cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
External and internal influences on indices of physiological stress: II. Seasonal and size-related variations in blood composition in free-living lizards, Sceloporus occidentalis.

Seasonal changes in blood composition (plasma osmolality, total plasma protein, hematocrit) in two free-living populations of fence lizards, Sceloporus occidentalis, one living in a very arid environment (Pearblossom, CA) and another in a milder desert (Bend, OR), were analyzed. In this analysis, two features of reptilian physiology and ecology were incorporated: ontogenetic variation in blood composition and seasonal variation in body-size distribution. The population living in the arid environment, but not the mild environment, exhibited significant seasonal changes in blood composition: mean plasma osmolality increased (345 ± 4 to 356 ± 3 mOsmol/kg) and mean plasma protein (4.19 ± 0.20 to 3.34 ± 0.14 g/dl) and hematocrit decreased (43.8 ± 0.3 to 31.6 ± 0.4) from April to August. These changes suggested that the physiological condition of the California population was affected by seasonal changes in the external environment. However, among individuals, a significant portion of the variation in blood composition was associated with an internal factor, body size. Larger lizards had higher osmolality, total protein, and hematocrit than smaller lizards in all seasons. In addition, the mean body size of active lizards decreased from April to August in California, but not Oregon. Because the body-size distribution of active lizards in California shifted between seasons, changes in mean population values of these blood parameters probably do not accurately reflect changes that occur within individuals and therefore may be misleading in assessing the physiological consequences of drought. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ending the Mahābhārata: Making a Lasting Impression

Beginnings and endings play a crucial role in any text, but they are especially important when the text is devoted to the narration of events; in other words, when it tells a story, as in the case of the Mahabharata. The beginning sets the stage, it provides context, and it predisposes the listener/reader to understand the story from a certain perspective and within a given set of assumptions. The ending, on the other hand, allows the author, editor or interpolator to tie up loose ends, to emphasize certain aspects or characteristics of the narrative, and to make any necessary correctives or clarifications that he deems necessary. Beginnings and endings are usually among the late additions to a text. There is no question that the received Mahabharata is a layered text, that is, a text that includes interpolations and additions. That is why a critical edition was needed for a proper study of the history of the epic. But we must remember that even the Critical Edition which is the one
Human N-Myristoyltransferase Amino-terminal Domain Involved in Targeting the Enzyme to the Ribosomal Subcellular Fraction

N-Myristoyltransferase (NMT) catalyzes the cotranslational acylation with myristic acid of the NH2-terminal glycines of a number of cellular and viral proteins. Most of the in vitro NMT activity (60–85%) in isoosmotic cell homogenates of human lymphoblastic leukemia (i.e. CEM and MOLT-4) and cervical carcinoma (i.e. HeLa) cells was shown to be associated with the ribosomal subcellular fractions by differential centrifugation. Also found in the ribosomal fractions was a ≈60-kDa protein that was specifically immunoblotted with an anti-human NMT (hNMT) peptide antibody. This ≈60-kDa protein was stable in the presence of proteolytic enzyme inhibitors but was gradually converted into a ≈46-kDa species when stored in the absence of protease inhibitors. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation of the ribosomal fraction resulted in the hNMT activity sedimenting exactly coincident with the 260 nm absorption profile and exhibitingA 260/A 280 absorption ratios >1.8, indicating an association of NMT with putative ribosomal particle(s)/subunit(s). The subcellular targeting of hNMT was also examined by immunoblotting subcellular fractions from HeLa cells transfected with plasmids containing FLAG epitope-tagged hNMT inserts corresponding either to the originally assigned hNMT gene or to an alternative open reading frame initiated from an in-frame start site upstream from the assumed hNMT start site. Anti-FLAG immunoblotting of cells transfected with a plasmid containing the larger insert revealed FLAG-NMT primarily in the ribosomal fraction with an apparent molecular mass similar to the ≈60-kDa native hNMT. In contrast, immunoblotting of cells transfected with a plasmid containing the smaller insert identified a ≈50-kDa FLAG-NMT predominantly in the cytosolic fraction. An analysis of mixtures of CEM ribosomes and serial dilutions of purified recombinant FLAG-NMTs demonstrated that the ≈60-kDa FLAG-NMT binds ribosomes with higher affinity than the ≈50-kDa FLAG-NMT. These in vivo and in vitrosubcellular targeting and recombinant expression experiments identify a native hNMT that is 10–12 kDa larger than the enzyme predicted by the originally assigned hNMT gene and which is apparently translated from an alternative up-stream start site. The data also indicate that although the unique NH2-terminal residues encoded by this larger open reading frame are not required for in vitrocatalytic activity, they do provide signal(s) involved in targeting hNMT to the ribosomal subcellular fraction where cotranslationalN-myristoylation occurs.
The human cytomegalovirus TRL11/IRL11-encoded FcγR binds differentially to allelic variants of immunoglobulin G1

