cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tuning of Glutamate, But Not GABA, Release by an Intrasynaptic Vesicle APP Domain Whose Function Can Be Modulated by β- or α-Secretase Cleavage

APP, whose mutations cause familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD), modulates neurotransmission via interaction of its cytoplasmic tail with the synaptic release machinery. Here we identified an intravesicular domain of APP, called intraluminal SV-APP interacting domain (ISVAID), which interacts with glutamatergic, but not GABAergic, synaptic vesicle proteins. ISVAID contains the β- and α-secretase cleavage sites of APP: proteomic analysis of the interactome of ISVAID suggests that β- and α-secretase cleavage of APP cuts inside the interaction domain of ISVAID and destabilizes protein-protein interactions. We have tested the functional significance of the ISVAID and of β-/α-secretase-processing of APP using various ISVAID-derived peptides in competition experiments on both female and male mouse and rats hippocampal slices. A peptide encompassing the entire ISVAID facilitated glutamate, but not GABA, release acting as dominant negative inhibitor of the functions of this APP domain in acute hippocampal slices. In contrast, peptides representing the product of β-/α-secretase-processing of ISVAID did not alter excitatory neurotransmitter release. These findings suggest that cleavage of APP by either β- or α-secretase may inactivate the ISVAID, thereby enhancing glutamate release. Our present data support the notion that APP tunes glutamate release, likely through intravesicular and extravesicular interactions with synaptic vesicle proteins and the neurotransmitter release machinery, and that β-/α cleavage of APP facilitates the release of excitatory neurotransmitter.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Alzheimer's disease has been linked to mutations in APP. However, the biological function of APP is poorly understood. Here we show that an intravesicular APP domain interacts with the proteins that control the release of glutamate, but not GABA. Interfering with the function of this domain promotes glutamate release. This APP domain contains the sites cleaved by β- and α-secretases: our data suggest that β-/α cleavage of APP inactivates this functional APP domain promoting excitatory neurotransmitter release.
Bioaccumulation of methylmercury in wood frogs and spotted salamanders in Vermont vernal pools

Mercury (Hg) has accumulated in forested landscapes in the Northeastern U.S., and hotspots with enhanced deposition have been identified throughout the region. Due to a variety of favorable landscape characteristics, including relatively high dissolved organic carbon (DOC), fluctuating water levels, and low pH and dissolved oxygen, vernal pools provide ideal conditions for the conversion of Hg to its more toxic and bioavailable form, methylmercury (MeHg). Yet little is known about the concentrations, speciation, and bioavailability of Hg in vernal pools, or its bioaccumulation in vernal pool fauna and potential export into terrestrial systems. We investigated the role of forest cover type on the bioaccumulation of MeHg in wood frog (Lithobates sylvatica) and spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) eggs, larvae, and adults, and investigated relationships among MeHg and water chemistry (pH, DOC). Water samples from pools located in coniferous stands had greater concentrations of THg and MeHg compared to deciduous pool water, and showed significant positive correlation to DOC (r = 0.683, P < 0.001) and correlated negatively with pH (r = −0.613, P < 0.001). Methylmercury levels in amphibian embryos were similar between the two species (L. sylvatica mean = 5.4 ng/g dw; A. maculatum mean = 3.5 ng/g dw). Concentrations of MeHg increased substantially in larvae, and were significantly greater in A. maculatum (mean = 237.6 ng/g ± 18.5 SE) than L. sylvatica larvae (62.5 ng/g ± 5.7 SE). Forest cover type did not explain variation in MeHg concentration among amphibian embryos or larvae. Methylmercury levels in adult tissue samples were significantly greater in A. maculatum (mean = 79.9 ng/g ± 8.9 SE) compared to L. sylvatica (mean = 47.7 ng/g ± 9.7 SE). This research demonstrates that vernal pools are important hotspots where amphibians bioaccumulate MeHg, which may then be transferred to terrestrial ecosystems. The abundance of amphibian larvae suggests they could be important bioindicators for monitoring MeHg loading and bioavailability.
Cooling of Lower Extremity Muscles According to Subcutaneous Tissue Thickness.

Context When using an ice bag, previous researchers recommended cooling times based on the amount of subcutaneous tissue. Unfortunately, many clinicians are unaware of these recommendations or whet...
Mechanisms and Alterations of Cardiac Ion Channels Leading to Disease: Role of Ankyrin-B in Cardiac Function.

