cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ligand binding domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor is not required for receptor dimerization

To examine the role of the ligand binding domain of epidermal growth factor receptor in its dimerization, we studied the dimerization of a truncated form of the receptor that resembles v-erbB in that it lacks a ligand binding domain. Receptor dimerization was determined by sedimentation analysis on sucrose density gradients at different concentrations of Triton X-100. At high concentrations of Triton X-100 (0.2%), the truncated receptor occurred as a monomer and displayed low basal autophosphorylation. By contrast, at low concentrations of Triton X-100 (0.01%), it existed as a dimer and exhibited high basal autophosphorylation. The ability of the truncated receptor to dimerize indicates that the ligand binding domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor is not required for receptor dimerization.
A framework for the assessment of wandering behavior

The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for the assessment of wandering behavior by detecting certain wandering behavioral characteristics on elderly with symptoms of a dementia disease. In our research we attempt to propose a framework in order to classify someone as a potential wanderer. We propose a system to track human activity by using various motion sensors to enable us to detect patterns and abnormalities in a subject's behavior.
Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in DNA−Acrylamide Complexes†

A theoretical study of proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) in the radical anionic thymine−acrylamide complex is presented. This study is based on a multistate continuum theory, in which the solute is represented by a multistate valence bond model, the solvent is described by a dielectric continuum, and the transferring hydrogen nucleus is represented by a quantum mechanical wave function. In this application, the ground and excited electronic states are calculated with the complete active space self-consistent-field (CASSCF) method, the electronic coupling for the electron transfer reaction is calculated with the generalized Mulliken−Hush method, and the solvation properties are calculated with the frequency-resolved cavity model. The influence of neighboring DNA base pairs is determined by studying solvated DNA−acrylamide models in addition to the solvated thymine−acrylamide complex. The calculations indicate that the final product corresponds to single electron transfer (ET) for the solvated thymine...
Photopolymerization-induced directional crystal growth in reactive mixtures

Photopolymerization-induced crystallization has been demonstrated in blends of polyethylene oxide--diacrylate at temperatures above the depressed melting temperature of the crystalline component. Upon exposure to ultraviolet irradiation, the melting transition curve moves upward and eventually surpasses the reaction temperature, thereby inducing phase separation as well as crystallization. The present paper demonstrates the occurrence of directionally solidified interface morphologies of polymer crystals subjected to a photointensity gradient. The epitaxially grown seaweed or degenerate structures were observed at the circumference (low-intensity region) while the dense branched spherulites developed at the core high-intensity region.
High interocular corneal symmetry in average simulated keratometry, central corneal thickness, and posterior elevation.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to assess interocular corneal symmetry in average simulated keratometry, corneal thickness, and posterior corneal elevation. METHODS This retrospective analysis included data from scanning slit topography (Orbscan II; Bausch and Lomb, Rochester, NY) on 242 eyes from 121 consecutive patients undergoing standard evaluation for consideration of elective laser vision correction. The symmetry between the right and left eye in average simulated keratometry, minimum central corneal thickness, and posterior corneal elevation was assessed by comparative data analysis. RESULTS Simulated keratometry ranged from 39.9 to 48.6 D. The interocular difference in average simulated keratometry was 0.47 D (standard deviation [SD] 0.43). The interocular Pearson correlation coefficient for average simulated keratometry was 0.90 (p < 0.001). The range of minimum corneal thickness was 432 to 628 microm. The interocular Pearson correlation coefficient for minimum central corneal thickness was 0.95 (p < 0.001). Right and left eye minimum corneal thickness differed by an average 8 microm (SD 7). The range of posterior elevation was -4 to 54 microm. The average difference in posterior corneal elevation between the right and left eye was 6 microm (SD 5). The interocular Pearson correlation coefficient for posterior corneal elevation was 0.72 (p < 0.001). The average posterior elevation was 19 microm (SD 11). CONCLUSIONS Although a wide range of values exists in simulated keratometry, minimum corneal thickness, and posterior corneal elevation, interocular symmetry in all these parameters was very high in this group of consecutive patients. Asymmetry of these interocular parameters may warrant repeat clinical testing for accuracy and may predict corneal abnormalities. Normative data on posterior cornea elevation is presented. This study points out potentially clinically important high interocular corneal symmetry data in simulated keratometry, corneal thickness, and posterior corneal elevation.
Complete 13C assignments for recombinant Cu(I) rusticyanin prediction of secondary structure from patterns of chemical shifts

Abstract Complete resonance assignments for the 13C spectrum of reduced (Cu(I)) rusticyanin have been made using 13C,15N doubly labeled recombinant material. The reported assignments include those for the carboxyl and carbon l carbon atoms and protonated aromatic ring carbons, and were obtained using a variety of 2- and 3D inverse-detected NMR experiments, including 13C,15N,1H triple resonance experiments and HCCH-COSY and -TOCSY. Backbone carbonyl assignments were obtained using 3D HNCO and HCACO spectra, and modified versions of 2D H(CA)CO and HMBC spectra were used to obtain side-chain carboxyl carbon and methionine ϵ-methyl carbon assignments, respectively. A comparison of the 13Cα, 13Cβ and 13CO chemical shifts with published ‘random coil’ values confirms the conclusion reached from a consideration of the 3JHNα coupling constants and the pattern of sequential NOEs, that the protein consists largely of β-structure.
Complete 13C and 1H NMR Chemical Shift Assignments of 1-Nitropyrene

Abstract Ambiguities in the 13C NMR chemical shift assignments of 1-nitropyrene were resolved using direct and long-range two-dimensional heteronuclear chemical shift correlation experiments. The latter was modified with a bilinear rotational decoupling (BIRD) pulse sequence, which enabled detection of all three-bond long-range correlations.
Valence bond glass phase in dilute kagome antiferromagnets.

