cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Removal of Yersinia enterocolitica from AS-1 red cells

The growth of Yersinia enterocolitica in AS-1 red cells was investigated so as to study the organism's proliferation kinetics and to evaluate the effect of prestorage white cell (WBC) reduction on bacterial multiplication. Twenty-four 2-unit pools of ABO-compatible whole blood were prepared and inoculated with Y. enterocolitica to final concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 132 organisms per mL. After inoculation, pools were split equally, AS-1 red cells were prepared, and 1 unit of each pair (test unit) was WBC-reduced with a WBC-reduction filter. Quantitative bacterial cultures of both WBC-reduced and control units were performed at several points throughout preparation and storage. Less than 10 percent of the inoculated organisms was recovered from blood samples taken after a 7-hour room-temperature holding period. By the end of 42 days of storage, Y. enterocolitica was recovered from unfiltered red cells in 2 of the 6 units inoculated at the lowest levels (0.3 and 0.7 organism/mL), from 8 of the 12 units inoculated at the intermediate levels (2.8, 5.2, 30.7, and 43 organisms/mL) and from 6 of the 6 units inoculated at the highest levels (98.8 and 132 organisms/mL). Positive cultures were seen as early as Day 7. In contrast, filtered units inoculated at all levels less than or equal to 98.8 organisms per mL (21/21 units) were sterile at the end of the 42-day storage period, while 2 units (2/3) inoculated at 132 organisms per mL showed growth despite filtration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Human erythrocyte spectrin: Phosphorylation in intact cells and purification of the 32P-labeled protein in a non-aggregated state

Abstract [ 32 P]spectrin (0.5 Ci/mMole) has been isolated from human erythrocytes incubated with 32 Pi and purified to homogeneity by preparative rate zonal sedimentation on linear sucrose gradients. 32 P-label, localized in band 2, co-elutes with spectrin from ghosts with a similar dependence on ionic strength and Mg ++ ion, and has the same sedimentation coefficient and an identical effective Stokes radius. [ 32 P]spectrin reassociates in a specific manner with spectrin-depleted membranes. Bands 1 and 2 bind in equal ratios, and the 32 P-label is distributed with band 2. Purified [ 32 P]spectrin is not aggregated since this protein migrates as a symmetrical peak on Sepharose(C1)4B at about 1.6 Vo and sediments at 8S 20,w on sucrose gradients.
Roles of lipoarabinomannan in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a worldwide public health threat caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. All mycobacteria express a unique cell envelope glycolipid, lipoarabinomannan, which can be released at sites of infection. Lipoarabinomannan is a potential virulence factor which can bind to leukocytes and modulate immune responses. Here, we provide an overview of the interactions of mycobacteria and lipoarabinomannan with immune cells.
A Definition of Steady-State Plantwide Controllability

Chemical process synthesis typically accounts for model uncertainty by ensuring process flexibility. However, process flexibility does not guarantee the existence of a plantwide control system to maintain the process at a desired steady state in the presence of uncertainty (i.e., steady-state robust feasibility). We show, through examples, that the distinction between process flexibility and steady-state robust feasibility can be observed at three levels of severity. A definition for plantwide controllability that guarantees steady-state robust feasibility is proposed.
Conformational Homogeneity and Excited-State Isomerization Dynamics of the Bilin Chromophore in Phytochrome Cph1 from Resonance Raman Intensities

The ground-state structure and excited-state isomerization dynamics of the Pr and Pfr forms of phytochrome Cph1 are investigated using resonance Raman intensity analysis. Electronic absorption and stimulated resonance Raman spectra of Pr and Pfr are presented; vibronic analysis of the Raman intensities and absorption spectra reveals that both conformers exist as a single, homogeneous population of molecules in the ground state. The homogeneous and inhomogeneous contributions to the overall electronic broadening are determined, and it is found that the broadening is largely homogeneous in nature, pointing to fast excited-state decay. Franck-Condon displacements derived from the Raman intensity analysis reveal the initial atomic motions in the excited state, including the highly displaced, nontotally symmetric torsional and C15–H HOOP modes that appear because of symmetry-reducing distortions about the C14–C15 and C15=C16 bonds. Pfr is especially well primed for ultrafast isomerization and torsional Franck-Condon analysis predicts a <200 fs Pfr → Pr isomerization. This time is significantly faster than the observed 700 fs reaction time, indicating that the Pfr S1 surface has a D-ring rotational barrier caused by steric interactions with the protein.
Organizational tenure among child welfare workers, burnout, stress, and intent to leave: Does employment-based social capital make a difference?

Abstract Research has shown that child welfare organizations have a prominent role in safeguarding their workers from experiencing high levels of job stress and burnout, which can ultimately lead to increased thoughts of leaving. However, it is not clear whether these relationships are shaped by their length of organizational tenure. A cross-sectional research design that included a statewide purposive sample of 209 child welfare workers was used to test a theoretical model of employment-based social capital to examine how paths to job stress, burnout, and intent to leave differ between workers who have worked in a child welfare organization for less than 3 years compared to those with 3 years or more of employment in one organization. Path analysis results indicate that when a mixture of dimensions of employment-based social capital are present, they act as significant direct protective factors in decreasing job stress and indirectly shape burnout and intent to leave differently based on organizational tenure. Thus, organizations may have to institute unique intervention efforts for both sets of workers that provide immediate and long-term structures of support, resources, and organizational practices given that their group-specific needs may change over time.
Influence of volume expansion, serum sodium, and fractional excretion of sodium on urate excretion.