Ankyrin-B (encoded by ANK2), originally identified as a key cytoskeletal-associated protein in the brain, is highly expressed in the heart and plays critical roles in cardiac physiology and cell biology. In the heart, ankyrin-B plays key roles in the targeting and localization of key ion channels and transporters, structural proteins, and signaling molecules. The role of ankyrin-B in normal cardiac function is illustrated in animal models lacking ankyrin-B expression, which display significant electrical and structural phenotypes and life-threatening arrhythmias. Further, ankyrin-B dysfunction has been associated with cardiac phenotypes in humans (now referred to as “ankyrin-B syndrome”) including sinus node dysfunction, heart rate variability, atrial fibrillation, conduction block, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, structural remodeling, and sudden cardiac death. Here, we review the diverse roles of ankyrin-B in the vertebrate heart with a significant focus on ankyrin-B-linked cell- and molecular-pathways and disease.
Binding Mechanism of the Matrix Domain of HIV-1 Gag to Lipid Membranes

Aggregation of the HIV-1 Gag protein onto the plasma membrane (PM) enables viral budding and infection propagation. Gag assembly at the membrane interface is mediated by its matrix domain (MA), the Myristoylated (Myr) N-terminus. MA targets the PM through electrostatic interactions, mainly at its highly-basic-region (HBR). The mechanism of Myr insertion and its role in protein-membrane dynamics remains unclear. Using all-atom molecular dynamics, we examined an MA unit in the vicinity of lipid bilayers that model different characteristics of the PM. Interaction with PIP2 and PS lipids is highly favored around the HBR, and is enough to keep the protein bound. Additionally, we simulated three MA units near our bilayers and quantified the collective effects of free monomers vs. formed trimers on Myr insertion events. Micro-second-long trajectories allowed us to observe Myr insertion, propose a mechanism, quantify specific interactions with lipids, and examine the response of the local membrane environment.
Evaluation Design for Large-Scale, Collaborative Online Archives: Interim Report of the Online Archive of California Evaluation Project

Ongoing evaluation should be a critical aspect of anydigital access project because of the importantinsight it can bring to strategic decision-making andassessment of data integrity. From a systemsdevelopment perspective, iterative design processesdepend upon evaluative feedback from users on issuessuch as interface design and retrieval strategies inorder to refine and enhance prototype and maturesystems. A broader rationale for rigorous andreplicable evaluation is the current absence ofreliable benchmark data drawn from the experiences ofdigital archives projects, especially thoseimplementing Encoded Archival Description, againstwhich other such projects might be assessed. Thispaper reviews considerations that went into the designof a multi-faceted evaluation of the Online Archive ofCalifornia by a team of researchers within theDepartment of Information Studies at the University ofCalifornia, Los Angeles and provides a progress reporton findings. Based upon what they have learned fromconducting this evaluation, the evaluation researchteam will refine the evaluation design and theresearch instruments into models that might be appliedin the collection of benchmark evaluative data byother large-scale, collaborative online archives.
Intergenerational support and self-rated health among older Chinese immigrants: Do depressive symptoms play a mediating role?

It is particularly important to consider the psychological pathways between intergenerational support and health in the context of immigration, as individuals are often subject to interrupted or lo...
Advance Directives and Transformative Experience: Resilience in the Face of Change

Walsh valuably deploys L.A. Paul’s “transformative experience” framework (2016) to challenge Ronald Dworkin’s defense of following advance directives prepared in advance of dementia (1994). In this...
Effect of coil positioning and orientation of the quadruple butterfly coil during transcranial magnetic stimulation

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders. It is a proven technique that is safe and considered very effective when compared to conventional brain surgery or drug therapy. Researchers and clinicians are interested in understanding the distribution of the induced electric field (E-Field) during TMS and determining its effectiveness in treating neurological disorders. TMS studies are primarily focused on enhancing the focality and depth of penetration of the induced electric field in order to increase its effectiveness. Coil orientation has been confirmed to have an effect on the magnitude and direction of the induced E-Field. In this paper, we study the effect of the orientation of the novel Quadruple Butterfly Coil (QBC) on the distribution of the induced E-Field. Finite element analyses were conducted with the orientation of the QBC in steps of 15° over the vertex of two head models and about the transverse (XY –) plane and coronal (XZ –) plane of the head model. The maximum electric field intensity (E-Max) and stimulated volume of the brain (V-Half) were computed and compared to determine the optimal coil orientation.
Investigating In Situ Reduction via Lagrangian Representations for Cosmology and Seismology Applications

Although many types of computational simulations produce time-varying vector fields, subsequent analysis is often limited to single time slices due to excessive costs. Fortunately, a new approach using a Lagrangian representation can enable time-varying vector field analysis while mitigating these costs. With this approach, a Lagrangian representation is calculated while the simulation code is running, and the result is explored after the simulation. Importantly, the effectiveness of this approach varies based on the nature of the vector field, requiring in-depth investigation for each application area. With this study, we evaluate the effectiveness for previously unexplored cosmology and seismology applications. We do this by considering encumbrance (on the simulation) and accuracy (of the reconstructed result). To inform encumbrance, we integrated in situ infrastructure with two simulation codes, and evaluated on representative HPC environments, performing Lagrangian in situ reduction using GPUs as well as CPUs. To inform accuracy, our study conducted a statistical analysis across a range of spatiotemporal configurations as well as a qualitative evaluation. In all, we demonstrate effectiveness for both cosmology and seismology—time-varying vector fields from these domains can be reduced to less than 1% of the total data via Lagrangian representations, while maintaining accurate reconstruction and requiring under 10% of total execution time in over 80% of our experiments.
Climate mainstreaming via national climate funds: the experiences of Bangladesh and Ethiopia