We present a theory for site dilution in the kagome lattice Heisenberg model. The presence of an empty site leads to strong singlet bonds opposite to the impurity. It also creates a free spin which delocalizes near the impurity. Finite impurity concentration leads to a valence bond glass phase with no spin gap, large spin susceptibilities, linear specific heat due to two-level systems, as well as singlet and triplet excitations that decompose into kink-antikink pairs. It provides a framework for a comprehensive understanding of thermodynamic, neutron, and Raman measurements in the herbertsmithite material ${\mathrm{ZnCu}}_{3}(\mathrm{OH}{)}_{6}{\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$, including recently reported $H/T$ and $\ensuremath{\omega}/T$ scaling.
Proof without Words: Pythagorean Triples via Double Angle Formulas

(1994). Proof without Words: Pythagorean Triples via Double Angle Formulas. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 67, No. 3, pp. 187-187.
Scanning apparatus for bubble chamber data analysis

The usefulness of automatic equipment for the analysis of bubble chamber film is enhanced when suitable equipment is available for the preliminary scanning of film to locate the events of interest. Desirable criteria for scanning equipment include (1) ease and speed of operation, (2) low cost, and (3) suitability for use as a simple auxiliary measuring instrument. Two devices which have proved very satisfactory in these respects are described.
Examining the role of cognitive dissonance in crisis fundraising

Abstract Fundraising scholarship has focused on the application of public relations theory to the process particularly in exploring the predictive power in applying relationship management theory to the non-profit organization–donor relationship. However, people often are impacted by catastrophic events and want to donate to relief efforts even though they may not be connected to the region. A survey of two American Red Cross chapters’ donors revealed that individuals who contributed to the December 2004 tsunami relief efforts were more likely to experience feelings of cognitive dissonance than non-donors, and their donations resulted in a consonance restoration. These results support an argument for non-profits, particularly those in crisis response, to have an active crisis communication plan in place that deals not only with responding to the event but also having a proactive plan established to publicize how to donate to relief efforts. Highlighting the consonance restoration, non-profits should also discuss the positive aspects of donating to their efforts, such as the work being done for the disaster victims.
Minimally invasive thoracoscopic repair of unilateral pectus carinatum

Thoracoscopic repair of pectus excavatum as described by Nuss has become a well established method of repair. However, minimally invasive intrathoracic repair of pectus carinatum has not been reported in literature. We report a case of successful thoracoscopic repair of unilateral pectus carinatum.
Perspectives in metabolic engineering: understanding cellular regulation towards the control of metabolic routes

Metabolic engineering seeks to redirect metabolic pathways through the modification of specific biochemical reactions or the introduction of new ones with the use of recombinant technology. Many of the chemicals synthesized via introduction of product-specific enzymes or the reconstruction of entire metabolic pathways into engineered hosts that can sustain production and can synthesize high yields of the desired product as yields of natural product-derived compounds are frequently low, and chemical processes can be both energy and material expensive; current endeavors have focused on using biologically derived processes as alternatives to chemical synthesis. Such economically favorable manufacturing processes pursue goals related to sustainable development and “green chemistry”. Metabolic engineering is a multidisciplinary approach, involving chemical engineering, molecular biology, biochemistry, and analytical chemistry. Recent advances in molecular biology, genome-scale models, theoretical understanding, and kinetic modeling has increased interest in using metabolic engineering to redirect metabolic fluxes for industrial and therapeutic purposes. The use of metabolic engineering has increased the productivity of industrially pertinent small molecules, alcohol-based biofuels, and biodiesel. Here, we highlight developments in the practical and theoretical strategies and technologies available for the metabolic engineering of simple systems and address current limitations.
Steroid Biosynthesis by Human Ovarian Granulosa and Thecal Cells

The separation of granulosa cells from thecal elements of the human ovarian follicle has been described. The 2 cell types were incubated in vitro with progesterone-4-14C and pregnenolone-7-3H. Steroid metabolites were isolated with each of the cell types and crystallized to constant specific activity. In the granulosa experiment, pregnenolone-7-3H was converted to progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and estrone, and progesterone-4-14C was converted to 17-hydroxyprogesterone and estrone. In the theca experiment pregnenolone-7-3H was converted to progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione and estradiol, and progesterone-4-14C was converted to the last 3 compounds. The conversion of pregnenolone to progesterone was much more active with the granulosa than the theca, while indications of an alternate pathway via Δ5 compounds were more apparent with thecal cells.
Radiation hydrodynamics of Z-pinch plasmas

