cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Model for the control of potassium transport in PHA-stimulated human blood lymphocytes

Results are reported for studies on the following: lymphocyte plasma-membrane ATP ase; substrate specificity of lymphocyte membrane phosphatase activity; effect of PHA on lymphocyte membrane ATP ase; correlation of K/sup +/ with lymphocyte K/sup +/ concentration; and K/sup +/ efflux, influx, and cell concentration in PHA-treated lymphocytes. (HLW)
Peer-to-Peer Botnets

A botnet is a network of computers that are compromised and controlled by an attacker. Botnets are one of the most serious threats to today’s Internet. Most current botnets have centralized command and control (C&C) architecture. However, peer-to-peer (P2P) structured botnets have gradually emerged as a new advanced form of botnets. Without C&C servers, P2P botnets are more resilient to defense countermeasures than traditional centralized botnets. In this chapter, we systematically study P2P botnets along multiple dimensions: botnet construction, C&C mechanisms, performance measurements, and mitigation approaches.
A Multi-Stage Neural Network Model for Human Color Vision

The contemporary "Standard Model" for human color vision is a two-stage model: The first stage consists of three types of receptors at the retina of the eye, and the second stage consists of three opponent-color neural channels: Red-Green, Blue-Yellow, and Black-White. In this paper I call upon the phenomena of complementary afterimages and of the "flight of colors" to show that this model is not an adequate explanation for these color phenomena in specific and for color vision in general. To remedy the theoretical inadequacy of the "Standard Model", I propose a neural stage for color complementarity directly corresponding to our color sensation. Mapping onto the anatomical organization of human visual system, I further suggest that layer 4C in the primary visual cortex is the neural substrate directly responsible for color complementarity in particular and for color appearance (that is, color consciousness) in general.
Hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen in neonatal and young rats: I. Age-related changes in susceptibility

The susceptibility of neonatal (11 days) and young rats (19 and 33 days) to acetaminophen-induced hepatic necrosis was examined. Acetaminophen-induced lethality (LD50) was slightly lower in 19-day-old animals (840 mg/kg) compared to 11- and 33-day-old animals (1220 and 1580 mg/kg, respectively). A toxic dose of the drug ( LD20 ) produced elevated serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase activities 20-24 hr after drug administration only in 19- and 33-day-old animals. Serum enzyme elevation was not observed after a toxic dose of acetaminophen ( LD20 or LD50) in 11-day-old rats. Histological evaluation showed that both 19- and 33-day-old rats developed extensive hepatic centrilobular damage, whereas morphological parameters in 11-day-old animals given acetaminophen were not different from controls. It appears that high doses of acetaminophen are lethal to young rats, but that 11-day-old animals are different from 19-day-old and older rats in that the neonatal animals lack susceptibility to the hepatotoxic effects of the drug. Lower susceptibility of the neonatal rat liver to the hepatic effects of two other hepatotoxicants (bromobenzene and tannic acid) was also observed.
Studies on the larval salivary gland of Drosophila: I. The nucleic acids

Abstract The localization and identification of the two nucleic acids, ribonucleic and desoxyribonucleic, have been determined for the larval salivary gland of Drosophila robusta. The determinations were made by the use of basic staining, Brachet's ribonuclease method, and the Feulgen reaction. The cytological observations suggest that the gland is functional as a secretory organ up to the mid-point of the third instar. It is during this period that the cytoplasmic basophilia (RNA) is most intense. When secretion ceases there is a decided decrease in RNA concentration. These findings suggest that the RNA system is concerned primarily with secretion.
cAMP response element-mediated gene expression in transgenic reporter gene mouse strain.

Inducible gene expression plays a critical role in virtually every aspect of nervous system physiology. Alterations in gene expression patterns are required for diverse phenomena, such as long-term memory formation, drug dependence, and circadian timing. Inducible gene expression can be initiated by cell surface receptor-mediated activation of intracellular kinase pathways. In turn, these kinases phosphorylate transcription factors, thereby leading to transcriptional activation. Transcription factors facilitate (or repress) transcription by binding to enhancer (or repressor) elements that may be located up to several thousand of bases from the transcription initiation site. Transcription factor trans-activation stimulates transcription by facilitating the formation and stability of the basal transcriptional complex.
Combining Pediocin with Postpackaging Irradiation for Control of Listeria monocytogenes on Frankfurters

Frankfurters, in 1-link, 5-link, or 10-link packages, were surface inoculated with a five-strain mixture of Listeria monocytogenes (3.40 or 5.20 log CFU/g) after treatment with 3,000 arbitrary units (AU) or 6,000 AU of pediocin (in ALTA 2341) per link. The frankfurters were vacuum packaged, after which the 1-link and 5-link packages were irradiated at 1.2 or 2.3 kGy and the 10-link packages were irradiated at 1.4 or 3.5 kGy. L. monocytogenes was enumerated following the treatments. Selected treatments were subsequently evaluated during storage at 4, 10, and 25 degrees C for up to 12 weeks. Combination of pediocin with postpackaging irradiation at 1.2 kGy or more was necessary to achieve a 50% reduction of L. monocytogenes on frankfurters in 1-link or 5-link packages. The combination of 6,000 AU of pediocin and irradiation at 2.3 kGy or more was effective in all package sizes for inhibition of the pathogen for 12 weeks at 4 or 10 degrees C. There was a synergistic effect between pediocin and irradiation for inhibition of L. monocytogenes. Storage at 4 degrees C enhanced the antilisterial effects of the treatment combinations, with little or no growth of the pathogen in 1-link or 5-link packages during 12 weeks of storage. In general, these treatments did not affect the sensory quality of frankfurters.
Comparative study of Silurian and Recent deposit-fedding bivalve communities

