cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Inhibitory Fragment Derived from Protein Kinase Cε Prevents Enhancement of Nerve Growth Factor Responses by Ethanol and Phorbol Esters

We have studied nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced differentiation of PC12 cells to identify PKC isozymes important for neuronal differentiation. Previous work showed that tumor-promoting phorbol esters and ethanol enhance NGF-induced mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation and neurite outgrowth by a PKC-dependent mechanism. Ethanol also increases expression of PKCdelta and PKCepsilon, suggesting that one these isozymes regulates responses to NGF. To examine this possibility, we established PC12 cell lines that express a fragment encoding the first variable domain of PKCepsilon (amino acids 2-144), which acts as an isozyme-specific inhibitor of PKCepsilon in cardiac myocytes. Phorbol ester-stimulated translocation of PKCepsilon was markedly reduced in these PC12 cell lines. In addition, phorbol ester and ethanol did not enhance NGF-induced MAP kinase activation or neurite outgrowth in these cells. In contrast, phorbol ester and ethanol increased neurite outgrowth and MAP kinase phosphorylation in cells expressing a fragment derived from the first variable domain of PKCdelta. These results demonstrate that PKCepsilon mediates enhancement of NGF-induced signaling and neurite outgrowth by phorbol esters and ethanol in PC12 cells.
Plastic deformation in zirconium nitride observed by nanoindentation and TEM

Abstract A study on zirconium nitride using TEM and nanoindentation was performed to assess the significant surface plasticity found to be introduced by sample polishing. Cross-sectional TEM results show strong evidence of plasticity via dislocations produced directly from surface grinding and polishing. These dislocations were found to glide on the { 0 1 1 } 〈 0 1 ¯ 1 〉 slip system. Using nanoindentation to observe the effects of surface dislocation density, a critical shear stress was found that relates to dislocations nucleation and multiplication. Continued chemo-mechanical polishing increased the critical shear stress to approximately 1600 mN by reducing surface dislocations. It is postulated that vacancy clusters and oxide microcrystallites produced during surface processing provide dislocation nucleation and/or multiplication sites. Gentle chemo-mechanical polishing for several hours greatly reduced or eliminated preexisting dislocations such that the critical shear stress for nucleation approaches the theoretical limit (∼G/5).
Pilot study comparing market orientation culture of businesses and schools of business.

A market orientation culture has been described as one that blends an organization's commitment to customer value with a process of continuously creating superior value for customers. Developing such a culture is further described as (1) obtaining information about customers, competitors, and markets, (2) examining the gathered information from a total organizational perspective, (3) deciding how to deliver superior customer value, and (4) implementing actions to provide value to customers. A market orientation culture focuses on the customer, identifies issues in the competitive environment, and coordinates all functional areas to achieve organizational objectives. Research has found businesses with higher market orientation are more successful in achieving organizational objectives. The measurement of market orientation within businesses has been empirically tested and validated. However, empirical research on market orientation in nonprofit organizations such as universities has not been examined. This study investigated market orientation within the university setting, specifically Schools of Business Administration, and compared these data with previously published data within the business sector. Data for comparative purposes were collected via a national survey. Hypothesis testing was conducted. Results indicated significantly lower market orientation culture within the schools of business as reported by AACSB Business School Deans vis-a-vis managers of business enterprises.
Replacement Cost Valuation of Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) Subsistence Harvest in Arctic and Sub-Arctic North America

Migratory species provide economically beneficial ecosystem services to people throughout their range, yet often, information is lacking about the magnitude and spatial distribution of these benefi...
On semiclassical (zero dispersion limit) solutions of the focusing nonlinear Schrödinger equation

We calculate the leading-order term of the solution of the focusing nonlinear (cubic) Schrodinger equation (NLS) in the semiclassical limit for a certain one-parameter family of initial conditions. This family contains both solitons and pure radiation. In the pure radiation case, our result is valid for all times t ≥ 0. We utilize the Riemann-Hilbert problem formulation of the inverse scattering problem to obtain the leading-order term of the solution. Error estimates are provided. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
NIF injection laser system

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a high-power, 192-beam laser facility being built at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The 192 laser beams that will converge on the target at the output of the NIF laser system originate from a low power fiber laser in the Master Oscillator Room (MOR). The MOR is responsible for generating the single pulse that seeds the entire NIF laser system. This single pulse is phase-modulated to add bandwidth, and then amplified and split into 48 separate beam lines all in single-mode polarizing fiber. Before leaving the MOR, each of the 48 output pulses are temporally sculpted into high contrast shapes using Arbitrary Waveform Generators (AWG). Each output pulse is then carried by optical fiber to the Preamplifier Module (PAM) where it is amplified to the multi-joule level using a diode-pumped regenerative amplifier and a multi-pass, flashlamp-pumped rod amplifier. Inside the PAM, the beam is spatially shaped to pre-compensate for the spatial gain profile in the main laser amplifiers. The output from the PAM is sampled by a diagnostic package called the Input Sensor Package (ISP) and then split into four beams in the Preamplifier Beam Transport System (PABTS). Each of these four beams is injected into one of NIF's 192 beam lines. The combination of the MOR, PAM, ISP and PABTS constitute the Injection Laser System (ILS) for NIF. This system has proven its flexibility of providing a wide variety of pulse shapes and energies during the first experiments utilizing four beam lines of NIF.
The effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on choline kinase activity in mouse hepatoma cells