Summary form only given. An attempt is made to present a coherent picture of the documented and commonly held views on a class of Z-pinch plasmas concerned primarily with soft X-ray radiation source development. Many of the issues and findings are common to Z-pinch plasmas in general, but particular attention is focused on gas puffs and multiple wire arrays. The influence of radiation on the dynamics and interplay between the radiation and the dynamics are discussed. A number of comparisons with experimental results have been made with 0-, 1-, and 2-D numerical simulations for several pulsed power drivers ranging in current from several mega-amps to 10's of mega-amps for a variety of risetimes and load materials.
Incorporating patient-reported outcome measures into the electronic health record for research: application using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).

Electronic health records (EHRs) present an opportunity to access large stores of data for research, but mapping raw EHR data to clinical phenotypes is complex. We propose adding patient-reported data to the EHR to improve phenotyping performance and describe a retrospective cohort study demonstrating a test case in depressive disorder. We compared four EHR-phenotyping methods based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes, medication records, and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) regarding the ability to identify cases with depression and characteristics of patients identified with depression. Our sample included 168,884 patients seen (2007–2013) at our neurological institute. We assessed the diagnostic performance in a subset of 225 patients who had a reference standard measurement available. ICD-9-CM codes identified the fewest number of patients as depressed (4,658), followed by PHQ-9 (46,565), and medication data (50,505). The presence of at least one of these criteria identified the largest number (78,322). The PHQ-9 identified a higher proportion of elderly, disabled, Medicaid, and rural patients, as compared to ICD-9-CM codes. ICD-9-CM codes were least sensitive (6.7 % sensitivity), whereas the method using at least one of the criteria identified the highest number of truly depressed patients (93.3 % sensitivity); however, specificity dropped from 97.7 to 58.1 %. The choice of phenotyping method may disproportionately exclude patient groups from research. Patient-reported data hold potential to improve sensitivity while maintaining an acceptable loss of specificity, depending on the context. Researchers should consider including patient-reported data in EHR-driven phenotyping methods.
The Navy's Primary Frequency Standard

In this paper is described a constant frequency source which is used as the Navy's primary working standard of frequency. This frequency source is a crystal-controlled oscillator of special design which was developed at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. This oscillator employs a type of circuit which is rich in harmonics, over 200 of which may be used as fixed standard frequencies. It also describes in detail the method employed to determine the fundamental frequency of this standard in terms of Naval Observatory time to an accuracy of about one part in 100,000. The ultimate standard of frequency is therefore the mean solar day.
Distributed field reconstruction with model-robust basis pursuit

We study the use of distributed average consensus and compressed sensing to perform decentralized estimation of a field measured by networked sensors. We examine field reconstruction of multiple acoustic sources from isotropic magnitude measurements. Compressed projections of global network observations are spread throughout the network using consensus, after which all nodes may invert the source field using l 1 recovery methods. To approximate the problem as a discrete linear system, the space of source locations is quantized, introducing model error. We propose a model-robust adaptation to basis pursuit to control for the error arising from the spatial quantization. We show conditions for stability of the robust estimator, providing bounds on the reconstruction error based on perturbation constants, source magnitudes, and mutual coherence. Experiments show that the two types of robust estimators successfully address infeasibility and consistency issues that arise in basis pursuit for spatially quantized acoustic sources.
Gene Expression Patterns That Correlate With Hepatitis C and Early Progression to Fibrosis in Liver Transplant Recipients

Background & Aims: Liver transplant recipients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) develop recurrent hepatitis soon after transplantation and, in some cases, progress to fibrosis within the first 2 years. Our goals were to identify molecular processes influencing the liver disease progression and to find potential gene markers of early fibrosis. Methods: We performed gene expression profiling on serial liver biopsy specimens obtained from 13 (11 infected and 2 uninfected) transplant recipients within the first year after transplantation at 0, 3, 6, and 12 months. The data were compared with clinical observations and with a gene expression database obtained for 55 nontransplant HCV-infected and uninfected liver samples. Results: We identified several specific gene expression patterns. The first pattern was unique for the transplant recipients regardless of their infection status. The corresponding genes encoded stress response proteins and blood proteins involved in coagulation that were differentially expressed in response to posttransplantation graft recovery. The second pattern was specific to HCV-infected samples and included up-regulation of genes encoding components of the interferon-mediated antiviral response and immune system (antigen presentation, cytotoxic response). This up-regulation pattern was absent or suppressed in the patients who developed early fibrosis, indicating that the disease progression might result from an impaired liver response to infection. Finally, we identified gene expression patterns that were specific for 12-month biopsy specimens in all 4 HCV-infected patients who developed early fibrosis. Conclusions: The identified gene expression patterns may prove useful for diagnostic and prognostic applications in HCV-infected patients, including predicting early progression to fibrosis.
Changes in the Facial Prominence of Women and Men Over the Last Decade

Two studies measured the facial prominence of women and men in popular images over the last decade. The first study used 1,200 photographs from Time and Newsweek for the years 1970 and 1980. The results indicate that overall, men have received greater facial prominence than women, and facial prominence has increased over the decade. Only for Newsweek did women show a significantly greater increase in facial prominence than men. The second study used 640 photographs from Good Housekeeping and Ms. for the years 1974 and 1984. The results show that overall, men have received greater facial prominence than women, and facial prominence has risen over the decade, although not by much. In Ms., women but not men gained; in Good Housekeeping, women gained slightly, but not as much as men. The results are consistent with earlier reports of an asymmetry in representation of men's and women's faces and suggest that this asymmetry is slowly diminishing.
Carotid artery pseudoaneurysm in a cat.

