cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative development of Cryptosporidium parvum (Apicomplexa) in 11 continuous host cell lines

Using standardized media, incubation, and parasite inoculating procedures, we compared development of Crytosporidium parvum between Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells and 10 additional host cell lines available through the American Type Culture Collection. Parasite development was assessed by counting parasite numbers atop monlayers in 25 random oil fields 68 h post-infection using Nomarski interference-contrast optics. Results revealed that the human ileocecal adenocarcinoma (HCT-8) cell line supported nearly twice the number of parasite developmental stages than MDBK cells or any of the other host cell types.
Inherited and de novo mutations in the cardiac actin gene cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Abstract T. M. Olson, T. P. Doan, N. Y. Kishimoto, F. G. Whitby, M. J. Ackerman and L. Fananapazir. Inherited andde novo Mutations in the Cardiac Actin Gene Cause Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology (2000) 32, 1687–1694. Mutations in genes encoding sarcomeric proteins cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The sarcomeric protein actin plays a central, dual role in cardiac myocytes, generating contractile force by interacting with myosin and also transmitting force within and between cells. Two missense mutations in the cardiac actin gene (ACTC), postulated to impair force transmission, have been associated with familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Recently, a missense mutation in ACTC was found to cosegregate with familial HCM. To further test the hypothesis that mutations within functionally distinct domains of ACTC cause either DCM or HCM, we performed mutational analyses in 368 unrelated patients with familial or sporadic HCM. Single strand conformation polymorphism and sequence analyses of genomic DNA were performed. De novo mutations in ACTC were identified in two patients with sporadic HCM who presented with syncope in early childhood. Patients were heterozygous for missense mutations resulting in Pro164Ala and Ala331Pro amino acid substitutions, adjacent to regions of actin-actin and actin-myosin interaction, respectively. A mutation that cosegregated with familial HCM was also found, causing a Glu99Lys substitution in a weak actomyosin binding domain. The cardiac phenotype in many affected patients was characterized by an apical form of HCM. These findings support the hypothesis that a single amino acid substitution in actin causes either congestive heart failure or maladaptive cardiac hypertrophy, depending on its effect on actin structure and function.
On the foundations of probabilistic information integration

Information integration has been a subject of research for several decades and still remains a very active research area. Many new applications depend or benefit from large scale integration. Examples include large research projects in life sciences, need for data sharing among government agencies, reliance of corporations on business intelligence (which requires data integration from many heterogeneous sources), and integration of information on the web. The importance of information integration with uncertainty has been observed in recent years. Frequently, information from multiple sources are uncertain and possibly inconsistent. Further the process of integration often depends on approximate schema mappings, another source of uncertainty. An integration system is useful only to the extent that the information it produces can be trusted. Hence, providing a measure of certainty for integrated information is of crucial importance in many important applications. In this paper we study the problem of integration of uncertain information. We present a simple and intuitive approach to the representation and integration of uncertain information from multiple sources, and show that our integration approach coincides with a recent formalism for uncertain information integration. We extend the model to probabilistic possible-worlds, and show certain unintuitive constraints are imposed upon probabilities of possible-worlds of sources. In particular, we show the probabilities of possible worlds of a source are not independent, rather, they are dependent on probabilities of other sources. We study the problem of determining the probabilities for the result of integration. Finally, we present a practical approach to relaxing probabilistic constraints in integration.
Redox Chemistry and Electrochemistry of DNA-wrapped Carbon Nanotubes

This manuscript is based on a presentation I gave at the 211th ECS Meeting (Chicago) in May 2007. It is a brief summary of our effort in the study of transition metal complexes with DNA/RNA-wrapped carbon nanotubes. I provide two examples to illustrate the rich chemistry between the two classes of molecules that is yet to be fully explored. These types of chemistry are of both fundamental scientific interest and technological importance.
Using Change Point Analysis for Image Processing of Developing Adiabatic Two-Phase Flow After Expansion Valve

This paper presents a method of analyzing images obtained from a high speed camera in a study of developing two-phase refrigerant flow after an expansion valve, using a technique known as Change Point Analysis. Specifically, a method for automating the determination of separation distance and the location of the liquid/vapor interface in stratified type flows is outlined. The experiments were conducted in transparent PVC tubes, with inner diameters of 8.7mm and 15.3mm. A working fluid of oil free R134a was used. Dynamic flow parameters of inlet quality and mass flux were varied from 5–35% and 15–40g/s, respectively. Flow visualization was achieved through the use of a high speed camera.© 2007 ASME
The dependence of 13C-1H coupling constants on CCC bond angles

Abstract The relationship between one-bond 13 C- 1 H coupling constants and internuclear CCC bond angles ( n ) in hydrocarbons of the type R 2 CH 2 is best approximated by a quadratic expression.
WE-E-L100J-03: Scatter Measurements and Simulations in X-Ray Cone Beam CT Breast Imaging

