cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PROLIFERATIVE KIDNEY DISEASE (PKD) IN PACIFIC SALMON AND STEELHEAD TROUT

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) was detected for the first time in Pacific salmon at a California State Hatchery in June 1983. Both chinook (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) and coho (O. kisutch) salmon and steelhead trout (Salm gairdneri) held at the hatchery contracted the disease. The cumulative mortality attributed to the disease was 95, 13 and 18% respectively. The mortality rate was greatest during the month of July when the water temperatures were 58–60°F (14–16°C). The protozoan causing PKD was detected in the kidney, spleen, liver, gills and pyloric-ceca of affected fish. Although lesions typical of Renibacte-rium salmoninarum infection were found in the kidney of one chinook salmon, all other fish examined were free of complicating bacterial or viral diseases. The ultrastructural features of the protozoan observed in the three species of affected fish were consistent with those described for the parasite in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) in European outbreaks.
Hypoxic damage generates reactive oxygen species in isolated perfused rat liver.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible role of reactive oxygen species in the pathogenesis of hypoxic damage in isolated perfused rat liver. One hour of hypoxia caused severe cell damage (lactate dehydrogenase release of > 12,000 mU/min/g liver wt) and total irreversible cholestasis which was accompanied by a loss of cellular ATP and a marked decrease in lactate efflux. Tissue glutathione disulfide (GSSG) content and GSSG efflux as a measure of hepatic reactive oxygen formation was < 1% of total glutathione before and during hypoxia. Upon reoxygenation, however, hepatic GSSG content increased sharply to about twice the control values and GSSG efflux increased several-fold to around 3–4 nmol GSH-equivalents/min/g. The release of lactate dehydrogenase decreased upon reoxygenation and tissue ATP content recovered partially. When livers were reoxygenated at an earlier time interval than 1 hr of hypoxia, i.e., before the onset of damage, no enhanced GSSG formation was observed. The results demonstrate that hypoxic damage is a prerequisite to reactive oxygen formation during the subsequent reoxygenation period. Thus, reactive oxygen species appear unlikely to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of hypoxic liver damage in the hemoglobin-free, isolated perfused liver model.
Influence of water soluble and insoluble plasticizers on the physical and mechanical properties of acrylic resin copolymers

Abstract The effect of different types and levels of plasticizers on the thermal and physical-mechanical properties of equilibrated methacrylic acid copolymers was studied. The efficiency of this plasticization was studied by determining the dependence of the copolymer's thermal and physical-mechanical properties on plasticizer concentration and molecular structure. Gas chromatography (GC) and headspace-gas chromatography techniques were used to specifically determine the levels of plasticizer and residual solvent, respectively, in the polymeric film, and to exclude any solvent-induced plasticization. The effect of plasticizer on the thermal properties showed a strong correlation with the mechanical behavior of the methacrylic acid copolymer. Results indicated that the ability to interact with the methacrylic acid copolymer may not solely be dependent on the aqueous solubility of the plasticizer, but also on the chemical structure of the plasticizers. Of the plasticizers investigated, triacetin (TRI) had the greatest effect on reducing the brittleness of the polymer, followed by triethyl citrate (TEC). This effect was related to their differences in molecular size and subsequent greater ability to interact with the polymer chains as compared to the other plasticizers investigated including acetyl triethyl citrate (ATEC), tributyl citrate (TBC), and acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC).
Efficient Exact Stochastic Simulation of Chemical Systems with Many Species and Many Channels

There are two fundamental ways to view coupled systems of chemical equations: as continuous, represented by differential equations whose variables are concentrations, or as discrete, represented by stochastic processes whose variables are numbers of molecules. Although the former is by far more common, systems with very small numbers of molecules are important in some applications (e.g., in small biological cells or in surface processes). In both views, most complicated systems with multiple reaction channels and multiple chemical species cannot be solved analytically. There are exact numerical simulation methods to simulate trajectories of discrete, stochastic systems, (methods that are rigorously equivalent to the Master Equation approach) but these do not scale well to systems with many reaction pathways. This paper presents the Next Reaction Method, an exact algorithm to simulate coupled chemical reactions that is also efficient: it (a) uses only a single random number per simulation event, and (b) ...
Etanercept prevents airway hyperresponsiveness by protecting neuronal M2 muscarinic receptors in antigen‐challenged guinea pigs

