cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teosinte as a model system for population and ecological genomics

As the cost of next-generation sequencing diminishes and genomic resources improve, crop wild relatives are well positioned to make major contributions to the field of ecological genomics via full-genome resequencing and reference-assisted de novo assembly of genomes of plants from natural populations. The wild relatives of maize, collectively known as teosinte, are a more varied and representative study system than many other model flowering plants. In this review of the population and ecological genomics of the teosintes we highlight recent advances in the study of maize domestication, introgressive hybridization, and local adaptation, and discuss future prospects for applying the genomic resources of maize to this intriguing group of species. The maize/teosinte study system is an excellent example of how crops and their wild relatives can bridge the model/non-model gap.
Chemical structure of the cell wall peptidoglycan of Actinomyces viscosus

Abstract The major components of the peptidoglycan (PG) of Actinomyces viscosus are N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylmuramic acid, alanine, glutamic acid and lysine in the ratio 1:1:4:4:4 respectively. Further determination of the structure of the PG was carried out using partial acid hydrolysates, the components of which were separated by high voltage paper-electrophoresis. Amino acid and amino sugar analysis of the above components led to the determination of the structure of the PG of A. viscosus , which is similar to that of other lysine containing PGs except that it contains highly complex cross-bridges.
Lung profiles in the isoimmunized pregnancy

The management of an isoimmunized pregnancy, although not commonly seen today, represents a challenging obstetric problem. The knowledge of fetal lung maturity status is essential in deciding when to perform an intrauterine transfusion, give steroids, or deliver an infant. The interpretation of the fetal lung profile in these patients has been questioned. Charts were reviewed from 99 isoimmunized patients cared for at Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center, Women's Hospital, from March, 1981, through December, 1983. There were 77 patients who underwent 260 amniocenteses. The lecithin-sphingomyelin ratio, dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylglycerol from the amniotic fluid did not differ from the values expected in normal gestations. There were a total of six patients who underwent intrauterine transfusions and the lung profile data were consistent with anticipated values. We conclude that lung maturation is neither delayed nor accelerated in the isoimmunized pregnancy.
αvβ3- and α5β1-integrin blockade inhibits myogenic constriction of skeletal muscle resistance arterioles

In isolated resistance arterioles with spontaneous tone, ligation of α4β1- and α5β1-integrins induces vasoconstriction whereas ligation of αvβ3-integrin induces vasodilation. However, whether integ...
Enhancement of common mucosal immunity in aged mice following their supplementation with various antioxidants

Abstract Common mucosal immune responses were depressed in aged mice that were orally immunized with Haemophilus influenzae type b oligosaccharide conjugated to Diphtheria CRM197 protein (Hib-DT) vaccine using cholera toxin as the mucosal adjuvant. Both common mucosal and systemic humoral immune responses were also depressed in aged mice that were subcutaneously immunized with vaccine formulations containing Hib-DT plus 1 α ,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25(OH) 2 D 3 ). Dietary supplementation of aged mice with either the antioxidant vitamin E, or with known activators of the alpha isoform of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR- α ) was capable of restoring their mucosal and systemic humoral immune responses to mature adult levels, by both the oral and subcutaneous routes of immunization. These data support a hypothesis that some aspects of immunosenescence are due to dysregulations in cellular functions, and are not due to any irreversible defects in cellular components of the immune system.
All-electron self-consistent determination of spin-polarization and knight shift of A Pt(001)film

Abstract Theoretical Knight shift distributions for a thin Pt(001) film show a decreased magnetic susceptibility at the surface (and hence a decrease in the magnitude of the negative core polarization) but an increased positive valence contribution resulting in a positive Knight shift at the surface in agreement with NMR results on small Pt particles.
Integration of a modulated barrier photodiode with a doped-channel quasi-MISFET

An integration scheme for a front-end photoreceiver is demonstrated, wherein an identical GaAs-InGaAs-AlGaAs heterostructure is used for realizing a modulated barrier photodiode (MBP) and a doped-channel quasi-MISFET. The detectors exhibit optical gains of 200. The FETs have an extrinsic transconductance of 250 mS/mm, with f/sub f/=12 GHz and f/sub max/=21 GHz. >
Air quality impacts from prescribed forest fires under different management practices.

