cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF FOREIGN REPLICATION ORIGINS IN THE SINGLE STRANDED DNA PHAGE M13

ABSTRACT Replication origins from bacteriophages G4 and ΦX174 and from E. coli have been inserted into the genome of the filamentous single-stranded DNA phage M13 by recombinant ENA techniques. Chimeric phage carrying replication origins from phages G4 and ΦX174 acquire replication properties characteristic of these isometric phage viz. rifampicin-resistant initiation of the complementary strand in the conversion of the viral DNA to a duplex replicative form. The RNA polymerase-dependent initiation of the M13 complementary strand is inhibited by rifampicin. In the presence of rifampicin, the cloned G4 origin serves as the site of initiation of the complementary strand. The cloned E. coli replication origin, oriC, confers upon the M13 vector the ability to replicate as a plasmid in the E. coli mutant rep3, a strain incapable of carrying out even a single round of replication of the M13 duplex replicative form DNA. In rep+ hosts these oriC-containing phage undergo single-stranded DNA synthesis and viral morphogenesis.
Pharmacologic ATF6 activating compounds are metabolically activated to selectively modify endoplasmic reticulum proteins.

Pharmacologic arm-selective unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling pathway activation is emerging as a promising strategy to ameliorate imbalances in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteostasis implicated in diverse diseases. The small molecule N-(2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)-3-phenylpropanamide (147) was previously identified ( Plate et al., 2016 ) to preferentially activate the ATF6 arm of the UPR, promoting protective remodeling of the ER proteostasis network. Here we show that 147-dependent ATF6 activation requires metabolic oxidation to form an electrophile that preferentially reacts with ER proteins. Proteins covalently modified by 147 include protein disulfide isomerases (PDIs), known to regulate ATF6 activation. Genetic depletion of PDIs perturbs 147-dependent induction of the ATF6-target gene, BiP, implicating covalent modifications of PDIs in the preferential activation of ATF6 afforded by treatment with 147. Thus, 147 is a pro-drug that preferentially activates ATF6 signaling through a mechanism involving localized metabolic activation and selective covalent modification of ER resident proteins that regulate ATF6 activity.
Self-Assembly of 2-D Resistive Electric Grids

A new algorithmic model (cTAM) of self-assembly of electronic resistive circuits akin to models for DNA self-assembly has been recently introduced and a complete characterization of their shape and properties has been given for one-dimensional electric ladders. Growth is controlled by thresholding of the energy required for attachments of new components to a growing assembly. In this sequel, we characterize an analogous family of two-dimensional resistive circuit grids self-assemblable in the cTAM model. These circuits have remained unresolved for some time in full generality. Fundamental questions concerning the size, shape, and energy distribution of the assembly sequences and their steady-state in large scales are addressed in full.
“[My counselor] knows stuff about me, but [my natural mentor] actually knows me”: Distinguishing characteristics of youth’s natural mentoring relationships

Abstract Adults play important roles in the lives of adolescents, serving as role models, sources of social support, and providers of social capital. Natural mentoring relationships (NMRs), relationships between adults and youth that rise to a level of significance for the youth, have a positive impact on youth outcomes in a number of academic, socioemotional, and health related areas. Yet despite the importance of NMRs to youth development, there is little research on how NMRs develop or what factors are associated with a relationship becoming an NMR. This study uses in-depth qualitative interviews with adolescents across five time points to explore the characteristics of youth-adult relationships that develop into NMRs, and the psychosocial processes and actions which transform a naturally occurring relationship into an NMR. Findings from our study suggest that by intentionally using time and space with youth as an opportunity to cultivate safe and authentic spaces and build trust, adults can encourage the development of NMRs with adolescents.
Workplace verbal abuse, nurse-reported quality of care and patient safety outcomes among early-career hospital nurses.

Aims To examine the differences in early-career nurses' verbal abuse experiences based on their sociodemographic characteristics, and to investigate the associations of verbal abuse experiences with nurse-reported care quality and patient safety outcomes. Background Few studies have examined the relationships between early-career nurses' verbal abuse experiences and nurse-reported patient care quality and safety outcomes. Methods Cross-sectional survey data from 799 early-career hospital nurses in the United States were analysed. Items assessed verbal abuse experiences from patients or their families, physicians and other employees. Associations between verbal abuse experiences and nurse-reported care quality and patient safety outcomes were examined using multiple logistic regression analyses. Results There were significant differences in verbal abuse experiences by age, gender and work unit. Nurses who experienced verbal abuse, regardless of the perpetrator, were less likely to report high-quality care and a favourable safety grade. Nurses who experienced verbal abuse specifically from physicians or other employees were also less likely to feel comfortable reporting safety problems. Conclusion Managing verbal abuse may be important for improving patient care quality and safety. Future intervention study is needed to reduce verbal abuse. Implications for nursing management To optimize patient safety, managers should thoroughly monitor verbal abuse and organisations' need to establish clear expectations and ramifications for when verbal abuse occurs.
Health Care Expenditures and Financial Burden: A Comparison of Adults in Same-Sex Couples and Different-Sex Couples:

