cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Close Encounters of the Tertiary Kind

Elucidating the function of tumor-infiltrating regulatory T (Treg) cells has been difficult. In this issue of Immunity, Joshi et al. (2015) demonstrate that Treg cells associated with murine lung cancers are found within tertiary lymphoid structures and actively restrain effector T cells at the tumor site.
The Impact of Male Labour Migration on Women in Botswana

Thus the argument of mutual dependence fails to perceive the reality of different levels of dependence. Both women and men depend on labour migration for survival. Yet most women in turn depend on men who are the primary income earners. The ties of support and cooperation between men and women and within families have weakened. Some women raise their children without help from the childrens fathers. Assistance within families has declined. As capitalism penetrated Botswana the whole society became distorted by and dependent on migrant labour. Migration became a necessity to insure the economic survival of the family even while it undermined the family. Consequently both womens and mens lives became structured by migrancy patterns. However what the mutual dependence view ignores is the fact that family ties and economic relationships have been so profoundly altered that it is no longer possible simply to consider the women and the migrant men as a unit. Womens relationship to migrant labour is largely mediated through men and womens social and economic position has become less secure and more isolated as their ties to these men have become more tenuous. (excerpt)
Ink4a-Arf Loss Cooperates with KRas Activation in Astrocytes and Neural Progenitors to Generate Glioblastomas of Various Morphologies Depending on Activated Akt

Deletion of the INK4a-ARF locus is found in the majority of human malignant gliomas. However, the role of INK4a-ARF loss in gliomagenesis is unclear. Animal modeling has shown that mice with targeted deletions in the Ink4a-Arf gene do not develop spontaneous gliomas. We have previously reported that combined KRas and Akt signaling could induce glioblastoma (GBM) formation from neural progenitor cells but had no effect in differentiated astrocytes. In this investigation, we have studied the effects of Ink4a-Arf loss on the formation of GBM induced by KRas and Akt gene transfer into neural progenitor cells and astrocytes. We show here that Ink4a-Arf deficiency allows for GBM formation from astrocytes and that it enhances tumor incidence in neural progenitor cells. Furthermore, KRas alone can cooperate with deletion of the Ink4a-Arf locus in tumor formation from both neural progenitor cells and astrocytes. The resulting tumors were nestin positive and resembled a spectrum of glioma morphologies ranging in astrocytic character depending on cell-of-origin and presence of activated Akt. Our data strongly supports the view that one role of loss of Ink4a-Arf in gliomagenesis could be to sensitize astrocytes to transformation through dedifferentiation in response to the appropriate oncogenic stimuli.
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Kinase Signaling Visualized by Targeted Reporters

The advent of genetically encoded FRET-based kinase activity reporters has ushered in a new era of signal transduction research. Such reporters allow the direct monitoring of kinase activity in live cells at specific locations, providing unprecedented information on the spatiotemporal dynamics of kinase signaling. Specifically, FRET-sensitive conformational changes in the reporters following phosphorylation serve as a direct readout of kinase activity. These genetically encoded reporters allow not only temporal resolution of kinase activity, but also spatial resolution: by fusing appropriate targeting sequences, reporters can be positioned at specific subcellular locations. Herein we present a strategy to generate and target kinase activity reporters to discrete intracellular regions to measure kinase signaling in live cells.
Psychologic effects of automated external defibrillator training: a randomized trial.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to test whether an automated external defibrillator (AED) training program would positively affect the mental health of family members of high-risk patients. Methods A total of 305 patients with ischemic heart disease and their family members were randomized to 1 of 4 AED training programs: 2 video-based training programs and 2 face-to-face training programs that emphasized self-efficacy and perceived control. Patients and family members were surveyed at baseline and 3 and 9 months postischemic event on demographic characteristics, measures of quality of life (Short Form-36), self-efficacy, and perceived control. For this study, family members were the focus rather than the patients. Results Regression analyses showed that family members in the face-to-face training programs did not score better on any of the mental health status variables than family members who participated in the other training programs except for an increase in self-efficacy beliefs at 3 months after training. Conclusion The findings suggest that a specifically designed AED training program emphasizing self-efficacy and perceived control beliefs is not likely to enhance family member mental health.
Time-resolved fluorescence studies on site-directed mutants of human serum albumin

Human serum albumin (HSA) contains a single tryptophan residue at position 214. The emission properties of tryptophan 214 from recombinant albumins, namely, normal HSA, FDH-HSA and a methionine 218 HSA were examined. In all cases, the excited state lifetimes were best described by a two component model consisting mainly of a Lorentzian distribution. The centers of these distributions were 5.60 ns for HSA, 4.23 ns for FDH-HSA, and 6.08 ns for Met-218 HSA. The global rotational correlation times of the three HSAs were near 41 ns while the amplitude and rate of the local motion varied. These changes in the lifetimes and mobilities suggest perturbation in the local protein environment near tryptophan 214 as a consequence of the amino acid substitutions.
A formal approach to program inversion

In this paper, we introduce a formal approach to inverting programs, which is developed in [2]. We demonstrate its usefulness in programming by applying it to develop an in-place algorithm for the so-called LU-multiplication, which might be otherwise hard to find.
Improved optical local-oscillator isolation using multiple acousto-optic modulators and frequency diversity.