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has evolved several immune-evasion strategies. One strategy involves encoding Fcgamma receptor (FcγR)-like proteins that thwart the Fcγ-mediated effector functions. Our aim was to determine whether GM allotypes-immunoglobulin γ chain determinants expressed primarily on the Fc segment-modulate this viral strategy through differential binding to the viral FcγR. Results of our ELISA binding studies show that the mean absorbance values for binding to the HCMV TRL11/IRL11-encoded FcγR were higher for IgG1 expressing the GM 3 allotype than for those expressing the allelic GM 1,2,17 determinants (p = 0.0005), a finding with potential implications for genetic etiology of HCMV-associated diseases.
Interference and partial which-way information: A quantitative test of duality in two-atom resonance

We propose for the experimental verification of an inequality concerning wave-particle duality by Englert [Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 2154 (1996)] relating (or setting) an upper limit on distinguishability and visibility in a two-way interferometer. The inequality, quantifies the concept of wave-particle duality. The considered two-way interferometer is a Young's double-slit experiment involving two four-level atoms and is a slightly modified version of that of the recent experiment by Eichmann et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 2359 (1993)]. The fringe visibility depends on the detected polarization direction of the scattered light and a read out of the internal state of one of the two atoms provides a partial which-way information.
Electrochemically Induced Deposition of Thiol-Based Monolayers onto Closely Spaced Microelectrodes

We report on an electrochemical protocol for the selective formation of self-assembled alkanethiol monolayers on a given microelectrode in the presence of a nearby second one. The procedure relies ...
Comparative effects of a Mg-enriched diet and different orally administered magnesium oxide preparations on ionized Mg, Mg metabolism and electrolytes in serum of human volunteers.

To determine whether: 1) short-term dietary elevation in magnesium (Mg) intake could alter serum ionized Mg (IMg2+), total Mg (TMg); % ionized Mg (% IMg2+) and other cations; and 2) different formulated preparations of Mg oxide (MgO) in the presence and absence of phosphate could alter serum IMg2+, TMg, % IMg2+ and other cations in Mg-loaded subjects.A randomized, triple cross-over study was performed on a rigorously defined group of normal male volunteers. Eighteen males were administered diets containing four to five times the United States recommended daily allowance (USRDA) of Mg followed by a randomization of three different MgO preparations, in the presence or absence of phosphate, containing equimolar amounts (12.34 mmol) of elemental Mg. Forty age-matched volunteers served as reference range controls. Specific ion selective electrodes were utilized to measure IMg2+, ionized calcium (ICa2+), sodium (Na+) potassium (K+) and hydrogen ion concentration (H+). Measurement of urinary excretion of Mg as w...
Keyword Spotting Framework Using Dynamic Background Model

An important task in Keyword Spotting in handwritten documents is to separate Keywords from Non Keywords. Very often this is achieved by learning a filler or background model. A common method of building a background model is to allow all possible sequences or transitions of characters. However, due to large variation in handwriting styles, allowing all possible sequences of characters as background might result in an increased false reject. A weak background model could result in high false accept. We propose a novel way of learning the background model dynamically. The approach first used in word spotting in speech uses a feature vector of top K local scores per character and top N global scores of matching hypotheses. A two class classifier is learned on these features to classify between Keyword and Non Keyword.
Mechanism of Fatty-Acid-Dependent UCP1 Uncoupling in Brown Fat Mitochondria

Mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) is responsible for nonshivering thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Upon activation by long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), UCP1 increases the conductance of the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) to make BAT mitochondria generate heat rather than ATP. Despite being a member of the family of mitochondrial anion carriers (SLC25), UCP1 is believed to transport H(+) by an unusual mechanism that has long remained unresolved. Here, we achieved direct patch-clamp measurements of UCP1 currents from the IMM of BAT mitochondria. We show that UCP1 is an LCFA anion/H(+) symporter. However, the LCFA anions cannot dissociate from UCP1 due to hydrophobic interactions established by their hydrophobic tails, and UCP1 effectively operates as an H(+) carrier activated by LCFA. A similar LCFA-dependent mechanism of transmembrane H(+) transport may be employed by other SLC25 members and be responsible for mitochondrial uncoupling and regulation of metabolic efficiency in various tissues.
Population size of pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus (Forbes & Richardson, 1905), in the lower Missouri River near Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Summary The objectives of this study were to investigate the population size of hatchery-reared and wild pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus (Forbes & Richardson, 1905), in a 43.3 river kilometer (rkm) reach of the Missouri River downstream of Kansas City, Missouri, USA and compare these with previous published estimates. This reach has been shown to represent the abundance and distribution of the pallid sturgeon population throughout the lower Missouri River, and was therefore chosen for this study in order to monitor progress towards recovering this federally endangered species. The robust-design approach was used within the Program MARK using mark-recapture data of fish sampled from 2011 to 2013. The annual population estimates of pallid sturgeon varied from 6.1 to 11.1 fish/rkm, of which known hatchery-origin pallid sturgeon (5.5 to 10.2 fish/rkm) were much more abundant than those of wild origin (0.6 to 0.9 fish/rkm). These population estimates are drastically fewer than those published for another reach of the lower Missouri River and represent far less advancement (12–18%) towards meeting the five wild adult fish/rkm criteria for considering reclassification of pallid sturgeon.
Knowledge, doubt, and circularity