A number of countries have established national climate funds to finance climate actions. This paper explores how these funds help to mainstream climate change and examines the barriers they encoun...
Application of the Karst Disturbance Index as a Raster-based Model in a Developing Country

Abstract Karst landscapes are important assets that provide a source of water, host rare and endangered biota, and serve as sites of significant human historical artifacts. Previous studies have attempted to ascertain the extent of anthropogenic disturbance within karst areas using various standardized methods. A common limitation of these earlier approaches included lack of assessment of spatial variability. This paper recognizes the importance of spatial heterogeneity by using a spatially-explicit calculation of the Karst Disturbance Index (KDI) in a Geographic Information System (GIS) and applying it to a sub-catchment of the Biosfera de la Reserva Selve el Ocote in Chiapas, Mexico. With a raster-based GIS approach, this particular application is the highest resolution spatial representation of the KDI ever undertaken. As the study area is in a developing country, much of the data required for applying the KDI were drawn from remotely sensed data. The final disturbance scores found low to moderate levels of disturbance indicative of lightly populated area. However, this particular study can serve as a benchmark for future applications of the KDI in the study area, as well as in other karst watersheds in developed or developing countries. With the potential of future development looming, land managers can use the zones of pristine-to low-levels of disturbance to begin monitoring programs and justify mitigation and land management decisions.
Depositions of Gravely Ill Illinois Claimants

A majority in Berry v. American Standard Inc., 888 N.E.2d 740 (Ill. App. 5th 2008) found that while a trial court judgment for the defendants was "correct under law", "the justice system" failed the claimant. The injustice in the affirmation of the circuit court ruling arose because the claimant died before his evidence deposition could be taken, his discovery deposition was inadmissible, and there was insufficient other evidence on liability even though defendants seemingly "were in control of the discovery deposition" and had taxed the claimant, a terminally ill man, in ways that made "it impossible for him to give an evidence deposition." The injustice to future claimants can and should be avoided by modifications to Illinois deposition practices. Modifications should not involve many more prelawsuit depositions of claimants. Rather, Illinois civil procedure rules on using depositions at trial should be liberally construed "to the end that controversies may be speedily and finally determined according to the substantive rights of the parties." Thus, defendants who drag on civil actions and tax gravely ill claimants, making their evidence depositions impossible due to death, should have to confront the discovery depositions of those claimants. An evidence bar to such discovery depositions is often both incorrect under law, given Illinois Supreme Court Rules 2 (on interpreting court rules) and 212 (on using depositions), as well as a failure of justice.
The Drones are Coming! Will the Fourth Amendment Stop Their Threat to Our Privacy?

The use of drones in military operations has become very public. What is less known is that local police have also begun to use drones and are planning to expand their use of to survey communities for criminal activity. On February 14, 2012, President Obama signed the "FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012" into law; it requires the FAA to expedite the process to authorize both public and private use of drones in the national navigable airspace.The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects our privacy from unreasonable intrusions by the government and we have come to depend on that. Over the years, we have learned to cherish our privacy. It is probably our most cherished "possession". However, today in the 21st Century, it seems that our privacy has been eroded to the point that it is practically non-existent. And now, we are suddenly faced with silent monitors in the sky that can observe everything we do in any area exposed to the sky. Carried to an extreme, we would not be able to enjoy any privacy in even secluded and fenced-in backyard. Will the United States Supreme Court and the Fourth Amendment stop the drones from eliminating more of our privacy?The dicta in the very recent decision of the United States Supreme Court in United States v. Jones re. GPS monitoring of cars in public suggests that some of the justices may in the future adopt a different approach to Katz’s Reasonable Expectation of Privacy (REP) test.This paper will explore the ramification of that decision and those dicta as they may foretell the future Fourth Amendment limitations that the Court will impose on drone surveillance.
Interpreting Genetic Variability: The Effects of Shared Evolutionary History

Data from different individuals at a single locus are positively correlated because of the shared genealogy of the sampled genes. This paper illustrates the qualitative effects on genealogical trees of assumptions about population demography, and it considers the consequences for genetic variability. An understanding of these effects is invaluable in the interpretation of data and for inferences about population history. In contrast, traditional genetic measures of diversity and approximation methods do not seem well suited for addressing the problem.
Fishing for Gold: The Story of Alabama's Catfish Industry

Auburn, Alabama, independent researcher Karni R. Perez's very readable book takes readers on a behind the scenes tour of the rise of the state's catfish industry. She crafts her narrative from inte...
Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing of below-knee prosthetics