Two communities dominated by deposit-feeding bivalves are recognized in Quisset Harbor, Massachusetts. Interference with life position and sediment preconditioning restrict the distribution of some species. The Eel Grass Community, dominated by Nucula proxima, comprises primarily non-siphonate forms which live in fecal-pellet rich, high-water-content, oxygenated sediment. The sediment texture results from active burrowing. This soft, mobile sediment readily clogs the siphons of siphonate bivalves. The Channel Community, dominated by Yoldia limatula, comprises primarily siphonate forms which live in partly compacted, low-water-content muds. Each community is characterized by abundant surface, shallow, and deep feeding species. Competition for food has generated this distinct stratification in feeding depth of the dominant species with each community.Similar competitive relationships, affecting both species occurrence and trophic stratification, are apparent in three Silurian age deposit-feeding bivalve communities from the McAdam Brook Formation of Nova Scotia. A community dominated by four non-siphonate species inhabited soupy, high-water-content muds. A community dominated by three siphonate species lived in cohesive muds. A mixed community, dominated by four species, two non-siphonate and two siphonate species (the most abundant of which are present, but not as the most abundant forms, in the other communities), characterized the mid-way point of the ecotone between the other two communities.These deposit-feeding bivalve dominated communities have similar structural patterns although separated by 400 million years and despite environmental differences and evolutionary changes. Both response to physical factors, such as sediment character, and interspecific competition impose and maintain this type of community structure.
Erratum to: Rectocutaneous fistula with transmigration of the suture: a rare delayed complication of vault fixation with the sacrospinous ligament

There was an oversight in the Authorship of a recent Images in Urogynecology article titled: Rectocutaneous fistula with transmigration of the suture: a rare delayed complication of vault fixation with the sacrospinous ligament (DOI 10.1007/ s00192-015-2823-5). We would like to include Adj A/P Han How Chuan’s name in the list of authors. Adj A/P Han is a Senior Consultant and Department Head of Urogynaecology at the KK Hospital for Women and Children, Singapore.
Effects of nonenzymatic glycosylation and fatty acids on tryptophan binding to human serum albumin.

Abstract The effects of bound fatty acids and nonenzymatic glycosylation (NEG) on tryptophan binding to human serum albumin (HSA) were examined utilizing a rate of dialysis technique. HSA with 0, 1, 2, 3, or 5 mol of palmitate bound per mol of HSA was glycosylated in vitro to a level exceeding that seen in diabetes. NEG was not inhibited by fatty acids, suggesting that Lys-525, the primary site for NEG, is not an essential component of the principal sites for long-chain fatty acid binding to HSA. Scatchard analysis of binding data showed an expected fatty acid dependent decrease in the number of available tryptophan binding sites, but showed that fatty acids did not affect tryptophan affinity. The binding data failed to show an effect of NEG on tryptophan binding. The lack of inhibition of tryptophan binding by NEG suggest that drug-binding Site II, the indole/benzodiazepine site, is resistant to both NEG and to any conformational Changes in HSA which may occur with NEG. These data suggest that elevated plasma free tryptophan and the resulting altered serotonin metabolism seen in diabetes are independent of increased NEG and likely result from diabetic hyperlipidemia.
Reconceptualizing Personality Disorder Categories Using Personality Trait Dimensions: Introduction to Special Section

The categorical model of personality disorders has been widely criticized, and many argue for it to be reconceptualized or replaced by a dimensional model rooted in personality trait research. Such criticisms have forged a much needed integration between the previously distinct research areas of normal and abnormal personality. The five articles in this special section provide compelling evidence for the usefulness of personality traits for describing and explaining the complexities of personality disorders among widely varying samples using very different assessment strategies.
Long-term adverse effects of neonatal exposure to bisphenol A on the murine female reproductive tract.