A technique is described and experimental evidence presented for obtaining ultrahigh isolation between the optical local oscillator and the transmitter in heterodyne systems. A degree of isolation that results in an equivalent fedback optical signal that is more than 200 dB below the transmitted power level has been achieved.
Reduced mortality in small premature infants treated at birth with a single dose of synthetic surfactant

A randomized controlled trial of Exosurf Neonatal, a synthetic exogenous surfactant, was performed. Exosurf was given to premature infants weighing 700-1350 g, by instillation down the endotracheal tube during mechanical ventilation, within 1 h of birth. Control infants were treated with air. Dose administration was performed in secrecy by clinicians who maintained the blind for 2 years. A total of 109 infants received air and 109 received Exosurf; 19 infants with congenital pneumonia or major malformations were excluded from the primary efficacy analysis. By the age of 28 days there were 14 deaths in the air group and 4 deaths in the Exosurf group, a 69% reduction with Exosurf (P = 0.020). Survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia at the age of 28 days was significantly improved by 15% (P = 0.050). By the age of 1 year post-term there were 19 deaths in the air group and 10 deaths in the Exosurf group, a 42% reduction with Exosurf (P = 0.104). There were no significant changes in the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, pulmonary air leaks, intraventricular haemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus, necrotizing enterocolitis or infection. The reduction in mortality indicates important results in high risk premature infants treated soon after birth with a single dose of Exosurf.
Atomic and Electronic Structures of Molecular Crystalline Cellulose Iβ: A First-Principles Investigation

A theoretical model based on the competition between hydrogen-bonding energy and strain energy was constructed to explain the size of native cellulose Iβ. The cellodextrins in native crystalline cellulose Iα and Iβ are unusually stable compared to other polysaccharides, not easily prone to hydrolysis even though they are only nanometers in diameter. The stability of crystalline cellulose Iβ is most likely due to its greatly enhanced hydrogen-bonding (HB) network. We carried out ab initio calculations to determine the native crystalline cellulose Iβ atomic and conformational structures. For crystalline cellulose, we found that every hydroxyl group in the cellulose structure is hydrogen bonded as both a donor and an acceptor. This agrees well with published X-ray and neutron diffraction data. We also determined the electronic structures and the energetics for one cellodextrin chain, one to four sheets of cellodextrins in cellulose, and the bulk cellulose Iβ.
Lattice-Boltzmann accuracy in pore-scale flow simulation

We investigate the possibility of using nominally second-order-accurate techniques for resolving flow about solid boundaries as a means of improving accuracy and reducing grid resolution requirements in pore-scale simulations. An LBGK method is used to calculate flow in several geometries of increasing complexity, using a first-order accurate and two nominally second-order-accurate methods for no-slip boundaries. The geometries include uniform flow past an isolated sphere, quadratic flow past a sphere near a wall, flow through a BCC array of spheres, and through a randomly packed bed of spheres. The packed bed flows are also used to compare hydrodynamic dispersion results. The results confirm second-order-accurate behavior where Navier-Stokes flows are clearly developed. However 3D pore-scale simulations involve a trade-off between resolution of the flow and the number of pore spaces, and there is a resolution threshold, below which certain flow features, such as recirculation, are not resolved. We conjecture that most simulations will tend to operate near this threshold because of the competing demands for resolution and statistical accuracy. We consider local flow features and the velocity distribution, in addition to hydraulic permeability and drag, to provide a fuller understanding of accuracy near this threshold.
Interface effects on digital library credibility judgments

In digital library search engines, "no results found" is a misleading phrase because it masquerades as a definitive answer; in reality, the collection being searched may in fact contain content that matches a user's query. This research examines the effect of null result sets on search behavior and on the perception of contents in digital libraries. In particular, this research supports the hypothesis that interface and design flaws have an effect on the perceived authority and credibility (here defined in terms of being authentic, factual, trustworthy, scholarly, and accurate) of the information being communicated by the interface in question. In short, interface design and the "form" of information (or, alternatively, the messenger) can negatively impact the perception of the quality of the "content" of information (the message).
Direct reconstruction of cardiac PET kinetic parametric images using a preconditioned conjugate gradient approach.