Clinical summary:A 4-month-old female intact domestic shorthair cat presented to Kansas State University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for investigation of a large, firmly adhered mass in th...
Biologically meaningful expression profiling across species using heterologous hybridization to a cDNA microarray

Unravelling the path from genotype to phenotype, as it is influenced by an organism's environment, is one of the central goals in biology. Gene expression profiling by means of microarrays has become very prominent in this endeavour, although resources exist only for relatively few model systems. As genomics has matured into a comparative research program, expression profiling now also provides a powerful tool for non-traditional model systems to elucidate the molecular basis of complex traits. Here we present a microarray constructed with ~4500 features, derived from a brain-specific cDNA library for the African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni (Perciformes). Heterologous hybridization, targeting RNA to an array constructed for a different species, is used for eight different fish species. We quantified the concordance in gene expression profiles across these species (number of genes and fold-changes). Although most robust when target RNA is derived from closely related species ( 200 MA divergence time). This strategy overcomes some of the restrictions imposed on model systems that are of importance for evolutionary and ecological studies, but for which only limited sequence information is available. Our work validates the use of expression profiling for functional genomics within a comparative framework and provides a foundation for the molecular and cellular analysis of complex traits in a wide range of organisms.
Mechanism of Vitamin D receptor inhibition of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase gene transcription in human hepatocytes

Lithocholic acid (LCA) is a potent endogenous vitamin D receptor (VDR) ligand. In cholestasis, LCA levels increase in the liver and intestine. The objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that VDR plays a role in inhibiting cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) gene expression and bile acid synthesis in human hepatocytes. Immunoblot analysis has detected VDR proteins in the nucleus of the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 and human primary hepatocytes. 1α, 25-Dihydroxy-vitamin D3 or LCA acetate-activated VDR inhibited CYP7A1 mRNA expression and bile acid synthesis, whereas small interfering RNA to VDR completely abrogated VDR inhibition of CYP7A1 mRNA expression in HepG2 cells. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and mutagenesis analyses have identified the negative VDR response elements that bind VDR/retinoid X receptor α in the human CYP7A1 promoter. Mammalian two-hybrid, coimmunoprecipitation, glutathione S-transferase pull-down, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays show that ligand-activated VDR specifically interacts with hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) to block HNF4α interaction with coactivators or to compete with HNF4α for coactivators or to compete for binding to CYP7A1 chromatin, which results in the inhibition of CYP7A1 gene transcription. This study shows that VDR is expressed in human hepatocytes and may play a critical role in the inhibition of bile acid synthesis, thus protecting liver cells during cholestasis.
Stress Signaling in the Methionine-Choline-Deficient Model of Murine Fatty Liver Disease

Background & Aims Stress signaling, both within and outside the endoplasmic reticulum, has been linked to metabolic dysregulation and hepatic steatosis. Methionine-choline–deficient (MCD) diets cause severe fatty liver disease and have the potential to cause many types of cellular stress. The purpose of this study was to characterize hepatic stress in MCD-fed mice and explore the relationship between MCD-mediated stress and liver injury. Methods Stress signaling was examined in mice fed MCD formulas for 4–21 days. Signaling also was evaluated in mice fed MCD formulas supplemented with clofibrate, which inhibits hepatic triglyceride accumulation. The role of the pro-apoptotic stress protein C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) in MCD-mediated liver injury was assessed by comparing the responses of wild-type and CHOP-deficient mice to an MCD diet. Results MCD feeding caused steatohepatitis coincident with the activation of cJun N-terminal kinase and caspase-12. In contrast, MCD feeding did not activate inositol-requiring protein-1 and actually suppressed the expression of X-box protein-1s. MCD feeding caused weak stimulation of double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase–like endoplasmic reticulum–resident kinase, but robust activation of general control nonderepressible-2, followed by the phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiating factor-2α and induction of CHOP. Clofibrate eliminated MCD-mediated hepatic steatosis but did not inhibit diet-induced stress. CHOP deficiency did not alleviate, and in fact worsened, MCD-mediated liver disease. Conclusions MCD feeding causes an integrated stress response in the liver rather than a classic unfolded protein response. This stress response does not by itself lead to liver injury. CHOP, despite its identity as a mediator of stress-related cell death, does not play a central role in the pathogenesis of MCD-mediated liver disease.
Computer-aided design of porcelain insulators under polluted conditions

