cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of new gyrB-based real-time PCR system for the detection of B. fragilis as an indicator of human-specific fecal contamination ☆

A rapid and specific gyrB-based real-time PCR system has been developed for detecting Bacteroides fragilis as a human-specific marker of fecal contamination. Its specificity and sensitivity was evaluated by comparison with other 16S rRNA gene-based primers using closely related Bacteroides and Prevotella. Many studies have used 16S rRNA gene-based method targeting Bacteroides because this genus is relatively abundant in human feces and is useful for microbial source tracking. However, 16S rRNA gene-based primers are evolutionarily too conserved among taxa to discriminate between human-specific species of Bacteroides and other closely related genera, such as Prevotella. Recently, one of the housekeeping genes, gyrB, has been used as an alternative target in multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) to provide greater phylogenetic resolution. In this study, a new B. fragilis-specific primer set (Bf904F/Bf958R) was designed by alignments of 322 gyrB genes and was compared with the performance of the 16S rRNA gene-based primers in the presence of B. fragilis, Bacteroides ovatus and Prevotella melaninogenica. Amplicons were sequenced and a phylogenetic tree was constructed to confirm the specificity of the primers to B. fragilis. The gyrB-based primers successfully discriminated B. fragilis from B. ovatus and P. melaninogenica. Real-time PCR results showed that the gyrB primer set had a comparable sensitivity in the detection of B. fragilis when compared with the 16S rRNA primer set. The host-specificity of our gyrB-based primer set was validated with human, pig, cow, and dog fecal samples. The gyrB primer system had superior human-specificity. The gyrB-based system can rapidly detect human-specific fecal source and can be used for improved source tracking of human contamination.
The effect of branching on the critical concentration and average filament length of actin.

The dependences of the steady-state critical concentration and average filament length of actin solutions, on the filament branching and capping rates, are calculated using a rate methodology based on the total number of actin filaments. The methodology generalizes calculations of the “treadmilling” actin concentration at which an average filament has net zero growth rate. The predictions of the rate methodology are validated by comparison with stochastic-growth simulations that track the positions of all filament subunits over time. For side branching, the critical concentration drops proportionally to the square root of the branching rate; for end branching the drop is linear. The polymerization response to branching has a maximum as a function of the capping-protein concentration. The average filament length drops with increasing branching, because the critical concentration drops. Even small rates of filament uncapping have a large impact on the average filament length in vitro. The potential significance of these phenomena for cell behavior is evaluated.
On calculation of rate and dissociation constants from kinetic constants for the Ordered Bi Bi mechanism of liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

Abstract Rate and dissociation constants for the Ordered Bi Bi mechanism can be incorrectly calculated if interconversion of central complexes is ignored. The problems are illustrated by an examination of the kinetics of liver alcohol dehydrogenase. Definitions of the kinetic constants in terms of rate constants for the complete mechanism are presented.
Soybean agglutinin. A mitogen for soybean callus cells

Abstract Soybean agglutinin interacts with soybean callus cells to increase cell number, cell weight and DNA synthesis, three responses indicative of a mitogenic agent. Cell growth showed maximum response four days following transfer to media containing 1.5 μg/ml soybean agglutinin. The increase in thymidine incorporation induced by soybean agglutinin was partially inhibited by 0.1 mM N-acetyl- d -galactosamine (GalNAc), a competitive hapten.
Factors affecting hemagglutination by concanavalin A and soybean agglutinin

Abstract While investigating the effect of temperature on hemagglutination by concanavalin A, we noted three factors that seriously interfere with the usual microscopic agglutination assay and produce misleading or ambiguous results. (1) Adherence of concanavalin A-treated erythrocytes to surfaces of plastic Petri dishes, especially at (2) commonly used cell densities, effectively prevents determination of agglutination. (3) In addition, incubation times usually used may be insufficient to demonstrate agglutination. Failure to account for these factors may explain the previously reported temperature-sensitive, concanavalin A-mediated agglutination of trypsinized erythrocytes and transformed cells (Vlodavsky, I., Inbar, M. and Sachs, L., (1972) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 274, 364–369). By controlling these factors, we demonstrated that concanavalin A does agglutinate trypsinized, human erythrocytes equally well at 24 and 4 °C. Investigation of the kinetics of erythrocyte agglutination by lectins revealed that the rate of agglutination by concanavalin A is markedly slower at lower temperatures while soybean agglutinin-mediated agglutination is faster at lower temperatures. Ultracentrifugation data indicate that at low temperature concanavalin A exists partially as a dimer (mol. wt 50 000) and at warmer temperatures exists mainly as a tetramer (mol. wt 100 000). The correlation of the effect of temperature on molecular weight with the agglutinating activity of concanavalin A suggests that temperature-dependent forms of concanavalin A may determine the rate of cell agglutination by this lectin. No temperature-dependent change in molecular form was observed with soybean agglutinin.
Deformation of soft crystals in precision polishing

