved by increasing balance sensitivity or replacing the regular scale with a micro scale and magnifier. As the sensitivity is increased above a certain limit, control of milligram reproducibility passes from scale readability to the mechanical error of the balance. At high sensitivities, reproducibility in milligram units is practically constant and this constant is a criterion of the mechanical character of the balance.
Diffusion-induced growth of a gas bubble in a viscoelastic fluid

The diffusion-induced growth of a spherical gas bubble surrounded by a thin shell of viscoelastic fluid containing a limited amount of dissolved gas is analyzed. This is representative of a situation when a large number of bubbles grows in close proximity in a viscoelastic medium. The upper-convected Maxwell model is employed to describe the rheology of the fluid. Limited quantities of the dissolved gas available in the liquid shell mandates solution of the convection-diffusion equation, as opposed to using similarity solutions or polynomial profiles to describe the mass transport across the interface. Utilizing the properties of a potential field and a Lagrangian transformation, a new approach is introduced to solve the coupled system of integro-differential equations governing the bubble growth. The results indicate that, at the early stages of the growth, bubbles in a viscoelastic fluid grow faster than in a Newtonian fluid. However, eventually they attain the same steady-state configuration.
Practical Model for Prognostication in Advanced Cancer Patients: Is Less More?

Prognostication of life expectancy is of utmost importance to patients, families, and oncologists, particularly in the advanced cancer setting. Accurate prognostication is essential for oncologists in formulating their recommendations. Patients’ predicted survival can have a profound impact on important decisions, such as palliative care and hospice referral, initiation of specific medications, and avoidance of aggressive therapies. As cancer patients progress over the course of their illness, knowing what to expect can also provide them with a sense of control and facilitate the process of advance care planning. 1 Clinicians have been consistently found to overestimate survival. 2 Therefore, prognostication tools are needed to enhance the accuracy of survival predictions. Traditional prognosis for cancer patients is primarily based on tumor-related factors, specifically disease burden and aggressiveness as indicated by various clinical, imaging, laboratory, pathologic, and molecular features. Prognostic models consisting of various combinations of these factors have been validated to provide highly accurate estimates of long-term survival for specific cancer types, allowing oncologists to provide risk-adapted treatment plans and to inform patients of their general prognosis. However, they tend to be less precise when it comes to predicting short-term outcomes in advanced states of disease, limiting their utility in day-to-day clinical decision making for patients with progressive cancer. To obtain a more accurate estimate of short-term prognosis, newer models have incorporated various patient-related prognostic factors, such as performance status, comorbidities, and physiologic parameters. While a number of prognostic models are now available for advanced cancer patients 3,4 and far advanced cancer patients, 5,6 there are significant barriers preventing their use in routine practice. These include limited applicability due to complexity of the model, restricted generalizability secondary to poor patient selection for the derivation cohort, and overall limited accuracy.
Spectrum-Aware Mobility Management in Cognitive Radio Cellular Networks

Cognitive radio (CR) networks have been proposed as a solution to both spectrum inefficiency and spectrum scarcity problems. However, they face several challenges based on the fluctuating nature of the available spectrum, making it more difficult to support seamless communications, especially in CR cellular networks. In this paper, a spectrum-aware mobility management scheme is proposed for CR cellular networks. First, a novel network architecture is introduced to mitigate heterogeneous spectrum availability. Based on this architecture, a unified mobility management framework is developed to support diverse mobility events in CR networks, which consists of spectrum mobility management, user mobility management, and intercell resource allocation. The spectrum mobility management scheme determines a target cell and spectrum band for CR users adaptively dependent on time-varying spectrum opportunities, leading to increase in cell capacity. In the user mobility management scheme, a mobile user selects a proper handoff mechanism so as to minimize a switching latency at the cell boundary by considering spatially heterogeneous spectrum availability. Intercell resource allocation helps to improve the performance of both mobility management schemes by efficiently sharing spectrum resources with multiple cells. Simulation results show that the proposed method can achieve better performance than conventional handoff schemes in terms of both cell capacity as well as mobility support in communications.
Automated tuning and matching of a 16-channel TEM transmit-only array used in conjunction with a 32-channel receive-only loop array for MR cardiac imaging at 7 tesla

Radiofrequency (RF) coils are antenna-like devices used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to inductively excite and receive the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal in anatomy. Recently, coil arrays have shown significant advantages over large single channel volume coils at ultra-high magnetic field strengths. However, to maximize the full potential, each individual coil within the array needs to be “tuned and matched” to the anatomy (load) prior to imaging. Tuning and matching can be a tedious and time consuming process, and has been cited as a problem that precludes ultra-high field strength MRI from a becoming a clinical reality. Here, we have developed an electromechanical solution. A 16-channel transmit-only TEM array was designed and fitted with piezoelectric actuators mechanically linked to sliding cylindrical tuning and matching capacitors to automate the tuning and matching process, based on the coil's reflection coefficient.
Analyzing Differentiation in the Classroom: Using the COS-R.