We used data from the 2014-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to compare health care expenditures and financial burden between adults in same-sex couples (n = 514) and adults in different-sex couples (n = 41,043). Compared with men in different-sex couples ($3,994), men in same-sex couples ($6,896) were more likely to spend more on health care, especially on prescription medications ($2,745 vs. $1,050), which was primarily driven by antiviral medications ($1,061 vs. $35). Women in same-sex couples ($5,886) reported similar health care expenditures compared with women in different-sex couples ($5,619). However, women in same-sex couples were significantly more likely to experience financial burden compared with women in different-sex couples (25.7% vs. 11.3%). We speculate that the disparities reported here are due to a variety of issues, including elevated health needs requiring prescriptions for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) men and lower incomes for LGBT women. More research is needed to understand health services utilization and expenditure patterns among LGBT populations.
Integrating Using a Crossover Analysis With Formative Joint Displays in Mixed Methods Research

We show in this methodological article how formative joint displays can be used to integrate multiple data facets. Joint displays in the published literature are intended to be polished research pr...
Assessing the Impact of IT-Enabled Services Offshoring on U.S. Employment and Earnings

This paper provides a preliminary assessment of the recent impact of what can be called the “IT-enabled services offshoring” process on U.S. domestic employment and earnings in relevant services sectors. It draws upon relatively new international services trade data sets developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), which are used in conjunction with service employment and real wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Current Employment Statistics (CES), and deals with the years since the turn of the new century, when concerns about the IT-enabled services offshoring process sparked intense professional discussion. The study documents that U.S. trade in IT-enabled services is generally a two-directional phenomenon, entailing both an import as well as an export dimension. While the overall U.S. trade balance for IT-enabled services has been consistently positive, consistently negative trade balances are observable in computer services, an indication of substantial offshoring in that area; moreover, the significant two-way trade pattern in the telecommunications area suggests the presence of offshoring in that area as well. With respect to the other IT-enabled categories (e.g., legal, accounting, and architectural and engineering services) consistent two-way trade has existed in all of the areas reviewed, thus suggesting the presence of some degree of offshoring across all areas. However, while not representing a congruent mapping of categories with the international trade in services data, the available occupational employment and earnings data indicate that the overall relative impact of the IT-enabled offshoring phenomenon has thus far apparently been modest, reflecting most notably the small shares that the relevant occupational categories represent in overall U.S. private employment. Moreover, the observable diverse annual fluctuations and trends in relative occupational employment and earnings in these services sectors are what one would reasonably expect in a huge continental labor market (with its numerous regional and local sub-markets) that is influenced by a variety of forces, including but beyond IT-enabled offshoring.
Using statistical power analysis to tune-up a research experiment: a case study

This work presents a case study of the use of statistical power analysis in a research study. When the University of Washington researchers ran a pilot study to investigate the effect of link wording on Web site browsing behavior and comprehension, they obtained results that were not significant on most dependent measures. To analyze the results and discover whether link wording really had no effect, they first turned to statistical power analysis to see whether they might be committing a type II error (accepting a false null hypothesis). They did in fact find that the power of the study was too low and the number of participants too few. This work explains how they used the results of the power analysis to redesign the study and increase its power and the likelihood of obtaining significant results if true between-group differences did in fact exist.
FERP Interface and Interconnect Cores for Stream Processing Applications

As SoC technology use increases, the question arises of how to connect the on-chip components. Current solutions use familiar components (such as busses and direct links) but these have throughput concerns and unnecessarily complicate the system design. This paper introduces the full/empty register pipe (FERP) interface and a collection of IP cores to support it. Along with its dataflow computational model, this interface is extremely well-suited for stream processing — an emerging computational model that is gaining popularity from embedded systems to supercomputers. An example is presented that illustrates how existing IP cores can be easily incorporated and how the resulting IP cores can be combined to perform complex, general stream-based algorithms.
Founders lecture 2007: Metabolic bone disease: what has changed in 30 years?

To provide an update on imaging of metabolic bone disease based on new developments, findings, and changing practices over the past 30 years. Literature review of osteoporosis, osteomalacia, renal osteodystrophy, Paget’s disease, bisphosphonates, with an emphasis on imaging. Cited references and pertinent findings. Significant developments have occurred in the imaging of metabolic bone disease over the past 30 years.
Ursodeoxycholate conjugates protect against disruption of cholesterol-rich membranes by bile salts