The purpose of this research is to automate the design of lower limb prosthetics, specifically below-knee prosthetics, for patients who have undergone a loss of one of their lower limbs. It is shown how CAD and CAM will enable the prosthetist the opportunity to fully design the prosthesis using three-dimensional solid modeling as a medium, before final fabrication is completed. The designs will become more exact, requiring less of an artisan attempt at design. In the case of patients, who will require several prosthetic devices throughout their lives, the ability to store data on the progress of the prosthetic device may become a valuable tool in the overall rehabilitation and development of the patient. It is hoped that the use of CAD/CAM in the design and fabrication of children's prosthetic devices will enable faster preparation and fitting times than exist today. >
Low-temperature phase transition in Ba2TiGe2O8

Abstract Previous work on Ba2TiGe2O8 crystals has shown an unusual low-temperature (∼ 223 K on cooling, ∼ 273 K on heating) phase transition. Precession x-ray photographs on Ba2TiGe2O8 single crystals show an incommensurate modulation along b∗, and, for the first time, also along a∗. Single crystal intensity data confirm the average structure in space group Cmm2. There is positional disorder in the pyrogermanate groups, and this is the probable cause for the modulated structure. The low-temperature phase transition is proposed to be a lock-in transition, with the modulation along a∗ locking in at a value of 1/3. Several properties, as well as other unusual features of the low-temperature phase transition, are discussed in light of the proposed lock-in transition. Domain studies show that the ferroelastic domains are unstable in the low-temperature phase.
The Impact of Credit Cards on Spending: A Field Experiment

In a field experiment, we measure the impact of payment with credit card as compared with cash on insurance company employees' spending on lunch in a cafeteria. We exogenously changed some diners' payment medium from cash to a credit card by giving them an incentive to pay with a credit card. Surprisingly, we find that credit cards do not increase spending. However, the use of credit cards has a differential impact on spending for revolvers and convenience users: Revolvers spend less when induced to spend with a credit card, whereas convenience users display the opposite pattern.
Latent Liquidity and Corporate Bond Yield Spreads

Recent research has shown that default risk accounts for only a part of the total yield spread on risky corporate bonds relative to their riskless benchmarks. One candidate for the unexplained portion of the spread is a premium for liquidity. We investigate this possibility by relating the liquidity of corporate bonds, as measured by their ease of market access, to the basis between the credit default swap (CDS) price of the issuer and the par-equivalent corporate bond yield spread. The ease of access of a bond is measured using a recently developed measure called latent liquidity, which is defined as the weighted average turnover of funds holding the bond, where the weights are their fractional holdings of the bond. We find that bonds with higher latent liquidity are more expensive relative to their CDS contracts, after controlling for other realized measures of liquidity. Additionally, we document the positive effects of liquidity in the CDS market on the CDS-bond basis. We also find that several firm-level variables related to credit risk negatively affect the basis, indicating that the CDS price does not fully capture the credit risk of the bond. Furthermore, we find that when default risk of a firm is high, its illiquid bonds are more expensive. We also document that bond-level variables related to features of the contract that may be related to credit risk, such as the presence of covenants, have a negative impact on the CDS-bond basis. These findings are consistent with limits to arbitrage between the CDS and bond markets, due to the costs of "shorting" bonds.
Mechanisms of oxygen demand/supply balance in the right ventricle

Few studies have investigated factors responsible for the O2 demand/supply balance in the right ventricle. Resting right coronary blood flow is lower than left coronary blood flow, which is consistent with the lesser work of the right ventricle. Because right and left coronary artery perfusion pressures are identical, right coronary conductance is less than left coronary conductance, but the signal relating this conductance to the lower right ventricular O2 demand has not been defined. At rest, the left ventricle extracts approximately 75% of the O2 delivered by coronary blood flow, whereas right ventricular O2 extraction is only ~50%. As a result, resting right coronary venous PO2 is approximately 30 mm Hg, whereas left coronary venous PO2 is approximately 20 mm Hg. Right coronary conductance does not sufficiently restrict flow to force the right ventricle to extract the same percentage of O2 as the left ventricle. Endogenous nitric oxide impacts the right ventricular O2 demand/supply balance by increasing the right coronary blood flow at rest and during acute pulmonary hypertension, systemic hypoxia, norepinephrine infusion, and coronary hypoperfusion. The substantial right ventricular O2 extraction reserve is used preferentially during exercise-induced increases in right ventricular myocardial O2 consumption. An augmented, sympathetic-mediated vasoconstrictor tone blunts metabolically mediated dilator mechanisms during exercise and forces the right ventricle to mobilize its O2 extraction reserve, but this tone does not limit resting right coronary flow. During exercise, right coronary vasodilation does not occur until right coronary venous PO2 decreases to approximately 20 mm Hg. The mechanism responsible for right coronary vasodilation at low PO2 has not been delineated. In the poorly autoregulating right coronary circulation, reduced coronary pressure unloads the coronary hydraulic skeleton and reduces right ventricular systolic stiffness. Thus, normal right ventricular external work and O2 demand/supply balance can be maintained during moderate coronary hypoperfusion.
Analysis of Bond-Stiffness Deterioration due to Distributed Disbonds

