cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eicosanoids in neoplasia.

Abstract Dietary fat has been shown to exert a wide variety of actions that result in enhanced mammary and colon tumorigenesis. Such a range of mechanisms suggests the involvement of intermediary or secondary messenger molecules. Eicosanoids, produced from arachidonic acid (C20:4, n -6), are known to have various effects on physiological and biochemical events. The production of these dienoic eicosanoids is controlled during normal physiological events, but excessive quantities of some products are produced in some pathological conditions such as cancer. Often dienoic eicosanoids affect some of the same processes that are influenced by dietary fat, such as linoleic acid (C18:2, n -6). Therefore, eicosanoids may represent a potential system for mediating or modulating the effect of a linoleate-rich diet. The feeding of fish oil has resulted in decreased concentrations of linoleic and arachidonic acids and increased concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5, n -3) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6, n -3). Both eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids antagonize the production of eicosanoids from arachidonic acid. We have examined the effects of fish oil on the growth of the R3230AC mammary adenocarcinoma, the 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced mammary tumors, and the DU-145 human prostatic tumor. Although the precise mechanisms of action are unclear, currently available data suggest that eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid, at an optimal ratio of n -3/ n -6 fatty acids, may have protective effects against development and/or progression of the tumor models studied.
The Electrical Oscillations of a Prolate Spheroid. Paper I

Differential equation. Solutions in spheroidal coordinates of the differential equation of the electromagnetic field are obtained which are valid all the way from the surface of a prolate spheroid of eccentricity unity to infinity. Free oscillations. The wave-length $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ and logarithmic decrement $\ensuremath{\delta}$ of the fundamental free oscillations are computed for all eccentricities. Forced oscillations. The wave-length $\ensuremath{\lambda}$, current $I$, and phase $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ at resonance are computed for six eccentricities near unity for an antenna stimulated by a uniform field varying sinusoidally with the time. Three resonance curves are computed, the radiation resistance at resonance is calculated for six eccentricities and off resonance for two. Expressions for the entire field at all points are given, and reduced to explicit form for the radiation field. An expression is obtained for the mean rate of radiation.
Moving target detection via digital time domain correlation of random noise radar signals

Ultra-wideband random noise radar theoretically has a thumbtack ambiguity function, which cannot be realized due to hardware, processing, and environmental limitations. Velocity estimation using traditional Doppler processing is not practicable for ultra-wideband random noise radar because of the large fractional bandwidth. Through analysis, this paper explores moving target detection using digital correlation processing of random noise signals in the time domain with a single receive channel. Additionally, simulated and measured results are presented.
Museum exhibit on climate change draws from National Research Council reports

[1] With all of science to choose from for topics, the Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has mounted its second exhibit about climate change since the museum's founding, in 2004, emphasizing the importance it places on the subject. The new exhibit, “Earth Lab: Degrees of Change,” which officially opened in the museum's compact quarters in downtown Washington, D. C., on 15 September, presents some in-depth interactive displays about climate change, including a centerpiece “decision table,” a mitigation simulation game that challenges visitors to lower carbon dioxide emissions while also balancing costs and other factors. The exhibit is based in part on the America's Climate Choices Reports from the National Research Council, which, along with NAS, is part of the National Academies. Those reports indicate that climate change is occurring, is very likely caused by human activities, and poses significant risks for a broad range of human and natural systems. Further, the reports include a series of recommended steps to respond to those risks (see R. Showstack, Climate change report calls for iterative risk management framework, Eos Trans. AGU, 92(21), 178–179, doi:10.1029/2011EO210002, 2011).
The resurgence of sexually transmitted disease in China.

In the early years following the Chinese revolution in 1949, the Chinese mounted mass campaigns against the preventable communicable diseases including the venereal diseases. These were characterized by mass education, a national health insurance system, training and dispersion of the “barefoot doctors,” elimination of prostitution, emancipation of women, and full employment. By 1996, the Chinese claimed that they had virtually eliminated venereal diseases.
Gradient estimation for particle flow induced by log-homotopy for nonlinear filters

We study 17 distinct methods to approximate the gradient of the log-homotopy for nonlinear filters. This is a challenging problem because the data are given as function values at random points in high dimensional space. This general problem is important in optimization, financial engineering, quantum chemistry, chemistry, physics and engineering. The best general method that we have developed so far uses a simple idea borrowed from geology combined with a fast approximate k-NN algorithm. Extensive numerical experiments for five classes of problems shows that we get excellent performance.
Kinetics of order-disorder transformations in alloys

