cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased activity associated with reduced sensitivity of acetylcholinesterase in organophosphate‐resistant greenbug, schizaphis graminum (homoptera: aphididae)

The activity and sensitivity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 1.1.1.7) from an organophosphate-susceptible (OSS) and three resistant (OR-0, OR-1 and OR-2) strains of the green-bug (Schizaphis graminum) were biochemically compared. All three resistant strains displayed higher frequencies of individuals with respect to both increased activity of AChE toward the model substrate acetylthiocholine (ATC) and reduced sensitivity of AChE to inhibition by paraoxon as compared with the OSS strain. Kinetic study indicated that AChE from the OR-0, OR-1 and OR-2 strains had 3.3-, 2.7- and 2.3-fold, respectively, lower affinity, but 1.5-, 2.2- and 2.0-fold, respectively, higher catalytic activity toward ATC than AChE from the OSS strain. Significantly increased activity of AChE in the resistant strains was also confirmed by non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and appeared to be associated with the increase of general esterase activity. Inhibition kinetics revealed that AChE from the OR-0, OR-1 and OR-2 strains was 2.1-, 2.2- and 2.7-fold less sensitive to inhibition by paraoxon than that from the OSS strain. The study suggested that both qualitative and quantitative modifications of AChE had evolved in the resistant strains and were likely to significantly enhance the overall resistance level in greenbugs.
Gesture in Spatial Cognition: Expressing, Communicating, and Thinking About Spatial Information

Do hand gestures play a role in spatial cognition? This paper reviews literature addressing the roles of gestures in (1) expressing spatial information, (2) communicating about spatial information, and (3) thinking about spatial information. Speakers tend to produce gestures when they produce linguistic units that contain spatial information, and they gesture more when talking about spatial topics than when talking about abstract or verbal ones. Thus, gestures are commonly used to express spatial information. Speakers use gestures more in situations when those gestures could contribute to communication, suggesting that they intend those gestures to communicate. Further, gestures influence addressees' comprehension of the speech they accompany, and addressees also detect information that is conveyed uniquely in gestures. Thus, gestures contribute to effective communication of spatial information. Gestures also play multiple roles in thinking about spatial information. There is evidence that gestures activa...
A novel in vivo model of permanent intestinal aganglionosis.

Abstract Background Enteric neuromuscular disease is a characteristic of several disease states, including Hirschsprung disease, esophageal achalasia, Chagas disease, and gastroparesis. Medical therapy for these conditions is limited, and surgical intervention may incur significant morbidity. Alternatively, transplantation of neural progenitor cells may regenerate enteric ganglia. Existing aganglionosis model systems are limited by swift animal demise or by spontaneous regeneration of native ganglia. We propose a novel protocol to induce permanent aganglionosis in a segment of rat jejunum, which may serve as an experimental transplantation target for cellular therapy. Materials and methods This protocol was performed in 17 adult female Sprague–Dawley rats. A laparotomy was performed and a 1-cm segment of jejunum was isolated from continuity. Among 14 rats, the isolated segments were treated with benzalkonium chloride (BAC) for 20 min to induce aganglionosis. Jejunal segment isolation was performed without BAC treatment in three rats. The animals were euthanized at posttreatment days 21–166. Muscle layer diameter was compared among normal, isolated, and BAC-treated isolated jejunal segments. The presence of jejunal ganglia was documented by immunohistochemical staining (IHC) for beta-III tubulin (TUJ1) and S100, markers of neuronal and glial cell lineages, respectively. Results Ganglia were identified by IHC in normal and isolated jejunal segments. Isolated segments had significantly hypertrophied smooth muscle layers compared with normal jejunum (diameter 343 ± 53 μm versus 211 ± 37 μm, P Conclusions The exclusion of a jejunal segment from continuity and concurrent treatment with BAC results in an effective, reproducible, and permanent model of aganglionosis. Muscular hypertrophy and aganglionosis in the isolated jejunal segment make it an ideal recipient site for transplantation of neuroglial precursor cells.
Crystallization of OmpC osmoporin from Escherichia coli

OmpC porin, one of the major outer-membrane proteins of Gram-negative bacteria, participates in bacterial osmoregulation by counteracting OmpF porin. Although these two osmoporins from Escherichia coli share high sequence homology, their crystallization behavior was found to be very different. OmpC could be crystallized under a variety of conditions by either microdialysis or hanging-drop methods using PEG 4000 as precipitant. The crystals belong to space group P21 with unit-cell constants a = 117.6, b = 110, c = 298.4 A, β = 97°. They diffract beyond 4 A with a rotating anode and show intense non-Bragg scattering.
Inhomogeneous percolation problems and incipient infinite clusters

The authors consider inhomogeneous percolation models with density pc+f(x) and examine the forms of f(x) which produce incipient structures. Taking f(x) approximately= mod x mod - lambda and assuming the existence of a correlation length exponent v for the homogeneous percolation model, they prove that in d=2, the borderline value of lambda is lambda b=1/v. If lambda >1/v then, with probability one, there is no infinite cluster, while if lambda 2, the models studied suggest what sort of 'incipient objects' should be examined in random surface models.
Class of discrete integrating operators