Purpose: To compare and validate Monte Carlo simulation using the GATE software with experimental measurements for scattered radiation in X‐ray cone beam CT breast imaging . In addition, to determine the scatter distribution for single‐order, and multiple‐order incoherent and coherent scatter using validated Monte Carlo simulation.Methods: This study used a bench‐top cone‐beam CT breast imagingsystem using a flat‐panel detector. A cylindrical phantom with equivalent composition of 50% fibro‐glandular and 50% adipose tissues was used. Scatter distributions were measured by beam stop and aperture methods. A lead strip was positioned between the X‐ray source and the breast phantom in the beam stop method. Its inverse version was used in the aperture method. We computed the scatter contribution in the breast phantom by subtracting background scatter. The background scatter fraction was measured without the phantom. The Geant4‐based simulation package GATE was used to model X‐ray photon interactions in the phantom and detector. Two implemented electromagnetic interactions packages, standard and low energy models, were compared for computing efficiency and physics ingredients. A structured breast phantom was used in GATE simulations to determine the characteristics of various scatter components which cannot be separated in measurements. Results: Measurements by the two methods are consistent within 5% after background subtraction, and agree with the low energy model simulations. A hybrid model in GATE, with photoelectric process from the standard model and Compton and Rayleigh scattering processes from the low energy model, is computationally efficient while maintaining physics accuracy. The GATE simulations in the Bakic phantom show that the multiple‐order scatter distribution, as well as single‐order Compton scatter, has predominantly low‐frequency characteristics. Single‐order Rayleigh scatter was observed to be the primary contribution to the spatially variant scatter component.
Land surface hydrology in a General Circulation Model N-global and regional fields needed for validation

Treatments of land surface processes in General Circulation Models are presently limited by the realism of the simulations of precipitation and surface radiation. We explore this thesis by examination of some of the climatological fields of a 6-year model simulation, using the Community Climate Model version 1 of the National Center for Atmospheric Research with addition of a diurnal cycle and coupled to a detailed treatment of land surface processes referred to as the Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme. We examine July climatological surface fields over North America and note an excess of surface solar radiation over Eastern United States. Comparison with satellite derived cloud forcing suggests that the model underestimates the reduction of solar radiation by clouds over Eastern United States and in high latitudes, and so probably largely explaining the excess surface radiation. We consider the annual cycle of model hydrological fields (soil moisture, runoff, precipitation, evapotranspiration, net radiation) averaged over a box covering the central part of the United States (roughly the Mississippi basin). The seasonal cycle of evapotranspiration over this box appears to be dominated by the variation of surface solar radiation and less related to that of precipitation.
The shear punch measurement of the mechanical properties of selected unirradiated and irradiated alloys

Abstract A shear punch test technique was employed to determine the mechanical properties of neutron irradiated 9Cr-1Mo and 12Cr-1Mo steels. Comparison of the shear punch results with those from conventional tensile tests show that the shear punch reliably predicts the tensile yield and ultimate strengths of both irradiated and unirradiated 12Cr-1Mo steel and for unirradiated 9Cr-1Mo steel. The method did not reliably estimate the mechanical properties of irradiated 9Cr-1Mo steel and did not provide reliable estimates of the ductilities of these materials.
Tensor calculations on the computer

A FORMAC program has been written which is capable of calculating various quantities of interest in tensor calculus. Using this code, Christoffel symbols have been calculated for 12 basic orthogonal coordinate systems.
Insiders' Perspectives of the Effects of Recent Regulation on Corporate Taxation

Abstract Recent legislation and standard interpretations promulgated by governmental bodies and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) have attempted to address several issues related to corporate taxation. These issues include the lack of transparency regarding specific tax transactions, the difficulty in reconciling the corporate tax return with the corporate income statement, the relative lack of disclosure of tax contingencies in the financial statements, and the impact of internal control on the reliability of the corporate tax return. While the stated objectives of several recent regulations have included improvements in the areas of corporate tax compliance and transparency of financial statements, it is unclear whether these regulations have resulted in the desired effects. This study analyzes the perceptions of 223 corporate tax executives regarding the effects of Internal Revenue Announcement 2002-63, Schedule M-3 of IRS Form 1120, FASB Interpretation Number 48 (FIN 48), and Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The findings indicate that the respondents perceive an overall increase in tax return transparency and corporate tax compliance as a result of Schedule M-3 and FIN 48; yet the ability of corporations to engage in tax planning has decreased as a result of FIN 48. The respondents also perceive that both FIN 48 and Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act have increased their reliance on outside sources for tax compliance work.
A pilot study on the efficacy of melodic based communication therapy for eliciting speech in nonverbal children with autism.