Ernest Sosa’s virtue perspectivism can be thought of as an attempt to capture as much as possible of the Cartesian project in epistemology while remaining within the framework of externalist fallibilism. I argue (a) that Descartes’s project was motivated by a desire for intellectual stability and (b) that his project does not suffer from epistemic circularity. By contrast, Sosa’s epistemology does entail epistemic circularity and, for this reason, proves unable to secure the sort of intellectual stability Descartes wanted. I then argue that this leaves Sosa’s epistemology vulnerable to an important kind of skepticism.
Infectious arthritis complicating rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic rheumatic disorders.

The clinical features are emphasized and methods to promote more efficient diagnosis are suggested
The Cointegration of Auction Price Series

It is found that one unit root, common trend is shared by the quarterly auction price series of five frequently auctioned types of stamps. The common trends analysis provides specific, stationary linear combinations, or cointegrating portfolios, of the auction price levels. The quarterly returns for the system of cointegrated auction prices can be represented by an error correction model using past returns and cointegrating vectors. There is evidence of a positive relationship between changes in the common trend and leading changes in industrial production
No-carrier-added radiobromination via cuprous chloride-assisted nucleophilic aromatic bromodeiodination

Abstract Cuprous chloride-assisted aromatic bromodeiodination was investigated as a regioselective no-carrier-added labelling technique. Using 77 Br −1 , CuCl and simple iodinated aromatic substrates in DMSO, radiochemical yields ranged from 60 to 90% after 30 min at 135°C. The methodology described here holds potential for the convenient labelling of radiopharmaceuticals with 75 Br, 76 Br or 77 Br.
Sphingomyelinase mediates macrophage activation by titanium particles independent of phagocytosis: A role for free radicals, NFκB, and TNFα

The manner in which wear debris initiates intracellular signaling and macrophage activation remains poorly understood. While particle phagocytosis has been implicated in this process, recent studies have shown that phagocytosis is not required for macrophage activation. We examined the hypothesis that titanium particles stimulate macrophages through membrane associated signaling events involving free radicals, sphingomyelinase, NFkappaB, and TNFalpha. Titanium particles stimulated peroxidation of linoleic acid, producing malondialdehyde, while neither lipopolysaccharide nor PBS pre-incubated with particles did, suggesting that the increased peroxidation is related to the presence of the particles themselves. Furthermore, particles stimulated sphingomyelin metabolism in a neutral sphingomyelinase (NSmase) containing cell free system; this effect was inhibited by glutathione, indicating that NSmase activation was due to titanium induced free radicals. Titanium particles also stimulated NSmase activity in cultures of ANA-1 murine macrophages. Addition of purified NSmase to ANA-1 cell cultures stimulated NFkappaB binding, increased transcriptional activity in cells transfected with NFkappaB responsive promoters, and induced TNFalpha expression. These effects were also inhibited by addition of glutathione. Similarly, glutathione inhibited the ability of titanium particles to induce NFkappaB signaling and TNFalpha expression in ANA-1 cells. The findings demonstrate that titanium particles generate free radicals and induce plasma membrane peroxidation and NSmase activation. NSmase, in turn, hydrolyzes sphingomyelin, with activation of the NFkappaB signaling pathway and induction of responsive genes, including TNFalpha. This study demonstrates a mechanism for phagocytosis-independent macrophage activation and defines the sphingomyelin cycle as a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of wear debris induced osteolysis.
On the secondary zeta-functions

Abstract Using summability it is shown that ∑ n ⩾2 (Λ(n) − 1) n − 1 2 (log n) −8 defines an entire function in the s -plane. Its asymptotic nature is found and a functional equation relating it to the series ∑{i( 1 2 − p)} 1−8 , Im p = γ > 0,is obtained where p = β + iγ are the nontrivial zeros of Riemann's zeta-function.
Fluorescence, polarized fluorescence, and Brewster angle microscopy of palmitic acid and lung surfactant protein B monolayers

Fluorescence, polarized fluorescence, and Brewster angle microscopy reveal that human lung surfactant protein SP-B and its amino terminus (SP-B[1–25]) alter the phase behavior of palmitic acid monolayers by inhibiting the formation of condensed phases and creating a new fluid protein-rich phase. This fluid phase forms a network that separates condensed phase domains at coexistence and persists to high surface pressures. The network changes the monolayer collapse mechanism from heterogeneous nucleation/growth and fracturing processes to a more homogeneous process through isolating individual condensed phase domains. This results in higher surface pressures at collapse, and monolayers easier to respread on expansion, factors essential to the in vivo function of lung surfactant. The network is stabilized by a low-line tension between the coexisting phases, as confirmed by the observation of extended linear domains, or "stripe" phases, and a Gouy-Chapman analysis of protein-containing monolayers. Comparison of isotherm data and observed morphologies of monolayers containing SP-B(1–25) with those containing the full SP-B sequence show that the shortened peptide retains most of the native activity of the full-length protein, which may lead to cheaper and more effective synthetic replacement formulations.
Residual Stress Measurement of Laser-Engineered Net Shaping AISI 410 Thin Plates Using Neutron Diffraction

