cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transmissible Factors Regulating Shoot Growth of Cornus sericea L.

Summary The regulation of shoot growth of Cornus sericea L. by photoperiod and plant growth regulators was studied. In Cornus , short days (SD) induce dormancy; long days (LD) favor continued shoot growth. When plants were grown with one branch in SD and one branch in LD, a dormancy-inducing stimulus from a foliated branch in SD caused a dormant bud to form on a defoliated branch in LD. Conversely, growth promoters from a foliated branch in LD prevented dormancy in a defoliated branch in SD. A single pair of SD leaves induced dormancy in a plant in LD if no LD leaves were between the SD leaves and the apex. Exogenous abscisic acid did not induce dormancy in LD; GA 3 (1 mM), translocated from treated leaves prevented dormancy in SD. Ancymidol (20 μmol) induced dormancy in LD. Gibberellins were implicated as dormancy regulators in Cornus . Translocation is discussed as a criterion for assessing the possible role of growth regulators in dormancy.
A micromachined silicon parallel acoustic delay line (PADL) array for real-time photoacoustic tomography (PAT)

To achieve real-time photoacoustic tomography (PAT), massive transducer arrays and data acquisition (DAQ) electronics are needed to receive the PA signals simultaneously, which results in complex and high-cost ultrasound receiver systems. To address this issue, we have developed a new PA data acquisition approach using acoustic time delay. Optical fibers were used as parallel acoustic delay lines (PADLs) to create different time delays in multiple channels of PA signals. This makes the PA signals reach a single-element transducer at different times. As a result, they can be properly received by single-channel DAQ electronics. However, due to their small diameter and fragility, using optical fiber as acoustic delay lines poses a number of challenges in the design, construction and packaging of the PADLs, thereby limiting their performances and use in real imaging applications. In this paper, we report the development of new silicon PADLs, which are directly made from silicon wafers using advanced micromachining technologies. The silicon PADLs have very low acoustic attenuation and distortion. A linear array of 16 silicon PADLs were assembled into a handheld package with one common input port and one common output port. To demonstrate its real-time PAT capability, the silicon PADL array (with its output port interfaced with a single-element transducer) was used to receive 16 channels of PA signals simultaneously from a tissue-mimicking optical phantom sample. The reconstructed PA image matches well with the imaging target. Therefore, the silicon PADL array can provide a 16× reduction in the ultrasound DAQ channels for real-time PAT.
The Relationship between Psychopathology and Speech and Language Disorders in Neurologic Patients

Depression, anxiety, and conversion reaction are common in neurologic patients. These disorders can produce neurologic-like symptoms that either mask or intensify those produced by the neurologic disease. This paper reviews clinical and research findings relating psychopathology to the formation and remediation of speech and language disorders in neurologic patients. The need to consider the psychosocial and psychopathological aspects of neurologic communicative disorders, and the link between emotional and communicative processes, are emphasized. Diagnostic criteria for the identification of psychogenic communicative disorders are outlined.
On Measuring Forgiveness: Implications from Smallest Space Analysis of the Forgiveness Likelihood Scale

The structure of the Rye et al.’s Forgiveness Likelihood Scale was evaluated using the principal components analysis and Guttman’s Smallest Space Analysis. Participants (n = 98) were students in Introduction to Psychology classes. While the former suggested a one-factor solution, the latter suggested differentiating the items based on the facet of ease of forgiving with three subsets: easy, medium, and difficult items. Unexpectedly, the Total Forgiveness Likelihood Scale score and the subscale based on just difficult items correlated significantly with the Fantasy subscale of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. A mapping sentence is offered with four facets and their putative constituent elements as a way to conceptualize the development of new, or to improve upon current, forgiveness likelihood scales.
Planet YouTube: Global, measurement-based performance analysis of viewer;'s experience watching user generated videos

User experience is a very important aspect of user-generated video streaming service such as YouTube. In this paper, we perform a global study of user experience for YouTube videos using PlanetLab nodes from all over the world. We analyze the number of pauses, accumulative pause time, rate at which videos were downloaded to clients, and how the YouTube infrastructure impact the viewer's experience. The data for this analysis was generated by an automated tool from the traces captured during the PlanetLab-based measurement. Results from this analysis show that on average there are about 2.5 pauses per video. Interestingly, we found that on average 25% of the videos with pauses have an accumulative pause time greater than 15 seconds. This shows that not only the number of pauses but also the total length of pauses has to be analyzed to investigate the user experience of watching videos offered by YouTube. In addition, our results show that there is an inverse relationship between the download rates of the videos and the number of pauses encountered.
Reprint of: B Cells in Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