A class of integrating operators is presented which assumes an interpolation which is an nth-order polynomial between the sample points and has n — 1 continuous derivatives at the sample points. It is shown that several classical numerical integration schemes and zform substitutes are special cases of this class.
Computer construction of split Cartan subalgebras

Abstract We give a polynomial time algorithm that finds a split Cartan subalgebra of a finite Chevalley Lie algebra.
Electrohydrodynamic Distortion Patterns in Wedged Homeotropic Samples of MBBA

Abstract Homeotropically aligned nematic liquid crystal wedges up to 1[ddot] arc angle have been examined for the threshold of their low frequency field induced electrohydrodynamic instabilities. As the threshold value of the electric field was reached, a two dimensional array of domains resembling a honeycomb structure appeared at the thinner end of the wedge. A further increase in the applied field resulted in a reduction in the period of the honeycomb structure which eventually changed to a reasonably periodic one-dimensional grid structure resembling Williams domains. The grid lines were found to be aligned approximately along the direction perpendicular to the sample's refracting edge. Two sets of focussed images were found to be located on mutually inclined planes approximately parallel to the walls of the wedge. The phenomenon was field dependent and the variable thickness of the wedge caused the anisotropic index of refraction, and hence the associated focussing power of the cylindrical lens-array...
The Mystical Ornithologist and the Iowa Tufthunter: Two Unpublished Whitman Letters and Some Identifications

Presents two previously unpublished Whitman letters-one a letter to ornithologist Thomas G. Gentry, the other to Iowa historian and editor Charles Aldrich-and provides backgrounds on these two men, shedding light on their appreciation of Whitman and Whitman's ambivalent attitudes towards them.
Genome-Wide Gene Expression Profiling of Nucleus Accumbens Neurons Projecting to Ventral Pallidum Using both Microarray and Transcriptome Sequencing.

The cellular heterogeneity of brain poses a particularly thorny issue in genome-wide gene expression studies. Because laser capture microdissection (LCM) enables the precise extraction of a small area of tissue, we combined LCM with neuronal track-tracing to collect nucleus accumbens shell neurons that project to ventral pallidum, which are of particular interest in the study of reward and addiction. Four independent biological samples of accumbens projection neurons were obtained. Approximately 500 picograms of total RNA from each sample was then amplified linearly and subjected to Affymetrix microarray and Applied Biosystems SOLiD transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). A total of 375 million 50-bp reads were obtained from RNA-seq. Approximately 57% of these reads were mapped to the rat reference genome (Baylor 3.4/rn4) and ~11,000 unique RefSeq genes and ~ 100,000 unique exons were identified from each sample. When RNA-seq and microarray data from the same samples were compared, Pearson correlations were between 0.764 – 0.798. The variances in data obtained for the four samples by microarray and RNA-seq were similar for medium to high abundance genes, but less among low abundance genes detected by microarray. Analysis of 34 genes by real-time PCR showed higher correlation with RNA-seq (0.66) than with microarray (0.46). Further analysis showed 20-30 million 50-bp reads are sufficient to provide estimates of gene expression levels comparable to those produced by microarray. In summary, this study showed that picogram quantities of total RNA obtained by LCM of ~700 individual neurons is sufficient to take advantage of the benefits provided by the transcriptome sequencing technology, such as low background noise, high dynamic range, and high precision.
Properties of light quarks from lattice QCD simulations1

By numerical study of the simple bound states of light quarks, in particular the π and K mesons, we are able to deduce fundamental quark properties. Using the "improved staggered" discretization of QCD, the MILC Collaboration has performed a series of simulations of these bound states, including the effects of virtual quark-antiquark pairs ("sea" quarks). From these simulations, we have determined the masses of the up, down, and strange quarks. We find that the up quark mass is not zero (at the 10 sigma level), putting to rest a twenty-year-old suggestion that the up quark could be massless. Further, by studying the decays of the π and K mesons, we are able to determine the "CKM matrix element" Vus of the Weak Interactions. The errors on our result for Vus are comparable to the best previous determinations using alternative theoretical approaches, and are likely to be significantly reduced by simulations now in progress.
Critical Remembrance and Eschatological Hope in Edward Schillebeeckx's Theology of Suffering for Others

