cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two paralogs involved in transcriptional silencing that antagonistically control yeast life span

Abstract In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae , one determinant of aging or life span is the accumulation of extrachromosomal copies of rDNA circles in old mother cells [1]. The production of rDNA circles depends upon intrachromosomal recombination within the rDNA tandem array, a process regulated by the protein Sir2 (Sir2p). Together with Sir1p, Sir3p, Sir4p and Orc1p, Sir2p is also involved in transcriptional silencing of genes at the silent mating-type cassettes, in the rDNA array, and at telomeres. Using a ‘triple silencer' strain that can monitor an increase or decrease in gene expression at these three loci, we found that deletion of the ZDS1 gene caused an increase in silencing in the rDNA and at a silent mating-type cassette at the expense of telomere silencing. The zds1 deletion also resulted in an increase in life span and a decrease in Sir3p phosphorylation. In contrast, deletion of its paralog ZDS2 caused a decrease in rDNA silencing, a decrease in life span and an increase in Sir3p phosphorylation. As Zds2p, but not Zds1p, had strong two-hybrid interactions with Orc1p and the four Sir proteins, Zds1p might indirectly control Sir3p through a Sir3p kinase.
Not Noticed by Darwin

Induced Responses to Herbivory . RICHARD KARBAN and IAN T. BALDWIN. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1997. x, 319 pp., illus. $44 or £35.25. ISBN 0-226-42495-2. Paper, $17.95 or £14.25. ISBN 0-226-42496-0.
The precipitation chromatographic column: theory, critique and method of design

A new theory of the Baker-Williams precipitation chromatograph is presented. Both differential mass transfer and cell models have been described and the latter has been developed in some detail and calculations carrijed out. The influence of solvent gradient, temperature gradient and initial polymer sample size are considered.
OSMOTIC GROWTHS: A CHALLENGE TO SYSTEMS SCIENCE

It is argued that studying the organization of relevant entities (systemhood) is often more significant than studying the nature of the entities themselves (thinghood). While the latter is predominantly associated with classical science, the former is the subject of systems science. Classical science and systems science are viewed as two mutually orthogonal dimensions of science. The emergence of systems science is explained in terms of the developments in mathematics, computer technology, and conceptual thinking in science in this century. The main role of systems science is in dealing with systems that possess the characteristics of organized complexity (in the sense of Weaver). We argue that the study of the processes of osmotic growth belongs to this category. Research in this area, which was very active in the last century, was largely abandoned after the first decade of this century. We review fascinating experimental results obtained by Stephane Leduc and his conlemporaries early in this cenlury an...
A targeted κ immunoglobulin gene containing a deletion of the nuclear matrix association region exhibits spontaneous hyper-recombination in pre-B cells

Previous studies employing ectopic integration of reporter genes have shown that the nuclear matrix association region (MAR) adjacent to the intronic enhancer of the mouse kappa immunoglobulin (Ig) gene is required for high level transcription of rearranged genes, demethylation, reduction of position effects and maximal somatic hypermutation in B cells. To test for the function of this MAR in its natural chromosomal environment, we pursued the 'HIT-and-RUN' procedure with the mouse pre-B cell line 103 to create a targeted MAR deletion. We observed a 'HIT' targeting frequency of 1/684 but 0/2100 'RUN' clones maintained the MAR-deleted germline locus because of an unexpected hyper-recombination for Vkappa-Jkappa joining, specifically to the MAR-deleted allele, and primarily at Jkappa4 and Jkappa5. This hyper-recombination was correlated with undermethylation of the Jkappa-Ckappa region but not with the level of local transcription. These results are consistent with the possibility that the MAR and/or DNA methylation negatively regulate(s) Vkappa-Jkappa joining during the pre-B cell stage of development.
Design of 9-β-D-Arabinofuranosyladenine (Ara-A) Transdermal Delivery System for Animal Studies: Regulation of Drug Concentration In Vivo

Transdermal delivery systems of 9-β-D-arabinofuranosylad-enine (ara-A), having controlling membranes of various permeabilities, were developed and applied to Azone-pretreated hairless mouse abdominal skin. It was confirmed that the blood concentrations of ara-A and its metabolite 9-β-D-arabinofuranosylhypoxanthine (ara-H) in hairless mice are controlled by the permeability of the controlling membrane in the transdermal patch. Furthermore, these blood concentrations were found to closely agree with the values obtained from theoretical model calculations. Finally, but importantly, the “micropharmacokinetic” behavior of ara-A in cutaneous tissue could also be predicted. These results suggest that the transdermal patch may be employed in dermal and transdermal ara-A efficacy studies in the treatment of cutaneous herpes virus infections in hairless mice.
Experimental Demonstration of Spatial Scaling for High-Throughput Transmission Through A Si Mode-Division-MultiplexingWaveguide

Scaling the throughput through a multimode waveguide is experimentally demonstrated by extending operation from 2 to 3 spatial modes. The asymmetric, y-junction device is shown to support transmission of an aggregate bandwidth of 3x10-Gb/s data.
Sequential Model for Residual Affected HCCI with Variable Valve Timing