Abstract Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) continues to be a common complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Unlike acute graft-versus-host disease, which is mediated almost entirely by donor T cells, the immune pathology of cGVHD is more complex and donor B cells have also been found to play an important role. Recent studies from several laboratories have enhanced our understanding of how donor B cells contribute to this clinical syndrome and this has led to new therapeutic opportunities. Here, Dr Sarantopoulos reviews some of the important mechanisms responsible for persistent B cell activation and loss of B cell tolerance in patients with cGVHD. Dr Blazar describes recent studies in preclinical models that have identified novel B cell–directed agents that may be effective for prevention or treatment of cGVHD. Some B cell–directed therapies have already been tested in patients with cGVHD and Dr Cutler reviews the results of these studies documenting the potential efficacy of this approach. Supported by mechanistic studies in patients and preclinical models, new B cell–directed therapies for cGVHD will now be evaluated in clinical trials.
Street-Weighted Interpolation Techniques for Demographic Count Estimation in Incompatible Zone Systems

Data processing for the spatial analysis of small-area social, demographic, and economic data often requires the combination of data spatially aggregated to two or more incompatible zone systems in a region, such as a set of enumeration districts that changes over time. Such situations can be addressed by areal interpolation—the transfer of data between zonal systems according to spatial algorithms. The authors test a technique of areal interpolation using geographic information systems (GIS) that employs a digital map layer representing streets and roads to derive varying density weights for small areas within aggregation zones. The technique reduces errors in estimation compared with estimates derived using the commonly applied area-weighting technique, with its assumption of uniform density. The street-weighting technique is much easier to use than other interpolation techniques that have also been shown to reduce error compared with area-based weighting.
Planning Development with Transit Projects

One of the principal objectives of a transit project is to stimulate economic development. It is desirable to have early involvement of private sector developers in the transit planning process. However, the private sector seldom becomes involved before a transit project is nearly completed, and transit planners and public officials seldom incorporate developers' decision processes into their planning in order to increase the range of economic development opportunities. This study presents a site‐development model which simulates the long‐ and short‐range decision processes of developers. These decision processes involve four steps: (1) Determination of development demand for route alignment, station location and specific parcels development; (2) analysis of site constraints on development; (3) analysis of various design and marketing options; and (4) the financial analysis of an individual project. Three uses of the model for typical development problems are illustrated using data from the King Street St...
Characterization of DNA from three nuclear polyhedrosis viruses pathogenic for Choristoneura sp

Abstract Three nuclear polyhedrosis viruses isolated from larvae of the insect genus Choristoneura showed polyhedrins of 28–30,000 daltons, genome sizes of 78–82 × 106 daltons, and guanine plus cytosine contents of 47.9–49.4%. It was demonstrated by comparison of restriction endonuclease fragment patterns that two of the viruses are closely related genetically.
W Mass Measurement at Lep 2

The measurement of the W boson mass by the four Lep experiments, Aleph , Delphi , L3 and Opal , is presented. Particular emphasis is paid on the systematic uncertainties, which limits the precision of the present measurement.
Biosynthesis of Peripheral Nervous System Myelin Proteins In Vitro

Myelin prepared from spinal roots and sciatic nerves of young rats (24 days of age) after incubation with [3H] amino acids in glucose-Krebs Ringer bicarbonate contained a considerable amount of radioactivity incorporated into the proteins. When these were separated on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, peaks of radioactivity were found to correspond to the P0, 23K, P1, and P2 proteins. Although very little Fast-Green-stained protein was visible in the high molecular weight region of the gels (> 27,000), much radioactivity was located in this area. Incorporation of [3H] amino acids into the myelin proteins continued up to 3 h and was dependent on glucose, but not on O2-CO2 replacement of air in the flask, whereas cycloheximide inhibited incorporation by 80%. Much less amino acid was incorporated into myelin protein of old rats. High molecular weight proteins appeared to be more metabolically active than other myelin proteins, as estimated by the percent of total counts incorporated/amount of Fast-Green staining, and their activity decreased less with age. The 23K and P1 proteins incorporated [3H] amino acid in approximate proportion to their content. P0 was less, and P2 somewhat more metabolically active than their contents would predict. [3H]fucose also was incorporated in vitro into P0 and P1 (probably 19K) proteins as well as into the high molecular weight proteins, while glucosamine served less well as a glycoprotein precursor. This preparation may be useful for examining further parameters of PNS myelin synthesis, assembly, and the effects of neurotoxic agents.
Medicine on Trial: Regulating the Health Professions in Later Medieval England

Fears of being accused of malpractice have plagued the field of medicine since its inception. Despite the longevity of the concerns, English law was slow to catch up and only did so eventually because of the pressure exerted from below by users of medicine rather than the practitioners themselves. Much of the hostility between medical practitioners and their dissatisfied patients is reflected in disputes over payment in an economy that functioned exclusively on supply and demand: patients refused to pay for anything less than a cure, and they withheld fees when they believed that the quality of the service was less than exemplary.
Rapamycin Disrupts Cyclin/Cyclin-Dependent Kinase/p21/Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen Complexes and Cyclin D1 Reverses Rapamycin Action by Stabilizing These Complexes

