cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of neonatal tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) gene polymorphism with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in the first born neonate of multifetal pregnancies

28 29 ASSOCIATION OF NEONATAL TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RECEPTOR 2 (TNFR2) GENE POLYMORPHISM WITH RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME (RDS) IN THE FIRST BORN NEONATE OF MULTIFETAL PREGNANCIES ROBIN B. KALISH, DANIEL NGUYEN, SANTOSH VARDHANA, SRIRAM C. PERNI, MERUKA GUPTA, STEVEN S. WITKIN, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York, New York OBJECTIVE: Intra-amniotic infection and/or pro-inflammatory cytokine production reduces the rate of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm neonates. We previously demonstrated that the first born neonate of multifetal pregnancies was most susceptible to pro-inflammatory immune activation. Cytokine binding to its receptor initiates pro-inflammatory activity. TNFR2 is the receptor for tumor necrosis factor-a on immune and endothelial cells. We examined whether a T > G polymorphism in the TNFR2 gene influenced the rate of RDS in multifetal pregnancies. Possession of TNFR2*G is associated with increased pro-inflammatory activity. STUDY DESIGN: Buccal swabs were obtained from 112 twin and five triplet sets. Cellular DNA was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction endonuclease digestion for a single nucleotide T > G polymorphism at codon 196 in exon 6 of the TNFR2 gene. Pregnancy and neonatal outcome data were obtained. RESULTS: RDS occurred in 17 first born neonates and 20 second born neonates. In first borns, TNFR2*T homozygosity was present in 15 (88.2%) neonates with RDS as opposed to 47/98 (48.0%) neonates with no RDS (P = .002). Conversely, the carriage rate of the TNFR2*G allele was 31.1% in those with no RDS and only 10.9% in neonates with RDS (P = .006). In contrast, there was no relation between TNFR2 genotype or allele and RDS in the second born neonates. TNFR2 genotype was also unrelated to occurrence of preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes or spontaneous preterm birth S14 SMFM Abstracts
Cytochalasin a inhibits the invitro polymerization of brain tubulin and muscle actin

Abstract Cytochalasin A (CA) inhibits the self-assembly of beef brain tubulin. The concentrations necessary to cause the inhibition are only slightly higher than the tubulin concentration. Cytochalasin B (CB) at identical and higher concentrations has no noticeable effect. Cytochalasin A also inhibits colchicine binding activity suggesting that it denatures the tubulin molecule. The results indicate that the reaction of CA with the sulfhydryl groups of tubulin is responsible for its action. CA also prevents the conversion of G-actin to F-actin, probably via a similar mechanism.
Prostatic invasion of rectal carcinoma: Does transurethral surgery alter prognosis?

Two cases of colorectal carcinoma invading the prostate are presented. Each patient initially had an abdominoperineal resection for colorectal carcinoma followed by a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for benign prostatic disease. In both patients colonic carcinoma developed subsequently in their prostatic fossae. Pathogenesis of late tumor invasion into the prostate is reviewed and consideration given to a more conservative surgical approach.
The applicability of social control theory in understanding adolescent alcohol use

Utilizing panel data on 345 high school students, this study investigates the efficacy of social control theory in accounting for adolescent orientations toward alcohol use. The findings suggest that the differing informal control mechanisms under consideration place varying constraining influences upon adolescent alcohol use, and upon problems which arise in the lives of adolescents as a consequence of their drinking, throughout the three high, school years. Similarly, alcohol use and its attendant problems are generally found to be associated with a decrease in the strength of adolescents’ bonds to conventionality, though these influences differ in degree from year to year as well.
WHAT ARE ENLIGHTENMENTS

Jonathan Israel, Radical Enlightenment: Philosophy and the Making of Modernity 1650–1750 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001)Jonathan Israel, Enlightenment Contested: Philosophy, Modernity, and the Emancipation of Man 1670–1750 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006)“A public can only attain enlightenment slowly,” Kant famously observed. His use of the term “public” (Publikum), of course, is notoriously slippery, and even now, after decades of academic discussion of Offenlichkeit and l'opinion publique, it regularly trips up the unsuspecting undergraduate intent on answering Kant's central question: What is enlightenment? And yet it is clear that whatever else he meant, Kant envisioned a central role for the scholar (Gelehrter) in constituting the public, and furthering enlightenment. And so we might say, in a Kantian gloss, that scholars attain enlightenment, and knowledge of the Enlightenment, only slowly.
Transcriptional profiling to assess the clinical status of kidney transplants

Terry Strom and Manikkam Suthanthiran present the results of studies investigating the potential of transcriptional profiling, based on both polymerase chain reaction and DNA array technologies, to identify renal allograft rejection from allograft biopsy specimens, blood and urine sediment. They argue that in future, such analysis will function not only as a surrogate for the invasive biopsy procedure, but could also have the capacity to provide predictive, diagnostic, and prognostic information.
Biologic and immunologic comparison of two HSV-2 variants: one an isolate from cervical tumor cells.