In this study, the effects of Variable Valve Timing (VVT) on the performance of a Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine are analyzed by developing a computationally efficient modeling approach for the HCCI engine cycle. A full engine cycle model called Sequential Model for Residual affected HCCI (SMRH) is developed using a multi zone thermokinetic combustion model coupled with flow dynamic models. The SMRH utilizes CHEMKIN ® -PRO and GT-POWER ® software along with an in-house exhaust gas flow model. Experimental data from a single cylinder HCCI engine is used to validate the model for different operating conditions. Validation results show a good agreement with experimental data for predicting combustion phasing, Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEP), thermal efficiency as well as CO emission. The experimentally validated SMRH is then used to investigate the effects of intake and exhaust valve timing on residual affected HCCI engine combustion. A new Fuel Efficiency and Emission (FEE) index is defined to optimize engine performance. SMRH is used as a virtual engine test bed to generate FEE contour maps as a function of valve timings. The simulation results determine optimum valve timings with the highest FEE index. The results indicate the SMRH is of utility for design of VVT strategies to control the HCCI engine in optimum regions with low engine-out emissions and low fuel consumption.
Complex cytogenetic changes in benign neoplasms. Report of six lipomas.

Abstract We report the detailed cytogenetic findings from short-term cultures of six lipomas with complex chromosomal abnormalities. In all six cases, the abnormality occurred in two stages; an initial inversion, translocation, or insertion of the involved chromosome(s) followed by a subsequent rearrangement of the resultant derivative chromosome(s). A striking feature of these rearrangements was the consistent involvement of bands q13–q14 on chromosome 12 in all the abnormalities. This region has been shown to be specifically rearranged in most of the lipomas studied. The other chromosomes involved in the rearrangements were chromosomes 1 in four cases, 5 and 9 in two cases each, and 2, 3, 4, 7, and 10 in one case each. Our findings and published findings show that, with a few exceptions, benign tumors that were previously considered cytogenetically normal, are characterized not only by specific numerical and structural changes but may also contain complex chromosome rearrangements that are generally considered a hallmark of advanced malignancy. In benign tumors, this suggests that the genes at the region of the breakpoints may represent proliferation-related genes or that benign tumors with such complex aberrations represent neoplasms potentially capable of undergoing transformation to malignancy, or both.
Outcomes of Donor Evaluation in Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation

The purpose of donor evaluation for adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is to discover medical conditions that could increase the donor postoperative risk of complications and to determine whether the donor can yield a suitable graft for the recipient. We report the outcomes of LDLT donor candidates evaluated in a large multicenter study of LDLT. The records of all donor candidates and their respective recipients between 1998 and 2003 were reviewed as part of the Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL). The outcomes of the evaluation were recorded along with demographic data on the donors and recipients. Of the 1011 donor candidates evaluated, 405 (40%) were accepted for donation. The donor characteristics associated with acceptance (P < 0.05) were younger age, lower body mass index, and biological or spousal relationship to the recipient. Recipient characteristics associated with donor acceptance were younger age, lower Model for End-stage Liver Disease score, and shorter time from listing to first donor evaluation. Other predictors of donor acceptance included earlier year of evaluation and transplant center. Conclusion: Both donor and recipient features appear to affect acceptance for LDLT. These findings may aid the donor evaluation process and allow an objective assessment of the likelihood of donor candidate acceptance. (HEPATOLOGY 2007.)
FAIRIO: A Throughput-oriented Algorithm for Differentiated I/O Performance

Providing differentiated service in a consolidated storage environment is a challenging task. To address this problem, we introduce FAIRIO, a cycle-based I/O scheduling algorithm that provides differentiated service to workloads concurrently accessing a consolidated RAID storage system. FAIRIO enforces proportional sharing of I/O service through fair scheduling of disk time. During each cycle of the algorithm, I/O requests are scheduled according to workload weights and disk-time utilization history. Experiments, which were driven by the I/O request streams of real and synthetic I/O benchmarks and run on a modified version of DiskSim, provide evidence of FAIRIO's effectiveness and demonstrate that fair scheduling of disk time is key to achieving differentiated service in a RAID storage system. In particular, the experimental results show that, for a broad range of workload request types, sizes, and access characteristics, the algorithm provides differentiated storage throughput that is within 10% of being perfectly proportional to workload weights; and, it achieves this with little or no degradation of aggregate throughput. The core design concepts of FAIRIO, including service-time allocation and history-driven compensation, potentially can be used to design I/O scheduling algorithms that provide workloads with differentiated service in storage systems comprised of RAIDs, multiple RAIDs, SANs, and hypervisors for Clouds.
A New Hypothesis for the Asynchronous Ovulatory Cycle of the Domestic Hen (Gallus domesticus)