Purpose: Our research goal is to develop an algorithm to reconstruct cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) kinetic parametric images directly from sinograms and compare its performance with the conventional indirect approach. Methods: Time activity curves of a NCAT phantom were computed according to a one-tissue compartmental kinetic model with realistic kinetic parameters. The sinograms at each time frame were simulated using the activity distribution for the time frame. The authors reconstructed the parametric images directly from the sinograms by optimizing a cost function, which included the Poisson log-likelihood and a spatial regularization terms, using the preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) algorithm with the proposed preconditioner. The proposed preconditioner is a diagonal matrix whose diagonal entries are the ratio of the parameter and the sensitivity of the radioactivity associated with parameter. The authors compared the reconstructed parametric images using the direct approach with those reconstructed using the conventional indirect approach. Results: At the same bias, the direct approach yielded significant relative reduction in standard deviation by 12%–29% and 32%–70% for 50 × 106 and 10 × 106 detected coincidences counts, respectively. Also, the PCG method effectively reached a constant value after only 10 iterations (with numerical convergence achieved after 40–50 iterations), while more than 500 iterations were needed for CG. Conclusions: The authors have developed a novel approach based on the PCG algorithm to directly reconstruct cardiac PET parametric images from sinograms, and yield better estimation of kinetic parameters than the conventional indirect approach, i.e., curve fitting of reconstructed images. The PCG method increases the convergence rate of reconstruction significantly as compared to the conventional CG method.
Denervation supersensitivity to serotonin in the facial nucleus.

Abstract The present investigation was designed to determine whether denervation supersensitivity to serotonin could be produced in the facial nucleus of the rat. The mechanism for the development of this phenomenon was also explored. Serotonergic denervation was accomplished chemically by injection of 200μg of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine into the lateral ventricle. The response of facial motoneurons to microiontophoretic application of 5-HT, 5-methoxydimethyltryptamine and norepinephrine was determined by extracellular unit recording. There was a marked increase in the sensitivity to serotonin 1 day following lesions. Histochemical fluorescence indicated that serotonin-containing terminals were destroyed at this time. In contrast, supersensitivity to 5-methoxydimethyltryptamine took 7 days to develop following lesions. The serotonin uptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, potentiated the response of motoneurons to serotonin in control animals but not in lesioned rats. The supersensitivity to serotonin and 5-methoxydimethyltryptamine was attenuated in animals 14 days after the lesions. The diminution of the effect of serotonin and 5-methoxydimethyltryptamine was temporally correlated with regeneration of serotonin-containing fibers and terminals in the facial nucleus. The functional importance of the serotonin input to the facial nucleus and possible pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms involved in the development of supersensitivity to serotonin are discussed.
Nitrogen fixation by marine cyanobacteria

Discrepancies between estimates of oceanic N2 fixation and nitrogen (N) losses through denitrification have focused research on identifying N2-fixing cyanobacteria and quantifying cyanobacterial N2 fixation. Previously unrecognized cultivated and uncultivated unicellular cyanobacteria have been discovered that are widely distributed, and some have very unusual properties. Uncultivated unicellular N2-fixing cyanobacteria (UCYN-A) lack major metabolic pathways including the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxygen-evolving photosystem II. Genomes of the oceanic N2-fixing cyanobacteria are highly conserved at the DNA level, and genetic diversity is maintained by genome rearrangements. The major cyanobacterial groups have different physiological and ecological constraints that result in highly variable geographic distributions, with implications for the marine N-cycle budget.
Human myosin III is a motor having an extremely high affinity for actin

Myosin IIIA is expressed in photoreceptor cells and thought to play a critical role in phototransduction processes, yet its function on a molecular basis is largely unknown. Here we clarified the kinetic mechanism of the ATPase cycle of human myosin IIIA. The steady-state ATPase activity was markedly activated approximately 10-fold with very low actin concentration. The rate of ADP off from actomyosin IIIA was 10 times greater than the overall cycling rate, thus not a rate-determining step. The rate constant of the ATP hydrolysis step of the actin-dissociated form was very slow, but the rate was markedly accelerated by actin binding. The dissociation constant of the ATP-bound form of myosin IIIA from actin is submicromolar, which agrees well with the low K(actin). These results indicate that ATP hydrolysis predominantly takes place in the actin-bound form for actomyosin IIIA ATPase reaction. The obtained K(actin) was much lower than the previously reported one, and we found that the autophosphorylation of myosin IIIA dramatically increased the K(actin), whereas the V(max) was unchanged. Our kinetic model indicates that both the actin-attached hydrolysis and the P(i) release steps determine the overall cycle rate of the dephosphorylated form. Although the stable steady-state intermediates of actomyosin IIIA ATPase reaction are not typical strong actin-binding intermediates, the affinity of the stable intermediates for actin is much higher than conventional weak actin binding forms. The present results suggest that myosin IIIA can spend a majority of its ATP hydrolysis cycling time on actin.
Identification of two amino acid residues in the ϵ subunit that promote mammalian muscle acetylcholine receptor assembly in COS cells

Abstract We have used a species difference in s subunits of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) to investigate regions of the subunit protein that are important in receptor assembly. Upon transient transfection of COS cells, mouse ϵ subunit cDNA is approximately 10 times more effective than that of the rat in supporting expression of surface AChRs when the other subunits are from either mouse or rat. In cells transfected with only α and ϵ subunit cDNAs, the formation of an αϵ heterodimer, a presumed assembly intermediate, is also less efficient with rat than with mouse ϵ subunit. By site-directed mutagenesis, we have found that these differences can be accounted for by 2 amino acid differences in the N-terminal domain at positions 106 and 115 of the rat and mouse ϵ subunits, suggesting that the region near these 2 amino acid residues is important for AChR assembly.
Acoustic and aerodynamic effects of rotor pitch angle for a variable-pitch, 6-foot diameter fan stage