Biblical prototypes of suffering for others – the eschatological prophet and messianic high priest – are correlated in the present article with Edward Schillebeeckx's examination of two vital concepts to provide the basis for a critical praxis: anamnesis, or the critical remembrance of history, and eschatological hope. The dialectical opposites of anamnesis and hope, which Schillebeeckx deems crucial for solidarity with suffering and its alleviation, are embodied by the prototypical scriptural figures. Indeed, critical remembrance and hope are intrinsic to the images of Jesus as the ‘suffering righteous one’ and the eschatological messianic high priest in Schillebeeckx's theology of suffering for others. Both the images and the critical concepts prove essential in his historical reconstruction of the eschatological communities, religious figures, and symbols in Hebrews and 1 Peter, among other New Testament documents. Schillebeeckx's discernment of hope as an eschatological concept is predicated on the transformation of the history of suffering into a constructive and critical force. He understands Jesus’ preaching about the coming kingdom of God as a message of hope that emerges from Jesus’ consciousness of the contrast between the history of suffering and his experience of God as Abba. Schillebeeckx's exegesis of biblical passages – taken from the Beatitudes, narratives of Jesus’ forgiveness of sins, and stories of his table fellowship – lays the foundation for the development of hope as the antidote to suffering and as a presentiment of eschatological salvation. He proposes that the transformation of failure and suffering into a critical and constructive force is Jesus’ eschatological legacy to the world and a model for the suffering servants of any age. Moreover, Schillebeeckx's dialectical understanding of remembered history and hope attests to his deep engagement with the Frankfurt School of social critical theory. In his later work (published during the 1970s and 1980s), such critical ideas serve to cultivate an eschatological sensibility and an ethical praxis, made possible by grace mediated through voluntary suffering.
Pattern recognition control of multifunction myoelectric prostheses by patients with congenital transradial limb defects: a preliminary study

Background: Electromyography (EMG) pattern recognition offers the potential for improved control of multifunction myoelectric prostheses. However, it is unclear whether this technology can be successfully used by congenital amputees.Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to assess the ability of congenital transradial amputees to control a virtual multifunction prosthesis using EMG pattern recognition and compare their performance to that of acquired amputees from a previous study.Study Design: Preliminary cross-sectional study.Methods: Four congenital transradial amputees trained and tested a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier with four wrist movements, five hand movements, and a no-movement class. Subjects then tested the classifier in real time using a virtual arm.Results: Performance metrics for the residual limb were poorer than those with the intact limb (classification accuracy: 52.1%±15.0% vs. 93.2%±15.8%; motion-completion rate: 49.0%±23.0% vs. 84.0%±9.4%; motion-completion t...
Model for Predicting Virus Movement Through Soils

A numerical model, VIROTRANS, is developed for simulating the vertical movement of water and virus through soils treated with waste-water effluents and sewage sludges. The expression describing transient flow of water is coupled with the convective-dispersive equation for subsurface solute transport. The resulting methodology is a coupled set of partial differential equations that describe the transient flow of water and suspended virus particle movement through variably saturated media. Solutions to the partial differential equations are accomplished by a Galerkin finite element method. Several example problems are used to provide a quantitative verification and validation of the model. The model simulations are compared to an analytical solution and to experimental measurements of soil moisture content and poliovirus 1 transport. The comparisons show reasonable agreement between model simulations and measured data. Sensitivity of the model's prediction to variations in pertinent input parameters are also analyzed.
Precipitation Sensitivity to Surface Heat Fluxes over North America in Reanalysis and Model Data

A new methodology for assessing the impact of surface heat fluxes on precipitation is applied to data from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) and to output from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory’s Atmospheric Model 2.1 (AM2.1). The method assesses the sensitivity of afternoon convective rainfall frequency and intensity to the late-morning partitioning of latent and sensible heating, quantified in terms of evaporative fraction (EF). Over North America, both NARR and AM2.1 indicate sensitivity of convective rainfall triggering to EF but no appreciable influence of EF on convective rainfall amounts. Functional relationships between the triggering feedback strength (TFS) metric and mean EF demonstrate the occurrence of stronger couplingfor meanEFintherangeof0.6to 0.8. To leadingorder, AM2.1exhibits spatial distributions and seasonality of the EF impact on triggering resembling those seen in NARR: rainfall probability increases with higher EF over the eastern United States and Mexico and peaks in Northern Hemisphere summer. Over those regions, the impact of EF variability on afternoon rainfall triggering in summer can explain up to 50% of seasonal rainfall variability. However, the AM2.1 metrics also exhibit some features not present in NARR, for example, strong coupling extending northwestward from the central Great Plains into Canada. Sources of disagreement may include model hydroclimatic biases that affect the mean patterns and variability of surface flux partitioning, withEF variability typically much lower in NARR. Finally, the authors also discuss the consistency of their results with other assessments of land‐precipitation coupling obtained from different methodologies.
On a Polynomial Fractional Formulation for Independence Number of a Graph

In this paper we characterize the local maxima of a continuous global optimization formulation for finding the independence number of a graph. Classical Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions and simple combinatorial arguments are found sufficient to deduce several interesting properties of the local and global maxima. These properties can be utilized in developing new approaches to the maximum independent set problem.
Mechanisms of repression and de-repression within interphase chromatin