In an attempt to relate the laser-engineered net shaping (LENS) process parameters, laser power and laser travel speed, to the quality of LENS-produced parts, strain measurements were taken at several predetermined points within seven LENS AISI 410 thin plates using the neutron diffraction method. The residual stresses at these points were then calculated using the measured strain values to ascertain how the internal stress varies as a function of the input parameters and location. It is found that the component of the stress in the vertical direction (i.e., perpendicular to the raster direction of the laser/powder nozzle) is dominant, in agreement with previous reports, and relatively insensitive to variations in process parameters. This was confirmed with numerical simulations performed with a thermomechanical model developed using the commercial program SYSWELD. The simulations also showed a good qualitative agreement with the measured simulated stresses.
Torulopsis glabrata Fungemia from Infected Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Stent

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) are used to manage multiple complications of portal hypertension. Accounts of infection of TIPS stents are uncommon. The literature reports two cases of TIPS-associated Torulopsis glabrata ( Candida glabrata ) fungemia; both patients died within a year of TIPS placement despite therapy with intravenous antifungal agents. This report describes the successful long-term survival of a patient with Torulopsis TIPS stent infection.
Natural and synthetic cathelicidin peptides with anti-microbial and anti-biofilm activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Background: Chronic, infected wounds typically contain multiple genera of bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, many of which are strong biofilm formers. Bacterial biofilms are thought to be a direct impediment to wound healing. New therapies that focus on a biofilm approach may improve the recovery and healing rate for infected wounds. In this study, cathelicidins and related short, synthetic peptides were tested for their antimicrobial effectiveness as well as their ability to inhibit the ability of S. aureus to form biofilms. Results: The helical human cathelicidin LL-37 was tested against S. aureus, and was found to exhibit effective antimicrobial, anti-attachment as well as anti-biofilm activity at concentrations in the low μg/ml range. The effect of peptide chirality and associated protease-resistance was explored through the use of an all-D amino acid peptide, D-LL-37, and in turn compared to scrambled LL-37. Helical cathelicidins have been identified in other animals such as the Chinese cobra, Naja atra (NA-CATH). We previously identified an 11-residue imperfectly repeated pattern (ATRA motif) within the sequence of NA-CATH. A series of short peptides (ATRA-1, -2, -1A), as well as a synthetic peptide, NA-CATH:ATRA1-ATRA1, were designed to explore the significance of the conserved residues within the ATRA motif for anti-microbial activity. The CD spectrum of NA-CATH and NA-CATH:ATRA1-ATRA1 revealed the structural properties of these peptides and suggested that helicity may factor into their anti-microbial and antibiofilm activities. Conclusions: The NA-CATH:ATRA1-ATRA1 peptide inhibits the production of biofilm by S. aureus in the presence of salt, exhibiting anti-biofilm activity at lower peptide concentrations than NA-CATH, LL-37 and D-LL-37; and demonstrates low cytoxicity against host cells but does not affect bacterial attachment. The peptides utilized in this anti-biofilm approach may provide templates for a new group of anti-microbials and potential future topical therapeutics for treating chronic wound infections.
Menominee Termination: From Reservation to Colony

Termination policy, touted as "freeing" the Indians, as applied in 1954 to the Menominee of northeastern Wisconsin, has impoverished a tribe that once paid for most of its own services and administration and has resulted in less self-determination than the Menominee exercised under the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The shift from federal to state jurisdiction, implemented between 1954 and 1961, turned the former reservation into Menominee County and turned management of the tribe's land, forests, mill, and other assets over to a corporation, Menominee Enterprises, Inc. (MEI), which became virtually the only taxpayer in the new county. A situation with all the elements of classic colonialism was thus created when the federal government played realpolitik and stuck Wisconsin with a new territory it did not want. The state, which became, in effect, a "mother country," endeavored to make the county pay its own way and even yield a profit to the state, and encouraged exploitation of Menominee resources to serve th...
Determinants of Top Management Compensation: Explaining the Impact of Economic, Behavioral, and Strategic Constructs and the Moderating Effects of Industry