The relative contributions of volume expansion and increased fractional excretion of sodium to the uricosuria of saline infusion were assessed in 19 subjects by volume expansion with rapid infusion of 2 l of hypertonic saline (3%), isotonic saline (0.9%), or hypotonic saline (0.45%). Urate excretion increased 385 μg/min (P 0.1), or sodium load (r=0.35,P>0.1). The relationship between fractional excretion of sodium and fractional excretion of urate was entirely attributed to their correlation with infusion volume. Both post-pyrazinamide urate excretion and pyrazinamide suppressible urate excretion increased with volume expansion.
Implications of structural design requirements for selection of future space telescope architectures

Decisions about structural architecture for future large space observatories will influence how overall optical stability scales with observatory size. This is examined using basic structural design analyses that relate overall stability requirements to telescope structural modal frequency and damping ratio. In this way, the influence of certain system level architectural choices on the performance can be assessed. In particular, trades between structural depth and optical correction requirements is examined, and compared against other design parameters such as the material specific modulus. For representative configurations and loads, the required optical correction increases with dimension to the fourth power, but reduces with the square of the structural depth and in proportion to the material specific modulus; areal density has no direct affect. This means that, unless the structural architecture improves with dimension, the optical error produced in a 6-meter telescope might increase by a factor of 123:1 for a 20-meter telescope and 77000:1 for a 100-meter telescope. If the structural depth, however, increases in proportion to telescope dimension, these requirements can be reduced by two orders of magnitude. Architectural options for achieving these benefits are discussed, with particular emphasis on considerations of the deployment or assembly scheme.
Residential Placements for Students with Disabilities Legal Considerations and Practice Trends

An update on litigation regarding residential placement of students with disabilities within the legal parameters of IDEA
The progression of a transcatheter aortic valve program: a decision analysis of more than 680 patient referrals.

Background A ground-breaking, US Food and Drug Administration clinical trial for the treatment of critical aortic stenosis commenced at our institution in November 2007 with our first transcatheter aortic valve repair (TAVR). This novel procedure created a new treatment option for high-risk patients with aortic stenosis. Although the pivotal trial completed enrollment in 2009, continued access was implemented by the Food and Drug Administration in response to an unprecedented demand for this new procedure by patients and physicians. This is an overview of one site's management strategy for patient referrals. Methods Patients underwent evaluation with a comprehensive assessment in a multidisciplinary transcatheter aortic valve clinic. All screened patients were classified as either traditional open surgical candidates or nonsurgical candidates. Major exclusions for open procedures included low Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, coronary artery disease, and other valvular disease. Major exclusions of nonsurgical candidates resulted from physician discretion or multiple comorbidities such as renal failure, significant liver or lung disease, and progressive cancer. A third group of patients was excluded because of inadequate femoral access. Results From November 2007 to November 2010, 681 patients were referred for evaluation, including 578 screened patients and 103 patients whose evaluation was pending. During the screening process, 82 patients died (12%). Among 343 patients who did not qualify for enrollment (50%), 108 received open surgical intervention and 235 were nonsurgical candidates; 35 of these patients underwent balloon aortic valvuloplasty. A total of 153 patients were enrolled in the TAVR trial. Conclusions With the availability of a novel treatment option for aortic stenosis in high-risk patients, institutions offering these alternative methods will be forced to reevaluate patient management. A careful strategy that includes multidisciplinary evaluation is crucial in order to have a successful transcatheter aortic valve program.
Habitat classification: A comparison using avian species and guilds

Results of breeding bird censuses in 1979 and 1980 were used to compare the relationships of both species and guilds to forest habitats in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Several age classes of 11 forest cover types were studied: northern hard-woods (Fagus-Betula-Acer), spruce (Picea), spruce-fir (Picea-Abies), birth (Betula), swamp hardwoods (Acer-Pinus-Tsuga), pine (Pinus strobus andP. resinosa), balsam fir (Abies), aspen (Populus tremuloides andP. grandidentata), northern red oak (Quercus), oak-pine (Quercus-Pinus), and hemlock (Tsuga). All types were even-aged; only northern hardwoods had an additional uneven-aged condition. Forest cover types were also pooled to consider generalized habitats: hardwoods, mixed forest, or softwoods. Results of ordinations based on censuses of 74 bird species indicate that foraging guilds are more related to general cover types than are nesting substrate guilds, but bird species reflect habitat differences to a greater degree than do either guild scheme. Also, considerable overlap occurs in bird species distribution between hardwoods and mixed forests; softwoods show little overlap with other types. Discriminant function and classification analyses revealed that bird species composition can be used to correctly classify general forest habitats more accurately (83.8%) than either foraging (63.2%) or nesting substrate guilds (58.4%). These results indicate that, of the habitats studied, avian species compositions are more characteristic than are foraging or nesting substrate guild composition, which tend to be similar across forest habitats.
Quantum dot-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer multiplexing: applications for biosensing