Although each diploid cell within an individual probably contains a full and identical complement of all the DNA species characterizing that individual, not all of these DNA species are transcribed to RNA within any one cell or tissue. Stable epigenetic mechanisms select specific portions of the DNA genome for transcription. Such selective mechanisms are seen to employ a nonspecific generalized repression of all DNA within a cell by means of complex formations with polycationic histone repressors. Nuclear polyanionic de-repressors antagonize the interaction between DNA and histones, and effect a partial displacement of repressor histones from localized portions of the DNA genome. Such histone displacement allows these DNA segments to undergo an intermittent separation of the strands of the DNA double helix. A species of nuclear RNA appears to function as a highly selective agent in de-repression by hybridizing with a single DNA strand, freeing the complementary DNA strand for continuous specific messenger RNA synthesis.
Pricing end-of-life components

The main objective of a product recovery facility (PRF) is to disassemble end-of-life (EOL) products and sell the reclaimed components for reuse and recovered materials in second-hand markets. Variability in the inflow of EOL products and fluctuation in demand for reusable components contribute to the volatility in inventory levels. To stay profitable the PRFs ought to manage their inventory by regulating the price appropriately to minimize holding costs. This work presents two deterministic pricing models for a PRF bounded by environmental regulations. In the first model, the demand is price dependent and in the second, the demand is both price and time dependent. The models are valid for single component with no inventory replenishment sale during the selling horizon . Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the models.
Acute toxicity of tributyltin to selected Chesapeake Bay fish and invertebrates

Abstract Acute tributyltin (TBT) toxicity experiments were conducted on selected Chesapeake Bay biota. Four invertebrate and five fish species were evaluated. Tests were conducted using continuous-flow conditions and TBT concentrations were measured every 24 h in test containers. Test solutions were generally within 10–15% of the predicted concentrations. Estuarine copepods were very sensitive to TBT. A 72-h LC 50 of 0.6 μg 1 −1 TBT was reported for Eurytemora affinis; Acartia tonsa had a 48-h LC 50 of 1.1 μg 1 −1 TBT. The most resistant invertebrate tested was the grass shrimp, Palaemonetes sp. (96-h LC 50 > 31 μg 1 −1 TBT). The most sensitive fish species tested were larval inland silversides ( Menidia beryllina ), (96-h LC 50 = 3.0 μg 1 −1 TBT) and juvenile Atlantic menhaden ( Brevoortia tyrannus ), (96-h LC 50 = 4.5 μg 1 −1 TBT). Mummichogs ( Fundulus heteroclitus ) and sheepshead minnow ( Cyprinodon variegatus ), (96-h LC 50 = 23.8 and 25.9 μg 1 −1 TBT, respectively) were the most resistant fish species tested. Concentrations of TBT exceeding the LC 50 values reported for both copepod species have been found in the water column from marinas in northern Chesapeake Bay. Acute TBT toxicity data and its application to environmental concentrations in Chesapeake Bay are discussed.
An implantable wireless microdosimeter for radiation oncology

Wireless measurement of ionizing radiation in close proximity or within an irradiated solid tumor is extremely valuable for dose verification and quality control in radiation oncology. For such applications, it is preferable to manufacture such sensors using passive components since high levels of ionizing radiation can damage active electronics. This paper reports on the development of an implantable micromachined passive LC transponder (2.5 mm in diameter and 2.8 cm in length.) Dose measurement is performed by monitoring the resonance frequency change associated with the decay of surface change of an electret upon exposure to radiation. The test results show that a dose of 30 Gy can produce 1.46 MHz frequency shift resulting in a sensitivity of 49 kHz/Gy.
Alkali Polarizabilities by the Atomic Beam Electrostatic Deflection Method

The electric dipole polarizabilities of the alkali atoms have been measured by observing the deflection of a collimated beam of neutral atoms in a two-wire-type inhomogeneous electric field. Beam deflection measurements are taken both for the case when ${s}_{B}$, the deflection of atoms with the most probable velocity in the source, is larger than the detector wire width ${w}_{d}$, and for ${s}_{B}l0.1{w}_{d}$. The results in units of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}24}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$ are: $\ensuremath{\alpha}(\mathrm{Li})=22\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2$, $\ensuremath{\alpha}(\mathrm{Na})=21.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2$, $\ensuremath{\alpha}(K)=38\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}4$, $\ensuremath{\alpha}(\mathrm{Rb})=38\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}4$, and $\ensuremath{\alpha}(\mathrm{Cs})=48\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}6$. These values are in reasonable agreement with other recent experimental and theoretical determinations of the alkali polarizabilities.
ISOGEOMETRIC DIVERGENCE-CONFORMING B-SPLINES FOR THE STEADY NAVIER–STOKES EQUATIONS