Abstract Background/Aims: Ursodeoxycholic acid attenuates hepatocellular injury in cholestatic disorders, possibly by counteracting membrane disruptive effects of endogenous bile salts. The possible physicochemical basis of this protective effect was explored by using model membranes composed of egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol. Methods: Large unilamellar vesicles containing trapped 3 H inulin were prepared by extrusion and gel filtration. Vesicle disruption (release of trapped inulin) was quantified using rapid centrifugal ultrafiltration. Results: Disruption of membranes increased with bile salt concentration, hydrophobicity, and increasing ionic strength. Disruption decreased with a decreasing bile salt/phospholipid ratio or an increasing cholesterol/phospholipid ratio. Vesicle disruption by taurodeoxycholate (3α,12α-dihydroxy-5β-cholanoyl taurine) was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner by addition of tauroursodeoxycholate (3α,7β-dihydroxy-5β-cholanoyl taurine) (TUDC) when the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was ≥0.5, but TUDC was not protective at a cholesterol/phospholipid ratio ≤0.2. Glycoursodeoxycholate (3α,7β-dihydroxy-5β-cholanoyl glycine) was somewhat less protective than TUDC, and unconjugated ursodeoxycholate (3α,7β-dihydroxy-5β-cholanoate) (UDC) had little effect. Taurine conjugates of several other hydrophilic bile salts were also protective, but protection was not strictly proportional to hydrophilicity. Conclusions: Conjugates of UDC and other hydrophilic bile salts can reduce disruption of cholesterol-rich model membranes by more toxic bile salts via a purely physicochemical mechanism. UDC conjugates in vivo may protect the cholestatic liver by preventing bile salt disruption of the cholesterol-rich canalicular membrane.
Purification and characterization of a high-mobility-group-like DNA-binding protein that stimulates rRNA synthesis in vitro.

Abstract A 16,000-dalton, high-mobility-group-like (HMG-like) DNA-binding protein, referred to as p16, has been purified to homogeneity from Novikoff hepatoma ascites cells. p16 binds specifically to a portion of the 5' flanking region of the rat rRNA gene (-620 to -417), which is part of the upstream activator sequence identified previously (B. G. Cassidy, H.-F. Yang-Yen, and L. I. Rothblum, Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:2766-2773, 1986). p16 also binds to a segment of the external transcribed spacer (+352 to +545). In vitro reconstituted transcription experiments demonstrated that the addition of p16 stimulated rRNA synthesis up to ca. fourfold. The stimulation was dose dependent and saturable. The effect of p16 on ribosomal gene transcription was also dependent on the presence of either the upstream or the downstream DNA-binding site, or both. The amino acid composition of p16 is very similar to that of HMG-I, suggesting that p16 may be a member of the HMG-I family of proteins. In this case, our results suggest that HMG proteins may play an important role in the regulation of the rRNA gene expression.
Augusto Nascimento, Marcelo Bittencourt, Nuno Domingos, Victor Andrade de Melo. Esporte e Lazer na África: Novos Olhares

Esporte e Lazer na Africa: Novos Olhares, edited by Augusto Nascimento, Marcelo Bittencourt, Nuno Domingos and Victor Andrade de Melo, is a welcomed addition to the growing corpus of scholarship that examines sports, athletics and, in this case, leisure in Africa’s past and present. This edited volume grew out of a collaborative research project initially launched in 2007, spearheaded by an international group of Lusophone scholars. Esporte e Lazer constitutes the third major effort of this c...
Ocular toxoplasmosis: lessons from Brazil.

This issue of the Journal highlights 2 articles from corresponding author Gary Holland1,2 that represent new studies from a series of publications the Journal has published concerning ocular toxoplasmosis in Brazil.3–13 Collectively, these Brazilian studies have contributed substantially to a reassessment of the pathogenesis of the disease and its clinical characteristics and provide compelling new perspective on the utility of proactive treatment strategies to manage disease.14,15 The bigger question, however, is whether the lessons learned in Brazil are relevant to a readership outside of Brazil, where disease is less endemic. The simple answer is yes. Studies in Brazil have quite simply revolutionized our perspective and the concepts that have emerged have largely been possible because the prevalence, severity, and risk of ocular involvement are much higher than in the United States and Europe.5 Toxoplasmosis has a widespread distribution and a global human infection rate of ∼30%.16 Ocular toxoplasmosis is a significant disease, with the odds of developing disease ranging from a low of 1 in 357 in the United States, where the incidence rate for eye disease is approximately 1%–2% among seropositive individuals,14 to a high of 1 in 6 individuals in highly endemic regions such as Erechim, Brazil, where eye disease can approach 20%5 of infected people. It is this high prevalence of ocular disease in Brazil that provides sufficient statistical power to identify relationships and to observe uncommon events. Importantly, we have no reason to believe that the basic disease in Brazil is inherently different from ocular toxoplasmosis in the rest of the world.
Detection of endotoxin using an evanescent wave fiber-optic biosensor

The lipopolysaccharide endotoxin is the most powerful immune stimulant known and a causative agent in the clinical syndrome known as sepsis. Sepsis is responsible for more than 100,000 deaths annually, in large part due to the lack of a rapid, reliable, and sensitive diagnostic technique. This study describes the detection of LPS from E. coli at concentrations as low as 10 ng/mL, in 30 s using an evanescent wave fiber-optic biosensor. Polymyxin B, covalently immobilized onto the surface of the fiber-optic probe, selectively bound fluorescently labeled LPS. Unlabeled LPS was detected in a competitive assay format using labeled LPS for signal generation. The competitive assay format worked in both buffer and plasma with similar sensitivities. This method can be used with other LPS capture molecules such as antibodies, lectins, or antibiotics, to simultaneously detect LPS and to determine the LPS serotype. The LPS assay using the fiber-optic biosensor is applicable to both clinical and environmental testing.
Impact Of An Assigned Primary Care Physician On Adolescent Appointment-Keeping Behavior 1