The developing fetus is uniquely sensitive to perturbation by chemicals with hormone-like activity. The adverse effects of prenatal diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure are a classic example. Since concern has been mounting regarding the human health and environmental effects of bisphenol A (BPA), a high-production-volume chemical with estrogenic activity used in the synthesis of plastics, we investigated its long-term effects in an experimental animal model that was previously shown useful in studying the adverse effects of developmental exposure to DES. Outbred female CD-1 mice were treated on days 1-5 with subcutaneous injections of BPA (10, 100 or 1000 μg/kg/day) dissolved in corn oil or corn oil alone (Control). At 18 months, ovaries and reproductive tract tissues were examined. There was a statistically significant increase in cystic ovaries and cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH) in the BPA-100 group as compared to Controls. Progressive proliferative lesion (PPL) of the oviduct and cystic mesonephric (Wolffian) duct remnants were also seen in all of the BPA groups. More severe pathologies of the uterus following neonatal BPA treatment included adenomyosis, leiomyomas, atypical hyperplasia, and stromal polyps. These data suggest that BPA causes long-term adverse effects if exposure occurs during critical periods of differentiation.
Flipstone: managing storage with fail-in-place and deferred maintenance service models

The cost of managing storage systems has become one of the significant expense items in data centers. In this paper, we discuss the design and implementation of Flipstone, a new storage system with reduced storage management cost. Flipstone provides fail-in-place and deferred maintenance by aggregating large number of off-the-shelf, inexpensive storage systems. We show a significant improvement in total cost of ownership of storage systems by reducing the number of service calls when Flipstone is used.
Seasonal and diurnal leaf movements of Rhododendron maximum L. in contrasting irradiance environments.

Leaf orientation (azimuth and angle) and leaf curling were measured seasonally and diurnally on Rhododendron maximum L. under an evergreen and a deciduous canopy. The microclimatic conditions under the evergreen canopy (mixed pine and hemlock) were characterized by lower irradiance but similar temperature, and vapor pressure deficit (vpd) to that under the deciduous canopy (mixed oak and maple). Under both canopies irradiance was more intense during winter months.On a seasonal basis leaf angle was closer to horizontal under the evergreen canopy but there was no difference between leaf curling in the two sites. Stomatal conductance was higher under the deciduous canopy but stomata were closed in the winter (following canopy abscission) under the evergreen and deciduous canopies even during warm winter days. Leaf water potentials were lower in the winter and Rhododendron maximum had higher leaf water potentials under the evergreen canopy.Significant association between mean leaf angle and curling index were found above a mean leaf angle of 70°. Leaf curling was highly associated with leaf temperature where 0° C was a critical value stimulating leaf curling. Leaf angle was linearly related to leaf temperatures above 0° C although this relationship was different under the two canopy types as a result of differing irradiance or differing water potential.
An Outbreak of the Oil Palm Leaf Miner Beetle in Ghana with Reference to a New Alternate Host for Its Parasite Complex

The oil palm leaf miner beetle, Coelaenomenodera elaeidis Maulik (Chrysomelidae: Hispinae), has become a major pest throughout West Africa. Cyclic outbreaks resulted in severe damage to foliage and reduced production. An outbreak on the Pretsea Oil Palm Estate in southwestern Ghana was studied from its onset in Jan. 1970 to the start of its collapse in Jan. 1972. The entire population became cyclic at the onset of the outbreak with pronounced larval peaks at three and one-half month intervals. The leaf miner was found to have a parasite complex of 8 species; all but one were Eulophidae. Platypria coronata Guerin (Chrysomelidae, Hispinae) was also endemic to the plantation and was found to feed on Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth. (Leguminosae: Papiliodeae), a cover crop planted under the palms. P. coronata larvae were solitary miners in the leaves of the cover crop and were found to be alternate hosts for 4 of the eulophid parasites of C. elaeidis . A single braconid species was also found to parasitize the alternate host. The presence of an alternate host for eulophids parasitizing the oil palm leaf miner supports the possibiliy of introducing new eulophids as a means of control.
Cloning of Drosophila MCM homologs and analysis of their requirement during embryogenesis

MCM (minichromosome maintenance) gene family of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes essential DNA replication factors that participate in the initiation of DNA replication. In addition, their localization to the nucleus in a mitosis-dependent manner fueled the hypothesis that MCMs also act to couple DNA replication to mitosis. We report the identification of a Drosophila gene family with extensive sequence identity to the MCM genes. Results from antibody injection experiments suggest that MCMs play an essential role in DNA replication during embryogenesis. Evolutionary conservation of MCM sequences and function in Drosophila could potentially facilitate studies of how initiation of DNA replication is regulated and coupled to mitosis during metazoan development.
Evaluation of sorghum ergot toxicity in broilers

Three experiments evaluated the performance of broilers fed sorghum ergot consisting of sphacelia/sclerotia of Claviceps africana present in tailings removed by conditioning of seed from grain sorghum hybrid seed production fields near Uvalde (Experiments 1 and 2) and Dumas (Experiment 3), Texas. Percentage sphacelia/sclerotia and total alkaloid content, respectively, in sorghum ergot tailings were 8% and 11.3 ppm for Uvalde and 75% and 235 ppm for Dumas. Sorghum ergot and control sorghum diets were based on the NRC (1994) requirements for starting broilers. In Experiment 1, neither growth nor feed efficiency were significantly reduced in male broilers fed sorghum ergot from hatch to 3 wk of age, but liver weights were significantly greater than those in the control. In Experiment 2, straight-run broilers were raised to 6 wk of age in floor pens using a three-phase feeding program. Sorghum ergot significantly reduced gain in 4-wk-old broilers and cumulative body weight at 5 wk. Feed conversion was significantly reduced during all three phases of feeding. In Experiment 3, control sorghum and the 75% ergot tailings were added to corn-soy basal diets at rates of 2.5, 5, and 10% by weight and fed to male broilers from hatch to 3 wk of age. Sorghum ergot did not significantly reduce growth, but, during Weeks 2 and 3, feed-to-gain ratios were higher. Neither type nor concentration of sorghum ergot significantly affected relative liver weights. We did not observe significant mortality or obvious symptoms of ergot toxicity, such as necrotic lesions of the feet or vesicular dermatitis of the comb, in any of the three experiments.
Ionizing irradiation quarantine treatment against Mexican fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) in citrus fruits