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs) possess numerous physical and optical properties that are ideal for biosensing and multiplexing applications. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a well-established technique for detecting molecular-scale interactions due to proximity-driven changes in fluorescence. We have shown that QDs are excellent energy donors where dye labeled proteins serve as acceptors, and developed a number of prototype nanosensors for small molecules in solution. Among the more promising potential uses of QD-based FRET nanosensors is the ability to "multiplex" signal channels for parallel detection. Because of their very broad absorption and narrow symmetric emission spectra, QDs are ideal fluorophores for multiplexing applications. In this paper, we describe the benefits of QDs in FRET-based assays (as donors and acceptors) and the potential for signal multiplexing in nanoscale biosensors.
Mouse background strain profoundly influences Paneth cell function and intestinal microbial composition.

Background Increasing evidence supports the central role of Paneth cells in maintaining intestinal host-microbial homeostasis. However, the direct impact of host genotype on Paneth cell function remains unclear. Here, we characterize key differences in Paneth cell function and intestinal microbial composition in two widely utilized, genetically distinct mouse strains (C57BL/6 and 129/SvEv). In doing so, we demonstrate critical influences of host genotype on Paneth cell activity and the enteric microbiota.
A Process Economic Approach to Develop a Dilute-Acid Cellulose Hydrolysis Process to Produce Ethanol from Biomass

Successful deployment of a bioethanol process depends on the integration of technologies that can be economically commercialized. Pretreatment and fermentation operations of the traditional enzymatic bioethanol-production process constitute the largest portion of the capital and operating costs. Cost reduction in these areas, through improved reactions and reduced capital, will improve the economic feasibility of a large-scale plant.
Toxicity of herbicides thiobencarb and endothall when fed to laboratory-reared Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Thiobencarb and endothall killed Trichoplusia ni larvae when they were forced to feed on a herbicide/agar/pinto bean diet. LC50′s were 298 and 476 mg/kg for thiobencarb and endothall, respectively. There were no surviving pupae at concentrations exceeding 1000 mg herbicide/kg diet. Endothall-fed larvae had significantly (P < 0.05) lower pupal weights and required longer development time at all concentrations tested. Oral ingestion of thiobencarb by T. ni larvae inhibited cuticular hydrocarbon deposition by 23 and 92% in populations fed 300 and 700 mg thiobencarb/kg diet, respectively. These findings suggest that thiobencarb reduces wax deposition in insects similar to its reported effect on plants. There was no significant difference in the cumulative amount of [14C]leucine incorporated into hemolymph protein, when larvae were fed a diet containing endothall. Consequently, the mode of action of endothall's lethal effect on T. ni larvae must be different from its reported influence on plant protein synthesis.
Transient stresses in a transversely isotropic elastic solid caused by a moving dislocation whose path may intersect a lacuna

Theδ-function plane waves caused by the leading edge of a dislocation moving at tran- or super-sonic speed in an unbounded, transversely isotropic, elastic solid are treated herein for situations in which a lacuna intersects the dislocation path. Generally the Mach lines emitted by the source extend backward, but if the source is located within a lacuna, forward Mach lines are also produced. Several hexagonal crystals for which this phenomenon occurs are considered.
T cell exclusion, immune privilege, and the tumor microenvironment

Effective immunotherapy promotes the killing of cancer cells by cytotoxic T cells. This requires not only that cancer-specific T cells be generated, but also that these T cells physically contact cancer cells. The coexistence in some patients of cancer cells and T cells that recognize them indicates that tumors may exhibit the phenomenon of immune privilege, in which immunogenic tissue is protected from immune attack. Here, we review the evidence that stromal cells of the tumor microenvironment mediate this restriction by excluding T cells from the vicinity of cancer cells. Overcoming this T cell checkpoint may thus enable optimal immunotherapy.
Comparison of Two Digestion Methods for Determining Total Phosphorus in Farm Canal Water

Abstract Rapid and accurate determination of low‐level (0.01 to 1.0 mg L−1) phosphorus (P) concentrations in farm canal water is important in evaluating water quality in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) canals in south Florida. Two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency methods, persulfate digestion (365.1) and Kjeldahl digestion with mercury oxide (365.4), were used to analyze total P (TP) and total dissolved P (TDP) in two sets of representative canal water samples collected at low‐flow conditions in 2003 and high‐flow conditions in 2004. Quality assurance samples (blanks, duplicates, and spikes) were included to evaluate differences between the two digestion methods. Precision analysis had a mean of less than 5% for both TP and TDP using both methods. The high coefficient of correlations (r>0.98) indicated that the two methods were significantly correlated in determining TP and TDP of the samples. Low detection limits (0.004 mg L−1) were achieved by the persulfate method. This method offers many ot...
Separate and Combined Effects of Location Cuing and Repetition Priming on Perceptual Encoding of Words