This study examined the main effects of economic, behavioral, and strategic constructs and their interactions in explaining variations in levels of top management cash compensation. Based on a sample of 226 top-level executives in 90 firms, the study also examined interactions between these constructs and industry structure across three diverse industry groups. Multiple regression analyses revealed several significant main effects for constructs drawn from each of the categories, but offered little support for interaction effects between categories. Moderated regression analysis indicated that industry structure has significant effects on the relationships between antecedent variables and compensation, but these effects are not pervasive. Finally, the study found that "high" diversifiers compensated significantly more than "low" diversifiers in the total sample and in two out of the three industry groups.
Even As Mortality Fell In Most US Counties, Female Mortality Nonetheless Rose In 42.8 Percent Of Counties From 1992 To 2006

Researchers increasingly track variations in health outcomes across counties in the United States, but current ranking methods do not reflect changes in health outcomes over time. We examined trends in male and female mortality rates from 1992–96 to 2002–06 in 3,140 US counties. We found that female mortality rates increased in 42.8 percent of counties, while male mortality rates increased in only 3.4 percent. Several factors, including higher education levels, not being in the South or West, and low smoking rates, were associated with lower mortality rates. Medical care variables, such as proportions of primary care providers, were not associated with lower rates. These findings suggest that improving health outcomes across the United States will require increased public and private investment in the social and environmental determinants of health—beyond an exclusive focus on access to care or individual health behavior.
Expression of growth/differentiation factor 1 in the nervous system: Conservation of a bicistronic structure

Abstract Growth/differentiation factor 1 (GDF-1) is a recently described member of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily isolated from a day-8.5 mouse embryo cDNA library. Northern (RNA) analysis of embryonic mRNA detected two GDF-1 transcripts [1.4 kilobases (kb) and 3.0 kb in length] displaying distinct temporal patterns of expression. Only the 3.0-kb transcript was detected in adult tissues, where its expression was restricted almost exclusively to the central nervous system. Comparison of murine and human brain cDNA sequences corresponding to the 3.0-kb transcript revealed high conservation of two nonoverlapping open reading frames with poor conservation of the intervening spacer region and the putative 5' and 3' untranslated sequences. By immunohistochemical analysis, the protein encoded by the downstream open reading frame (GDF-1) was detected exclusively in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves in day-14.5 mouse embryos. The upstream open reading frame encodes a protein of unknown function containing multiple putative membrane-spanning domains. These findings raise the possibility that this mRNA may give rise to two different proteins.
Impact of a prospective review program for reference laboratory testing requests.

Objectives: To control the cost of reference laboratory testing, to ensure that its usage is medically appropriate, and to review the contribution of reference testing to patient care at our institution. Methods: A multidisciplinary institutional committee was convened to manage the utilization of reference testing. A subset of tests was designated to be reviewed in real time by a team of clinical pathologists in consultation with clinical subject matter experts. Results: Twelve percent of testing requests, accounting for approximately 18% of send-out costs, were determined to be clinically unnecessary or would not produce actionable results at that point during that patient’s care and were therefore not performed. This intervention, combined with insourcing of frequently requested tests, resulted in a reduction in the costs of reference testing to less than half of that predicted by the rate of growth from 2005 to 2009. Molecular diagnostic tests displayed a higher cost per test than other forms of testing but had a similar degree of clinical impact. Conclusions: Formal prospective review of reference laboratory testing requests resulted in substantial cost containment and improved the efficiency of patient care.
Prevalence of common disease-associated variants in Asian Indians

Asian Indians display a high prevalence of diseases linked to changes in diet and environment that have arisen as their lifestyle has become more westernized. Using 1200 genome-wide polymorphisms in 432 individuals from 15 Indian language groups, we have recently shown that: (i) Indians constitute a distinct population-genetic cluster, and (ii) despite the geographic and linguistic diversity of the groups they exhibit a relatively low level of genetic heterogeneity. We investigated the prevalence of common polymorphisms that have been associated with diseases, such as atherosclerosis (ALOX5), hypertension (CYP3A5, AGT, GNB3), diabetes (CAPN10, TCF7L2, PTPN22), prostate cancer (DG8S737, rs1447295), Hirschsprung disease (RET), and age-related macular degeneration (CFH, LOC387715). In addition, we examined polymorphisms associated with skin pigmentation (SLC24A5) and with the ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (TAS2R38). All polymorphisms were studied in a cohort of 576 India-born Asian Indians sampled in the United States. This sample consisted of individuals whose mother tongue is one of 14 of the 22 "official" languages recognized in India as well as individuals whose mother tongue is Parsi, a cultural group that has resided in India for over 1000 years. Analysis of the data revealed that allele frequency differences between the different Indian language groups were small, and interestingly the variant alleles of ALOX5 g.8322G>A and g.50778G>A, and PTPN22 g.36677C>T were present only in a subset of the Indian language groups. Furthermore, a latitudinal cline was identified both for the allele frequencies of the SNPs associated with hypertension (CYP3A5, AGT, GNB3), as well as for those associated with the ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (TAS2R38). Although caution is warranted due to the fact that this US-sampled Indian cohort may not represent a random sample from India, our results will hopefully assist in the design of future studies that investigate the genetic causes of these diseases in India. Our results also support the inclusion of the Indian population in disease-related genetic studies, as it exhibits unique genotype as well as phenotype characteristics that may yield new insights into the underlying causes of common diseases that are not available in other populations.
Turbulent mass transfer at free, gas-liquid interfaces, with applications to open-channel, bubble and jet flows