An externally driven, 1.2 pressure ratio full-scale fan stage with an adjustable pitch rotor was tested in an outdoor facility at the Lewis Research Center. Rotor pitch angles resulting in minimum sideline perceived noise levels are defined as a function of stage thrust. Thrust-corrected fan noise variations are examined for operation at constant thrust, rotor tip speed, and stage work coefficient. At constant stage thrust, reducing the rotor pitch angle below design values increased the fan noise with the greatest change occurring in the blade passing tone level. At constant fan speed the minimum noise occurred at a particular rotor pitch angle, which was not the minimum thrust condition. With constant stage work coefficient, rear quadrant noise increased at above-design speed conditions.
Crossover scaling function for exchange anisotropy: Heisenberg to XY -like crossover

The crossover behavior of the susceptibility ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\mathrm{xx}}$ of the classical Heisenberg model with $\mathrm{XY}$ -like anisotropic exchange coupling is studied following the methods of Pfeuty, Jasnow, and Fisher. The universal scaling function is obtained and, from it, the crossover of the effective susceptibility exponent ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ is found.
Genotypic and Phenotypic Evidence of Clonal Interactions in Murine Tumor Cells

The stability of mixed tumor cell populations has been described in terms of phenotypic characteristics such as metastatic potential, immunogenicity, and drug resistance. We have extended these analyses to the molecular level in a model that uses transfection of the hemagglutinin antigen (HA) gene of influenza virus into murine CT-26 colorectal carcinoma cells. Transfection was followed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to select a parent population with expression of high levels of HA. We characterized this population (FACS-3) and four derived clones (5, 6, 9, and 18) over time with regard to phenotypic characteristics: immunogenicity and cross-protection against tumor challenge, cell surface expression of HA, evidence of HA gene amplification, and levels of HA mRNA. During 6 months in culture, the FACS-3 parent cells remained stable, but the individual clones varied for all of the parameters assessed. Among the clones, all possible molecular variations occurred, including changes in HA gene copy number (increased in clone 5 and decreased in clone 18), gene rearrangement (clone 5), decrease in HA mRNA (clones 6, 9, and 18), increase in HA mRNA (clone 5), and an abnormality in translational control or a posttranslational error. In all cases, the molecular changes correlated with cell surface HA expression, immunogenicity, and cross-protective potential. We conclude that in vitro clonal interactions play a role in stabilizing heterogeneity in this system. These studies show that even in the absence of selection, clonal interactions may alter the phenotype of tumors by increasing malignant progression or impeding tumor growth.
Is it necessary to resect bone for low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the palate?

Abstract Minor intraoral tumours of the salivary glands are relatively uncommon. Most are histologically low grade and display no aggressive clinical features such as bony invasion or regional metastases. The aim of this study was to investigate retrospectively a bone-sparing approach to resection of low grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the hard palate in 18 patients. Only one had radiographic evidence of bony invasion and was treated by composite resection of the hard palate. Sixteen patients were treated by wide local excision with 1 cm margins of soft tissue using the periosteum of the hard palate as the deep margin. The mean (SD) follow-up time was 44 months, (range 2–140). Among patients who had only soft tissue resection the histological margins were clear in 11 patients, and 5 had close or invaded margins that were all localised to the deep margin. There were no local recurrences during the follow-up period. We suggest that a bone-sparing approach to such tumours gives adequate local control, and composite resections should be reserved for tumours that have obviously invaded the hard palate.
Prototheca (achloric alga) in wastewater

In conjunction with the start-up of a secondary wastewater treatment facility, population levels ofPrototheca sp. were measured. Wastewater influent levels ofPrototheca sp. were 1 × 105 mL−1. Effluent levels were only slightly less than influent levels because effluent contained the breaking off film. The film along with the primary sediment retained the high levels ofPrototheca sp. throughout the 20 day anaerobic digestion, however growth was not thought to occur. Depending on the method of flocculation, dewatering and disposal, various levels ofPrototheca sp. were returned to the environment in the sludge and effluent. The dynamic change in thePrototheca sp. population levels in the maturing film was thought to reflect the preference for the higher BOD influent. This change was manifest during the fourth month after start-up, as well as when comparing the film at the start with that at the end of the secondary treatment train. Prototheca sp. are ubiquitous inhabitants of all stages of domestic and municipal wastewater from the primary plumbing through all stages of primary and secondary treatment plant processes.Prototheca sp. were isolated from surface water and potable water, but were thought to represent wastewater contamination. SincePrototheca sp. are pathogenic for human beings and animals, wastewater presents a potential threat, but reported infections are rare and risk is minimal.
A dynamic hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes–Large eddy simulation modeling framework