We develop divergence-conforming B-spline discretizations for the numerical solution of the steady Navier–Stokes equations. These discretizations are motivated by the recent theory of isogeometric discrete differential forms and may be interpreted as smooth generalizations of Raviart–Thomas elements. They are (at least) patchwise C0 and can be directly utilized in the Galerkin solution of steady Navier–Stokes flow for single-patch configurations. When applied to incompressible flows, these discretizations produce pointwise divergence-free velocity fields and hence exactly satisfy mass conservation. Consequently, discrete variational formulations employing the new discretization scheme are automatically momentum-conservative and energy-stable. In the presence of no-slip boundary conditions and multi-patch geometries, the discontinuous Galerkin framework is invoked to enforce tangential continuity without upsetting the conservation or stability properties of the method across patch boundaries. Furthermore, as no-slip boundary conditions are enforced weakly, the method automatically defaults to a compatible discretization of Euler flow in the limit of vanishing viscosity. The proposed discretizations are extended to general mapped geometries using divergence-preserving transformations. For sufficiently regular single-patch solutions subject to a smallness condition, we prove a priori error estimates which are optimal for the discrete velocity field and suboptimal, by one order, for the discrete pressure field. We present a comprehensive suite of numerical experiments which indicate optimal convergence rates for both the discrete velocity and pressure fields for general configurations, suggesting that our a priori estimates may be conservative. These numerical experiments also suggest our discretization methodology is robust with respect to Reynolds number and more accurate than classical numerical methods for the steady Navier–Stokes equations.
Use of a Standardized Progress Note and Assessment Form for Performance Evaluation and Quality Improvement

In addition to filling patient care-related duties, the Nutrition Support Service also serves as a platform for experiential education and training of pharmacy residents, surgical interns, doctor of pharmacy students, and graduate dietetic students. Because of the diversity in experience and training among members of the team and their trainees, a standardized progress note form with a subsequent progress note assessment form was developed to maintain consistency and to ensure a certain level of quality in the daily progress notes written by the trainees. The instructor randomly chose one of the trainee’s patient progress notes for verbal and written evaluation weekly. Twelve trainees from July 2009 to January 2010 were evaluated. A significant improvement in weekly performance scores (from an average score of 74% ± 12% to 91% ± 7% to 96% ± 6%) was noted by the second and third weeks compared with the first week, respectively (P < .001). Trainees were unanimous that this tool facilitated improvement of th...
Imitation and social responsiveness in autistic children

Fifteen autistic children, ages 4–6 years, participated in the present study. Imitation and object permanence skills were assessed. Language and social behaviors were observed during free play. Children were also exposed to three interactive procedures that differed in developmental sophistication. The experimenter either (1) simultaneously imitated the child's actions, (2) modeled a familiar action, or (3) modeled a novel action. It was found that the autistic children who had a low level of imitative ability (Piaget's Stages 2–3) were more socially responsive, showed more eye contact, and played with toys in a less perseverative manner when the experimenter imitated their behavior than when the experimenter modeled either a familiar or a novel action. When the experimenter modeled a familiar as opposed to a novel action, these children were more likely to spontaneously imitate the experimenter. The autistic children with more highly developed imitation skills, however, responded similarly to all conditions. They also were generally more socially and verbally responsive. These results suggest that developmental status is an important variable in designing intervention programs for severely impaired children.
Conformational substates in azurin.

Abstract Azurin is a small blue copper protein in the electron transfer chain of denitrifying bacteria. It forms a photolabile complex with nitric oxide (NO) at low temperatures. We studied the temperature dependence of the ligand binding equilibrium and the kinetics of the association reaction after photodissociation over a wide range of temperature (80-280 K) and time (10(-6)-10(2) s). The nonexponential rebinding below 200 K is independent of the NO concentration and is interpreted as internal recombination. The rebinding can be modeled with the Arrhenius law by using a single preexponential factor of 6.3 x 10(8) s-1 and a Gaussian distribution of enthalpy barriers centered at 23 kJ/mol with a width of 11 kJ/mol. Above 200 K, a slower, exponential rebinding process appears. The dependence of the kinetics on the NO concentration characterizes this reaction as bimolecular rebinding. The binding kinetics of NO to azurin show impressive analogies to the binding of carbon monoxide to myoglobin. We conclude that conformational substates occur not only in heme proteins but also in proteins with different active sites and secondary structures.
An improved method for analyzing square scientometric transaction matrices

Modeling the number of citations from one journal to another may be done by assuming independent contributions from the referencing journal and from the cited journal. Empirical and theoretical evidence, however, indicates that self-citations are different from interjournal citations. For this reason a model is proposed that separates the analysis of selfcitations from inter-citations. In addition, a model is proposed that adjusts the expected citation counts by the journal to journal similarity. Computational procedures for fitting coefficients of the models to the observed citation pattern are described along with a statistical method for evaluating the validity of the model.
Long-term exercise training does not alter brachial and femoral artery vasomotor function and endothelial phenotype in healthy pigs.

Although the beneficial effects of exercise training on conduit artery endothelial function are well-established in animals and humans with compromised basal function, whether exercise exerts favor...
Enhanced wettability of an SU-8 photoresist through a photografting procedure for bioanalytical device applications

In this work, we detail a method whereby a polymeric hydrogel layer is grafted to negative tone photoresist SU-8 in order to improve its wettability. A photoinitiator is first immobilized on freshly prepared SU-8 samples, acting as the starting point for various surface modification strategies. Grafting of a 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate-based hydrogel from the SU-8 surface resulted in the reduction of the static contact angle of a water droplet from 79 ± 1° to 36 ± 1°, while addition of a poly(ethylene glycol)-rich hydrogel layer resulted in further improvement (8 ± 1°). Wettability is greatly enhanced after 30 min of polymerization, with a continued but more gradual decrease in contact angle up to approximately 50 min. Hydrogel formation is triggered by exposure to UV irradiation, allowing for the formation of photopatterned structures using existing photolithographic techniques.
Subcellular localization of T-cell receptor complexes containing tyrosine-phosphorylated zeta proteins in immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes.