Abstract Gas absorption by a turbulent liquid in the absence of external (gas-imposed) interfacial shear is discussed. The primary tool used is dimensional analysis. Two distinct mass-transfer regimes, associated with energy-containing and energy-dissipating turbulent motions, are identified. Relationships are obtained for each regime, and a criterion, based on the turbulence Reynolds number, is determined for the applicability of each. The mass-transfer model is evaluated for four flow situations for which turbulence data are either available or can be estimated (open-channel flow with and without grid-produced turbulence, bubble flow, and jet flow).
Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation Analysis to Reveal Protein Interactions in Herpes Virus Infected Cells

Abstract Protein interactions are at the basis of all processes in living organisms. In particular, regulatory proteins do not act alone but participate in multifaceted sets of interactions that are organized into complex networks. In herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) infected cells, viral proteins interact with cellular proteins and with other viral proteins to form the protein complexes required for virus production, including transcription complexes, replication complexes and virion assembly complexes. While a number of methods have been developed to investigate protein–protein interactions such as coimmunoprecipitation, GST-binding assays and yeast 2-hybrid analyses, these approaches require removal of the proteins from the cellular environment and do not provide information on the spatial localization of the protein–protein interaction in living cells. The fluorescence based approach Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) allows direct visualization of the subcellular localization of the protein complex in living cells. In BiFC, two halves of a fluorescent protein are fused to each of two interacting proteins of interest, resulting in nonfluorescent fusion proteins. Interaction of the protein partners tethers the fused fluorescent fragments in close proximity, which facilitates their association and restoration of fluorescence. Two limitations of BiFC are that there is a delay between the time that the interacting proteins associate and fluorescence complex formation and thus complex formation cannot be measured in real-time, and fluorescence complex formation is irreversible in vivo. Despite these limitations, BiFC is a powerful and sensitive approach that can be performed using standard molecular biology and cell culture protocols and a fluorescence microscope.
Bordetella type III secretion induces caspase 1-independent necrosis.

Summary The Bordetella bronchiseptica type III (TIII) secretion system induces cytotoxicity in infected macrophages and epithelial cells. In this report we characterize the cell death phenotype and compare it to the TIII-dependent cytotoxicity induced by Yersinia enterocolitica and Shigella flexneri. Bordetella bronchiseptica strain RB58 was able to induce cell death in J774A.1 macrophages with the same efficiency as Shigella and Yersinia, but only B. bronchiseptica was able to kill epithelial cells in a TIII-dependent manner. Primary macrophages from caspase 1–/– mice were susceptible to RB58-mediated killing, suggesting that unlike Shigella and Salmonella, caspase 1 does not mediate cell death. RB58-induced cytotoxicity was not inhibited by addition of the pan-caspase inhibitor zVAD, and Western blot analyses of RB58-infected HeLa cells indicated that neither caspase 3 nor 7 was cleaved and PARP remained in its full-length active form. Morphologically the RB58-infected HeLa cells resembled necrotic rather than apoptotic cells, exhibiting cytoplasmic swelling and extensive membrane blebbing in the absence of nuclear changes. The addition of exogenous glycine, which has been shown to prevent necrotic cell death by blocking non-specific ion fluxes across the plasma membrane, blocked RB58-induced cytotoxicity. Addition of cyclosporin A which prevents the opening of the mitochondrial permeability pore, had no effect on RB58-infected cells. We conclude that the B. bronchiseptica TIII secretion system induces a mode of cell death consistent with necrosis that is distinct from that of Yersinia and Shigella.
Biological Insights into Therapeutic Protein Modifications throughout Trafficking and Their Biopharmaceutical Applications

Over the lifespan of therapeutic proteins, from the point of biosynthesis to the complete clearance from tested subjects, they undergo various biological modifications. Therapeutic influences and molecular mechanisms of these modifications have been well appreciated for some while remained less understood for many. This paper has classified these modifications into multiple categories, according to their processing locations and enzymatic involvement during the trafficking events. It also focuses on the underlying mechanisms and structural-functional relationship between modifications and therapeutic properties. In addition, recent advances in protein engineering, cell line engineering, and process engineering, by exploring these complex cellular processes, are discussed and summarized, for improving functional characteristics and attributes of protein-based biopharmaceutical products.
3D Printing: New Economic Paradigms and Strategic Shifts