A dynamic framework for hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS)—large eddy simulation (LES) modeling is proposed, wherein the RANS-to-LES transition parameter is adjusted to maintain continuity in turbulence production. The model is applied for temporally developing plane channel flow at varying Reynolds numbers with different initial turbulence intensity and grid resolution. On sufficiently fine grids, dynamic hybrid RANS-LES model (DHRL) yields similar results to LES simulations. On coarse grids, DHRL activates RANS mode in the log layer, thus improving the mean flow predictions. The model framework addresses grid sensitivity issues observed in other hybrid RANS-LES approaches and may be used with any desired combination of LES and RANS basis models.
An analysis of the effects of independent audits on selected financial statement variables

Abstract Although audited financial statements are an integral part of the information set used by decision makers, usually the only evidence of an auditor's involvement with these statements is the auditor's report. As a result, critics of the accounting profession and the general public may not appreciate or understand the direct effects that audit-adjusting entries have on reported financial data. Moreover, very little research has been done in the area of audit-adjusting entries because of the confidential nature of audit working papers. This research study examined the recorded audit adjusting entries from 31 audits conducted by three Big Eight public- accounting firms. Financial variables and ratios such as net income, return on assets, return on equity, working capital, current ratio, and debt-to-equity ratio were adversely affected at a significant level by the recorded audit adjustments for the sample companies.
A GROUP TECHNIQUE FOR TESTING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HIV/AIDS

Considerable evidence suggests that students who engage in collaborative learning--participating in inquiry and discussion in small groups of peers--learn more than students who work in isolation (Rau and Heyl 1990; Sharan 1990; Slavin 1990.) As a strong believer in collaborative learning, I wanted to accustom the students to working in groups, beginning early in the semester. I hoped this arrangement would not only allow them to test and develop their ideas in an informal and relatively non-threatening environment but also give them a support group in which to work through the emotional issues that the course was likely to raise.
Midcycle increase of prolactin seen in normal women is absent in subjects with unexplained infertility

Abstract Objective: To compare the bioactive and immunoactive PRL in normal and unexplained infertility subjects. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University and The University of Michigan. Patient(s): Twelve normal, fertile women compared with 12 patients with unexplained infertility. Intervention(s): Serum samples were obtained across the menstrual cycle and for each subject, 5 pools were prepared by combining serum aliquots from the early follicular, late follicular, midcycle, and midluteal and late luteal phases of the cycle. Main Outcome Measure(s): Niobium lymphoma cell bioassay and an immunoradiometric assay were used to quantitate PRL. Result(s): A midcycle increase in PRL was seen in controls by both assays and these levels were greater compared with other cycle stages. Comparison of midcycle PRL between groups showed differences only between bioactive PRL (34.2 ± 8.3 versus 19.2 ± 3.4 ng/mL [conversion factor to SI unit, 1.001). The ratios between bioactive and immunoactive PRL were comparable. Significant correlation between bioactive and immunoactive PRL was seen for both control ( r = 0.616) and unexplained infertility ( r = 0.660) groups. Conclusion(s): The midcycle elevations of bioactive and immunoactive PRL seen in normal women were absent in women with unexplained infertility. This alteration in PRL dynamics may be a part of subtle differences in the reproductive hormone profile of women with unexplained infertility compared with their fertile counterparts.
Stability of Single and Tandem Junction A-Si:H Solar Cells Grown using the ECR Process

The authors report on the fabrication and stability tests of single junction a-Si:H, and tandem junction a-Si:H/A-Si:H solar cells using the ECR process under high hydrogen dilution (H-ECR process). They show that devices with high fill factors can be made using the H-ECR process. They also report on the stability studies of the solar cells under 1 and 2-sun illumination conditions. The solar cells show very little degradation even after 500 hours of illumination under 2 x sunlight illumination.
Mindfulness and Coping with Dysphoric Mood: Contrasts with Rumination and Distraction

Past research has shown that rumination exacerbates dysphoric mood whereas distraction attenuates it. This research examined whether the practice of mindfulness meditation could reduce dysphoric mood even more effectively than distraction. A dysphoric mood was induced in 139 female and 38 male participants who were then randomly assigned to a rumination, distraction, or meditation condition. As predicted, participants instructed to meditate reported significantly lower levels of negative mood than those in either of the two other conditions. Distraction was associated with a lessening of dysphoric mood when compared to rumination but was not as effective as mindfulness meditation. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Covalent binding of acetaldehyde selectively inhibits the catalytic activity of lysine-dependent enzymes.