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of Melodic Based Communication Therapy (MBCT) to traditional speech and language therapy for eliciting speech in nonverbal children with autism. Participants were 12 nonverbal children with autism ages 5 through 7 randomly assigned to either treatment group. Both groups made significant progress after treatment. The MBCT group progressed significantly in number of verbal attempts after weeks 1 through 4 and number of correct words after weeks 1 and 3, while the traditional group progressed significantly after weeks 4 and 5. No significant differences in number of verbal attempts or number of correct words were noted between groups following treatment. A significant number of new words were heard in the home environment for the MBCT group (p = .04). Participants in the MBCT group had more imitative attempts (p = .03). MBCT appears to be a valid form of intervention for children with autism.
Williamson's Master Argument on Vagueness

According to Timothy Williamson's epistemic view, vague predicates have precise extensions, we just don't know where their boundaries lie. It is a central challenge to his view to explain why we would be so ignorant, if precise borderlines were really there. He offers a novel argument to show that our insuperable ignorance ``is just what independently justified epistemic principles would lead one to expect''. This paper carefully formulates and critically examines Williamson's argument. It is shown that the argument does not explain our ignorance, and is not really apt for doing so. Williamson's unjustified commitment to a controversial and crucial assumption is noted. It is also argued in three different ways that his argument is, in any case, self-defeating – the same principles that drive the argument can be applied to undermine one of its premises. Along the way, Williamson's unstated commitment to a number of other controversial doctrines comes to light.
Avian-specific TLRs and downstream effector responses to CpG-induction in chicken macrophages

Chickens possess toll-like receptor (TLR15), a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) absent in mammals. We characterized the regulation and mechanism of CpG responsiveness via TLRs in chicken macrophage HD11 cells. TLR15 was significantly upregulated after induction with B- and C-type CpG oligonucleotides (ODN), tripalmitoylated lipopeptide (PAM3CSK4), Escherichia coli- and Salmonella enteritidis-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In response to CpG-ODN inhibitor, TLR15 and IL1B were downregulated, but TLR21 was upregulated. IL1B was upregulated with CpG-ODN and downregulated after inhibitor treatment. The results suggest that responsiveness to different types of CpG-ODN in chicken macrophages requires multiple receptors, each with unique variation in expression. We utilized RNA interference (RNAi) technology to examine myeloid differentiation primary response gene (MyD88) dependency of TLR15 and TLR21. HD11 macrophages transfected with multiple MyD88-target siRNAs exhibited 70% decrease in MyD88 mRNA expression. IL1B was upregulated with CpG induction in cells with no reduction of MyD88 mRNA levels, but not in cells with 70% MyD88 reduction. Therefore, induction through TLR15 in response to CpG-ODN operates via the MyD88-dependent pathway in chicken macrophages.
PARALLEL CHANGES IN EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX PROTEIN GENE EXPRESSION, BONE FORMATION AND BIOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES IN AGING RAT BONE

The effect of aging on long bone mechanical properties and bone formative capacity was characterized in the male Fisher 344 rat. The femurs of rats from three age groups (4 mo., 12 mo. and 28 mo.) were tested in three-point bending to determine their structural properties. The apparent material properties were then calculated by adjusting for bone geometry. Bone formation was assessed by dynamic histomorphometry of both cortical and cancellous bone as well as by Northern blot analysis for the expression of the osteoblast phenotypic proteins osteopontin (OP), osteocalcin (OC), type I collagen (COL) and alkaline phosphatase (AP). Aging resulted in a decline in the apparent material properties that was associated with a compensatory alteration of bone geometry that preserved structural strength and stiffness. Histomorphometric analysis revealed significant age-related decreases in cancellous bone volume, trabecular number and increased trabecular separation suggesting the existence of senile osteopenia in the proximal tibia of the male Fisher 344 rat. A significant decline in bone formation rate (BFR), but not mineral apposition rate, suggests that a reduction in osteoblast number, but not osteoblast activity, contributes to age-related bone loss. The decline in BFR with aging was reflected in a decreased mRNA expression for OP, OC and COL but not AP. Further, the pattern of mRNA expression was consistent with reduced osteoblast differentiation with aging. The present study indicates the age-related decline in material properties of long bones is paralleled by a decrease in osteogenesis.
Hα Emission Stars in the Case-Hamburg Luminous Stars Surveys

MK spectral classifications of over 2500 Case-Hamburg luminous stars are examined to determine whether those for which Ha was reported in emission in the original surveys (but for which blue-region emission was not noted) are more likely to have MK classifications indicating blue-region emission than their non-Ha counterparts; this proves to be the case. In addition, stars with Ha emission are less likely to be supergiants than their non-Ha counterparts, and, when emission is indicated in the MK classification, one is much more likely to be dealing with a luminosity class V or III star than a bright giant or supergiant.
3'UTR-truncated Hmga2 cDNA causes MPN-like hematopoiesis by conferring a clonal growth advantage at the level of HSC in mice.