3D printing (3DP) is a classic disruptive technology that is likely to have a huge and widespread impact on the world. This revolutionary technology is likely to dramatically change business models, shift production location, shrink supply chains, and alter the global economic order, potentially degrading the importance of the Asian export manufacturing platforms and revitalizing the US innovation engine and the US economy. In the process, 3DP will change the ‘global operating environment’ for policy makers as well as business and labor. 3DP is already a proven ‘general purpose’ technology that is being used for an enormous range of applications, such as fabricating spare and new parts for planes, trains and automobiles and thousands of items in between. It has huge environmental benefits, including substantial reduction in resources consumed in production, manufacturing products only on demand, and ‘just in time production’ of goods at or near where they are consumed, greatly reducing the carbon footprint of goods produced and shipped thousands of miles to consumers.
Exploring how nature and nurture affect the development of reading: An analysis of the Florida Twin Project on Reading

Research on the development of reading skills through the primary school years has pointed to the importance of individual differences in initial ability as well as the growth of those skills. Additionally, it has been theorized that reading skills develop incrementally. The present study examined the genetic and environmental influences on two developmental models representing these parallel ideas, generalizing the findings to explore the processes of reading development. Participants were drawn from the Florida Twin Project on Reading, with a total of 2370 pairs of twins’ representative of the state of Florida. Twins’ oral reading fluency scores from school progress monitoring records collected in the fall of grades 1 through 5 were used to model development. Results suggested that genetic influences on the development of reading are general, shared across the early school years, as well as novel, with new genetic influences introduced at each of the first three years of school. The shared environment estimates suggest a pattern of general influences only, suggesting environmental effects which are moderate and stable across development.
Kinetic and photochemical data for atmospheric chemistry reactions of the nitrogen oxides

Data sheets for thermal and photochemical reactions of importance in the atmospheric chemistry of the nitrogen oxides are presented. For each reaction the available experimental data are summarized and critically evaluated, and a preferred value of the rate coefficient is given. The selection of the preferred value is discussed and an estimate of its accuracy is given. For the photochemical process, the data are summarized, and preferred for the photoabsorption cross section and primary quantum yields are given.
Autonomic Resource Management for Multiple-Spanning-Tree Metro-Ethernet Networks

Viking [13] is a multi-spanning-tree Ethernet architecture that is designed to leverage commodity Ethernet switches to support Metro-Ethernet services. In particular, it exploits VLAN switching to provide network-wide load balancing across a metro-area network. However, Viking assumes the traffic matrix is fixed; as time goes by, the input load may gradually deviate from the assumed traffic matrix because of addition/deletion of subscribers and/or changes in bandwidth requirements from existing subscribers. Therefore, dynamic resource management is required to accommodate such traffic load fluctuations. This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of an autonomic network resource management system called Viking2 that enables a Metro-Ethernet network to dynamically self-reconfigure itself, with minimal human intervention, to adapt to changing traffic loads. In particular, whenever possible Viking2 uses a local repair approach to eliminate congestion while minimizing the number of flows affected. If local repair cannot fix a congestion problem, Viking2 resorts to a global reconfiguration approach that recomputes a new path for every flow and deploys the new routing state in a way that reduces the disruption during the period of transition to the minimum. Simulation results show that compared with the original Viking, Viking2 can indeed significantly improve a network's ability to dynamically adapt itself to changing traffic loads, to minimize the degree of congestion during normal network operation, and to increase the total effective network capacity.
Pediatric cancer type predicts infection rate, need for critical care intervention, and mortality in the pediatric intensive care unit

Purpose Up to 38 % of children with cancer require pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission within 3 years of diagnosis, with reported PICU mortality of 13–27 % far exceeding that of the general PICU population. PICU outcomes data for individual cancer types are lacking and may help identify patients at risk for poor clinical outcomes.
Who decides? Patients, parents, or gatekeepers: pediatric decisions in the craniofacial setting.

Abstract Special ethical issues arise for the craniofacial team dealing with pediatric patients, which include competency, surrogacy, and the “best interests” standard. Medical decisions for children are made by surrogates, usually parents, who must use the “best interests” standard. The team's primary responsibility is to the child, not the parents. Children should participate as abilities allow, especially for elective procedures. Increasingly, cost considerations also influence medical decisions. The craniofacial team is often a de facto gatekeeper. Ethically responsible team behavior includes: weighing risks and benefits of proposed interventions; promoting discussion with families and patients to identify “best interests;” monitoring outcomes; and advocacy for craniofacial patients individually and at a policy level. Care guidelines and definitions of basic levels of care should be developed to assist teams with decision-making and advocacy efforts. Ethical analysis is part of both good patient care ...
DYNAMIC PENETRATION RESISTANCE AND THE PREDICTION OF THE COMPRESSIBILITY OF A FINE-GRAINED SAND - A LABORATORY STUDY

Dynamic penetration tests, such as the standard pene-tration test, are widely used in conjunction with em-pirical or ad hoc relationships to determine the com-pressibility of granular soil under foundations. This Paper reviews those factors which control the com- pressibility of sand, and those which are thought to influence dynamic penetration resistance. The results of a laboratory study of the compressibility and dynamic penetration resistance of an uniform fine sand at a single density are presented. It is shown that while the compressibility of the sand is strongly dependent on its previous stress path, and is relatively unaffected by its current stress level, dynamic penetration resis-tance is strongly influenced by current stress level and is unaffected by stress path. Des essais dynamiques de penetration, tel que le ‘stan-dard penetration test’, s'emploient tres frequemment en combinaison avec des rapports empiriques ou specialement elabores dans le cas particulier pour determiner la compressibili...
A fast recursive least-squares second order Volterra filter