Abstract A low-dose gamma irradiation quarantine treatment against the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew) was developed for citrus fruits. The measure of efficacy of the treatment was prevention of adult emergence from third instars that were reared and treated in ‘Rio Red’ grapefruit, Citrus paradisi Macf. Depending on the level of quarantine security required, the minimum absorbed dose would be 58 or 69 Gy. When applied on a commercial scale, many irradiated fruit in each load can be expected to receive three times the minimum required dose for treatment efficacy. Several quality parameters of ‘Rio Red’ grapefruit, ‘Marrs’ oranges, C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck, and ‘Dancy’ tangerines, C. reticulata Blanco, including soluble solids content, titratable acidity, appearance, and organoleptic quality, were not affected compared with untreated fruit at the doses tested (up to 500 Gy).
Effect of glatiramer acetate on primary and secondary degeneration of retinal ganglion cells in the rat.

PURPOSE. After crush injury to the optic nerve, elevated intraocular pressure, and glutamate toxicity, the immune modulator glatiramer acetate (GA, Cop-1; Copaxone; Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Pitach Tikva, Israel) has been shown to reduce the delayed cell death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). This study was undertaken to confirm the protective effect of GA on secondary degeneration of RGCs in the rat, by using a spatial, rather than temporal, model. METHODS. A total of 131 Wistar rats divided into 10 groups underwent bilateral stereotactic injection of fluorescent tracer (Fluorogold; Fluorochrome, Denver, CO) into the superior colliculus to label RGCs. They received a concurrent subcutaneously injection of (1) GA mixed with complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA), (2) CFA alone, or (3) saline. One week later, the superior one third of the left optic nerve was transected in animals in the six partial transection groups. Optic nerves in four additional groups underwent full transection. Rats were killed and retinas harvested from both eyes 1 or 4 weeks after partial transection and 1 or 2 weeks after full transection. RGC densities were calculated from retinal wholemounts, and differences between right (control) and left (transected) eyes were compared across treatment groups. RESULTS. Among the partial transection groups, differences in the mean percentage of RGC loss in the inferior retinas were not significant at 1 or 4 weeks (ANOVA; P 0.20, P 0.12, respectively). After full transection, there was significantly more RGC loss in the GA group than in the CFA group when comparing whole retinas at 1 week, but not at 2 weeks (twotailed t-test; P 0.04, P 0.36, respectively). CONCLUSIONS. There is no evidence that GA has a neuroprotective effect after optic nerve transection, either for primarily injured or secondarily involved RGC. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2005;46:884‐890) DOI:10.1167/iovs.04-0731
Backward hierarchy and susy SO(10) GUT

Abstract The impossibility of implementing Witten's backward hierarchy mechanism in supersymmetric SO(10) GUT is pointed out.
MapReduce framework energy adaptation via temperature awareness

MapReduce has become a popular framework for Big Data applications. While MapReduce has received much praise for its scalability and efficiency, it has not been thoroughly evaluated for power consumption. Our goal with this paper is to explore the possibility of scheduling in a power-efficient manner without the need for expensive power monitors on every node. We begin by considering that no cluster is truly homogeneous with respect to energy consumption. From there we develop a MapReduce framework that can evaluate the current status of each node and dynamically react to estimated power usage. In so doing, we shift work toward more energy efficient nodes which are currently consuming less power. Our work shows that given an ideal framework configuration, certain nodes may consume only 62.3 % of the dynamic power they consumed when the same framework was configured as it would be in a traditional MapReduce implementation.
Using Arts Activism and Poetry to Catalyze Human Rights Engagement and Reflection

Human rights are fundamental to our global social work profession, and teaching methods must be developed that truly engage students in taking a human rights approach to their work. This paper presents the process of engaging students in arts activism as a strategy for teaching about human rights in social work, and also discusses the catalyzing power of arts activism and poetry therapy to deepen student reflection on human rights. Students' responses to their involvement with One Million Bones—a global arts activism effort to prevent and remediate mass violence—are presented with commentary and interpretation. In this preliminary study, results indicate that arts activism and poetry therapy can work together to promote reflective engagement with human rights.
Zinc requirements and the risks and benefits of zinc supplementation