Choline kinase catalyzes the first rate-limiting step in the pathway of biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine. This enzyme was shown previously to be induced in liver by treatment of rats with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Ishidate et al. (1980) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 96, 946-952). The present study was undertaken to determine whether choline kinase in the murine hepatoma cell line, Hepa 1c1c7, is inducible by aromatic hydrocarbons and, if so, whether this induction is mediated by the aromatic hydrocarbon receptor. Treatment of Hepa 1c1c7 cells with 10 microM beta-naphthoflavone resulted in a 1.6-fold increase of choline kinase activity, but no response was seen when the cells were exposed to either 5.0 microM benzo[a]pyrene or 1.0 nM 2.3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-doxin, both potent inducers of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase. Cell line variants with either deficient or elevated aromatic hydrocarbon receptors showed no increase in choline kinase activity following treatment with any of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These results are not consistent with a role for the aromatic hydrocarbon receptor in increased choline kinase activity in Hepa 1c1c7 cells.
Natural history of uterine polyps and leiomyomata.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence and regression rates of uterine leiomyomata and polyps in a cohort of asymptomatic, premenopausal women. METHODS: Saline infusion sonography was performed twice, 2.5 years apart, in a cohort of 64 initially asymptomatic women. Subjects completed a questionnaire that assessed the development of abnormal uterine bleeding. RESULTS: The mean age of women (at second ultrasound) was 44 years. In four of seven women with polyps at the original ultrasound, their polyps regressed. Polyps that regressed tended to be smaller than polyps that persisted. Ten women had endometrial polyps at the second ultrasound for a point prevalence of 16% and a cumulative incidence rate of 12% per 2.5 years. A higher percentage of women with uterine polyps had complaints of abnormal uterine bleeding than women with no uterine abnormalities (70% versus 33%, P = .04). Six leiomyomata in four women were no longer detected in the second ultrasound. Leiomyomata that regressed were in older premenopausal women and were smaller than leiomyomata that persisted. The point prevalence and incidence rates of leiomyomata were 27% and 13% per 2.5 years, respectively. Leiomyomata grew an average of 1.2 cm per 2.5 years, but great variation in growth rates were noted. CONCLUSION: Small uterine polyps frequently regressed spontaneously, whereas larger polyps were more likely to persist and were associated with the development of abnormal bleeding. Smaller leiomyomata in older premenopausal women also regressed whereas larger leiomyomata tended to grow while often remaining asymptomatic.
Pituitary Gland and Iron Absorption

The influence of the pituitary gland on the absorption of iron was studied by the administration of Fe59 to rats after the removal of certain endocrine glands. To enhance the responses, studies were also conducted by placing the experimental animals at one-half atmospheric pressure. Our findings indicate that the absorption of iron as measured by the fecal excretion test or by the uptake of radioactivity by different tissues is impaired after hypophysectomy, but not after adrenalectomy or thyroidectomy. The administration of a crude pituitary extract, but not ACTH, TSH or GH, brought about an improvement in iron absorption. This study therefore demonstrates the importance of the pituitary gland in iron absorption and the possible presence of a hormone in crude pituitary extracts capable of influencing the gastrointestinal uptake of this essential element.
Contradictions of Time in Collaborative School Research.

The sustainability of research-based innovations in schools is constrained not only by systemic institutional barriers and inherent contradictions between schooling and research, but also by the related issue of time. This case study suggests that relative timescales, e.g., the collective activity of schooling over decades versus the individual actions of researchers over semesters or years, hinder the coordination and synchronization of schooling and research processes. Using cultural–historical activity theory and heterochrony, this analysis of data from a 4-year collaborative school-university research and development project suggests that, in spite of active support from school personnel, temporal conflicts undermined research activity and the sustainability of the innovation. At the same time, when researchers aligned their actions with the actions and timescales of school personnel, core elements of the innovation were appropriated into school practice.
Programmable current-mode FIR filter

A new architecture based on summation of currents is proposed for implementing programmable analogue FIR filters. The proposed architecture is more area-efficient compared with architectures based on multiplying digital-to-analogue converters or switched-capacitor techniques. >
Gigabit transceivers and building blocks

This session starts with an overview of emerging high-speed wireline communication standards and a general-purpose transceiver design. Then, two low-power equalization techniques are discussed, followed by two new signaling schemes for serial links. An opto-electronic receiver in silicon concludes the session.
Fast, comprehensive two-dimensional HPLC separation of tryptic peptides based on high-temperature HPLC.