The development of a user-friendly, interactive personal computer package for designing insulators to be used in polluted conditions is presented. This is accomplished by integrating a dynamic arc model that computes the pollution flashover voltage within the Microsoft Windows application program. Suspension, station post and pin type insulators of numerous shapes have been incorporated into the package. The model is capable of handling AC and DC voltages, in addition to uniform and nonuniform pollution distributions on the insulator surface. The use of the model as a design tool to predict the insulation requirement for a given system voltage, and as a maintenance tool to determine the critical contamination level (in terms of ESDD) that will cause flashover of the insulator at the operating voltage, has been demonstrated. Wherever possible, comparisons of the model predictions with experimental data have been made, and good agreement has been obtained. >
The Promise of Novel Molecular Markers in Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in the US and is associated with the highest cost per patient. A high likelihood of recurrence, mandating stringent surveillance protocols, has made the development of urinary markers a focus of intense pursuit with the hope of decreasing the burden this disease places on patients and the healthcare system. To date, routine use of markers is not recommended for screening or diagnosis. Interests include the development of a single urinary marker that can be used in place of or as an adjunct to current screening and surveillance techniques, as well identifying a molecular signature for an individual's disease that can help predict progression, prognosis, and potential therapeutic response. Markers have shown potential value in improving diagnostic accuracy when used as an adjunct to current modalities, risk-stratification of patients that could aid the clinician in determining aggressiveness of surveillance, and allowing for a decrease in invasive surveillance procedures. This review discusses the current understanding of emerging biomarkers, including miRNAs, gene signatures and detection of circulating tumor cells in the blood, and their potential clinical value in bladder cancer diagnosis, as prognostic indicators, and surveillance tools, as well as limitations to their incorporation into medical practice.
Energy transfer properties of Rhodobacter sphaeroides chromatophores during adaptation to low light intensity

Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy was used to explore the pathway and kinetics of energy transfer in photosynthetic membrane vesicles (chromatophores) isolated from Rhodobacter (Rba.) sphaeroides cells harvested 2, 4, 6 or 24 hours after a transition from growth in high to low level illumination. As previously observed, this light intensity transition initiates the remodeling of the photosynthetic apparatus and an increase in the number of light harvesting 2 (LH2) complexes relative to light harvesting 1 (LH1) and reaction center (RC) complexes. It has generally been thought that the increase in LH2 complexes served the purpose of increasing the overall energy transmission to the RC. However, fluorescence lifetime measurements and analysis in terms of energy transfer within LH2 and between LH2 and LH1 indicate that, during the remodeling time period measured, only a portion of the additional LH2 generated are well connected to LH1 and the reaction center. The majority of the additional LH2 fluorescence decays with a lifetime comparable to that of free, unconnected LH2 complexes. The presence of large LH2-only domains has been observed by atomic force microscopy in Rba. sphaeroides chromatophores (Bahatyrova et al., Nature, 2004, 430, 1058), providing structural support for the existence of pools of partially connected LH2 complexes. These LH2-only domains represent the light-responsive antenna complement formed after a switch in growth conditions from high to low illumination, while the remaining LH2 complexes occupy membrane regions containing mixtures of LH2 and LH1–RC core complexes. The current study utilized a multi-parameter approach to explore the fluorescence spectroscopic properties related to the remodeling process, shedding light on the structure-function relationship of the photosynthetic assembles. Possible reasons for the accumulation of these largely disconnected LH2-only pools are discussed.
Exposure to Inhaled Isobutyl Nitrite Reduces T Cell Blastogenesis and Antibody Responsiveness

Isobutyl nitrite is a drug of abuse popular among male homosexuals and among adolescents. In order to approximate the nitrite exposures of inhalant abusers, mice were treated with 900 ppm isobutyl nitrite in an inhalation chamber for 45 min per day for 14 days. After 14 consecutive days of exposure to isobutyl nitrite, mice weighed an average of 4% less than mice exposed to air. The spleens of nitrite-exposed mice weighed 15% less and had 24% fewer cells per spleen than those of controls. Adjusted for equal cell numbers, T cell mitogenic and allogeneic proliferative responses were significantly reduced by 33 and 47%, respectively. The frequency of T-dependent plaque-forming cells (PFC) was inhibited by 63% and the total number of PFC per spleen was reduced by 72% in nitrite-exposed mice. In contrast, B cell proliferative responses to LPS were unaltered, suggesting that the toxicity of isobutyl nitrite did not affect all lymphoid cells equally. The data suggest that habitual inhalation of isobutyl nitrite could impair immune competence and that toxicity appeared to be directed toward T cell functions.
Post-failure recovery of MPI communication capability: Design and rationale

As supercomputers are entering an era of massive parallelism where the frequency of faults is increasing, the MPI Standard remains distressingly vague on the consequence of failures on MPI communications. Advanced fault-tolerance techniques have the potential to prevent full-scale application restart and therefore lower the cost incurred for each failure, but they demand from MPI the capability to detect failures and resume communications afterward. In this paper, we present a set of extensions to MPI that allow communication capabilities to be restored, while maintaining the extreme level of performance to which MPI users have become accustomed. The motivation behind the design choices are weighted against alternatives, a task that requires simultaneously considering MPI from the viewpoint of both the user and the implementor. The usability of the interfaces for expressing advanced recovery techniques is then discussed, including the difficult issue of enabling separate software layers to coordinate their recovery.
On adding metalization to improve via performance on PCBs