Rapamycin and its derivatives are promising anticancer agents, but the exact mechanisms by which these drugs induce cell cycle arrest and inhibit tumor growth are unknown. A biochemical analysis of human mammary tumor cell lines indicated that rapamycin-induced antiproliferative effects correlated with down-regulation of cellular p21 levels and the levels of p21 in cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) 2 and 4 complexes. Cyclin D1 overexpression reversed rapamycin action and this reversal correlated with increased levels of cellular p21, higher levels of p21 associated with Cdk2, and stabilization of cyclin D1/Cdk2/p21/proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) complexes. Experiments using a novel cyclin D1-Cdk2 fusion protein or a kinase-dead mutant of the fusion protein indicated that reversal of rapamycin action required not only the formation of complexes with p21 and PCNA but also complex-associated kinase activity. Similar results were observed in vivo. The rapamycin derivative RAD001 (everolimus) inhibited the growth of mouse mammary tumors, which correlated with the disruption of cyclin D1/Cdk2 complexes. The potential implications of these results with respect to the use of rapamycin derivatives in breast cancer therapy are discussed. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(2): 1070-80)
Fourier analysis of digital hysteresis data: rock magnetic applications

Abstract The approach to saturation of a ferromagnetic material can be characterized in terms of the frequency content of its hysteresis loop. This is done by ‘unfolding’ the loop into a pseudo-waveform, which is then analyzed using standard Fourier methods. In experiments on samples with discrete grain sizes of magnetite, the decay of Fourier component amplitude as a function of harmonic degree is sensitive to grain size (which controls the ‘squareness’ of the loop). For samples containing a mixture of magnetite grain sizes, and for samples containing a mixture of magnetite and hematite, the phase shift as a function of harmonic degree is a sensitive indicator of the distribution of coercivities (which controls the asymmetry of the unfolded waveform).
Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: Management of intracranial extension

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a histologically benign, locally invasive tumor of the nasopharynx that is found primarily in the pubescent male. While most authors recommend surgical excision for smaller, localized extracranial tumors, opinion varies on the management of more aggressive tumors with intracranial extension. The authors present their experience over the past 15 years with 15 cases of JNA with intracranial extension, and formulate a plan of management. A combined otolaryngologic/neurosurgical approach is recommended in order to assess the extent of the tumor and to isolate feeding vessels. Lateral extension into the middle cranial fossae should be resected in continuity with the nasopharyngeal component, which is approached from below in a separate operative field. Medial extensions are transected, verified angiographically three months after surgery, and irradiated. The results of therapy are presented, and a case of dural penetration by JNA is described.
DSP for the third generation wireless communications

The paper offers a perspective of cellular standards, from first-generation (1G) and second-generation (2G), to the emerging third generation (3G). Architectures of existing 2G and future 3G systems are compared. The micro-architecture of the digital signal processor (DSP) for 2G is reviewed and requirements for 3G are summarized.
The role of the medial caudate nucleus, but not the hippocampus, in a matching-to sample task for a motor response

A delayed-match-to-sample task was used to assess memory for motor responses in rats with control, hippocampus, or medial caudate nucleus (MCN) lesions. All testing was conducted on a cheeseboard maze in complete darkness using an infrared camera. A start box was positioned in the centre of the maze facing a randomly determined direction on each trial. On the sample phase, a phosphorescent object was randomly positioned to cover a baited food well in one of five equally spaced positions around the circumference of the maze forming a 180-degree arc 60 cm from the box. The rat had to displace the object to receive food and return to the start box. The box was then rotated to face a different direction. An identical baited phosphorescent object was placed in the same position relative to the start box. A second identical object was positioned to cover a different unbaited well. On the choice phase, the rat must remember the motor response made on the sample phase and make the same motor response on the choice phase to receive a reward. Hippocampus lesioned and control rats improved as a function of increased angle separation used to separate the correct object from the foil (45, 90, 135, and 180 degrees) and matched the performance of controls. However, rats with MCN lesions were impaired across all separations. Results suggest that the MCN, but not the hippocampus, supports working memory and/or a process aimed at reducing interference for motor response selection based on vector angle information.
Association between minor and major surgical complications after carotid endarterectomy: Results of the New York Carotid Artery Surgery study