Large amounts of air pollutants are emitted during prescribed forest fires. Such emissions and corresponding air quality impacts can be modulated by different forest management practices. The impacts of changing burning seasons and frequencies and of controlling emissions during smoldering on regional air quality in Georgia are quantified using source-oriented air quality modeling, with modified emissions from prescribed fires reflecting effects of each practice. Equivalent fires in the spring and winter are found to have a greater impact on PM2.5 than those in summer, though ozone impacts are larger from spring and summer fires. If prescribed fires are less frequent, more biofuel is burnt in each fire, leading to larger emissions and air quality impacts per fire. For example, emissions from a fire with a 5-year fire return interval (FRI) are 72% larger than those from a fire of the same acreage with a 2-year FRI. However, corresponding long-term regional impacts are reduced with the longer FRI since the ...
Effective chemotherapy for esophageal cancer with methotrexate, bleomycin, and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II

Ten patients with squamous cancer of the esophagus were treated with an outpatient regimen combining cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II), methotrexate and bleomycin. Nine of these had metastatic disease or recurrence after radiotherapy. Objective responses were noted in 50%, regardless of performance status or metastatic site. None of three patients with prior radiation therapy responded, however. Median duration of response was six months. Responders survived a median of eight months versus five months for nonresponders. Three patients had severe hematologic toxicity. A single patient with massive disease confined to the esophagus had an excellent response to six weeks of chemotherapy before radical irradiation. He is disease-free after two years but is paraplegic from radiation myelitis. This chemotherapy program is an effective palliative therapy for metastatic esophageal cancer. Its safety and efficacy as part of the initial treatment of local disease should be further investigated.
Diapause in the mite Metaseiulus occidentalis: Stages sensitive to photoperiodic induction

Abstract Stages of Metaseiulus occidentalis sensitive to photoperiod induction of diapause were determined by transferring various stadia into diapause-inducing conditions, and rearing them until adult females could be scored for reproductive condition. When eggs were transferred to 10 hr light at 19°C from 24 hr light at 25°C and the mites reared to adults, 92 per cent entered diapause. When larvae and all subsequent stages were kept under the inductive conditions, 62 per cent of adult females diapaused. Mites transferred as protonymphs into inductive conditions yielded only 10 per cent in diapause, and mites transferred as deutonymphs or newly emerged females did not enter diapause. However, adult females reared from eggs at 19°C under 12 hr light (which is near the critical photophase of 11·2 hr at 19°C) showed an unexpected sensitivity to photoperiod. Some newly emerged females oviposited upon transfer to an 8 hr photophase at 19°C. Some then stopped ovipositing and apparently entered diapause; these females resumed ovipositing after intervals ranging from 34 to 100 days. This was termed ‘switching’ into diapause. Some females reared under a 16 hr photophase at 19°C ‘switched’ also upon transfer as adults to shorter photophases—either 8 or 12 hr at 19°C. Thus, ‘switching’ may be due to transfer to shorter photophases. Promptness of mating vs delayed mating allowed ‘switching’ to be more easily detected.
Individual human cell responses to low doses of chemicals studied by synchrotron infrared spectromicroscopy

Vibrational spectroscopy, when combined with synchrotron radiation-based (SR) microscopy, is a powerful new analytical tool with high spatial resolution for detecting biochemical changes in the individual living cells. In contrast to other microscopy methods that require fixing, drying, staining or labeling, SR-FTIR microscopy probes intact living cells providing a composite view of all of the molecular response and the ability to monitor the response over time in the same cell. Observed spectral changes include all types of lesions induced in that cell as well as cellular responses to external and internal stresses. These spectral changes combined with other analytical tools may provide a fundamental understanding of the key molecular mechanisms induced in response to stresses created by low- doses of chemicals. In this study we used the high spatial - resolution SR-FTIR vibrational spectromicroscopy as a sensitive analytical tool to detect chemical- and radiation- induced changes in individual human cells. Our preliminary spectral measurements indicate that this technique is sensitive enough to detect changes in nucleic acids and proteins of cells treated with environmentally relevant concentrations of dioxin. This technique has the potential to distinguish changes from exogenous or endogenous oxidative processes. Future development of this technique will allow rapid monitoring of cellular processes such as drug metabolism, early detection of disease, bio- compatibility of implant materials, cellular repair mechanisms, self assembly of cellular apparatus, cell differentiation and fetal development.
Superparamagnetic nanoclusters coated with oleic acid bilayers for stabilization of emulsions of water and oil at low concentration

Abstract Emulsions of water and dodecane with drop sizes down to 1 μm were stabilized with 30–100 nm interfacially active nanoclusters of sub-15 nm iron oxide primary particles at an extremely low loading of 0.14 wt.%. The nanoclusters, coated with a bilayer of oleic acid, formed stable dispersions in water at pH 7–10. The phase behavior and droplet morphologies of the emulsions of water and dodecane were tuned with pH. The oil/water emulsions at pH 9–10 were converted to middle phase emulsions at pH 6–7 and water/oil emulsions as the pH was further lowered. The magnetization per gram of Fe is similar for the nanoclusters and the primary particles, indicating the spacing between the particles is sufficient to avoid magnetic coupling. The larger volume of nanoclusters relative to the individual primary particles is beneficial for magnetomotive sensing applications including imaging of oil reservoirs, as it increases the force on the particles for a given magnetic field.
Comparison of methods for the measurement of human protein synthesis.