Overexpression of high mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) is found in a number of benign and malignant tumors, including the clonal PIGA− cells in 2 cases of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and some myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), and recently in hematopoietic cell clones resulting from gene therapy procedures. In nearly all these cases overexpression is because of deletions or translocations that remove the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) which contains binding sites for the regulatory micro RNA let-7. We were therefore interested in the effect of HMGA2 overexpression in hematopoietic tissues in transgenic mice (ΔHmga2 mice) carrying a 3′UTR-truncated Hmga2 cDNA. ΔHmga2 mice expressed increased levels of HMGA2 protein in various tissues including hematopoietic cells and showed proliferative hematopoiesis with increased numbers in all lineages of peripheral blood cells, hypercellular bone marrow (BM), splenomegaly with extramedullary erythropoiesis and erythropoietin-independent erythroid colony formation. ΔHmga2-derived BM cells had a growth advantage over wild-type cells in competitive repopulation and serial transplantation experiments. Thus overexpression of HMGA2 leads to proliferative hematopoiesis with clonal expansion at the stem cell and progenitor levels and may account for the clonal expansion in PNH and MPNs and in gene therapy patients after vector insertion disrupts the HMGA2 locus.
Averaging of the Nonlinear Dynamics of Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicles for Symmetrical Flapping

First order equations of motion for a flapping wing micro-air vehicle are presented. The first order, longitudinal equations of motion are obtained from the second-order, strongly coupled, multi-body equations of motion using an approximate inverse. The nonlinear dynamics of the longitudinal equations of motion are averaged using two different methods: local averaging over a fully flapping cycle and local averaging over quarter-flapping cycles. Open loop simulations are presented, near a hover condition, for both averaged systems. The results for the locally averaged system are not consistent with the solution to the full system - suggesting that the neglecting of individual contributions to the dynamics, due to averaging over the entirety of a flapping cycle, is not a valid approach. Better results are obtained when the equations of motion are averaged over a quarter of a flapping cycle. The quarter-cycle results show a significant improvement in the accuracy of the position and orientation of the simulations versus the cycle averaged simulations.
Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps

This handsomely produced and copiously illustrated book gives a thorough overview of the representation of sea monsters on medieval and Renaissance maps. Van Duzer surveys all extant manuscripts an...
An adaptive technique for accuracy enhancement of vector quantizers in nonorthogonal domains

Recently, novel vector quantization techniques in multiple nonorthogonal domains for both waveform and model-based signal characterization that give an improved qualitative and quantitative signal coding performance as compared to vector quantization in single domain have been reported. In these techniques, vectors are formed either directly from the signal waveform or from the model parameters extracted from the signal. Then, the vectors are represented in multiple nonorthogonal domains. The encoder chooses the domain that best represents the vector according to a predetermined criterion. An iterative codebook enhancement algorithm, applicable to both waveform and model-based vector quantization in nonorthogonal domains is developed and presented in this paper. In this algorithm, each set of codebooks in a given domain is retrained by the vectors that were best represented by that particular set of codebooks in the most recent iteration. The algorithm is applied successfully and extensive simulation results yield considerable performance enhancement of the vector quantization in nonorthogonal domains, for a given bit rate. Sample results are provided which demonstrate the improved performance.
Concurrent use of alcohol and cigarettes from adolescence to young adulthood: an examination of developmental trajectories and outcomes.

Concurrent use of alcohol and tobacco is common among adolescents, yet little is known about the developmental patterns of concurrent use, or the consequences associated with such patterns during y...
Enhancing market exchanges at the base of the pyramid: The roles of national culture, nontraditional capitals, and transformative technologies

Purpose – The base of the pyramid (BOP) is characterized by deep and wide poverty, which dampens market exchanges, or making/selling and buying/consuming activities. The purpose of this paper is to address the specific issue of how national culture distinguishes BOP markets in terms of exchange activities, and the broad issue of how market exchanges can grow and flourish by accounting for comparative differences across BOP markets. Design/methodology/approach – The study design is a conceptual framework drawn from the extant BOP literature and several theories such as Amartya Sen’s theory on poverty, and Anthony Bebbington’s concepts of human capital. The framework specifies research propositions for future empirical examination. Findings – The conceptual framework proposes that BOP poverty lowers or inhibits market exchanges but is countered by several factors: national culture (performance orientation), non-traditional assets (creative and social capitals), and transformative technologies (mobile teleph...
Anatomy of Culturally Sensitive Interventions Promoting Nutrition and Exercise in Hispanics: A Critical Examination of Existing Literature

Compared with non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics experience a disproportionate burden of chronic diseases. Understanding the factors influencing the success of health programs in Hispanics requires a clearer examination of the principles and components of tailored interventions. This research comprises a comprehensive literature review of randomized controlled trials testing nutrition and exercise interventions tailored for Hispanics and an examination of how these interventions were constructed. The review of 18 interventions meeting study criteria suggests that most tailored programs promoting nutrition and exercise in Hispanics are theory driven and are informed by formative research. Also, the findings indicate that salient culturally sensitive intervention components are (a) bilingual and bicultural facilitators and materials, (b) family-based activities, (c) literacy-appropriate materials, and (d) social support. A clear understanding of Hispanic cultural values is also required. Further empirical examination is warranted to determine the factors mediating or predicting the efficacy of culturally sensitive health programs for Hispanics.
Influence of age and age-related diseases on olfactory function.