Two-dimensional HPLC (2D-LC) has recently received considerable attention, and is being used as an alternative to 2D gel electrophoresis in proteomics research. The greatest impediment to the widespread use of 2D-LC is the long analysis time ranging up to days per analysis, making the technique impractical for many jobs. Here we focus on improving the speed of gradient separations since these are typically used as the second dimension in peptide separations by 2D-LC. Specifically we describe high-temperature, ultrafast HPLC conditions, along with the instrument modifications needed to reduce the analysis time of each complete second-dimension gradient separation to tens of seconds. Most importantly, this system is capable of generating a high peak capacity (1350) characteristic of comprehensive 2D-LC in a relatively shorter analysis time (20 min) with a sampling rate sufficient to minimize information loss with simpler instrumentation than currently used; this is equivalent to one unit of peak capacity pe...
A Confocal Optical System for Detecting High-speed Oscillation of a Single Ultrasound Microbubble

Microbubbles play significant roles in ultrasound imaging. Direct observation and investigation of microbubble oscillations are expensive. We developed a confocal optical system for detecting microbubble oscillations. This system is cost efficient and provides acceptable results.
Control of Plasmonic and Interband Transitions in Colloidal Indium Nitride Nanocrystals

We have developed a colloidal synthesis of 4–10 nm diameter indium nitride (InN) nanocrystals that exhibit both a visible absorption onset (∼1.8 eV) and a strong localized surface plasmon resonance absorption in the mid-infrared (∼3000 nm). Chemical oxidation and reduction reversibly modulate both the position and intensity of this plasmon feature as well as the band-to-band absorption onset. Chemical oxidation of InN nanocrystals with NOBF4 is found to red-shift the absorption onset to ∼1.3 eV and reduce the plasmon absorption energy (to 3550 nm) and intensity (by an order of magnitude at 2600 nm). Reduction of these oxidized species with Bu4NBH4 fully recovers the original optical properties. Calculations suggest that the carrier density in these InN nanocrystals decreases upon oxidation from 2.89 × 1020 cm–3 to 2.51 × 1020 cm–3, consistent with the removal of ∼4 electrons per nanocrystal. This study provides a unique example of the ability to tune the optical properties of colloidal nanomaterials, and ...
The crystal structure of a novel, latent dihydroorotase from Aquifex aeolicus at 1.7A resolution.

Dihydroorotases (EC 3.5.2.3) catalyze the reversible cyclization of carbamoyl aspartate to form dihydroorotate in de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. The X-ray structures of Aquifex aeolicus dihydroorotase in two space groups, C 222 1 and C 2, were determined at a resolution of 1.7 A. These are the first structures of a type I dihydroorotase, a class of molecules that includes the dihydroorotase domain of mammalian CAD. The type I enzymes are more ancient and larger, at 45 kDa, than the type II enzymes exemplified by the 38 kDa Escherichia coli dihydroorotase. Both dihydroorotases are members of the metallo-dependent hydrolase superfamily, whose members have a distorted “TIM barrel” domain containing the active site. However, A. aeolicus dihydroorotase has a second, composite domain, which the E. coli enzyme lacks and has only one of the two zinc atoms present in the E. coli enzyme. A. aeolicus dihydroorotase is unique in exhibiting significant activity only when complexed with aspartate transcarbamoylase, whereas the E. coli dihydroorotase and the CAD dihydroorotase domain are active as free proteins. The latency of A. aeolicus dihydroorotase can be related to two differences between its structure and that of E. coli dihydroorotase: (1) the monoclinic structure has a novel cysteine ligand to the zinc that blocks the active site and possibly functions as a “cysteine switch”; and (2) active site residues that bind the substrate in E. coli dihydroorotase are located in disordered loops in both crystal structures of A. aeolicus dihydroorotase and may function as a disorder-to-order “entropy switch”.
Informative Advertising Competition

This paper investigates informative price advertising in an established-product Hotelling duopoly where firms compete for shares of a fixed market. Prices are uncertain because firms’ costs are private information. For a sufficiently low cost of advertising, advertising necessarily arises in equilibrium. Also, the less balanced the initial distributions over costs, the greater the potential for informative advertising. Moreover, whenever firms use informative advertising, it increases the firms’ expected profits, and social welfare, relative to the outcome without advertising.
The Center Still Holds: Financial Integration in the Euro Area

We employ cross-country variance tests using quarterly data over 2002–2013 to analyze the effect of the global financial crisis on euro area financial integration. Dividing the 12 core euro area countries into two groups, the euro center and the euro periphery, we investigate variances of the estimations across these two groups before and after the onset of financial crisis. We find a significant change in variances in a sample that includes both groups but no such change within just the euro center group. Using data for new euro area members, no significant changes in variances are found in these countries. Although the difference in variances appears to get smaller, financial integration within the euro area remains differentiated, with the center still holding.
Excessive Urinary 5-Hydroxy-3-Indole Acetic Acid in the Absence of a Metastatic Carcinoid