This paper is concerned with the characterization of residual adhesive strength. The deterioration of adhesive strength depends on damage mechanisms in thin layers at the interfaces of adherends and adhesives. In this work adhesive-bond damage mechanisms, particularly distributions of disbonds, are modeled and related to nonlinear changes of the gross stiffness of the adhesive layer. In turn, the changes in adhesive-layer stiffness affect coefficients of reflection and transmission for reflection and transmission of ultrasonic signals by the adhesive-bond layer. Hence the reflection and transmission measurements can be used to characterize adhesive bond damage.
Positron trap states in amorphous and crystalline conjugated polydiacetylene polymers

Abstract The temperature dependence of the lineshapes S(T) of the Doppler broadened annihilation radiation (DBAR) for polydiacetylenes, amorphous and polycrystalline poly(4BCMU) and crystalline poly(PTS) was investigated experimentally. Away from the transition temperatures dS(T)/T=0 for crystalline polymers, while a significant dS(T)/dT=0.0002/°C was measured for the amorphous polymer. A detailed analysis on the types of trap states that could account for such difference is presented.
Laser-printed interdigitated Ag electrodes for organic thin film transistors

Pentacene-based thin film transistors (TFTs) with top contact (TC) and bottom contact (BC) configurations were fabricated on glass substrates using laser-printed silver nanoinks as the bottom gate and source/drain electrodes with a cross-linked poly-4-vinylphenol dielectric layer. Nanostructured source/drain Ag electrodes with various channel lengths (10?100??m) were successfully fabricated on the pentacene layer without any damage from the Ag nanoink solvents due to the use of a semi-dry laser transfer process. Compared with the BC transistors, the TC transistors exhibited improved ohmic contact behaviour between the drain/source electrodes and the pentacene layer, which resulted in efficient charge carrier injection with higher drain current values than those obtained from the BC transistors. Analysis of the contact characteristics also showed a reduced contact resistance for the TC transistors than those from the BC transistors. The TC-TFTs exhibited a field-effect mobility of 0.11?cm2?V?1?s?1, an on/off current ratio of ~105 and a threshold voltage of ?2?V in the saturation region.
Unified Approach to Cycloid Drive Profile, Stress, and Efficiency Optimization

Cycloid drives are compact, efficient speed reducers. In this paper, a unified set of equations is presented to optimize their design. The conceptual framework and profile design are described. Sources and effects of tolerance are then introduced, including profile reduction, backlash and torque ripple, and maximum gear-ratio. Equations for stress, efficiency, and moment of inertia are provided.
A General Strategy to Disperse and Functionalize Carbon Nanotubes Using Conjugated Block Copolymers

A general strategy to disperse and functionalize pristine carbon nanotubes in a single-step process is developed using conjugated block copolymers. The conjugated block copolymer contains two blocks: a conjugated polymer block of poly(3-hexylthiophene), and a functional non-conjugated block with tunable composition. When the pristine carbon nanotubes are sonicated with the conjugated block copolymers, the poly(3-hexylthiophene) blocks bind to the surface of de-bundled carbon nanotubes through non-covalent π–π interactions, stabilizing the carbon nanotube dispersion, while the functional blocks locate at the outer surface of carbon nanotubes, rendering the carbon nanotubes with desired functionality. In this paper, conjugated block copolymers of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(acrylic acid), and poly(3-hexylthiophene)-b-poly(poly(ethylene glycol) acrylate) are used to demonstrate this general strategy.
Effects of Lateral Surface Conditions in Time-Harmonic Nonsymmetric Wave Propagation in a Cylinder

The present work is a part of the effort toward the development of an efficient method of solution to handle general nonsymmetric time-harmonic end conditions in a cylinder with a traction-free lateral surface. For the case of a traction-free lateral wall, the uncoupled wave solutions provide: (1) a convenient set of basis functions and (2) approximations for the relation between end stress and displacement which are asymptotically valid for high mode index numbers. The decay rate with the distance from the end is, however, highly dependent on the lateral wall conditions
Strong-field dissociation dynamics

We examine the strong-field dissociation behavior of diatomic molecules under two distinctive physical scenarios. In the first scenario, we discuss the dissociation of the isolated hydrogen and deuterium molecular ions. The dynamics of above-threshold dissociation (ATD) are investigated over a wide range of green and infrared intensities and compared to a dressed- state model. The second situation arises when strong-field neutral dissociation is followed by ionization of the atomic fragments. The study results in a direct measure of the atomic fragment's ac-Stark shift by observing the intensity-dependent shifts in the electron or nuclear fragment kinetic energy.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Leukemia and lymphoma

Abstract Patients with hematologic malignancies will often present with nonspecific symptoms to a primary care physician. The following review describes common presentations of the lymphomas and leukemias, makes recommendations for initial evaluation, and provides an overview of current treatment strategies.
Retention of whiteners in fibrous mats

The retention performance of pigment whiteners was studied in an experimental papermaking process to illustrate the interactions between whitener particles and the cellulose fibers in the presence of retention aids (polyamine and alum). Special emphasis is paid to the effects of the electrokinetic properties of the reactants.
Epidemiology of honey bee parasites

