cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proceedings of the 2014 Workshop on Cyber Security Analytics, Intelligence and Automation

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 2014 Workshop on Cyber Security Analytics, Intelligence and Automation -- SafeConfig'14. SafeConfig 2014 offers a unique opportunity by bringing together researchers from academic, industry as well as government agencies to discuss challenges, exchange experiences, and propose plans for promoting research and development in this important area. SafeConfig Workshop solicits the submission of original unpublished ideas in 8-page long papers and 4-page short papers on cyber security analytics, intelligence and automation area, which includes provable synthesis, refinement, validation, and tuning of configurations parameters, such as polices and rules in order to support assurable, secure, andsustainable networked services. The call for papers attracted submissions from Asia, Europe, and the United States. SafeConfig 2014 received 11 submissions, from which 3 were accepted as full papers (acceptance ratio 50%), and 3 were accepted as short papers. We also encourage attendees to attend the keynote talk, Detecting Roles and Anomalies in Hospital Access Audit Logs. This valuable and insightful talk can and will guide us to a better understanding of the future. Dr. Carl Gunter, who is currently a professor in the Computer Science Department and a professor in the College of Medicine at UIUC, will talk about research on balancing access controls with audit in medical record systems and discuss broader implications for other areas.
Running status and history: A self-report study

Abstract Objectives The purpose of the current study was to compare injury and running history among current and former runners who consider themselves either injured or uninjured. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Online survey, available to any individuals over the age of 18 who currently run (runners) or who once ran regularly but are no longer running (former runners). Participants 312 participants (age 38 ± 12 years, 219 males, 89 females, 4 did not disclose) completed the survey. Main outcome measures This study assessed injury incidence, consequences of injury such as time off, and reported injury diagnoses and treatments. Chi-square and frequency analyses were calculated to describe running status, injury counts, and response to injury. Results Most participants (80%) reported 1 + running injury. 775 total injuries were reported. The four most common injuries were iliotibial band syndrome (34%), plantar fasciitis (30%), strained thigh/hip muscle (25%), and medial tibial stress syndrome (22%). About 40% of participants continued to run with these injuries. Conclusions Injury frequencies (80%) agreed with those reported in the literature. The results of this study also support the notion that running injuries exist on a continuum of severity and that the individual response to injury is complex and determined by various factors.
Market access, agro-ecological conditions, and Boserupian agricultural intensification patterns in Kenya: Implications for agricultural programs and research

Abstract While Boserupian intensification processes have been documented in many parts of Africa, there is regional variation in the trends in relative prices of land, labor, and capital inputs such as fertilizer. Some rural areas are experiencing unprecedented spikes in land values associated with growing land scarcity, improved market access, and agricultural commercialization potential, while others remain economically isolated and less influenced by the transformational changes occurring elsewhere in the region. This study uses a panel spanning 13 years of 1208 smallholders in Kenya to assess whether households’ response to changes in relative factor prices varies by agro-ecological potential and market access. In areas of low agro-ecological potential, households respond to rising land prices by cultivating less land and applying fertilizer more intensively but do not appear to adjust fertilizer use in response to changing fertilizer prices. By contrast, households in areas of high agro-ecological potential do not appear to adjust the quantity of land under cultivation in response to changing input prices but increase fertilizer use as land prices rise and fertilizer prices fall. Finally, households with better market access conditions appear slightly more responsive to land price changes than do those with poor market access. Given anticipated trends in factor price ratios, this heterogeneity suggests that sustainable forms of agricultural productivity growth will require anticipating the kinds of farm management technologies that will be suitable for farmers in different conditions. This highlights the need for agricultural technology generation and diffusion programs that assist smallholders to overcome the constraints that may prevent them from adapting sufficiently on their own.
Ethologies of Education

This essay offers a “version” of Vinciane Despret’s “ethology of ethology” through close engagement with the concepts Despret constructs in What Would Animals Say if We Asked the Right Questions? R...
Cemetery hoodoo: Culture, ritual crime and forensic archaeology.

Abstract In 2012 and 2014 the author was a consultant to law enforcement regarding crime scenes of a ritualistic nature in the American Southeast. These ritual activities were expressions of folk magic spells linked to certain West African traditions. These spells were used for magico-religious, curative, and ‘justice’ (i.e. revenge) practices known as hoodoo, conjure or rootwork. The ritual activities were conducted at gravesites in a public cemetery. When standard investigative police procedures failed to produce anything substantive with which to solve, prevent, or even understand the motive beyond one of ’vandalism,’ or ‘kids fooling around,’ the author was approached to contribute forensic archaeological and anthropological insights that had thus far proved elusive. This article is an examination of how cultural anthropological understanding and a forensic archaeological “eye” to an outdoor crime scene can re-define crime scene investigative methodology and interpretation.
A refined phase diagram of the tert-butanol-water system and implications on lyophilization process optimization of pharmaceuticals.