We describe a methodology for investigating whether two manipulations exert independent effects on perception. This method avoids the strong scaling assumptions inherent to traditional analysis of variance techniques, and we used it to investigate the combined effects of cued visual attention and stimulus repetition. Subjects identified previously studied (primed) and new (unprimed) masked words that were presented to validly and invalidly cued locations for varying durations. Performance improved more rapidly with increasing exposure duration for primed than for unprimed, and for attended than for unattended, stimuli. We interpret this finding as indicating that both variables speed the rate of information acquisition. The speedup provided by priming and attention combined equaled the product of benefits for each alone, providing evidence they are serial, independent effects.
Occurrence of Alachlor and Its Sulfonated Metabolite in Rivers and Reservoirs of the Midwestern United States: The Importance of Sulfonation in the Transport of Chloroacetanilide Herbicides

Alachlor and its metabolite, 2-[(2‘,6‘-diethylphenyl)(methoxymethyl)amino]-2-oxoethanesulfonate (ESA), were identified in 76 reservoirs in the midwestern United States using immunoassay, liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The median concentration of ESA (0.48 μg/L) exceeded the median concentration of alachlor (<0.05 μg/L), with highest values in the upper Midwest. ESA also was detected in the Mississippi River from the mouth to the headwaters at concentrations of 0.2−1.5 μg/L, exceeding the concentration of alachlor. In a field runoff study, alachlor rapidly formed ESA. It is hypothesized that a glutathione conjugate forms, which later oxidizes in soil to ESA. The removal of the chlorine atom lessens the toxicity of the parent compound and increases runoff potential. It is hypothesized further that sulfonic acid metabolites of other chloroacetanilides, including acetochlor, butachlor, metolachlor, and propachlor, also occur in surface water.
Estimating Plant-Available Water Capacity for Claypan Landscapes Using Apparent Electrical Conductivity

Abbreviations: C, clay; EC a , bulk soil apparent electrical conductivity; LL 1.2 , lower limit of plantavailable water for a 1.2-m soil profi le; PAW, plant-available water; PAW c , plant-available water capacity; PAW 1.2 , plant-available water for a 1.2-m soil profi le; SIC, silty clay; SICL, silty clay loam; SIL, silt loam; UL 1.2 , upper limit of plant-available water for a 1.2-m soil profi le. Information on plant-available water (PAW) capacity (PAW c ) variation within a fi eld is useful for site-specifi c management. For claypan soils, established relationships between soil apparent electrical conductivity (EC a ) and topsoil thickness suggested the hypothesis that profi le PAW c could be estimated by assuming a two-layer soil composition, a silt loam topsoil layer and a silty clay sublayer, with known PAW fraction values for each layer. Objectives were (i) to investigate the direct relationships between EC a and the upper and lower limits of PAW c , and (ii) to test the previously stated hypothesis. Nineteen and 18 soil profi le samples were taken from two Missouri claypan fi elds in October 2005. The lower limit of PAW c was determined at −1500 kPa soil water pressure. Samples were taken again from the same locations in March 2006 to determine the upper limit of PAW c . Calculations were on a 1.2-m basis. The direct relationship between EC a −1 and profi le PAW (PAW 1.2 ) was signifi cant, with regression r 2 values of 0.67 and 0.87 and RMSEs of 30 and 20 mm for Fields 1 and 2, respectively. The RMSEs for two-layer-estimated PAW 1.2 were 14 and 16 mm for Fields 1 and 2, respectively, or 7.6 and 8.6% of the respective mean measured PAW 1.2 . With the two-layer approach, some underestimates of PAW 1.2 resulted from underestimation of topsoil thickness, whereas overestimates were attributed to soil horizons being short of ficapacity at sampling due to slow recharge. The resulting fi eld-scale PAW c information is useful in site-specifi c decision making for soil and water management.
Neutron Detection Signatures at Zero Bias in Novel Semiconducting Boron Carbide/Pyridine Polymers

Novel and more conventional boron carbides were combined with n-type silicon to make heterojunction diodes, with neutron capture signal at zero applied bias. The boron carbides were based on the cross linking of closo -1,2-dicarbadodecaborane (ortho-carborane; 1,2-B 10 C 2 H 12 ), and cross linking based on the combination of closo-1,2-dicarbadodecaborane (ortho-carborane; 1,2- B 10 C 2 H 12 ) and pyridine. In the latter devices, pyridine concentration was varied; samples with a closo -1,2-dicarbadodecaborane (ortho-carborane; 1,2- B 10 C 2 H 12 ) to pyridine ratio of 1:1 (BC:Py1) and 1:3 (BC:Py3). The result is a nonvolatile robust p-type semiconductor of boron carbide (B 10 C 2 H x ):(C 5 NH x ) y . The I(V) curves for the resulting heterojunction diodes exhibit strong rectification where the normalized reverse bias leakage currents are largely unperturbed with increasing pyridine inclusion. The devices are largely gamma insensitive and yet neutron voltaic properties of these boron carbides is demonstrated. The neutron capture generated pulses from these heterojunction diodes were obtained at zero bias voltage although without the characteristic signatures of complete charge collection from boron neutron capture generated electron-hole pair production. These results, nonetheless, suggest that modifications to boron carbide may result in better neutron voltaic materials with linking groups chosen from family of aromatic compounds that stretch between borazine (B 3 N 3 H 6 ) and benzene that point the way to a whole family of future studies that may ultimately lead to boron carbides better suited to low power and low flux neutron detection.
COOL (TRPM8) AND HOT (TRPV1) RECEPTORS IN THE BLADDER AND MALE GENITAL TRACT