Abstract Relaxation of order (both long-range and short-range) in b.c.c. binary alloys is theoretically worked out based on the vacancy mechanism of atomic migration, using the path-probability method of time-dependent cooperative phenomena and choosing the pair approximation. With this approximation, the system reduces to the equilibrium state specified by the Bethe approximation as the time dependence ceases. The relaxation times τ k for order parameters are calculated as functions of temperature. Necessity of more than one τ k is demonstrated. One of the τ's shows the critical slowing down, and all of the τ's increase sharply at low temperatures. Using τ k , temperature dependence of thermodynamic properties are calculated as the system is first cooled down to the freezing region, and is then heated with a constant rate of temperature change in both ways. Theoretical results show hysteresis. It is noteworthy that a second peak of specific heat appears in addition to the peak at the order-disorder transition point. The second peak is the consequence of “melting” of the “frozen in” state. The results are compared with experiments for FeCo alloys. The limitation of the “corresponding state” concept, often used in the discussion of phase transitions as well as in glass transitions, is shown by calculating the isothermal annealing behavior of the “frozen in” state at the corresponding (fictive) temperature. Since the glass transition is a “frozen in” phenomenon, the theory presented in the paper is also to be used in interpreting some experimental vitrification processes.
Thermoregulatory changes by hypoxia: lessons from the paramecium.

SUMMARY 1. In organisms ranging from paramecia to mammals, hypoxia elicits a regulated decrease in body temperature (Tb). A decrease in Tb is an important adaptation to hypoxia primarily because it lowers metabolic rate when oxygen supply is limited, thus facilitating survival. 2. Although this beneficial response is extremely widespread among taxa, little is known of the cellular mechanisms that mediate hypoxia-induced decreases in Tb. This is due, in large part, to the extreme complexity of vertebrate thermoregulatory systems. 3. The thermoregulatory system of the unicellular paramecium is much simpler than that of vertebrates, yet it responds similarly to hypoxia. Research has explored the functional importance of hypoxia-induced decreases in Th. In addition, a number of possible mediators and signalling pathways in hypoxia-induced reductions in Tb have been assessed. 4. In Paramecium caudatum, hypoxia appears to exert its thermoregulatory effects by inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation. Decreases in intracellular [ATP] and pH may be important intermediate signals. In addition, an endogenous opioid system appears to help mediate hypoxia-induced changes in thermoregulatory behaviour.
Loci Surface Guided Crystal Phase Transition Pathway Search

Recently a periodic surface model was developed to assist geometric construction in computer-aided nano-design. This implicit surface model helps create super-porous nano structures parametrically and support crystal packing. In this paper, we propose a new approach for pathway search in phase transition simulation of crystal structures. The approach relies on the interpolation of periodic loci surface models. Respective periodic plane models are reconstructed from the positions of individual atoms at the initial and final states, and surface correspondence are found. With geometric constraints imposed based on physical and chemical properties of crystals, two surface interpolation methods are used to approximate the intermediate atom positions on the transition pathway in the full search of the minimum energy path. This hybrid approach integrates geometry information in configuration space and physics information to allow for efficient transition pathway search. The methods are demonstrated by examples of FeTi and VO2 .Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Circular dichroism of gonadotropin recombinants

Circular dichroic spectra have been determined for ovine and porcine lutropin, human choriogonadotropin, and their subunits (α and β). All nine homologous and heterologous αβ recombinants were prepared from the purified subunits and characterized by circular dichroic spectroscopy over the wavelength interval of 200–320 nm. Above 250 nm, the spectra of all recombinants were similar and more closely resembled the spectra of the β subunits than of the α subunits. Circular dichroic difference spectra above 250 nm, derived by subtracting the sum of the subunit spectra from the appropriate recombinant spectrum, were characterized by a negative extremum near 280 nm. For a common α subunit, the magnitude of this difference extremum was in the order choriogonadotropin β > ovine lutropin β > porcine lutropin β. Interestingly, this was the same order that we found for biological activity based upon an in vitro assay [Strickland, T.W. & Puett, D. (1981) Endocrinology109, 1933–1942]. The lutropin α-containing recombinants exhibit a positive band at 235 nm which arises from the 233 nm band characteristic of the lutropin α subunit. Between 210–230 nm, the circular dichroic spectra of the recombinants are quite similar. Even at lower wavelengths only the human choriogonadotropin α subunit-containing recombinants exhibit differences. Aside from the overall general similarity in the circular dichroic spectra of these recombinants, the most striking observation is that the spectrum of a given recombinant is quite distinct from the additive spectra of the constituent α and β subunits. This finding, in conjunction with spectral data and chemical evidence from other laboratories, supports the concept that the subunit conformations in an αβ complex differ from those of the free subunits.
Carbamazepine Efficacy and Utilization in Children

Carbamazepine is effective for preventing partial and generalized tonic-clonic seizures in children. Although absence epilepsies are more common in children than adults, an estimated 80% of children with epilepsy have seizure types or epilepsies that are potentially responsive to carbamazepine. The differential diagnosis of ictal staring is an especially important issue in children because absence and atypical absence seizures are more prevalent in children than adults. Age-related pharmaco-kinetic differences and drug interactions are major considerations in children. On average, children have higher clearance rates of carbamazepine, shorter half-lives, and higher ratios of carbamazepine-10, 11-epoxide to carbamazepine than adults. In addition, children with severe epilepsy are more likely to require multiple-drug therapy, which can lead to complex drug interactions. When carbamazepine is administered along with valproate, drug protein binding interactions can cause intermittent side effects.
Update on pediatric echocardiography.