Abstract The rate of protein synthesis in one subject was measured four times with [ 15 N]glycine as the tracer. Two pulse-label and two continuous-infusion experiments were done. The two pulse-label experiments gave significantly higher protein synthesis rates (49.7 and 39.8 mg of N/kg body wt/hr) than the continuous-infusion determinations (26.2 and 22.4 mg of N/kg body wt/hr). As an independent test of the validity of the continuous-infusion approach, the rate of protein synthesis in the rat was measured by the continuous-infusion method. The value of 74 mg of N/kg body wt-hr agrees well with literature estimates of rat protein synthesis.
The relationship between the method of acoustic excitation and the stability of single bubble sonoluminescence for various noble gases

When a gas bubble is properly excited it will oscillate and may undergo implosions during which the gas in the bubble can become so compressed that a plasma is formed, resulting in the emission of photons. That is, light pulses may occur during implosions. This phenomenon has been known of for more than 60 years and is called sonoluminescence. It is of great interest to scientists and engineers for high temperature chemical reactions, remediation of contaminated liquids and, more recently, the possibility of thermonuclear fusion. Measurements using mixed frequency ultrasonic bubble excitation were performed for different dissolved noble gases at various temperatures. The transient radius of the bubble was measured using Mie scattering and sonoluminescence (i.e., photon) emission was detected using two photomultipliers, which were also band pass filtered to be sensitive to different parts of the emission spectrum. The reduction in the ambient radius was identified as being directly related to bubble stabil...
Impacts of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle Size, Pore Ordering, and Pore Integrity on Hemolytic Activity

This paper uses the measure of hemolysis to evaluate the toxicity of nonporous and porous silica nanoparticles with varied sizes and investigates the effects of porous structure and integrity on the nanoparticle−cell interaction. The results show that both nonporous and porous silica cause red blood cell membrane damage in a concentration- and size-dependent manner. In the case of mesoporous silica nanoparticles, the size-dependent hemolysis effect is only present when the nanoparticles have long-range ordered porous structure, revealing that pore structure is critical in cell−nanoparticle interactions. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles show lower hemolytic activity than their nonporous counterparts of similar size, likely due to fewer silanol groups on the cell-contactable surface of the porous silica nanoparticles. The extent of hemolysis by mesoporous silica nanoparticles increases as the pore structure is compromised by mild aging in phosphate-buffered solutions, initiating mesopore collapse. The pore i...
RANTES Deficiency Attenuates Autoantibody-Induced Glomerulonephritis

Experimental autoimmune nephritis in mice and spontaneous lupus nephritis are both associated with elevated expression of several chemokines in the kidneys. Nevertheless, the role that different chemokines play in mediating renal inflammation is far from complete. This study focuses on elucidating the functional role of RANTES, a chemokine that has been noted to be hyper-expressed within the kidneys, both in experimental renal disease as well as in spontaneous lupus nephritis. To elucidate if RANTES was essential for immune-mediated glomerulonephritis, DBA/1 mice that are highly sensitive to nephrotoxic serum nephritis were rendered RANTES-deficient and then tested for disease susceptibility. Nephritis-sensitive DBA/1 mice expressed more RANTES within the diseased kidneys. Compared to wild-type DBA/1 mice, RANTES-deficient DBA/1 mice developed significantly less proteinuria, azotemia, and renal inflammation, with reduced crescent formation and tubulo-interstitial nephritis. These findings indicate that RANTES ablation attenuates immune-mediated nephritis and suggest that this chemokine could be a potential therapeutic target in these diseases.
Improved time series land cover classification by missing-observation-adaptive nonlinear dimensionality reduction

Abstract Dimensionality reduction (DR) is a widely used technique to address the curse of dimensionality when high-dimensional remotely sensed data, such as multi-temporal or hyperspectral imagery, are analyzed. Nonlinear DR algorithms, also referred to as manifold learning algorithms, have been successfully applied to hyperspectral data and provide improved performance compared with linear DR algorithms. However, DR algorithms cannot handle missing data that are common in multi-temporal imagery. In this paper, the Laplacian Eigenmaps (LE) nonlinear DR algorithm was refined for application to multi-temporal satellite data with large proportions of missing data. Refined LE algorithms were applied to 52-week Landsat time series for three study areas in Texas, Kansas and South Dakota that have different amounts of missing data and land cover complexity. A series of random forest classifications were conducted on the refined LE DR bands using varying proportions of training data provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Cropland Data Layer (CDL); these classification results were compared with conventional metrics-based random forest classifications. Experimental results show that compared with the metrics approach, higher per-class and overall classification accuracies were obtained using the refined LE DR bands of multispectral reflectance time series, and the number of training samples required to achieve a given degree of classification accuracy was also reduced. The approach of applying the refined LE to multispectral reflectance time series is promising in that it is automated and provides dimensionality-reduced data with desirable classification properties. The implications of this research and possibilities for future algorithm development and application are discussed.
Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition of Weibel-Palade Body Release in Cardiac Transplant Rejection

