cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
10.6: Operation of a tunable second-harmonic 330 GHz CW gyrotron

We report the operation of a frequency tunable continuous-wave (CW) 330 GHz gyrotron oscillator operating at the second harmonic of the electron cyclotron frequency. The gyrotron has generated 18 W of power from a 10.1-kV 190-mA electron beam working in a backward-wave TE −4,3 cylindrical mode. The minimum start oscillation current of the device was measured to be 33 mA. A continuous tuning range of 1.2 GHz was achieved experimentally via a combination of magnetic, voltage, and thermal tuning. The gyrotron output power and frequency stabilities were assessed to be ±0.4% and ±003 ppm, respectively, during a 110-hour uninterrupted CW run. Evaluation of the gyrotron microwave output beam using a pyroelectric camera indicated a Gaussian-like mode content of 92% with an ellipticity of 28%. The gyrotron will be used as a source for 500 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments with sensitivity enhanced by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP).
Hierarchical stochastic motion blur rasterization

We present a hierarchical traversal algorithm for stochastic rasterization of motion blur, which efficiently reduces the number of inside tests needed to resolve spatio-temporal visibility. Our method is based on novel tile against moving primitive tests that also provide temporal bounds for the overlap. The algorithm works entirely in homogeneous coordinates, supports MSAA, facilitates efficient hierarchical spatio-temporal occlusion culling, and handles typical game workloads with widely varying triangle sizes. Furthermore, we use high-quality sampling patterns based on digital nets, and present a novel reordering that allows efficient procedural generation with good anti-aliasing properties. Finally, we evaluate a set of hierarchical motion blur rasterization algorithms in terms of both depth buffer bandwidth, shading efficiency, and arithmetic complexity.
The association of adolescent socioeconomic position and adult height: Variation across racial/ethnic groups

Numerous studies have demonstrated the association of childhood socioeconomic position and adult height. Many have suggested the use of adult height as a marker of overall childhood well-being. However, few studies have examined the relationship between child/adolescent socioeconomic position and adult height in a racially/ethnically diverse cohort. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examined the association of child/adolescent SEP (maternal education and maternal report of household income) and measured adult height in a diverse cohort of US adolescents/young adults. We found a positive gradient effect of maternal education on height in the overall population and in White and Mixed race males and females; no such gradient existed in Hispanic, Asian, or Black males or females. Only in Mixed race females was household income positively associated with height. These findings emphasize the need to recognize differential effects of socioeconomic status on height in different racial/ethnic and gender subpopulations.
The sweet taste of gratitude: Feeling grateful increases choice and consumption of sweets

Abstract Gratitude is a positive emotion experienced when a positive outcome is attributed to others. Though often regarded as a virtuous emotion, I argue that gratitude may have sweet side effects. Specifically, because gratitude involves acknowledging benefits received from the kind (or metaphorically sweet) actions of another, individuals may infer that they must be deserving of sweetness. As a result, they prefer foods with congruent – or sweet rather than nonsweet – tastes. If gratitude causes individuals to prefer sweets because they infer that they must be deserving of sweetness, then the effect should be strongest among those most likely to infer from a sweet act that they deserve sweetness, such as those who are psychologically connected to others (i.e., primed with interdependence or shared attributes). The results of six studies support these predictions. In particular, individuals selected more sweets and fewer non-sweet foods when primed to feel grateful than proud, a positive emotion experienced by attributing a positive outcome to the self. Furthermore, moderation and mediation support the cognition of deserving sweetness as the underlying mechanism.
Angina pectoris early after myocardial infarction: clinical experience of the multicentre post-infarction program.

In the Multicenter Post Infarction Program, 33% of 867 patients had early angina pectoris, i.e. angina between 2 days and hospital discharge 17 +/- 9 days after infarction. Early post-infarction angina was not significantly associated with cardiac death during 2.5 years of follow-up whereas both ventricular arrhythmias and left ventricular dysfunction were strongly and independently related to subsequent mortality. After myocardial infarction, there is no significant association between early angina pectoris and either ventricular arrhythmias or systolic or diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle. However, patients with early post-infarction angina were one-and-a-half times as likely to be rehospitalized and two-and-a-half times as likely to experience recurrent non-fatal myocardial infarction during the year after myocardial infarction. Exercise angina pectoris was associated with subsequent mortality but not with recurrent non-fatal myocardial infarction. ST segment depression greater than or equal to 1 mm or greater than or equal to 2 mm during exercise was not significantly associated with either subsequent death or non-fatal myocardial infarction.
The coupled formation of deoxyribonucleic acid, nuclear ribonucleic acid and protein in animal-cell cultures.