This paper describes the properties of two herpesvirus Type 2 isolates from naturally occurring genital infections. The first (G), a virus isolated from recurrent lesions of the vulva, is an established Type 2 prototype. The second (S-1), was isolated from cervical tumor cells grown in tissue culture. It gives rise in HEp-2 cells, to plaques morphologically identical to those caused by the G variant, and in neutralization tests, it cannot be differentiated from this isolate. However, S-1 differs from G virus in its growth properties at 33° and 37° C, its thermal stability at 41° C and the morphology and properties of intranuclear structures which have been previously described as characteristic of HSV-2 infections. The data indicate that the S-1 isolate is a distinct virus and did not result from the contamination of the cervical tumor cells with the G prototype. The possible significance of these findings in providing an explanation for i) the variability in biologic properties of herpesvirus isolates and ii) the realtionship of such properties to carcinogenesis, is discussed.
Diet Composition and Overlap in a Mixed Warm- and Coldwater Fish Community

ABSTRACT In Twin Lakes, Washington, illegal introductions of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) are feared to be impacting economically important rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations. We evaluated the stomach contents of 69 golden shiner, 146 rainbow trout, 83 brook trout, and 561 largemouth bass during summer stratification in 2004 and 2005, to determine community diet composition and overlap when food resources were partitioned thermally and spatially. Gut content data revealed some diet overlap but also illustrated distinct resource partitioning among all species but not between salmonids. Rainbow and brook trout had similar pelagic based diets of zooplankton and chaoborids, with high estimated diet overlap. Largemouth bass ≥300 mm was piscivorous and consumed principally golden shiner, with some consumption of rainbow and brook trout during late spring and early fall. Largemouth bass ≤299 mm primarily c...
Synergistic disruptions in seuss cyp85A2 double mutants reveal a role for brassinolide synthesis during gynoecium and ovule development

The Arabidopsis SEUSS (SEU) gene encodes a transcriptional adaptor protein that is required for a diverse set of developmental events, including floral organ identity specification, as well as gynoecium, ovule and embryo development. In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms of SEUSS action we undertook a genetic modifier screen to identify seuss-modifier (sum) mutations. Screening of M2 lines representing approximately 5,000 M1 individuals identified mutations that enhance the seuss mutant phenotypic disruptions in ovules and gynoecia; here we describe the phenotype of the sum63 mutant and enhanced disruptions of ovule and gynoecial development in the seu sum63 double mutant. Mapping and genetic complementation tests indicate that sum63 is allelic to CYP85A2 (AT3G30180) a cytochrome p450 enzyme that catalyzes the final steps in the synthesis of the phytohormone brassinolide. Our identification of mutations in CYP85A2 as enhancers of the seuss mutant phenotype suggests a previously unrecognized role for brassinolide synthesis in gynoecial and ovule outer integument development. The work also suggests that seuss mutants may be more sensitive to the loss or reduction of brassinolide synthesis than are wild type plants.
Homologous interference by ultraviolet-inactivated Newcastle disease virus.

Abstract Within 6 minutes after the adsorption of one ultraviolet-inactivated particle of Newcastle disease virus to a lung cell, the latter becomes unable to support the production of progeny virus by homologous active virus adsorbing later. There occurs an exclusion which operates on an all-or-none basis. The rapidity with which the interfering reaction is induced depends upon the number of inactive particles that have been adsorbed. However, in a fraction of the cells interference can be overcome; these cells can become yielders of new virus with a small probability per super-infecting active particle. Exposure of the interfered cells to specific anti-Newcastle disease virus (NDV) serum eliminates exclusion; interference becomes insusceptible to the antibody in 50% of the cells 30 minutes after the attachment of the ultraviolet-inactivated (UVI) particles. The resistance to infection disappears 26 to 60 hours after exclusion has been induced; the cells then behave like normal cells. The type of exclusion studied here, brings about the destruction of the superinfecting virus. A cell where interference has been removed after super-infection with active virus must be infected a second time in order to yield progeny virus. The results suggest that this type of interference occurs at the cell surface. The quantitative aspects of this phenomenon are discussed.
Coastal Ecosystems and Agricultural Land Use: New Challenges on California's Central Coast