Considerable interest has been aroused in the dianosis of the malignant carcinoid syndrome and the diagnostic reliability of increased urinary excretion of 5-hydroxy-3-indole acetic acid. The authors present observations important to this problem.
Galactolipids from the temperate red marine alga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis

Abstract Chemical examination of the temperate red marine alga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis from the coast of Oregon has led to the isolation of several new lipids as stabilized peracetate derivatives. The simplest was identical to the recentlv described and novel icosanoid, 12( R ), 13( S )-diHEPE, isolated from another red alga, Farlowia mollis . Two more polar metabolites contained either one or two of these diHEPE structural units esterified to a glycerol unit which also contained either a mono- or digalactosyl substituent. The gross structures and relative stereochemical aspects of these major subunits, as well as their placement relative to one another, followed from analysis of various spectroscopic features including 2D NMR data. The structure of the monogalactosyldiglyceride metabolite was deduced as 1,2-bis- O -[12( R *),13( S *)-dihydroxyicosa-5( Z ),8( Z ),10( E ),14( Z ),17( Z )-pentaenoyl]-3- O -β- d -galactopyranosyl glycerol. The absolute stereochemistry of the galactose residue in this metabolite was determined from its optical rotation following isolation from the crude acid hydrolysis product. The structure of the digalactosyldiglyceride metabolite was deduced as 1- O -[12( R *),13( S *)-dihydroxyicosa-5( Z ),8( Z ),10( E ),14( Z ),17( Z )-pentaenoyl]-2- O -palmitoyl-3- O -[-β- d -galactopyranosyl-6,1α-galactopyranosyl]-glycerol. Isolation of these two metabolites documents the production of both ‘prokaryotic’ and ‘eukaryotic’ forms of galactolipids by this marine plant as well as illustrating a novel lipoxygenase-type metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids presumably while esterified to galactosylglycerol, a relatively unusual structural feature in glycerol-based lipids.
Time-varying magnetic fields: effects of orientation on chondrocyte proliferation

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of orientation of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) on cellular proliferation and extracellular matrix synthesis. Bovine articular chondrocytes were cultured in PEMFs (repetitive pulse at 72 Hz) generated using Helmholtz coils oriented either parallel (horizontal) or perpendicular (vertical) to the plane of cell adhesion. Dissipation of signal energy in the form of heat increased the temperature of the PEMF coils by 2 degrees C and the tissue culture medium by 1 degree C. Therefore, control coils, which emitted no PEMFs, were heated to the temperature of PEMF coils by circulating water. Chondrocytes were cultured in 16-mm-well culture plates, and the data for individual wells were pooled as triplicates. Although not observed by microscopic examination of individual wells, positionally dependent electric field effects may be minimized by this approach. PEMFs generated by coils oriented vertically significantly decreased chondrocyte proliferation. The effect was dependent on the concentration of serum in the culture media. At 3% serum concentration, the total cell number attained after 10 days of culture was reduced by 50% in stimulated cultures when compared with controls. At 5% serum concentration, there was no effect. PEMFs applied by coils oriented horizontally didmore » not alter proliferation of articular chondrocytes. PEMFs had no effect on synthesis of extracellular matrix by chondrocytes plated at high density, irrespective of orientation.« less
Optimal Waveforms for Wideband Radar Imaging

Abstract In this paper, we study the problem of optimal radar range-Doppler imaging. Unlike traditional approaches that start from a given echo processing method, we identify a radar ima`in` procedure by minimizing a distance measure between the reconstructed target reflectivity function and the actual reflectivity function. We show that in the absence of observation noise, optimal imaging is achieved by transmitting a set of waveforms derived from a kernel corresponding to the tar`et reflectivity function. Reconstruction is equivalent to computing the wavelet transforms of each received echo with respect to its corresponding transmitted waveform, and summing the results. We study invariances of the optimal set of imaging waveforms. Using these invariances, we develop the concept of a target class. A target class is a set of targets that can be optimally imaged with a single library of waveforms. We conclude by showin` that in the presence of observation noise, optimal imaging depends on both the noise intensity and the distribution of the singular values corresponding to the kernel derived from the tar`et reflectivity function. ©1998 The Franklin Institute. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Modeling Cylinder-to-Cylinder Coupling in Multi-Cylinder HCCI Engines Incorporating Reinduction