The adult human contains 2-3g of zinc, about 0.1% of which are replenished daily. On this basis and based on estimates of bioavailability of zinc, dietary recommendations are made for apparently healthy individuals. Absent chemical, functional, and/or physical signs of zinc deficiency are assumed indicative of adequacy. More specific data are seldom available. Changing food preferences and availability, and new food preparation, preservation, and processing technologies may require re-evaluation of past data. Conservative estimates suggest that 25% of the world's population is at risk of zinc deficiency. Most of the affected are poor, and rarely consume foods rich in highly bioavailable zinc, while subsisting on foods that are rich in inhibitors of zinc absorption and/or contain relatively small amounts of bioavailable zinc. In contrast, among the relatively affluent, food choice is a major factor affecting risk of zinc deficiency. An additional problem, especially among the relatively affluent, is risk of chronic zinc toxicity caused by excessive consumption of zinc supplements. High intakes of zinc relative to copper can cause copper deficiency. A major challenge that has not been resolved for maximum health benefit is the proximity of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and the reference dose (RfD) for safe intake of zinc. Present recommendations do not consider the numerous dietary factors that influence the bioavailability of zinc and copper, and the likelihood of toxicity from zinc supplements. Thus the current assumed range between safe and unsafe intakes of zinc is relatively narrow. At present, assessment of zinc nutriture is complex, involving a number of chemical and functional measurements that have limitations in sensitivity and specificity. This approach needs to be enhanced so that zinc deficiency or excess can be detected early. An increasing number of associations between diseases and zinc status and apparently normal states of health, where additional zinc might be efficacious to prevent certain conditions, point at the pharmacology of zinc compounds as a promising area. For example, relationships between zinc and diabetes mellitus are an area where research might prove fruitful. In our opinion, a multidisciplinary approach will most likely result in success in this fertile area for translational research.
The ecology of intertidal algal crusts: variation within a functional group

Abstract Encrusting marine algae are found at all depths in the photic zone from polar to tropical seas worldwide, yet little is known about their ecology. Crusts (including red, brown, and green algae as well as lichens and Cyanobacteria) tend to predominate in areas of high disturbance (e.g. from herbivores or sand scour) or high stress ( = low potential productivity, e.g. high on the shore). Patterns of crust and herbivore distribution and abundance were quantified in the intertidal zone in Washington state, and then the two environmental parameters predicted to be critical to among-crust variation in survival were manipulated: disturbance potential by varying abundances of herbivores, or by eliminating herbivores and artificially disturbing crusts with nylon and steel brushes; productivity potential by transplanting crusts along an environmental gradient from the high to the low intertidal zone and onto a submerged raft. Within-functional-group variation among crusts was studied by transplanting eight species (varying in calcification, thickness, tightness of construction, and other characters), and measuring their survival and growth over 2–3 yr in the different environments. Crusts varied widely in their responses to both disturbance and productivity potential. In general, thick, calcified, or very tightly constructed crusts withstood being steel-brushed at regular intervals. Nylon brushing sometimes actually benefitted these crusts relative to the controls (unbrushed but cleaned monthly), probably because of the reduction in fouling. In contrast, thinner or more loosely-constructed species showed poor survival when steel-brushed and often suffered significant losses even when nylon-brushed. Most crusts tended to do best in habitats having higher productivity potential (lower intertidal zone), showing mortality or reduced growth when transplanted into more stressful areas, although two species were healthiest under “stressful” conditions, i.e. desiccated or submerged in high pools. Experiments in the laboratory with herbivores (littorinid snails, limpets, and a chiton) demonstrated that they did not always consume the species that are mechanically easiest to remove (as indicated by the steel brushing experiments). Three species were avoided, including a brown known to contain high concentrations of phenolics, a blue-green crust, and a lichen with a blue-green phycobiont. All crusts grew very slowly, even in their optimal habitats; the fastest species grew laterally at Ralfsia pacifica Hollenberg) that senesces after several years and sloughs away; (2) a fast-growing but rarely-recruiting red (“Petrocelis”) that lives for decades; and (3) a very slow-growing and rarely-recruiting red [ Hildenbrandia rubra (Sommerfelt) Meneghini] that persists even when overgrown, and regenerates following disturbance. These diverse morphologies and life history strategies help make this morphology an ecological success.
Evidence for a Membrane Lipid Defect in Alzheimer Disease

We have previously shown that cells normally maintain their lipid metabolic pools at a critical composition, appropriate for spontaneous assembly of a stable membrane bilayer at their physiological temperature. When disease affects membrane lipids such that the new composition will only form a stable bilayer at a critical temperature (T*), which differs from the physiological value, membrane destabilization and hence cellular damage will necessarily ensue. We have previously tested this pathogenetic mechanism in metachromatic leukodystrophy, a disorder with a known primary lipid metabolic defect. In the present study, we found T* for cerebral cortex lipids from three Alzheimer disease (AD) patients ranged between 19 and 28 degrees C, independent of membrane protein composition. Control cortex lipids yielded a normal value for T* of 37 degrees C. Thus, one possible mechanism for neurodegeneration in AD is membrane destabilization secondary to a lipid compositional aberration, which shifts T* away from 37 degrees C. This lipid defect is brain region-specific as cerebellar lipids from the AD patients gave a normal value for T*. Studies aimed at delineating the nature of the biochemical anomaly are in progress.
Misexpression of the Emx-related homeobox genes cVax and mVax2 ventralizes the retina and perturbs the retinotectal map.