Abstract REVIEW OF CURRENT CONCEPTS AND LITERATURE NO COMPLETE and satisfactory explanation has thus far been advanced to account for the peculiar ovulatory cycle of the domestic hen. Normally, the eggs are laid in clutches and each egg is usually laid progressively later on succeeding days. Oviposition of the first egg occurs early in the morning (e.g., 7 to 9 a.m.) and that of the terminal egg of the clutch sometime in the midafternoon. Clutches are usually separated by a one day interval of no lay and the lengths of clutches vary from one to one hundred or more eggs, the shorter lengths of 2 or 3 eggs constituting the typical clutch. An explanation of the asynchronous ovulation rhythm of the hen, i.e., the lag of Fraps (1954), must take into regard a number of facts that are known regarding ovulation in the bird and also explain the progressively delayed ovulation …
Recurrent group B streptococcal arthritis

Bacterial arthritis caused by group B betahemolytic streptococci (GBS) is uncommonly encountered. We report a woman who had three documented isolated recurrences of GBS arthritis (right hip, right knee ×2) over a period of three years which were successfully treated. One year before the first episode, the patient was found to have squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix stage IIIB and underwent extensive combined oncological treatment. The extensive chemoradiotherapy and anatomical changes resulting from cancer of the cervix are believed to have contributed to the occurrence and recurrence of invasive group B streptococcal infection in this patient which is the first one reported with recurrent GBS arthritis.
Clinician perspectives on barriers to and opportunities for skin-to-skin contact for premature infants in neonatal intensive care units.

Abstract Objective: Our objective was to investigate key factors in promoting skin-to-skin contact (STSC) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: As part of a California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative on improving nutrition and promoting breastmilk feeding of premature infants, a multidisciplinary group of representatives from 11 hospitals discussed the progress and barriers in pursuing the project. A key component of the collaborative project was promotion of STSC. Sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and assessed using qualitative research methods with the aid of Atlas Ti software (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin, Germany). Two primary investigators studied the transcripts for themes related to STSC. Using an iterative approach, selected themes were explored, and representative quotes were selected. Results: Barriers to promoting STSC fell into broad themes of implementation, institutional, and familial factors. The main challenge identified in implementati...
LF conditions on negative polarity licensing

Abstract We argue that conditions on negative polarity licensing are parametrized. First we show that in a language like Hindi, a negative polarity item (NPI) can be licensed even if it is hierarchically superior to negation (an NPI licenser) at s-structure. Independent evidence is provided to show that sentence negation raises to adjoin to IP at LF in Hindi. We suggest that this provides a c-commanding licenser to license the NPI in Hindi at LF. On the basis of this, we conclude that the commonly assumed s-structure requirement on NPI licensing is not universal. Next we demonstrate that c-command is a necessary but not a sufficient condition on NPI licensing. On the basis of some evidence from both Hindi and English, we suggest that the relevant licensing condition involves government. Furthermore the application of this condition is parametrized in that it applies only at LF in Hindi while it must hold at both s-structure as well as at LF in English.
Preconditioned conjugate gradient methods for the Navier-Stokes equations

A preconditioned Krylov subspace method (GMRES) is used to solve the linear systems of equations formed at each time-integration step of the unsteady, two-dimensional, compressible Navier-Stokes equations of fluid flow. The Navier-Stokes equations are cast in an implicit, upwind finite-volume, flux-split formulation. Several preconditioning techniques are investigated to enhance the efficiency and convergence rate of the implicit solver based on the GMRES algorithm. The superiority of the new solver is established by comparisons with a conventional implicit solver, namely line Gauss-Seidel relaxation (LGSR). Computational test results for low-speed (incompressible flow over a backward-facing step at Mach 0.1), transonic flow (trailing edge flow in a transonic turbine cascade), and hypersonic flow (shock-on-shock interactions on a cylindrical leading edge at Mach 6.0) are presented. For the Mach 0.1 case, overall speedup factors of up to 17 (in terms of time-steps) and 15 (in terms of CPU time on a CRAY-YMP/8) are found in favor of the preconditioned GMRES solver, when compared with the LGSR solver. The corresponding speedup factors for the transonic flow case are 17 and 23, respectively. The hypersonic flow case shows slightly lower speedup factors of 9 and 13, respectively. The study of preconditioners conducted in this research reveals that a new LUSGS-type preconditioner is much more efficient than a conventional incomplete LU-type preconditioner.
Influence of Contact Angle, Growth Angle and Melt Surface Tension on Detached Solidification of InSb

We extended the previous analysis of detached solidification of InSb based on the moving meniscus model. We found that for steady detached solidification to occur in a sealed ampoule in zero gravity, it is necessary for the growth angle to exceed a critical value, the contact angle for the melt on the ampoule wall to exceed a critical value, and the melt-gas surface tension to be below a critical value. These critical values would depend on the material properties and the growth parameters. For the conditions examined here, the sum of the growth angle and the contact angle must exceed approximately 130°, which is significantly less than required if both ends of the ampoule are open.
Synthesis of Highly Water-Soluble Fluorescent Conjugated Glycopoly(p-phenylene)s for Lectin and Escherichia coli