Residual-affected homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is a promising strategy for decreasing fuel consumption and NOx emissions in internal combustion engines. One practical approach for achieving residual-affected HCCI is by using variable valve actuation to reinduct previously exhausted combustion products. This process inherently couples neighboring engine cylinders as products exhausted by one cylinder may be reinducted by a neighboring one. In order to understand this coupling and its implication for controlling HCCI, this paper outlines a simple physics based model of a multi-cylinder HCCI engine using exhaust reinduction. It is based on a physics based model previously validated for a single cylinder, multi mode HCCI engine. The exhaust manifold model links exhaust gases from one cylinder to those of the other cylinders and also simulates the effect of exhaust reinduction from the previous cycle. Depending on the exhaust manifold geometry and orientation, the heat transfer in the manifold causes a difference in the temperature of the re-inducted product gas across the cylinders. The results show that a subtle difference in the re-inducted exhaust gas temperature results in a dramatic variation in combustion timing (approx. 3 degrees). This model provides a basis for understanding the steady state behavior and also for developing control strategies for multi-cylinder HCCI engines. The paper presents exhaust valve timing induced compression ratio modulation (via flexible valve actuation) as one of the approaches to mitigate the imbalance in combustion timing across cylinders.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Amyloid-associated cystic lung disease in primary Sjögren's syndrome

Summary Background Cystic lung disease can be seen in patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and is generally thought to be due to lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia. Methods Using computer-assisted search we identified patients with primary SS seen at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN during a 14-year period from 1997 to 2010 who were diagnosed with pulmonary amyloidosis confirmed on lung biopsy. Clinical records, imaging studies, and pathologic specimens were reviewed to delineate presenting features, diagnostic evaluation, and clinical course. Results Eight patients (7 women, 1 man) with primary SS were diagnosed with pulmonary amyloidosis by lung biopsy (7 surgical, 1 bronchoscopic). Their median age was 55 years (range, 32–75 years) and all were nonsmokers. Presenting symptoms included dyspnea and cough but 4 patients presented with radiologic abnormalities in the absence of respiratory symptoms. CT findings included cystic lesions and nodular opacities in all eight patients. PET scan performed in six patients did not reveal 18 F-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake except in one nodule with borderline uptake. Lung biopsy demonstrated the presence of amyloid in all patients and was associated with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma in three patients. Pulmonary function results were normal in five patients and revealed mild impairment in a mixed pattern in one patient. Conclusions We conclude cystic and nodular lung lesions seen in patients with primary SS can represent amyloidosis which can be associated with MALT lymphoma in some of these patients.
Delayed Phosphorylation of Classical Protein Kinase C (PKC) Substrates Requires PKC Internalization and Formation of the Pericentrion in a Phospholipase D (PLD)-dependent Manner

It was previously demonstrated that sustained activation (30–60 min) of protein kinase C (PKC) results in translocation of PKC α and βII to the pericentrion, a dynamic subset of the recycling compartment whose formation is dependent on PKC and phospholipase D (PLD). Here we investigated whether the formation of the pericentrion modulates the ability of PKC to phosphorylate substrates, especially if it reduces substrate phosphorylation by sequestering PKC. Surprisingly, using an antibody that detects phosphosubstrates of classical PKCs, the results showed that the majority of PKC phosphosubstrates are phosphorylated with delayed kinetics, correlating with the time frame of PKC translocation to the pericentrion. Substrate phosphorylation was blocked by PLD inhibitors and was not observed in response to activation of a PKC βII mutant (F663D) that is defective in interaction with PLD and in internalization. Phosphorylation was also inhibited by blocking clathrin-dependent endocytosis, demonstrating a requirement for endocytosis for the PKC-dependent major phosphorylation effects. Serotonin receptor activation by serotonin showed a similar response to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, implicating a potential role of delayed kinetics in G protein-coupled receptor signaling. Evaluation of candidate substrates revealed that the phosphorylation of the PKC substrate p70S6K kinase behaved in a similar manner. Gradient-based fractionation revealed that the majority of these PKC substrates reside within the pericentrion-enriched fractions and not in the plasma membrane. Finally, proteomic analysis of the pericentrion-enriched fractions revealed several proteins as known PKC substrates and/or proteins involved in endocytic trafficking. These results reveal an important role for PKC internalization and for the pericentrion as key determinants/amplifiers of PKC action.
Tularemia in New York City: When do we need to suspect bioterrorism?

ISSUE: Tularemia (Tu), known as rabbit fever, is a Category A agent of bioterrorism (BT). It was last seen in New York City (NYC) in 1998. This NYC medical center has been preparing for a BT event, and its emergency management preparedness program proved to be successful when a patient was admitted with Tu around the time of the Republican National Convention (RNC) being held in NYC. PROJECT: The medical center has been conducting nuclear, biologic and chemical (NBC) preparedness training since 2002 for all its healthcare workers (HCWs). The hospital emergency incident command system (HEIC) is used in the event of an emergency. NBC training provides education, communication, guidelines, and response plans to ensure safety and cooperation in the event of an attack. Our plan was tested when the diagnosis of Tu was made after the patient was discharged. RESULTS: A 20-year-old woman from Staten Island presented to the emergency department in August 2004 with an enlarged submandibular lymph node, pneumonia, and a pleural effusion. Pleural fluid and blood cultures grew gram-negative bacilli that were difficult to identify. Close cooperation with the NYC Department of Health identified the bacilli as Francisella tularensis . Because the case occurred around the time of the RNC and Tu is rare in NYC, there was concern as to whether this was a BT sentinel event. A thorough investigation revealed that the infection was naturally acquired. The patient's dog had captured a wild rabbit and then licked the woman's face. The woman survived, and no other cases were reported. Laboratory HCWs who handled the culture plates were contacted and evaluated for risk exposure. Antibiotic prophylaxis was deemed not necessary since specimens had not been handled by any HCW for almost 2 weeks. A fever watch was instituted and the laboratory HCWs were followed by employee health services. None developed any symptoms. LESSONS LEARNED: It is imperative to have an emergency plan in place. Our NBC training program allowed us to facilitate identification, apply precautions, alleviate fears, and communicate with all appropriate agencies in a timely and successful manner. NBC training also ensured that the laboratory had an employee roster with names and phone numbers readily available so that lab HCWs could be notified quickly—this was especially important since notification occurred on a Friday night.
Student Sampling as a Theoretical Problem