Objective Most studies on outcomes of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) have focused on the major complications of death and stroke. Less is known about minor but more common surgical complications such as hematoma, cranial nerve palsy, and wound infection. This study used data from a large, population-based cohort study to describe the incidence of minor surgical complications after CEA and examine associations between minor and major complications. Methods The New York Carotid Artery Surgery (NYCAS) study examined all Medicare beneficiaries who underwent CEA from January 1998 to June 1999 in NY State. Detailed clinical information on preoperative characteristics and complications ≤30 days of surgery was abstracted from hospital charts. Associations between minor (cranial nerve palsies, hematoma, and wound infection) and major complications (death/stroke) were examined with χ 2 tests and multivariate logistic regression. Results The NYCAS study had data on 9308 CEAs performed by 482 surgeons in 167 hospitals. Overall, 10% of patients had a minor surgical complication (cranial nerve (CN) palsy, 5.5%; hematoma, 5.0%; and wound infection, 0.2%). Cardiac complications occurred in 3.9% (myocardial 1.1%, unstable angina 0.9%, pulmonary edema 2.1%, and ventricular tachycardia 0.8%). In both unadjusted and adjusted analyses, the occurrence of any minor surgical complication, CN palsy alone, or hematoma alone was associated with 3 to 4-fold greater odds of perioperative stroke or combined risk of death and nonfatal stroke ( P Conclusion Minor surgical complications are common after CEA and are associated with much higher risk of death and stroke. Patient factors, process factors, and direct causality are involved in this relationship, but future work will be needed to better understand their relative contributions.
Hepatobiliary associations with inflammatory bowel disease

Hepatobiliary disease is not uncommon in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The most common autoimmune hepatic associations are primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The immunosuppressant medications used in the treatment of IBD also have potential hepatotoxicity. PSC is most commonly associated with IBD, specifically ulcerative colitis. AIH, a more classic autoimmune disease diagnosed commonly in isolation of other conditions in the same individual, is less commonly associated with IBD. Additionally, a subgroup of patients have features of both PSC and AIH, termed overlap syndrome, that is also sometimes seen in IBD patients. This review will discuss the most common liver disease associations seen in patients with IBD: PSC, AIH and overlap syndrome. Additionally, the most common drug-related hepatotoxicities encountered when treating IBD will be reviewed.
Dairy Products: The Next Generation. Altering the Image of Dairy Products Through Technology

Abstract Nutritionally improved dairy products have proved to be very successful and have provided some growth in the industry. However, niche markets are becoming increasingly lucrative. Meeting the needs of consumers within those niche markets provides an opportunity for the expansion of sales through the development of innovative dairy products. Dairy products as we have known them are evolving into the next generation of dairy products with new images, new functions, and new nutritional possibilities. Expansion of product sales and usage within niche markets require targeting the special needs and expectations of populations within those markets by the use of innovative new technologies or alternative uses of existing technologies for the development of new products. Technologies that alter nutritional profile, develop new functional characteristics, isolate or amplify specific components, extend shelf-life, or increase versatility are currently available to the dairy industry. Liaisons between research and industry are imperative to promote effective technology transfer and utilization of product and process technologies.
Diagnostic Tests for Agents of Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Lower respiratory infections are the major cause of death due to infectious disease in the United States and worldwide. Most forms of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are treatable, and there is consensus that the selection of antimicrobial agents is notably simplified if the pathogen is defined. The rich history of CAP studies in the prepenicillin era showed that an etiologic diagnosis was established in >90% of cases, but the 2009 data from Medicare indicate that a probable pathogen is now detected in 17,000 patients hospitalized with CAP. This review addresses the issue of the state of the art of microbiological studies of CAP in terms of the realities of current-day practice. Unfortunately, the desire for better data to achieve pathogen-directed treatment clashes with a multitude of harsh realities, including cost, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements for antibiotics to be administered within 6 h of disease onset, guidelines that discourage any microbiological studies in most cases, belief in empiricism that is well supported by at least 1 prospective study, the decline of microbiological analysis standards in most laboratories, and the devastating impact of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regulations that led to the demise of "the house staff laboratory" and the distancing of microbiological analysis from the site of care. Microbiological principles are reviewed, with emphasis on specimen source, pathogenic potential of isolates, concentrations, impact of antecedent antibiotics, and the "Washington criteria" for expectorated sputum. The recommendation is that the high-quality microbiological analysis that is still achieved in some places should be retained but that to advance the field on the basis of the contemporary realities, two goals should be adopted: First is the broad use of antigen tests for Streptococcus pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila with interpretation by clinical staff under the CLIA waiver for low-complexity tests. The second and more ambitious recommendation is the adoption of molecular techniques, with particular emphasis on nucleic acid detection, which is rapid and sensitive and has already been developed for virtually all recognized pulmonary pathogens. This may be the ultimate solution for many laboratories, and it is likely to have selected use.
Successional and physical controls on the retention of nitrogen in an undisturbed boreal forest ecosystem