The design of printed circuit boards evolves continuously in density, price and performance. In this short paper, we propose an approach where the performance of a via is altered by adding additional metalizations to enhance the ground return path for signals.
Investigating Student Use of Technology for Engaged Citizenship in A Global Age

Abstract: This study undertook a five month qualitative investigation into technology use amongst twelve high school social studies students in two different sites in the Midwestern United States. This study examined students’ use of technology and its relationship to three dimensions of citizenship in a global age: understand global events, issues, and perspectives, participate in global networks to communicate and collaborate with global audiences, and advocate on global problems and issues to think and act globally. Collecting data through semi-structured student interviews, online-threaded discussions and document analysis, I triangulated findings, and employed a qualitative approach. The study finds a relationship between student participants’ use of technology and their serving as engaged citizenship in a global age. In using technology, students accessed international news and information, joined global networks to communicate and collaborate with global audiences, and produced digital content for international audiences.
Effects of neurohypophysial hormones on oxidative metabolism of the toad bladder in vitro.

Oxytocin and vasopressin stimulate the metabolism of C14-labeled substrates to C14O2 by the toad urinary bladder. The hormone effect is selective: the metabolism of glucose, pyruvate, lactate and palmitate is stimulated, while that of acetate and succinate is not. The metabolic effect of these hormones is not eliminated by alterations of the ionic medium which reduce active sodium transport to very low levels. It is suggested that the neurohypophysial hormones have a direct effect on toad bladder metabolism in addition to the induction of increased permeability and increased sodium transport.
Effect of photoperiod on milk yield and quality, and reproduction in dairy goats

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of long day photoperiod (LDPP) on milk production and reproduction in milk goats. A total of 79 goats were randomly assigned to three treatment groups blocked by day of kidding. Group 1 (Gr1, n=26) was subjected tonaturalphotoperiodfromJanuary6toDecember5.Group2(Gr2,n=24) was subjectedtoLDPP(20hlight,4hdark)from June 22to December5.Group3 (Gr3,n=29) was subjected to LDPP from January 6 toDecember 6. Weekly milkweights and samples were collected for fat, protein and somatic cell count (SCC) determinations. Blood serum was harvested for progesterone (P4) determination. Results indicateda significant effect (pb0.001) betweentreatments for body weight changes, feed intake and milk yield. Both light treated groups had a significantly higher (pb0.001) average daily milk output for the entire lactation period than the control group(G1,2.193kg/day;G2,2.517kg/day;G3,2.305kg/day).MilkfatfortheoveralllactationwassignificantlyhigherinGr3(+0.19g/ 100 ml) than for Gr2 (+0.06 g/100 ml) when compared to the control group (xg/100 ml) under natural photoperiod. Somatic cell counts throughoutlactation weresignificantly(pb0.001)lower forGr2 (1.70 million/ml) andhigherfor Gr3(2.03million/ml),withthecontrol group(Gr1) havingan intermediate level (1.96 million/ml). Progesteronelevels between June9 and August 30 indicatedthat 27%, 48% and63%oftheanimalshadP4levelsinexcessof1.0ng/mlserumforGr1,Gr2andGr3,respectively.Pregnancydiagnosisbyultrasound in December revealed that a high number of does in the light treated groups (10 of 37) were pseudo-pregnant when compared with the control group (1 of 21). Although light appeared to be effective in increasing milk production, further investigations are needed to evaluate the effect of LDPP on pseudo-pregnancy in dairy goats. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Multi-decade carrier generation for cognitive radios

A bimodal quadrature oscillator and three divider chains produce carrier frequencies in the range of 1 GHz to 10 GHz in quadarature form and can also be used to cover lower decades. Fabricated in 90-nm CMOS technology, a prototype consumes 31 mW and exhibits a phase noise of −120 dBc/Hz at 1.75 GHz and −93 dBc/Hz at 8.75 GHz at 1-MHz offset.
NONLETHAL SPERM COLLECTION AND CRYOPRESERVATION IN THE EASTERN OYSTER CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA

Cryopreservation can preserve genetic materials in perpetuity and can be applied to oyster culture for breeding programs. Protocols exist for sperm cryopreservation in the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica, but nonlethal sample collection is needed for valuable individuals, such as tetraploids, or specific lines. The goal of this study was to develop nonlethal methods for sperm collection in the eastern oyster. The objectives were (1) to evaluate natural spawning as a collection method, (2) to evaluate anesthesia methods to induce shell opening for biopsy, (3) to evaluate mechanical notching for biopsy, and (4) to verify notching combined with biopsy for collection and cryopreservation. Five males (of 60 oysters) spawned naturally after 7 h, with an average sperm concentration of 1.9 ± 1.0310 3 cells/mL (in 2 L seawater). No oysters (n ¼ 30) responded by opening during 36 h of treatment with 5% Dead Sea salt (containing 33.3% MgCl2), and 22 oysters (of 30) opened during the 36-h treatment with 5% Epson salt (MgSO4). Sperm collected by biopsy had fresh motility of 3%-80% and postthaw motility of 1%-5%; sperm production was 4.53 10 5 to 2.3310 8 cells per male. Mechanical notching did not cause mortality to oysters (n ¼ 20). After notching and biopsy with 18-G and 20-G needles, survival was 80% (16 of 20 for each). Sperm production was 5.42 3 10 7 cells by 18-G needle (n ¼ 8) with fresh motility of 16± 12% and postthaw motility of 3± 2%, and 1.35310 8 cells by 20-G needle (n ¼ 9) with fresh motility of 21± 20% and postthaw motility of 5 ± 4%. No differences were observed between samples biopsied with the 2 needle sizes (P $ 0.074). To verify notching and biopsy for nonlethal sperm collection, a total of 39 oysters were sampled to obtain 20 males, which averaged 99.48 ± 23.17 g total weight, 74.1 ± 6.0 mm shell height, and 60.9 ± 7.2 mm shell length. The sperm production was 3.6 ± 2.1 3 10 8 cells per male. Biopsied sperm showed 23 ± 12% fresh motility, 13 ± 6% postequilibration motility (after equilibration with 10% of DMSO for 30-60 min before freezing), and 6± 4% postthaw motility. Flow cytometry analysis indicated an average of 84± 4% of cells with intact plasma membranes for fresh sperm, and 59± 9% for postthaw sperm. Fertilization by thawed sperm averaged 20± 22% (from 1%-87%). No significant differences were observed between the biopsied samples and the dissected samples (lethal collection) for fresh motility (P ¼ 0.550), postequilibration motility (P ¼ 1.000), postthaw motility (P ¼ 0.101), fresh membrane integrity (P ¼ 1.000), or postthaw membrane integrity (P ¼ 1.000), but a difference was observed in fertilization (P ¼ 0.039; biopsied samples, 20± 22%; dissected samples, 68 ± 40%). Overall, this study developed notching combined with biopsy for sperm collection and cryopreservation in Eastern oysters that can be applied to valuable individuals and breeding programs.
Communication as an Art Form

Sometimes reading good writing is the best way to learn how to do it yourself. To that end, the author suggests books and films to aid in that education.
An overview of capacity development efforts in Liberia's water, sanitation and hygiene sector

Liberia is a fragile state and is classified as such due to weaknesses in its institutions, capacity and the presence of United Nations peace keepers, among other considerations. Liberia is but one of many other fragile states that account for a quarter of the world's population. This is a sobering figure and one that calls for concerted efforts to improve the quality of life for citizens in these countries. Liberia's civil war affected all sectors, water and sanitation included. The water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector is an avenue that can contribute to enhancing the stability of the country, as service provision is a hallmark of a good and well-functioning state. This paper looks at the efforts the country has made at rebuilding the WASH sector. It highlights the recently launched Capacity Development Plan (2012–2017) as a road map for the country. Monitoring and evaluation is examined as one area where the sector should make concerted efforts, due to its importance. The paper notes that improving the sector will call for overall improvement of the labour force who staff the ministries and that New Public Management approaches can be considered. The paper also shows that US$74 m is needed to develop the sector's capacity.
Fetal and postnatal ovine mesenteric vascular reactivity

Intestinal circulation and mesenteric arterial (MA) reactivity may play a role in preparing the fetus for enteral nutrition. We hypothesized that MA vasoreactivity changes with gestation and vasodilator pathways predominate in the postnatal period. Small distal MA rings (0.5-mm diameter) were isolated from fetal (116-d, 128-d, 134-d, and 141-d gestation, term ~ 147 d) and postnatal lambs. Vasoreactivity was evaluated using vasoconstrictors (norepinephrine (NE) after pretreatment with propranolol and endothelin-1(ET-1)) and vasodilators (NO donors A23187 and s-nitrosopenicillamine (SNAP)). Protein and mRNA assays for receptors and enzymes (endothelin receptor A, alpha-adrenergic receptor 1A (ADRA1A), endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), and phosphodiesterase5 (PDE5)) were performed in mesenteric arteries. MA constriction to NE and ET-1 peaked at 134 d. Relaxation to A23187 and SNAP was maximal after birth. Basal eNOS activity was low at 134 d. ADRA1A mRNA and protein increased significantly at 134 d and decreased postnatally. sGC and PDE5 protein increased from 134 to 141 d. Mesenteric vasoconstriction predominates in late-preterm gestation (134 d; the postconceptional age with the highest incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)) followed by a conversion to vasodilatory influences near the time of full-term birth. Perturbations in this ontogenic mechanism, including preterm birth, may be a risk factor for NEC.
Musculoskeletal model predicts multi-joint wrist and hand movement from limited EMG control signals