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Overactive bladder symptoms due to various etiologies have been successfully treated with capsaicin by desensitization of the temperature sensitive vanilloid receptor TRPV1. Recently another temperature sensitive receptor, TRPM8, activated by menthol and cool temperatures (8C to 28C) was described that may be the proposed cool receptor, at least in part mediating the bladder response in the diagnostic ice water test. We defined the sites of mRNA and protein expression of TRPM8 and TRPV1 in the rat and human genitourinary tract.Materials and Methods:: Prostate, testis, penis, bladder and dorsal root ganglion tissue was obtained from rats. Prostate, testicle, seminiferous tubules, corpus cavernosum, glans, overlying glans skin, scrotal skin and bladder were obtained from human patients. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was done using species specific primers for TRPM8 and TRPV1. Immunofluorescence staining for TRPM8 was performed in rat tissues as well as in cultured human u...
A nonlinear optimal control method for magnetostrictive actuators

This paper addresses the development of a nonlinear optimal control methodology for magnetostrictive actuators. At moderate to high drive levels, the output from these actuators is highly nonlinear and contains significant magnetic and magnetomechanical hysteresis. These dynamics must be accommodated by models and control laws to utilize the full capabilities ofthe actuators. A characterization based upon ferromagnetic mean field theory provides a model which accurately quantifies both transient and steady state actuator dynamics under a variety of operating conditions. The control method consists of a linear perturbation feedback law used in combination with an optimal open loop nonlinear control. The nonlinear control incorporates the hysteresis and nonlinearities inherent in the transducer and can be computed offline. The feedback control is constructed through linearization of the perturbed system about the optimal system and is efficient for online implementation. As demonstrated through numerical examples, the combined hybrid control is robust and can be readily implemented in linear PDE-based structural models.
Videoconferencing: A Way for Students to Meet Their Sociological Heroes

Institutional Context and Departmental Capstone Course This course was taught in a public, four year institution of 5,000 residential stu dents, two-thirds of whom are women. The institution is highly selective and over half of the entering students are in the top 10% of their graduating classes. The students tend to be traditionally-aged for college, middle-class, white, and motivated to achieve high grades. About one-fourth to one-third of the sociology majors pursue graduate study, often in law, sociology, or social work. The Sociology Department has eleven tenure-track faculty members, about 150 majors, and is one of the top five depart ments on campus in offering courses that service the college as a whole. When the department added a capstone course to its curriculum in the mid-1990s, one of the concerns was how to integrate the course into the existing curriculum and faculty workload. A departmental committee, in cluding students, worked on the design of the course and its integration. The commit tee's recommendation, which was adopted by the department, was to rotate the instruc tor of the capstone among those faculty members who desired to teach it. Given
Development of a practical screening tool to identify preterm, low-birthweight neonates in Ethiopia.

Abstract Preterm, low-birthweight (LBW) newborn infants are at high risk of neonatal mortality and morbidity and need early referral for special paediatric care. In developing countries, birthweight and gestational age often cannot be measured and a practical screening tool based on surrogate neonatal body measurements to identify high-risk infants would be very useful. We studied a consecutive series of 843 singleton infants born at a referral hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Gestational age, birthweight, and four body measurements (chest, head, and mid-arm circumferences and length) were accurately recorded. We randomly divided the series into equal-sized training and validation groups. In the training group, we used a recursive partitioning technique to develop a simple predictive algorithm—infants were classified as high risk if head circumference was 31 cm or less or if chest circumference was 30 cm or less, and were classified as low risk otherwise. When tested in the validation group, this algorithm had sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value for prediction of preterm and LBW births above 90%. Thus, neonatal body measurements can be combined into a pragmatic, accurate screening tool suitable for clinical use in developing countries.
Investigation of the Spectrum of Resonance Fluorescence Induced by a Monochromatic Field

Measurements of the spectrum of resonance fluorescence induced by a monochromatic laser field in an atomic beam of sodium have been made over a wide range of laser intensities for both on- and off-resonance excitation. The spectra are consistent with theoretical calculations first made by Mollow.
Phonological Similarity, Markedness, and Rate of L2 Acquisition.

This study investigates the interrelationship of phonological similarity between L1 and L2, transfer, and markedness as they relate to the acquisition of English /e/ and /ae/ by native speakers of Brazilian Portuguese. Transfer and markedness adequately account for the behavior of poorer learners, but these factors do not explain the rate of acquisition of the two sounds as assessed by global foreign accent: Whereas /ae/ accuracy increased as global accent improved, /e/ accuracy decreased. It is suggested that phonetic and phonological similarity between L1 and L2 are important factors which motivated overgeneralization or interaction of /e/ and /ae/ within the inter-language.
Adolescents' willingness to use a school-based clinic in view of expressed health concerns.