The epidemiology of honey bee parasites has been somewhat neglected, but Lynn Royce and Philippe Rossignol describe their unique characteristics. Indeed, it appears that a parasite of social insects has in essence to adapt to two hosts: first, the individual worker within a colony, the numbers of which grow linearly and second, to the colony itself, the actual reproductive 'organism'. Transmission also has vertical and horizontal components. Analysis of tracheal mite populations in particular suggests that intracolony parasite levels are regulated by the swarming behavior of their hosts. Ironically, current and highly productive methods of honey bee management with movable hives curb swarming and may contribute to increasing the spread and the impact of some parasites. This insight may result in changing management practices to reduce the detrimental effects of bee parasites.
Liberal and Professional Education: Keep Them Separate

Gore criticizes current efforts to link pro fessional education with liberal educa tion on the grounds that weaknesses in liberal education make for an unreliable collaboration. Furthermore, the distinc tive domain of professional education precludes a productive linkage with the liberal arts. Teacher educators must rec ognize the uniqueness of their perspec tive and build appropriate programs and intellectual environments. The prob lems of liberal education are formidable, but their resolution is best left to the academy.
Counting Atlantic tropical cyclones back to 1900

Climate variability and any resulting change in the characteristics of tropical cyclones (tropical storms, subtropical storms, and hurricanes) have become topics of great interest and research within the past 2 years [International Workshop on Tropical Cyclones, 2006].An emerging focus is how the frequency of tropical cyclones has changed over time and whether any changes could be linked to anthropogenic global warming.
Thickening of fault zones: A mechanism of melange formation in accreting sediments

Sediments accreted at subduction zones undergo stratal disruption and form a type of melange. The thickness of the disrupted zones grows with progressive deformation. This suggests that initial fault surfaces are abandoned and deformation propagates into adjacent undeformed sediment. Factors causing the abandonment of fault surfaces during continuing deformation include (1) strengthening owing to porosity loss during consolidation, (2) localized drops in fluid pressure on fault surfaces that act as dewaterinig conduits, and (3) reorientation of fault surfaces. The disruptive processes occurring in accretionary prisms result principally from the deformation of a consolidating sediment mass.
A Method of Calibrating Two-Sphere Non-directional Radiometers

WHEN two heated spheres, one black and one bright, but otherwise identical, are kept at the same temperature, they lose an equal amount of heat by conduction and convection1. Any difference in heat input is due to the difference in radiational exchange. Neither air temperature nor air velocity enters the calculations for determining the mean radiant temperature of the surroundings. The quantities needed are: the heat input of the two spheres; the temperatures of the two spheres (which should be equal); the surface area; the emissivities of the bright and the black sphere. Nickel1 or gold2 is used for plating the bright sphere.
Ebola virus glycoproteins: guidance devices for targeting gene therapy vectors

Replacing the native viral envelope protein on the surface of a retrovirus or lentivirus with the glycoprotein of a foreign enveloped virus, a process called pseudotyping, can expand the set of potential target cells for a viral vector or can restrict entry to specific cells. The Ebola virus glycoprotein, because of its evolutionary origins and the route of viral entry promoted by it, possesses distinct advantages in forming the outer shell of such pseudotyped retroviruses for gene therapy applications. Studies of the transduction of human airway epithelia by lentivirus pseudotyped with a modified Ebola virus glycoprotein from which the region of O- glycosylation has been removed have demonstrated that such recombinant viruses possess particular promise for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. This result highlights the synergism between basic studies of virus entry and gene therapy advances.
Warfarin in patients with stroke and reasons for discontinuation.

Abstract Background Reasons for warfarin prescription in patients who have had ischemic stroke, and its discontinuation, are complex and unique for each individual patient. Objective We sought to discover the reasons for discontinuation of warfarin therapy in patients followed up in a medical center antithrombosis clinic after stroke occurrence. Materials In all, 229 patients on warfarin therapy with history of stroke were followed up in our antithrombosis clinic between January 1997 and March 2003. Of these patients, 132 were identified as having left the medical center antithrombosis clinic. Reasons for discontinuation of therapy were noted. Patients on combination antiplatelet-warfarin therapy were identified, as were the reasons for antithrombotic therapy. Results The most common reason for discontinuation of warfarin was noncompliance with therapy and failure to show up for scheduled visits to the antithrombosis clinic. Hemorrhage was rare and not solely attributed to anticoagulation alone. The complication rate for major hemorrhage was 2.18%, well within the accepted range for US antithrombosis clinics. This rate included those on combination antiplatelet-anticoagulant therapy. Conclusions Combination therapy of warfarin and antiplatelet agents may not be dangerous in this group of patients. Careful assessment of patients on warfarin therapy in a medical center—based antithrombosis clinic assures close supervision of compliance, potential complications, and general medical and environmental conditions of the patient and allows for a controlled discontinuation of anticoagulation if necessary.
Evidence for Estrogenic Contamination of the MAPK Inhibitor PD98059