Abstract The metabolic inhibitor, 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, will produce a partial block in the synthesis of DNA and RNA in HeLa cells at concentrations of 10 −8 M . The addition of uridine does not reverse the inhibition of RNA synthesis. However, thymidine is able to completely reverse the inhibition in the synthesis of both DNA and RNA. This contrasts with the patterns of reversal observed in bacteria. The findings suggests that in animal cells a portion of the RNA in the cell is dependent for its synthesis on the synthesis of DNA. Examination of subcellular fractions reveals the presence in the HeLa cell of 2 distinct classes of RNA and protein. Inhibition of DNA synthesis effects an almost complete block in the synthesis of RNA and protein contained in the nucleus; under these conditions cytoplasmic synthesis of RNA and protein proceeds at optimal rates. A possible mechanism for regulation of enzyme levels in response to growth rate of the cells is suggested by these findings.
Merging systems: integrating home visitation and the family-centered medical home.

To improve the health of children and bend the health care cost curve we must integrate the individual and population approaches to health and health care delivery. The 2012 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Primary Care and Public Health: Exploring Integration to Improve Population Health laid out the continuum for integration of primary care and public health stretching from isolation to merging systems. Integration of the family-centered medical home (FCMH) and home visitation (HV) would promote overall efficiency and effectiveness and help achieve gains in population health through improving the quality of health care delivered, decreasing duplication, reinforcing similar health priorities, decreasing costs, and decreasing health disparities. This paper aims to (1) provide a brief description of the goals and scope of care of the FCMH and HV, (2) outline the need for integration of the FCMH and HV and synergies of integration, (3) apply the IOM’s continuum of integration framework to the FCMH and HV and describe barriers to integration, and (4) use child developmental surveillance and screening as an example of the potential impact of HV-FCMH integration.
Optimal feature selection for support vector machines

Selecting relevant features for support vector machine (SVM) classifiers is important for a variety of reasons such as generalization performance, computational efficiency, and feature interpretability. Traditional SVM approaches to feature selection typically extract features and learn SVM parameters independently. Independently performing these two steps might result in a loss of information related to the classification process. This paper proposes a convex energy-based framework to jointly perform feature selection and SVM parameter learning for linear and non-linear kernels. Experiments on various databases show significant reduction of features used while maintaining classification performance.
Hearts of darkness and hot zones: The ideologeme of imperial contagion in recent accounts of viral outbreaks

This study situates recent popularized accounts of emerging lethal viral strains within the context of a late nineteenth‐century rationale for imperialism‐i.e., the ideologeme of scenic contamination. Defining non‐European lands and peoples as “active” agents capable of “contaminating” the civilized natures of the imperialists who would seek to rule them, this ideologeme justified imperialism as a “defensive” measure designed to control and quarantine the unpredictable and chaotic forces of the underdeveloped world. A diachronic adaptation of this ideologeme forms the basis for texts detailing recent Third World viral outbreaks such as Richard Preston's The Hot Zone, a Video News International documentary entitled “Killer Virus,” and an episode of NOVA entitled “Plague Fighters.” While these texts do not advocate a return to an era of formal empire, all three present ideologically charged images of the Third World and its relationship to the West as objectively based scientific “fact.”
Efficient image acquisition design for a cancer detection system

Modern imaging modalities, such as Computed Tomography (CT), Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) or Magnetic Resonance Tomography (MRT) are able to acquire volumetric images with an isotropic resolution in micrometer (um) or millimeter (mm) range. When used in interactive telemedicine applications, these raw images need a huge storage unit, thereby necessitating the use of high bandwidth data communication link. To reduce the cost of transmission and enable archiving, especially for medical applications, image compression is performed. Recent advances in compression algorithms have resulted in a vast array of data compression techniques, but because of the characteristics of these images, there are challenges to overcome to transmit these images efficiently. In addition, the recent studies raise the low dose mammography risk on high risk patient. Our preliminary studies indicate that by bringing the compression before the analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) stage is more efficient than other compression techniques after the ADC. The linearity characteristic of the compressed sensing and ability to perform the digital signal processing (DSP) during data conversion open up a new area of research regarding the roles of sparsity in medical image registration, medical image analysis (for example, automatic image processing algorithm to efficiently extract the relevant information for the clinician), further Xray dose reduction for mammography, and contrast enhancement.
Self-Consistent Treatment of the Frequency Spectrum of a Model Paraelectric