Background and purpose: Increased tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is associated with airway hyperreactivity in antigen-challenged animals. In human asthmatics, TNF-α is increased and blocking it prevents airway hyperreactivity in some asthmatic patients. However, the mechanisms by which TNF-α mediates hyperreactivity are unknown. Airway hyperreactivity can be caused by dysfunction of neuronal M2 muscarinic receptors that normally limit acetylcholine release from parasympathetic nerves. Here we test whether blocking TNF-α receptors with etanercept prevents M2 receptor dysfunction and airway hyperreactivity in antigen-challenged guinea pigs. Experimental approach: Ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pigs were challenged by inhalation of antigen. Some animals received etanercept (3 mg kg−1 i.p.) 3 h before challenge. 24 h after challenge, airway hyperreactivity and M2 receptor function were tested. Inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage, blood and lung were counted. TNF-α and its receptors were detected by real-time RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry in parasympathetic nerves from humans and guinea pigs and in human neuroblastoma cells. Key results: Antigen-challenged animals were hyperreactive to vagal stimulation and neuronal M2 receptors were dysfunctional. Both M2 receptor dysfunction and airway hyperreactivity were prevented by etanercept. Etanercept reduced eosinophils around airway nerves, and in blood, bronchoalveolar lavage and airway smooth muscle. Also, TNF-α decreased M2 receptor mRNA in human and guinea pig parasympathetic neurons. Conclusions and implications: Tumour necrosis factor-α may contribute to M2 receptor dysfunction and airway hyperreactivity directly by decreasing receptor expression and indirectly by promoting recruitment of eosinophils, containing major basic protein, an M2 antagonist. This suggests that etanercept may be beneficial in treatment of allergic asthma.
Assessment of blood vessel mimics with optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging modality that enables assessment of tissue structural characteristics. Studies have indicated that OCT is a useful method to assess both blood vessel morphology and the response of a vessel to a deployed stent. We evaluated the ability of OCT to visualize the cellular lining of a tissue-engineered blood vessel mimic (BVM) and the response of this lining to a bare metal stent. We develop a side-firing endoscope that obtains intraluminal, longitudinal scans within the sterile bioreactor environment, enabling time-serial assessment. Seventeen BVMs are imaged with the endoscopic OCT system. The BVMs are then evaluated via fluorescence microscopy and/or standard histologic techniques. We determine that (1) the OCT endoscope can be repeatedly inserted without visible damage to the BVM cellular lining, (2) OCT provides a precise measure of cellular lining thickness with good correlation to measurements obtained from histological sections, and (3) OCT is capable of monitoring the accumulation of cellular material in response to a metallic stent. Our studies indicate that OCT is a useful technique for monitoring the BVM cellular lining, and that OCT may facilitate the use of BVMs for early stage device assessment.
Nonepileptic Seizures After Head Injury

Summary: Purpose: To examine the role of head injury as a risk factor in the development of nonepileptic seizures (NES). Specifically, we will determine the relative frequency of head injury among NES patients referred to our center and will describe several pertinent clinical features and personal characteristics. Methods: Retrospective record review of patients referred to our center for evaluation of seizures over a 4-year period. All patients with NES were evaluated as in a previously described protocol, which included intensive video EEG monitoring, provocation by suggestion, and psychiatric interview. All NES patients with a history of head injury were extracted for this report. Results: Of 102 patients with NES, nearly one-third (32%) had an antecedent head injury; 52% were male, mean age was 34 years, and 12% had coexisting epilepsy. Multiple psychiatric disorders were not uncommon (79%), and a history of abuse was found in 35%. All but four patients had documented financial gain from their injury. Follow-up at 1 year found poor long-term outcome with lasting disability; despite that, the majority (91%) of head injuries were minor. Conclusions: Our preliminary findings suggest that prior head injury is associated with the development of NES and may contribute to the pathogenesis of NES in vulnerable patients. Head injury and sexual or physical abuse appear to occur in comparable proportions in patients with NES. This suggests that head injury and abuse may be equally important risk factors in the development of NES. Key Words: Nonepileptic seizures-Psychogenic seizures-Head trauma-Risk factors.
Multiple sclerosis as a cause of the acute vestibular syndrome

Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes dizziness and vertigo. Reports suggest responsible lesions are often in the intra-pontine 8th nerve fascicle. We sought to determine frequency and clinical features of demyelinating acute vestibular syndrome (AVS). This is a prospective observational study (1999–2011). Consecutive AVS patients (vertigo, nystagmus, nausea/vomiting, head-motion intolerance, unsteady gait) with a risk for central localization underwent structured bedside examination and neuroimaging. When applicable, we identified MS based on clinical, imaging, and laboratory features. Of 170 AVS presentations, 4 % (n = 7) were due to demyelinating disease. Five had an acute MS plaque likely responsible for the clinical syndrome. Lesion location varied—1 medulla; 1 inferior cerebellar peduncle; 1 middle cerebellar peduncle; 1 posterior pontine tegmentum; 1 in the intrapontine 8th nerve fascicle; 1 superior cerebellar peduncle; 1 midbrain. Only two had a lesion in or near the intra-pontine 8th nerve fascicle. Three were first presentations (i.e., clinically isolated demyelinating syndrome), while the others were known MS. All had central oculomotor signs. In two patients, the only central sign was a normal horizontal head impulse test (h-HIT) of vestibular function. All patients improved with steroid therapy. Demyelinating disease was an uncommon cause of AVS in our series. Symptomatic lesions were not restricted to the 8th nerve fascicle. Five patients had relatively obvious oculomotor signs, making differentiation from vestibular neuritis straightforward. Two patients had unidirectional, horizontal nystagmus that followed Alexander’s law and was suppressed with fixation (true pseudoneuritis). The presence of a normal h-HIT in these suggested central localization.
Arteriosclerosis obliterans in young women