Abstract The mechanisms that establish the dorsal–ventral (D–V) axis of the eye are poorly understood. We isolated two homeobox genes from mouse and chicken, mVax2 and cVax , whose expression during early eye development is restricted to the ventral retina. In chick, ectopic expression of either Vax leads to ventralization of the early retina, as assayed by expression of the transcription factors Pax2 and Tbx5, and the Eph family members EphB2, EphB3, ephrinB1, and ephrinB2, all of which are normally dorsally or ventrally restricted. Moreover, the projections of dorsal but not ventral ganglion cell axons onto the optic tectum showed profound targeting errors following cVax misexpression. mVax2/cVax thus specify positional identity along the D–V axis of the retina and influence retinotectal mapping.
The human herpes virus 8 encoded viral FLICE inhibitory protein protects against growth factor withdrawal-induced apoptosis via NF-κB activation

The human herpes virus 8 (HHV8)–encoded viral FLICE (Fas-associating protein with death domain–like interleukin-1–converting enzyme) inhibitory protein (vFLIP) is believed to protect cells against death receptor–mediated apoptosis. In the present study we demonstrate that expression of HHV8 vFLIP in a growth factor–dependent TF-1 leukemia cell line protects against growth factor withdrawal–induced apoptosis. Unlike vector-expressing cells, those expressing HHV8 vFLIP maintain their mitochondrial membrane potential upon withdrawal from growth factor and also exhibit a block in the activation of caspases. The protective effect of HHV8 vFLIP is associated with its ability to activate the nuclear factor–κ B (NF-κB) pathway and is missing in the vFLIP encoded by equine herpes virus 2 that lacks this activity. Inhibition of the NF-κB pathway by IκB superrepressor, lactacystin, MG132, arsenic trioxide, and phenylarsine oxide reverse the protection against growth factor withdrawal–induced apoptosis conferred by HHV8 vFLIP. HHV8 vFLIP up-regulates the expression of Bcl-xL, an antiapoptotic member of the Bcl2 family, which is a known target of the NF-κB pathway. Collectively, the above results suggest that HHV8 vFLIP–induced NF-κB activation may contribute to cellular transformation seen in association with HHV8 infection by preventing the apoptosis of cells destined to die because of growth factor deprivation.
Killing infants and the aged in nonindustrial societies: Removing the liminal

Abstract In nonindustrial societies defective babies and decrepit old people are killed occasionally as an adaptive response to short term changes in environmental and economic conditions. This is not murder. Analysis of the Human Relations Area Files demonstrates that such individuals are viewed as liminal, in ritual transition, and as nonhuman outsiders. They then may be killed justifiably. In other words, under certain circumstances, newborns and old people (and perhaps others) are defined through ritual process as not complete social persons and are killed.
A qualitative study exploring the reason for low dosage of methadone prescribed in the MMT clinics in China

Abstract Objectives Dosage of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) is an important factor influencing retention in methadone treatment. MMT clients in China received lower dosages of methadone compared with those provided in other countries. The objective of this study is to elucidate the reason for the low methadone dosage prescribed in MMT clinics in China. Methods Twenty-eight service providers were recruited from the MMT clinics in Zhejiang and Jiangxi Provinces, China. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted to ascertain the procedure for prescribing methadone in the MMT clinics. Results The average dosage prescribed in the 28 clinics was 35 mg/person/day. Four major themes resulting in low dosage of methadone were identified: (1) the service providers fear the liability resulting from large doses of methadone in combination with other substances which might result in overdose fatalities, (2) lack of understanding of harm reduction which resulted in low acceptance of the long term maintenance treatment approach, (3) break-down in communication between clients and service providers about dosage adjustment, and (4) dosage reduction is perceived by most service providers as an effective way to treat the side-effects associated with MMT. Conclusions The findings of the study highlighted the necessity to formulate clear guidelines concerning individualized dosage management and to improve training among service providers’ in MMT clinics in China.
Cu2ZnSnS4−Au Heterostructures: Toward Greener Chalcogenide- Based Photocatalysts

Chalcogenide-based semiconductor–metal heterostructures are interesting catalysts for solar-to-chemical energy conversion, but current compositions are impractical due to the relative toxicity and/or scarcity of their constituent elements. To address these concerns, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) emerged as an interesting alternative to other chalcogenide-based semiconductors; however, the fabrication of CZTS-metal heterostructures remains unexplored. In this paper, we systematically explore four methods of synthesizing CZTS-Au heterostructures, specifically: reaction of CZTS nanorods with either a soluble molecular gold precursor (AuCl3) or preformed gold (Au) nanoparticles, each under thermal (heating in the dark) or photochemical reaction conditions (350 nm lamp illumination at room temperature). We find that using AuCl3 under thermal deposition conditions results in the most well-defined CZTS-Au heterostructures, containing >99% surface-bound 2.1 ± 0.5 nm Au islands along the whole length of the nanorod. These CZTS...
The Free Fall of Atoms and the Measurement of the Velocity Distribution in a Molecular Beam of Cesium Atoms