The temperature dependence of the frequency spectrum of a model NaCl-structure paraelectric exhibiting soft-mode behavior at the zone center is treated self-consistently. A variational formulation is employed, yielding a set of nonlinear integral equations which are solved iteratively. The difficulties associated with perturbative treatments are avoided by starting from a renormalized phonon basis which represents a stable state of equilibrium for the crystal. In particular, the soft-mode branches, which may be imaginary in the harmonic approximation, are renormalized and treated self-consistently. The model consists of rigid anions and cations of unequal masses interacting via long-range Coulomb forces plus a short-range interaction extending to second neighbors. Anharmonicity is introduced through a parametrized quartic interaction. Calculations are carried out for a wide range of model parameters, including the situation where the phase space subtended by the imaginary harmonic frequencies may constitute a large fraction of the Brillouin zone. The importance of including the effect of the soft-mode branches is discussed in detail. It is pointed out that the self-consistent equations do not admit a zero solution for the soft-zone-center optic mode. An explanation is given of why the Curie-law dependence of the soft-zone-center frequency squared may extend to lower temperatures than one might expect on simple qualitative grounds. Attention is given to the coupling of the soft TO branch to the TA branch of the same symmetry, and the anomalous temperature dependence of the acoustic branch at finite wave vector is displayed. Finally, the temperature dependence of the intersublattice correlation function is calculated, and it is pointed out that the soft-mode branches contribute significantly to the temperature dependence of this function. The implications of the latter for a transition to an ordered phase are discussed.
A Concept of the Educational Supply Chain (ESC): ICT Driven Paradigm Shift in Education

Massive implementation of ICT based tools into educational process will eventually force educational system to undergo a major paradigm shift. This will be caused by its losing monopoly position at the market of knowledge distribution and learning. This paper proposes a conceptual solution called the Educational Supply Chain, which may allow change resisting educational institutions to embrace e-learning, enhance their offerings and a global reach while preserving many of its traditional values.
Exploring the use of storybooks to reach mothers of preschoolers with nutrition and physical activity messages.

Abstract Objective To assess perceptions stay-at-home mothers have about their preschoolers' eating and physical activity behaviors and to explore the feasibility of using storybooks in home-based nutrition and activity programming. Methods Focus groups were conducted with 24 mothers, intercept interviews were conducted with 30 parents, and a storybook prototype was developed and pretested in 8 preschool classrooms. Results Mothers acknowledged picky eating as an issue and were less likely to identify issues with physical activity, but they were interested in information on gross motor development. Mothers strongly supported storybooks as a modality to convey and reinforce health messages at home. The storybook prototype was well liked by parents, teachers, and preschoolers. Conclusions and Implications Storybooks are a practical method to reach mothers and preschoolers and have the potential to elicit changes in eating and activity behaviors. Understanding mothers' perceptions of healthy eating and physical activity is essential to ensure that storybook messages resonate with this audience.
Evidence that charge motion within bacteriorhodopsin depends on solvent viscosity.

— It is shown that glycerol in the bathing solutions of a bacteriorhodopsin model membrane slows the photoresponse. The early stage of the photoresponse is only slightly affected while the later stage is appreciably retarded. These results are in agreement with previous measurements by other investigators on the temporal behavior of the photoreaction cycle in viscous bathing solutions. Data is fit to an equation of the form τ=A ηm exp(Δ/kT) where t is a time constant characterizing the photoresponse, τ is the viscosity of the bathing solution and Δ is the activation energy for the thermally driven process.
Comparison of Pediatric Resident and Faculty Learning Styles: Implications for Medical Education

ABSTRACT: This article compares resident and faculty learning strategies and styles and considers implications for teaching. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory was administered to 17 pediatric residents and 22 faculty in a pediatric department of an urban university-affiliated public medical center in 1991. Four scales—concrete experience (CE), reflective observation (RO), abstract conceptualization (AC), and active experimentation (AE)—are derived from self-ranking groups of words. Combining strategies leads to one of four styles: accommodator, diverger, converger, or assimilator. Analysis of variance and chi-square statistics were used to analyze strongest strategies and styles and to compare groups. It was found that resident and faculty preferred learning strategies and styles were significantly different. Resident strategies were spread primarily between concrete experience (40.5%) and active experimentation (40.5%), whereas faculty clearly preferred abstract conceptualization (77%). Most residents had either an accommodator or diverger learning style (81%), whereas most faculty were either assimilators or convergers (73%). This knowledge of learning strategy preferences and styles may have implications for design and delivery of instruction to residents.
Use of Aspirin Among Diabetics in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Need For Reliable Randomized Evidence and Astute Clinical Judgment

BACKGROUND The American Heart Association Guidelines recommend aspirin for all apparently healthy individuals whose 10-year risk of a first coronary heart disease (CHD) event is >10%.
Optimal bandgap variants of Cd1−xZnxTe for high-resolution X-ray and gamma-ray spectroscopy