Hepatic ethanol metabolism generates the reactive intermediate, acetaldehyde, whichbinds to proteins. The binding of acetaldehyde to purified enzymes was determined in order to ascertain whether such binding altered their catalytic functions. [14C]Acetaldehyde was incubated with alcohol dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase and RNase A, each at 37°C(pH 7.4). In some reactions, sodium cyanoborohydride was included for stabilization of Schiff bases, formed as a result of the reaction between acetaldehyde and the amino groups of the enzymes. Portions of each reaction mixture were removed for determination ofstable and total (stable plus borohydride-reducible) adducts. Alcohol dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase were not inhibited by adduct formation. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and RNase, the activities of which depend on a lysine residue at their catalytic sites, were inhibited in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The degree of inhibition directly correlated with total adduct formation. Phosphate, known to inhibit binding to the active site lysine of RNase, prevented the inhibition of catalytic activity caused by adduct formation. These findings indicate thatthe binding of acetaldehyde to lysine at the catalytic site can inhibit enzyme activity.
Application of remote sensing, an artificial neural network leaf area model, and a process-based simulation model to estimate carbon storage in Florida slash pine plantations

Carbon sequestration in forests is of great interest due to concerns about global climate change. Carbon storage rates depend on ecosystem fluxes (photosynthesis and ecosystem respiration), typically quantified as net ecosystem exchange (NEE). Methods to estimate forest NEE without intensive Site sampling are needed to accurately assess rates of carbon sequestration at stand-level and larger scales. We produced spatially-explicit estimates of NEE for 9770ha of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) plantations in North-Central Florida for a single year by coupling remote sensing-based estimates of leaf area index (LAI) with a process-based growth simulation model. LAI estimates produced from a neural-network modeling of ground plot and Landsat TM satellite data had a mean of 1.06 (range 0-3.93, including forest edges). Using the neural network LAI values as inputs, the slash pine simulation model (SPM2) estimates of NEE ranged from -5.52 to 11.06Mg•ha^(-1)-a^(-1) with a mean of 3.47Mg•ha^(-1)-a^(-1) Total carbon storage for the year was 33920t, or about 3.5 tons per hectare. Both estimated LAI and NEE were highly sensitive to fertilization.
Charge-transfer spectrum and its temperature dependence in La2CuO4.

The reflectivity and its temperature dependence in the neighborhood of the charge-transfer band is reported for carrier-free ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4}$. There is a sharp peak in the imaginary part of the dielectric function for light polarized parallel to the ${\mathrm{CuO}}_{2}$ layers. It is shown that the line shape as well as its temperature dependence is consistent with short-range electron-hole interaction in the final state of the charge-transfer excitation broadened by moderate coupling to optical phonons.
Water-Soluble Polymers. 81. Direct Synthesis of Hydrophilic Styrenic-Based Homopolymers and Block Copolymers in Aqueous Solution via RAFT

Homopolymers of sodium 4-styrenesulfonate have been synthesized directly in aqueous media by reversible addition−fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT). The resulting homopolymers have narrow molecular weight distributions, with polydispersity indices in the range 1.12−1.25, as determined by aqueous size exclusion chromatography. Using a dithioester-capped sodium 4-styrenesulfonate homopolymer as a macro chain transfer agent, a block copolymer with sodium 4-vinylbenzoate has been prepared in aqueous media. Additionally, a block copolymer of (ar-vinylbenzyl)trimethylammonium chloride with N,N-dimethylvinylbenzylamine has been synthesized, using the same methodology. We believe these represent the first examples of AB diblock copolymers prepared directly in aqueous media via the RAFT process. Both block copolymers are stimuli-responsive and undergo reversible pH-induced micellization in aqueous solution. Micelles with hydrodynamic diameters in the range 18−38 nm were observed by dynamic light sc...
Educate at Penn State: preparing beginning teachers with powerful digital tools

University based teacher education programs are slowly beginning to catch up to other professional programs that use modern digital tools to prepare students to enter professional fields. This discussion looks at how one teacher education program reached the conclusion that students and faculty would use notebook computers. Frequently referred to as one-to-one initiatives, there is ample evidence that Penn State College of Education’s program is not another false summit in the pursuit to have technology transform teaching and learning.
Fat, fish oil and the cancer anorexia/weight loss syndrome: lessons learned from recent studies with eicosapentaenoic acid

The cancer anorexia/weight loss syndrome is a major source of distress for patients with advanced, refractory cancer. This syndrome is associated with an early demise and a decline in quality of life. Initial laboratory and clinical phase II data suggest that eicosapentaenoic acid supplements may mitigate some aspects of this syndrome. However, recent phase III data are less promising. This review discusses several of these studies and points out some of the pitfalls encountered in clinical trials that focus on the cancer anorexia/weight loss syndrome.
Amphetamine with experience promotes recovery of locomotor function after unilateral frontal cortex injury in the cat

In cats, a single dose of D-amphetamine (AMP) given at 10 days after unilateral frontal cortex ablation produced an immediate and enduring (60 day) acceleration of beam-walking ability compared to saline control animals. Four doses of AMP at 4-day intervals promoted recovery faster than a single dose of AMP. Subjects with no beam-walking experience while under AMP intoxication were not different from saline controls after two doses of AMP. However, after 4 doses these cats recovered significantly faster than saline controls and were comparable to animals that received AMP and experience under the drug.
The economics of yield-driven processes