This article uses the Central Coast region of California as a case study to examine the challenges of protecting coastal ecosystems near areas of intensive agricultural production. Coastal water quality and biodiversity are greatly impacted by regional land use. Agricultural land use can have significant impacts on water quality through erosion and the runoff of agricultural chemicals. While the Central Coast region of California is a center for intensive agricultural production, it is also home to the largest marine sanctuary in the United States. This combination has resulted in intensive efforts from government agencies and conservation organizations to reduce pollution associated with agriculture. Efforts have focused on education and incentives, but are recently facing increasing challenges stemming from new standards created by the produce industry in response to food safety concerns. Personal interviews with crop growers were used to explore these challenges and to better understand the range of po...
Breakdown voltage scaling relation of isolated gas bubbles in liquid water

Atmospheric pressure plasma discharges have been investigated as a means to purify contaminated water, as these discharges efficiently produce a variety of highly reactive species1. While much investigation has involved electrode-drive plasma initiation, the use of an electrode-less set up is attractive as it avoids electrode contamination. However, the breakdown of isolated bubbles in liquid water is still poorly understood. Fundamental breakdown relation may be investigated by determining the applied breakdown voltage necessary to produce plasma in bubbles of various pd, typically by changing the bubble size. Preliminary studies have seen a Paschen-like breakdown curve for isolated bubbles of various sizes2; this study examines the breakdown behavior for a parallel plate electrode set up, including time evolution of the discharge dynamics.
Machine-vision-based bar code scanning for long-range applications

Bar code labeling of products has become almost universal in most industries. However, in the steel industry, problems with high temperatures, harsh physical environments and the large sizes of the products and material handling equipment have slowed implementation of bar code based systems in the hot end of the mill. Typical laser-based bar code scanners have maximum scan distances of only 15 feet or so. Longer distance models have been developed which require the use of retro reflective paper labels, but the labels must be very large, are expensive, and cannot stand the heat and physical abuse of the steel mill environment. Furthermore, it is often difficult to accurately point a hand held scanner at targets in bright sunlight or at long distances. An automated product tag reading system based on CCD cameras and computer image processing has been developed by West Virginia University, and demonstrated at the Weirton Steel Corporation. The system performs both the pointing and reading functions. A video camera is mounted on a pan/tilt head, and connected to a personal computer through a frame grabber board. The computer analyzes the images, and can identify product ID tags in a wide-angle scene. It controls the camera to point at each tag and zoom for a closeup picture. The closeups are analyzed and the program need both a barcode and the corresponding alphanumeric code on the tag. This paper describes the camera pointing and bar-code reading functions of the algorithm. A companion paper describes the OCR functions.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Revitalizing Adversary Evaluation: Deep Dark Deficits or Muddled Mistaken Musings

In the June, 1977 Educational Researcher, Popham and Carlson point out several fatal flaws in the adversary evaluation model.2 Their critique emerges from their experiences as participants in the adversary evaluation project directed by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory examining Hawaii's 3-on-2 program. The inferences they draw about the model from this one experience contrast sharply with my involvement in three different applications of the adversary evaluation model: hearing officer for evaluation of an undergraduate program at the University of Illinois," hearing officer at the 1975 Indiana University evaluation of its Division of Teacher Education,4 and forum moderator at two state sites in the spring of 1977 when BEH employed the model to hold hearings on the IEP component of P.L. 94-142.5 These experiences suggest that the adversary evaluation model is potentially powerful, but presently beset by a number of flaws, two of which go to the heart of the model. Unfortunately, Popham and Carlson fail to focus on these more serious shortcomings; instead they are satisfied to criticize the model for generally irrelevant reasons. Their criticisms, reflected by their tone as well as their content, may lead readers to conclude that the model has no utility. Although the model may ultimately prove to have quite limited applicability in educational evaluation, it should neither be dismissed prematurely nor for the wrong reasons. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to briefly indicate why the bulk of Popham and Carlson's criticisms are irrelevant or unfair, to consider in some greater detail two fundamental problems with the model, and to speculate how the model might be improved by borrowing from other legal forms of inquiry. The Adversary Model of Evaluation
The initial learning of novel English words: two single-subject experiments with minority-language children.