We show that the trade-off between noise and charge generation statistics in Cd1−xZnxTe leads to an optimal band gap of approximately 2.0 eV at room temperature. This implies a ZnTe fraction of approximately 0.7–0.8. We show that for X-rays and relatively low energy gamma-rays Cd0.2Zn0.8Te theoretically offers a significant potential improvement in energy resolution over Cd0.9Zn0.1Te even if compensation of shallow levels is less complete and carrier lifetimes are an order of magnitude lower for the higher x variant. We also show that these calculations are consistent with observed detector performance reported by many workers over a large period of time.
A real-time FPGA-based architecture for a Reinhard-like tone mapping operator

This paper presents a field-programmable gate array-based hardware architecture for a Reinhard-like tone mapping operator. Modifications to the original Reinhard operator were done to ensure that the operator is amenable to implementation in hardware. The architecture is described in VHDL and has been synthesized using Altera Quartus tools. It achieves an operating frequency consistent with a video rate of 60 frames per second for a frame of 1024x768 pixels. The quality of the implementation is measured using peak signal-to-noise ratios on testbench images.
Health systems and physician behavior

Abstract We have the ability to deliver outstanding health care in the United States, but fall far short of this goal. Between the health care system we have and the system we could have, lies not just a gap, but a chasm. Change is needed in physician behavior and in the health care system. We need to consider the value (ie, = quality/cost) of the medical care delivered in this country. There are limited resources, but there is much room for improvement. Before long-term solutions can be found to maximize the quality of medical care, we must understand the need for change and what changes need to be made, how decisions are made, how changes in physician behavior occur, and the role of health care systems in making changes occur. This article reviews these topics and introduces a broader paradigm for clinical decision-making. It is an overview for those new to the field and provides a platform for those interested in further study.
Resilient Round Robin: A Lightweight Deterministic MAC Primitive

We consider the goal of adaptively controlling access to medium in wireless sensor networks with minimal footprint and complexity. Lightweight protocols are desirable in general and inevitable in some real-world applications such as infant monitoring. We assume high-data-rate, resource-constrained wireless sensor nodes in a star network. We take a deterministic approach to contention resolution to achieve bounded latency on data transmissions while reducing the overhead. In addition to simplicity and small footprint, our approach requires fewer message exchanges compared to the state of the art. We then present a lightweight hybrid protocol that is seamlessly integrated with the proposed contention-resolution scheme, one better suited for delay-sensitive applications with real-time constraints by providing determinism. Another feature of the proposed protocol is that it requires carrier-sensing hardware only on the base station but not on the sensor nodes. The average probing complexity of our protocol in a highly dynamic network is O(n/log n) per round, and experimental results show the proposed scheme to be scalable and highly adaptive to the contention level.
Extraribosomal Functions Associated with the C Terminus of the 37/67 kDa Laminin Receptor are Required for Maintaining Cell Viability

The 37/67 kDa laminin receptor (LAMR) is a multifunctional protein, acting as an extracellular receptor, localizing to the nucleus, and playing roles in rRNA processing and ribosome assembly. LAMR is important for cell viability; however, it is unclear which of its functions are essential. We developed a silent mutant LAMR construct, resistant to siRNA, to rescue the phenotypic effects of knocking down endogenous LAMR, which include inhibition of protein synthesis, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. In addition, we generated a C-terminal-truncated silent mutant LAMR construct structurally homologous to the Archaeoglobus fulgidus S2 ribosomal protein and missing the C-terminal 75 residues of LAMR, which displays more sequence divergence. We found that HT1080 cells stably expressing either silent mutant LAMR construct still undergo arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle when treated with siRNA. However, the expression of full-length silent mutant LAMR rescues cell viability, whereas the expression of the C-terminal-truncated LAMR does not. Interestingly, we also found that both silent mutant constructs restore protein translation and localize to the nucleus. Our findings indicate that the ability of LAMR to regulate viability is associated with its C-terminal 75 residues. Furthermore, this function is distinct from its role in cell proliferation, independent of its ribosomal functions, and may be regulated by a nonnuclear localization.
Compressed sensing HARDI via rotation-invariant concise dictionaries, flexible K-space undersampling, and multiscale spatial regularity

Current methods to reduce acquisition time for high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) (i) employ large dictionaries where atoms explicitly model finitely-many tract orientations, limiting estimation accuracy of the true tract orientation, (ii) subsample gradient directions only, ignoring k-space undersampling for diffusion-weighted images, (iii) restrict to sparse models that use either frames or dictionaries, and (iv) enforce spatial regularity by penalizing total variation. This paper proposes rotation-invariant dictionaries, enabling a concise dictionary (few atoms representing key diffusion-signal types) by explicitly optimizing the rotation for each atom during sparse fitting. The proposed framework generalizes undersampling strategies to both k-space and gradient directions, thereby enabling a balanced undersampling of k-space over all directions. This paper combines frames and dictionaries for sparse modeling HARDI images. The frame model reduces the need for large intricate dictionaries and enforces spatial regularity over multiple scales. Results on simulated and clinical undersampled HARDI show improved reconstructions via the proposed framework.
Dynamics of human replication protein A subunit distribution and partitioning in the cell cycle.