Abstract A health needs assessment was developed to facilitate implementation of a comprehensive school-based adolescent clinic. Students were asked about their willingness to use a school-based clinic for certain health and emotional problems. Six hundred students in grades 9 through 12 completed anonymous self-administered questionnaires. Twenty-eight percent of respondents reported recently feeling depressed; 12% reported a prior suicide attempt. Twenty-five percent of students felt they were overweight. Of 56% who had experienced intercourse at least once, only one third had ever used birth control. Twenty-one percent smoked cigarettes and 27% marijuana, 24% used other drugs, and 38% used alcohol. Students who reported depression and past suicide attempts were significantly ( p ≤ 0.001) more willing to use the clinic for counseling needs than students not so reporting. Those with perceived weight problems reported more willingness to use a school clinic for nutrition information than those who did not feel overweight. Currently sexually active students were also more willing ( p ≤ 0.001) than nonsexually active students to use the clinic for sexuality information and sexually transmitted disease screens. Respondents who used drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes, however, were no more willing than nonsubstance-using peers to use clinic services for relevant health information.
Rôle of the Intestinal Bacteria in the Decomposition of Pectin

ConclusionThe results show that pectin is decomposed by bacteria present in feces obtained from human and canine subjects on a normal diet and one after pectin had been added.
Motion Cueing Algorithm Modification for Improved Turbulence Simulation

Atmospheric turbulence cueing produced by flight simulator motion systems has been less than satisfactory because the turbulence profiles have been attenuated by the motion cueing algorithms. Cardullo and Ellor initially addressed this problem by directly porting the turbulence model output to the motion system. Reid and Robinson addressed the problem by employing a parallel aircraft model, which is only stimulated by the turbulence inputs and adding a filter specially designed to pass the higher turbulence frequencies. There have been advances in motion cueing algorithm development at the Man-Machine Systems Laboratory, at SUNY Binghamton. In particular, the system used to generate turbulence cues has been studied. The Reid approach, implemented by Telban and Cardullo, was employed to augment the optimal motion cueing algorithm installed at the NASA LaRC Simulation Laboratory, driving the Visual Motion Simulator. In this implementation, the output of the primary flight channel was added to the output of the turbulence channel and then sent through a non-linear cueing filter. The cueing filter is an adaptive filter; therefore, it is not desirable for the output of the turbulence channel to be augmented by this type of filter. The likelihood of the signal becoming divergent was also an issue in this design. After testing on-site it became apparent that the architecture of the turbulence algorithm was generating unacceptable cues. As mentioned above, this cueing algorithm comprised a filter that was designed to operate at low bandwidth. Therefore, the turbulence was also filtered, augmenting the cues generated by the model. If any filtering is to be done to the turbulence, it will utilize a filter with a much higher bandwidth, above the frequencies produced by the aircraft response to turbulence. The authors have developed an implementation wherein only the signal from the primary flight channel passes through the nonlinear cueing filter. This paper discusses three new algorithms. Testing shows that the new methods provide the pilot with a more realistic sensation of turbulence; the cues are not attenuated by algorithm. Results of offline testing show the credibility of the models. Offline test verification was based primarily on the evaluation of the power spectral density of the outputs and the time response.
Islet phosphoinositide hydrolysis and insulin secretory responses from prediabetic fa/fa ZDF rats.

Abstract The sequence of events that culminate in the development of diabetes in the fa/fa Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat is unclear. In the present series of experiments islets from 5 week old prediabetic fa/fa male rats were isolated and their phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis and insulin secretory responses compared to those obtained from lean nondiabetic age- and weight-matched control rats. Peak first and second phase insulin secretory responses to 20mM glucose averaged 77±10 (mean±SE, n=7) and 491±47 pg/islet/min from lean, nondiabetic control islets. The comparable responses from fa/fa prediabetic rat islets were significantly greater, 264±51 and 810±78 pg/islet/min. In a parallel fashion 3 H-inositol efflux and inositol phosphate responses from prediabetic rat islets were also greater than comparable control responses. These findings demonstrate that significant increases in the phospholipase C-mediated hydrolysis of islet PI pools and insulin release in response to hyperglycemic stimulation can be detected prior to the emergence of diabetes in the fa/fa ZDF rat. These early changes in beta cell responsiveness to glucose may contribute to the hyperinsulinemia and subsequent insulin resistance characteristic of this animal model of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.
Gastrovascular System of Small Hydromedusae: Mechanisms of Circulation

Small medusae possess a circulatory system of narrow tubes subdivided into several compartments by functional "sphincters." Flow is activated by gastrodermal flagella twice as long as the diameter of the tubes. The flow may be reversed in any part of the system through pressure waves generated by muscular action of the gastric pouches. The combination of flagellar and muscular action provides an adjustable, low-pressure circulation.
Detergent-solubilized Patched Purified from Sf9 Cells Fails to Interact Strongly With Cognate Hedgehog or Ihog Homologs