Purpose of review The past year was dominated by developments in echocardiographic assessment of myocardial function in children, and this paper reviews some of these major advancements in pediatric echocardiography as a guide to those interested in imaging of the pediatric heart and vascular system. Recent findings Characterization of myocardial function using Doppler tissue imaging, both in the normal child and in the child with congenital or acquired heart disease, was a primary focus of pediatric echocardiographic investigation. Other new technologies, including integrated backscatter analysis and three-dimensional echocardiography, appear to hold significant promise as tools to improve myocardial assessment echocardiographically. Three-dimensional echocardiography also is developing into a powerful technique in fetal echocardiography, allowing rapid data acquisition and extensive image postprocessing with opportunities for both anatomic and functional assessment. Childhood fitness and diseases have a significant impact on the heart and vascular bed, and descriptions of echocardiographic findings in obese children, children engaged in athletic activities, children with renal disease, children who have undergone cardiac transplantation, and those with aortic valve disease were better characterized by investigations published over the past year. Summary Pediatric echocardiography has clearly expanded from a diagnostic tool used to describe anatomic abnormalities associated with congenital heart disease to a noninvasive myocardial monitoring tool that allows serial assessment of the pathologic effects of both cardiac and noncardiac disease.
JOINT COMPLEMENTS AND ISOMORPHISM OF MODULAR ABELIAN GROUP ALGEBRAS

For modular abelian group algebras over a perfect field of prime characteristic, a connection is given between the direct factor problem and the isomorphism problem.
Carcinosarcoma of the ovary.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the treatment and outcome in patients with ovarian carcinosarcoma. The Tumor Board Registry was reviewed for patients with ovarian carcinosarcoma treated at our institution from June 1993 to December 2004. The medical records were retrospectively analyzed with emphasis on cytoreduction, cytotoxic regimens, progression-free interval, and survival. Twenty-two patients were identified. All but two presented with advanced stage disease. The median survival for the entire cohort was 38 months. Median survival was 46 months for 18 optimally debulked ( 1 cm) patients. Six patients were treated with optimal cytoreduction and adjuvant cisplatin (40 mg/m2× 1 day) and ifosfamide (1200 mg/m2/day × 4 days) every 28 days. Median progression-free interval in the cisplatin and ifosfamide group was 13 months, and median survival was 51 months. The combination of carboplatin (AUC 5) and taxol (175 mg/m2) every 21 days was administered to four patients as first-line chemotherapy following optimal cytoreduction. In the carboplatin and taxol group, median progression-free interval was 6 months and median survival was 38 months. The difference in survival between the cisplatin and ifosfamide group and the carboplatin and taxol group was not statistically significant (P= 0.48). In conclusion, patients with ovarian carcinosarcoma usually present with advanced stage disease. Treatment consists of optimal cytoreduction and chemotherapy. The most effective cytotoxic regimen remains to be determined. First-line cisplatin and ifosfamide or carboplatin and taxol can achieve survival rates observed in epithelial ovarian cancer.
Early outcomes and risk factors in venous thrombectomy: an analysis of the American College of Surgeons NSQIP dataset.

Objectives: Thrombus removal has been shown to improve venous physiology in acute iliofemoral deep-venous thrombosis. Our study focuses on the contemporary application of venous thrombectomy based on data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP). Methods: Data submitted by over 200 hospitals to the ACS NSQIP participant use file was accessed for the years 2005-2008. The ACS NSQIP protocol provides clinically rigorous preoperative risk and 30-day outcomes for a prospective and systematic sample of vascular surgery patients. Patients were identified who had undergone venous thrombectomy through leg access (Primary procedure CPT 34421 or 34451). Demographic and clinical variables along with 30-day morbidity (1 or more of 21 defined complications) and mortality were evaluated. Secondary/concomitant procedures CPT codes were collected. Univariate analysis between groups was performed using χ 2 or T-tests with P ≤ .05 considered significant. Results: A tota...
Micromegas neutron beam monitor neutronics