While water is the solvent of choice for the lyophilization of pharmaceuticals, tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) along with water can confer several advantages including increased solubility of hydrophobic drugs, decreased drying time, improved product stability and reconstitution characteristics. The goal of this work was to generate the phase diagram and determine the eutectic temperature and composition in the “water rich” region (0.0 to 25.0% w/w TBA) of TBA–water mixtures. Solutions of different compositions were frozen and characterized by low temperature differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The thermal events observed during warming, and their characterization by XRD, enabled the generation of phase boundaries as well as the eutectic temperature and composition. While TBA crystallized as a dihydrate in frozen solutions, on heating, the dihydrate transformed to a heptahydrate. TBA heptahydrate and ice (22.5% w/w TBA) formed a eutectic at ∼−8 °C.
Mechanical Failure of Dental Restorations: The Weakest-Link Theory

Tooth tissues and many of the dental restorative materials, e.g. ceramics and resin composites, are brittle in nature. It is typical of these materials to show a large variation in their fracture strength. A mechanistic approach which can account for their complex shapes and stress distributions is needed in the design and performance optimization of dental restorations. Thus, this chapter introduces the use of the Weakest-Link Theory, in conjunction with the Weibull function, to predict the failure probability of brittle structures and to analyse and design against failure of dental restorations.
Automated Metadata Harmonization Using Entity Resolution and Contextual Embedding

Data curation process for Analytics and Data Science typically involves collecting data from large number of heterogenous and federated source systems with varied schema structures. To make these datasets interoperable, their metadata needs to be standardized. This process, also known as Metadata Harmonization, is predominantly a manual effort involving several hours of concentrated work that leads to reduced efficiency of ML-Ops lifecycle. This paper aims to demonstrate the automation of metadata harmonization using Machine Learning. It focuses on using entity resolution and contextual embedding methods to capture hidden relationships among data columns that help identify similarities in metadata, and thereby, help in automated mapping of columns to a standard schema. This study also addresses the automated derivation of the correct ontological structure for the target data model using ML. While prior competing approaches address manual metadata harmonization problem by proposing usage of semantic middleware, data dictionaries and matching rules this approach recommends novel usage of Machine Learning which improves efficacy of overall lifecycle.
FISAR: Forward Invariant Safe Reinforcement Learning with a Deep Neural Network-Based Optimize

This paper investigates reinforcement learning with constraints, which are indispensable in safety-critical environments. To drive the constraint violation monotonically decrease, we take the constraints as Lyapunov functions and impose new linear constraints on the policy parameters' updating dynamics. As a result, the original safety set can be forward-invariant. However, because the new guaranteed-feasible constraints are imposed on the updating dynamics instead of the original policy parameters, classic optimization algorithms are no longer applicable. To address this, we propose to learn a generic deep neural network (DNN)-based optimizer to optimize the objective while satisfying the linear constraints. The constraint-satisfaction is achieved via projection onto a polytope formulated by multiple linear inequality constraints, which can be solved analytically with our newly designed metric. To the best of our knowledge, this is the \textit{first} DNN-based optimizer for constrained optimization with the forward invariance guarantee. We show that our optimizer trains a policy to decrease the constraint violation and maximize the cumulative reward monotonically. Results on numerical constrained optimization and obstacle-avoidance navigation validate the theoretical findings.
Laparoscopic Uterosacral Ligament Hysteropexy- Technique and Anatomy

Study Objective To demonstrate a technique of laparoscopic uterosacral ligament hysteropexy. Design A step-by-step description of the procedure (instructional video). Setting N/A Patients or Participants The patient is a 30 year old with Stage III apical pelvic organ prolapse. She was unsure about desire for future pregnancy and elected for uterine-sparing repair. Interventions The first step of laparoscopic uterosacral ligament hysteropexy involves creating peritoneal relaxing incisions between both uterosacral ligaments and the ureters. This functions to prevent ureter kinking when the uterosacral ligaments are plicated. Next, plication of the uterosacral ligament is performed using 0-Polyester suture. The suture is guided through the proximal portion of the uterosacral ligament, the midportion of the uterosacral ligament, and the insertion of the uterosacral ligament at the cervix. Uterosacral ligament plication restores the normal anatomy of the uterosacral ligaments. At the conclusion of the case, cystoscopy is performed to ensure ureteral patency. Measurements and Main Results N/A Conclusion Laparoscopic uterosacral ligament hysteropexy is a safe and effective treatment for apical pelvic organ prolapse.
All We Need Is One Mic: A Call for Anti-Racist Solidarity to Deconstruct Anti-Black Racism in Educational Leadership

In this article, we outline some of the vital measurements of racism and anti-blackness as a macro system in education. We contend that principal preparation programs have not explicitly prioritize...
Rapid and inexpensive preparation of genome-wide nucleosome footprints from model and non-model organisms.