Grinding/polishing soft materials typically introduces a layer with residual stresses, which impedes the examination of the original deformation states. In this work, precision polishing procedures consisting of mechanical polishing and electrochemical polishing were used to obtain residual-stress-free surfaces in an annealed copper polycrystal and a copper single crystal. For the polycrystal, mechanical polishing followed by electrochemical polishing were used to show the grain structure and etching pits. The polished single crystal was analysed by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique to reveal the lattice rotation field related to the original deformation state induced by wedge indentation. Specifically, the geometrically-necessary dislocation density was calculated based on the in-plane crystal lattice rotation angles. The precision polishing makes the observation of the effective slip systems as predicted by the crystal plasticity theory possible. The precision polishing also helps reveal the deformation instability in the indented copper single crystal by sharp indenters.
Gag orders: Shields or swords in the constitutional conflict between fair trial and free press?

In 1976, in Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart, the Supreme Court characterized gag orders as the “most serious and least tolerable infringement on First Amendment rights.”; Yet courts impose gag orders that restrict media coverage of courts and trial participants. Many groups believe the use of gag orders is increasing. However, no previous study has attempted to quantify the frequency of gag orders or to explore judicial attitudes about the issuance of such orders. This analysis of the case law and exploratory survey of judges in Florida suggests that courts issue gag orders to protect fair trials, participant safety and privacy, and the sanctity of the courtroom. This article also suggests that conflict over gag orders arises because judges disagree about the core meanings of the First and Sixth Amendments. This research indicates that judges' individual interpretations of the Constitution color their determinations of whether indirect gags on trial participants, rather than on the media, are impermi...
Murine models of cancer cytokine gene therapy using interleukin-12.

Cytokine gene therapy, in particular IL-12 gene therapy, is one of the more novel and promising approaches in cancer therapy based on significant preclinical data derived mainly from murine tumor models. IL-12 is a heterodimeric cytokine that requires the simultaneous expression of both the p35 and p40 chains from the same cell for production of biologically active IL-12. A variety of biological functions have been attributed to IL-12 including the induction of IFN-gamma production and the promotion of predominantly Th1-type immune responses to antigens. Our previous studies using systemic administration of recombinant murine IL-12 have demonstrated profound antitumor efficacy against all tumors tested with the concomitant long-lived specific antitumor immunity in some cases. To determine whether the local secretion of IL-12 achieved by gene transduction has significant antitumor effects, fibroblast cell lines or murine tumor cell lines were transduced with expression plasmids or the retroviral vector TFG-mIL-12-Neo and inoculated intradermally (i.d.). Our first study using IL-12-transfected NIH3T3 cells admixed with the murine melanoma, BL-6, showed that local IL-12 expression suppresses tumor growth and promotes the acquisition of specific antitumor immunity. Subsequent studies showed that IL-12 gene therapy is also effective in treating established day 3 tumors. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, as well as NK cells, appear to play important roles in the observed antitumor effects resulting from IL-12 paracrine secretion. Administration of neutralizing antibody specific for IFN-gamma also abrogated some of the IL-12-associated antitumor effects. Finally, this IL-12 gene therapy strategy to elicit an antitumor immune response was more effective when used in combination with the transduction of tumor cells with B7.1. Based on these promising results, a clinical protocol for the treating patients with cancer using genetically engineered fibroblasts to express IL-12 has been initiated at our institution.
The application of design principles to innovate clinical care delivery.

Abstract: Clinical research centers that support hypothesis-driven investigation have long been a feature of academic medical centers but facilities in which clinical care delivery can be systematically assessed and evaluated have heretofore been nonexistent. The Institute of Medicine report “Crossing the Quality Chasm” identified six core attributes of an ideal care delivery system that in turn relied heavily on system redesign. Although manufacturing and service industries have leveraged modern design principles in new product development, healthcare has lagged behind. In this article, we describe a methodology utilized by our facility to study the clinical care delivery system that incorporates modern design principles.
Glycostatic effect of a diabetogenic non-growth-promoting pituitary polypeptide☆

Abstract 1. 1. Treatment with a mg. of a non-growth-promoting bovine diabetogenic peptide or growth hormone in two divided doses, one at the beginning and one 7–9 hours later, to hypophysectomized rats during a 24-hour fast maintained their muscle glycogen at a normal level. 2. 2. Administration of bovine serum albumin or saline was accompanied by a sharp decrease of muscle glycogen. 3. 3. The minimum dose of highly purified bovine diabetogenic peptide which is capable of maintaining muscle glycogen at normal levels was found to be 0.2–0.3 mg. in 135–150-g. rats. 4. 4. Diabetogenic peptide maintains muscle glycogen in fasted hypophysectomizedadrenalectomized rats. 5. 5. Diabetogenic peptide does not promote growth as measured by the tibia test.
Is the development of orientation selectivity instructed by activity