Background Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS, or NOS2) reduces the severity of accelerated graft arteriosclerosis (AGA) in transplanted organs, although the precise mechanism is unclear. Methods and Results We transplanted wild-type murine hearts into either wild-type or NOS2-null recipient mice; we then measured cardiac allograft survival and analyzed tissue sections by immunohistochemistry. We have confirmed that NOS2 increases cardiac allograft survival. We now show that there is less inflammation of cardiac allografts in wild-type hosts than in NOS2-null hosts. Furthermore, staining for von Willebrand factor reveals that the presence of NOS2 is correlated with the presence of Weibel-Palade bodies inside endothelial cells, whereas the absence of NOS2 is correlated with the release of Weibel-Palade bodies. Conclusions Weibel-Palade bodies contain mediators that promote thrombosis and inflammation. Therefore, nitric oxide (NO) may stabilize the vessel wall and prevent endothelial activation in part b...
Indicators for analyzing institutional repositories' performance: an explorative study

This paper presents preliminary findings which examines the statistical correlation among and within micro and macro-level variables associated with Institutional Repositories (IRs), in order to explore potential indicators for the study of IRs activity and growth performance.
Two new species of chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae) from the Philippine Islands

Abstract Schoengastia baguoiensis n. sp. and Gahrliepia (Ripiaspichia) serrata n. sp. are described from specimens collected off Rattus species on Luzon Islands, Philippine Islands, and Cheladonta (Susa) palawanensis n. sp. from an unidentified small mammal taken on Palawan Island, Philippine Islands.
Structural differences between Ca2+ transport ATPases isolated from sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit, chicken and lobster muscle

Abstract 1. 1. Ca 2+ transport ATPases were isolated from sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes of rabbit, chicken and lobster muscle. After delipidation, and carboxymethylation, the C-terminal sequences were determined by hydrazinolysis and carboxypeptidase Y digestion. 2. 2. Glycine was identified by hydrazinolysis as the C-terminal amino acid of rabbit ATPase. The C-terminal sequence was glu·leu·gly from the analysis of the time course of amino acid liberation by carboxypeptidase Y digestion. 3. 3. For chicken ATPase, alanine was detected as C-terminus by hydrazinolysis and leucine was the penultimate amino acid on the basis of carboxypeptidase Y digestion. 4. 4. In the lobster ATPase, no C-terminal amino acid was detected by hydrazinolysis. Carboxypeptidase Y digestion showed early increase of valine with slightly lesser amounts of leucine. These results suggest that the C-terminal carboxyl group of lobster ATPase is blocked, probably by amide since carboxypeptidase Y has amidase activity. 5. 5. These observations, together with tryptic peptide maps of carboxymethylated and 125 I-labeled ATPases from the different species, indicate structural differences among them. 6. 6. These structural differences may influence the disposition of ATPase molecules in the membrane, as indicated by differences in partial proteolysis patterns of Ca 2+ -ATPases from rabbit and lobster sarcoplasmic reticulum.
Projections of the lateral entorhinal cortex to the amygdala: a Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin study in the rat

In addition to providing a gateway to the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex has significant projections to the amygdala. In the present investigation, the organization of the projections of the lateral entorhinal cortex to the amygdala was studied in the rat using the sensitive anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin. Each of the three main subdivisions of the lateral entorhinal cortex provided a characteristic projection to the amygdala that mainly arose from the deep cortical layers. The projections from the dorsolateral and ventrolateral entorhinal areas were much stronger than those arising from the ventromedial entorhinal area. The primary targets of the dorsolateral and ventrolateral entorhinal areas were the basolateral amygdala, lateral capsular subdivision of the central nucleus and caudal portions of the cortical nuclear complex. The dorsolateral entorhinal area projects mainly to the lateral part of the basal nucleus, while the ventrolateral entorhinal area projects mainly to its medial part. A transitional region at the rostral pole of the ventrolateral entorhinal cortex has additional strong projections to the lateral subdivision of the central nucleus, medial amygdaloid nucleus and the intra-amygdaloid portion of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. The results of the present study indicate that the amygdala is one of the principal targets of the entorhinal cortex. The correspondence between the topography of entorhino-hippocampal connections and entorhino-amygdaloid connections suggests that the amygdaloid projection arising in each of the three main subdivisions of the entorhinal cortex conveys information processed in different septotemporal portions of the hippocampal formation. These entorhinal projections, which probably convey complex relational (including contextual) information to the amygdala, are in a position to produce different behavioral responses by activating different portions of the amygdaloid nuclear complex.
Ten-percent solar-to-fuel conversion with nonprecious materials