Summary MNase-seq (micrococcal nuclease sequencing) is used to map nucleosome positions in eukaryotic genomes to study the relationship between chromatin structure and DNA-dependent processes. Current protocols require at least two days to isolate nucleosome-protected DNA fragments. We have developed a streamlined protocol for S. cerevisiae and other fungi which takes only three hours. Modified protocols were developed for wild fungi and mammalian cells. This method for rapidly producing sequencing-ready nucleosome footprints from several organisms makes MNase-seq faster and easier, with less chemical waste.
Assessing student success in a Peer Assisted Learning program using propensity score matching

The Peer Assisted Learning program at Sacramento State University (PAL) was established in 2012 with one section supporting introductory chemistry. It now serves 17 gatekeeper courses in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics, enrolling approximately 1,400 students annually. Adapting the Peer-Led Team Learning model, PAL Facilitators do not teach, tutor, or even confirm answers; they do ask scaffolding questions, provide encouragement, and ensure that all group members participate in problem-solving. Here we assess the efficacy of the program in terms of student success in the parent course. As PAL is an opt-in program, we employ propensity score matching techniques to account for confounding factors. Our analysis of 11 classes shows that PAL provides an average course GPA bump ranging from .23 to .71 grade points (mean .42). Compared to the non-PAL baseline course GPA, this amounts to an increase of 9% to 51% (mean 23%). We consider data from over 25,000 students, and our propensity score analysis uses over 10,000 students (4,519 PAL, 5,814 non-PAL) for whom appropriate matches could be found.
High-Resolution Ultrasonography in the Assessment of Lumbar Radiculoplexus Neuropathy in Diabetics: Preliminary Results of a Case-Control Study.

Background The traditional diagnosis of lumbar radiculoplexus neuropathy (LRN) is based on a classical sequence of symptoms and targeted electrodiagnostic examination by means of electromyography. Ultrasonography reliably indicates the level of lumbar radiculopathy by assessing edema mesial to the site of compression. Materials and Methods This case–control study was undertaken at a tertiary care hospital between July 2017 and June 2019 on 15 diabetic patients with symptoms of LRN. Fifteen healthy volunteers with no symptoms or clinical signs of LRN were included in the control group. The diameter (D) and transverse diameter (TD) of L1 nerve root (L1NR), L2NR, L3NR, and L4NR were measured, and their cross-sectional areas (CSAs) were calculated based on location in the lateral zone, where the NRs were visualized. On high-resolution ultrasonography, femoral nerve was localized lateral to the femoral artery in the femoral triangle beneath the inguinal ligament. Additionally, the CSA (calculated as CSA [mm2] = D × TD × π/4), the diameter (mm), and transverse diameter (mm) of bilateral femoral nerves at the level of L3-L4 were calculated. Results The difference attributed to CSAs between affected NRs in LRN group and unaffected NRs in controls at levels L1-L4 was considered statistically significant (p Conclusion Radiculoplexus neuropathy of the lumbar plexus can be reliably diagnosed on high-resolution ultrasonography that can reveal nerve thickening. The laterality of affected NRs was significantly greater in LRN group when compared with controls.
Topological network analysis of patient similarity for precision management of acute blood pressure in spinal cord injury.

Background Predicting neurological recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) is challenging. Using topological data analysis, we have previously shown that mean arterial pressure (MAP) during SCI surgery predicts long-term functional recovery in rodent models, motivating the present multicenter study in patients. Methods Intra-operative monitoring records and neurological outcome data were extracted (n = 118 patients). We built a similarity network of patients from a low-dimensional space embedded using a non-linear algorithm, Isomap, and ensured topological extraction using persistent homology metrics. Confirmatory analysis was conducted through regression methods. Results Network analysis suggested that time outside of an optimum MAP range (hypotension or hypertension) during surgery was associated with lower likelihood of neurological recovery at hospital discharge. Logistic and LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) regression confirmed these findings, revealing an optimal MAP range of 76-[104-117] mmHg associated with neurological recovery. Conclusions We show that deviation from this optimal MAP range during SCI surgery predicts lower probability of neurological recovery and suggest new targets for therapeutic intervention. Funding NIH/NINDS: R01NS088475 (ARF); R01NS122888 (ARF); UH3NS106899 (ARF); Department of Veterans Affairs: 1I01RX002245 (ARF), I01RX002787 (ARF); Wings for Life Foundation (ATE, ARF); Craig H. Neilsen Foundation (ARF); and DOD: SC150198 (MSB); SC190233 (MSB).
COMPUTER AIDED TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION MANAGEMENT

Documentation is discussed from the point of view of the generation of the subject matter base, the author, the communication and the reader.
An Information-Theoretic Approach to Distributed Compressed Sensing ∗

Compressed sensing is an emerging field based on the revelation that a small group of linear projections of a sparse signal contains enough information for reconstruction. In this paper we introduce a new theory for distributed compressed sensing (DCS) that enables new distributed coding algorithms for multi-signal ensembles that exploit both intra- and inter-signal correlation structures. The DCS theory rests on a concept that we term the joint sparsity of a signal ensemble. We study a model for jointly sparse signals, propose algorithms for joint recovery of multiple signals from incoherent projections, and characterize the number of measurements per sensor required for accurate reconstruction. We establish a parallel with the Slepian-Wolf theorem from information theory and establish upper and lower bounds on the measurement rates required for encoding jointly sparse signals. In some sense DCS is a framework for distributed compression of sources with memory, which has remained a challenging problem for some time. DCS is immediately applicable to a range of problems in sensor networks and arrays.
A Complete Computer Program for the Synthesis of Matching Networks for Microwave Amplifiers