Is the development of orientation selectivity in visual cortex instructed by the patterns of neural activity of input neurons? We review evidence as to the role of activity, review models of activity-instructed development, and discuss how these models can be tested. The models can explain the normal development of simple cells with binocularly matched orientation preferences, the effects of monocular deprivation and reverse suture on the orientation map, and the development of a full intracortical circuit sufficient to explain mature response properties including the contrast-invariance of orientation tuning. Existing experiments are consistent with the models, in that (a) selective blockade of ON-center ganglion cells, which will degrade or eliminate the information predicted to drive development of orientation selectivity, in fact prevents development of orientation selectivity; and (b) the spontaneous activities of inputs serving the two eyes are correlated in the lateral geniculate nucleus at appropriate developmental times, as was predicted to be required to achieve binocular matching of preferred orientations. However, definitive tests remain to be done to firmly establish the instructive rather than simply permissive role of activity and determine whether the retinotopically and center type-specific patterns of activity predicted by the models actually exist. We conclude by critically examining alternative scenarios for the development of orientation selectivity and maps, including the idea that maps are genetically prespecified.
Predicting integrals of diffusion processes with unknown diffusion parameters

Consider predicting the integral of a diffusion process Z in a bounded interval A given a set of observations , where is a dense triangular array of points (the step of discretization tends to zero as n increases) in the bounded interval. We predict using the conditional expectation of the integral of the diffusion process, the optimal predictor in terms of minimizing the mean squared error, given the observed values of the process. We present in this paper an easily computed approximation to the optimal predictor and an approximation to the standard error in the prediction, assuming the diffusion parameters are unknown. The approximations obtained in this paper are asymptotically optimal and they are just simple functions of the observed diffusion values
A puzzle concerning triads in social networks: Graph constraints and the triad census

Evidence from many sources shows that triadic tendencies are important structural features of social networks (e.g. transitivity or triadic closure) and triadic configurations are the basis for both theoretical claims and substantive outcomes (e.g. strength of weak ties, tie stability, or trust). A contrasting line of research demonstrates that triads in empirical social networks are well predicted by lower order graph features (density and dyads), accounting for around 90% of the variability in triad distributions when comparing different social networks (Faust, 2006, 2007, 2008). These two sets of results present a puzzle: how can substantial triadic tendencies occur when triads in empirical social networks are largely explained by lower order graph features? This paper provides insight into the puzzle by considering constraints that lower order graph features place on the triad census. Taking a comparative perspective, it shows that triad censuses from 159 social networks of diverse species and social relations are largely explained by their lower order graph features (the dyad census) through formal constraints that force triads to occur in narrow range of configurations. Nevertheless, within these constraints, a majority of networks exhibit significant triadic patterning by departing from expectation.
Structural transformation in some chevrel phase compounds: ZnMo5S6, ZnMo5Se6 and Cu0.7Mo3Se4

Abstract Low temperature x-ray powder diffraction and electrical resistivity experiments show that the Chevrel phase compounds ZnMo5S6, ZnMo5Se6 and Cu0.7Mo3Se4 are structurally unstable near or below room temperature. The binary compounds Mo3S4, Mo3Se4 and Mo3Te4 are stable to 6 K.
Second harmonic generation in collagen

Collagen possesses a strong second order nonlinear susceptibility; when it is irradiated with intense laser light, some of the reflected and transmitted light will have twice the frequency of the incident beam, a phenomenon known as second harmonic generation (SHG). Polarization modulation of an ultra-short pulse laser beam can be used to simultaneously measure collagen fiber orientation, SHG intensity, and a parameter related to the second order non-linear susceptibility. This technique has made it possible to discriminate among patterns of fibrillar orientation in many tissues. In the present study the role that organizational complexity plays in the relationship between nonlinear optical properties and collagen structure is investigated. As a component of tissues and organs, collagen’s structure and function is inextricably intertwined with that of the many other matrix components; to what extent do these noncollagenous components affect its nonlinear properties? To answer this, we investigated SHG in two different collagenous tissues, liver and cartilage; in addition we looked at the effect of progressive pathological changes in these tissues on SHG. At the other end of the spectrum, we studied collagen organized at the minimal level of complexity necessary for SHG detection: fibrils generated from solutions containing only a single type of collagen. Data obtained from these studies suggest that collagen’s strong nonlinear susceptibility, a property no other biologically significant macromolecule shares to the same degree, may serve as more than the basis of a novel imaging device for soft tissue. Collagen’s nonlinear optical properties in conjunction with its vast capacity for self-initiated conformational change--through self-assembly, site recognition, post-translational modification, and the like -make it an attractive candidate molecule for any of several demanding engineering applications, such as nanopatterning.
Multichannel Techniques for the Estimation of Power System Electromechanical Modes