To begin, I am honored to have such a distinguished cast of commentators, all whose work I admire and who have played critical roles in theory development in the prejudice literature. A special hon...
Global management of chronic disease in sub-Saharan Africa: A call to action for pharmacists

Abstract Objectives To shed light on the growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa and to highlight the important role that pharmacists can play in addressing this growing global concern. Summary The combination of scarce health care resources, a lack of general awareness and data to drive new policies, and the severe shortage of health workers has contributed to the escalation of chronic disease in sub-Saharan Africa. The profession of pharmacy offers extensive knowledge on disease and medication management that has proven to yield positive health outcomes. Deploying pharmacists from the United States who can train and support community health workers in sub-Saharan Africa and in other resource constrained settings may help address many of the challenges that currently exist. Conclusion Despite the many challenges sub-Saharan Africa faces in overcoming the current and growing burden of chronic disease, pharmacists can make substantial contributions in addressing these challenges and creating sustainable solutions.
Electrochemical detection of adenosine and other purine metabolites during high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis

Abstract electrochemical detection is shown to be an alternative to UV absorbance or fluorescence detection for the analsis of adenosine and other purine nucleosides and bases by high-performance liquid chromatography. In this capacity, the electrochemical detector is generally more sensitive than UV absorbance detectors and, unlike fluorescence detectors is not limited to adenine-containing compounds which must be derivitized with chloroacetaldehyde to form the fluorescent etheno derivative. Minimum detactable amounts were determined to be (pmoles): adenosine, 0.20; guanosine, 0.13. For the adenine-containing compounds, electrochemical detector sensitivity rivals that of the fluorescence detector. The system described gives excellent separation and quantification of hypoxanthine, adenine, ionisine, guanosine, adenosine and deoxyadenosine. Detector response is linear over a wide range of amount injected. The manner in which the electrochemical detector response (chromatographic peak size) varies in response to changes in applied electrode potential and chromatographic buffer pH, electrolyte concentration and methanol content is described. Preliminary data indicate that the system has the potential of functioning in the analysis of biological materials, after applying the proper clean-up procedures to remove interfering material.
Kinetic characterization and radiation-target sizing of the glucose transporter in cardiac sarcolemmal vesicles.

Abstract Stereospecific glucose transport was assayed and characterized in bovine cardiac sarcolemmal vesicles. Sarcolemmal vesicles were incubated with d -[ 3 H]glucose or l -[ 3 H]glucose at 25° C. The reaction was terminated by rapid addition of 4 mM HgCl 2 and vesicles were immediately collected on glass fiber filters for quantification of accumulated [ 3 H]glucose. Non-specific diffusion of l -[ 3 H]glucose was never more than 11% of total d -[ 3 H]glucose transport into the vesicles. Stereospecific uptake of d -[ 3 H]glucose reached a maximum level by 20 s. Cytochalasin B (50 μM) inhibited specific transport of d -[ 3 H]glucose to the level of that for non-specific diffusion. The vesicles exhibited saturable transport ( K m = 9.3 mM; V max = 2.6nmol/mg per s) and the transporter turnover number was 197 glucose molecules per transporter per s. The molecular sizes of the cytochalasin B binding protein and the d -glucose transport protein in sarcolemmal vesicles were estimated by radiation inactivation. These values were 77 and 101 kDa, respectively, and by the Wilcoxen Rank Sum Test were not significantly different from each other.
Comment on “Impact demagnetization by phase transition on Mars”

In their Eos article (16 December 2003, pp. 561, 567), Rochette et al. described their experimental investigation of the demagnetization of pyrrhotite under pressure and explored the implications for impact demagnetization on Mars. Although the experimental results are very rigorous, there are a few inaccuracies in problems with the discussion of impact demagnetization; namely, the distinction between magnetized and non-magnetized crust, the modeling of impact-induced shock pressure distribution, and the discussion of plausible martian magnetic carriers. First, the map shown in their Figure 1 is somewhat deceptive. It shows only those anomalies with amplitude >20 nT at 400 km altitude, and the authors refer to the 20-nT contour as the “limit of magnetized and non-magnetized Noachian crust.” In fact, most of the Noachian age southern highlands crust is magnetized, the main exceptions being the interiors of Hellas and Argyre basins and the Tharsis region (see Connerney et al., [2004] for the most recent magnetic map of Mars). The average intensity of magnetic anomalies as a function of radius around the Hellas, Argyre, and Isidis basins (Figure 1) shows the crust to be completely demagnetized only within ∼0.8 x the basin radius.
Evidence behind The Green House and similar models of nursing home care