A complete computer program has been developed for the design of interstage matching networks for microwave amplifiers using (generalized) passive network synthesis which has been generalized to provide sloped passband performance, inclusion of parasitic elements and transformation of impedance levels.
Colibacillosis in poultry: unravelling the molecular basis of virulence of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli in their natural hosts

Avian colibacillosis is caused by a group of pathogens designated avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC). Despite being known for over a century, avian colibacillosis remains one of the major endemic diseases afflicting the poultry industry worldwide. Autologous bacterins provide limited serotype-specific protection, yet multiple serogroups are associated with disease, especially O1, O2 and O78 among many others. Experimental infection models have facilitated the identification of some key APEC virulence genes and have allowed testing of vaccine candidates. Well-recognized virulence factors include Type 1 (F1) and P (Pap/Prs) fimbriae for colonization, IbeA for invasion, iron acquisition systems, TraT and Iss for serum survival, K and O antigens for anti-phagocytic activity, and a temperature-sensitive haemagglutinin of imprecise function. Intriguingly, these factors do not occur universally among APEC, suggesting the presence of multiple alternative mechanisms mediating pathogenicity. The recent availability of the first complete APEC genome sequence can be expected to accelerate the identification of bacterial genes expressed during infection and required for virulence. High-throughput molecular approaches like signature-tagged transposon mutagenesis have already proved invaluable in revealing portfolios of genes expressed by pathogenic bacteria during infection, and this has enabled identification of APEC O2 factors required for septicaemia in the chicken model. Complimentary approaches, such as in vivo-induced antigen technology, exist to define the activities of APEC in vivo. In recent years, reverse vaccinology and immuno-proteomic approaches have also enabled identification of novel vaccine candidates in other bacterial pathogens. Collectively, such information provides the basis for the development or improvement of strategies to control APEC infections in the food-producing avian species.
SU-E-T-534: Assessing Planning Margins Using Shifting Dose Matrix Method to Calculate Daily and Cumulative Doses under Imaging Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT)

Purpose: Under daily IGRT,treatment planning margins can be significantly reduced. To evaluate effectiveness of the current empirical planning margins, we developed an efficient method to assess daily and cumulative doses. Methods: Under daily kilo‐voltage cone beam CT (KV‐CBCT), daily dose can be calculated directly using the CBCT, but this method is cumbersome and not necessarily accurate due to fluctuation of the CT numbers. Based on the Computational Environment for Radiotherapy Research (CERR) software, we developed additional MATLAB codes to shift the planning dose matrix according to the daily shifts detected by IGRT. Because the shifted dose matrices were in the same coordinate system, cumulative dose can be obtained by simple summation. For 20 patients with prostate cancer, the planning margin of 4 mm posterior and 6 mm elsewhere were utilized. For these patients, we calculated the daily doses and cumulative doses with and without IGRT to assess sufficiency of planning margins. The calculated composite delivery doses were compared to the planning doses for the prostate and the planning target volume (PTV). Results: For the 20 cases examined, the dose differences to 95% of the prostate (D95) between the delivered and planned dose were from −3.5% to 0.4% (mean −0.1%). For the PTV, the differences in D95 were from −11.2% to 0.0% (mean −1.8%). The dose differences to the 50% of the rectal and bladder were from −5.2% to 13.2% (mean 3.1%) and from −19.6% to 1.0% (mean −5.0%), respectively. Conclusions: The composite dose of multiple‐ fraction treatment can be obtained by using the shifting dosematrix method. Because of the adequate planning margin, the cumulative dose changes due to the prostate motion are small, even without IGRT, indicating either the planning margin can be reduced or the frequency of the IGRT can be reduced.
Electrophysiology of Raccoon Cuneocerebellar Neurons

(1) Electrophysiological experiments were undertaken in order to locate and functionally characterize cells of the raccoon main cuneate nucleus (MCN) that can be activated by electrical stimulation of the cerebellum. A total of 98 such units were studied in pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized, methoxyflurane-anesthetized, or decerebrate preparations. Aside from a greater likelihood of resting discharge in the decerebrate preparations, no appreciable variability in physiological properties of the neurons could be attributed to differences in the type of preparation. (2) Using constant latency of response and ability to be blocked by collision as principal criteria, both antidromically (n = 31) and synaptically (n = 67) activated neurons of the main cuneate nucleus could be identified. A small number of MCN neurons could be activated by both cerebellar and thalamic stimulation, but no unit was antidromically activated from both locations. (3) MCN neurons projecting to the cerebellum are located primarily in t...
Symmetry-Breaking Multiple Equilibria in Quasigeostrophic, Wind-Driven Flows