Objective: To determine whether a change in clinic structure designed to improve continuity of care improves appointment-keeping among adolescents attending an urban hospital-based adolescent clinic.
Phase II Clinical Trial of Robotic Stereotactic Body Radiosurgery for Metastatic Gynecologic Malignancies

Background Recurrent gynecologic cancers are often difficult to manage without significant morbidity. We conducted a phase II study to assess the safety and the efficacy of ablative robotic stereotactic body radiosurgery (SBRT) in women with metastatic gynecologic cancers. Methods A total of 50 patients with recurrent gynecologic cancer who had single or multiple (≤4) metastases underwent robotic-armed Cyberknife SBRT (24Gy/3 daily doses). Toxicities were graded prospectively by common toxicity criteria for adverse events (version 4.0). SBRT target responses were recorded following RECIST criteria (version 1.0). Rates of clinical benefit for SBRT and non-radiosurgical disease relapse were calculated. Disease-free and overall survivals were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model was used to control for prognostic variables. Findings SBRT was safely delivered, with 49 (98%) of 50 patients completing three prescribed fractions. The most frequent grade 2 or higher adverse events attributed to SBRT included fatigue (16%), nausea (8%) and diarrhea (4%). One (2%) grade 4 hyperbilirubinemia occurred. SBRT target response was 96% (48 of 50 patients). A 6-month clinical benefit was recorded in 34 (68% [95% CI, 53.2, 80.1]) patients. No SBRT-targeted disease progressed. Non-radiosurgical disease relapse occurred in 31 (62%) patients. Median disease-free survival was 7.8 months (95% CI, 4.0, 11.6). Median overall survival was 20.2 months (95% CI, 10.9, 29.5). Interpretation SBRT safely controlled metastatic gynecologic cancer targets. Given an observed high rate of non-radiosurgical disease relapse, a phase I trial assessing co-administration of SBRT and cytotoxic chemotherapy is underway. Funding Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Microalgae as a renewable fuel source: Fast pyrolysis of Scenedesmus sp.

Abstract Herein we report the fast pyrolysis of dried, ground Scenedesmus sp. at two different reactor scales. Pyrolysis was performed at 480 °C and 1 bar in both an isothermal spouted bed reactor and a dynamic pyrolysis-GC/MS unit, each with 2 s vapor residence times. Bio-oil products were characterized on the basis of GC-MS, simulated distillation GC, elemental analysis, calorific content and total acid number. The ratio of crude oil: char obtained from the spouted bed reactor was 3.76 by weight, the average calorific content of the oil being 18.4 MJ/kg. The average total acid number (68 mg KOH/g) was lower than typical bio-oil produced via wood pyrolysis. Simulated distillation results indicated that a significant proportion of the oil corresponded to the boiling range typical for heavy gas oil (343 °C–524 °C). Elemental analysis showed the oil contained an average of 27.6 wt.% oxygen and 8.6 wt.% nitrogen, the relatively high nitrogen content being a consequence of the high protein content of the algae. According to GC-MS data, the oil consisted of various hydrocarbons as well as oxygenated and nitrogenous species, including indoles, fatty acids and amides. Pyrolysis-GC-MS was also performed on Scenedesmus sp. in order to provide insights into the nature of the primary pyrolysis products.
Wave optics simulation study of multiple Gaussian beam transmitters for free space optical transmission through turbulence

The use of multiple, mutually incoherent beams for a laser link through turbulence can reduce the effects of scintillation at the receiver. A recent approach involving an array of parallel propagating beams in a circle pattern has been presented in the literature and studied to determine the best beam spacing for the lowest scintillation effects. This approach has the disadvantage of reduced irradiance at the receiver as the beam separation increases. To remove this constraint, we present a modified approach where the multiple beams are individually aimed at the receiver. A wave (physical) optics simulation was applied to study the performances of 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-beam transmitter sources. The mean irradiances I and scintillation indices σ I 2 are examined for some specific link geometries and fluctuation strengths and the results are compared with those of the original method. For evaluation, we also employ a recently proposed performance metric that incorporates both I and σ I 2 to indicate the near-optimal beam separation for the cases studied. Finally, we examine the probability of fade for our selected cases the modified approach has improved performance.
From dust figures to the kinetic theory of gases: August kundt and the changing nature of experimental physics in the 1860s and 1870s

Summary This essay seeks to illuminate the changing nature of experimental physics in the 1860s and 1870s by analysing the creation of dust tubes and dust figures by the German experimentalist August Kundt, and by showing how Kundt and his associate Emil Warburg used the ‘Kundt tube’ to test the new kinetic theory of gases. In so doing, the essay seeks to show how Kundt came to revise the vision of experimental physics that he had learned from his teacher Heinrich Gustav Magnus, a vision in which the experimentalist's goal was to establish ‘the facts’. Kundt, by contrast, came to envision experimental physics as being in the service of theory: to confirm or disconfirm theory, or to provide theorists with new phenomena to theorize about. Kundt's vision, it is argued, is emblematic of the changing nature of experimental physics and reflective of the rise of the new subdisciplines of theoretical and experimental physics.
Exploration of the anti-depressant potential of L-dopa.