Abstract Human replication protein A (RPA) is a three-subunit protein complex involved in DNA replication, repair, and recombination. To gain insight into the dynamics of subunit assembly, we examined the subcellular distribution of RPA subunits (p70, p34, and p11) during the cell cycle. All three subunits colocalized in G1 and S phases, showing a diffuse nuclear distribution in G1 but a dot-like nuclear pattern in S phase. During S phase, the subunits showed a pattern reminiscent of the replication granules/factories described by others as sites of replication machinery. In metaphase, p70 preferentially associated with the spindle poles, p34 was found on chromosomes, and p11 remained in the cytoplasm. In telophase, p70 and p34 appeared in the forming daughter nuclei; p11 remained in the cytoplasm until G1. Among the three subunits only p34 was associated with the nuclear matrix and this association persisted throughout the cell cycle. We conclude that (i) RPA complex assembly is differentially regulated, (ii) the replication machinery may be anchored to the nuclear matrix, and (iii) RPA subunits partition during mitosis and sort into daughter nuclei by different routes.
Regulation of renal tubular secretion of organic compounds.

Regulation of renal tubular secretion of organic compounds. Background Information on the molecular basis underlying organic anion and cation transport in renal tubules has expanded in recent years with the identification and characterization of numerous transporters. However, little is known about the regulation of this transport. Methods Both English and Russian language studies dealing with the regulation of organic ion transport by the kidney have been reviewed. Results This review summarizes the literature on the physiological and pharmacological aspects of the regulation of organic ion transport, linking this information where possible to underlying transport mechanisms. Current models of the tubular secretion of organic anions and cations are reviewed. Factors that inhibit or enhance tubular secretion of xenobiotics are described, and their influence on proximal tubule cell transport and function is discussed. Important roles for substrate stimulation, the adrenergic nervous system, numerous hormones, P-glycoprotein, and protein kinase C activity have been identified. Conclusions Despite considerable advances in the understanding of basic transport pathways and mechanisms involved in the tubular secretion of organic compounds, there is still relatively little information on the regulation of this transport. Studies combining the techniques of integrative and cell physiology and molecular biology will provide significant new insights into the pathways regulating the tubular transport of these compounds.
Facile fabrication of superior nanofiltration membranes from interfacially polymerized CNT-polymer composites

Abstract Current carbon nanotube (CNT)-based membrane fabrication methods for separation and purification are demanding. Using interfacial polymerization (IP), a facile procedure for fabricating highly productive solvent-resistant nanofiltration membranes has been developed via a polymer-CNT composite. In this composite the IP-generated polyamide provides the selectivity and the nanogaps between the external surfaces of CNTs externally functionalized with hydrophilic/hydrophobic groups and the matrix polymer enhance solvent flux by an order of magnitude. Membrane performances demonstrate high rejections of solutes brilliant blue R and Safranin O from methanol and aqueous solutions. The facile fabrication procedure presented is concerned with nanofiltration membranes containing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). It is based on conventional IP method employed in polymeric membrane fabrication wherein MWCNTs are dispersed in one of the monomer containing phases. The outside surfaces of MWCNTs were rapidly functionalized earlier with hydrophilic (–COOH) groups or hydrophobic groups via microwave treatment; those with hydrophilic groups are generally dispersed in monomer-containing aqueous solution and those with hydrophobic groups are generally dispersed in monomer containing organic solvent prior to fabricating IP-based membranes. The base polymerized membrane structure develops the solute selectivity while the nanogaps around the external surfaces of MWCNTs of 30 nm diameter dispersed in the polymerized matrix provide a very low resistance pathway for solvent transport via the interface between the polymer and the outer surface. The solvent fluxes achieved in various membranes including those based on hydrophilized polypropylene support were almost one order of magnitude larger than conventional/commercial membranes for equivalent and high values of solute rejection. For the solute/dye, brilliant blue R (826 Da), solute rejections upwards of 91% were achieved in polyethersulfone support-based membrane in methanol solution; for aqueous solution the rejection was >96%. The membrane fabrication technique proposed is easily scalable and can be adapted to a variety of liquid phase separations.
Successful Glocalization Practices: The Case of Seiyu in Japan

This analysis looks at how Wal-Mart in Japan—what the Japanese call Seiyu in their homeland—became successful after principles of glocalization theory were adopted. Glocalization implies that a large corporation like Wal-Mart must cater to local tastes and differences and show cultural flexibility in order to boost customer appeal. Wal-Mart's glocalization strategies in Japan revolve around four key themes: (1) cultural adjustment to Japanese-style stores, (2) cultural adjustment to Japanese consumer habits, (3) adjustment to Japanese-style merchandizing and operational systems, and (4) adjustment of work and employee practices. From this vantage point, an important premise of this analysis is that “Wal-Martization”—Wal-Mart's blueprint of corporate culture, everyday low pricing, and intense pressure on suppliers—is not commonly accepted worldwide.
Developmental differences in the neural correlates of relational encoding and recall in children: an event-related fMRI study.