Abstract The T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) is a complex of at least six different proteins (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, and zeta) that is assembled in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and transported to the cell surface. Unlike mature T cells, most immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes retain within the ER and degrade greater than 90% of some of the TCR components they synthesize, resulting in low surface expression of TCR complexes. The few surface TCR complexes that most immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes do express are only marginally capable of transducing signals mobilizing intracellular calcium. The inverse relationship with TCR expression and function suggested that phosphorylated zeta (P-zeta) molecules might function in CD4+CD8+ thymocytes either as an ER retention signal for newly synthesized TCR complexes or as a negative regulatory modification of TCR complexes present on the cell surface. The present study sought to evaluate these two possibilities by determining the subcellular location of TCR complexes containing P-zeta chains. We found that, unlike unmodified zeta chains, all P-zeta chains in CD4+CD8+ thymocytes existed in assembled TCR complexes and that all TCR complexes containing P-zeta molecules had undergone carbohydrate processing events indicative of transit through the Golgi apparatus. These results demonstrate that P-zeta chains are exclusively associated with mature TCR complexes, excluding the possibility that P-zeta serves as an ER retention signal in immature thymocytes. Although we could not directly determine the representation of P-zeta chains among surface TCR complexes, we found that 60-70% of surface TCR complexes on immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes were associated with tyrosine-phosphorylated protein(s) and that this percentage was inversely correlated with their signaling competence. These results support the concept that tyrosine phosphorylation serves as a negative regulatory modification of certain TCR-associated proteins.
Frequency response of the boundary layer on wall transfer probes

Abstract The time response of the concentration or temperature boundary layer can have a significant effect on measurements of the fluctuating velocity gradient made with wall heat transfer or mass transfer probes. This paper analyzes this effect by carrying out finite difference solutions for a scalar boundary layer under the influence of a harmonic oscillation in the velocity field. The principal assumptions used in the calculations are that the fluctuating scalar field is described by a linearized form of the conservation equation and that the velocity varies linearly with distance from the wall. The frequency response improves with decreasing Schmidt number or Prandtl number.
Vibrio cholerae: production of toxin by a nonpathogenic strain.

Vaccines presently employed do not provide adequate protection against cholera [1] despite the fact that high titers of humoral agglutinating and vibriocidal antibody are produced. Intestinal immunity is now believed to be of major significance in control of the disease. Several investigators have explored the ability of heat-killed [2] and live nonpathogenic [3] oral vaccines to stimulate local immunity. There are arguments for their effectiveness; Freter found coproantibodies in 77 96 of orally vaccinated human volunteers but in only 47 96 of those vaccinated parenterally [2]. The stable nonpathogenic nature of the water strains Vibrio cholerae biotype el tor water 6 (EW-6) and V. cholerae biotype el tor Middle East 7 (ME-7) has been investigated thoroughly [3-7]. Sanyal et al. [8] found that both heatstable somatic and heat-labile soluble antigens of pathogenic Vibrio cholerae are present in whole cell lysates of EW-6. In gel double-diffusion tests, they found that 2 soluble antigens gave lines of identity with choleragenic toxin. Sanyal et al. [6] demonstrated antitoxic immunity produced by intraintestinal administration of live EW-6 vibrios. Using ME-7 as a live oral vaccine, Bhattacharya et al. [5] found that experimental rabbits developed antitoxic immunity. The data of Mukerjee and his colleagues [3-6, 8] can be interpreted as showing that a trace of
Leukocytoclastic vasculitis. A cutaneous expression of immune complex disease.

• Thirty-nine patients with clinical, histologic, and immunofluorescence evidence of leukocytoclastic (necrotizing) vasculitis were studied for the presence of circulating immune complexes. These patients were selected prospectively during a three-year interval from patients seen in a dermatology clinic. Clinical and serologic data are summarized and representative cases are presented. This large series of patients with leukocytoclastic vasculitis emphasizes both the frequency of this disorder and the varied disease settings within which it may manifest. The immunopathologic data presented support an immune complex-mediated pathogenesis for this disease process. (Arch Dermatol1982;118:296-301)
Down‐Regulation of Interleukin‐12, Interleukin‐12R Expression/Activity Mediates the Switch from Th1 to Th2 Granuloma Response during Murine Schistosomiasis Mansoni