PD98059 blocks phosphorylation and activation of MAPK proteins, ERK1 and ERK2. In the course of examining the effect of PD98059 on estrogen-induced transcription of reporter genes in a human breast cancer cell line and in yeast, we found that two of four different batches of PD98059 produced estrogenic effects in a dose-dependent manner. In a competitive binding assay, these preparations of PD98059 displaced radiolabeled estradiol from ER alpha. Furthermore, in the yeast assay, addition of a coactivator protein, AIB1, enhanced the transcriptional effect of PD98059, indicating that it induces receptor-coactivator interactions. Although concentrations of PD98059 required to activate ER alpha in these experimental systems are 10(4)- to 10(5) higher than the concentration of estradiol required to do the same, the concentrations required to block MAPK activation are well above those which would produce maximal estrogenic effects. Thus, when PD98059 is used in estrogen-responsive cells, contaminating estrogenic activity may confound interpretation of experimental results.
The use, operation, and control of the small business computer

Abstract For the small business, the hope and promise of computerization is no longer a dream. It is reality. The overall purpose of this article is to explore the use, operation, and control of the small business computer. The article also reports the results of a survey indicating the perceptions of directors of Small Business Institutes (SBI) on the use, operation, and control of the small business computer. Routine processing, information, and decision support systems are explored. The impact of computer training and education and important staffing levels are discussed. Levels of satisfaction with the ability of computer systems to provide information and better products and services are also revealed. Satisfaction with existing hardware, personnel, and computer programs is also reported.
Effect of octreotide on fluid absorption and secretion by the normal human jejunum and ileum in vivo

Background: We hypothesized that part of the non-specific antidiarrhoeal effect of octreotide is mediated by a proabsorptive or antisecretory effect on small intestinal active electrolyte transport. Methods: To measure the effect of octreotide on net absorption, the jejunum and ileum of normal human subjects were perfused with a balanced electrolyte solution; to measure the effect of octreotide on normal active chloride secretion, the jejunum was perfused with a bicarbonate-free solution. Results: During perfusion of a balanced electrolyte solution, octreotide increased basal net fluid absorption in the jejunum and ileum by about 40 mL/h per 30 cm. In the jejunum, octreotide markedly inhibited basal and sham feeding-stimulated active chloride secretion and inhibited water secretion by 28 and 51 mL/h per 30 cm, respectively. Conclusions: Octreotide causes an increase in the net epithelial cell absorption rate of a balanced electrolyte solution in the normal jejunum and ileum. In the jejunum, this proabsorptive effect is mediated mainly by the reduction of normal active electrolyte secretion, rather than by stimulation of normal active electrolyte absorption. These results support the hypothesis that part of the antidiarrhoeal action of octreotide is due to its effects on active electrolyte transport mechanisms by normal epithelial cells of the small intestine.
Nitrogen Fertilization Effects on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen in a Dryland Cropping System

No-till (NT) increases the potential to crop more frequently in the Great Plains than with the conventional-till (CT) crop-fallow farming system. More frequent cropping requires N input to maintain economical yields. We evaluated the effects of N fertilization on crop residue production and its subsequent effects on soil organic C (SOC) and total soil N (TSN) in a dryland NT annual cropping system. Six N rates (0, 22, 45, 67, 90, and 134 kg N ha ') were applied to the same plots from 1984 through 1994, except 1988 when rates were reduced 50%, on a Weld silt loam (fine, smectitic, mesic Aridic Argiustoll). Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), corn (Zea mays L.), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and oat (Avena sativa L.)-pea (Lathyrus tingitanus L.) hay were grown in rotation. Crop residue production varied with crop and year. Estimated average annual aboveground residue returned to the soil (excluding hay years ) was 2925, 3845, 4354, 4365, 4371, and 4615 kg ha -1 , while estimated annual contributions to belowground (root) residue C were 1060, 1397, 1729, 1992, 1952, and 2031 kg C ha -1 for the above N rates, respectively. The increased amount of crop residue returned to the soil with increasing N rate resulted in increased SOC and TSN levels in the 0- to 7.5-cm soil depth after 11 crops. The fraction of applied N fertilizer in the crop residue decreased with increasing N rate. Soil bulk density (D b ) in the 0- to 7.5-cm soil depth decreased as SOC increased. The increase in SOC with N fertilization contributes to improved soil quality and productivity, and increased efficiency of C sequestration into the soil. Carbon sequestration can be enhanced by increasing crop residue production through adequate N fertility.
Invariant character recognition with Zernike and orthogonal Fourier–Mellin moments

Abstract In this paper, we consider the use of orthogonal moments for invariant classification of alphanumeric characters of different size. In addition to the Zernike and pseudo-Zernike moments (ZMs and PZMs) which have been previously proposed for invariant character recognition, a new method of combining Orthogonal Fourier–Mellin moments (OFMMs) with centroid bounding circle scaling is introduced, which is shown to be useful in characterizing images with large variability. Through extensive experimentation using ZMs and OFMMs as features, different scaling methodologies and classifiers, it is shown that OFMMs give the best overall performance in terms of both image reconstruction and classification accuracy.
Acoustic analyses of thyroidectomy-related changes in vowel phonation.