Two facile, convenient, and versatile synthetic approaches are used to covalently attach carbohydrate residues to conjugated poly(p-phenylene)s (PPPs) for highly water-soluble PPPs bearing alpha-mannopyranosyl and beta-glucopyranosyl pendants (polymers A and B), which highly fluoresce in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). The post-polymerization functionalization approach is to treat bromo-bearing PPP (polymer 1) with 1-thiolethyl-alpha-D-mannose tetraacetate or 1-thiol-beta-D-glucose tetraacetate in THF solution in the presence of K(2)CO(3) at room temperature through formation of thioether bridges, affording polymer 2a or 2b. The prepolymerization functionalization approach is to polymerize a well-defined sugar-carrying monomer, affording polymer 2a. Polymers 2a and 2b were deacetylated under Zemplen conditions in methanol and methylene chloride containing sodium methoxide, affording polymers A and B, respectively. The multivalent display of carbohydrates on the fluorescent conjugated glycopolymer overcomes the characteristic low binding affinity of the individual carbohydrates to their receptor proteins. Titration of concanavalin A (Con A) to alpha-mannose-bearing polymer A resulted in significant fluorescent quenching of the polymer with Stern-Volmer quenching constant of 4.5 x 10(7). Incubation of polymer A with Escherichia coli (E. coli) lead to formation of fluorescently stained bacterial clusters. Beta-glucose-bearing polymer B displayed no response to Con A and E. coli.
Effects of large-scale amino acid substitution in the polypeptide tether connecting the heme and molybdenum domains on catalysis in human sulfite oxidase.

Sulfite oxidase (SO) is a molybdenum-cofactor-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of sulfite to sulfate, the final step in the catabolism of the sulfur-containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine. The catalytic mechanism of vertebrate SO involves intramolecular electron transfer (IET) from molybdenum to the integral b-type heme of SO and then to exogenous cytochrome c. However, the crystal structure of chicken sulfite oxidase (CSO) has shown that there is a 32 A distance between the Fe and Mo atoms of the respective heme and molybdenum domains, which are connected by a flexible polypeptide tether. This distance is too long to be consistent with the measured IET rates. Previous studies have shown that IET is viscosity dependent (Feng et al., Biochemistry, 2002, 41, 5816) and also dependent upon the flexibility and length of the tether (Johnson-Winters et al., Biochemistry, 2010, 49, 1290). Since IET in CSO is more rapid than in human sulfite oxidase (HSO) (Feng et al., Biochemistry, 2003, 42, 12235) the tether sequence of HSO has been mutated into that of CSO, and the resultant chimeric HSO enzyme investigated by laser flash photolysis and steady-state kinetics in order to study the specificity of the tether sequence of SO on the kinetic properties. Surprisingly, the IET kinetics of the chimeric HSO protein with the CSO tether sequence are slower than wildtype HSO. This observation raises the possibility that the composition of the non-conserved tether sequence of animal SOs may be optimized for individual species.
The factors that promote the development of symmetry properties in aggregates from dissociated echinoid embryos.

Embryos of Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus at the 16 cell, 400 cell or mesenchyme blastula stage of development were dissociated into single cells. The cells were reaggregated, and the development of individual aggregates was monitored. Only aggregates from 16 cell embryos developed into pluteus-like larvae with radial or bilateral symmetry. When embryos at these three developmental stages were incompletely dissociated so that there were mixtures of single cells and groups of undissociated cells, the percentage of aggregates from 16 cell embryos that developed in a pluteus-like manner was greater than in aggregates from completely dissociated 16 cell embryos. Also a small percentage of aggregates from 400 cell embryos now developed into pluteus-like larvae. In both of these experiments small aggregates tend to develop in a more normal manner than larger aggregates.
Uremia Reduces Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor I, Increases Insulin-Like Growth Factor II, and Modifies Their Serum Protein Binding*

Because uremia is associated with growth failure in children, serum levels of somatomedins have been studied in patients by bioassay, radioreceptor assay (RRA), and RIA. While bioassays have indicated low levels of somatomedin, RRA and RIA of native serum have been elevated. We reinvestigated this topic by insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) RIA and insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) specific rat placental membrane RRA. Sera were extracted with acid-ethanol, which recovers somatomedins and excludes somatomedin-binding proteins (SBP). Results are expressed as the relative potency compared to a normal human reference serum. The result of a serum IGF-I RIA of 22 adult patients undergoingchronic hemodialysis was 0.41 ° 0.05 U/ml (mean ° SE). Limits of normal adult sera are 0.58 and 1.84 U/ml. In contrast, the result of the IGF-II RRA was markedly elevated (3.9 ° 0.3 U/ml). Limits of normal adult serum are 0.39and 1.05 U/ml. To determine available serum binding protein, we incubated 2, 10, 25, and 100 /xl...
Potential Uses of Cord Blood in Cardiac Surgery