Abstract It is clear from this review that olfactory function is markedly altered in old age and in a number of age-related diseases. The deficits appear to be rather general and detectable by several types of olfactory tests. Considerable interindividual variability exists, however, and the physiologic bases of these changes are not clear. In many healthy elderly persons, smell loss appears to occur as a result of one or more causes, including viral insult, cumulated exposure to toxic fumes, head trauma, and calcification of the cribriform plate. Several reviews have appeared suggesting that the olfactory system may be a center of primary involvement in AD. Of particular interest is the hypothesis that environmental agents (related etiologically to the disease process) pass into the central nervous system via the highly active transport mechanisms of the olfactory receptors. This latter notion, although attractive, must be viewed conservatively, as it is possible that the olfactory pathways are simply selectively vulnerable to destruction by various disease processes. This may explain why Huntington's chorea and multiinfarct dementia, in addition to AD and PD, are associated with alterations in smell function. Although it is tempting to assume, as have authors such as Koss et al., that alterations in threshold function reflect peripheral olfactory dysfunction and that alterations in odor identification and other more demanding tasks reflect central olfactory dysfunction, there is little empirical support for such a simple dichotomy. Despite the fact that a peripheral/central distinction is useful in clinical audiology (where threshold loss is commonly associated with CN VIII pathology), an evaluation of the utility of this distinction in olfaction requires further research. The limited data suggest that both identification and detection deficits commonly arise from damage to the olfactory epithelium, even though identification deficits unassociated with detection deficits may occur in some central brain disorders. It is apparent from the studies reviewed in this chapter that considerable progress has been made during the last decade in elucidating the nature and prevalence of olfactory disturbances in elderly patients, as well as in patients with dementia-related diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Sic-Reinforced Cordierite Composites Formed by Viscous Sintering of Cordierite Powders

One approach for improving mechanical properties of ceramics is to add reinforcing whiskers; however, addition of whiskers often inhibits densification. Formation of SiCcordierite composites by pressureless sintering was studied. The cordierite composites densified by viscous sintering; after densification the amorphous matrix then crystallized. It was shown that high green density composites obtained by using small particle size powder gave the highest sintered density composites. Reducing the aspect ratio of the SiC phase also improved sintered composite densities. Densities greater than 96% were obtained using small particle size cordierite powder formed by a sol-gel process and either classified SiC whiskers or SiC powder at SiC loadings of 20 vol%
Label-Free Screening Small-Molecule Compound Libraries for Protein-Ligands Using a High-Throughput Optical Scanning Microscope

We describe a new oblique-incidence reflectivity difference (OI-RD) scanning microscope for high-throughput screening, in microarray format on functionalized glass slides, small-molecule compound libraries for protein ligands. The microscope employs a combination of scan mirror for y-scan and single-axis translation stage for x-scan. For a printed microarray with over 10,000 features, each of 100 μm in diameter and distinct small molecule targets, we can acquire an end-point image of the microarray in 90 minutes with pixel resolution of 20 μm ×20 μm. The microscope is also capable of measuring binding kinetics of over 10,000 protein-ligand reactions simultaneously. We also describe a number of strategies for immobilizing small molecule compounds on functionalized glass slides: (1) conjugating the compounds (through a chemically inert linker) with a lysine residue so that the primary amine on the lysine serves as the anchor to epoxy-functionalized glass surface; (2) conjugating the compounds (through a linker) with a biotin residue so that the biotin serves as the anchor to streptavidin-functionalized glass surface; (3) immobilizing small molecule compounds without modification on isocyanate-functionalized glass surface through non-specific reaction of nucleophilic molecular motifs on most bioactive compounds with isocyanate groups. We present preliminary measurements of protein-small molecule binding reactions using the new microscope and the surface immobilization strategies.
The Bakufu in Japanese History

Contents Jansen Marius B. Mass Jeffrey P. Mass Jeffrey P. Goble Andrew Gay Suzanne Harrington Lorraine F. Arnesen Peter J. Susser Bernard Hauser William B. Bolitho Harold Hauser William B.
The symmetric structure of the plus/minus Selmer groups of elliptic curves over totally real fields and the parity conjecture

Abstract By improving the techniques of [B.D. Kim, The parity conjecture for elliptic curves at supersingular reduction primes, Compos. Math. 143 (2007) 47–72] we prove some symmetric structure of the minus Selmer groups of elliptic curves for supersingular primes. This structure was already known for the Selmer groups for ordinary primes [J. Nekovar, On the parity of ranks of Selmer groups II, C. R. Math. Acad. Sci. Paris Ser. I 332 (2) (2001) 99–104; J. Nekovar, Selmer complexes, Asterisque 310 (2006)]. One consequence is the parity conjecture over a totally real field under some conditions.
Cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 1 (CPSF1) regulates alternative splicing of interleukin 7 receptor (IL7R) exon 6