The Micromegas is a type of ionising radiation detector that consists of a gas chamber sandwiched between two parallel plate electrodes, with the gas chamber divided by a Frisch grid into drift and amplification gaps. Investigators have applied it to a number of different applications, such as charged particle, X-ray and neutron detection. A Micromegas device has been tested as a neutron beam monitor at CERN and is expected to be used for that purpose at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) under construction in Oak Ridge, TN. For the Micromegas to function effectively as neutron beam monitor, it should cause minimal disruption to the neutron beam in question. Specifically, it should scatter as few neutrons as possible and avoid neutron absorption when it does not contribute to generating useful information concerning the neutron beam. Here, we present the results of Monte Carlo calculations of the effect of different types of wall materials and detector gases on neutron beams and suggest methods for minimising disruption to the beam.
Potential Psychoactive Indole Derivatives II: Synthesis of 5-Alkoxyindolines via Reduction of 5-Alkoxy-2-indolinones

As part of a continuing program to define further the role of the indole nitrogen in influencing activity of psychoactive compounds, a series of 5-alkoxy-3-alkylamino-1,3-dimethyl-2-indolinones and indolines were prepared for central activity studies. The intermediate substituted 2-indolinones were prepared by C-5 alkylation of 5-hydroxy-1,3-dimethyl-2-indolinone followed by C-3 alkylation with appropriately substituted chloroalkylamines. The substituted 2-indolinones were then reduced to the indoline derivatives with lithium borohydride. IR and NMR spectroscopy were utilized for the structural characterization of the synthesized compounds.
Describing Airspace Complexity: Airspace Response to Disturbances

In ongoing efforts to balance air traffic demand and airspace capacity, airspace complexity stands as a fundamental research problem.This paper proposes a newnotion of airspace complexity by capturing howdifficult a given traffic situation is in terms of the control activity required to accommodate disturbances such as the entrance of another aircraft into the airspace. A complexity map is introduced that offers a graphical view of the control activity required to accept a new aircraft as a function of its essential parameters. The proposed method is illustrated with examples related to traffic flow management and dynamic airspace configuration.
Scintigraphic diagnosis of a right to left shunt in end-stage lung disease.

Purpose:The presence of a right to left shunt influences the surgical approach to lung transplantation in pa- tients with end-stage pulmonary disease.The purposes of this study included comparing contemporaneous lung scinti- graphy with cardiac catheterization in the detection of intracardiac shuntsin patients with end-stage lung disease and the point prevalence of rightto left shunting was determined in patients with several differenttypes of end-stage lung disease. Methods: Hundred and twenty six patients with end-stage lung disease who were candidates for lung transplantation underwent perfusion images of the lungs withTc-99m-labeled macro-aggregated albumin (MAA). Planar scans of the brain and the kidneys were performed contemporaneously.Statistical analysesincluded correlation ofthe clinical,labora- tory and scintigraphic variables.Group means were compared withthe students t-test (two-tailed P-value). Results:There were 21 patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), 72 with emphysematous lung disease (COPD), 22 with pulmonary fibrotic disease (PF), and11with congenital heart disease (CHD) leading to pulmonary hypertension.Only13 patients (10.3%) were found to have a right to left shunt.Of these,4 had PPH, 2 had PF, and 7 had CHD.No shunts were found in patients with emphysema. All the positive studies had abnormally increased activity in both the brain and the kidneys.However, there were 25 cases withrenal activityand none ofthese patients had brain activityorclinical evidence of a shunt. Increased pulmonary artery pressure was associated with scintigraphic presence of a shunt.There were no cases of a right to left shunt with a mean pulmonary artery pressure less than 50 mmHg. In the subset of patients with a pulmonary pressure greater than 50 mmHg, approximately 40% ofthe patients had a rightto a left shunt.There were no measurable differences in the spirometry results, right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in the subgroup of patients with PPH and right to left shunt in comparison with patients with PPH but without a rightto left shunt. Conclusions:The findingsindicate thatimages ofthe brain, but notthe kidneys, are an effective way to diagnose extrapulmonary rightto left shuntsin patients with end-stage pulmonary disease.The problem of a right to left shunt is uncommon in patients with emphysematous lung disease and relatively common in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. r 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
The standing of psychoanalysis

AbstractB. A. Farrell [1981] tries to elucidate some of the rational considerations that determine the standing and value of psychoanalysis. He is sceptical about much of the positive evidence, but...
Cultural variation in children's observation during a demonstration

Ethnographic research indicates that in a number of cultural communities, children's learning is organised around observation of ongoing activities, contrasting with heavy use of explanation in formal schooling. The present research examined the extent to which first- to third-grade children observed an adult's demonstration of how to fold origami figures or observed the folding of two slightly older children who also were trying to make the figures, without requesting further information. In the primary analysis, 10 Mexican heritage US children observed without requesting additional information to a greater extent than 10 European heritage US children. Consistent with the ethnographic literature, these two groups differed in the extent of their family's involvement in schooling; hence, we explored the relationship with maternal schooling in a secondary analysis. An additional 11 children of Mexican heritage whose mothers had extensive experience in formal school (at least a high school education) showed ...
The Geomorphic Dynamics and Environmental History of an Upper Deltaic Floodplain Tract in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA

A multi-proxy approach was used to examine the geomorphic dynamics and environmental history of an upper deltaic ﬂoodplain tract in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California. Three long cores were collected from the McCormack–Williamson Tract (MWT) and these cores were analyzed for bulk density, loss-on-ignition, ﬁne (clay and silt) content, Al concentration, magnetic susceptibility, pollen, and charcoal. Radiocarbon dates obtained for the cores were converted into calendar years and an age–depth model was constructed. Long-term vertical accretion and sedimentation rates were estimated from the age–depth model. Cross-core relations show that coarse sediment generally accumulates more rapidly and has greater magnetic susceptibility compared to ﬁne sediment. Percentage ﬁne and LOI data show a strong linear relationship that indicates ﬂooding is the primary mechanism for the deposition of particular organic matter on the ﬂoodplain and that landscape wash load has contributed a highly consistent fraction of persistent organic matter averaging 5·5 per cent to the site. Down-core grain size proﬁles show two hydrological domains in the cores, namely millennial ﬁne–coarse ﬂuctuations superimposed on general up-core ﬁning. Coarse sediment is viewed as channel or near-channel overbank deposits, whereas ﬁne deposits are considered to be distal overbank ﬂood deposits. The coarse–ﬁne ﬂuctuations are indicative of changing depositional settings as channels migrated laterally across MWT, whereas the upward ﬁning trend reﬂects a combination of self-limiting overbank deposition as ﬂoodplain elevation increased and decreasing competence as sea-level rise reduced ﬂood-pulse energy slopes. MWT has been cross-cut and incised numerous times in the past, only to have the channels abandoned and subsequently ﬁlled by ﬁne sediment. The channels around MWT attained their modern conﬁguration about 4000 years ago. MWT likely came under tidal inﬂuence at about 2500 cal BP. Wetlands have recently developed on MWT, but they are inorganic sediment dominated. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A survey of the incidence of prenatal mortality in cattle following pregnancy diagnosis by rectal palpation

Abstract A survey of the incidence of prenatal mortality following pregnancy diagnosis by rectal palpation was undertaken. Prenatal mortality occurred in 29 (3.62%) of 802 pregnancies surveyed. The incidence of prenatal mortality in pregnancies diagnosed at less than 35 days, between 35 and 45 days and more than 45 days was 5.8%, 6.0% and 0.8% respectively. When pregnancies that were considered abnormal at the time of diagnosis, abortions occurring more than 100 days after palpation and twin abortions were excluded the incidences were 1.94%, 1.77% and 0% for the three groups respectively. Prenatal mortality occurring less than 100 days after palpation was more prevalent in cows with histories of reproductive abnormalities, particularly endometritis. All cows were palpably normal when serviced. All cows in this survey were palpated by one of three veterinarians and one or more senior veterinary students. Multiple palpations may have contributed to the losses reported but the incidence was not considered high enough to justify change of technique or elimination of student palpators.
Fluctuations in the rate of flow during filtration of polymer solutions

This article demonstrates the possibility of a loss of stability in steady-state regimes involved in the filtration of polymer solutions, and we present also the construction of a mathematical model on the basis of whose analysis we have ascertained the unique features of self-oscillations and stochastic oscillations which arise in the region of instability.
Circular Measurement Redux: The Analysis and Interpretation of Interpersonal Circle Profiles

Forty years ago, the Kaiser Research group pioneered an approach to interpersonal assessment based on a structural model of personality, the interpersonal circle. With renewed interest in circular models, issues about the measurement, analysis, and application of these kinds of individual data reemerge. This article is an introduction to and revision of the basic principles of circular profile analysis. Using the recent circumplex of interpersonal problems, we define the model and its data, explain the structural summary, and discuss the descriptive and possible clinical significance of profile indices. Future researchers should seek to expand understanding of how circular profile variables relate to clinical assessment and treatment, and also apply the analytic methods to test key aspects of interpersonal theory.
Shape memory behavior and thermoelastic martensitic transformations

Abstract The current state of understanding of shape memory behavior is reviewed. Microstructural, crystallographic and thermomechanical features, and their interrelationships, are considered. Practical limitations on shape memory behavior are discussed, including alloy selection and temperature limits. The phenomenon of “training” and two-way shape memory is outlined. Emphasis is placed on the stress-strain-temperature envelope as a tool for understanding and exploiting shape memory behavior.
Print-on-demand inkjet digital textile printing technology: an initial understanding of user types and skill levels