Upon reviewing the literature on L-DOPA in the treatment of depression, it was found that conflicting findings were reported on its usefulness as an antidepressant. We decided to investigate its potential usefulness as an antidepressant in an animal test model. In this test, a potential antidepressant should potentiate the behavioral and cardiovascular effects of yohimbine, a naturally occurring indole alkaloid, in conscious dogs. We have further investigated the interactions of L-DOPA with antagonists and drugs that potentiate its effects. Mongrel dogs were prepared aseptically by placing an indwelling cannula in the femoral artery for recording arterial pressure. Experiments were started one week post-operatively. Each dog was its own control. The effects of L-DOPA (30 mg/kg) and yohimbine (0.5 mg/kg) were recorded individually and in combination. L-DOPA produced sedative effects, whereas yohimbine produced stimulatory effects. L-DOPA failed to potentiate yohimbine effects; in fact it partially inhibited yohimbine. Ro 4-4602 (50 mg/kg), a decarboxylase inhibitor markedly inhibited the effects of L-DOPA. It was concluded that this dose of Ro 4-4602, probably also inhibited central decarboxylase. Haloperidol (0.1–0.2 mg/kg), a dopamine antagonist, completely prevented the behavioral and cardiovascular effects of L-DOPA. Following imipramine (1.5 mg/kg) pretreatment, L-DOPA failed to produce any behavioral effects. However, imipramine, when administered 10–15 min after L-DOPA, markedly increased behavioral effects but reduced the cardiovascular and emetic effects. The results of the present study are consistent with our review of the literature, finding L-DOPA not to be an antidepressant in man, but inducing, rather, motor mobilization.
Real-time mobile robot navigation is possible with off-the-shelf hardware

We describe a real-time vision contest that took place in January 1992 at the MIT AI lab. The task was high speed visual navigation along a 60 foot winding indoor course. The computational power available was a conventional Sun Sparcstation 1 with a Sun color framegrabber. The imaging device was a standard color Pulnix CCD camera with an auto iris 4.8 mm lens. The robot base was a commercial B12 mobile robot from Real World Interface. The winning entry completed the course in 1:07 minutes about three times faster than a human controlling the robot using the same video input. Approximately ten person days of work was required to program an entry that would complete the course.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Averaged Evoked Responses in Vigilance and Discrimination: A Reassessment

With the use of monopolar recordings for averaged evoked responses, detected signals in a vigilance task are associated with a late positive component which is absent for undetected signals as well as nonsignals. Bipolar recordings obscure the late positive component associated with detected signals. The data suggest that the late positive component represents cerebral processes associated with evaluation of unpredictable changes in stimulation.
Selection effects and dispute escalation: Democracy and status quo evaluations

Recent research offers inconsistent evidence on the relationship between regime type and the escalation of disputes that do not go to war. We add to this ongoing discussion by evaluating the effect of regime type and status quo evaluations on state decisions to escalate international disputes. We analyze 1,530 bilateral Militarized Interstate Disputes (MIDs) between 1816–1985 using ordered probit models to estimate the effects of regime type and status quo satisfaction on ordinal levels of escalation. Our Findings suggest that democratic initiators and targets are pacific in their escalatory behavior. This finding persists even when we control for the fact that targets are selected into militarized disputes and once we control for the ratio of capabilities between the two disputants. Satisfaction with the status quo also has a significant pacifying influence on escalation. The lack of a pacifying relationship between joint democracy and dispute escalation is suggested to be the product of a dyadic selecti...
Use of multiple radioligands to characterize adenosine receptors in human placenta

Summary To identify and characterize fully the adenosine receptor of human placenta, particulate preparations of placental parenchyma were examined using several adenosine receptor ligands, [ 3 H]2-chloroadenosine ([ 3 H]2-Cl-ADO), [ 3 H] N 6 -ethylcarboxamideadenosine ([ 3 H]NECA), and [ 3 H] N 6 -( l -phenylisopropyl)-adenosine ([ 3 H]PIA). Each of the three ligands bound to the particulate preparations with unique binding characteristics. Binding of [ 3 H]PIA characterized a high-affinity low-capacity receptor while the [ 3 H]NECA displayed lower-affinity, higher-capacity binding. Saturation isotherms for [ 3 H]2-Cl-ADO appeared intermediate in terms of affinity and binding capacity. Saturation isotherms of binding data also disclosed displaceable non-receptor binding at high labelled ligand concentrations. Competitive binding studies supported the observation that PIA and NECA bind to sites of high and low affinity, respectively. However, the multicomponent competition curves for [ 3 H]2-Cl-ADO binding suggest binding to the receptors with differential affinity. These studies confirm the presence of adenosine receptors in the human placenta and suggest that these receptors are of both the high- and low-affinity subtypes.
Improving DNN speaker independence with I-vector inputs