In murine schistosomiasis mansoni the worm egg-induced granulomatous inflammation is bi-phasic: an initial Th1 type is subsequently switched to a Th2 type response. Analysis of the cellular, molecular base of the Th1-associated response (5-6 weeks post infection) revealed mRNA messages for interleukin (IL)-12 p40, IL-12Rbeta2 and interferon (IFN)-gamma in the granulomatous livers. When the Th2 type granulomas matured (8 weeks post infection) message expression weakened or became extinct. Macrophages of the Th1 type granulomas produced maximal amounts of IL-12, but production diminished in the mature granulomas. A similar pattern of IL-12 responsiveness of granuloma lymphocytes was observed. In vitro IL-12 production by Th1 type granuloma macrophages was enhanced by tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IFNgamma, whereas lymphocyte IL-12 responsiveness was boosted only by TNF-alpha. Both systems were down-regulated by IL-4 and IL-10 cytokines. Treatment of mice with anti-IL-10 monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) between 6 and 7 weeks of the infection enhanced mRNA expression for IFN-gamma and IL-12Rbeta2, but not for IL-12 p40. It is concluded that IL-12 and IL-12R expression and function regulate the Th1 phase of the liver granulomatous response. This phase is cross-regulated by type-2 cytokines especially IL-10.
Preferential donor-acceptor pairing in heavily N-doped ZnSe?

It has been shown in the literature that heavy N-doping of ZnSe leads to the introduction of deep donors, which are evidenced by new luminescence bands, deeper than the 'standard' donor-acceptor pair band. We suggest, based on reported shifts of the peaks, with excitation intensity, of the new bands, as well as on differences in their position among different samples, that these bands may involve 'strong' preferential pairing between the deep donors and the N acceptors. This type of pairing would indicate a high ion mobility of the deep donors. We have calculated the peak shifts, as a function of excitation intensity, for various reasonable parameter values. Based on these results, we conclude that strong preferential pairing cannot, at this time, be proven, but is nevertheless strongly indicated. We suggest that a proof should be possible by studying the intensity dependence over a wider range.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
DirectStream: A directory-based peer-to-peer video streaming service

Abstract Providing video streaming service over the Internet is a challenging task. Recent works show that peer-to-peer networking is a promising technique to address the scalability issues faced by video streaming service. Peer-to-peer video streaming allows users distributed across the Internet to collaborate and bring computation and storage resources into the system, hence reducing the workload placed on the server and increasing the number of clients served. In this paper, we propose DirectStream, a directory-based peer-to-peer video streaming service that efficiently and cost-effectively provides video-on-demand service with VCR operation support. In addition, we develop an application-level multicast based directory service tailored for DirectStream, known as AMDirectory service. We analytically and experimentally examine the system performance, and show that the proposed scheme significantly reduces the workload posed on the origin server, and that it scales extremely well as the popularity of the video increases even if participating clients behave non-cooperatively. Furthermore, AMDirectory service allows DirectStream to perform well in the face of a large number of concurrent users. We also discuss how DirectStream supports basic VCR operations, and provides continuous playback in the presence of the users’ early departures and bandwidth starvation.
Reducing power in superscalar processor caches using subbanking, multiple line buffers and bit-line segmentation

Modern microprocessors employ one or two levels of on-chip caches to bridge the burgeoning speed disparities between the processor and the RAM. These SRAM caches are a major source of power dissipation. We investigate architectural techniques, that do not compromise the processor cycle time, for reducing the power dissipation within the on-chip cache hierarchy in superscalar microprocessors. We use a detailed register-level simulator of a superscalar microprocessor that simulates the execution of the SPEC benchmarks and SPICE measurements for the actual layout of a 0.5 micron, 4-metal layer cache, optimized for a 300 MHz, clock. We show that a combination of subbanking, multiple line buffers and bit-line segmentation can reduce the on-chip cache power dissipation by as much as 75% in a technology-independent manner.
Making Professionals into "Persons" Discrepancies in Traditional and Humanistic Expectations of Professional Identity

What happens to people who are assuming a master status for which audiences have discrepant expectations, when socializers also emphasize that recruits take the desires of all audiences into account? A participant observation and in-depth interview study of ministry students in a humanistically oriented seminary revealed that these students received discrepant expectations for the professional identity from organizational personnel (the humanistic role) and members of the wider community (the traditional role). By advocating personal and egalitarian involvement with clients, socializers taught recruits to care about outsiders' expectations. As a result, recruits called into question the meaning of the professional identity, effected "double role distance," and took on an "ambivalent" identity. Students in humanistic schools of the personal service professions may experience a similar dilemma.
Effect of Pubic Symphysiodesis on Pelvic Development in the Skeletally Immature Greyhound