Floristic succession in the boreal forest can have a dramatic influence on ecosystem nutrient cycling. We predicted that a decrease in plant and microbial demand for nitrogen (N) during the transition from mid- to late-succession forests would induce an increase in the leaching of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), relative to dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). To test this, we examined the chemistry of the soil solution collected from within and below the main rooting zones of mid- and late-succession forests, located along the Tanana River in interior Alaska. We also used a combination of hydrological and chemical analyses to investigate a key assumption of our methodology: that patterns of soil water movement did not change during this transition. Between stands, there was no difference in the propor- tion of DIN below the rooting zone. 84-98% of DIN at both depths consisted of nitrate, which was significantly higher in the deeper mineral soil than at the soil surface (0.46±0.12 mg NO 3 -N l 1 vs 0.17±0.12 mg NO 3 - Nl 1 , respectively), and 79-92% of the total dissolved N consisted of DON. Contrary to our original assumption that nutrients were primarily leached downward, out of the rooting zone, we found much evidence to suggest that the glacially-fed Tanana River (>200 m from these stands) was contributing to the influx of water and nutrients into the soil active layer of both stands. Soil water potentials were positively correlated with river discharge; and ionic and isotopic (d 18 Oo f H 2O) values of the soil solution closely matched those of river water. Thus, our ability to elucidate biological control over ecosystem N retention was confounded by riverine nutrient inputs. Climatic warming is likely to extend the season of glacial melt and increase riverine nutrient in- puts to forests along glacially-fed rivers.
EFFECTS OF pH AND OF VARIOUS CONCENTRATIONS OF SODIUM, POTASSIUM, AND CALCIUM CHLORIDE ON MUSCULAR ACTIVITY OF THE ISOLATED CROP OF PERIPLANETA AMERICANA (ORTHOPTERA)

1. Twenty-five solutions which contained KCl (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 gm. per liter), in combination with CaCl2 (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 gm. per liter), 10.0 gm. of NaCl, and 0.2 gm. of NaHCO3 per liter of solution were tested in order to determine satisfactory KCl/CaCl2 ratios in an insect physiological salt mixture for the maintenance of muscular activity by the isolated crop of the American roach. Satisfactory activity products (0.390 to 0.549) were obtained in seven mixtures with KCl/CaCl2 ratios of 0.2/0.2, 0.4/0.4, 0.6/0.6, 0.8/0.8, 0.2/0.4, 0.4/0.6, and 0.6/0.8, expressed as gram per liter. These ratios lie between 0.50 and 1.00. In solutions which contained calcium, but no potassium, approximately 50 per cent of the crops exhibited an initial tone increase and were arrested in rigor. See Fig. 2. In solutions which contained potassium, but no calcium, all crops showed an initial loss of tone and arrest in relaxation. See Fig. 2. 2. Seven KCl/CaCl2 ratios (see paragraph 1 above) were tested with eight NaCl concentrations (1.0, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, and 1.8 per cent) at a pH of 8.0. In these mixtures, the ones with KCl/CaCl2 ratios of less than 1.0 produced higher activity products than those with ratios equal to 1.00. The highest average activity product (0.849) was obtained in the solutions with 0.2 gm. of KCl and 0.4 gm. of CaCl2 per liter. 3. Four KCl/CaCl2 ratios (0.2/0.2, 0.4/0.4, 0.2/0.4, and 0.4/0.6 gm. per liter) were tested with 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6 per cent NaCl at a pH of 7.5. When analyzed with data from comparable solutions at a pH of 8.0, it was found that 1.4 per cent NaCl afforded an optimum environment for isolated crop activity. 4. Effects of hydrogen and hydroxyl ion concentrations were studied at pH values of 6.8, 7.5, 8.0, and 8.9. The highest average activity product, 1.011, was produced at a pH of about 8.0. 5. A satisfactory physiological salt solution for the isolated foregut of the American roach, Periplaneta americana , would contain 14.0 gm. of NaCl, 0.4 gm. of CaCl2, 0.2 gm. of KCl, and 0.2 gm. of NaHCO3 per liter of solution. This mixture should have a pH value between 7.8 and 8.2. 6. Durations of crop activity extending over periods as long as 25 hours were quite common, and several crops maintained contractions for more than 30 hours. The greatest longevity was for crop 814, from a female, which continued activity for slightly more than 47 hours. 7. A significant difference between the activity products of the crops from males and the crops from females was recorded. Although there was not a significant difference in the amount of food ingested by males and females, 12 hours after feeding there was more food in the females' crops, and the food progressed more rapidly through the males' crops than through the females'. In addition, crops from the two sexes reacted differently to the effects of day old solutions. This sex difference is apparently related to an inherently increased activity of the crop from the male roach.
Therapeutic Monitoring of Mycophenolate Mofetil