We propose providing additional utterance-level features as inputs to a deep neural network (DNN) to facilitate speaker, channel and background normalization. Modifications of the basic algorithm are developed which result in significant reductions in word error rates (WERs). The algorithms are shown to combine well with speaker adaptation by backpropagation, resulting in a 9% relative WER reduction. We address implementation of the algorithm for a streaming task.
The mechanism of tetrodotoxin on the in situ acetylcholinesterase in the vagal heart system of Rana pipiens.

Am isolierten Vagus-Herzen vonRana pipiens wird die Wirkung der Vagusreizung gemessen: Konzentrationen unter 4×10−10 g/ml Tetrodotoxin erhohen die vagale Reizungswirkung, nicht aber die Herzkontraktionen.
Control region sequences for East Asian individuals in the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods forensic mtDNA data set.

Abstract The Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) population data set is used to infer the relative rarity of mtDNA profiles obtained from evidence samples and of profiles used to identify missing persons. In this study, the East Asian haplogroup patterns in the SWGDAM data sets were analyzed in a phylogenetic context to determine relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and to describe haplogroup distributions for Asians ( n =753; with a breakdown of individuals from China n =356, Korea n =182, Japan n =163, and Thailand n =52). We focus on the patterns observed in the SWGDAM Chinese data set and refer to interesting differences in the smaller subgroup data sets for the other East Asian populations (Japanese, Korean, and Thai). A total of 218 SNPs were observed in the data set, including 37 observed positions not previously reported. In the largest of the East Asian SWGDAM data sets (Chinese), these SNPs ranged from having 1 to 29 changes in the phylogenetic tree, with site 16519 being the most variable. On average there were 4.5 changes for a character on the tree. The most variable sites (with 14 or more changes each listed from fastest to slowest) observed were 16519 ( L =29), 16311 ( L =27), 152 ( L =24), 146 ( L =21), 16172 ( L =17), 16189 ( L =17), 195 ( L =16), 16362 ( L =15), 16093 ( L =14), 16129 ( L =14), and 150 ( L =14). These rapidly changing sites are consistent with other published analyses. Only 28 SNPs are needed to identify all clusters containing 1% ( n =7) or more individuals in the East Asian data set. All 36 haplogroups previously observed in East Asian populations were also seen in the SWGDAM data sets and include: A, B, B4, B4a, B4b, B5a, B5b, C, D, D4, D4a, D4b, D5, D5a, F, F1, F1a, F1b, F1c, F2a, G2, G2a, M, M7a1, M7b, M7b1, M7b2, M7c, M8a, M9, M10, N9a, R, R9a, Y, and Z. Haplogroups A, B4a, D4, and F1a were the most commonly observed clusters in the Chinese data set (the largest of the data sets) with each of these occurring in more than 6% of the samples in the data set. The next most common haplogroups in the Chinese data set include the clusters C, M7b1, and N9a with each observed at frequencies greater than or equal to 4%. European Caucasian, and African haplogroups were rarely observed within the East Asian data sets. The various analyses revealed that the data set was similar to published East Asian data sets such as those from Han Chinese.
Hemodynamic adjustments during free-operant avoidance in dogs with unilateral renal artery stenosis

Abstract To examine blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) during avoidance performance in animals with renal artery stenosis, 10 dogs were prepared with arterial catheters, and subsequently underwent habituation to the experimental apparatus. Following this, 6 of the dogs received ligation of the left renal artery to reduce luminal dia. 50–80%, and habituation was repeated in all dogs. After training on a free-operant avoidance task, the animals were exposed to 5 daily 60 min avoidance sessions consisting of alternating 5 min periods of non-avoidance and avoidance. On 2 days, the dogs received either propranolol (0.3 mg/kg) or phenoxybenzamine (1.0 mg/kg) intra-arterially during the second nonavoidance period. While stenosis of the renal artery was effective in increasing diastolic BP during the second habituation exposure, a permanent BP elevation was not observed. These animals displayed similar pressor responses but larger HR increases than controls during the first and final avoidance periods. Drug effects were minimal. The results suggest that an exaggerated tachycardia may characterize the hemodynamic adjustment to environmental challenges in animals with unilateral renal artery stenosis, as it does in some hypertensive patients.
Treatment of Dyspnea in COPD: A Controlled Clinical Trial of Dyspnea Management Strategies