Objective— To evaluate the effect of pubic symphysiodesis (PS) on pelvic development in skeletally immature dogs. Study Design— Prospective randomized clinical trial. Animals Eight 4 month-old, sexually intact female Greyhounds. Methods— Initial PS was performed at 4 months of age using a powered stapling device. Because of failure of the initial surgery, a second PS was performed 1 month later by resecting the pubic symphysis with a rongeur followed by placement of handmade bone staples in four dogs. Sham PS was performed in four control dogs at 4 months of age. Pubic growth rate and pelvic development were evaluated using standard plane radiography and computed tomography. Specific measurements included acetabular ventroversion, Norberg angle, lateral center-edge angle, and pelvic inlet dimensions. Hip distraction indices were determined as well. Results— PS at 4 months of age using a stapling device failed. Pubic symphysiodesis using hand made staples was successful at 5 months of age and did not result in any clinically significant intraoperative or postoperative complications. Pubic symphysiodesis markedly decreased pubic symphysis growth in the treatment group. Hip distraction indices and pelvic inlet circumference, area, and width significantly decreased in treated dogs compared to those in the control group. Acetabular ventroversion was significantly increased in treated dogs compared to those in the control group. Conclusions— PS decreases pelvic canal size, increases acetabular ventroversion, and does not appear to have any clinically significant complications. Clinical Relevance— PS performed in skeletally immature dogs with hip dysplasia may provide an effect similar to a triple pelvic osteotomy and warrants further investigation.
A comparison of haemolymph proteins in two species of Leptinotarsa beetles

Abstract Two species of beetles, Leptinotarsa decemlineata and Leptinotarsa juncta, were reared on various solanaceous plants. The greatest haemolymph protein concentrations were found in L. decemlineata larvae reared on young potato plants, Solanum tuberosum, and in L. juncta larvae reared on horsenettle, S. carolinense. Haemolymph protein concentrations in adults of both species were approximately 50 per cent higher than the protein concentrations of the larvae with concentrations slightly higher in females than males. Proteins were separated from the haemolymph by the use of polyacrylamide gel disk electrophoresis. The electrophoretic patterns of haemolymph from L. decemlineata and L. juncta adults demonstrated qualitative characteristics similar to those of their respective larvae.
Pathology of indeterminate colitis

The term indeterminate colitis (IC) is an interim, or preliminary, descriptive term used by pathologists for cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which a definite diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) cannot be established based on the information available at the time of surgical sign-out. Most cases are due to fulminant ulcerative colitis, a condition in which the classic pathologic features of UC are often obscured and may overlap with CD. For instance, fulminant UC may show early superficial fissuring ulceration, transmural lymphoid aggregates and relative rectal sparing, simulating CD. Other common causes for establishing a diagnosis of IC include confusion of backwash ileitis in UC for terminal ileal involvement in CD, failure to accept hard criteria, such as granulomas, or segmental disease, as representative of CD, and failure to recognize unusual variants of UC that can cause CD-like patchiness of disease. Also, a diagnosis of IC should be avoided on biopsy studies and should not be established until all available clinical, endoscopic, radiologic and pathologic information are available for review. Some cases of IC may represent other forms of colitis as well, such as chronic ischemic or infectious colitis. The natural history of IC more closely resembles that of UC than CD. In fact, most cases of IC represent UC upon long-term clinical follow-up. Although, in some instances, serologic testing for ANCA or ASCA may be helpful in separating UC from CD in patients with IC, there is much overlap in the results of these assays for cases in which CD involves the colon in a UC-like pattern. Approximately 20% of IC patients develop severe pouch complications, which is intermediate in frequency between that seen in UC or CD. The risk of pouch complications, such as perianal fistulas or abscesses, and the risk of pouch breakdown is, overall, quite similar between IC and UC patients, supporting the notion that most patients with IC probably have UC and can safely undergo an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis procedure and have a reasonably good chance of having a good outcome.
History of Arrest and Associated Factors among Men Who Have Sex with Men

Incarceration has been proposed to be a driving factor in the disproportionate impact of HIV in African-American communities. However, few data have been reported on disparities in criminal justice involvement by race among men who have sex with men (MSM). To describe history of arrest and associated factors among, we used data from CDC’s National HIV Behavioral Surveillance system. Respondents were recruited by time–space sampling in venues frequented by MSM in 15 US cities from 2003 to 2005. Data on recent arrest (in the 12 months before the interview), risk behaviors, and demographic information were collected by face-to-face interview for MSM who did not report being HIV-positive. Six hundred seventy-nine (6.8%) of 10,030 respondents reported recent arrest. Compared with white MSM, black MSM were more likely to report recent arrest history (odds ratio (OR), 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.3–2.1). Men who were less gay-identified (bisexual [OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–1.9] or heterosexual [OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2–3.5]) were more likely to report recent arrest than homosexually identified men. In addition, men who reported arrest history were more likely to have used non-injection (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 2.4–3.6) and injection (OR, 4.7; 95%, 3.3–6.7) drugs, exchanged sex (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 2.1–3.4), and had a female partner (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2–2.0) in the 12 months before interview. Recent arrest was associated with insertive unprotected anal intercourse in the 12 months before interview (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2–1.7). Racial differences in arrest seen in the general US population are also present among MSM, and history of arrest was associated with high-risk sex. Future research and interventions should focus on clarifying the relationship between criminal justice involvement and sexual risk among MSM, particularly black MSM.