Despite advances in the fields of prevention, medical intervention and surgical therapy, cardiovascular disease remains a major public healthcare issue. A promising area of research is the potential application of regenerative therapies with pluripotential stem cells to reduce the burden of heart disease and its sequelae. Umbilical cord blood, a rich source of multiple populations of nonembryonic stem cells, will be a valuable resource and has the potential to advance therapeutic options for patients with acquired and congenital heart disease.
Anti-pp60src antibodies are substrates for EGF-stimulated protein kinase.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates phosphorylation of its own receptor at a tyrosine residue1. Similarly, the viral gene product pp60src, which is responsible for cellular transformation by avian sarcoma virus (ASV), phosphorylates itself and immunoglobulin directed against pp60src at tyrosine residues2,3. This unusual site of phosphorylation catalysed by two membrane-associated protein kinases4–7 involved in growth control prompted us to study the immunological relatedness of the EGF-stimulated protein kinase and the pp60src. Using anti-pp60src antisera, we attempted to immunoprecipitate the EGF-stimulated protein kinase solubilized from plasma membranes. We report here that neither the EGF-stimulated kinase nor the EGF receptor were immunoprecipitable by anti-pp60src sera. However, anti-pp60src IgG served as a specific substrate for the EGF-stimulated kinase, suggesting a close similarity between the EGF-stimulated kinase and pp60src.
Evoked cerebral cortical activity from small peripheral nerve fibers in cat.

Abstract In 19 cats anesthetized with 75% nitrous oxide/25% oxygen, two types of cortical activity have been demonstrated to respond to repetitive stimulation of small myelinated and unmyelinated peripheral nerve fibers. One is a rhythmic 3–4 c/sec high voltage activity seen most prominently in the cortical association areas. The other is a 20–40 c/sec small amplitude train of brief discharges appearing most prominently in the primary somatosensory area. This latter response is related to the activity of smaller peripheral nerve fibers. The two responses differ in that the 20–40 c/sec activity is not evoked by epinephrine, appears shortly after the stimulus, and has a shorter duration of activity than the higher voltage 3–4 c/sec theta activity. The slow rhythm is evoked by epinephrine, is delayed in onset and outlasts an evoking stimulus train. Neither response is evoked by optic stimulation or by stimulation of the larger peripheral afferent fibers. Both varieties of cortical activity are suppressed by intravenous phenobarbital.
Single-beam Multiphoton Sonogram Technique for Dispersion Measurement and Pulse Compression

We demonstrate all-shaper-based sonogram technique for spectrometer-free measurement and compensation of laser pulse phase distortions. Phase-and-amplitude shaping is used to both generate an internal reference and scan the time delay between isolated spectral bands.
Implementing an IEEE-488 Bus Controller with Microprocessor Software

This paper describes a microprocessor software implementation of an IEEE-488 bus controller. The IEEE 488 is a defined standard for the interface between various devices which provides orderly communication between electronic instruments of differing manufacturers. Instrument designers are allowed wide latitude on how the interface is to be implemented and the degree of compatibility depending on the needs of the instrument. A software approach is straightforward and avoids the complexity found in a traditional logic circuit design solution.
When Climate Models Agree: The Significance of Robust Model Predictions

This article identifies conditions under which robust predictive modeling results have special epistemic significance—related to truth, confidence, and security—and considers whether those conditions hold in the context of present-day climate modeling. The findings are disappointing. When today’s climate models agree that an interesting hypothesis about future climate change is true, it cannot be inferred—via the arguments considered here anyway—that the hypothesis is likely to be true or that scientists’ confidence in the hypothesis should be significantly increased or that a claim to have evidence for the hypothesis is now more secure.
Thin clients: make them work for you

Thin clients have been part of main stream technology for over four years now. Surprisingly, few universities utilize them. If deployed properly, thin clients provide a whole host of benefits, from reduced need for user support, to high-availability to low energy consumption. The College of Engineering at Colorado State University (CSU) has been using thin clients since 2001 and now has an install base of over 500. In addition, CSU as a whole now has thin clients installed as technology "kiosks" around campus. The practical "how-to's" of getting started will be presented along with an in-depth analysis of getting the most benefit from an investment in thin client technology.
Overview of Empiric Antibiotic Therapy for the Febrile Neutropenic Patient

The febrile neutropenic patient with cancer requires the prompt administration of empirically chosen antibiotic therapy. For many years the choice has usually been an aminoglycoside plus either a cephalosporin or an antipseudomonal penicillin; the exact combination was dependent on local patterns of infection and especially on local patterns of microbial resistance. In the absence of resistance problems, one normally would choose the least expensive aminoglycoside and, probably, the least expensive antipseudomonal penicillin. A new approach to be considered is the use of single agents with very broad spectra such as ceftazidime or imipenem. However, such an approach is fraught with danger--that of leaving a resistant pathogen "uncovered" and of eliminating the possible benefits of synergistic activity against bacteremia due to gram-negative organisms in the profoundly neutropenic patient. Combinations of two beta-lactam agents have the advantage of not being nephro- or ototoxic, although with a few such combinations antagonism has been demonstrated. A final approach is the use of regimens that include aztreonam, ceftazidime, or imipenem, which have little or no suppressive effect on stool anaerobes. Presumably, with these agents colonization resistance will be preserved and the opportunities for secondary infection with a resistant organism will be reduced.
Retinal ganglion cells in model organisms: development, function and disease.