The use of a classroom observation tool to monitor differentiation strategies is described, and relevant research findings using the form are reported. The advantages for using this approach to doc...
A remark on arithmetic equivalence and the normset

Number fields with the same zeta function are said to be arithmetically equivalent. Arithmetically equivalent fields share much of the same properties; for example, they have the same degrees, discriminants, number of both real and complex valuations, and prime decomposition laws (over Q). They also have isomorphic unit groups and determine the same normal closure over Q[7]. Strangely enough, it has been shown (for example [4], or more recently [6] and [7]) that this does not imply that arithmetically equivalent fields are isomorphic. Just recently [3] B. De Smit and R. Perlis showed that arithmetically equivalent fields do not even necessarily have the same class number. In this short note we take this recent result of De Smit and Perlis, and a well-known fact from algebraic number theory and use them to show that the integral normset (that is, the set of integral norms from a ring of algebraic integers to Z) uniquely determines a larger class of extensions of Q than the splitting set does. (In this paper, we use the standard convention that “equality of splitting sets” means that the symmetric difference is finite. That is to say, if X and Y are sets of prime ideals, then we say that they are equal if their symmetric difference is finite). Good background information on the splitting set can be obtained in [1] or [5], and information on the normset can be found in [2].
Resident memory CD8 T cells trigger protective innate and adaptive immune responses

The pathogen recognition theory dictates that, upon viral infection, the innate immune system first detects microbial products and then responds by providing instructions to adaptive CD8 T cells. Here, we show in mice that tissue resident memory CD8 T cells (TRM cells), non-recirculating cells located at common sites of infection, can achieve near-sterilizing immunity against viral infections by reversing this flow of information. Upon antigen resensitization within the mouse female reproductive mucosae, CD8+ TRM cells secrete cytokines that trigger rapid adaptive and innate immune responses, including local humoral responses, maturation of local dendritic cells, and activation of natural killer cells. This provided near-sterilizing immunity against an antigenically unrelated viral infection. Thus, CD8+ TRM cells rapidly trigger an antiviral state by amplifying receptor-derived signals from previously encountered pathogens.
The Mre11 Nuclease Is Not Required for 5′ to 3′ Resection at Multiple HO-Induced Double-Strand Breaks

Received 29 March 2004/Returned for modification 28 April 2004/Accepted 3 August 2004 Current hypotheses suggest the Mre11 nuclease activity could be directly involved in double-strand break (DSB) resection in the presence of a large number of DSBs or limited to processing abnormal DNA ends. To distinguish between these possibilities, we used two methods to create large numbers of DSBs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosomes, without introducing other substrates for the Mre11 nuclease. Multiple DSBs were created either by expressing the HO endonuclease in strains containing several HO cut sites embedded within randomly dispersed Ty1 elements or by phleomycin treatment. Analysis of resection by single-strand DNA formation in these systems showed no difference between strains containing MRE11 or the mre11-D56N nuclease defective allele, suggesting that the Mre11 nuclease is not involved in the extensive 5 to 3 resection of DSBs. We postulate that the ionizing radiation (IR) sensitivity of mre11 nuclease-defective mutants results from the accumulation of IR-induced DNA damage that is normally processed by the Mre11 nuclease. We also report that the processivity of 5 to 3 DSB resection and the yield of repaired products are affected by the number of DSBs in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, we show that the exonuclease Exo1 is involved in the processivity of 5 to 3 resection of an HO-induced DSB at the MAT locus.
Nonoperative management of tracheal laceration during endotracheal intubation

Tracheal laceration is a rare but potentially devastating complication of endotracheal intubation. Traditional management of intubation-related tracheal laceration is operative. Nonoperative management of a woman noted to have a tracheal laceration during intubation is described. Criteria by which nonoperative treatment can be considered are outlined.
Dynamic access control: preserving safety and trust for network defense operations

We investigate the cost of changing access control policies dynamically as a response action in computer network defense. We compare and contrast the use of access lists and capability lists in this regard, and develop a quantitative feel for the performance overheads and storage requirements. We also explore the issues related to preserving safety properties and trust assumptions during this process. We suggest augmentations to policy specifications that can guarantee these properties in spite of dynamic changes to system state. Using the lessons learned from this exercise, we apply these techniques in the design of dynamic access controls for dynamic environments.
Development of a molecular detection method for naphthalene degrading pseudomonads