The free fall of atoms is observed in long molecular beams of potassium and cesium atoms. The measurement of the intensity distribution in a beam deflected by gravity represents the velocity distribution of the beam atoms and permits an accurate determination of this distribution. The results show that the measured values agree in general with those calculated for a modified Maxwellian velocity distribution in the beam. At larger deflections, i.e., for slow atoms, a deficiency of intensity was observed, which increased both with increasing deflection and with increasing pressure in the oven where the beam originates. This deficiency is explained by collisions in the immediate vicinity of the oven slit.
STRENGTH OF THE HERING BREUER REFLEX IN THE FIRST WEEK OF LIFE IN PREMATURE AND FULL TERM INFANTS

STRENGTH OF THE HERING BREUER REFLEX IN THE FIRST WEEK OF LIFE IN PREMATURE AND FULL TERM INFANTS
Application of feedforward dynamics compensation in ionic-polymer metal composite actuators

Ionic-polymer metal composites are innovative materials that offer combined sensing and actuating ability in lightweight and flexible package. As such, they have been exploited in robotics and a wide variety of biomedical devices, for example, as fins for propelling aquatic robots and as an injector for drug delivery. One of the main challenges of IPMC-based actuators is precision control of their movements, especially at high operating speed (frequency) because of dynamic effects. As the frequency increases, the dynamics cause vibration which leads to significant tracking error. A model-based feedforward controller is applied to control the position of a custom-made Nafion-based IPMC actuator. The feedforward controller was designed to account for the linear dynamics, and the feedforward input was computed by considering the magnitude of the input signal and the tracking precision. To account for unmodeled effects not captured by the linear model, a feedback controller was integrated with the feedforward controller. The feedback controller provides robustness. Experimental results show a significant improvement in the tracking performance using feedforward control. In particular, the feedforward controller resulted in over 75% improvement in the tracking error compared to the case without dynamic compensation. Then by adding a proportional-integral feedback controller, the tracking error was less than 10% at 18 Hz scan frequency.
On the phylogeny of asymmetry and spatial discrimination.

Abstract We define and develop the fundamental experimental conditions required for an organism to demonstrate the capacity for spatial discrimination. It is then shown that concomitant with evolutionary progression in organisms, there is a corresponding increase in the dimensions of functional asymmetry, and in the quantity and dimensionality of spatial discrimination. It is also shown that the mismatch in asymmetry between the human body form and functional mechanism, and a demonstrated weakness in left-right discrimination, implies that the human organism is in transition between archetypal stages of phylogeny. Implications for the phenomena of mirror-image reversal and left-right confusion are discussed. It is further argued that the development of functional asymmetry is an inherent principle of evolution.
RNA SHAPE analysis in living cells

RNA structure has important roles in practically every facet of gene regulation, but the paucity of in vivo structural probes limits current understanding. Here we design, synthesize and demonstrate two new chemical probes that enable selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) in living cells. RNA structures in human, mouse, fly, yeast and bacterial cells are read out at single-nucleotide resolution, revealing tertiary contacts and RNA-protein interactions.
Normal rate of 3H norepinephrine uptake by isolated iris of rabbits injected with reserpine and pargyline.

The rapid uptake of3HNE exhibitedin vitro by rabbit irises depends on the presence of sympathetic nerves and the NE concentration in the incubation medium. Pretreatment of the animals with reserpine and pargyline fails to inhibit the efficiency of this neuronal uptake process, thus confirming previous reports in the literature that the depletion of neuronal NE elicited by reserpine is not the result of the blockade of the uptake of NE by sympathetic neurons.
Leukemia in Hawaii.

An epidermiologic study on Leukemia in Hawaii was carried out for the period 1944–67. Leukemia in Hawaii appeared to be nearly as prevalent as on the mainland USA. The age and sex distribution, classification of chronicity, and age distribution by morphologic type are similar to leukemia reported elsewhere. The Japanese in Hawaii show high age specific rates for leukemia in the older age group. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia appeared to be uncommon among the Chinese and Japanese. The incidence of leukemia appeared to beincreasing in Hawaii. Migrants to Hawaii of Japanese, Chinese, and Filipinoethnic origins appear to have higher rates of leukemia than the incidence observed in their home countries. Higher leukemia rates were found for urban than for rural areas in Hawaii.
Structural Complexity of a Composite Amyloid Fibril

The molecular structure of amyloid fibrils and the mechanism of their formation are of substantial medical and biological importance, but present an ongoing experimental and computational challenge. An early high-resolution view of amyloid-like structure was obtained on amyloid-like crystals of a small fragment of the yeast prion protein Sup35p: the peptide GNNQQNY. As GNNQQNY also forms amyloid-like fibrils under similar conditions, it has been theorized that the crystal's structural features are shared by the fibrils. Here we apply magic-angle-spinning (MAS) NMR to examine the structure and dynamics of these fibrils. Previously multiple NMR signals were observed for such samples, seemingly consistent with the presence of polymorphic fibrils. Here we demonstrate that peptides with these three distinct conformations instead assemble together into composite protofilaments. Electron microscopy (EM) of the ribbon-like fibrils indicates that these protofilaments combine in differing ways to form striations of variable widths, presenting another level of structural complexity. Structural and dynamic NMR data reveal the presence of highly restricted side-chain conformations involved in interfaces between differently structured peptides, likely comprising interdigitated steric zippers. We outline molecular interfaces that are consistent with the observed EM and NMR data. The rigid and uniform structure of the GNNQQNY crystals is found to contrast distinctly with the more complex structural and dynamic nature of these "composite" amyloid fibrils. These results provide insight into the fibril-crystal distinction and also indicate a necessary caution with respect to the extrapolation of crystal structures to the study of fibril structure and formation.
Abolition of visual cortical direction selectivity affects visual behavior in cats