Abstract Thirty-one nondiabetic women with the onset of symptomatic peripheral vascular disease before the age of 46 years were studied to determine the risk factors important in the development of the disease and the natural history of the disease in a young population. Patients with vasculitis or embolic occlusion were excluded from analysis. All 31 women were smokers at the time of onset of symptoms, and cigarette use in general was heavy. Of the 31 patients, 20 (65 per cent) had hyperlipidemia and 14 (45 per cent) had hypertension; 16 (52 per cent) had positive family histories of atherosclerosis. Menstrual status did not appear significant as 27 (90 per cent) patients were premenopausal at the time of onset of the disease; of these, 11 (41 per cent) had used birth control pills. As is seen in older populations, the atherosclerosis involved more than one vascular bed, and 14 patients (45 per cent) had clinical evidence of cerebrovascular involvement. Five patients (16 per cent) had coronary artery disease. Angiographically, two groups were discernible: 21 patients (68 per cent) with localized disease of the aortoiliac system and normal distal vessels, and 10 patients (32 per cent) with diffuse atherosclerosis. There was no evidence that the aortoiliac tree was intrinsically smaller than normal. Twenty-five patients underwent surgery, and 22 had improved pulses during the immediate postoperative period. The mean follow-up for these 22 patients was 48 months. Surgical results depended on the location and severity of the disease. Thirteen of the 15 patients with proximal disease and normal distal vessels were markedly improved, whereas only one of seven patients with diffuse disease was similarly improved.
Seasonal variation of non-embolic cerebral infarction

IT IS well accepted today that the prevalence of diseases caused by microorganisms is altered by climatic fluctuations. The increased incidence of pulmonary infection [l] in the winter and of poliomyelitis and gastro-intestinal infections in the summer are the best examples of this and probably reflect a combination of variations in (1) the host’s susceptibilities; (2) bacterial or viral virulence; and (3) vector availability. Stroke should not have a seasonal variation unless the major causative factors underlying its precipitation, including for instance atherosclerosis and circulatory dynamics, are modified by climate and season. Such factors as eating and drinking habits vary with the temperature; summer dehydration may alter circulatory dynamics and lead to cerebral infarction. There are suggestions of a seasonal variation in cholesterol levels in a stable population of men aged 46-62. Cholesterol levels were found to be highest from November to March and lowest during the summer months, May through August [2, 31. In a similar study involving both sexes, males and females showed seasonal variations of cholesterol levels in opposite directions [4]. Protein bound iodine levels have been found to vary seasonally, the lowest values found during June, July and August with high values in September, October, February and March [4]. The gap between these suggestions of seasonal variation in serum cholesterol and PBI and the occurrence of stroke is too wide for any meaningful connection. Some evidence for a seasonal variation in atherosclerotic disease is found in studies of coronary heart disease. Death from cardiovascular disease in some parts of the United States has a peak during December to April with a low point in August and September [6, 71. The reduction of death rates during the summer months has been confirmed in studies in areas with a marked seasonal climatic variation but not in areas which are continuously warm [S]. In Australia cardiovascular deaths are higher during their winter months, June through September, and lowest during their summer months, January through April [9]. In the field of cerebrovascular disease Takakashi in Japan found that cerebral hemorrhage had a low incidence in the summer months, June to September, and a high incidence in the winter months [IO].
Information Theoretic Effects of Jpeg Compression on Image Steganography

AbstractUsing information theory, we show that meaningful amounts of information hidden in the spatial bits surprisingly may survive JPEG compression. We prove these results by showing that information hidden in the lower order bits may be modelled as a noisy communication channel, and show that the channel has non-trivial capacity.
A description of the outer automorphism of S6, and the invariants of six points in projective space

We use a simple description of the outer automorphism of S"6 to cleanly describe the invariant theory of six points in P^1, P^2, and P^3.
Angiointervention: high rates of failure following blunt renal injuries.

Background Nonoperative management (NOM) of solid organ injury after blunt trauma is now standard. Recently, angioembolization (AE) has been used to extend NOM. Few data exist on evaluating NOM of blunt renal injuries (BRIs). We sought to determine the overall efficacy of NOM as well as the outcome of AE in patients with BRI.
Speciation of volatile organic compounds from poultry production

Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from poultry production are leading source of air quality problems. However, little is known about the speciation and levels of VOCs from poultry production. The objective of this study was the speciation of VOCs from a poultry facility using evacuated canisters and sorbent tubes. Samples were taken during active poultry production cycle and between production cycles. Levels of VOCs were highest in areas with birds and the compounds in those areas had a higher percentage of polar compounds (89%) compared to aliphatic hydrocarbons (2.2%). In areas without birds, levels of VOCs were 1/3 those with birds present and compounds had a higher total percentage of aliphatic hydrocarbons (25%). Of the VOCs quantified in this study, no single sampling method was capable of quantifying more than 55% of compounds and in several sections of the building each sampling method quantified less than 50% of the quantifiable VOCs. Key classes of chemicals quantified using evacuated canisters included both alcohols and ketones, while sorbent tube samples included volatile fatty acids and ketones. The top five compounds made up close to 70% of VOCs and included: 1) acetic acid (830.1 μg m −3 ); 2) 2,3-butanedione (680.6 μg m −3 ); 3) methanol (195.8 μg m −3 ); 4) acetone (104.6 μg m −3 ); and 5) ethanol (101.9 μg m −3 ). Location variations for top five compounds averaged 49.5% in each section of the building and averaged 87% for the entire building.
Robust demand-side plug-in electric vehicle load control for renewable energy management

Plug-in electric vehicles can provide the power grid with some degree of control authority over fluctuations in electric load, thanks to their charging flexibility. The magnitude of this control authority depends on a variety of factors including the number of vehicles plugged into the grid, their instantaneous power demands, and the degree of flexibility in these demands. This paper addresses the problem of using a universally broadcast control signal to directly control the charge rate of a fleet of plug-in electric vehicles connected to the grid. The paper specifically seeks a control algorithm that is robust to uncertainties in renewable energy generation and the number of grid-connected vehicles. We adopt the sliding mode control strategy to achieve stability and robustness with respect to the collective effects of system uncertainties. The control law and robustness conditions are derived using the Lyapunov stability criterion. The paper shows that using only the real-time imbalance between the electricity supply and demand as a measured system output, the controller is able to precisely attenuate this imbalance, achieving reliable demand-side load management. Numerical simulations are provided to evaluate the performance of this controller.
Linear Programming for Finite State Multi-Armed Bandit Problems

We consider the multi-armed bandit problem. We show that when the state space is finite the computation of the dynamic allocation indices can be handled by linear programming methods.
Generalized Probabilistic Framework for Optimum Inspection and Maintenance Planning

This paper proposes a generalized probabilistic framework for optimum inspection and maintenance planning of deteriorating structures. The proposed framework covers (1) the damage occurrence and propagation and service life prediction under uncertainty, (2) the relation between degree of damage and probability of damage detection of an inspection method, and (3) the effects of inspection and maintenance on service life and life-cycle cost. Optimum inspection and maintenance types and times are obtained through an optimization formulation by maximizing the expected service life and minimizing the expected total life-cycle cost consisting of inspection and maintenance costs. The service life, life-cycle cost, and maintenance delay, along with inspection and maintenance actions, are formulated using a decision tree model. The selection of the appropriate maintenance type depends on the degree of damage. The proposed framework is general and can be applied to any types of deteriorating structures or materials. Applications of the proposed framework may include, but are not limited to, bridges, buildings, aircrafts, and naval ships.
Use of Optical Emission Spectroscopy as a Diagnostic Technique for Plasma Deposition of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon and Carbon

Optical emission intensities were measured as a function of composition for silane-argon and silane-hydrogen mixtures used in the deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon. It was found that changes in silane fraction have a large effect on the electron concentration and energy distribution in the discharge. 8 references, 4 figures.
Convergent donor and acceptor substrate utilization among kinase ribozymes

Accommodation of donor and acceptor substrates is critical to the catalysis of (thio)phosphoryl group transfer, but there has been no systematic study of donor nucleotide recognition by kinase ribozymes, and there is relatively little known about the structural requirements for phosphorylating internal 2 0 OH. To address these questions, new selfphosphorylating ribozymes were selected that utilize ATP(gammaS) or GTP(gammaS) for 2 0 OH (thio)phosphorylation. Eight independent sequence families were identified among 57 sequenced isolates. Kinetics, donor nucleotide recognition and secondary structures were analyzed for representatives from each family. Each ribozyme was highly specific for its cognate donor. Competition assays with nucleotide analogs showed a remarkable convergence of donor recognition requirements, with critical contributions to recognition provided by the Watson–Crick face of the nucleobase, lesser contributions from donor nucleotide ribose hydroxyls, and little or no contribution from the Hoogsteen face. Importantly, most ribozymes showed evidence of significant interaction with one or more donor phosphates, suggesting that—unlike most aptamers—these ribozymes use phosphate interactions to orient the gamma phosphate within the active site for in-line displacement. All but one of the mapped (thio)phosphorylation sites are on unpaired guanosines within internal bulges. Comparative structural analysis identified three loosely-defined consensus structural motifs for kinase ribozyme active sites.
In vivo, in vitro, and computational analysis of dendritic calcium currents in thalamic reticular neurons