Abstract Estimating power system electromechanical modes has been a topic of great interest since an unstable mode caused a system outage in the western United States in 1996. In recent years several methods have been proposed to estimate the modal frequency and damping from measured data. Most of these methods focus on examining one signal at a time. Some of the methods do, however, incorporate several measured signals and thus have the benefit of taking advantage of information from multiple data channels to increase the performance of the algorithms. This paper compares four published methods of multichannel electromechanical modal estimation techniques: the Modified Extended Yule-Walker (MEYW) method, the Frequency Domain Decomposition (FDD), the Numerical Algorithm For System Identification (N4SID), and a Least Squares (LS) estimate of a multichannel transfer function (MCTF). Through the use of simulated power system data, it is shown that the MCTF method displays superior performance, especially in resolving closely spaced modes. The use of probing signals is shown to increase the performance even further.
The prematurity stereotype revisited: Impact on mothers' interactions with premature and full-term infants

Research exploring the effects of labeling on maternal perceptions and behaviors was extended by simultaneously examining the cognitive and behavioral effects of prematurity stereotyping with both mothers of full-term and premature infants, and by examining the effects of an information-based intervention on the stereotyped responses of mothers of premature infants. An experimental design wherein mothers of both full-term and premature infants were randomly assigned to interact with, and then rate, either a full-term or premature infant who was described as either full-term or premature was employed to test several hypotheses. Two hypotheses related to prematurity stereotyping received support: mothers showed more positive responses to infants labeled full-term than to infants labeled premature, and mothers of full-term infants exhibited more prematurity stereotyping than did mothers of premature infants. The hypothesis concerning gender effects also was supported, with mothers showing more positive responses to male infants than to female infants. In contrast to expectations, a brief cognitive intervention provided to some mothers of premature infants failed to reduce stereotyping, and, indeed, appeared to increase stereotyping. These results are compared with the results of previous studies, most of which did not include actual interactions between mothers and infants, and the implications of these results are considered. © 2000 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.
The impact of timing of chemotherapy relative to darbepoetin alfa (DA) on DA pharmacokinetics (PK) and hematologic effects

DA is usually administered synchronously with chemotherapy (ctx). This study evaluated whether timing of DA dosing, relative to ctx, impacted its PK and efficacy. The study was conducted in anemic cancer patients receiving ctx once every 3 weeks (Q3W), randomized to receive DA 6.75 μg/kg Q3W either 1 week before ctx (asynchronous) or on the same day as ctx (synchronous) for up to 16 weeks. The effects of cyclic ctx on PK of DA and endogenous EPO levels were evaluated in a sub-set of patients after 1st dose. 81 patients were randomized to receive study drug. Synchronous dosing resulted in higher maximal DA concentrations (mean ± SD) (26.5 ± 9.67 ng/mL, n=13) than asynchronous dosing (15.5 ± 5.25 ng/mL, n=12), with a 1.6-fold increase in exposure (AUC) over week 1. However, DA concentrations increased between 7-10 days post-dose due to ctx administration at day 7 for the asynchronous group, resulting in a 1.4-fold greater AUC for wks 2 and 3. DA terminal half-life tended to be longer in the asynchronous group (87.7 ± 26.0 hr vs 60.9 ± 22.3 hr). In both groups, EPO was elevated for 1 week after ctx, with peak concentrations (4-5-fold increase) at 48 hr. Despite the PK differences, mean (95% CI) change in hgb at wk 7 was similar [0.95 (0.56, 1.33) g/dL vs 1.03 (0.58, 1.47) g/dL]. These results show that DA dosed once per cycle is effective in treating chemotherapy-induced anemia. The findings also indicate that the bone marrow may play a role in the clearance of these agents. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P60–P60; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.227
Diaspirins of Methylenecitric Acid

A series of bissalicylic esters of methylenecitric acid have been prepared and, as a probe of their potential as antisickling agents, tested for their ability to modify hemoglobin. Substantial acylation of hemoglobin was obtained with these dicarboxylate esters at 1–5 mM concentrations.
Power, professionalism, and patient advocacy