Abstract Despite vast knowledge on the behavioral processes mediating the development of episodic memory, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying these changes. We used event-related fMRI to examine the neural correlates of both encoding and recall processes during an episodic memory task in two different groups of school age children (8–9 and 12–13 years). The memory task was composed of an encoding phase in which children were presented with a series of unrelated pictorial pairs, and a retrieval phase during which one of these items acted as a cue to prompt recall of the paired item. Age-related differences in activations were observed for both encoding and recall. Younger children recruited additional regions in the right dorsolateral prefrontal and right temporal cortex compared to older children during successful encoding of the pairs. During successful recall, older children recruited additional regions in the left ventrolateral prefrontal and left inferior parietal cortex compared to younger children. The results suggest that the prefrontal cortex contributes to not only the formation of memories but also access to them, and this contribution changes with development. The protracted development of the prefrontal cortex has implications for our understanding of the development of episodic memory.
Gadd45β and Gadd45γ are critical for regulating autoimmunity

The number of effector T cells is controlled by proliferation and programmed cell death. Loss of these controls on self-destructive effector T cells may precipitate autoimmunity. Here, we show that two members of the growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible ( Gadd45 ) family, β and γ , are critical in the development of pathogenic effector T cells. CD4 + T cells lacking Gadd45 β can rapidly expand and invade the central nervous system in response to myelin immunization, provoking an exacerbated and prolonged autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice. Importantly, mice with compound deficiency in Gadd45 β and Gadd45 γ spontaneously developed signs of autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. Our findings therefore identify the Gadd45 β /Gadd45 γ -mediated control of effector autoimmune lymphocytes as an attractive novel target for autoimmune disease therapy.
Cultural Complexity: The Concept and Its Measurement

Cultural complexity is one of the most commonly used variables in cross-cultural research. It has often been used as a measure of cultural evolution and has been shown to correlate with numerous ot...
Newer Therapeutic Approaches: Inflammatory Muscle Disorders

The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are a group of systemic diseases characterized by an immune-mediated attack on skeletal muscle that results in weakness. In adults, inflammatory myopathy includes the diagnostic entities of polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and inclusion-body myositis. Inflammatory myopathy may also be classified in terms of the clinical syndromes that are associated with one of several myositis-specific autoantibodies (MSAs), such as the antisynthetase and anti–signal recognition peptide syndromes, that may be associated with any of the three forms of myopathy. The members of this group differ in clinical presentation, histopathology, and response to treatment, suggesting different disease pathogenic pathways; however, the treatment strategy for each is similar, if not identical. As with other systemic connective tissue inflammatory diseases, the cause of these disorders remains unknown, but well-recognized clinical associations may provide clues about possible etiological factors. The inflammatory myopathies, dermatomyositis in particular, have been associated with the presence of malignancy; furthermore, myopathy may improve with removal or treatment of the cancer. These factors suggest a possible link between mechanisms leading to or allowing the development of neoplasia and chronic muscle-targeted inflammation. In addition, the inflammatory myopathies may be associated with the presence of other autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus
Reversed tilt effect for dichoptic stimulation in vertical meridian.

The orientation of a test line appears shifted away from that of contextual contours. This repulsion in the orientation domain manifests itself in, for example, the tilt aftereffect, the simultaneous orientation contrast, and the Zollner illusion. Attractive rather than repulsive interaction has been reported for collinear inducing configurations at small inducing angles. Here it is shown that the tilt induced in a monocular vertical foveal test line by a single centered inducing line is repulsive when both are in the same eye, but becomes attractive for dichoptic stimulation. This occurs for only a narrow range of test-line/inducing-line separations and varies somewhat between and, by ocularity, within observers. The phenomenon might be related to stereoscopy which involves the processing of dichoptic orientation differences around the vertical.
Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 viability on leafy green vegetables by treatment with a bacteriophage mixture and trans-cinnamaldehyde