Thalamic reticular (RE) neurons are involved in the genesis of synchronized thalamocortical oscillations, which depend in part on their complex bursting properties. We have investigated the intrinsic properties of RE cells using computational models based on morphological and electrophysiological data. Simulations of a reconstructed RE cells were compared directly with recordings from the same cell to obtain precise values for the passive parameters. In a first series of experiments, the low-threshold calcium current (I(Ts)) was studied via voltage clamp in acutely dissociated RE cells that lack most of their dendrites. Simulations based on a cell with truncated dendrites and Hodgkin-Huxley kinetics reproduced these recordings with a relatively low density of I(Ts). In a second series of experiments, voltage-clamp recordings obtained in intact RE cells in slices showed a higher amplitude and slower kinetics of I(Ts). These properties could be reproduced from the reconstructed cell model assuming higher densities of I(Ts) in distal dendrites. In a third series of experiments, current-clamp recordings were obtained on RE cells in vivo. The marked differences with in vitro recordings could be reconciled by simulating synaptic bombardment in the dendrites of RE cells, but only if they contained high distal densities of I(Ts). In addition, simpler models with as few as three compartments could reproduce the same behavior assuming dendritic I(Ts). These models and experiments show how intrinsic bursting properties of RE cells, as recorded in vivo and in vitro, may be explained by dendritic calcium currents.
What do Different Beliefs Tell us? An Examination of Factual, Opinion-Based, and Religious Beliefs.

Abstract Children and adults differentiate statements of religious belief from statements of fact and opinion, but the basis of that differentiation remains unclear. Across three experiments, adults and 8–10-year-old children heard statements of factual, opinion-based, and religious belief. Adults and children judged that statements of factual belief revealed more about the world, statements of opinion revealed more about individuals, and statements of religious belief provided information about both. Children—unlike adults—judged that statements of religious belief revealed more about the world than the believer. These results led to three conclusions. First, judgments concerning the relative amount of information statements of religious belief provide about individuals change across development, perhaps because adults have more experience with diversity. Second, recognizing that statements of religious belief provide information about both the world and the believer does not require protracted learning. Third, statements of religious belief are interpreted as amalgams of factual and opinion-based statements.
Sequence Homology Search Based on Database Indexing Using the Profile Hidden Markov Model

The Profile Hidden Markov Model (PHMM) has received increasing attention in the field of protein homology detection, since profile-based methods are much more sensitive in detecting distant homologous relationships than pairwise methods. Pure dynamic-programming-based systems are often used for PHMM searches. However, these dynamic-programmingbased systems are very time consuming for a large database. For instance, it may take approximately 15 minutes to search a short model of length 12 in the GenBank protein sequence database. Instead of searching the database sequentially, we search the database based on a tree-structured database indexing, called the HD-tree. The HD-tree is able to reduce the PHMM search time significantly without reducing the quality of search results. Performance of search using the HD-tree is compared with that of HMMER [1], a popular implementation of PHMM for protein sequence analysis. It is shown that the HD-tree approach is orders of magnitude faster than HMMER for short queries.
Novel Regulation of Calcium Inhibition of the Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate Receptor Calcium-release Channel

The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) receptor (InsP3R), a Ca2+-release channel localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, plays a critical role in generating complex cytoplasmic Ca2+ signals in many cell types. Three InsP3R isoforms are expressed in different subcellular locations, at variable relative levels with heteromultimer formation in different cell types. A proposed reason for this diversity of InsP3R expression is that the isoforms are differentially inhibited by high cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i), possibly due to their different interactions with calmodulin. Here, we have investigated the possible roles of calmodulin and bath [Ca2+] in mediating high [Ca2+]i inhibition of InsP3R gating by studying single endogenous type 1 InsP3R channels through patch clamp electrophysiology of the outer membrane of isolated Xenopus oocyte nuclei. Neither high concentrations of a calmodulin antagonist nor overexpression of a dominant-negative Ca2+-insensitive mutant calmodulin affected inhibition of gating by high [Ca2+]i. However, a novel, calmodulin-independent regulation of [Ca2+]i inhibition of gating was revealed: whereas channels recorded from nuclei kept in the regular bathing solution with [Ca2+] ∼400 nM were inhibited by 290 μM [Ca2+]i, exposure of the isolated nuclei to a bath solution with ultra-low [Ca2+] (<5 nM, for ∼300 s) before the patch-clamp experiments reversibly relieved Ca2+ inhibition, with channel activities observed in [Ca2+]i up to 1.5 mM. Although InsP3 activates gating by relieving high [Ca2+]i inhibition, it was nevertheless still required to activate channels that lacked high [Ca2+]i inhibition. Our observations suggest that high [Ca2+]i inhibition of InsP3R channel gating is not regulated by calmodulin, whereas it can be disrupted by environmental conditions experienced by the channel, raising the possibility that presence or absence of high [Ca2+]i inhibition may not be an immutable property of different InsP3R isoforms. Furthermore, these observations support an allosteric model in which Ca2+ inhibition of the InsP3R is mediated by two Ca2+ binding sites, only one of which is sensitive to InsP3.
Genome-Wide Promoter Analysis of the SOX4 Transcriptional Network in Prostate Cancer Cells