Abstract The classical Munk problem of barotropic flow driven by an antisymmetric wind stress exhibits multiple steady solutions in the range of moderate to high forcing and moderate to low dissipation. Everywhere in the parameter space a perfectly antisymmetric solution exists in which the strength of the cyclonic gyre is equal and opposite to that of the anticyclonic gyre. This kind of solution has been well documented in the literature. In a subset of the parameter a pair of nonsymmetric stationary solutions coexists with the antisymmetric solution. For one member of the pair the amplitude of the cyclonic circulation exceeds that of the anticyclonic flow. The other member of the pair is obtained from the quasigeostrophic symmetry y→&minusy and ψ→−ψ. As a result, the point at which the western boundary current separates from the coast can be either south or north of the latitude at which the antisymmetric Ekman pumping changes sign. This is the first oceanogrphic example of spontaneous breaking of the q...
Integrated square error for linear interpolation of band-limited signals

The integrated square error is calculated between a band-limited signal s(t) and a linearly interpolated signal s_{L}(t) obtained from the sampled data of s(t) . Band-limited signals, nonperiodic or periodic, are considered. It is shown that the integrated square error together with the energy of s_{L}(t) is found from a closed-form evaluation using the power spectrum of the original band-limited signal. Two examples are included to illustrate the ease of application. The integrated-square-error criterion has been used extensively in the design of filters and control systems. Minimization and calculation of the integrated square error can be found in [1]-[6], etc.
Inhibition of Notch signaling induces apoptosis of myeloma cells and enhances sensitivity to chemotherapy

Drug resistance remains a critical problem in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. Recent studies have de-termined that Notch signaling plays a major role in bone marrow (BM) stroma-mediated protection of myeloma cells from de novo drug-induced apoptosis. Here, we investigated whether pharmacologic inhibition of Notch signaling could affect the viability of myeloma cells and their sensitivity to chemotherapy. Treatment with a γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) alone induced apoptosis of myeloma cells via specific inhibition of Notch signaling. At concentrations toxic for myeloma cell lines and primary myeloma cells, GSI did not affect normal BM or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Treatment with GSI prevented BM stroma-mediated protection of myeloma cells from drug-induced apoptosis. The cytotoxic effect of GSI was mediated via Hes-1 and up-regulation of the proapoptotic protein Noxa. In vivo experiments using xenograft and SCID-hu models of multiple myeloma demonstrated substantial antitumor effect of GSI. In addition, GSI significantly improved the cytotoxicity of the chemotherapeutic drugs doxorubicin and melphalan. Thus, this study demonstrates that inhibition of Notch signaling prevents BM-mediated drug resistance and sensitizes myeloma cells to chemotherapy. This may represent a promising approach for therapeutic intervention in multiple myeloma.
Corrigendum to: “Persister cells and tolerance to antimicrobials” [FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 230 (2003) 12–18]

In the above mentioned article the authors found a mistake in the legend of figure 1. The circle labels should be …
Serotonin receptor agonists buspirone and (+/−)-DOB: Tritiation at high specific activity

Serotonergic agonists buspirone 1 and (+/−)-DOB 4 have been labeled with tritium at high specific activity and have emerged as valuable tools to study the serotonin receptor family.
Regeneration of somatic hybrid plants formed between Lycopersicon esculentum and Solatium rickii

A single somatic hybrid callus clone was identified following the fusion of Lycopersicon esculentum protoplasts and Solanum rickii suspension culture protoplasts. The hybrid nature of the callus and the plants regenerating from it was determined by assaying phosphoglucomutase-2 isozyme expression. The chloroplast genome present in four somatic hybrid plants was characterized by probing digests of total DNA with nick translated L. esculentum chloroplast DNA(cpDNA). All four somatic hybrid plants had inherited S. rickii cpDNA. Two clones of plant mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), soybean 18S and 5S rDNA and maize cytochrome oxidase subunit II were used to characterize the mtDNA present in total DNA digests of four somatic hybrid plants. In both cases, the somatic hybrid plants had inherited most but not all of the S. rickii specific fragments, but none of the L. esculentum specific fragments.
Altered coding for a strictly conserved di-glycine in the major bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase of a Crigler-Najjar type I patient.