A shift in the balance of power from patients and physicians to managers and administrators has caused major changes in American medicine. Physicians' professional and ethical standards as well as traditional patient advocacy are challenged by the influences of entrepreneurship, commercialism, and motivations of corporate profit. As these aspects of medical practice change, the physician remains morally and legally responsible for outcomes in an environment in which the standards of practice are established by third parties whose interest does not always represent patient well-being. In the past 2 decades, a power shift has occurred that partly explains, and is partly responsible for, the current medical climate in the United States. The balance of power in medicine in 1995 has shifted away from physicians and patients to administrators (now called CEOs [Chief Executive Officers]) and managers of everything from insurance companies to health care plans to hospital management companies. This power shift began quietly and has accelerated considerably in the last few years. The medical profession is partly responsible for the current state of affairs due to a lack of willingness to engage the administrative and political system. The excuse offered was that our job was to take care of patients, do research, or pursue whatever interest--in other words, to wear blinders-but not become involved in the messy process of running the system. Other factors driving this change have been economics, the influence of federal, state, and local governments, and the rise and general acceptance of entrepreneurship and commercialism in medicine. In addition to a change in the balance of power, there has been a change of purpose. This change of purpose of the medical system represents a transition from a commitment to provide high-quality care, often regardless of cost, to "efficient, cost-effective" health care. These changes were largely driven by economics, which has made the cost of health care a political issue. A manifestation of the current political significance of health care is the unsuccessful attempt at health care reform by the Clinton Administration in 1994 and the resurgence of interest in this issue by the q
A microstructural approach to cytoskeletal mechanics based on tensegrity

Mechanical properties of living cells are commonly described in terms of the laws of continuum mechanics. The purpose of this report is to consider the implications of an alternative approach that emphasizes the discrete nature of stress bearing elements in the cell and is based on the known structural properties of the cytoskeleton. We have noted previously that tensegrity architecture seems to capture essential qualitative features of cytoskeletal shape distortion in adherent cells (Ingber, 1993a; Wang et al., 1993). Here we extend those qualitative notions into a formal microstructural analysis. On the basis of that analysis we attempt to identify unifying principles that might underlie the shape stability of the cytoskeleton. For simplicity, we focus on a tensegrity structure containing six rigid struts interconnected by 24 linearly elastic cables. Cables carry initial tension ("prestress") counterbalanced by compression of struts. Two cases of interconnectedness between cables and struts are considered: one where they are connected by pin-joints, and the other where the cables run through frictionless loops at the junctions. At the molecular level, the pinned structure may represent the case in which different cytoskeletal filaments are cross-linked whereas the looped structure represents the case where they are free to slip past one another. The system is then subjected to uniaxial stretching. Using the principal of virtual work, stretching force vs. extension and structural stiffness vs. stretching force relationships are calculated for different prestresses. The stiffness is found to increase with increasing prestress and, at a given prestress, to increase approximately linearly with increasing stretching force. This behavior is consistent with observations in living endothelial cells exposed to shear stresses (Wang & Ingber, 1994). At a given prestress, the pinned structure is found to be stiffer than the looped one, a result consistent with data on mechanical behavior of isolated, cross-linked and uncross-linked actin networks (Wachsstock et al., 1993). On the basis of our analysis we concluded that architecture and the prestress of the cytoskeleton might be key features that underlie a cell's ability to regulate its shape.
Turbulence Measurements in a Mach 2.9 Boundary Layer Using Laser Velocimetry

Measurements taken in a Mach-2.9 turbulent boundary layer are shown to demonstrate the ability of a laser velocimeter to measure the turbulence transport properties of high-speed compressible flows. This demonstrated ability, combined with the nonperturbing quality and relative insensitivity to environmental conditions of the laser velocimeter, opens the way to compressible flow measurements never considered possible with more conventional measurement techniques.
The Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Lesbian Identity During Adolescence

Over the course of the last three decades more attention has been paid to the lives of lesbian adolescents within society. However this population continues to be underrepresented within the social work literature. Specifically there remains a dearth of empirical data on the early expression of lesbian identity and how this process relates to self-esteem. The research that has been conducted suggests that one of the best predictors of self-esteem for lesbian youth is the recognition of a same-sex attraction during early adolescence. In fact girls who incorporate their lesbian identity at an early age appear to have especially high self-esteem. The present study provides empirical data about lesbian youth identity through the examination of the relationship between lesbian identity development and self-esteem during adolescence and young adulthood. Using McCarn and Fassingers (1996) model of lesbian identity development self-esteem is assessed in relation to phases of development in the two dimensions of lesbian identity: individual sexual identity and group membership identity. (excerpt)
Over-the-counter availability of nicotine replacement therapy and smoking cessation.

In 1996, the FDA approved over-the-counter (OTC) availability of nicotine gum and two brands of nicotine skin patches. Little is known about how this reclassification has influenced the effectiveness and use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and whether it has been a public health benefit. Data for the present study came from a prospective cohort study of 1,639 adult smokers surveyed by telephone in 1993, as part of the National Cancer Institute's Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation (COMMIT), and resurveyed in 2001. NRT-assisted quit rates, NRT use rates, and the characteristics of NRT users were calculated before and after the 1996 OTC reclassification. Also calculated was the percentage of NRT users who quit by year. Results are presented for patch and gum separately and combined. OTC NRT use rates were lower for Hispanics and higher for those with no desire to quit at baseline. The quit rate decreased for patch-assisted quit attempts after OTC reclassification (22.5% to 18.5%, p=.05), but it did not change for gum-assisted quit attempts (11.9% to 10.5%, p=.54). NRT use rates increased for both patch and gum by about 60% following reclassification. A greater percentage of gum users had quit in the post-OTC period than in the pre-OTC period (9.7% vs. 14.6%, p=.05). Long-term quit rates in patch users were similar in both periods. Insurance coverage of NRT and concurrent attendance in a stop smoking clinic decreased for both patch- and gum-assisted attempts in the post-OTC period. The results suggest that OTC reclassification may have contributed to the increased use of NRT, compared with the pre-OTC period, whereas the efficacy for quitting decreased slightly for those using nicotine patch and remained about the same for those using the gum.
Biology of the Northern Shrimp, Pandalus borealis, in the Gulf of Maine