Interleukin 7 receptor, IL7R, is expressed exclusively on cells of the lymphoid lineage, and its expression is crucial for the development and maintenance of T cells. Alternative splicing of IL7R exon 6 results in membrane-bound (exon 6 included) and soluble (exon 6 skipped) IL7R isoforms. Interestingly, the inclusion of exon 6 is affected by a single-nucleotide polymorphism associated with the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Given the potential association of exon 6 inclusion with multiple sclerosis, we investigated the cis-acting elements and trans-acting factors that regulate exon 6 splicing. We identified multiple exonic and intronic cis-acting elements that impact inclusion of exon 6. Moreover, we utilized RNA affinity chromatography followed by mass spectrometry to identify trans-acting protein factors that bind exon 6 and regulate its splicing. These experiments identified cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 1 (CPSF1) among protein-binding candidates. A consensus polyadenylation signal AAUAAA is present in intron 6 of IL7R directly downstream from the 59 splice site. Mutations to this site and CPSF1 kn ockdown both resulted in an increase in exon 6 inclusion. We found no evidence that this site is used to produce cleaved and polyadenylated mRNAs, suggesting that CPSF1 interaction with intronic IL7R pre-mRNA interferes with spliceosome binding to the exon 6 59 splice site. Our results suggest that competing mRNA splicing and polyadenylation regulate exon 6 inclusion and consequently determine the ratios of soluble to membrane-bound IL7R. This may be relevant for both T cell ontogeny and function and development of multiple sclerosis.
A fully integrated neural recording amplifier with DC input stabilization

This paper presents a low-power low-noise fully integrated bandpass operational amplifier for a variety of biomedical neural recording applications. A standard two-stage CMOS amplifier in a closed-loop resistive feedback configuration provides a stable ac gain of 39.3 dB at 1 kHz. A subthreshold PMOS input transistor is utilized to clamp the large and random dc open circuit potentials that normally exist at the electrode-electrolyte interface. The low cutoff frequency of the amplifier is programmable up to 50 Hz, while its high cutoff frequency is measured to be 9.1 kHz. The tolerable dc input range is measured to be at least /spl plusmn/0.25 V with a dc rejection factor of at least 29 dB. The amplifier occupies 0.107 mm/sup 2/ in die area, and dissipates 115 /spl mu/W from a 3 V power supply. The total measured input-referred noise voltage in the frequency range of 0.1-10 kHz is 7.8 /spl mu/V/sub rms/. It is fabricated using AMI 1.5 /spl mu/m double-poly double-metal n-well CMOS process. This paper presents full characterization of the dc, ac, and noise performance of this amplifier through in vitro measurements in saline using two different neural recording electrodes.
Optimal rejection of bounded persistent disturbances in periodic systems

The problem of optimal rejection of bounded persistent disturbances is solved in the case of linear discrete-time periodic systems. The solution consists of solving an equivalent time-invariant standard l/sup 1/ optimization problem subject to an additional constraint. This constraint ensures the causality of the resulting periodic controller. By duality theory, the problem is shown to be equivalent to a linear programming problem, which is no harder than the standard l/sup 1/ problem. >
Individual variability in lipoprotein cholesterol response to National Cholesterol Education Program Step 2 diets

The effects of National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Step 2 diets on plasma lipoprotein profiles in 72 men (mean (± SD) age: 44 ± 15 y, range: 19-81 y) and 48 women (mean age: 50 ± 21 y, range: 21-78 y) participating in five previously published studies were examined. Subjects were placed on a baseline diet similar to an average American diet (35-41% total fat, 13-16% saturated fat, 3 1-45 mg cholesterol/MJ) and then on an NCEP Step 2 diet ( 18-29% total fat, 4-7% saturated fat, 1 1-20 mg cholesterollMJ) under isoenergetic conditions. All food and drink were provided. Compared with the baseline diet, con- sumption of the NCEP Step 2 diets was associated with significant decreases in concentrations of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cho- lesterol (- 18.9% and - 15.6%, respectively) and high-density- lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ( - I 7.0% and - 1 1 .2%, respec- tively) in both men and women. Men with the apolipoprotein (apo) E 3,4 phenotype had a significantly greater decrease in LDL cholesterol (-24.2%) with the NCEP Step 2 diets than men with the apo E 3,3 phenotype (- 17.7%). Men with the apo A-IV 1,2 phenotype tended to have less LDL cholesterol lowering (- 12.8%) than men with the apo A-IV 1,1 phenotype (- 19.6%), but this difference was not significant. No differences were seen by apo E and A-IV phenotype in women. A large variability in lipid response to the diet was observed, with changes in LDL choles- terol ranging from +3% to -55% in men and and from + 13% to -39% in women. Forty-eight percent of the variability in LDL- cholesterol response (in mmollL) to the diet could be accounted for by baseline LDL concentrations and age in men, and 13% by age in women. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;65:823-30.
Data analysis in scientific databases