The characterization (Ritter, J. K., Chen, F., Sheen, Y. Y., Tran, H. M., Kimura, S., Yeatman, M. T., and Owens, I. S. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 3257-3261) of the single-copy UGT1 gene complex locus encoding both bilirubin and phenol UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (transferase) has been critical to the determination of genetic defects in Crigler-Najjar patients. The complex (UGT1A-UGT1M) codes for at least two bilirubin, three bilirubin-like, and eight phenol transferase isozymes. In the 5′ region, a minimum of 13 different exons 1, each with an upstream promoter, are arrayed in series with 4 common exons in the 3′ region of the locus. Each exon 1 encodes the amino terminus of a transferase, and the common exons encode the common carboxyl terminus of each isoform. Although a deleterious mutation in a common exon inactivates the entire locus, a deleterious mutation in an exon 1, as we report here for the UGT1A gene in a Crigler-Najjar Type I patient, affects the amino terminus of that single isoform. Recessively inherited mutant alleles for the predominant bilirubin isozyme, the HUG-Br1 protein, substituted Arg for Gly at codon 276 (G276R) in exon 1 of UGT1A abolishing a conserved di-glycine. The mutant HUG-Br1-G276R protein expressed in COS-1 cells had no detectable bilirubin glucuronidating activity at either pH 7.6 or 6.4. Although each of the bilirubin-type isozymes contains a conserved peptide between residues 270 and 288, all UDP-glucuronosyltransferases contain a di-glycine at approximately position 276-277, making it strictly conserved. Structure-function relationship was studied by site-directed mutations of the HUG-Br1 cDNA; G276A, G276Q, G276E, G276I, and P270G mutants were inactive, and V275I- and P285G-altered transferases expressed normal activity. Conservation of residues between the related baculoviral ecdysone UDP-glucosyltransferase and the UDP-glucuronosyltransferases confirms the critical role of the Gly-276 as well as other residues.
Vanilloid receptor VR1-positive primary afferents are glutamatergic and contact spinal neurons that co-express neurokinin receptor NK1 and glutamate receptors

The vanilloid receptor VR1 (TRPV1) is a temperature- and capsaicin-sensitive cation channel expressed by a class of primary afferents involved in nociception. To confirm the hypothesis that VR1-positive primary afferents are glutamatergic and contact spinal neurons that express the main classes of ionotropic glutamate receptors, we performed multiple immunofluorescent staining for VR1 and the glutamate transporter VGLUT2 (a specific marker for glutamatergic transmission) or AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits. VR1-positive cells in the dorsal root ganglion and boutons of their central afferent fibers in the dorsal horn expressed VGLUT2, and the latter contacted AMPA- or NMDA receptor-positive perikarya. Based on our previous observations of preferential targeting of VR1-positive primary afferents to spinal neurons that express the neurokinin receptor NK1 (Hwang et al., 2003), we further quantified the frequency of termination of VR1-positive afferents onto NK1-positive neurons co-expressing glutamate receptors. A larger fraction of NK1/NMDA receptors-positive than NK1/AMPA receptors-positive sites were contacted by VR1-positive boutons. We conclude that VR1-positive primary afferents in the rat use glutamate as neurotransmitter and contact postsynaptic sites that co-express NK1 and ionotropic glutamate receptors.
Data Acquisition Using PDP-ll and MBD Branch Driver at L.B.L.

A data acquisition system has been designed and preliminary versions have been implemented for physics experiments at LBL. It utilizes an MBD microprogramrrad branch driver and a PDP-ll operating under FRM-11M. An MBD executive is used to implement software breakpoints within the MBD. The PDP-11 data acquisition buffer management scheme allows for multiple tasks dynamically accessing the data stream. Emphasis is directed towards future expansions. High data rates are also emphasized.
Management of urolithiasis in pregnancy

Kidney stones are very common and unfortunately do not spare the pregnant population. Anatomical and pathophysiological changes occur in the pregnant female that alter the risk for development of nephrolithiasis. Acute renal colic during pregnancy is associated with significant potential risks to both mother and fetus. Diagnosis is often challenging because good imaging options without radiation use are limited. Management of diagnosed nephrolithiasis is unique in the pregnant population and requires multi-disciplinary care. Herein, we review the metabolic alterations during pregnancy that may promote kidney stone formation, the complications associated with acute renal colic in the pregnant state, and our proposed diagnostic and management algorithms when dealing with this clinical scenario.
The Collegiate Athletic Arms Race: Origins and Implications of the "Rule 48" Controversy

The passage of Rule 48 by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) pro voked the most heated racial debate within the organization since the onset of widespread collegiate sports integration during the late 1960s and early 1970s. At the core of the controversy are concerns over the legislation's anticipated financial and academic conse quences for those Division I institutions which have traditionally set less stringent academic standards for athletes' admissions and sports participation. Predominantly Black institu tions' efforts to establish and maintain parity with predominantly White institutions in the race to recruit "blue-chip" Black athletes is examined within the context of Rule 48's implica tions. The forces precipitating Rule 48 and those complicating its equitable implementation are shown to be rooted in the traditions and ongoing character of interracial relations in American sport and society. And, finally, problems of academic quality and integrity in collegiate sports are reveal...
Thermoregulatory anatomy of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana)