Abstract The economic performance of many modern production processes is substantially influenced by process yields. Their first effect is on product cost — in some cases, low-yields can cause costs to double or worse. Yet measuring only costs can substantially underestimate the importance of yield improvement. We show that yields are especially important in periods of constrained capacity, such as new product ramp-up. Our analysis is illustrated with numerical examples taken from hard disk drive manufacturing. A three percentage point increase in yields can be worth about 6% of gross revenue and 17% of contribution. In fact, an eight percentage point improvement in process yields can outweigh a US$20/h increase in direct labor wages. Therefore, yields, in addition to or instead of labor costs, should be a focus of attention when making decisions such as new factory siting and type of automation. The paper also provides rules for when to rework, and shows that cost minimization logic can again give wrong answers.
Early larval development and metamorphosis in the summer flounder : changes in per cent whole-body water content and effects of altered thyroid status

At the end of premetamorphosis, summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus larvae had 84·1% whole-body water content (WBW), which decreased to the lowest levels (8·5%) at the start of metamorphic climax (MC). During mid- and late MC, %WBW was slightly higher (82·1%) then returned to the lowest levels at the juvenile stage. In fish treated with thyroxine (T4-Na salt, 100 ng ml−1) beginning at premetamophosis, %WBW never differed from controls of the same age throughout metamorphosis, despite an earlier start of metamorphic climax and transitional settling behaviour. This suggests that thyroid hormones do not mediate the drop in %WBW which accompanies natural metamorphosis. Thiourea (TU, 30 μg ml−1) treatment of fish over the same period induced a developmental stasis in early MC which was accompanied by initially higher %WBW than controls at 33 days post-hatch, followed by a progressive decrease to abnormally low %WBW by 42 and 45 days post-hatch. Since concurrent treatment with TU+T4 rescued the fish from both the TU-induced developmental stasis and abnormally low %WBW, these findings suggest that thyroid hormones, or thyroid hormone-mediated developmental progression, are necessary for regulating %WBW.
Monocyte recruitment during infection and inflammation

Monocytes originate from progenitors in the bone marrow and traffic via the bloodstream to peripheral tissues. During both homeostasis and inflammation, circulating monocytes leave the bloodstream and migrate into tissues where, following conditioning by local growth factors, pro-inflammatory cytokines and microbial products, they differentiate into macrophage or dendritic cell populations. Recruitment of monocytes is essential for effective control and clearance of viral, bacterial, fungal and protozoal infections, but recruited monocytes also contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory and degenerative diseases. The mechanisms that control monocyte trafficking under homeostatic, infectious and inflammatory conditions are being unravelled and are the focus of this Review.
Null space damping method for local joint torque optimization of redundant manipulators

In this article, a null space damping method is proposed that solves the stability problem commonly encountered in existing local joint torque optimization techniques applied to redundant manipulators. The damped joint motion is stable and globally outperforms undamped techniques in the sense of torque minimization capability. In addition, simulation results show that the resulting damped joint motion becomes conservative after an initial transient stage for cyclic end-effector trajectories, while undamped pseudoinverse solutions are reported to never lead to conservative motion. Three undamped and damped joint torque optimization algorithms are considered and discussed with comparison to the previous literature. The effectiveness of the proposed null space damping method is demonstrated by the results of two computer simulations. In addition, the minimization of electrical power consumption is addressed with respect to the results of this article.
Development of optical neuroimaging to detect drug-induced brain functional changes in vivo

Deficits in prefrontal function play a crucial role in compulsive cocaine use, which is a hallmark of addiction. Dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex might result from effects of cocaine on neurons as well as from disruption of cerebral blood vessels. However, the mechanisms underlying cocaine’s neurotoxic effects are not fully understood, partially due to technical limitations of current imaging techniques (e.g., PET, fMRI) to differentiate vascular from neuronal effects at sufficiently high temporal and spatial resolutions. We have recently developed a multimodal imaging platform which can simultaneously characterize the changes in cerebrovascular hemodynamics, hemoglobin oxygenation and intracellular calcium fluorescence for monitoring the effects of cocaine on the brain. Such a multimodality imaging technique (OFI) provides several uniquely important merits, including: 1) a large field-of-view, 2) high spatiotemporal resolutions, 3) quantitative 3D imaging of the cerebral blood flow (CBF) networks, 4) label-free imaging of hemodynamic changes, 5) separation of vascular compartments (e.g., arterial and venous vessels) and monitoring of cortical brain metabolic changes, 6) discrimination of cellular (neuronal) from vascular responses. These imaging features have been further advanced in combination with microprobes to form micro-OFI that allows quantification of drug effects on subcortical brain. In addition, our ultrahigh-resolution ODT (μODT) enables 3D microangiography and quantitative imaging of capillary CBF networks. These optical strategies have been used to investigate the effects of cocaine on brain physiology to facilitate the studies of brain functional changes induced by addictive substance to provide new insights into neurobiological effects of the drug on the brain.
Correcting errors in the theory for mirage-effect measurements