A fast, recursive least-squares (RLS) adaptive nonlinear filter is presented. The nonlinearity is modeled using a second-order Volterra-series expansion. The structure makes use of the ideas of fast RLS multichannel filters and has a computational complexity of O(N/sup 3/) multiplications. This compares with O(N/sup 6/) multiplications required for direct implementation. Simulation examples in which the filter is employed to identify nonlinear systems using noisy output observations are also presented. Further simplification to the structure through a simplified model is discussed. >
Cognitive Deterioration in Bilateral Asymptomatic Severe Carotid Stenosis

Background and Purpose— This study aimed to monitor cognitive performance during a 3-year period in subjects with bilateral asymptomatic severe internal carotid artery stenosis and to explore the role of cerebral hemodynamics and atherosclerotic disease in the development of cognitive dysfunction. Methods— One hundred fifty-nine subjects with bilateral asymptomatic severe internal carotid artery stenosis were included and prospectively evaluated for a 3-year period. At entry, demographics, vascular risk profile, and pharmacological treatments were defined. Cognitive status was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination at baseline and at follow-up. Cerebral hemodynamics was assessed by transcranial Doppler–based breath-holding index test. As a measure of the extent of systemic atherosclerotic disease, common carotid artery intima-media thickness was measured. A cutoff for pathological values was set at 0.69 for breath-holding index and 1.0 mm for intima-media thickness. Results— The risk of decreasing in Mini-Mental State Examination score increased progressively from patients with bilaterally normal to those with unilaterally abnormal breath-holding index, reaching the highest probability in patients with bilaterally abnormal breath-holding index ( P Conclusions— Our findings suggest that patients with asymptomatic bilateral severe internal carotid artery stenosis may be at risk of developing cognitive impairment. The evaluation of the hemodynamic status, besides providing insights about the possible mechanism behind the cognitive dysfunction present in carotid atherosclerotic disease, may be of help for the individuation of subjects deserving earlier and more aggressive treatments.
Precocity, Play, and the Ectotherm-Endotherm Transition

Reptiles have many morphological and physiological characteristics similar to those found in mammals and birds; others are seemingly only modestly modified (e.g., functional organization of the circulatory, endocrine, visual, and central nervous systems). Yet behaviorally, endotherms are often perceived to be (in effect) qualitatively different from ectotherms. This chapter explores this issue, focusing on development. Lurking in the background are questions such as: What are the phenomena that have led to the perceived distinction? If any such behavioral differences are genuine, are they profound or superficial? To what extent may any behavioral differences be due to a lack of cognitive and emotional capacities in reptiles, or may other factors be involved? Recent studies have shed light on these questions, and the answers coming in have potentially important consequences for our views of the behavior of “higher” vertebrates.
The relationship between the composition and the abnormal temperature dependence of coercivity in Sm(Co,Fe,Cu,Zr)/sub z/

The abnormal temperature dependence of coercivity with a positive temperature coefficient is characteristic in Sm-Co magnets with a cellular (or cellular-like) microstructure. The H/sub c/(T) exhibits a transformation from abnormal to normal behavior with an increase in the ratio of z from 7.0 to 8.5. For a given z, there exists a critical Cu amount below which the abnormal H/sub c/(T) is observed. This critical amount of Cu increases with decreasing z ratio. Additionally, the temperature of the H/sub c/ peak at high temperature decreases with increasing Cu content. The magnets below the critical Cu value with different Zr also exhibit an abnormal H/sub c/(T) behavior. However, Zr does not cause an obvious change of H/sub c/(T). In the magnets with different Fe, the room temperature coercivity increases, but the peak of H/sub c/ at high temperature decreases with increasing Fe content. An increase in the amount of Fe lowers the anisotropy field and the Curie temperature of the 2:17 matrix phase, resulting in a change of H/sub c/(T).
Bioenergy Research Needs for Heat, Electricity, and Liquid Fuels

Biomass remains a key energy source for several billion people living in developing countries, and the production of liquid biofuels for transportation is growing rapidly. However, both traditional biomass energy and crop-based biofuels technologies have negative environmental and social impacts. The overall research challenge for bioenergy is to develop the technologies to produce useful products at low costs while minimizing the use of scarce resources such as arable land and water. This requires substantial advancements in modern biomass power generation and the success of liquid biofuel technologies that permit the use of lignocellulosic feedstocks or possibly algae. With such technologies, biomass resources could meet a significant fraction (over 10%) of global energy demand. Both improved policies and technologies are needed to ensure that bioenergy contributes significantly to economic, social, and environmental goals.