Inkjet digital textile printing (IJDTP) is an emerging technology that offers product development opportunities for a number of niche markets. To effectively use IJDTP, users must possess skills in computer-aided design (CAD), colour control, and print design. To address impediments to effective implementation of IJDTP, a study was conducted that assessed the user skill level of crafters, designers, artist/artisans and small business owners/entrepreneurs. Data were collected from an international user base of a US print-on-demand IJDTP company to address the study's objectives (N = 624). The majority of participants self-identified as crafters (47%) and self-reported below average skills in CAD, colour control and creating repeat patterns. Significant differences emerged between the four user types and their skill levels. The study's results inform both educators and practitioners who use IJDTP and who require adequate skills to implement this emergent technology.
Visions of Hate: Explaining Neo-Nazi Violence in the Russian Federation

The type of violence Russian skinheads use against any given ethnic minority corresponds to the "crimes" it has supposedly committed against the Russian people.
Differential Expression of Conserved Germ Line Markers and Delayed Segregation of Male and Female Primordial Germ Cells in a Hermaphrodite, the Leech Helobdella

In sexually reproducing animals, primordial germ cells (PGCs) are often set aside early in embryogenesis, a strategy that minimizes the risk of genomic damage associated with replication and mitosis during the cell cycle. Here, we have used germ line markers (piwi, vasa, and nanos) and microinjected cell lineage tracers to show that PGC specification in the leech genus Helobdella follows a different scenario: in this hermaphrodite, the male and female PGCs segregate from somatic lineages only after more than 20 rounds of zygotic mitosis; the male and female PGCs share the same (mesodermal) cell lineage for 19 rounds of zygotic mitosis. Moreover, while all three markers are expressed in both male and female reproductive tissues of the adult, they are expressed differentially between the male and female PGCs of the developing embryo: piwi and vasa are expressed preferentially in female PGCs at a time when nanos is expressed preferentially in male PGCs. A priori, the delayed segregation of male and female PGCs from somatic tissues and from one another increases the probability of mutations affecting both male and female PGCs of a given individual. We speculate that this suite of features, combined with a capacity for self-fertilization, may contribute to the dramatically rearranged genome of Helobdella robusta relative to other animals.
Characterization of Corynebacterium species in macaques

Bacteria of the genus Corynebacterium are important primary and opportunistic pathogens. Many are zoonotic agents. In this report, phenotypic (API Coryne analysis), genetic (rpoB and 16S rRNA gene sequencing), and physical methods (MS) were used to distinguish the closely related diphtheroid species Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, and to definitively diagnose Corynebacterium renale from cephalic implants of rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) macaques used in cognitive neuroscience research. Throat and cephalic implant cultures yielded 85 isolates from 43 macaques. Identification by API Coryne yielded C. ulcerans (n = 74), Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (n = 2), C. renale or most closely related to C. renale (n = 3), and commensals and opportunists (n = 6). The two isolates identified as C. pseudotuberculosis by API Coryne required genetic and MS analysis for accurate characterization as C. ulcerans. Of three isolates identified as C. renale by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, only one could be confirmed as such by API Coryne, rpoB gene sequencing and MS. This study emphasizes the importance of adjunct methods in identification of coryneforms and is the first isolation of C. renale from cephalic implants in macaques.
Obesity, Bisphosphonates, and Colorectal Cancer

fourstudiesinvestigatingtherelationshipbetweenbisphosphonate use and colorectal cancer risk and concluded that the use of oral bisphosphonates,whentheyareprescribed10ormoretimesinthe course of a year, is associated with a decreased risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, some confounding factors in the study may weaken this conclusion. Obesity (body mass index [BMI] 30) has been showntobeariskfactorforcolorectalcancer, 2 andhavingaBMImore than 26 to 28 is associated with a decreased risk of osteoporosis. 3 Therefore, obese patients included in this meta-analysis, who already hadanincreasedriskofdevelopingcolorectalcancer,mighthavebeen exposed less frequently to bisphosphonates. TheriskofcolorectalcancerwasadjustedforBMIinonlytwoof four studies examined in the meta-analysis (Rennert et al 4 and Green et al 5 ). Moreover, a recent study reported no association between exposuretobisphosphonatesandriskofcolorectalcancerafteradjusting for BMI. 6 Thus, the protective effects of oral bisphoshonates against colorectal cancer observed in the meta-analysis by Thosani et al 1 may have been related to the more frequent use of bisphosphonates in nonobese patients than the bisphosphonate use in
Dissecting the antibody constant region protective immune parameters in HIV infection

ABSTRACT: RV144 vaccine immune-correlates analysis has generated a renewed interest in understanding the potentially protective role of non-neutralizing antibodies in HIV infection and vaccine design. Antibodies consist of a variable region involved in antigen binding and a constant region. While both ends of the antibody collaborate to induce protective immunity, it is through the constant portion that an antibody provides instructions to the innate immune system on how the recognized antigen should be processed, contributing directly to antiviral immunity. Antibody constant regions, despite their name, are not uniform structures, but can vary both in protein sequence and glycosylation, together modulating antibody functionality via conformational changes that alter antibody affinity for Fc receptors, complement and so on. This review will focus on how the immune system naturally modulates the Fc domain of antibodies to achieve optimum protective Fc effector responses for vaccine and monoclonal therapeu...
Fixed-order H ∞ controller design via HIFOO, a specialized nonsmooth optimization package