The Green House and similar models of nursing home care offer a solution to the institutional nature of nursing homes. In The Green House model, small houses are home to 6–12 residents in which care is given as much attention as treatment and is provided by a consistent, self-directed team of staff who are responsible for all care, including preparing meals in a centrally located open kitchen. Residents have private rooms and bathrooms that open onto a central living area. Although a nurse is available 24 h a day and the clinical care team is nearby and visits the home to provide care, the sense is that one is receiving care in a family-type setting. While these homes are expanding rapidly and seem to embody a better culture of nursing home care, their future growth may depend on the evidence that supports or refutes the quality of care that they provide.
What Foreign Language Study Has Meant to Me

SOME one in attempting to define culture has said, "It is easier to say what it is not, than what it is." I remember when I enrolled as a freshman that I was determined from the beginning to study languages. My reason for wanting to study languages was influenced by the fact that two people whom I admired very much spoke French and German very fluently. My, how I did respect them! In my estimation they were different from other people. They were the very embodiment of culture itself. Since my main purpose in going to college was to acquire a cultural background, I chose to study French and German. I thought of them as skills which I probably would never be able to acquire outside of college. It is interesting to look back now and ask myself the question, "Am I having richer experiences because I have studied modern language? Just how valuable has foreign language been to me?" The study of the works of French artists in Art Appreciation meant much more to me because I was studying the native language of the artists, even though it was my very first year to study French. A course in Music Appreciation seemed much more significant to me because of my meager knowledge of French and German. In preparing a lesson for class, there were always many expressions in German and French which I was able to read, and the other six members of the class could not. It is difficult to describe the little well of happiness that rises in one when such things happen. It is such a very satisfied feeling. Naturally applied lessons in voice and piano are appreciated much more when one has studied French and German. I always feel sorry for the student who is trying to sing a song in a foreign language which has no meaning to him whatsoever. The beauty of interpretation is entirely lost; in fact it is rather pathetic to be required to listen. I shall never forget the day in Geology class when the professor wished that he could make an accurate translation of a scientific French article which he was most eager to read. Last year I thoroughly enjoyed writing a term paper on the life of Louis Pasteur for Biology. The opening paragraph was in French, the language of the country to which Pasteur was always most devoted. There are very few people who are as patriotic as Pasteur was so it seemed to me to be most fitting to begin a term paper about him with the language of his beloved country. Sad to say, the biology professor could not read it.
SERUM PROLACTIN IN INTRAVENTRICULAR HEMORRHAGE (IVH)

Prolactin has been thought to play a role in preventing mobilization of tissue water in the neonate. Serum levels of prolactin are low in premature newborns and this may lead to decreased intracellular water, brain shrinkage, capillary bleeding and subsequent IVH. The hypothesis that decreased prolactin levels contribute to development of IVH was studied by our group. Sixteen premature neonates ≤ 32 weeks gestational age with a mean birthweight of 1125 gms were followed prospectively with serial neurosonograms for the development of IVH. Serum prolactin levels by RIA were analyzed from cord blood and on days 1, 3, 7, 10, and 14. Five neonates (m GA = 29.2 wk; m wt 1095 gms) with no IVH or gr I-II IVH were compared to 11 neonates (m GA 29.4 wk; m wt 1139 gms) who developed gr III-IV hemorrhage. Mean serum prolactin levels (ng/ml) were: Serum prolactin levels were comparable between the 2 groups. Our results do not support the concept of a pathogenetic role for prolactin in development of IVH.
High power radome panel design considerations

Ground based high power radome panel designs typically require a combination of cooling and heating systems. When transmitting, r.f. induced heating can be controlled by forced air cooling channelled through a slat core. The electrical effects of such slats can be analyzed using broadband radome techniques. In cooler areas where receive antennas operate, a classical honeycomb core replaces slat cores for needed structural integrity.
Parity Bit Calculation and Test Signal Compaction for BTST Applications

Parity bit checking and pseudo-exhaustive testing are two design techniques which have been widely discussed in the BIST literature but have seldom been employed in practice because of the exponential nature of the processes involved. In this paper we describe several procedures designed to avoid these exponential explosions. Specifically we show how the parity of a large combinational function can (often) be quickly calculated. This is accomplished by an examination of the circuit realization itself particularly with regard to the connectivity between the various inputs and outputs. We then show how this same approach can be used to partition circuits so that they can be tested efficiently with a relatively small number of test patterns. Using these methods we were able to calculate the parity bits for more than 80% of ISCAS benchmark circuits' outputs. Interestingly enough, only 15% of these outputs were found to be parity-odd, but for these cases high fault coverage was invariably found to result. Several examples are included.
Comparative Analysis of EspF from Enteropathogenic and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli in Alteration of Epithelial Barrier Function