Studies the integration of data with data analysis methods in the context of scientific databases. They author proposes a description of the analysis methods that makes them independent of the application domain (and thus reusable). This is complemented with a description that explicitly relates them to the application domain and assesses them within that context (and thus makes them easier to comprehend and use). This latter description is the focus of this work. The authors studies the nature of the information needed and proposes an outline procedure for deriving it.
An Investigation of a Measure of Twins’ Equal Environments

The equal environments assumption, which holds that trait-relevant environments are equally correlated among monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs, is essential to twin designs. Violations of this assumption could lead to biased parameter estimates in twin models. A variety of methods and measures have been used to test this assumption. No studies to date have evaluated the measurement invariance of such items or examined the distribution of the underlying equal environments trait. The current study was an investigation of the psychometric properties of a self-report measure of twins' equal environments. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis results indicated that items loaded onto 'child' and 'teen' equal environments factors. Factor loadings and factor variances and their covariance were invariant for MZ and DZ twins; however, DZ twins had significantly lower factor means than MZ twins. Further, these items demonstrated adequate test-retest reliability. Lastly, the child and teen factors may be bimodally distributed, particularly for MZ twin pairs. Measurement invariance issues, as well as distributions of equal environments traits, should be considered when evaluating the equal environments assumption, in order to produce accurate parameter estimates in twin models.
The Structure of Human Diabetic Nephropathy

This chapter outlines the histopathology of human diabetic nephropathy (DN). The classical structural changes of DN have been well described and demonstrated in general renal and renal pathology textbooks. The emphasis here is on current and evolving studies and concepts in this field. As renal lesions in type 1 diabetes are believed to be more unique to DN and more uniform and as lesions in type 2 diabetes are more heterogeneous and, perhaps, more frequently complicated by renal diseases other than diabetes, this chapter primarily focuses on the structural changes in type 1 diabetes. We will, however, discuss nephropathy of type 2 diabetes and its differences from type 1 diabetes at the end of this chapter.
Gravidas with class III obesity: evaluating the abdominal skin microbiota above and below the panniculus

AbstractObjective: We sought to compare the skin microbiota above and below the panniculus of third-trimester pregnant women with class III obesity.Methods: We collected swabs from the anterior panniculus and from the intertriginous area under the panniculus of women with class III obesity (body mass index ≥40 kg/m2) carrying a live singleton at ≥28 weeks. DNA was extracted. PCR with primers targeting the 16S rDNA V4 region were used to prepare an amplicon library. PCR products were sequenced (Illumina MiSeq platform). The 16S rDNA sequences were processed, integrated, analyzed and reported using QIIME and in-house developed scripts. Taxonomy was assigned using RDP Classifier (threshold 0.8) against the Greengenes 16S rDNA database.Results: Twenty women were enrolled. One sample pair was excluded for low sequence depth. Using permutation testing, there was significantly less bacterial diversity in the samples above compared to below the panniculus (beta diversity using weighted UniFrac metrics; p < 0.001)...
Compromise at the Boundaries of the Law of Bondage, Essay Review of Paul Finkelman, An Imperfect Union: Slavery, Federalism, and Comity (1981)

During the past decade, no topic in legal history has been treated with more intensity or with more success than the law of slavery. The irony of legal constraints on masters and judges in combination with shackles on slaves makes slavery law particularly provocative. The record of conscientious attempts by lawyers and judges to rationalize and to decide cases, when human beings were "considered by our laws, in some respects, as persons, and in other respects as property," provides incomparable evidence about basic jurisprudential issues as well as about the political and intellectual history of the antebellum period.1
'The Pathology of Practice,' A Short Story

This short story tells the tale of attorney Tom Amos. At thirty-six, Tom is a prosperous litigator and a partner at his firm. With professional success, a wealthy and well-connected wife, and a baby daughter, Tom seemingly has everything he had ever wanted, or at least spent his entire life struggling so hard to achieve. Unfortunately, Tom’s life is not as perfect as it seems. Confusion and emotional chaos come to Tom in the form of Kay McAndrews - his beautiful client in a divorce case. The demons of Tom’s past come home to roost, and with tragic consequences.
Dynamically Generated Metadata and Replanning by Interleaving Workflow Generation and Execution

Workflow engines typically plan an entire workflow and then submit it for execution, and have limited replanning capabilities when the workflow execution fails. This paper presents an approach for interleaving planning and execution. The approach supports the incremental submission of partial workflows for execution until completion. As new metadata is generated dynamically during execution for all new data products, the workflow system can incorporate that dynamically generated metadata in the workflow planning process. The approach also supports replanning in case a resource is no longer available and in case of failure, not just by reassigning resources but also by redesigning the plan by replacing components that may fail to execute. The aproach is implemented and integrated with the WINGS workflow system, and is being used for a medical application.
Health monitoring system for advanced general aviation flight systems