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 has been recognized as a major foodborne pathogen responsible for frequent gastroenteritis outbreaks. Phages and essential oils can be used as a natural antimicrobial method to reduce bacterial pathogens from the food supply. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a bacteriophage cocktail, BEC8, alone and in combination with the essential oil trans-cinnameldehyde (TC) on the viability of a mixture of EHEC O157:H7 strains applied on whole baby romaine lettuce and baby spinach leaves. The EHEC O157:H7 strains used were Nal(R) mutants of EK27, ATCC 43895, and 472. Exponentially growing cells from tryptic soy (TS) broth cultures were spot inoculated on leaves and dried. EHEC cells were placed at low, medium, and high inoculum levels (10(4), 10(5), and 10(6) CFU/mL, respectively). Appropriate controls, BEC8 (approx. 10(6) PFU/leaf), and TC (0.5% v/v) were applied on treated leaves. The leaves were incubated at 4, 8, 23, and 37 °C in Petri dishes with moistened filter papers. EHEC survival was determined using standard plate count on nalidixic acid (50 μg/mL) Sorbitol MacConkey agar. No survivors were detected when both leaves were treated with BEC8 or TC individually at low inoculum levels after 24 h at 23 and 37 °C. When the EHEC inoculum size increased and/or incubation temperature decreased, the efficacy of BEC8 and TC decreased. However, when the two treatments were combined, no survivors were detected after 10 min at all temperatures and inoculum levels on both leafy greens. These results indicated that the BEC8/TC combination was highly effective against EHEC on both leafy greens. This combination could potentially be used as an antimicrobial to inactivate EHEC O157:H7 and reduce their incidence in the food chain.
A Multiobjective Distributed Control Framework for Islanded AC Microgrids

This paper proposes a distributed two-layer control structure for ac microgrids. Inverter-based distributed generators (DGs) can operate either as voltage-controlled voltage source inverters (VCVSI) or current-controlled voltage source inverters (CCVSI). VCVSIs provide the voltage and frequency support, whereas CCVSIs regulate the generated active and reactive powers. The proposed control structure has two main layers. The first layer deals with the voltage and frequency control of VCVSIs. The second layer regulates the active and reactive powers of CCVSIs. These controllers are implemented through two communication networks with one-way communication links and are fully distributed; each DG only requires its own information and the information of its neighbors on the communication network graph. The proposed control framework is verified on a microgrid test system and IEEE 34 test feeder.
Long chain base tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is induced by retrograde signals from the mitochondria.

Abstract Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells lacking their mitochondrial DNA (ρ0 cells) respond to this loss of genetic information by induction of a program of nuclear gene expression called the retrograde response. Expression of genes involved in multidrug resistance and sphingolipid biosynthesis is coordinately induced in ρ0 cells by the zinc cluster transcription factor Pdr3p. In this report, we identify a membrane protein involved in control of intracellular levels of a sphingolipid precursor as a transcriptional target of the Pdr3p-mediated retrograde response. These sphingolipid precursors are called long chain bases (LCBs) and increased LCB levels are growth inhibitory. This membrane protein has been designated Rsb1p and has previously been shown to act as a LCB transporter protein and to be a component of the endoplasmic reticulum. These earlier studies used an amino-terminal truncated form of Rsb1p. Here we employ a full-length form of Rsb1p and find that this protein is localized to the plasma membrane and is modified by N-linked glycosylation. Two glycosylation sites are present in the Rsb1p and both are required for normal LCB resistance. Mutational analysis of the RSB1 promoter revealed that two Pdr3p binding sites are present and both of these are required for normal retrograde induction of transcription. LCB tolerance is strongly increased in ρ0 cells but this increase is ablated in ρ0 rsb1Δ cells. Together, these data indicate Pdr3p activation of RSB1 transcription is an important feature of the retrograde response allowing normal detoxification of an endogenous sphingolipid precursor.
NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS CYCLING IN AN AMAZONIAN AGROFOREST EIGHT YEARS FOLLOWING FOREST CONVERSION