Abstract Northern shrimp from offshore waters in the Gulf of Maine were studied to determine their occurrence and to learn some major features of their life history. The area sampled extends from Nova Scotia, Canada, to Long Island, New York. Northern shrimp were found only in the western portion of the Gulf of Maine, where they were present throughout the year, and at two isolated localities southeast of Nova Scotia. Abundance was highest in moderate depths in the vicinity of Jeffrys and Cashes Ledges and southeast of Mount Desert Island, Maine, and lowest in the deeper, offshore areas in the west-central part of the Gulf. High water temperatures appear to limit the southward extension of this species off New England. Within the Gulf of Maine this shrimp occurs on fine-grained bottom sediments, such as clay, silty sand, and glacial till, which contain relatively large amounts of organic matter. Average life span is about 3 1/2 years and may extend to 4 1/2 years for a small portion of the population. Nor...
Mechanisms of avian egg-recognition: Additional evidence for learned components

Abstract Rejection of non-mimetic eggs occurs at nearly all the nests of certain species of passerines. Rejection behaviour is almost certainly genetically programmed. However, addition of artificial brown-headed cowbird ( Molothrus ater ) eggs to empty northern oriole ( Icterus galbula ) nests indicates that the type of egg orioles consider their own is learned in an imprinting process that occurs during a sensitive period beginning several days before and ending shortly after the onset of laying. Furthermore, orioles habituate to a cowbird egg they cannot eject and reduce rejection attempts after several days. Orioles are relatively unresponsive to eggs that differ from their own eggs only by being smaller. Selection may favour orioles that are most responsive to egg-colour and maculation, the egg-parameters by which oriole eggs differ most strongly from those of the parasitic cowbird.
Implantable electrical and mechanical interfaces with nerve and muscle.

The past ten years have witnessed the introduction of several new methods for chronic recording of electrical activity in peripheral nerves, single nerve fibers and muscles, and for monitoring mechanical events correlated with muscular action. Although these methods were developed as research tools in the study of movements of unrestrained, intact animals, such implantable interfaces with nerve and muscle also promise to be of value in clinical applications; some novel clinical efforts are already being pursued. A review is given of various new techniques that may be clinically applicable and the issues of surgical constraints, quality of signal isolation, and long-term reliability of implantable devices, which ultimately determine the usefulness of each method, are discussed. Experimental devices reviewed include nerve cuff electrodes, floating single-unit electrodes, EMG electrodes, length gauges, and force gauges. General considerations for potential clinical applications are then given.
Characterization of the BAC Id3-enhanced green fluorescent protein transgenic mouse line for in vivo imaging of astrocytes

Astrocytes are highly ramified glial cells with critical roles in brain physiology and pathology. Recently, breakthroughs in imaging technology have expanded our understanding of astrocyte function in vivo. The in vivo study of astrocytic dynamics, however, is limited by the tools available to label astrocytes and their processes. Here, we characterize the bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic Id3-EGFP knock-in mouse to establish its usefulness for in vivo imaging of astrocyte processes. Using fixed brain sections, we observed enhanced green fluorescent protein expression in astrocytes and blood vessel walls throughout the brain, although the extent and cell type specificity of expression depended on the brain area and developmental age. Using in vivo two-photon imaging, we visualized astrocytes in cortical layers 1–3 in both thin skull and window preparations. In adult animals, astrocytic cell bodies and fine processes could be followed over many hours. Our results suggest that Id3 mice could be used for in vivo imaging of astrocytes and blood vessels in development and adulthood.
New Species of Podapolipoides (Acari: Podapolipidae), Ectoparasites of Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Australia and New Zealand, with Keys to World Species

Six new species of Podapolipoides are described: from Australia; P. brevichelus from Schizobothrus flavovittatus Sjostedt, P. houstoni from Locusta migratoria (L.), P. alatus and P. barmounti from Austracris guttulosa (Walker), and P. valangus from Valanga meleager (Sjostedt), and from New Zealand; P. ramsayi from L. migratoria . All hosts are Acrididae (Orthoptera). Keys to Podapolipoides spp. are included.
Radiochemical separation of tin and antimony by an initial phosphate precipitation step