Domestic production of General Aviation (GA) aircraft has declined markedly over the last 25 years. It is widely anticipated that revolutionary, rather than evolutionary, technological innovations will be necessary to revitalize this ailing industry. An advanced flight system for the general aviation application, automating many flight tasks and thereby reducing pilot initial and currency training, could go a long way towards opening new markets for GA aircraft. Integral to the successful implementation of such a system is a Health Monitoring System (HMS) , responsible for insuring reliability. Described herein are several candidate techniques that can employed to detect faults in the sensors and systems onboard the aircraft. Some of these algorithms are demonstrated on simulated data sets. A systematic procedure to develop the HMS has been proposed, along with the implementation considerations.
Performance of School Bus Retrofit Systems: Ultrafine Particles and Other Vehicular Pollutants

This study evaluated the performance of retrofit systems for diesel-powered school buses, a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) muffler and a spiracle crankcase filtration system (CFS), regarding ultrafine particles (UFPs) and other air pollutants from tailpipe emissions and inside bus cabins. Tailpipe emissions and in-cabin air pollutant levels were measured before and after retrofitting when the buses were idling and during actual pick-up/drop off routes. Retrofit systems significantly reduced tailpipe emissions with a reduction of 20–94% of total particles with both DOC and CFS installed. However, no unequivocal decrease was observed for in-cabin air pollutants after retrofitting. The AC/fan unit and the surrounding air pollutant concentrations played more important roles for determining the in-cabin air quality of school buses than did retrofit technologies. Although current retrofit systems reduce children’s exposure while waiting to board at a bus station, retrofitting by itself does not protect childre...
Removing polarization fatigue due to electrical fixing in SBN:60

The effect of crystal fatigue on the diffraction efficiency of electrically fixed photorefractive gratings in SBN:60 was studied. We observed that applying an AC field to the crystal eliminated crystal fatigue and improved diffraction efficiency.
HIP Sintering of the Fine Powder in the System ZrO2(3Y)-Al2O3.

The mixed powder of ZrO2(3Y) and Al2O3 was ground by a bead milling method. The particle sizes of ZrO2(3Y) and Al2O3 were reduced to 10 nm and 18 nm by milling for 377 hours, respectively. Open pores in the specimen sintered at 1300°C were diminished to less than 0.1% of total volume for fine mixed powder milled for 422 hr, while open pores in the specimen sintered at the same conditions using mixed powder milled for 1 hr showed more than 17%. Therefore, it was concluded that the reduction of particle size mentioned above greatly enhanced the sinterability of the mixed powder. The relative density reached more than 99.7% of theoretical density when the pre-sintered bodies free from open pores were HIP'ed at temperatures from 1300°C to 1500°C under Ar gas pressure of 196 MPa. The bending strength of the HIP'ed specimen was 1520 MPa although that of pre-sintered specimen was 800 MPa.
Homogeneous Nucleation in Polyethylene: Molecular Weight Dependence.

The droplet technique was used to obtain estimates of the isothermal rate of homogeneous crystal nucleation in highly supercooled melts of 8 characterized fractions of linear polyethylene (weight average molecular weights from 3,100 to 249,000). The data obtained from these experiments were analyzed in accord with current theories of homogeneous nucleation of chain folded crystals. Values for the quantity σ2σ e , where σ and σ e are the lateral and end-surface free energies of the crystal, were estimated as a function of molecular weight. Sample 3.2 K was found to be anomalous in its nucleation behavior. When we assume that this sample crystallizes in the extended chain form and calculate σ3 instead of σ2σe the value for σ is found to be 10.57 ergs/cm2 which is in reasonable agreement with the value 9.6 ergs/cm2 found by other investigators for linear hydrocarbons. However, there remains the question as to whether sample 3.2 K ever underwent homogeneous nucleation. For samples 9.70, 11.74, and 23.0 K, σ2σ e was found to increase rapidly due to a decrease in the number of cilia per chain fold as the molecular weight increases. For higher molecular weights the value for σ2σ e levels off and the average value of σ2σ e for samples 23.0 to 249 K was found to be 19,000 ergs3/cm6. The experimental value of the absolute nucleation frequency I0, was found to differ from the theoretical value by approximately 1 × 1012. If one assumes that the surface free energies are temperature dependent [i.e., σ=σ1(1+x¯ΔT) and σe=σe1(1+y¯ΔT) where x¯=-0.0073 and y¯=0.014 ] the average value of σ2σ e > changes only slightly (to 19,800 ergs3/cm6) due to the compensating effects in the signs of the temperature corrections and I0 is close to the theoretical value, 1 × 1034 nuclei/cm3/s.