The vertebrate retina is the most peripheral part of the central nervous system. Light signals from the visual environment are captured by photoreceptors where they are converted to electrical signals, which then are processed by the excitatory and inhibitory pathways within the retinal network, and converted at the level of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) into spike trains. This culmination represents the synthesis of all signal processing in the retina. Within the spike code, which travels along ganglion cell axons (the optic nerve) to higher visual centres, is the essential information that is processed in the remaining visual system and is required for visual perception and behaviour. The normal development and physiological function of RGCs are fascinating research areas, in which significant progress has been made in recent years. In addition, diseases have been identified that have a primary effect on the ability of these relay neurons to function. This issue of The Journal of Physiology contains eight articles that highlight some of the recent findings and current thinking in these areas.
Environmental Consciousness: An Empirical Study

A questionnaire designed to examine levels of environmental consciousness was distributed to a sample of approximately 300 individuals. The results show a high level of concern for environmental is...
Diffraction Anomalous Fine Structure: XAFS with Virtual Photoelectrons

This paper discusses a new x-ray structural technique, Diffraction Anomalous Fine Structure (DAFS) , which combines the long-range order sensitivity of diffraction with the short-range order sensitivity and chemical selectivity of x-ray absorption (XAFS). Because absorption and scattering are related by causality, the absorption information available from XAFS is also accessible from DAFS measurements of the elastic, fixed momentum transfer, Bragg reflection intensities. These DAFS measurements exhibit a fine structure versus photon energy analogous to XAFS. DAFS provides all of the usual information of XAFS: the near neighbor bond lengths, numbers, types and disorders around the specifically excited atoms. In addition, because DAFS unifies all of the capabilities of diffraction and XAFS into a single technique, it provides advantages that neither technique possesses separately: (1) Spatial selectivity. DAFS provides short-range order information about the specific subset of long-range ordered atoms selected by the diffraction condition. (2) Site selectivity. DAFS provides site specific short-range order information for inequivalent sites of a single element. (3) Valence sensitivity. DAFS provides valence specific features in the near edge region.
In vitro interactions of Fusarium and Acanthamoeba with drying residues of multipurpose contact lens solutions.

PURPOSE: To examine in vitro effects of evaporation and drying of multipurpose contact lens solutions on survival of Fusarium and Acanthamoeba. METHODS: Conidia of representative Fusarium from the 2004-2006 keratitis outbreak and trophozoites of Acanthamoeba castellanii were inoculated into commercially available multipurpose contact lens care solutions. These solutions were inoculated with 10(2)-10(6) microbial propagules/mL and were evaporated for at least 24 hours. After drying, nutrient media for recovery of surviving organisms were added to the residues formed in the lids of 38 mm polystyrene Petri dishes. General morphologic patterns of the solution residuals and the distribution and morphologies of the microorganisms were recorded with microscopic imaging. RESULTS: Various multipurpose contact lens disinfection solutions formed distinctive dried residual patterns. Both Fusarium and Acanthamoeba at concentrations tested above 10(3) per mL of disinfection solution were recovered from dried films with replicate testing. Mature cysts of Acanthamoeba not evident in the inocula were observed in sparse numbers in all dried solutions except one (Complete Moisture Plus; Advanced Medical Optics) and control salines where precysts and mature cysts were common. Both fusaria and amoeba tended to be observed in discrete regions of the dried residues. CONCLUSIONS: Regions of drying films of multipurpose contact lens disinfection solutions on contact lens cases may induce and harbor dormant-resistant stages of Fusarium and Acanthamoeba. It is hypothesized that the evaporation and drying of multipurpose contact lens disinfection solutions may have been an added risk factor for case contamination among Fusarium and Acanthamoeba keratitis patients. The need for frequent replacement of contact lens cases is enforced.
Extrinsic Silicon Focal Plane Arrays - Influence Of Material Properties

For extrinsic silicon detector arrays, performance is optimized by a careful compromise among several material characteristics affected by growth and processing parameters. In this paper we discuss the role of the major and minor dopant concentrations on spectral response, spatial uniformity of responsivity, impact ionization and impurity band conduction. The impact of these on detector operational constraints is a key element in focal plane detector array design.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Hierarchical Model for Estimating Long-Term Trend of Atrazine Concentration in the Surface Water of the Contiguous U.S.†

Atrazine is a herbicide frequently detected in both surface and groundwater in the United States (U.S.), but its spatiotemporal distribution and concentration trends have only been analyzed recently at regional or local scales. We employed a Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach to assess spatial and seasonal variation in atrazine concentration trends between 1990 and 2010 for the contiguous U.S. A Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation algorithm was used to address the problem of left-censored data (i.e., atrazine concentration values below method reporting levels). We observed opposing temporal trends in the northern (flat or decreasing) and southern (increasing) regions of the U.S. This spatial variation in temporal trends can be partially explained by the relative amount of cropland in the region. Flat or decreasing trends in the north are more likely in regions with high cropland coverage while positive trends in the south are more likely in regions with low cropland coverage.
The C-Terminus of IFN-γ Is Sufficient for Intracellular Function