SOX4 is a critical developmental transcription factor in vertebrates and is required for precise differentiation and proliferation in multiple tissues. In addition, SOX4 is overexpressed in many human malignancies, but the exact role of SOX4 in cancer progression is not well understood. Here, we have identified the direct transcriptional targets of SOX4 using a combination of genome-wide localization chromatin immunoprecipitation-chip analysis and transient overexpression followed by expression profiling in a prostate cancer model cell line. We have also used protein-binding microarrays to derive a novel SOX4-specific position-weight matrix and determined that SOX4 binding sites are enriched in SOX4-bound promoter regions. Direct transcriptional targets of SOX4 include several key cellular regulators, such as EGFR, HSP70, Tenascin C, Frizzled-5, Patched-1, and Delta-like 1. We also show that SOX4 targets 23 transcription factors, such as MLL, FOXA1, ZNF281, and NKX3-1. In addition, SOX4 directly regulates expression of three components of the RNA-induced silencing complex, namely Dicer, Argonaute 1, and RNA Helicase A. These data provide new insights into how SOX4 affects developmental signaling pathways and how these changes may influence cancer progression via regulation of gene networks involved in microRNA processing, transcriptional regulation, the TGFbeta, Wnt, Hedgehog, and Notch pathways, growth factor signaling, and tumor metastasis.
c-Src-mediated phosphorylation of TRIP6 regulates its function in lysophosphatidic acid-induced cell migration

TRIP6 (thyroid receptor-interacting protein 6), also known as ZRP-1 (zyxin-related protein 1), is a member of the zyxin family that has been implicated in cell motility. Previously we have shown that TRIP6 binds to the LPA2 receptor and associates with several components of focal complexes in an agonist-dependent manner and, thus, enhances lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-induced cell migration. Here we further report that the function of TRIP6 in LPA signaling is regulated by c-Src-mediated phosphorylation of TRIP6 at the Tyr-55 residue. LPA stimulation induces tyrosine phosphorylation of endogenous TRIP6 in NIH 3T3 cells and c-Src-expressing fibroblasts, which is virtually eliminated in Src-null fibroblasts. Strikingly, both phosphotyrosine-55 and proline-58 residues of TRIP6 are required for Crk binding in vitro and in cells. Mutation of Tyr-55 to Phe does not alter the ability of TRIP6 to localize at focal adhesions or associate with actin. However, it abolishes the association of TRIP6 with Crk and p130cas in cells and significantly reduces the function of TRIP6 to promote LPA-induced ERK activation. Ultimately, these signaling events control TRIP6 function in promoting LPA-induced morphological changes and cell migration.
Parallel 3-D MOSFET simulation

Describes a parallel solver for the nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equation modeling the distribution of an electrostatic potential in a MOSFET in three dimensions. The nonlinear system is solved with Newton's method. The linearized mathematical model is solved by the conjugate gradients method preconditioned by a parallel version of incomplete Cholesky factorization. This technique is easy to implement and reasonably scalable. With this method, one can solve the nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equation on a grid of size 160/sup 3/ in approximately 15 minutes on 16 processors of a KSR1 multiprocessor. This time reflects a superlinear speedup of 19 for 16 processors. The greatest barrier to scalability appears to be related to having processor subdivision boundaries cutting across areas where the grid is refined most and the solution is highly variable. >
Rejection of cardiac xenografts by CD4+ or CD8+ T cells.

We recently showed that brief complement inhibition induces accommodation of hamster cardiac transplants in nude rats. We have reconstituted nude rats carrying an accommodated xenograft with syngeneic CD4+ or CD8+ T cells to investigate the cellular mechanism of xenograft rejection. We show that CD4+ T cells can initiate xenograft rejection (10 +/- 1.7 days) by promoting production of IgG xenoreactive Abs (XAb). These XAb are able to activate complement as well as to mediate Ab-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Adoptive transfer of these XAb into naive nude rats provoked hyperacute xenograft rejection (38 +/- 13 min). The rejection was significantly (p 7 days in four of five cases; p < 0.01 vs CVF only). CD8+ T cell-reconstituted nude rats rejected their grafts later (19.4 +/- 5.8 days) and required a larger number of cells for transfer as compared with CD4+ T cell-reconstituted nude rats. However, second xenografts were rejected more rapidly than first xenografts in CD8+ T cell-reconstituted nude rats (9 +/- 2 days), indicating that the CD8+ T cells had been activated. This study demonstrates that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells can both reject xenografts. The CD4+ cells do so at least in part by generation of helper-dependent XAb that act by both complement-dependent and Ab-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity mechanisms; the CD8+ cells do so as helper-independent cytotoxic T cells.
Increasing orthostatic stress impairs neurocognitive functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome with postural tachycardia syndrome

CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) is commonly co-morbid with POTS (postural tachycardia syndrome). Individuals with CFS/POTS experience unrelenting fatigue, tachycardia during orthostatic stress and ill-defined neurocognitive impairment, often described as 'mental fog'. We hypothesized that orthostatic stress causes neurocognitive impairment in CFS/POTS related to decreased CBFV (cerebral blood flow velocity). A total of 16 CFS/POTS and 20 control subjects underwent graded tilt table testing (at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75°) with continuous cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory monitoring and neurocognitive testing using an n-back task at each angle. The n-back task tests working memory, concentration, attention and information processing. The n-back task imposes increasing cognitive challenge with escalating (0-, 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-back) difficulty levels. Subject dropout due to orthostatic presyncope at each angle was similar between groups. There were no n-back accuracy or RT (reaction time) differences between groups while supine. CFS/POTS subjects responded less correctly during the n-back task test and had greater nRT (normalized RT) at 45, 60 and 75°. Furthermore, at 75° CFS/POTS subjects responded less correctly and had greater nRT than controls during the 2-, 3- and 4-back tests. Changes in CBFV were not different between the groups and were not associated with n-back task test scores. Thus we conclude that increasing orthostatic stress combined with a cognitive challenge impairs the neurocognitive abilities of working memory, accuracy and information processing in CFS/POTS, but that this is not related to changes in CBFV. Individuals with CFS/POTS should be aware that orthostatic stress may impair their neurocognitive abilities.
Ground level muons coincident with the 20 January 2005 solar flare

[1] An array of proportional wire chamber stations, Project GRAND, detects secondary muons produced by hadronic primaries. The muon counting rate at ground level increases above the average background intensity with a statistical significance of 10σ. This ground level event (GLE), caused by solar energetic particles, is detected in close time association with an X7.1 X-Ray flare on 20 January 2005. The statistical significance of this event rises to 18σ when an angular window of the sky near zenith is studied. These data are compared with data from neutron monitors.
An analysis of forty‐two wegener's granulomatosis patients treated with methotrexate and prednisone

Objective. To determine the efficacy of low-dose methotrexate (MTX) plus prednisone in the treatment of Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). Methods. An open-label study of weekly low-dose MTX plus prednisone for the treatment of WG was performed. Forty-two patients who did not have immediately life-threatening disease were enrolled into the study. Outcome was determined by clinical characteristics and pathologic, laboratory, and radiographic findings. Results. Weekly administration of MTX and prednisone resulted in remission of disease in 30 of the 42 patients (71%). The median time to remission was 4.2 months. The estimated median time to relapse for all patients in whom remission was achieved was 29 months. Eight patients who had relapses were treated with a second course of MTX plus prednisone, and a second remission was induced in 6 of the 8 (75%). Conclusion. Weekly low-dose MTX was shown in this study to be an acceptable alternative form of therapy for selected patients with WG who do not have immediately life-threatening disease or who have developed serious cyclophosphamide-associated toxicity.
A novel approach to percutaneous right-ventricular mechanical support

Objective: We report our initial experience with our newly developed percutaneous right-ventricular assist device (VAD) with CentriMag (perc CM-RVAD). Methods: A flexible outflow cannula placed from the right internal jugular vein to the pulmonary artery and an inflow cannula placed from the femoral vein to the right atrium constituted the perc CM-RVAD. When needed, biventricular support was provided with left VAD (LVAD), either with a percutaneous LVAD placed through axillary or femoral artery access or with a fully implantable LVAD. Results: Between January 2009 and June 2010, all of the attempted patients successfully received perc CM-RVAD (n = 8). Mean blood pressure, heart rate, and central venous pressure showed a trend toward improvement after the perc CM-RVAD, with less inotrope/vasopressor requirement. Mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) increased significantly from 64 20 Torr to 78 6 Torr (P < 0.01). The percutaneous VADs were explanted after myocardial recovery in seven patients; however, in three of these, perc CM-RVAD was used as a temporary bridge to other devices. One patient was bridged to a surgical biventricular assist device (BiVAD) and transferred back to the referring hospital on support. One death occurred due to multiple-organ failure 8 days after explantation of the RVAD with recovery. Conclusions: Perc CM-RVAD was feasible and provided hemodynamic improvement. # 2011 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Automated Method for the Determination of Serum Creatine Kinase Activity

An automated (AutoAnalyzer) method for the colorimetric determination of creatine kinase activity in serum is described. This method includes reactivation of creatine kinase with cysteine, incubation of the active enzyme with creatine phosphate and adenosine diphosphate at 37.5°, and subsequent inactivation of enzyme and binding of cysteine by phenylmercuric borate. The enzymatically produced creatine is dialyzed against a solution of diacetyl and reacted with α-naphthol in an alkaline solution. The absorbance of the colored end product is measured at 550 mµ. Individual blanks are determined in the absence of adenosine diphosphate. Comparison of results obtained by this method and a manual procedure shows satisfactory agreement.
A ternary coded magnetic recording system