We conducted a randomized clinical trial to evaluate a limited pulmonary rehabilitation program focused on coping strategies for shortness of breath but without exercise training. Eighty-nine patients with COPD were randomly assigned to either 6-week treatment or general health education control groups. Treatment consisted of instruction and practice in techniques of progressive muscle relaxation, breathing retraining, pacing, self-talk, and panic control. Tests of 6-min walk distance, quality of well-being, and psychological function as well as six dyspnea measures were administered at baseline, posttreatment, and 6 months after the intervention. Baseline pulmonary function tests also were obtained. At the end of the 6-week treatment, there were no significant differences between the treatment and control groups on any outcome measure. At the 6-month follow-up, a significant group difference was seen on only one variable, Mahler's transition dyspnea index. The results of this evaluation suggest that a treatment program of dyspnea management strategies, without structured exercise training or other components of a comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program, is not sufficient to produce significant improvement in dyspnea, exercise tolerance, health-related quality of well-being, anxiety, or depression.
Determination of glucocerebroside, sphingomyelin, free fatty acid and total lipid by thin-layer chromatography and charring-scintillation quenching

Abstract A previously described method has been extended to various specific lipids of liver and brain. The basic method involves thin-layer chromatography followed by charring to reveal the bands. The intensity of each band is determined by suspending the silica gel in a radioactive scintillation gel and measuring the optically quenched activities. The lipids are extracted with hexane/isopropanol and, in the case of total lipid determinations, the extract is simply applied to a silica gel plate and charred without use of a development step. For brain cerebroside, the extract is applied to the plate and developed in the usual way. For liver cerebroside, the dried lipid extract is fractionated with a silica gel column to purify the glycolipid, which is then purified further by development with a plate. For sphingomyelin the ester type lipids in the extract are cleaved by alkali for 1 min and the resultant lipids are applied directly to the thin-layer plate. Free fatty acids are chromatographed and measured after a preliminary solvent partitioning to remove most lipids. The method is useful for samples of 5–40 μg. Methods for quantitative application of samples to plates are described. A modification of the Camag sample streaker is described which yields precise 1-cm streaks.
The Effect of Phosphorylation on the Antigenic Reactivity of p53 in Cultured Human Keratinocytes

The detection of p53 in human keratinocytes is dependent on the specific anti-p53 monoclonal antibody that is used. Differences in antibody recognition are postulated to be due to the masking or exposure of particular epitopes in different conformations of p53. This study addresses the role of phosphorylation on p53-epitope accessibility in human keratinocytes. Keratinocytes were treated with the phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid, to determine the effect of inhibiting cellular phosphatases on p53 phosphorylation and epitope recognition. These studies suggest there is a correlation between the level of p53 phosphorylation and the antigenic reactivity of certain p53 epitopes in human keratinocytes. We also examined the ability of the catalytic subunits of protein phosphatase 1 and 2A to dephosphorylate p53 derived from human keratinocytes in vitro. These data suggest that PP2A may be the phosphatase that acts on p53 in cultured human keratinocytes.
Analgesics and pain.

There has been a substantial increase in the use of analgesics for pain management in the last 10 years. Traditionally, veterinarians have not been trained in the identification of or monitoring of patients that are in pain, even though an evaluation of pain is inherent in assessing improvement in many medical and surgical diseases. Until recently, the physiology and pharmacology of opioids, NSAlDs, local anesthetics, and alpha2 agonists were taught, but the therapeutic role of these drugs was generally believed to be related to restraint, anesthesia, or control of inflammation rather than to pain management.
Low Cost Uplink Concepts

In order to minimize the cost of developing sequences of commands for small, low cost missions, a cost effective set of uplink tools used in conjunction with an appropriate ground system architecture (including a multi-mission operations facility) must be utilized.
Brain structures and mechanisms involved in the generation of NREM sleep: focus on the preoptic hypothalamus.

Four lines of research have greatly increased our understanding of the hypothalamic preoptic area (POA) sleep-promoting system. First, sleep-active neurons within the POA have been identified using both electrophysiological recording and immediate early gene protein (c-Fos) staining methods. Segregated sleep-active neurons were found in ventrolateral and median POA (VLPO and MnPN). Additional sleep-active neurons may be intermixed with non-sleep specific neurons in other POA regions and the adjacent basal forebrain. Second, the putative sleep factors, adenosine and prostaglandin D2, were found to excite sleep-active neurons. Other sleep factors may also modulate these sleep-active populations. Third, many sleep-active neurons are warm-sensitive neurons (WSNs). WSNs are identified by excitatory responses to small increases in local POA temperature. The same local POA thermal stimuli strongly modulate sleep propensity and EEG delta activity within sleep. Interactions between sleep regulation and thermoregulation are consistent with studies of circadian sleep propensity, prolonged sleep deprivation in rats, and species differences in sleep amounts. Fourth, sleep-active neurons were found to co-localize the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma-aminobutyric acid and to have projections to arousal-related neuronal subgroups in the posterior hypothalamus and midbrain. Sleep-active and arousal-related neurons exhibit reciprocal changes in discharge across the wake-NREM-REM cycle, and activation of WSNs suppresses the neuronal activity of some arousal-related neuronal groups. These studies establish mechanisms by which POA hypnogenic neurons can inhibit EEG and behavioral arousal. In addition, there is evidence that arousal-related neurotransmitters inhibit VLPO sleep-active neurons. Mutually inhibitory interactions between sleep-promoting and the arousal system provide a substrate for a >>>. 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd
Automatic scaling of digital print fonts