We have previously shown that murine interferon gamma (IFN gamma) and its C-terminal peptide, muIFN gamma (95-133), bind to a region on the cytoplasmic domain of the IFN gamma receptor contained in the synthetic peptide, MIR(253-287). This region of the murine receptor bears considerable homology (approximately 80%) to its human counterpart. Here we report that not only do human IFN gamma and the human IFN gamma C-terminal peptide, huIFN gamma(95-134), bind to the cytoplasmic domain of the human IFN gamma receptor, but also that this interaction is species non-specific. MuIFN gamma(95-133) binds to human IFN gamma receptor cytoplasmic peptide HIR(252-291), and huIFN gamma(95-133) binds to MIR(253-287). Furthermore, treatment of murine macrophage cell lines with C-terminal peptides of either murine or human IFN gamma results in 10-fold upregulation of MHC class II molecule expression and increased resistance to infection with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) (10(6)-10(9)-fold reduction in yield). These data suggest a direct role for the C-terminus of IFN gamma in the initiation of intracellular signalling processes and may be indicative of a more general mechanism of action for extracellular signalling molecules.
Cellulases of bacterial origin

Abstract The cullulolytic enzyme systems of the bacterial genera Clostridium, Cellulomonas, Bacillus, Thermonospora, Ruminococcus, Bacteriodes, Erwinia, and Acetivibrio, have ben reviewed. The composition of the cellulase complexes produced by these organisms was examined at both the enzyme and genetic level where information was available. A special effort was made to compile the available data cocerning regulation of cellular synthesis by the different bacteria to determine if a uniform pattern would emerge. Given the current data, no such pattern stood out. Comparisons of the known nucleotide sequences of cellulase genes were also undertaken with the hope that conserved regions, possibly indicative of reaction sites and/or substrate binding sites, would be revealed.
Evaluation of integrated versus unitary treatments for reducing public speaking anxiety

Four groups of university students were administered the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA‐24B) and the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) at the beginning of the semester and reevaluated at the conclusion. One group received three treatment procedures (skills training, visualization, and COM therapy); another received skills and visualization treatment; a third received only skills training; the fourth group served as a control group, receiving no treatment. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance revealed that the two groups receiving the combined treatments had significantly greater reductions in public speaking anxiety than the group receiving skills training alone or the control group. The results support the contention that the combined or integrative approach to reducing public speaking anxiety is more effective than the use of a single treatment.
Abstract 346: Functional role for axonal guidance molecule Sema7A in breast cancer metastasis: Epithelial to mesenchymal transition and tumor metastasis

Reactivation of embryogenesis related processes such as neurogenesis is a powerful mechanism used by tumor cells to enhance their survival and propagation. Recent studies have shown that many types of solid tumors express neurogenic molecules independent of the tumor9s geography. Semaphorins are a compelling example of these pleiotropic neuronal molecules. Semaphorins were originally characterized for their role in axonal guidance and several of them have been found to play a role in cancer and other inflammatory diseases. Of the Semaphorins, Semaphorin7A (Sema7A) has not yet been studied in the context of cancer. It has however been associated with fibrosis, inflammation and immune modulation. Most semaphorins are repellent cues and inhibit cellular migration, but Sema7A is the only vertebrate semaphorin that serves as an axon chemoattractant. Sema7A also promotes dendricity, adhesion and motility during neuronal development, monocyte differentiation and osteoclast development. All these cellular properties have been attributed to Sema7A9s ability to activate p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway (MAP-kinase) through α1β1 integrins. We have recently discovered that Sema7A is over-expressed in the tumor tissue of breast cancer patients compared to the adjacent normal tissue. Within the tumor tissue, the mesenchymal cancer stem cells had the highest expression of Sema7A. We have also found that breast cancer cell lines of a mesenchymal phenotype express high levels of Sema7A and that transforming growth factor beta-1 can induce Sema7A expression in breast epithelial cells. Further, we show that mice bearing Sema7A gene silenced mammary tumors had decreased tumor growth and metastasis with enhanced survival compared to the control tumors. Our studies aim to unravel the functional role of Sema7A in breast cancer progression. We hypothesize that Sema7A expression in tumor cells may lead to increased tumor cell dendricity, migration, and adhesion through the activation of the MAP-kinase pathway and mediating epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Similar to its role in neurogenesis, in the tumor microenvironment Sema7A could contribute to tumor cell migration and tissue remodeling. Therefore, Sema7A could prove to be a novel therapeutic target to limit tumor growth and metastasis not only for breast cancer but for other solid tumors as well. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 346. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-346
Hemoglobin A1c testing in an emergency department.