A procedure for the separation of tin and antimony from fission-product mixtures, using the difference in the precipitation behavior of tin and antimony phosphates, is presented. Although the radiochemical purification of tin is performed by procedures similar to those reported in the literature, antimony is essentially purified by the stibine method, using NaBH4 as a reducing agent for the stibine generation. Chemical yields of 60 to 70 per cent are obtained for both tin and antimony, and the decontamination factors are, in general, of the order of 103.
An fMRI study of obesity, food reward, and perceived caloric density. Does a low-fat label make food less appealing? ☆

We tested the hypothesis that obese individuals experience greater activation of the gustatory and somatosensory cortex, but weaker activation of the striatum, in response to intake and anticipated intake of high-fat chocolate milkshake versus an isocaloric milkshake labeled low-fat and a tasteless solution using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with 17 obese and 17 lean young women. Obese relative to lean women showed greater activation in somatosensory (Rolandic operculum), gustatory (frontal operculum), and reward valuation regions (amgydala, ventralmedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in response to intake and anticipated intake of milkshake versus tasteless solution, though there was little evidence of reduced striatal activation. Obese relative to lean women also showed greater activation in the Rolandic operculum, frontal operculum, and vmPFC in response to isocaloric milkshakes labeled regular versus low-fat. Results suggest that hyper-responsivity of somatosensory, gustatory, and reward valuation regions may be related to overeating and that top-down processing influence reward encoding, which could further contribute to weight gain.
Soot Reduction in Diesel Engines by Catalytic Effects

The diesel engine’s proven fuel economy and lower emissions of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide makes it a viable alternative to a gasoline automotive plant, but the inherent production of particulate matter (soot) threatens the expanded use of the diesel engine.
Receding horizon surveillance with temporal logic specifications

In this paper we consider a setting where a robotic vehicle is commissioned to provide surveillance in an area where there are multiple targets, while satisfying a set of high level, rich specifications expressed as Linear Temporal Logic formulas. Each target has an associated reward. The goal of the vehicle is to maximize the cumulative collected reward while satisfying the given high level task specification. By the nature of a surveillance mission, targets points of interest are detected in real time around the current location of the vehicle; hence we employ a receding horizon controller to compute the optimal path of the vehicle inside a subset of the mission space. This paper provides a framework which guarantees that the overall trajectory of the system satisfies the desired linear temporal logic specification, while the control decisions are made based on local information obtained in real time.
Unique Immunological Features of Vascularized Composite Allografts

Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) has emerged as a viable clinical procedure in the past decade. The immunology of VCA remains to be fully investigated and holds much promise to impact the larger field of solid organ transplantation. The initial data suggest that the rate of acute cellular rejection following VCA is higher than seen in solid organs. Yet, the majority of these events are amenable to early diagnosis and completely reversible with timely intervention. Surprisingly, the incidence of chronic rejection in VCA appears to be lower than seen in solid organs. This and other aspects including the role of humoral immunity, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and the significance of donor hematopoietic tissue in VCA grafts will need further study to improve our understanding of VCA. This chapter briefly discusses our current understanding of immunological aspects of VCA.
Level of expression of the tomato rbcS-3A gene is modulated by a far upstream promoter element in a developmentally regulated manner.

By Agrobacterium-mediated transformation we have demonstrated that a 1.10-kilobase promoter sequence from the tomato rbcS-3A gene confers light-inducible and organ-specific expression upon fusion to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene. A biphasic expression profile was obtained by 59 deletion analysis of this promoter, indicating the presence of both positive and negative regulatory elements. A severe reduction in the level of expression was observed when the 59-terminal 90 base pairs were deleted from the 1.10-kilobase promoter. DNA sequence elements responsible for light inducibility and organ specificity of the gene reside within the -374 base pairs of the proximal part of the promoter and the sequences spanning from -374 to -205 are essential for promoter function. The DNA sequences upstream from -374 modulate the level of expression in leaf tissue; this modulation is under developmental control.
Web-based sound and music games with activities for STEM education

It is widely believed that computer games have great potential as a compelling and effective tool for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, particularly for younger students in grades K-12. In previous work we created several prototype games that allow students to use sound and acoustics simulations to explore general scientific concepts. These games were developed using Adobe Flash and are accessible through a standard web browser, making them particularly well-suited for education environments where custom software may be difficult to install. Pilot testing our games with local K-12 classrooms has demonstrated potential benefits in terms of captivating student interest, but has also revealed multiple avenues for improvement and refinement. We have recently developed a unified development platform that overcomes prior architectural limitations to enable dynamic sound processing and synthesis within Flash applications to improve responsiveness and create rich interactive experiences. Since they are constructed in ActionScript, the relatively straightforward scripting language of Flash, these games can be easily extended or adapted to target highly specific lessons and concepts. In this paper, we detail several specific lesson plans for mathematics and science education developed using customized versions of our previous games.
Synthesis of the lipophilic antifolate piritrexim via a palladium(0)-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction.