We report on our experience with fixed-order Hfrinfin controller design using the HIFOO toolbox. We applied HIFOO to various benchmark fixed (or reduced) order Hfrinfin controller design problems in the literature, comparing the results with those published for other methods. The results show that HIFOO can be used as an effective alternative to existing methods for fixed-order Hfrinfin controller design.
Search for the Mechanism of Genetic Variation in the pro Gene of Human Immunodeficiency Virus

To study the mechanism of evolution of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease gene (pro), we analyzed a database of 213 pro sequences isolated from 11 HIV type 1-infected patients who had not been treated with protease inhibitors. Variation in pro is restricted to rare variable bases which are highly diverse and differ in location among individuals; an average variable base appears in about 16% of individuals. The average intrapatient distance per individual variable site, 27%, is similar for synonymous and nonsynonymous sites, although synonymous sites are twice as abundant. The latter observation excludes selection for diversity as an important, permanently acting factor in the evolution of pro and leaves purifying selection as the only kind of selection. Based on this, we developed a model of evolution, both within individuals and along the transmission chain, which explains variable sites as slightly deleterious mutants slowly reverting to the better-fit variant during individual infection. In the case of a single-source transmission, genetic bottlenecks at the moment of transmission effectively suppress selection, allowing mutants to accumulate along the transmission chain to high levels. However, even very rare coinfections from independent sources are, as we show, able to counteract the bottleneck effect. Therefore, there are two possible explanations for the high mutant frequency. First, the frequency of coinfection in the natural host population may be quite low. Alternatively, a strong variation of the best-adapted sequence between individuals could be caused by a combination of an immune response present in early infection and coselection.
Applying the Project Management Cost Estimating Standard to Carbon Footprinting

Anthropogenic emissions have a significant effect on Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to changes in the global climate. These emissions and their impacts need to be tracked in order to understand their potential consequences and to be able to determine how these impacts can be eliminated or reduced by changes in methods, behaviors, and tools. A carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions generated by an entity over a specific time period or lifecycle. Developing a consistent and clear approach to determining the sources and quantities of these emissions is important due to the emerging demand to account for carbon impacts. Unfortunately there are very few approaches that can accurately estimate and track carbon to determine the climate change impacts of organizations, businesses, and activities. In this paper we propose an approach to carbon footprinting in which the amount of one or more types of carbon gas emissions can be estimated. We propose that by adapting cost estimation standards to carbon footprinting practices, a standard approach can be developed, thus providing a clearer and more focused approach to carbon footprinting. In this study, we have adapted the cost estimation standard of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). This adaptation results in a new methodology for carbon footprint quantification that provides more clarification and robustness to carbon footprinting processes. By breaking down the whole process into three key steps, i.e., inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs, and by introducing relevant steps to take, the methodology can function as a guideline for carbon footprinting studies.
Cellular learning theory: theoretical comment on Cole and McNally (2007).

The idea that learning proceeds as a function of the discrepancy (or error) between expected and obtained outcomes is central to many theories of associative learning. However, remarkably little is known about the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie this learning of predictive errors in fear conditioning, a widely used preparation in studies of cellular and molecular mechanisms of memory. In this issue of Behavioral Neuroscience, S. Cole and G. P. McNally (2007) demonstrate an important dissociation between the establishment and regulation of predictive error at the cellular level. Their findings have added a level of complexity to currently established views of the function of NMDA and opioid receptors in learning and memory. This commentary discusses some of the implications of these findings for theoretical and neurobiological approaches to memory, as well as current thinking about the cellular circuitry involved in reward learning and drug abuse. Modern learning theory was launched by several findings in the late 1960s that demonstrated that simple contiguity between conditioned and unconditioned stimuli (CSs and USs) was not sufficient for association formation between those stimuli (Kamin, 1968; Rescorla, 1968; Wagner, Logan, Haberlandt, & Price, 1968). These findings led to the general theoretical idea that associative learning depends on the organism’s expectancies in a given environmental situation. Theories such as the Rescorla–Wagner (1972) model formalized this notion of expectation and suggested that positive or negative changes in associative learning occur as a function of the difference (or error) between the US that is expected, based on the available cues, and the US that actually occurs. The impact of this error on learning is gated by rate parameters that control the amount of learning that occurs in a given situation. Error correction continues to be perhaps the most important concept in the modern development of theories of learning and performance (e.g., Brandon, Vogel, & Wagner, 2003; Gallistel, Fairhurst, & Balsam, 2004; Harris, 2006). However, as Cole and McNally (2007) highlight in this issue, few studies of conditioned fear have examined the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie error correction. Cole and McNally’s demonstration of a role for NMDA and opioid receptors in the establishment and the regulation of predictive error is therefore an important point of contact for theoretical and neurobiological approaches to learning. Further, the ideas developed in their paper about the ways in which predictive error is encoded and regulated reflect a significant advance in thinking about the neurobiology of learning and memory.
The equilibrium unfolding pathway of a (β/α)8 barrel