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has become the single most used immunosuppressant in solid-organ transplantation. Despite a well-documented relationship and efficacy (in terms of acute rejection prophylaxis) and exposure to mycophenolic acids (MPA) as measured by area under the curve (AUC), excellent results have been achieved using a fixed-dosage regimen. In the past several years, there has been an increased interest in the utility of monitoring MPA concentrations to both increase efficacy and decrease toxicity, particularly in many current drug minimization protocols. MMF is morpholinoethyl ester of MPA, a potent and reversible inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), isoform 2 (1). MPA originally was discovered from Penicillium brevicompactum and related fungi in the late 19th century, and its major activity on IMPDH first was reported in 1969 (2). MPA was developed as an immunosuppressant by Syntex in 1980s to complement existing immunosuppressive agents, including calcineurin inhibitor, azathioprine, and corticosteroids (3). IMPDH became a target for immunosuppression because lymphocytes depend on the de novo guanosine nucleotide synthesis pathway for DNA synthesis and cell division (3). Because other cell types, including neurons, depend primarily on the alternative salvage pathway for DNA synthesis, MPA selectively inhibits the proliferation of human T and B lymphocytes. Since the 1990s, when large, double-blind, randomized trials in kidney transplant recipients (4–6) showed the efficacy of MMF in preventing early acute rejection, in combination with cyclosporine (CsA) and prednisone, MMF has been used widely as a part of various combination regimens of immunosuppressive agents. To appreciate fully the complexities and controversies involved in therapeutic monitoring, one must have a substantial understanding of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of MPA. This review covers the basic pharmacology of MMF and then discusses the data that are available on the utility of monitoring of MPA concentrations. MMF, being a pro-drug of MPA, …
Effect of bacterial heterogeneity on adhesion to uniform collectors by monoclonal populations

Transport of bacteria over significant distances through aquifer sediments occurs primarily among bacteria with low affinity for sediment materials. Bacterial affinity for a uniform collector surface has been represented quantitatively by a collision efficiency (α), defined as the fraction of colliding cells that adhere to the collector surface. Using a new method for estimating α during advective transport of monoclonal bacterial populations through a uniform bed of 40-μm borosilicate glass spheres, we found that α decreased 10-fold over a bed depth of only 1 cm. Depth-dependent differences in α were not related to variation in bacterial size or intra-strain genetic variation. Intra-population heterogeneity in biocolloid-collector affinity may be important determinant of subsurface bacterial transport characteristics, with critical implications for pathogen transport and dispersal of bacteria for the remediation of hazardous waste.
Bacterial profiles of subgingival plaques in periodontitis.

In this report over 400 subgingival plaque samples taken from over 110 patients were examined microscopically and culturally for 30 bacterial parameters. The patients could be placed into six disease categories based upon clinical criteria. The bacterial profile of each clinical category was generally distinctive of that category. Periodontal patients who had been successfully treated and maintained had plaques that were populated by significantly higher proportions of Streptococcus sanguis, Actinomyces viscosus, A. odontolyticus and S. mutans and significantly lower proportions of B. gingivalis and spirochetes compared to the five untreated disease categories. The spirochetes were the overwhelming microbial type in the plaques of adult periodontitis (AP) patients, averaging about 45% of the microscopic count. The bacteriological results could not distinguish between ADA Type III and IV periodontitis, suggesting that the same type of infection was occurring in an active site in any AP patient. The patient...
A comparison of intermittent and continuous support during labor: a meta-analysis.

Abstract Our goal was to contrast the influence of intermittent and continuous support provided by doulas during labor and delivery on 5 childbirth outcomes. Data were aggregated across 11 clinical trials by means of meta-analytic techniques. Continuous support, when compared with no doula support, was significantly associated with shorter labors (weighted mean difference –1.64 hours, 95% confidence interval –2.3 to –.96) and decreased need for the use of any analgesia (odds ratio .64, 95% confidence interval .49 to .85), oxytocin (odds ratio .29, 95% confidence interval .20 to .40), forceps (odds ratio .43, 95% confidence interval .28 to .65), and cesarean sections (odds ratio .49, 95% confidence interval .37 to .65). Intermittent support was not significantly associated with any of the outcomes. Odds ratios differed between the 2 groups of studies for each outcome. Continuous support appears to have a greater beneficial impact on the 5 outcomes than intermittent support. Future clinical trials, however, will need to control for possible confounding influences. Implications for labor management are discussed. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:1054-9.)
Gemcitabine-induced gouty arthritis attacks.