We reared cats in an environment illuminated stroboscopically at 8 Hz, and studied their ability to detect and discriminate the direction of motion of sinusoidal gratings. Normal cats, like humans, could discriminate the direction of a grating's motion at contrasts that are just barely visible. Strobe-reared cats could detect the grating at contrasts similar to those required by normal cats, but required contrasts that were about 10 times threshold to identify the direction of motion. We subsequently studied the activity of single units in the striate cortex in these cats, and found that directional motion selectivity — normally a prominant feature of striate cortical neurons — was almost absent; other cortical receptive field properties were roughly normal. These results suggest that directionally selective neurons are involved in visual discriminations based on the direction of motion.
Structure and mechanical properties of silica aerogels and xerogels modeled by molecular dynamics simulation

Abstract In this article a study of the structural and mechanical properties of porous silica is presented. The procedure to prepare the samples consists in expanding single crystals of β-cristobalite to reach the desired density followed by a thermal treatment. The resulting porous structures have densities in the range from 0.23 to 2.2 g/cm3. The structure of the samples is studied by obtaining the fractal dimension using two different methods, one based on the pair distribution function and the other one based on the simulation of a scattering experiment. The values of the fractal dimension were found to be in good agreement with previously published data from experiments and comparable computer simulations. The mechanical properties, namely elastic modulus and strength, are studied through the simulation of a tension test. The elastic modulus and the strength relate to density by a power law characterized by exponents of 3.11 ± 0.21 and 2.53 ± 0.15 respectively. A comparison of that data to previously published data is included. The results proved that the direct expansion, coupled with thermal processing of the sample, leads to systems suitable to investigate the structure and the mechanical properties of silica aerogels.
Science Signaling Podcast: 26 June 2012

This Podcast features an interview with Vassiliki Boussiotis, senior author of a Research Article published in the 26 June 2012 issue of Science Signaling . Boussiotis discusses her group’s investigation of a molecular mechanism by which autoreactive T cells are suppressed in the periphery. Most autoreactive T cells are eliminated by mechanisms of central tolerance in the bone marrow or thymus before they enter the circulation. Autoreactive T cells that escape central tolerance are suppressed or eliminated by mechanisms of peripheral tolerance. Boussiotis’s group has described a molecular chain of events downstream of the receptor programmed death-1 (PD-1) that inhibit proliferation of autoreactive T cells.
Globalization, Geography, and the Liberation of Overseas Study

Abstract Overseas study is an unparalleled method of promoting cross-cultural understanding, an appreciation of difference, and a relational sense of identity. However, U.S. colleges and universities increasingly employ the myth of strong globalization, which purportedly makes the world more uniform, integrated, and interdependent, in order to justify overseas study as a core component of broader internationalization strategies. Notwithstanding the rhetoric of cross-cultural learning, many key players within the enterprise of study abroad fail to recognize the dissonance between the dogma of strong globalization and the practice of overseas study. This article explores the problematic, contradictory discourses of overseas study, and argues that geography is strategically positioned within academia to emerge as a major driving force of a progressive study-abroad initiative.
The effect of oxygen on void stability in ion-irradiated steel

The effect of oxygen on void stability in an Fe-17Ni-13Cr austenitic ternary alloy has been investigated using 15 MeV nickel-ion irradiation at elevated temperatures and preimplantation of 6 MeV oxygen at room temperature. The nickel irradiation was performed over a temperature range of 550 °C to 650 °C. Utilizing transverse specimen preparation techniques, the irradiated steel was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As little as 10 appm preimplanted oxygen caused a significant increase in the void number density when the steel was irradiated at 550 °C. A near-surface void-denuded zone occurs in the irradiated steel, while a region depleted of visible voids also occurs in the steel injected with 300 appm oxygen or greater and irradiated at 550 °C.
Comptonization Signatures in the Rapid Aperiodic Variability of Galactic Black Hole Candidates

We investigate the effect of Compton scattering of flares of soft radiation in different geometries of a hot, Comptonizing region and a colder accretion disk around a solar mass black hole. The photon energy-dependent light curves, their Fourier transforms, power spectra, and Fourier period-dependent time lags of hard photons with respect to softer photons are discussed. On the basis of a comparison with existing data we find arguments against Comptonization of external soft radiation as well as Comptonization in a homogeneous medium as dominant mechanisms for the rapid aperiodic variability in Galactic black hole candidates. Possible further observational tests for the influence of Comptonization on the rapid aperiodic variability of Galactic black hole candidates are suggested.