Direct solar-to-fuels conversion can be achieved by coupling a photovoltaic device with water-splitting catalysts. We demonstrate that a solar-to-fuels efficiency (SFE) > 10% can be achieved with nonprecious, low-cost, and commercially ready materials. We present a systems design of a modular photovoltaic (PV)–electrochemical device comprising a crystalline silicon PV minimodule and low-cost hydrogen-evolution reaction and oxygen-evolution reaction catalysts, without power electronics. This approach allows for facile optimization en route to addressing lower-cost devices relying on crystalline silicon at high SFEs for direct solar-to-fuels conversion.
Feasting landscapes and political economy at the Early Horizon center of Huambacho, Nepeña Valley, Peru

Abstract The present contribution examines feasting practices at Huambacho (800–200 cal. B.C.), an Early Horizon elite center of the Nepena Valley, Department of Ancash, Peru. Feasts are approached as long-term strategies essential to the political economy of human societies. Drawing upon data from public architecture, material culture and food remains, the study closely considers feasts as political actions and investigates the organization and social meaning of these special events. At Huambacho, I contend that the diacritical aspects of feasting practices, such as the use of exclusive spaces and special paraphernalia, contributed to the dual celebration of communal identity and prosperity, and the creation and reproduction of social inequalities. The research highlights the dual centripetal and centrifugal dynamics of Early Horizon feasts and demonstrates the role of the Huambacho center in advertising the success of the local community based on new forms of production and innovative rules of commensal hospitality.
The usefulness of children's drawings in the diagnosis of headache

Objective. To determine whether drawings can aid in the differential diagnosis of headaches in children. Methods. Before taking any history, 226 children who were seen consecutively for the evaluation of headache were asked to draw a picture to show how their headache felt. The pictures were then scored as migraine or nonmigraine by pediatric neurologists who were blinded to the clinical history. A clinical diagnosis of headache type was determined independently by another pediatric neurologist using the usual history and examination. The diagnoses of headache type based on the pictures drawn and the clinical findings obtained were then compared to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the drawings for the diagnosis of migraine. Results. Children produced dramatic and insightful headache drawings. Compared with the clinical diagnosis (gold standard), headache drawings had a sensitivity of 93.1%, a specificity of 82.7%, and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 87.1% for migraine. That is, drawings that contained an artistic feature consistent with migraine (eg, pounding pain, nausea/vomiting, desire to lie down, periorbital pain, photophobia, visual scotoma) predicted the clinical diagnosis of migraine in 87.1% of cases. Predictive values were also calculated for specific migraine-associated features on drawings: artistic depiction of focal neurologic signs, periorbital pain, recumbency, visual symptoms (photophobia, scotomata), or nausea/vomiting had a PPV of >90% for migraine; severe or pounding pain had a PPV of >80% for migraine. Band-like pain was not predictive of migraine (PPV of 11.1%). Features on drawings such as sadness or crying did not differentiate migraine from nonmigraine headaches. Conclusions. Children’s headache drawings are a simple, inexpensive aid in the diagnosis of headache type, with a very high sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value for migraine versus nonmigraine headaches. We encourage the use of drawings in the evaluation of any child with a headache, as an adjunct to the clinical history and physical examination.
Cognitive bias in eating disorders: Interpretation of ambiguous body-related information

Three groups of women: eating disorder, body dysphoric controls, and nonsymptomatic controls, participated in an experiment testing hypotheses derived from cognitive-behavioral theories of eating disorders. In phase 1, participants encoded ambiguous information via instructions to imagine themselves in a variety of ambiguous situations that involved two types of information: body-related or health-related. On a subsequent memory task, participants in the eating disorder group and the body dysphoric control group recalled imagery of the body-related situations with a fatness interpretation and participants in the nonsymptomatic control group recalled imagery with a thinness interpretation. The three groups did not differ in their interpretation of the health-related situations. In phase 2, participants were instructed to imagine themselves in each body-related situation, but were explicitly instructed to imagine the scenes with either a positive or negative interpretation. Results indicated that the eating disorder and body dysphoric groups were able to change their interpretation of body-related information when instructed to do so.
The Development of Children's Writing Language Acquisition and Divided Attention

Readers and evaluators of children's writing still fall back on deficit explanations; papers are read for signs of what they lack rather than signs of growth. Presented here is a model that predicts how such growth may occur as a logical outcome of language acquisition. Drawing on research done in the past, the article provides a list of the kinds of language learning underway in the elementary school years and suggests that teachers may use this list to anticipate where and how such learning will influence the writing processes of children. Included in the list are sentence syntax, spelling conventions, and discourse grammars, all of which seem to be learned by “creative construction” (hypothesis building and refinement) and, to some extent, memorization. The article argues that children's writing performance is likely to suffer on one or more writing dimensions as the writer selectively attends to other dimensions of the task. For evaluators and teachers there are implications for feedback, for individu...
Methodologic issues in the study of frequent and recurrent health problems falls in the elderly