The two single-subject, alternating treatment design experiments reported here investigated the initial learning of novel words by minority-language children acquiring English as a second language. Four Spanish- and 3 Navajo-speaking children (ages 4:11–6:3) served as subjects. The results for all children in both experiments supported the hypothesis that receptive learning of novel words in a second language would reach a pre-established criterion in fewer trials under a bilingual compared with a monolingual condition. In addition, several children in each study met the learning criterion for both first and second language words in the bilingual condition in approximately the same number of trials needed to reach criterion for the second language words in the monolingual condition. Neither study suggested that the degree of a subject’s relative language dominance influenced the learning patterns. The findings are discussed in relation to the linguistic, language-related, and learning requirements of the ...
Experimental cascaded operation of low-birefringence nonlinear-optical loop mirrors.

We experimentally demonstrate the operation of a low-birefringence (low-bi) nonlinear-optical loop mirror (NOLM) that has the advantages of low switching energy, tolerance to timing jitter, and cascadability. Because cascading two all-optical logic gates is an important step toward high-speed optical signal processing and header processing in time-division-multiplexed networks, we also demonstrate the cascaded operation of two low-bi NOLM’s. Using a passively mode-locked fiber laser that produces 450-fs pulses at a wavelength of 1.55 μm, we achieve a 10.7:1 switching contrast ratio and a 2.7-pulse-widths-wide timing window after the cascaded gates. The results agree well with theoretical predictions and confirm the advantages of the long interaction length associated with orthogonally polarized pulses in low-bi (Δn ~ 3.0 × 10−6) polarization-maintaining fiber.
Suicide and terminal illness

Abstract Suicide among persons with terminal illness has assumed increased importance, because new serologic tests have allowed for earlier diagnosis and better palliative care has rendered many terminal illnesses chronic, with the result that the dying phase is more protracted. In addition, there has been increased public interest in physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia. After an overview of the epidemiology of suicide among the terminally ill, the clinical assessment and management of suicidal terminally ill patients are discussed, with an emphasis on how assessment and management of these patients differ, from the strategies used to evaluate and treat other suicidal individuals. The methodological issues inherent in studying this area are also pointed out.
Using genetic algorithms to evolve the control rules of a swarm of UAVs

Due to the large number of interactions that the agents in a swarm of UAVs have with each other as well as with their environment, it is necessary to obtain a viable procedure that yields a reasonable group behavior from these local interactions. This paper proposes a hierarchical behavior-based model in which several parameters are adjusted with a genetic algorithm (GA). The presented model implements three explicit layers of behaviors (basic, group and mission) in a simulation in which the agents seek to survey a rectangular target area while avoiding a circular obstacle
Misplaced marketing Misplacing the media role in social marketing public health

One example of misplaced marketing is the role of mass media in programs in the marketing of public health initiatives. After many years of mass media oriented campaigns against drunk driving it is clear that the goal of persuading the public to stop drinking and driving has not been achieved. Asserts that media should not be viewed as a short‐term change agent of behaviors, but rather as a change agent to gradually restructure the public’s cognition about various issues related to drunk driving. The assertion is based on agenda‐setting theory which argues that the media’s real power lies in its ability to tell the public what to think about rather than what to think.
Permutation tests: precision in estimating probability values.

Summary The number of resamplings necessary to accurately estimate a probability value is an open question. One million resamplings is shown to be sufficient to ensure precision to three places under most conditions.
Inside Home Visits: A Collaborative Look at Process and Quality

Abstract Home visit quality was assessed in an Early Head Start program (N = 92 families) using measures developed in collaboration with program staff. Parent ratings were high, indicating “customer satisfaction” with home visiting. Home visitors rated their relationships with parents as having a feeling of partnership and their home visits as typically going well. Researcher observations of home visits were consistent with the program’s theory of change: Home visitors attempted to facilitate parent-child interaction, parents were engaged in home visit activities, home visitors interacted mostly with both parent and child together. Families perceived by staff as improving the most had home visitors observed by researchers as most effective at engaging parents and involving parent and child together. Families seen as “success” cases showed consistently high engagement in home visits; while “nonsuccess” cases showed consistently low home visitor facilitation of parent-child interaction. Through a collaborative partnership, assessments of home visits were used to guide both program improvement and research.
Con: Cardiac Surgery Should Be Performed Under Warm Conditions