We have found that pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) use external heat exchange with the environment and internal heat exchange between the carotid artery rete and cavernous venous sinus blood to regulate body temperature. Now we have investigated the relationship between the histological structure of the skin, cephalic veins, and carotid rete–cavernous sinus system and the physiological mechanisms pronghorn use, and whether their thermoregulatory anatomy has adaptive advantages. We harvested tissue samples of skin, three veins (i.e., angularis oculi vein, dorsal nasal vein, and facial vein), and the carotid rete–cavernous sinus system from four pronghorn, two culled in summer and two in winter, and examined each histologically. The three veins had the typical structure of veins with large lumina and thin walls. The carotid rete consisted of small (0.1–0.5 mm) arterioles with a density of ~10/mm2, intertwined with veins (~2/mm2), enclosed within the cavernous sinus; a structure ideal for heat exchange. We concluded that the main function of the dorsal nasal and facial veins is to return cold blood to the body to effect whole body cooling. The cavernous sinus is supplied with warm blood by the palatine veins in winter and cold blood by the deep facial veins in summer, an arrangement different to that in other ungulates, such as sheep, in which the angularis oculi vein supplies the cavernous sinus. Pronghorn skin is richly supplied with blood vessels that facilitate convective heat loss in summer. In winter, the number of coarse and fine hairs per square millimeter increases more than in European deer to form a thick pelage that minimizes heat loss. In summer, the pelage is shed because hair follicles involute. Unlike in other ungulates, pronghorn skin has little adipose tissue. The number of apocrine glands increases in winter rather than in summer. We concluded that the glands have a reproductive/social function rather than a thermoregulatory one. In summary, our study shows that the thermoregulatory anatomy is consistent with our physiological data and has adaptive advantages that help explain the survival of pronghorn in an arid habitat characterized by extreme temperature variation and sparse vegetation.
Osteoclast-specific monoclonal antibodies coupled to magnetic beads provide a rapid and efficient method of purifying avian osteoclasts.

Osteoclasts are the major cell type responsible for normal and pathologic bone resorption. Obtaining highly purified populations of these multinucleated cells has been problematic, although such populations would greatly facilitate investigations of osteoclast regulation and activity. A new immunomagnetic protocol has been devised to surmount these difficulties, employing avian osteoclast-directed monoclonal antibodies (designated 121F, 35L, and 75B) surface coupled to uniformly small, magnetic polystyrene beads covalently conjugated with sheep antimouse IgG. Presentation of these antiosteoclast antibody-coated beads to mixed cell preparations derived from marrow-depleted, collagenase- and/or trypsin-treated chick tibiae and wing bones, followed by magnetic separation and washing, results in efficient and selective binding of osteoclasts to the immunomagnetic beads within minutes. The specific nature of this bead-cell interaction is further demonstrated by the progressive decline in antiosteoclast antibody-coated bead binding to osteoclasts pretreated with the soluble antiosteoclast antibody and also by the absence of binding to osteoclasts by uncoated beads or beads coated with an irrelevant antibody. Under optimal conditions, these isolations typically yield more than a 100-fold enrichment and greater than a 90% purification of osteoclasts from subpopulations of either predominantly nonviable or viable osteoclasts. Although scanning electron microscopy reveals that immunomagnetically purified and cultured osteoclasts internalize large numbers of the antibody-coated beads, such cells appear unimpaired in their ability to attach to tissue culture plastic or devitalized cortical bone slices and to produce resorption pits characteristic for osteoclasts. Additional studies to ascertain the most effective method for removal (desorption) of antibody-coated beads from magnetically isolated osteoclasts demonstrate that moderate physical agitation is at present the most effective protocol to dislodge antibody-coated beads from the cell surface while maintaining osteoclast viability and function. This immunomagnetic technique therefore provides a gentle method for the isolation of highly purified poplations of osteoclasts from heterogeneous bone cell populations in a rapid, efficient, and selective manner.
Efficacy of Dimercapto Chelatin Agents for the Treatment of Poisoning by Percutaneously Applied Dichloro(2-chlorovinyl)arsine in Rabbits

The efficacy of three chelating agents, BAL, DMPS and DMSA has been evaluated in rabbits as treatments for systemic dichloro(2-chlorovinyl)arsine [lewisite] poisoning by the percutaneous route. Chelating agent treatment reduced the incidence and severity of pathological liver changes following lewisite poisoning. There was no marked difference between the three chelating agents for protection against lethality when screened at an equimolar dose of 40 mumol kg-1. The results indicated DMPS and DMSA may prolong survival time compared with BAL. The low toxicity of DMPS and DMSA compared to BAL enabled doses of 160 mumol kg-1 on a more prolonged dosing schedule to be used for DMPS and DMSA. This schedule showed DMPS and DMSA to give a significant improvement in protection against the lethal effects of percutaneous lewisite compared to that of BAL. It was concluded that DMPS and DMSA have significant advantages over BAL for use as treatment for systemic lewisite poisoning.
A triangular mesh random walk for Dirichlet problems

Abstract This paper presents a new Monte Carlo technique called the equilateral triangular mesh random walk. A major advantage of the method over the classical Monte Carlo techniques, such as the fixed random walk and the floating random walk, is that it is capable of handling Neumann problems which the classical Monte Carlo methods cannot handle. However, the presentation in this paper is limited to the application of the triangular mesh random walk to Dirichlet problems of Laplace's and Poisson's equations. Numerical experiments involving two-dimensional problems confirm the accuracy of the triangular mesh random walk.
Inheritance and stability of resistance to fusarium tuber rot in tetraploid potatoes