A regiospecific and convergent route the lipophilic antifolate piritrexim (PTX) is described in which a key step is a Pd(0)-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between 2-amino-3-cyano-4-methyl-5bromopyridine and 2,5-dimethoxybenzylzinc chloride to form 2-amino-4-methyl-5-(2,5-dimethoxybenzyl)nicotinonitrile. To complete the synthesis, the amino group is replaced by a more reactive bromine atom via nonaqueous diazotization with tert-butyl nitrite, and the resultant bromo nitrile is cyclized with guanidine.
Active flow control for cold-start performance enhancement of a pump-assisted, capillary-driven, two-phase cooling loop

Abstract This paper discusses active flow control schemes for the cold-start performance enhancement of a pump-assisted, capillary-driven, two-phase cooling loop. A Proportional-Integral (PI) control algorithm was used to regulate the boiling condition (from pool boiling to thin-film boiling) in the evaporator and back pressure in the system during cold-start at low heat input. The active flow control improved the thermal resistance at low heat inputs by 50% compared to the baseline case using constant flow rate, while realizing a total pumping power savings of 56%. Temperature overshoot and its associated large temperature fluctuations occurring at cold-start were also investigated. A separate PI control algorithm was used to mitigate temperature overshoot and achieve a more stable start-up with smaller temperature fluctuations. A constant evaporator surface temperature of 60 °C with a variation of ±8 °C during start-up was accomplished. Evaporator thermal resistances as low as 0.10 cm 2 -K/W were also observed.
The influence of distraction and driving context on driver response to imperfect collision warning systems

Automotive collision warning systems (CWS) can enhance hazard identification and management. However, false alarms (FAs), which occur as a random activation of the system not corresponding to a threat and not interpretable by the driver, and unnecessary alarms (UAs), which occur in situations judged hazardous by the algorithm but not by the driver, may limit CWS effectiveness. A driving simulator was used to investigate the influence of CWS (accurate, UA, FA, none) and distraction on driver performance during non-critical and critical events. FAs and UAs differentially influenced trust and compliance. FAs diminished trust and compliance, whereas the context associated with UAs fostered trust and compliance during subsequent events. This study suggests current warning descriptions based on signal detection theory need to be expanded to represent how different types of alarms affect drivers.
Nail‐Patella syndrome in a spontaneously aborted 18‐week fetus: Ultrastructural and immunofluorescent study of the kidneys

Nail-patella syndrome (NPS), hereditary onycho-osteodysplasia, is an autosomal dominant disorder of nail dystrophy, patellar absence or hypoplasia, incomplete elbow extension, conical posterior iliac horns, and nephropathy. We studied the kidneys of an 18-week spontaneously aborted fetus of a mother with the NPS. Ultrastructural examination of the kidney showed thickening of the capillary walls of the glomeruli and mesangium. There was irregular thickening of basement membranes with subendothelial fibrillar electron-dense deposits. Immunofluorescence showed fibrinogen deposition in glomerular basement membranes. Fibrinogen deposition in utero may ultimately lead to glomerular fibrosis and intrabasement membrane collagen deposition as seen in the adult renal lesion of this syndrome. This is the first report of the NPS in which the renal abnormalities have been studied in a fetus. These findings provide support for possible prenatal diagnosis of NPS by intra-uterine kidney biopsy.
JGR electronic supplement: A proposal

Scientific journals such as the Journal of Geophysical Research serve a dual purpose: first, as means of communication by which scientists can inform others of their results and, second, as archives—repositories of results for use by others, perhaps decades later. The editorial process of careful reviewing before acceptance is more important for the archiving function because an originating scientist may no longer be available to explain to a user how his results were obtained or may have forgotten some important details. This archiving function has been squeezed considerably by the economic pressures on journals to limit the number of pages. Limiting is accomplished by such editorial criteria as succinctness of expression, elimination of supporting details, and inferences of interest to a broader audience than those close to an author in technical expertise. The effects of these criteria are generally good, inducing terse writing and increasing the probability that a reader will find something of interest. But they also increase the chances of obscurity, reproducibility, and duplication of effort. And they lead to details of data, modeling, and explanation essential for efficient use of results by others being relegated to unrefereed “gray” literature or other informal means. Modern data collection and analysis involve sampling, instrumentation, and techniques of considerable subtlety and complexity. However, the relevant reports are often poorly distributed and without assurance of future availability. Thus, later generations may find it difficult or impossible to aggregate and interpret the historic data record because critical documentation is lacking. For example, past and future interdecadal and longer variations of climate and other parameters must be determined to separate natural and anthropogenic changes and provide modelers with a means of validating their model calculations via “hindcasts.” Compiling accurate climatologies requires access to details of the individual data collections incorporated.