In this paper the example of falls in the elderly is used to demonstrate methodologic difficulties that arise in the epidemiologic study of frequent and recurrent health problems. Issues discussed include whether the relevant outcome is the state of being a faller or the rate at which falls occur, misclassification of self-reported outcome data, the inadequacies of current terminology for describing certain study types and measures of frequency and effect from studies of recurrent events, the potential for outcome to influence exposure status in cohort studies of recurrent health problems, and the question of controlling for falls occurring prior to the study period. It is concluded that epidemiology needs to develop a framework for studying frequent and recurrent health problems.
Detection and typing of enteroviruses from CSF specimens from patients diagnosed with meningitis/encephalitis.

Abstract Background Human enteroviruses are the most common cause of viral meningitis. Rapid enterovirus detection and identification is important in order to ruleout other causes of disease, initiate appropriate patient management and to aid in epidemiological investigations. Objectives A 2-year study (2005–2006) of patients with symptoms of meningitis/encephalitis was performed in New York State (NYS) to determine the underlying enteroviral etiology. Study design Reverse-transcription, followed by a sequential PCR strategy targeting the 5′-nontranslated and VP1 regions, were used to first detect and then type, these RNA viruses. Result From a total of 1374 specimens tested, enterovirus was detected in 67 specimens (4.9%); of these, 59 could subsequently be typed. Coxsackievirus B5 was found in 14 cases in 2005, but none in 2006. Overall, 14 enterovirus serotypes were detected. Conclusions The most prevalent enteroviruses in this cohort were Coxsackievirus B5, and echoviruses 18, and 6 collectively accounting for 46%. 2005 was a period of high activity for Coxsackievirus B5 in NYS. A large majority of the enterovirus-positive patients suffered from headache and fever. In most cases, the cerebrospinal fluid profile was reported and generally showed elevated protein levels (>45 mg/dl) and a higher than normal white blood cell count (>5 mm 3 ).
Replenishing our defensive microbes.

Large-scale characterization of the human microbiota has largely focused on Western adults, yet these populations may be uncharacteristic because of their diets and lifestyles. In particular, the rise of “Western diseases” may in part stem from reduced exposure to, or even loss of, microbes with which humans have coevolved. Here we review beneficial microbes associated with pathogen resistance, highlighting the emerging role of complex microbial communities in protecting against disease. We discuss ways in which modern lifestyles and practices may deplete physiologically important microbiota, and explore prospects for reintroducing or encouraging the growth of beneficial microbes to promote the restoration of healthy microbial ecosystems.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Single-Strand DNA Binding Protein ICP8 Enhances the Nuclease Activity of the UL12 Alkaline Nuclease by Increasing Its Processivity

UL12 is a 5'- to 3'-exonuclease encoded by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) which degrades single- and double-stranded DNA. UL12 and the single-strand DNA binding protein ICP8 mediate a strand exchange reaction. We found that ICP8 inhibited UL12 digestion of single-stranded DNA but stimulated digestion of double-stranded DNA threefold. The stimulatory effect of ICP8 was independent of a strand exchange reaction; furthermore, the effect was specific to ICP8, as it could not be reproduced by Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA binding protein. The effect of ICP8 on the rate of UL12 double-stranded DNA digestion is attributable to an increase in processivity in the presence of ICP8.
Creating an American Islam: Thoughts on Religion, Identity and Place

I begin with the premise that there is an American Islam being created—a version of the faith that aligns with the contemporary United States both organizationally and culturally. This faith formation is connected to the immigration of Muslims to the United States since the 1965 changes in immigration laws, even though Muslims have been in the United States, especially among African Americans, much longer than that. Two sets of social forces are creating this American Islam: the lived religious practices of the second and third generations of these post1965 families; and the imposed images of Islam and institutional constraints of civil society coming from major social institutions and native-born Americans. The interaction of these “bottom up” and “top down” dynamics can be illuminated by an understanding of “place” in both social and geographical terms.
Health literacy among patients diagnosed with movement disorders: a pilot study