Fusarium tuber rot of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most economically important diseases of stored potatoes. Dry rot is caused by several species of Fusaria, particularlyFusarium sambucinum in North America. The objective of this study was to determine the inheritance of resistance to Fusarium tuber rot. A highly resistant (B0172-22) and a highly susceptible (B0178-34) potato clone were crossed as female parents with two male parents. Tubers from varying numbers of progeny (28–37) from these four crosses were inoculated withFusarium sambucinum in the laboratory. Three tubers from each progeny were inoculated at approximately monthly intervals six times in each of 2 years. The depth and diameter of the lesion were measured 40 days after inoculation. Estimates of broadsense heritability (H) for lesion depth and a 95% confidence interval about these estimates were similar in 2000 and 2001: 0.84 (0.84, 0.91) and 0.77 (0.77, 0.87), respectively, as were the estimates for lesion diameter: 0.83 (0.83, 0.90) and 0.80 (0.80, 0.89), respectively. The differences in lesion depth for the female parents were significant the second year, but not the first year. The differences in lesion diameter for the female and male parents were significant both years. The female x male interactions were not significant for either lesion depth or lesion diameter. There were significant differences between clones in each of these four families for both traits both years. In 2000 and 2001, 24% and 38%, respectively, of the clones were unstable for resistance. In only one of the four families did instability increase as susceptibility increased, suggesting that there sometimes may be a genetic component to instability per se. These results indicate that resistance to Fusarium dry rot has a large genetic component. They also indicate that lesion diameter is more informative than lesion depth for evaluating resistance.
Effects of fetal dexamethasone exposure on postnatal control of cardiac adenylate cyclase : β-adrenergic receptor coupling to Gs regulatory protein

In the adult, glucocorticoids have been shown to upregulate p-adrenergic control of adenylate cyclase by a variety of mechanisms; glucocorticoids are also thought to play a role in development of cardiac adrenergic function. In the current study, pregnant rats were given 0.2 mg/kg of dexamethasone on gestational days 17, 18, and 19 and the effects on the development of cardiac p-receptors and their linkage to the stimulatory G-protein, Ge, were examined at 4 days postpartum. p-Receptor numbers and affinity were unaffected by dexamethasone exposure, nor was there any change in the ability of the GTP analog, Gpp(NH)p, to shift the affinity state of the receptor
Photocatalytic oxidation of butyraldehyde over titania in air: By-product identification and reaction pathways

In this study, gas phase photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) of n-butyraldehyde was carried out in a packed-bed reactor (titania supported on an inert packing). An on-line system consisting of two collection columns (one glass bead and one activated carbon) and a GC/MS was used for by-product identification. Various temperature levels (50, 90, 115, 170, 270, 320°C) were used in the by-product desorption from the activated carbon column. The oxidation yielded carbon dioxide as the end product. The by-products revealed many reaction pathways of the photocatalytic process. The major by-products (propionaldehyde, 1-propanol, ethanol, and acetaldehyde) were believed to undergo a C-C bond cleavage followed by hydrolysis. Secondary by-products (propyl formate, di-n-propyl ether, and 3-heptene) were caused by esterification, dehydration, and reductive coupling. Aldol condensation of the vapor phase aldehydes on TiO 2 surfaces followed by cyclization may be partially responsible for the formation of some minor by-produ...
Crystal Structure of Drosophila Unc-45, a Putative Myosin Chaperone

UNC-45 is a chaperone that may aid in folding myosin's motor domain. Mutations in UNC-45 cause muscle defects and dysfunction, due to the importance of myosin in muscle structure and contraction. UNC-45 is composed of an N-terminal tetra-tricopeptide (TPR) domain, a C-terminal UCS (UNC-45/Cro1/She4 homology) domain, and a central region that links these. Here we present the crystal structure of Drosophila UNC-45 (dUNC-45), which should serve as a basis for attaining a detailed understanding of its mechanism of action. Bacterially expressed recombinant His-tagged dUNC-45 was purified sequentially using immobilized metal affinity chromatography and size exclusion chromatography. The protein eluted as a single peak, indicating a homogeneous population of protein suitable for crystallization. Crystals were prepared by hanging drop vapor diffusion and x-ray diffraction data were collected to a limit of 3.0 A resolution. For phase determination, a seleno-methionine derivative dUNC-45 crystal was prepared for single wavelength anomalous dispersion (SAD) experiments. Synchrotron data were collected at the Berkeley National Laboratory Advanced Light Source. The diffraction data were processed in HKL2000. Selenium positions were determined and refined in Phenix. The resulting structure was refined against native data using Phaser and maximum-likelihood refinement with Refmac5. Model building was performed in COOT. Our current model has R-cryst and R-free values of 0.24 and 0.28 respectively. The TPR domain is not visible in the model, likely due to flexibility of the domain within the crystal. Overall, the UCS domain is composed of α-helices that form armadillo repeats which stack together to form a supercoiled structure. Based on our structure, it appears that the central and UCS domains make up a single structural unit. Currently, we are pursuing structure-based biochemical assays to pinpoint the protein surfaces that are involved in the binding and chaperone activities of dUNC-45.