Abstract A combined polymerase chain reaction amplification and reverse dot blot assay was designed for the detection of bacterial genes from soil and sediments. Total nucleic acids were directly extracted from soil using a lysozyme/sodium dodecyl sulfate/freeze-thaw method followed by rapid purification through gel electrophoresis. DNA was amplified using a highly stringent polymerase chain reaction with primers directed against the nahR regulatory gene present in plasmid NAH7 of Pseudomonas putida G7. The resulting amplification product was detected colorimetrically by reverse dot blot with an improved sensitivity ten-fold greater than traditional ethidium bromide staining after gel electrophersis. A lower limit of 10 3 , P. putida G7 cfu (g soil) −1 was detected. This method was successfully employed to detect indigenous naphthalene-degrading bacteria from subsurface sediment collected from different locations of a naphthalene-contaminated site. Similar approaches could be developed for other soil-borne genetic markers.
Risk for Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts Associated with Co-occurring Depression and Conduct Problems in Early Adolescence

This study investigates the early manifestation of co-occurring depression and conduct problems as a predictor of heightened risk for later suicidal ideation and behavior in a community sample of 521 adolescents. Self-reported symptoms of depression and conduct problems were evaluated in early 6th grade. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors were tracked through multiple assessments carried out over the middle school years. Compared to adolescents with depression symptoms only, conduct problem symptoms only, or low psychopathology, those with co-occurring depression and conduct problem symptoms had the highest risk for subsequent suicidal ideation, recurrent suicidal behaviors, and suicide attempts.
Muscarinic Receptor Activity Has Multiple Effects on the Resting Membrane Potentials of CA1 Hippocampal Interneurons

Inhibitory interneurons appear to be an important target for the muscarinic actions of cholinergic inputs to the hippocampus. We investigated the effect of muscarinic receptor activity on the membrane potential (V(m)) and currents of rat hippocampal CA1 interneurons using whole-cell recording from visually identified CA1 interneurons. The predominant response observed was a muscarinic depolarization that was detected in interneurons from all layers of CA1. This depolarization was mediated by at least two mechanisms: a reduction in a potassium current and a mechanism that depended on extracellular sodium. Other interneurons responded to muscarinic agonists with a hyperpolarization or a biphasic response (hyperpolarization followed by depolarization). Hyperpolarizations and biphasic responses were found in all layers of CA1 but more frequently in stratum radiatum and stratum lacunosum moleculare. Muscarinic hyperpolarization was caused by the activation of a barium- and cesium-sensitive inwardly rectifying potassium channel. A small number of interneurons, primarily in or bordering the stratum pyramidale, produced slow membrane potential (0.04 Hz) oscillations. Many interneurons did not respond to muscarinic activity at all; half of these were in the stratum oriens. There was no strong correlation between any changes in V(m) response to muscarine and morphology, as determined by reconstruction of the interneurons. It was not possible to predict the morphology or the layer distribution of an interneuron based on the type of muscarinic membrane potential response it had. This lack of correlation between muscarinic function and morphology implies a greater complexity of interneuron function than has been realized previously.
Effect of Exercise Dosages on Adiposity Indices in Overweight Girls

Objective. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the impact of two exercise dosages on reducing adiposity in minority girls. Materials and methods. Sixty-two overweight Hispanic and African-American girls participated in one of two intense summer interventions in Houston, TX: Intervention A (exposure to about 40 hours physical activities) or Intervention B (exposure to 60 hours of physical activities). Adiposity indices (percent body fat, waist circumference, body mass index) were taken pre- and post-intervention. Results. Intervention B had a significantly greater decrease in adiposity indicators (p= 0.006) when compared to Intervention A. Waist circumference displayed the most significant decrease (p = 0.001). Both interventions significantly increased daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (p= 0.020). Conclusions. Intense physical activity interventions may effectively reduce abdominal fat in minority girls.
Are Crimes by Online Predators Different From Crimes by Sex Offenders Who Know Youth In-Person?

Purpose: We examined cases in which sex offenders arrested for Internet-related crimes used the Internet for sexual communications with minors, comparing crimes by offenders who met victims online to those by offenders who knew victims in-person prior to the offense. Methods: We collected data from a national sample of law enforcement agencies (n ¼ 2,653) about arrests in 2009 for Internet-related sex crimes against minors, conducting detailed telephone interviews with investigators about individual cases. This paper examines a subset of arrest cases that included the use of online sexual communications (online-meeting offenders, n ¼ 143; knowin-person/online offenders, n ¼ 139). Results and Conclusions: Compared with know-in-person/online offenders, online-meeting offenders were less likely to have criminal backgrounds and more likely to use online communications to deceive victims. However, deception was a factor in a minority of cases and was also used by some know-in-person/online offenders. The majority of cases in both groups involved statutory rape (i.e., nonforcible illegal sexual activity with underage youth) or noncontact offenses such as child pornography production or sexual solicitation of a minor. We conclude that crimes by online-meeting offenders should not be treated as different or more dangerous than those by know-in-person/online offenders who use online sexual communications. Rather, prevention efforts should educate about the nature of statutory rape and related noncontact offenses. The primary message should be that it is criminal for adults to make sexual overtures to minors, online or offline, no matter what their relationship to the youth.
Securing preceptors for advanced practice students