Commercial plantation agroforestry systems have emerged as a promising Amazonian land use with the potential to reduce soil degradation, improve living standards, and decrease pressures on remaining forested areas. While it is generally accepted that tree-based agroecosystems have more closed nutrient cycles that help conserve soil productivity, few studies of nutrient dynamics in Amazonian agroforestry systems exist, making it difficult to assess the extent to which this land use is sustainable in the region's weathered soils. We quantified net primary productivity (NPP) and the stocks and fluxes of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) over one year in a commercial plantation agroforestry system in Acre, Brazil, to determine how organic matter and N and P dynamics change when native Amazonian forest is converted to perennial crops, and how nutrient cycling in tree-based agroecosystems compares with other Amazonian land uses. We used a participatory approach that involved farmers throughout the research process, with the aim of stimulating a community dialogue on the importance of nutrient cycling dynamics to sustained agricultural production. As part of this process, management recommendations to protect and enhance nutrient cycling in a manner practical for resource-limited households were formulated by farmers during focus group discussions. Construction of a nutrient budget revealed that the system's largest elemental stocks were located in the top 20 cm of soil. By the ninth year following establishment, agroforest productivity was high, with annual NPP approaching 3000 g·m−2·yr−1. Approximately 80% of the annual N and P requirements were taken up from soil stocks. Nearly 40% of the annual aboveground P requirement was allocated to reproductive tissues, half of which was removed with the harvest of agroforest products. Removal of P was half as much as would be expected for a first-year annual crop grown in a shifting cultivation system, while N export was similar to that of annual crops. Inputs of N and P to the agroforest were negligible, and resorption of N and P from agroforest leaves was comparable to rates cited for mature forest growing on similarly nutrient-poor soils. Return of P to the soil in litterfall exceeded that reported for mature Amazonian forests, despite similar rates of litter production and N flux, rendering agroforest P-use efficiency considerably lower than that reported for native vegetation growing on equally P-poor soils. Overall, NPP and rates of P cycling in the 8-yr-old agroforest were high relative to Amazonian forests, but low soil contents of total N and extractable P, as well as moderate rates of N and P removal, suggest that this land use will require inputs of both nutrients to sustain system productivity in the future. Discussions with farmers indicated that planting and pruning N-fixing legumes was a feasible way to add N, but the efficient use of scarce inorganic amendments would require further research.
An essential gene mutagenesis screen across the highly conserved piebald deletion region of mouse chromosome 14.

The piebald deletion complex is a set of overlapping chromosomal deficiencies on distal mouse chromosome 14. We surveyed the functional genetic content of the piebald deletion region in an essential gene mutagenesis screen of 952 genomes to recover seven lethal mutants. The ENU-induced mutations were mapped to define genetic intervals using the piebald deletion panel. Lethal mutations included loci required for establishment of the left-right embryonic axis and a loss-of-function allele of Phr1 resulting in respiratory distress at birth. A functional map of the piebald region integrates experimental genetic data from the deletion panel, mutagenesis screen, and the targeted disruption of specific genes. A comparison of several genomic intervals targeted in regional mutagenesis screens suggests that the piebald region is characterized by a low gene density and high essential gene density with a distinct genomic content and organization that supports complex regulatory interactions and promotes evolutionary stability. genesis 47:392–403, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Evaluation of Lead Time in Production/Inventory Systems with Non-stationary Stochastic Demand

For the past decade, new techniques for production management–such as kanban (pull-through) systems, internal set-ups, zero inventory, etc–have gained tremendous interest. However, research indicates that the production environment is more important than specific techniques. One aspect of this environment is the production lead time. This paper examines the impact of lead time, in conjunction with the characteristics of the demand process, on costs through the use of a periodic-review production/inventory model with a non-stationary stochastic demand process. Our results indicate that costs are affected by a combination of production lead time and demand variances. While the demand means have no effect on costs, both the shapes of the demand distributions and the relative magnitude of the penalty costs do have an effect.
Fixed points of Lie group actions on surfaces

Let G be a connected finite-dimensional Lie group and M a compact surface. We investigate whether, for a given G and M , every continuous action of G on M must have a fixed (stationary) point. It is shown that when G is nilpotent and M has non-zero Euler characteristic that every action of G on M must have a fixed point. On the other hand, it is shown that the non-abelian 2-dimensional Lie group (affine group of the line) acts without fixed points on every compact surface. These results make it possible to complete this investigation for Lie groups of dimension at most 3.
A within-subject assessment of the discriminative stimulus and reinforcing effects of self-administered cocaine in rhesus monkeys.

Rationale Drug discrimination (DD) and drug self-administration (SA) are frequently used preclinical assays. All preclinical studies with cocaine have examined the discriminative stimulus (SD) and reinforcing (SR) effects in separate groups of subjects.
Preeruption history of the Grande Ronde Formation lavas, Columbia River Basalt Group, American Northwest: Evidence from phenocrysts

Basaltic andesite lavas belonging to the Grande Ronde Formation constitute ∼87% of the Columbia River Basalt Group. Although these lavas are chemically evolved, they generally contain <5% phenocrysts. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain this observation. The first hypothesis suggests that Grande Ronde lavas were near-primary melts generated by large-scale melting of eclogite from the inferred Yellowstone plume. The alternative hypothesis proposes that Grande Ronde magmas were extremely hydrous and rose rapidly from the mantle such that the dissolved water kept the magmas close to their liquidi. We present new information on textures and mineral chemistry of phenocrysts in two well-characterized field sections through the Grande Ronde Formation. The new data lead us to conclude that at least some of the Grande Ronde primary magmas were highly hydrous; however, they all underwent extensive fractionation, magma mixing, and degassing in a shallow intrusive network prior to eruption as lava.