Errors are noted in two publications on the theory for Mirage-effect measurements of the thermal diffusivity of materials. The works include theory for interpreting Mirage experiments on homogeneous samples mounted on a support with ambient (typically air) above and theory for interpreting Mirage experiments on coated substrates with ambient both above and below.
The Atheroprotective Effect of Dietary Soy Isoflavones in Apolipoprotein E−/− Mice Requires the Presence of Estrogen Receptor-α

Objective— Although the mechanisms by which dietary soy inhibits atherosclerosis are unclear, one line of evidence implicates an important role for its phytoestrogenic isoflavones. We sought to determine whether soy isoflavones exert atheroprotective effects through estrogen receptor–dependent processes and, if so, which estrogen receptor subtype (ie, α or β) is involved. Methods and Results— We compared the effects of diets rich in soy protein that were either isoflavone depleted (0.04 mg/g protein isolate) or isoflavone-replete, or Soy(+IF) (1.72 mg/g protein isolate) in apolipoprotein E–deficient ( ee ) mice that had been crossed with estrogen receptor-α– and -β–deficient mice to produce double-knockout αα ee and ββ ee mice and (estrogen receptor) wild-type controls (AA ee and BB ee ). Both male and ovariectomized female mice were studied (n=10 to 17 per treatment group; total n=201). After 16 weeks, atherosclerosis was assessed by quantifying the aortic content of esterified cholesterol. Atherosclerosis was reduced 20% to 27% ( P ee , BB ee , and AA ee mice but was unaffected in αα ee mice. The inhibitory effect of Soy(+IF) was unrelated to sex, total plasma cholesterol, VLDL, LDL, and HDL cholesterol. Conclusions— The results indicate a necessary role for estrogen receptor-α–dependent processes in mediating the atheroprotective effects of dietary soy isoflavones.
Does the Coherent Lidar System Corroborate Non-Interaction of Waves (NIW)?

The NIW (non-interaction of waves) property has been proposed by one of the coauthors. The NIW property states that in the absence of any "obstructing" detectors, all the Huygens-Fresnel secondary wavelets will continue to propagate unhindered and without interacting (interfering) with each other. Since a coherent lidar system incorporates complex behaviors of optical components with different polarizations including circular polarization for the transmitted radiation, then the question arises whether the NIW principle accommodate elliptical polarization of light. Elliptical polarization presumes the summation of orthogonally polarized electric field vectors which contradicts the NIW principle. In this paper, we present working of a coherent lidar system using Jones matrix formulation. The Jones matrix elements represent the anisotropic dipolar properties of molecules of optical components. Accordingly, when we use the Jones matrix methodology to analyze the coherent lidar system, we find that the system behavior is congruent with the NIW property.
Optimal distributed LQG state feedback with varying communication delay

This paper presents an explicit solution to a two player distributed LQG problem in which communication between controllers occurs across a communication link with varying delay. We extend known dynamic programming methods to accommodate this time-varying delay, and show that the resulting optimal controller has a piecewise linear structure, with control actions dictated by the current and next delay regime. By treating the next delay regime as a disturbance in the dynamic programming argument, we then derive the optimal causal controller.
Mechanisms of Candida biofilm drug resistance

Candida commonly adheres to implanted medical devices, growing as a resilient biofilm capable of withstanding extraordinarily high antifungal concentrations. As currently available antifungals have minimal activity against biofilms, new drugs to treat these recalcitrant infections are urgently needed. Recent investigations have begun to shed light on the mechanisms behind the profound resistance associated with the biofilm mode of growth. This resistance appears to be multifactorial, involving both mechanisms similar to conventional, planktonic antifungal resistance, such as increased efflux pump activity, as well as mechanisms specific to the biofilm lifestyle. A unique biofilm property is the production of an extracellular matrix. Two components of this material, β-glucan and extracellular DNA, promote biofilm resistance to multiple antifungals. Biofilm formation also engages several stress response pathways that impair the activity of azole drugs. Resistance within a biofilm is often heterogeneous, with the development of a subpopulation of resistant persister cells. In this article we review the molecular mechanisms underlying Candida biofilm antifungal resistance and their relative contributions during various growth phases.
Recent Studies of Subsonic Vortex Lift Including Parameters Affecting Stable Leading-Edge Vortex Flow

Various subsonic configurations that develop vortex lift are examined herein. Comparisons are made with data and the combination of direct and indirect edge forces through use of the suction analogy. For most configurations, the use of the indirect or augmented vortex lift leads to improved agreement with data. The studies conducted showed that it is possible for the leading-edge vortex to exhibit sudden enlarging on a cropped wing and for the wing longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics not to show the effect. It was further found that the distributions of leading-edge suction correlate well with the maintenance of vortex-flow aerodynamic characteristics. Lastly, an approximate method is presented for relating the initial value of circulation and axial velocity of the leading-edge shed vortex to the wing geometry.