New raster-based printers form character patterns using carefully designed matrices of dots. It is desirable to be able to use fonts designed for one printer on a different machine, but to do so the dot matrix patterns should first be scaled to the second printer's resolution. If the scaling is carried out as a simple interpolation, however, severe degradation in the appearance of the characters may occur. A new algorithm reduces such degradation by recognizing attributes associated with print character quality in the original patterns and then correcting the scaled patterns in order to maintain those attributes. Attributes that are detected and preserved during scaling include local and global symmetries, stroke width, sharpness of corners, and smoothness of contour. The method has been used both to scale low-resolution fonts to a finer representation and to reduce the scale of high-resolution photocomposer fonts for output on an office-type printer.
Carbon Biochemistry and the Ultraviolet Radiation Environments of F, G, and K Main Sequence Stars

Abstract The ultraviolet radiation environment of main sequence stars might be a factor in determining the suitability of extrasolar planets for biological evolution and the subsequent radiation of life in exposed habitats. Assuming the validity of the carbon–water chauvinism, the absorbance of DNA in the UV region of the spectrum is used as a theoretical biological dosimeter to elucidate in more detail the photobiological parameter space of anoxic planets orbiting F, G, and K main sequence stars. Planets within the habitable zones of K main sequence stars have particularly favorable UV environments, with biochemically effective irradiances an order of magnitude lower than those believed to have existed on the surface of Archean Earth. Even using the UV shielding and repair habits of present-day terrestrial organisms, the survivability of the photobiological environment of anoxic K star planets can be demonstrated. The biochemically effective irradiances received in the F star radiation environment are more severe, being 6 to 27 times higher than on Archean Earth. Nevertheless, a combination of UV mitigation strategies seen on the present-day Earth suggest that UV radiation is not a constraint on life even in the inner region of the habitable zone. Life in an ocean on an F-star planet could experience a UV radiation regime similar even to that for present-day Earth. These calculations, although limited by our assumptions on the course of biochemical evolution and the UV absorbance of complex extraterrestrial molecules, suggest that life can survive the UV radiation environments of most extrasolar planets.
Mammalian biogeography of the Alexander Archipelago of Alaska: a north temperate nested fauna

Summary Aim A large number of studies have analysed the distribution of mammals within archipelagos, yet few have focused on islands that were heavily glaciated and subsequently colonized following deglaciation. Location We explored the relative effects of island area and isolation on faunal composition based on twenty-three mammalian taxa of twenty-four islands of the Alexander Archipelago, Southeast Alaska. Methods We used regression of log-transformed variables and several indices of nestedness. Results These faunas showed significant nested structure using tests of nestedness and regression models. Unlike most landbridge and mainland archipelagos studied previously, isolation appears to be the primary factor determining patterns of species richness. Main conclusions Colonization ability of particular taxa, rather than extinction, has determined this nested structure. We suggest that other higher latitude archipelagos may show similar historical patterns.
Establishment of primary cell cultures using short-term trypsinization of organ fragments

A method for increasing surface adhesion of organ fragments, thus facilitating initiation of primary cultures, is described. The method involves treatment of tissue fragments with trypsin and has proven useful with tissues from several species.
Slow Growing Subdivision (SGS) in Any Dimension: Towards Removing the Curse of Dimensionality

The efficient representation of volumetric meshes is a central problem in scientific visualization. The difference in performance between most visualization algorithm for rectilinear grids and for unstructured mesh is mostly due to fundamental difference in efficiency of their representations. In Computer Graphics the gap in performance between 2D rectilinear grids and unstructured mesh has been overcome with the development of representation schemes based on the concept of subdivision surfaces. This gap has not been bridged in the volumetric cases which is fundamental interest for Scientific Visualization. In this paper we introduce a slow-growing volumetric subdivision scheme for meshes of any topology, any intrinsic dimension d and composed of a general type of polyhedral cells (topological balls). The main feature of this approach is the ability to split in different stages cells of different dimensions. This allows to increase the resolution of the mesh slowly using small stencils for the smoothing rules. ''Sharp features'' of dimension lower than d are embedded naturally in the subdivision procedure. Automatic adaptation is provided for variable resolution. In the uniform case the slow subdivision doubles the number of vertices in the mesh at each refinement independent of its dimension d. The bisection of all themore » edges in a d-dimensional simplicial mesh requires d subdivision steps. Hence the slow subdivision is a d{radical}2 subdivision scheme. This algorithm generalizes a recently developed {radical}2 subdivision scheme to 3D and higher dimensional meshes where the vertex proliferation becomes increasingly problematic as d grows (the curse of dimensionality). We introduce a smoothing rule for both the domain mesh and for functions defined on it. Empirical evidence demonstrates the smoothness of the scheme directly on the mesh and indirectly on the isosurfaces of the functions.« less