YPOTHERMIA during cardiac surgery is a long-accepted technique for end-organ protection during the nonphysiologic period of cardiopulmonary bypass and, in particular, during periods of ischemia. Hypothermia decreases wholebody oxygen consumption and increases the ischemic tolerance of organ systems. 1 In addition to systemic hypothermia, hypothermic cardioplegic myocardial arrest is a well-established approach to protect the heart during ischemic cross-clamp periods. Despite the benefits of cooling, hypothermia can produce deleterious effects on myocardial performance and systemic organ function during the perioperative period. To address these concerns, techniques that use warm perfusion (systemic normothermia) and warm cardioplegia were developed. Together, these 2 elements define the current concept of warm heart surgery. Although warm heart surgery was introduced as early as 1957, it was only in the 1990s that serious interest and routine clinical application occurred. 2 Since then, numerous comparisons between hypothermic and normothermic cardiac surgery have taken place, and the current results indicate that the debate will continue regarding the optimal method for cardiac surgery. Current evidence suggests warm heart surgery is safe and effective and, more importantly, may decrease some of the negative effects of hypothermia, thereby having a role in most “routine” cardiac surgical cases. CONCERNS WITH HYPOTHERMIA Therapeutic hypothermia provides organ protection during low-flow, nonphysiologic perfusion or frank ischemic periods by slowing tissue metabolism and oxygen consumption. Despite the potential protective benefits of hypothermia, certain disadvantages with hypothermia question its necessity as a routine technique. During periods of hypothermia, a total systemic imbalance between oxygen demand and supply may exist. Although oxygen consumption may be decreased with hypothermia, a leftward shift of the oxygen-dissociation curve and extracellular alkalosis can result in impaired oxygen delivery at the tissue level. Impaired distal perfusion also can occur owing to hypothermic vasoconstriction. 3 Decreased oxygen in the tissues can lead to weakened oxidative function of neutrophils, impaired immune function, decreased wound healing, and organ dysfunction. 4 Regarding myocardial function, hypothermia has been shown to inhibit myocardial enzymes, disrupt cellular membranes, impair calcium sequestration, decrease adenosine triphosphate production, and decrease oxygen delivery. 5,6 This can lead to a poor recovery of cardiac performance after surgery. Under normothermic conditions, electromechanical arrest using a high potassium cardioplegia solution can decrease myocardial oxygen requirements by 90%. 7 Hypothermia provides only a minimal further decrease in oxygen consumption. Therefore, the effect of hypothermia on myocardial oxygen consumption does not compare to the effect of pharmacologically arresting the heart.
Molecular Subtyping of Poultry-Associated Type A Clostridium perfringens Isolates by Repetitive-Element PCR

Clostridium perfringens strains (type A) isolated from an integrated poultry operation were subtyped using repetitive-element PCR with Dt primers. Isolates were obtained from fecal, egg shell, fluff, and carcass rinse samples as part of a previously reported temporally linked epidemiological survey. A total of 48 isolates of C. perfringens were obtained from different stages of the broiler chicken production chain from two separate breeder farms that supplied a single hatchery that in turn provided chicks to a single grow-out farm whose flocks were processed at a single plant. All 48 isolates were typeable (100% typeability) by repetitive-element PCR with Dt primers. This subtyping method was highly reproducible and discriminatory. By repetitive-element PCR with Dt primers, isolates were classified into four major branches with 12 subgroups or clades. The Simpson's index of discrimination was calculated to be 0.96 for groupings of >95% correlation. Toxin gene profiles of the isolates indicated that all of the isolates were C. perfringens alpha-toxin gene positive and 46 of 48 isolates were beta2-toxin gene positive. All strains were negative for beta- and epsilon-toxin genes. Repetitive sequence-based PCR was found to be a technically practical and reproducible means of subtyping C. perfringens libraries from specific epidemiological or production environment settings.
The Antigenicity of Shigella paradysenteriae (Flexner) in Saline-in-Mineral-Oil Emulsion.