Objective The study sought to examine the functional health literacy in a sample of geriatric patients diagnosed with movement disorders. The hypothesis was that the study group would demonstrate marginal levels of health literacy scores on a standardized health literacy instrument. Design/Setting The study used a prospective analysis of patients referred to an outpatient movement disorders clinic in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Patients Fifty-four men with a movement disorder volunteered for the study, with data analysis conducted on 44 of these patients. Main Outcome Measurements The primary outcome measure was the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA). Results Members of the current sample demonstrated adequate health literacy and scored significantly higher on the TOFHLA relative to the measure's normative sample. Younger age, more education, and higher Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scores were predictive of health literacy. Conclusions The extant literature strongly suggests that limited health literacy is a frequent problem across the United States and represents a considerable obstacle to the effective delivery of health care. In a group of movement disorder subjects with a Folstein MMSE of at least 24, health literacy was generally well preserved. Years with movement disorder and severity of disorder did not impact health literacy. Thus, practitioners should not be prejudiced in a belief that individuals with movement disorders cannot manage their medications.
Negative Associations between Seedlings and Adult Plants in Two Alpine Plant Communities

Plant species' requirements at seed and seedling stages are critical in determining their distributions. Proximity to adult plants, as well as the presence of litter or rocks on the soil surface can influence seedling success. By comparing the microsite characteristics of points occupied by naturally occurring seedlings to the characteristics of unoccupied points in fellfield and dry, moist, and wet meadow alpine plant communities on Niwot Ridge, Colorado, U.S.A., this study addresses the following questions: Are seedlings more likely to be near an adult plant or in litter than are unoccupied points? Does the proximity of seedlings to adult plants vary among communities? In the fellfield community, are seedlings more likely to be located next to a rock than are unoccupied points? I found that seedlings were farther from adult plants than were unoccupied points in the wet meadow, a community with dense vegetation cover and wet soils. Contrary to expectation, I also found that seedlings were farther from adult plants than were unoccupied points in the fellfield, the driest, most barren community. Seedlings were not more likely than unoccupied points to be located in areas of litter buildup, and fellfield seedlings did not occur disproportionately within the protection of a rock. This study suggests that competition between adult plants and seedlings may be taking place both in highly productive and in very unproductive alpine plant communities.
T CELL GENETIC BACKGROUND DETERMINES DEFAULT T HELPER PHENOTYPE DEVELOPMENT IN VITRO

A host's ability to resist certain pathogens such as Leishmania major can depend upon the phenotype of T helper (Th) subset that develops. Different murine genetic backgrounds are known to significantly alter the direction of Th subset development, although the cellular basis of this influence is poorly understood. To examine the basis of this effect we used an in vitro alpha/beta-T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic system for analysis of Th phenotype development. To control for TCR usage, we derived the DO11.10 alpha/beta-TCR transgene in several genetic backgrounds. Our findings suggest that the effects of genetic background on Th phenotype development reside within the T cell, and not the antigen-presenting cell compartment. Transgenic T cells from both the B10.D2 and BALB/c backgrounds showed development toward either the Th1 or Th2 phenotype under the strong directing influence of interleukin (IL) 12 and IL4, respectively. However, when T cells were activated in vitro under neutral conditions in which exogenous cytokines were not added, B10.D2-derived T cells acquired a significantly stronger Th1 phenotype than T cells from the BALB/c background, correspondent with in vivo Th responses to Leishmania in these strains. Importantly, these cytokine differences resulted in distinct functional properties, because B10.D2- but not BALB/c-derived T cells could induce macrophage production of nitric oxide, an important antimicrobial factor. Thus, the genetically determined default Th phenotype development observed in vitro may correspond to in vivo Th subset responses for pathogens such as Leishmania which do not initiate strong Th phenotype-directing signals.
Contribution of picophytoplankton to carbon export in the equatorial Pacific: A reassessment of food web flux inferences from inverse models

The paradigm that carbon export is derived almost exclusively from the primary production of large phytoplankton has been challenged by inverse ecosystem modeling studies that suggest that most carbon export in the open ocean is fueled by picophytoplankton. To readdress this hypothesis, we use an inverse model to synthesize the planktonic rate measurements from a pair of recent cruises in the equatorial Pacific. The analysis based on this new experimental data, which crucially include vertically integrated taxon-specific production and grazing estimates, largely resolve the unexpected results of the previous inverse studies, including unbalanced growth and grazing processes and the dominance of production by picophytoplankton. While this very small size class does not produce the majority of phytoplankton carbon that is eventually exported to depth (only 23%, vs. 73% from a previous analysis of Joint Global Ocean Flux Study Equatorial Pacific data), our base model supports the conclusion that the role of picophytoplankton in vertical carbon flux is largely proportional to their contribution to net primary productivity (though neither is proportional to biomass). We show, however, that export-production proportionality is sensitive to the model representation of the detrital pool such that the relative export role of picophytoplankton declines substantially for an alternate model with size-structured detritus. A definitive assessment of the role of picoplankton in vertical carbon flux will thus require detailed experimental examination of the origin, composition, and fate of euphotic zone detrital material.
Expansions and contractions of the genetic map relative to the physical map of yeast chromosome III.