Patched (Ptc) is a twelve-pass transmembrane protein that functions as a receptor for the Hedgehog (Hh) family of morphogens. In addition to Ptc, several accessory proteins including the CDO/Ihog family of co-receptors are necessary for proper Hh signaling. Structures of Hh proteins bound to members of the CDO/Ihog family are known, but the nature of the full Hh receptor complex is not well understood. We have expressed the Drosophila Patched and Mouse Patched-1 proteins in Sf9 cells and find that Sonic Hedgehog will bind to Mouse Patched-1 in isolated Sf9 cell membranes but that purified, detergent-solubilized Ptc proteins do not interact strongly with cognate Hh and CDO/Ihog homologs. These results may reflect a nonnative conformation of detergent-solubilized Ptc or that an additional factor or factors lost during purification are required for high-affinity Ptc binding to Hh.
Large eddy simulation of microburst winds flowing around a building

A large eddy simulation of a microburst producing thunderstorm is carried out. The thunderstorm is initiated when a thermal within a developing mixed layer reaches the lifting condensation level and strong latent heating occurs. A microburst is subsequently produced as condensate from the thunderstorm falls beneath the melting level. In this study, the viability of using two-way interactive multiple nested grids to investigate the interaction of the outflow from the microburst with a much smaller scale architectural structure is investigated. The relationship of the fluctuating winds around the building to the microburst structure is described.
Binding of a neutralizing antibody to dengue virus alters the arrangement of surface glycoproteins

The monoclonal antibody 1A1D-2 has been shown to strongly neutralize dengue virus serotypes 1, 2 and 3, primarily by inhibiting attachment to host cells. A crystal structure of its antigen binding fragment (Fab) complexed with domain III of the viral envelope glycoprotein, E, showed that the epitope would be partially occluded in the known structure of the mature dengue virus. Nevertheless, antibody could bind to the virus at 37 °C, suggesting that the virus is in dynamic motion making hidden epitopes briefly available. A cryo-electron microscope image reconstruction of the virus:Fab complex showed large changes in the organization of the E protein that exposed the epitopes on two of the three E molecules in each of the 60 icosahedral asymmetric units of the virus. The changes in the structure of the viral surface are presumably responsible for inhibiting attachment to cells.
Comparative antimicrobial activity of levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin against Streptococcus pneumoniae

Objectives: Levofloxacin has good coverage against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Recent reports demonstrate enhanced activity associated with a higher 750 mg dosage of levofloxacin. The objective of this study was to comparatively evaluate the activity of common regimens of levofloxacin (500 mg) and ciprofloxacin (500 mg), and a higher 750 mg levofloxacin regimen against penicillin susceptible and non-susceptible strains of S. pneumoniae. Materials and methods: An in vitro pharmacodynamic modelling apparatus (PDMA) characterized specific bacterial kill profiles for simulated regimens of levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin against four strains of S. pneu- moniae. Total log reduction, time for 3-log reduction and AUC/MIC were determined. Results: Ciprofloxacin was less effective than the levofloxacin regimens against all four study isolates. Ciprofloxacin produced 3-log reduction in only one isolate compared with all four isolates with the levofloxacin regimens. Bacterial regrowth did not occur over 12 h with levofloxacin; however, three of four isolates demonstrated bacterial regrowth with ciprofloxacin. None of the isolates were cleared from the PDMA by ciprofloxacin. The 500 mg levofloxacin regimen cleared two of four isolates and the 750 mg dose of levofloxacin cleared all study isolates. Respective AUC/MIC values for levofloxacin (500 and 750 mg) and ciprofloxacin were 44-89, 63-126 and ≤13, which correlated well with bacterial kill data. Conclusions: Both levofloxacin regimens were more effective than ciprofloxacin against the study isolates tested. The 750 mg levofloxacin regimen generated more favourable bacterial killing compared with the 500 mg levofloxacin regimen. In addition to using the 750 mg levofloxacin dose for nosocomial infections, this dose may also prove useful for the management of resistant pneumococcal infections.
Large scale analysis of signal reachability.

Motivation: Major disorders, such as leukemia, have been shown to alter the transcription of genes. Understanding how gene regulation is affected by such aberrations is of utmost importance. One promising strategy toward this objective is to compute whether signals can reach to the transcription factors through the transcription regulatory network (TRN). Due to the uncertainty of the regulatory interactions, this is a #P-complete problem and thus solving it for very large TRNs remains to be a challenge. Results: We develop a novel and scalable method to compute the probability that a signal originating at any given set of source genes can arrive at any given set of target genes (i.e., transcription factors) when the topology of the underlying signaling network is uncertain. Our method tackles this problem for large networks while providing a provably accurate result. Our method follows a divide-and-conquer strategy. We break down the given network into a sequence of non-overlapping subnetworks such that reachability can be computed autonomously and sequentially on each subnetwork. We represent each interaction using a small polynomial. The product of these polynomials express different scenarios when a signal can or cannot reach to target genes from the source genes. We introduce polynomial collapsing operators for each subnetwork. These operators reduce the size of the resulting polynomial and thus the computational complexity dramatically. We show that our method scales to entire human regulatory networks in only seconds, while the existing methods fail beyond a few tens of genes and interactions. We demonstrate that our method can successfully characterize key reachability characteristics of the entire transcriptions regulatory networks of patients affected by eight different subtypes of leukemia, as well as those from healthy control samples. Availability: All the datasets and code used in this article are available at bioinformatics.cise.ufl.edu/PReach/scalable.htm. Contact: ude.lfu.esic@rodota Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Active CMV infection before lung transplantation: risk factors and clinical implications.