Summary and ConclusionsInvestigations have been carried out with a saline-in-mineral-oil emulsion vaccine containing dysentery antigen. The results in mice and rabbits reveal a striking improvement in the antibody response with this menstruum, especially as far as prolongation of high titers is concerned. There was often a definite increase in the peak titers as well. These results have been obtained in the absence of acid-fast bacilli.
Nicotine enhances responding with conditioned reinforcement.

The mesolimbic dopamine system has been implicated in the primary reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse as well as in enhanced responding with conditioned reinforcement produced by psychomotor stimulant drugs. Despite clinical observations that nicotine self-administration (i.e. smoking) depends strongly upon conditioned reinforcement (i.e. cues support smoking behavior), little is known about whether nicotine directly affects motivational processes. In these experiments, we investigated whether acute nicotine would influence responding with conditioned reinforcement and the degree to which pretreatment with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonist mecamylamine would modify any nicotine-induced behavioral effects. After subjects had been trained to associate an initially neutral stimulus with water reward, they received acute nicotine (43,25–350 µg/kg SC; −5 min) or saline injections and were tested on the acquisition of a new response for conditioned reinforcement paradigm. In separate experiments, the effect of pretreatment with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist mecamylamine (300 or 1000 µg/kg SC; −20 min) alone, or in combination with nicotine (350 µg/kg SC; −5 min), on conditioned reinforcement was also examined. Acute nicotine injection produced a selective enhancement of responding with conditioned reinforcement (i.e. on the CR lever), without producing non-selective increases in overall responding. The effect of nicotine (350 µg/kg SC; −5 min) was selectively blocked by mecamylamine (300 µg/kg). These findings demonstrate that acute exposure to nicotine augments the control over behavior by a conditioned reinforcer, suggesting that nicotine may enhance motivational processes.
Personalized Decision Support System to Enhance Evidence Based Medicine through Big Data Analytics

NG Health IT and UMBC are collaborating together to advance the fields of healthcare and bioinformatics, with an emphasis targeting Personalized Medicine. As progress in biomedical analysis and personalized medicine provide new sources and levels of information about genomics and other 'omics, problems of sorting through, integrating, and presenting this information to clinical practitioners to allow them to reach sound, actionable, conclusions represents a significant challenge given the nature of the data which is heterogeneous and large. This project will provide significant value for the Veterans Administration (VA) and MHS systems by providing improved access to care and improved clinical decision making utilizing clinical, genomic, proteomic, and other 'omic information. The work being done focuses on the data access and analysis of multiple sources of healthcare data.
Aortic Wall as a ‘Two-phase’ Material

COMPARISON of the orientation of the collagen and elastin components of the rabbit aorta at various distending pressures indicates that the media functions as a ‘two-phase’ material. At physiological pressures, collagen fibres of high tensile strength and relatively high modulus of elasticity bear most of the stressing force; an intricate network of elastin lamellae and fibrils of relatively low modulus of elasticity distributes stressing forces uniformly.
The morphogenesis of the posterior neural tube and tail in Monodelphis domesticus.

The process of secondary neuralation has been studied in the Brazilian opossum, Monodelphis domesticus. Secondary neuralation in this mammal was found to have qualities of secondary neuralation that were present in both the chick and the mouse. In this study, four stages of secondary neuralation were found beginning with the medullary cord stage. Other stages in the differentiation of the secondary neural tube were: differentiation of the neuroepithelium, cavitation of the medullary cord, and proliferation of the neural tube. The process of secondary neuralation proceeded in a rostral-to-caudal direction and was found to be independent of age. Diastematomyelia (doubling of the tube) was found in several animals. The process of cavitation was completed by the joining of severall small, focal cavities in a rostral-to-caudal direction. The most distinctive feature of secondary neuralation in this animal was the finding of axons within the secondary neural tube, a feature not characteristic of either the chick or the mouse.
Simultaneous dissolution of hydroxylapatite and precipitation of hydroxypyromorphite: direct evidence of homogeneous nucleation