In this case report, we review the experience of a patient who presented with early stage pancreatic cancer (Stage IIb) who underwent a Whipple procedure and adjuvant chemoradiation. The patient’s past medical history included early stage colon cancer in remission, post-traumatic-stress-disorder, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, osteoarthritis, gout, and pre-diabetes. Chemotherapy initially consisted of weekly gemcitabine. The patient developed acute gouty attacks after his second dose of gemcitabine, which brought him to the emergency room for emergent treatment on several occasions. Gemcitabine was held and treatment began with fluorouracil and concurrent radiation. After completion of his chemoradiation with fluorouracil, he was again treated with weekly gemcitabine alone. As soon as the patient started gemcitabine chemotherapy the patient developed gouty arthritis again, requiring discontinuation of chemotherapy. The patient received no additional treatment until his recent recurrence 8 months later wher...
IBDsite: a Galaxy-interacting, integrative database for supporting inflammatory bowel disease high throughput data analysis

Background Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) refer to a group of inflammatory conditions concerning colon and small intestine, which cause socially uncomfortable symptoms and often are associated with an increased risk of colon cancer. IBD are complex disorders, which rely on genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, deregulation of the immune system, and host relationship with commensal microbiota. The complexity of these pathologies makes difficult to clearly understand the mechanisms of their onset. Therefore, the study of IBD must be faced exploiting an integrated and multilevel approach, ranging from genes, transcripts and proteins to pathways altered in affected tissues, and carefully considering their regulatory mechanisms, which may intervene in the pathology onset. It is also crucial to have a knowledge base about the symbiotic bacteria that are hosted in the human gut. To date, much data exist regarding IBD and human commensal bacteria, but this information is sparse in literature and no free resource provides a homogeneously and rationally integrated view of biomolecular data related to these pathologies.
Episodic retrieval and the cortical binding of relational activity

Retrieval of episodic memories depends on the successful “re-collection” of event features, such as the time, place, people, thoughts, and feelings associated with a past experience.In neuroimaging studies, ventral regions of the posterior parietal cortex (vPPC) are particularly active when episodic memories are successfully retrieved. A review of the neural correlates of episodic retrieval is presented along with a new theory, cortical binding of relational activity (CoBRA). According to CoBRA, the vPPC acts as a convergence zone that binds episodic features stored in disparate neocortical regions. This process works in conjunction with other known mechanisms, such as those associated with the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe.
You cannot gamble on others: Dissociable systems for strategic uncertainty and risk in the brain

a b s t r a c t This paper tests whether strategic uncertainty employs circuits in the brain that encode risk and utility, or circuits that are involved in Theory of Mind (ToM). We compare participants' decisions in a stag-hunt game with an equivalent choice between Bernoulli lotteries where the probabilities are equal to the mixed Nash equilibrium of the stag hunt game. Behavioral data suggests that most participants are more willing to choose the payoff-dominant option in a stag-hunt game than the equivalent lottery. Neuroimaging shows that activations in the regions of the brain commonly associated with ToM are correlated with a participant's propensity to choose payoff dominant. This suggests that individuals who mentalize the other person are more likely to be cooperative than those who do not.
The Financial Collapse Of The Milwaukee Public Museum

The 123-year old Milwaukee Public Museum, which had long been considered to be one of the top natural history museums in the country, found itself in dire financial straights in 2005. The museum had run large deficits for the past three years and had almost entirely eaten through its cash and long-term endowment. In June 2005 it was forced to lay off many of its experienced collections and research staff and had begun the process of preparing to sell off assets that were not a part of the “exhibit experience.” Milwaukee County’s Chief Executive went so far as to suggest that the Museum’s celebrated 700-acre Tirimbina rain forest preserve in Costa Rica should be sold. How did this once renowned organization become a shell of its former self? What financial management and governance mistakes were made, if any, and how could this disaster have been prevented? THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM CASE
Urban Places: Statistical Definitions

As nations and societies develop there is a need for concepts and definitions, which will provide measures of social organization and change. There exist great differences among nations of the world over how concepts are defined and information is collected. An assessment is made of the approaches embodied in the reporting systems of other nations and the differences among them. The focus of the article is upon the history of the American attempt to measure and understand change as reflected in the statistical definition of ‘urban’. Conflict and debate over the continuing search for new and improved definitions of ‘urban’ are discussed, with an analysis of those factors which are most likely to affect future change.
SHARPINing the knowledge of TCR signal control.

SHARPIN acts independently of the ubiquitin-assembly complex LUBAC to attenuate proximal signaling downstream of TCRs by inhibiting the interaction of Zap70 with the TCRζ chain through Lys63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitination. SHARPIN deficiency enhanced TCR signaling and impaired the development and function of Treg cells.
Producing Herbicide Tolerant Populus Using Genetic Transformation Mediated by Agrobacterium Tumefaciens C58: A Summary of Recent Research