This paper discusses challenging issues and guidelines for securing preceptorships for advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) students, i.e., clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and nurse anesthetists. Student preceptorships are facilitated when there is a relationship that fosters collaboration and cooperation between faculty members in academic institutions and preceptors in clinical institutions. The faculty member in the academic setting ensures that requirements for the course and clinical experiences can be met through the choice of preceptor and patient population or setting within a clinical institution. Faculty must identify, select and contract with preceptors who are not only clinical experts, but who are able to function effectively in the roles of coach and mentor for the advanced practice nursing student. Consideration of the curriculum, student background and preceptor characteristics allows faculty to tailor the clinical assignment so that course and clinical outcomes and student goals are achieved. Faculty, preceptor and student engage in a dialog that delineates responsibilities for orientation, course and clinical expectations, supervision and evaluation. Securing written contracts and clarifying responsibilities is the result of a collaborative relationship that confirms the commitment of each partner in the preceptorship.
Adding Hyperlinks to Digital Television

Hyperlinked video is video in which specific objects are made selectable by some form of user interface, and the user’s interactions with these objects modify the presentation of the video. Identifying and tracking the objects remains one of the chief difficulties in authoring hyperlinked video; we solve this problem through the use of a video tracking and segmentation algorithm that uses color, texture, motion, and position parameters. An author uses a computer mouse to scribble roughly on each desired object in a frame of video, and the system generates a segmentation mask for that frame and following frames. We have applied this technique in the production of a soap opera program, with the result that the user can inquire about purchasing clothing and furnishings used in the show. We will discuss this and other uses of the technology, describe our experiences in using the segmentation algorithm for hyperlinked video purposes in both broadcast and on-demand modes, and present several different user-interface methods appropriate for hyperlinked video.
Utilization of Chondroitin Sulfate by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Growing in Carbohydrate-Limited Continuous Culture

When Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, an obligate anaerobe from the human colonic flora, was grown in continuous culture with the mucopolysaccharide chondroitin sulfate as the limiting source of carbohydrate, growth yields ranged from 48 g of cell dry weight per mol of equivalent monosaccharide at a growth rate of 3.5 h per generation to 32 g per mol at a growth rate of 24 h per generation. The theoretical maximum growth yield (61 g of cell dry weight per mol of equivalent monosaccharide) was comparable to that of 54 g per mol, which was obtained previously when glucuronic acid, a component of chondroitin sulfate, was the limiting carbohydrate (S. F. Kotarski and A. A. Salyers, J. Bacteriol. 146:853-860, 1981). However, the maintenance coefficient was three times higher when chondroitin sulfate was the substrate than when glucuronic acid was the substrate. The specific activity of chondroitin lyase (EC 4.2.2.4), an enzyme which cleaves chondroitin sulfate into disaccharides, declined by nearly 50% as growth rates decreased from 3.5 to 24 h per generation. By contrast, the specific activities of several glycolytic enzymes and disaccharidases remained constant over this range of growth rates. Although chondroitin sulfate was growth limiting, some carbohydrate was detectable in the extracellular fluid at all growth rates. At rapid growth rates (1 to 2 h per generation), this residual carbohydrate included fragments of chondroitin sulfate having a wide range of molecular weights. At slower growth rates (2 to 24 h per generation), the residual carbohydrate consisted mainly of a small fragment which migrated on paper chromatograms more slowly than the disaccharides produced by chondroitin lyase but faster than a tetrasaccharide. This small fragment may represent the reducing end of the chondroitin sulfate molecule.
Advanced polymeric matrix for valvular complications

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) matrix systems incorporated with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) containing nitric oxide (NO) donors (DETA NONOate) were developed for prevention of heart valve complications through sustained and controlled release of NO. PLLA matrices were prepared using the salt leaching method and the properties and drug release profiles were characterized. For assessment of the effects of PLLA systems on the pharmacological responses and cytotoxicity, various factors, such as calcium content, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) expression, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) expression and cell viability of porcine aortic valve interstitial cells (PAVICs), were evaluated. PLLA matrices embedded with PLGA- NPs demonstrated its usefulness in alleviating the calcification rate of the VICs. The cGMP levels under osteoblastic conditions significantly increased, supporting that anticalcification activity of NO is mediated through NO-cGMP signaling pathway. The level of ICAM-1 expression in cells exposed to NO was lowered, suggesting that NO has an inhibitory activity against tissue inflammation. NO releases from PLLA matrix embedded with PLGA NPs prevented valvular calcification and inflammation without causing any cytotoxic activities. PLLA matrix system loaded with NPs containing NO donors could provide a new platform for sustained and controlled delivery of NO, significantly reducing valvular complications. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A:, 2012.