The (beta/alpha)(8) barrel is the most commonly occurring fold among enzymes. A key step towards rationally engineering (beta/alpha)(8) barrel proteins is to understand their underlying structural organization and folding energetics. Using misincorporation proton-alkyl exchange (MPAX), a new tool for solution structural studies of large proteins, we have performed a native-state exchange analysis of the prototypical (beta/alpha)(8) barrel triosephosphate isomerase. Three cooperatively unfolding subdomains within the structure are identified, as well as two partially unfolded forms of the protein. The C-terminal domain coincides with domains reported to exist in four other (beta/alpha)(8) barrels, but the two N-terminal domains have not been observed previously. These partially unfolded forms may represent sequential intermediates on the folding pathway of triosephosphate isomerase. The methods reported here should be applicable to a variety of other biological problems involving protein conformational changes.
Automated Real-Time Spotting System for DNA/Protein Microarray Applications

In this paper, the implementation of an automated real-time spotting system is discussed. It is intended for high density, high yield microarray fabrication to facilitate diagnostic and research effort in genomics and proteomics. The method is based on a self-sensing, fully automated aspiring/dispensing pin. System performance is evaluated by several batch runs with de-ionized water solution of 0.3% fluorescent Cy-3 dye which has similar physical properties to the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) probe materials. Experiment results show that this system is capable of fast and robust DNA/protein microarray fabrication in high volume while keeping spot size as small as 60 mum consistently. Based on the laser scanned images and experimental data of the spotted microarrays, it is also verified that this system can recognize and prevent the formation of abnormal spots.
Toward a complete forward model for underground imaging Using RF tomography

The forward model for underground imaging using RF tomography is extended to account for elementary loops as transmitters and/or receivers. The theory of RF tomography remains applicable, provided that opportune dyadic Green's functions are derived and expressed explicitly. We will present new formulas and derivations that consent the use of RF Tomography for any arbitrary choice of the Tx/Rx sensor.
The Effect of Synchronous and Asynchronous CMC on Oral Performance in German

It has been frequently suggested that computer–mediated–communication (CMC) can help learners improve their oral proficiency. This study tested that suggestion by comparing the performance of 3 groups of learners (a control group, a synchronous CMC group, and an asynchronous CMC group) on 3 oral discussions tasks during the course of 1 semester. The number of idea units and words, the lexical richness and diversity, and the syntactic complexity of learner language served as dependent variables. Although this study confirmed a previously reported increase in quantity of language produced by students in the synchronous CMC group compared to the other two groups, the asynchronous CMC group did not outperform the control group. Furthermore, analyses of the quality of language indicated no significant differences among the 3 groups either lexically or syntactically.
Voluntary participation in an active learning exercise leads to a better understanding of physiology

Students learn best when they are focused and thinking about the subject at hand. To teach physiology, we must offer opportunities for students to actively participate in class. This approach aids ...
Future directions for the analysis of musculoskeletal design and locomotor performance.

New techniques and conceptual frameworks offer new challenges and exciting opportunities for research on the biomechanics and physiology of vertebrate musculoskeletal design and locomotor performance. Past research based on electromyography and two-dimensional kinematics has greatly advanced the field of vertebrate functional morphology. Studies using these approaches have revealed much about vertebrate structure and function and have emphasized the importance of incorporating historical and developmental constraint and ecological context. Continued use of these experimental tools, but with greater emphasis on three-dimensional analysis of body movement, in combination with 3D kinetics and flow visualization of fluid movement past moving organisms, can now take advantage of the considerable advances in computing power and digital video technology. Indeed, surprisingly few detailed 3D analyses of movement for many locomotor modes and differing organisms are presently available. A challenge of 3D analyses will be to reduce the complexity of the data obtained in order to identify general principles of movement and biomechanics. New techniques and approaches for measuring muscle forces and length changes, together with activation patterns and movement, under dynamic conditions of more varied motor behavior are now also available. These provide the opportunity to study the mechanics and physiology of muscle function at greater depth and under more realistic conditions than has been previously possible. The importance of studying intact, behaving organisms under a broader range of locomotor conditions (other than steady state) and in the context of their natural environment remains a critical need for vertebrate biologists. This provides the much-needed opportunity for placing advances at more cellular and molecular levels into the context of whole organism function. Hence, studies at the organismal level remain paramount. J. Morphol. 252:38–51, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.