Background: Emergency department (ED) visits for hyperglycemia are common and costly. Enhanced strategies for recognizing and managing patients with diabetes in the ED are needed. Hemoglobin A1c (A1C) testing is typically used to assess level of glycemic control in the 2–3 months preceding an office visit. In this article, we report on potential roles for point-of-care (POC) A1C testing in the ED for patients presenting with uncontrolled hyperglycemia. Methods: We enrolled patients presenting to an urban tertiary care hospital ED with blood glucose (BG) ≥200 mg/dl who were otherwise stable for discharge (n = 86) in a prospective, nonrandomized pilot study. Antihyperglycemic medication management, survival-skills diabetes self-management education, and health system navigation were provided. Followup visits took place at 24–72 hours and at 2 and 4 weeks. Point-of-care A1C testing was performed at baseline and at 2 weeks. Baseline A1C results were used by the ED physician and the educator to inform the patient of likely preadmission glycemic classification, and the potential role that the (diabetes mellitus) DM medication regimen assigned in the ED had in enabling overall progress in glycemic control at 2 weeks post-ED initiation of treatment. Results: At baseline, 50% of POC A1C values were >13%. Mean BG fell from 356 ± 110 mg/dl to 183 ± 103 mg/dl at 4 weeks (average decrease of 173.5 g/dl, p < 0.001). Mean A1C fell by 0.4%, from 12.0 ± 1.5% to 11.6 ± 1.6% at 2 weeks, p = 0.048. There were zero instances of day 1 hypoglycemia and overall hypoglycemia rates were low (1.3%). Conclusions: Point-of-care A1C testing in the ED helped inform both the provider and the patient of likely prior glycemic status, including unrecognized or uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, and allowed emphasis of the importance of timely diabetes self-management education and medication management in preventing acute and chronic complications. Followup POC A1C testing at 2 weeks was used to confirm early improvement in glycemic control postintervention.
Repair of alkylation damage in ultraviolet-sensitive (xeroderma pigmentosum) human cells ☆

Abstract Repair replication occurs in response to alkylation of DNA in normal human cells and in cells from two patients with the hereditary disease xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). Normal and XP cells perform similar amounts of repair replication after treatment with methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and N -methyl- N '-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) indicating that such repair is independent of the biochemical defect in XP (presumably a defect in the initial step of excision repair of UV radiation damage). The results imply that these alkylating agents are similar to ionizing radiation and produce chemical breaks in DNA which then induce repair replication. Repair replication levels in normal and XP cells are similar after nitrogen mustard treatment, but these levels are low and within the capacity of the low residual excision repair in XP cell lines. The chemical mechanisms of nitrogen mustard damage are not resolved in these experiments. At high doses of MMS and MNNG repair replication is inhibited, probably because of enzyme inactivation.
Alternative power sources for remote sensors: A review

Abstract The goal of this review is to assess renewable power sources as alternatives to the batteries traditionally used for remote environmental monitoring. In this review, we first discuss remote sensors and then we: 1) review the power requirements and traditionally used power sources for remote sensors, 2) describe the working principles of the renewable power sources used for powering remote sensors, 3) evaluate the challenges and potentials of the renewable power sources, and 4) review the power management systems developed for remote power generation and discuss how to use them to generate reliable power. In the description of each of the renewable power sources, we include the current status and future directions of the research. We believe that hybrid systems using more than a single renewable power source can provide more reliable renewable power. We conclude that renewable power sources have been demonstrated to be able to generate sufficient power for remote sensors. Because of the environmental risks and cost of operation associated with batteries, renewable energy sources will need to be used to power remote sensors in the near future.
Another window into disordered protein function.

Multiple crystal structures of the same proteins often have specific regions that switch between structure and disorder. In this issue of Structure , Zhang et al. (2007) show that these "dual personality fragments" are distinct from both structured and disordered protein and are functionally important.
Derivation of structural influence coefficients for long-focus imaging optical systems

The structural influence coefficients for an imaging optical system map the decenter and tilt motions of the system elements to changes in the direction and orientation of the line-of-sight and image. A methodology is presented to calculate the structural influence coefficients for the lenses of long-focus (near-infinity) imaging optical systems. Single-lens systems are considered first, with the method then extended to handle multiple elements. Use of an arbitrary structural reference frame is discussed, along with an algorithmic, recursive approach to numerical calculation of the structural influence coefficients. A complete derivation is presented at each step, and an overview of the geometric optical principles involved is provided for reference. The method described allows ready calculation of influence coefficients without tedious ray-trace perturbations or dedicated optical analysis software. This paper is a companion to a previous paper by the authors, in which the structural influence coefficients for plane-mirror systems are derived. The influence coefficient method of both papers is unique in its use of line-of-sight reference frames as an optical kinematic tool to track pointing direction and image orientation.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Arsenic mobilization through microbially mediated deflocculation of ferrihydrite.

This study examined the potential impact of microbially mediated reduction of Fe in the Fe(III)−(hydr)oxide mineral ferrihydrite on the mobility of As in natural waters. In microcosm experiments, t...