Summary Objectives Changes in vocal function that can occur after thyroidectomy were tracked with acoustic analyses of sustained vowel productions. The purpose was to determine which time-based or spectral/cepstral-based measures of two vowels were able to detect voice changes over time in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Study Design Prospective, longitudinal, and observational clinical trial. Methods Voice samples of sustained /ɑ/ and /i/ recorded from 70 adults before and approximately 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after thyroid surgery were analyzed for jitter, shimmer, harmonic-to-noise ratio (HNR), cepstral peak prominence (CPP), low-to-high ratio of spectral energy (L/H ratio), and the standard deviations of CPP and L/H ratio. Three trained listeners rated vowel and sentence productions for the four data collection sessions for each participant. For analysis purposes, participants were categorized post hoc according to voice outcome (VO) at their first postthyroidectomy assessment session. Results Shimmer, HNR, and CPP differed significantly across sessions; follow-up analyses revealed the strongest effect for CPP. CPP for /ɑ/ and /i/ differed significantly between groups of participants with normal versus negative (adverse) VO and between the pre- and 2-week postthyroidectomy sessions for the negative VO group. HNR, CPP, and L/H ratio differed across vowels, but both /ɑ/ and /i/ were similarly effective in tracking voice changes over time and differentiating VO groups. Conclusions This study indicated that shimmer, HNR, and CPP determined from vowel productions can be used to track changes in voice over time as patients undergo and subsequently recover from thyroid surgery, with CPP being the strongest variable for this purpose. Evidence did not clearly reveal whether acoustic voice evaluations should include both /ɑ/ and /i/ vowels, but they should specify which vowel is used to allow for comparisons across studies and multiple clinical assessments.
Sympathoinhibitory Response to Clonidine Is Blunted in Patients With Heart Failure

To determine whether alpha2-adrenergic-mediated sympathoinhibition was altered in chronic heart failure, sympathoinhibitory sensitivity was assessed using the alpha2-adrenergic agonist clonidine in 7 patients with heart failure and in 10 healthy control subjects. Basal norepinephrine spillover was significantly higher in patients with heart failure (1.3+/-0.3 microg/min) than in control subjects (0.7+/-0.1 microg/min, P=.05). Compared with control subjects, the decrement in norepinephrine spillover to cumulative doses of clonidine (1, 2, and 3 microg/kg administered intravenously) was significantly less in patients with heart failure (P<.05). Blood pressure also tended to decrease less in patients with heart failure (P=.06). The doses of clonidine required to produce a 10% decrease in blood pressure and a 25% decrease in norepinephrine spillover were significantly higher in heart failure (P<.01 and P=.05, respectively). Thus, although clonidine lowers norepinephrine spillover significantly in patients with heart failure, such patients are less sensitive to clonidine than healthy control subjects. This difference in sensitivity suggests that doses of clonidine provide effective sympathoinhibition will need to be selected for studies that will evaluate the potential therapeutic effect of clonidine in heart failure.
Ten-year Incidence of Visual Loss in a Diabetic Population

Purpose: The purposes of this study are to estimate the 10-year incidence of blindness and visual loss in a diabetic population, examine risk factors for visual loss, and examine temporal trends in rates of blindness and visual loss. Methods: The design is a population-based cohort study, which includes 891 younger-onset persons with diabetes, 485 persons with older-onset diabetes who are taking insulin, and 502 persons with older-onset diabetes who are not taking insulin and who participated in baseline, 4-year, and 10-year examinations. The main outcome measures are incidence of blindness (visual acuity, 20/200 or worse), doubling of the visual angle, and visual impairment (visual acuity, 20/40 or worse). Results: The 10-year incidences of blindness were 1.8%,4.0%, and 4.8% in persons in the younger-onset, older-onset taking insulin, and older-onset not taking insulin groups, respectively. Respective 10-year rates of visual impairment were 9.4%, 37.2%, and 23.9%. Rates for doubling of the visual angle were similar. Doubling of the visual angle was more common in women with older-onset diabetes and in persons with youngeronset and older-onset diabetes who were taking insulin and who had higher glycosylated hemoglobin or proteinuria levels. The presence of macular edema or more severe retinopathy was associated with more visual loss in all three groups. Smoking was associated with visual loss in persons with younger-onset diabetes, and systolic blood pressure was associated in persons with older-onset diabetes who were taking insulin. Rates of blindness and doubling of the visual angle decreased in persons with youngeronset diabetes in the second part of the follow-up. In the older-onset groups, only the rate of blindness declined. These decreases could not be explained entirely by treatment or mortality. Conclusions: Several modifiable risk factors are associated with loss of vision. Although visual loss is still common in this diabetic population, the incidence of blindness may be decreasing.