Abstract To examine the relationship between genetic and physical chromosome maps, we constructed a diploid strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae heterozygous for 12 restriction site mutations within a 23-kilobase (5-centimorgan) interval of chromosome III. Crossovers were not uniformly distributed along the chromosome, one interval containing significantly more and one interval significantly fewer crossovers than expected. One-third of these crossovers occurred within 6 kilobases of the centromere. Approximately half of the exchanges were associated with gene conversion events. The minimum length of gene conversion tracts varied from 4 base pairs to more than 12 kilobases, and these tracts were nonuniformly distributed along the chromosome. We conclude that the chromosomal sequence or structure has a dramatic effect on meiotic recombination.
Noncoherent and Coherent Sequence Detection on Rayleigh Fading Channels

This paper compares noncoherent and coherent detection on Rayleigh flat fading channels. Based on a first-order Gauss-Markov channel model, we derive the error probabilities of noncoherent detection for full-response continuous phase modulation and differential phase-shift-keying modulation on both time-invariant and time-variant channels. Our result explicitly shows how the performance of noncoherent detection is affected by detector complexity, fading rate and operating signal-to-noise ratio. Based on our analysis, we propose a hybrid system which switches between a noncoherent detector and a coherent detector with imperfect channel estimates, in order to optimize the overall system performance in terms of service quality, receiver complexity and power efficiency.
Satellite Estimates and Shipboard Observations of Downward Radiative Fluxes at the Ocean Surface

Abstract Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) uses a suite of instruments on the Terra and Aqua satellites combined with analyzed weather data and information on surface conditions to estimate surface radiative fluxes. CERES estimates for the Terra satellite were compared with measurements of the surface radiative fluxes collected with the research vessels (RVs) Wecoma and Thomas G. Thompson radiometers for cruises off the Oregon coast undertaken during 2000–03. To assess the shipboard measurements, the radiometer observations were analyzed to identify cloud-free conditions characterized by ∼1–2 h of relatively stable radiative fluxes. Fluxes for the cloud-free conditions were compared with those calculated using profiles of temperature and humidity from analyzed meteorological fields for the times and locations of the measurements and broadband radiative transfer models. For summertime conditions along the Oregon coast, and assuming a marine aerosol having 0.55-μm optical depth of 0.05, m...
Human GM-CSF primes neutrophils for enhanced oxidative metabolism in response to the major physiological chemoattractants

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a T cell-derived lymphokine which induces hematopoietic precursor cells to proliferate in vitro and differentiate to neutrophils and macrophages. GM-CSF also inhibits the motility of mature neutrophils (NIF-T activity), and primes neutrophils to enhance oxidative metabolism in response to the bacterial chemoattractant, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (f-MLP). The present study was designed to determine whether this lymphokine also enhances neutrophil oxidative metabolism in response to the other major physiological chemoattractants which include complement-derived C5a, and the 5-lipoxygenation product of arachidonic acid, leukotriene B4 (LTB4). Superoxide anion production was measured as superoxide dismutase-inhibitable cytochrome C reduction. Purified biosynthetic GM-CSF enhanced superoxide anion production by neutrophils in response to f-MLP, C5a desArg, and LTB4. In contrast to several other factors which prime neutrophils, GM-CSF did not prime for an enhanced oxidative response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). These results suggest that GM-CSF may be an endogenous regulator of neutrophil inflammatory responses induced by the major physiological chemoattractants.
Classification vector quantization of image data using competitive learning

We present an implementation of vector quantization for use in the coding of image data. The implementation is based on the frequency sensitive competitive learning (FSCL) variant of the competitive learning neural network algorithm. Previous work has shown that this neural network provides a large computational advantage over existing methods such as the Linde, Buzo, and Gray (LBG) algorithm for small codebook sizes. However, for large codebooks which are necessary for good performance, the neural network implementation requires an excessive amount of training. We work to correct this deficiency by applying the classification vector quantization technique to the neural network implementation of the vector quantizer. In this manner we can separate the problem into the generation of codebooks for each of the two categories into which the data is divided. By appropriately choosing the categories we can vastly simplify the training process and thus substantially reduce the computational costs while improving the subjective performance. >
Novel Targets that Affect High-Density Lipoprotein Metabolism: The Next Frontier

As the significance of treating coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a high priority in reducing morbidity and mortality worldwide, newer treatment strategies continue to evolve. The efficacy of statin therapy in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and reducing cardiovascular events is well established. Yet, addressing residual macrovascular risk becomes a compelling rationale for proposing that pharmacologic therapy targeted at low concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is a rationale target for enhanced management of CAD. This article reviews current options for the therapeutic management of HDL cholesterol, including discussion of novel agents aimed at reducing cardiovascular disease risk in patients with low levels of HDL cholesterol.