A method for implementing a magnetic recording system using a ternary Trumpis (1975) code is discussed and evaluated theoretically. The saturation recording technique is extended from two level recording to three level recording by using a nonoriented media state in conjunction with two oppositely oriented media states. A Lorentzian model of the magnetic recording channel is used to find the theoretical performance of the system. Rate 1 binary-to-ternary convolutional codes of constraint length 7 are found to provide an increase in the effective signal-to-noise ratio of the magnetic recording channel.
Cyclosporin A elicits dose-dependent biphasic effects on osteoblast differentiation and bone formation.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is thought to prevent immune reactions after organ transplantation by inhibiting calcineurin (Cn) and its substrate, the Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells (NFAT). A dichotomy exists in describing the effects of CsA on bone formation. The concept that the suppression of Cn/NFAT signaling by CsA inhibits bone formation is not entirely supported by many clinical reports and laboratory animal studies. Gender, dosage and basal inflammatory activity have all been suggested as explanations for these seemingly contradictory reports. Here we examine the effects of varying concentrations of CsA on bone formation and osteoblast differentiation and elucidate the role of NFATc1 in this response. We show that low concentrations of CsA ( 1 μM in vitro and in vivo) elicit an opposite and catabolic response. The overexpression of constitutively active NFATc1 inhibits osteoblast differentiation, and treatment with low concentrations of CsA does not ameliorate this inhibition. Treating osteoblasts with low concentrations of CsA (< 1 μM) increases fra-2 gene expression and protein levels in a dose-dependent manner as well as AP-1 DNA-binding activity. Finally, NFATc1 silencing with siRNA increases Fra-2 expression, whereas NFATc1 overexpression inhibits Fra-2 expression. Therefore, NFATc1 negatively regulates osteoblast differentiation, and its specific inhibition may represent a viable anabolic therapy for osteoporosis.
Realism and Uncertainty of Unobservable Common Causes in Factor Analysis

Famously, scientific theories are underdetermined by their evidence. This occurs in the factor analytic model (FA), which is often used to connect concrete data (e.g. test scores) to hypothetical notions (e.g. intelligence). After introducing FA, three general topics are addressed. (i) Underdetermination: the precise reasons why FA is underdetermined illuminates various claims about underdetermination, abduction, and theoretical terms. (ii) Uncertainties: FA helps distinguish at least four kinds of uncertainties. The prevailing practice, often encoded in statistical software, is to ignore the most difficult kinds, which are essential to FA's underdetermination. (iii) What to do: some suggestions for dealing with these hardest types of uncertainty are offered.
Optical frequency comb generated by four-wave mixing in highly nonlinear fibers

Efficient generation of a cascade of four-wave mixing products using a low-dispersion highly nonlinear fiber is demonstrated. The measured optical frequency comb (with a spacing of 100 GHz) spans over more than 350 nm.
A mathematical model of a phantom developed for use in calculations of radiation dose to the body and major internal organs of a Japanese adult.

A mathematical model of a phantom simulating the body and major internal organs of a Japanese adult has been developed for use in computer calculations of radiation dose. The total body height of the mathematical phantom is 162 cm, and the total body mass is 55 kg based on densities of 0.3, 1.4, and 1.0 g/cm/sup 3/ for the lung, skeleton, and bulk tissues of the body, respectively.
Viability of cytochrome c genotypes depends on cytoplasmic backgrounds in Tigriopus californicus.

Abstract Because of their extensive functional interaction, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear genes may evolve to form coadapted complexes within reproductively isolated populations. As a consequence of coadaptation, the fitness of particular nuclear alleles may depend on mtDNA genotype. Among populations of the copepod Tigriopus californicus, there are high levels of amino acid substitutions in both the mtDNA genes encoding subunits of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) and the nuclear gene encoding cytochrome c (CYC), the substrate for COX. Because of the functional interaction between enzyme and substrate proteins, we hypothesized that the fitness of CYC genotypes would depend on mtDNA genotype. To test this hypothesis, segregation ratios for CYC and a second nuclear marker (histone H1) unrelated to mitochondrial function were scored in F2 progeny of several reciprocal interpopulation crosses. Genotypic ratios at the CYC locus (but not the H1 locus) differed between reciprocal crosses and differed from exp...
FERPA compliance in higher education

This paper considers some of the issues institutions of higher education may face in attempting to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The ramifications of the law will be considered in light of its nearly 40-year history as well as application to the modern higher education environment. Relevant legal cases will be examined to provide an understanding of the law in practice. Finally, the law will be considered in light of technological advancements.
Kinetics of Oxidation of Benzoin by N. Bromosuccinimide

Kinetics of Oxidation of Benzoin by N. Bromosuccinimide[NBS] 80% aqueous acetic acid has been investigated. The reaction follows first-order kinetics with respect to both[NBS] and [benzoin]. The effect of varying ionic strength and dielectric constant indicate the reaction is dipole-dipole type. Addition of succinimide(>NH), has a retarding effect on the rate of oxidation. The product of oxidation is benzil. By studying the effect of temparature on the reaction rate, the Arrhenius and the activation parameters have been calculated. A suitable mechanism has been proposed and a rate low explaining the experiment results is derived.
Mirror energy differences of 2 s 1 / 2 single-particle states: Masses of 10 N and 13 F

I have examined mirror energy differences between 2${s}_{1/2}$ states in neutron-excess nuclei with $N$ $=$ 7 and 9 and their proton-excess mirrors having $Z$ $=$ 7 and 9. I find they can be fitted by a simple expression, which I then use to predict the masses of ${}^{10}$N and ${}^{13}$F.