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) are related intestinal pathogens that harbor highly similar pathogenicity islands known as the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE). Despite their genetic similarity, these two pathogens disrupt epithelial tight junction barrier function with distinct kinetics. EHEC-induced reduction in transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), a measure of barrier function disruption, is significantly slower and more modest in comparison to that induced by EPEC. The variation in bacterial adherence only partially accounted for these differences. The LEE-encoded effector protein EspF has been shown to be critical for EPEC-induced alterations in TER. EspF from both EPEC and EHEC is expressed and secreted upon growth in tissue culture medium. The mutation of EHEC cesF suggested that the optimal expression and secretion of EHEC EspF required its chaperone CesF, as has been shown for EPEC. In contrast to EPEC espF and cesF, mutation of the corresponding EHEC homologs did not dramatically alter the decrease in TER. These differences could possibly be explained by the presence of additional espF-like sequences (designated U- and M-espF, where the letter designations refer to the specific cryptic prophage sequences on the EHEC chromosome closest to the respective genes) in EHEC. Reverse transcription-PCR analyses revealed coordinate regulation of EHEC U-espF and the LEE-encoded espF, with enhanced expression in bacteria grown in Dulbecco-Vogt modified Eagle’s medium compared to bacteria grown in Luria broth. Both EHEC espF and U-espF complemented an EPEC espF deletion strain for barrier function alteration. The overexpression of U-espF, but not espF, in wild-type EHEC potentiated the TER response. These studies reveal further similarities and differences in the pathogenesis of EPEC and EHEC.
Laser Writing of Multiscale Chiral Polymer Metamaterials

A new approach to metamaterials is presented that involves laser-based patterning of novel chiral polymer media, wherein chirality is realized at two distinct length scales, intrinsically at the molecular level and geometrically at a length scale on the order of the wavelength of the incident field. In this approach, femtosecond-pulsed laser-induced two-photon lithography (TPL) is used to pattern a photoresist-chiral polymer mixture into planar chiral shapes. Enhanced bulk chirality can be realized by tuning the wavelength-dependent chiral response at both the molecular and geometric level to ensure an overlap of their respective spectra. The approach is demonstrated via the fabrication of a metamaterial consisting of a two-dimensional array of chiral polymer-based L-structures. The fabrication process is described and modeling is performed to demonstrate the distinction between molecular and planar geometric-based chirality and the effects of the enhanced multiscale chirality on the optical response of such media. This new approach to metamaterials holds promise for the development of tunable, polymer-based optical metamaterials with low loss.
A gigabit/s data acquisition system

A fully pipelined data acquisition system has been developed for the PHOBOS experiment at RHIC in BNL. The system began operation in 1998; after the most recent upgrade in 2004, it reached a trigger rate of 575 Hz, processing speed of 200 MB/s, and maintained a sustained data-sinking rate to HPSS of 50 MB/s. The system receives data from 135,168 silicon pad detectors (12-bit amplitudes) and from 2,000 scintillating detectors (time and amplitudes). The data from the silicon detectors are transmitted through two 120 MB/s fiber links to a 24-node processing system (Mercury Computer System, Inc.) embedded into a VME crate and interconnected using a RACEway switching fabric. Each node (PPC750 300 MHz) compresses a part of the data stream using lossless Huffman algorithm. The four-fold compressed data are sent directly from the nodes to a model TK200 data recorder (Conduant Corporation) through an FPDP link. The event building is done on the fly by adjusting offsets and lengths of a scatter-gather DMA transfer. The TK200 has a disk capacity of 3.2 Tbyte and aggregate bandwidth of 200 MB/s, and is connected to the HPSS over a single gigabit fiber connection. Under laboratory conditions, the TK200 was able to handle 120 MB/s of recording and 70 MB/s of reading simultaneously. The upgraded system was used for data taking during RHIC run 2005 and recorded over 0.5 billion (50 Tbyte of data) of heavy-ion collisions over a period of two months
In Tribute: Nancy T. Watts—Pragmatic Visionary

Nancy T. Watts, PT, PhD, FAPTA, passed away on April 4, 2011, at 83 years of age. Dr. Watts graduated from Grinnell College, received a certificate in physical therapy from Simmons College, and obtained her master of arts degree and PhD from the University of Chicago. She was recognized as a master educator when she received the Dorothy E. Baethke–Eleanor J. Carlin Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching, and as a leader in our profession when she was named a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Dr. Watts served on a number of national and international commissions and frequently taught and consulted in Britain, Scandinavia, Africa, and Latin America. In addition, she was on the founding board of the Foundation of Physical Therapy and was active in the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. …