Abstract Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a major cause of morbidity following lung transplantation, but active CMV infection has not been described before transplantation. Methods Since 1990, we have screened all lung-transplant recipients for CMV infection with viral urine cultures on the day of transplantation. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all 102 lung-allograft recipients transplanted between March 1990 and September 1998. Patients with positive urine cultures for CMV were compared to culture negative patients for age, gender, pretransplant diagnosis, time from diagnosis to transplantation, CMV serostatus, use of pretransplant immunosuppression, T-lymphocyte subsets, and presence of fever. Posttransplant outcomes assessed were duration of intubation and hospitalization, acute rejection, frequency of CMV disease, duration of Nashville rabbit antithymocyte serum or globulin (N-RATS/G) and ganciclovir, and survival. Results Five (5%) of 102 patients had positive urine cultures for CMV; none had symptoms of CMV infection. All 5 had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) (5/5 vs 27/97; p = 0.002). The age, gender, and CMV serostatus of these patients did not differ from the 97 patients in the culture negative group. Four (80%) of the 5 patients with positive cultures were receiving treatment with azathioprine or cyclophosphamide vs only 18 (19%) of the 97 patients with negative cultures ( p = 0.007), and all 5 (100%) were receiving steroids compared to 50 (52%) of 97 patients with negative cultures ( p = 0.06). Culture-positive IPF patients, when compared with the 27 culture-negative IPF patients, did not differ in any demographic variable or in the use of immunosuppression, but culture-positive patients were more likely to have a CD4/CD8 T-cell subset ratio p = 0.02). Following transplantation, 3 (60%) of 5 IPF patients with positive CMV cultures developed CMV disease compared to 3 (11%) of 27 IPF patients with negative cultures ( p = 0.03). Patients with positive cultures also received more days of parenteral antiviral therapy (mean 44 ± 11 days vs 16 ± 10 days; p Conclusion Utilizing pretransplant screening, we have discovered that 16% of patients with IPF had active CMV infection, which was associated with both alterations in their T-cell subsets and a greater risk for CMV disease after transplantation. This occurrence of occult CMV infection in patients with IPF has not been previously recognized, and has important implications.
Failure pressures of three rhinologic dural repairs in a porcine ex vivo model.

Background The objective of this work was to determine the failure pressures of 3 commonly performed repair techniques of 5-mm dural defects in a controlled setting. Methods This was a pig dura ex vivo study. A testing apparatus was fabricated to study failure pressures of 3 different repairs in a porcine model. Five-millimeter (5-mm) dural defects were created and plugged with autologous mucosa/Tisseel (MT) (Baxter International Inc.), fat graft (FG), and bath plug (BP) techniques. Saline solution was infused at 30 mL/hour to apply unidirectional pressure to the repair until failure occurred. Five dural repairs were performed for each arm of the trial, for a total of 15 trials. Results The mean failure pressure of the MT repair was 4.3 ± 1.9 cmH2O, of the FG repair was 10.9 ± 4.2 cmH2O, and of the BP repair was 20.7 ± 2.2 cmH2O. Differences among mean failure pressures were statistically significant. Conclusion The BP repair showed significantly higher tolerances for pressure than the other 2 repairs. The BP repair was the only technique that withstood adult physiologic supine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure.
Energy potential of yam and plantain peels.

Peels are the wastes produced when yam and plantain are processed for human consumption. This study evaluated the potential use of these wastes as energy feedstocks by conducting thermal decomposition studies in a thermogravimetric analyzer coupled to a Fourier Transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and in a differential scanning calorimeter. The peels have ash contents of about 8%-9% hence a slightly lower energy contents in comparison to other biomass feedstocks. The pyrolysis process for both yam and plantain peels was found to consist of two main stages - moisture loss at temperatures less than 150oC, and decomposition of the dry matter component that peaked at temperature of 300oC. Both samples reached exothermic reactions that also peaked at 300oC. Based on FTIR analysis, the major gases that evolved during pyrolysis were carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, acetic acid, methane, methyl isocyanate and ethanol. Keywords: thermal decomposition, syngas, waste, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyzer
Switching current regulator for off-line battery chargers

A high voltage integrated circuit for building a 10 W offline switching current regulator is presented. The target application is compact, lightweight battery chargers. The VHVIC combines low voltage BiCMOS control circuitry with a 500 V, 10 Omega lateral DMOS transistor. The process technology, circuit design, and device data are described. >