We tested the hypothesis that genetic transformation mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58 will produce Populus with better than normal tolerance of the herbicide Roundup (glyphosate). The basic strategy was so-called target enzyme protection. Using a binary C58-based vector, T-DNA from two engineered plasmids (pPMG 85/587 or pCGN 1107) was separately inserted into Populus alba x P. grandidentata cv. ‘Crandon.’ Both these plasmids contained a bacterial gene (aroA) that encodes a chimeric 5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase that tolerates Roundup better than normal enzyme. Compared to plasmid pPMG 85/587, pCGN 1107 contained a better gene promoter and added coding to help movement of chimeric EPSP synthase from cytoplasm to chloroplasts. Transformations with plasmid pPMG 85/587 yielded normal greenhouse plants with aroA and increased Roundup tolerance. This was the first transformation and regeneration of a woody plant with an important gene. Southern blots of greenhouse plants from tissues transformed with pCGN 1107 also showed that aroA was present; hence, plants were produced wherein chimeric EPSP synthase was targeted for chloroplast expression. Roundup tolerance tests of those plants are underway. A host range study revealed that C58 transforms Populus of diverse ancestry. But, parental genotype governs whether a progeny is susceptible or resistant to C58.
Sex Differences in Neural Regulation of Hypertension

Sex differences in the incidence of hypertension occur as early as adolescence and persist through reproductive senescence both in humans and experimental animals. These sex differences have profound implications for the treatment of not only hypertension but also risk-related cardiovascular diseases. Historically, inadequate tools for identifying specific gonadal hormone receptors have hampered an understanding of the cellular basis of gender differences in hypertension. The emergence of receptor-specific reagents provides the opportunity for a more detailed understanding of the potential cellular sites of action for endogenous and exogenous gonadal hormone receptor ligands. High-resolution electron microscopic imaging employing nanogold and other markers is leading to a reevaluation of gonadal hormone signaling in the brain. One of the most surprising findings is that the neuronal distribution of these receptors frequently occurs at sites classically thought to be the purview of only neurotransmitters and related signaling molecules. We will discuss findings that estrogen receptors are anatomically poised to influence the regulation of blood pressure in response to estrogens in a number of brain regions involved in cardiovascular regulation. We will also present an overview of potential subcellular sites of interaction of estrogen receptors with angiotensin II and related signaling molecules critical for neuronal activation and plasticity in brain cardiovascular regulatory circuits. Since hypertension is known to impair brain health, the role of sex differences in some prevalent hypertension-associated neurological diseases is also discussed. Understanding the mechanisms underlying sex differences in the neural regulation of blood pressure will provide critical new information necessary for understanding the actions of gonadal hormones in the brain, which, in turn, will be critical for the development of new antihypertensive treatments.
Information flooding

This paper studies the problem of broadcasting a common message over a relay network as the canonical platform to investigate the utilities and limitations of traditional relay coding schemes. For a few special classes of networks, such as the 3-node relay channel and the 4-node diamond network, the decode-forward coding scheme by Cover and El Gamal, and its generalization to networks by Xie and Kumar, and Kramer, Gastpar, and Gupta achieve the cutset bound, establishing the capacity. When the network has cycles, however, decode-forward is suboptimal in general and is outperformed by partial decode — forward, compress-forward, or more generally, interactive relaying built upon these ∗-forward coding schemes. In particular, it is demonstrated via a simple example that a coding scheme based on interactive computing by Orlitsky and Roche, and its infinite-round generalization by Ma and Ishwar can strictly outperform existing noninteractive or finite-round interactive coding schemes. Roughly speaking, when the network is to be flooded with information, it is more efficient for the relays to spray tiny droplets of the information back and forth than to splash a huge amount at a time.
Factors Affecting the Volatilization of Insecticidal Residues from Soils

Laboratory and field studies showed that vapors toxic to both vinegar flies ( Drosophila melanogaster Meigen) and house flies ( Musca domestica L.) were given off from aldrin-, heptachlorphorate-, lindane-, heptachlorepoxide-, and dieldrin-treated soils. No evidence of volatilization was obtained from soils treated with DDT, Sevin® (1-naphthyl N -methylcarbamate), malathion, and parathion. An increase in the rate of aldrin volatilization from the soil resulted from increases in: Insecticide concentration in the soil; soil moisture; relative humidity of air passing over the soil; soil temperature; and rate of air movement over the surface of the soil. A decrease in the rate of aldrin volatilization was noted in dry soils containing increasing amounts of clay and organic matter, and in wet soils containing increasing amounts of organic matter. The amount of soil in a given volume (bulk density) had no effect on the rate of aldrin volatilization. In laboratory tests conducted over intervals of 5 to 7 days, it was possible to account for 90% to 96% of the aldrin initially applied to three soil types (Quartz sand, Plainfield sand and Miami silt loam). It was found that 55% to 80% of the initially applied aldrin was present as aldrin 5 to 7 days after application, while only small amounts were converted to dieldrin. From 16% to 38% of the applied aldrin volatilized from the soil. Initially, the rate of aldrin volatilization was rapid, but over longer periods of time the insecticide became "bound" to the soil and volatilization decreased 1 day after insecticidal application to a constant rate which varied with the soil type.