Electromyography (EMG)-driven human-machine systems permit volitional control of external devices, including powered prosthetic arms. However, current control schemes are either non-intuitive to operate or lack robustness across different arm postures and dynamics, partly because these methods did not incorporate the full knowledge of biological movement production. In this study, we developed and evaluated a new musculoskeletal model to predict hand and wrist motion based on surface EMG signals. Kinematic and EMG data were collected from an able-bodied subject while performing wrist and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint movements with either a fixed or random speed in two static upper limb postures. A part of data collected in one posture was used to develop the model with four virtual muscles. Four parameters were optimized for each of four muscles in one posture. The model kinematic predictions were evaluated offline using the other part of the data recorded from both postures. Mean (±SD) RMS errors in predicting the joint movement were significantly lower at the MCP joint (10.1±2.5°) than at the wrist (23.5±5.2°) (p<0.05). At both the wrist and MCP joints, the model predicted the timing and trend of joint movements reasonably well across postures and for both simple (fixed speed, single joint) and complex (random speed, simultaneous, multi-joint) movements. The results implied that our EMG-driven musculoskeletal model was promising for predicting simultaneous joint motions without significant posture and dynamics dependency. Additional engineering efforts are still needed to improve the musculoskeletal model for various human-machine interfacing applications.
Anti-inflammatory Activities of Mogrosides from Momordica grosvenori in Murine Macrophages and a Murine Ear Edema Model

Momordica grosvenori (Luo Han Guo), grown primarily in Guangxi province in China, has been traditionally used for thousands of years by the Chinese to make hot drinks for the treatment of sore throat and the removal of phlegm. The natural noncaloric sweetening triterpenoid glycosides (mogrosides) contained in the M. grosvenori fruits are also antioxidative, anticarcinogenic, and helpful in preventing diabetic complications. The aim of this study was to assess the anti-inflammatory properties of mogrosides in both murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells and a murine ear edema model. The results indicate that mogrosides can inhibit inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in RAW 264.7 cells by down-regulating the expression of key inflammatory genes iNOS, COX-2, and IL-6 and up-regulating some inflammation protective genes such as PARP1, BCL2l1, TRP53, and MAPK9. Similarly, in the murine ear edema model, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced inflammation was inhibited by mogrosides by down-regulating COX-2 and IL-6 and up-regulating PARP1, BCL2l1, TRP53, MAPK9, and PPARδ gene expression. This study shows that the anticancer and antidiabetic effects of M. grosvenori may result in part from its anti-inflammatory activity.
Action of Viosterol and Parathormone in Thyroparathyroid-ectomized Dogs

Conclusions1. In thyroparathyroidectomized dogs suitable doses of either viosterol or parathormone will cause a rise in the level of the blood serum calcium, which is remarkably parallel to that of the electrical reaction figures, and, to a lesser extent, that of the urinary calcium excretion values. 2. The elimination of calcium by way of the feces is apparently increased during the administration of para-thormone and is decreased during that of viosterol, thus tending to produce a negative calcium balance in the former and a positive one in the latter instance.
Dermal application of ten systemic insecticides to cattle for the control of the common cattle grub.

In small-scale field tests in Texas, the following systemic treatments gave >80% control of the common cattle grub, Hypoderma lincatum (de Villers), in cattle: Bayer 37342 ( O, O -dimethyl O-[4-(methylthio)-3,5-xylyl] phosphorothioate) as a pour-on of 1 oz per hundredweight (cwt) of a 15.5% water emulsion; coumaphos as a pour-on of ½ oz per cwt of a 4% commercial pour-on formulation; fenthion as a spray of 1 gallon (gal) per animal of a 0.25% suspension or 2½ gal per animal of a 0,25% emulsion; runnel as a pour-on of 2 oz per cwt of a 10.2% oil suspension or 10% water emulsion; Ruclene® (4- tert -butyl-2-chlorophenyl methyl methylphosphoramidate) as a pour-on of 1oz per cwt of 4-8% water suspensions, water emulsions, or oil suspensions or an 8% commercial pour-on formulation. and as sprays of 1 quart per animal of a 2% emulsion or 1-1½ gal per animal of a 0.5% suspension or emulsion; Shell Compound 4072 [2-chloro-l-(2.4-dichlorophenyl) vinyl diethyl phosphate] as a spray of 1 gal per animal of a 0.25% suspension; and trichlorfon as a pour-on of 1 oz per cwt of 7.75-15.5% water solutions or as a spray of 1 quart per animal of 4% water solution and 1-1½ gal per animal of 1.5% water solution. Treatments giving <80% control were fentllion used as a pour-on of ½ oz per cwt of a 1% commercial pour-on formulation; Imidan® ( O, O -dimethyl S-phthalimidomethyl phosphorodithioate) as a spray of 1 gal per animal of a 0.25% suspension; Nemacide® [ O -(2,4-dichlorophenyl) O, O -diethyl phosphorothioate) as a pour-on of 1 oz per cwt of a 15.5% oil or water emulsion; ronnel as a pour-on of 2 oz per CWI of a 10.2% water suspension; and Stauffer R-2371 [ S -bis ( p -chlorophenyl) methyl O, O -diethyl phosphorodithioate) as a pour-on of 1 oz per cwt of a 15.5% water emulsion.