Abstract Results of in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM), ex situ AFM, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction were combined with previous macroscopic investigations to characterize aqueous Pb(NO 3 ) 2 reaction with hydroxylapatite (Ca 5 (PO 4 ) 3 OH) (HAP). Experiments were conducted by immersing particulate HAP crystals in the AFM fluid cell in solutions with initial Pb concentrations = 100 mg L −1 , at pH 6 and 22°C under static conditions. Experimental results showed that transport-controlled HAP dissolution provided phosphate for precipitation of hydroxypyromorphite (Pb 5 (PO 4 ) 3 OH) (HPY), which in turn sequestered aqueous Pb. The combination of in situ and ex situ techniques provided direct evidence that HPY formed primarily by homogeneous nucleation in solution. Nevertheless, HPY needles were found in close association with HAP surfaces, most probably due to diffusional controls on phosphate concentrations. Diffusion of phosphate away from dissolving HAP appeared to be the rate-limiting step in the overall reaction sequence.
Survivability and Resiliency of Spacecraft and Spac e-Based Networks: a Framework for Characterization and Analysis

Considerations of survivability and resiliency have always been of importance in the design and analysis of military systems. Over the p ast two decades, the importance of survivability and resiliency has expanded beyond mi litary systems to include public networks and infrastructure systems. The analysis a nd assessment of networked systems with respect to survivability has become particular ly acute in recent years, as attested to by a growing technical literature on the subject. In this paper, we bring these considerations of su rvivability and resiliency to bear on spacecraft and space-based networks. We develop a framework for comparing the survivability and resiliency of different space arc hitectures, namely that of a monolithic design and a distributed (or networked) space syste m architecture. There are multiple metrics along which different space architectures c an be benchmarked and compared. We argue that if survivability and resiliency are not accounted for, then the evaluation process is likely to be biased in favor of monolithic spacecra ft. We show that if in a given context survivability and resiliency are an important requi rement for a particular customer, then a distributed architecture is more likely to satisfy this requirement than a monolithic spacecraft design. We discuss in the context of our framework differe nt classes of threats, as well as the high-frequency and low-frequency system response to (or coping strategies with) these shocks or damaging events. We illustrate the import ance of this characterization for a formal definition of survivability and resiliency a nd a proper quantitative analysis of the subject. Finally, we propose in future work to inte grate our framework with a design tool that allows the exploration of the design trade-spa ce of distributed space architecture and show how survivability can be “optimized” or traded against other system attributes.
The role of basis set superposition error in water addition reactions to Ln(III) cations

Our goal in this work was to characterize the importance of basis set superposition error (BSSE) in the reaction energetics of water addition to highly charged metal ions that exhibit strong ion-dipole interactions with water. The gas phase water addition reactions, M(H2O)N H2O 3 M(H2O)N 1 3 (M La(III), Lu(III); N 0 - 8) have been studied, with a particular emphasis on a posteriori methods for calculating BSSE and its constituent energetic components as a function of M(H2O)N cluster size and water basis
Advanced Colorectal Polyp Detection Techniques

A long-term follow-up of the landmark National Polyp Study recently showed that colonoscopy was associated with critical clinical benefit, including reduced overall death rate, colorectal cancer (CRC) death rate, and CRC incidence Zauber et al. (N Engl J Med 366(8):687–96, 2012). This and other recent studies emphasize the need for high-quality colonoscopy to realize maximal benefit. Adenoma detection has emerged as an important predictor of quality colonoscopy. Studies from Europe have shown that individuals whose colonoscopy was performed by a physician with high adenoma detection have a much lower likelihood of interval CRC. Studies now suggest that it is possible to train endoscopists to improve their adenoma detection rate. The specific methods associated with higher quality colonoscopy include careful inspection behind folds, washing the colon surface, adequate insufflation, and recognition of subtle flat polyps. Use of high-definition white light colonoscopy, chromoendoscopy, and cap-fitted colonoscopy has also been studied as potential methods for increasing adenoma detection. We will review these methods and techniques in this article.
Use of Infrared Imaging to Predict the Developmental Stages and Differences in Chicken Embryos Exposed to Different Photoperiods

Monitoring development of chicken embryos allows determination of when an egg is not developing and when eggs are close to hatching for more efficient production. Research has been conducted on the effects of temperature fluctuations and light exposure on embryo development; similarities between chicken and mammal embryos; and the use of MRI, tomography, and ultrasound to view specific areas and processes within the embryo. However, there has been little exploration of the use of infrared imaging as a non-destructive method for analyzing and predicting embryonic development. In this study, we built an automated loading system for image acquisition. Pilot experiments were conducted to determine the overall scanning time and scanning frequency. A batch of fertilized eggs was scanned each day as the embryos continued to grow. The captured images were analyzed and categorized into three stages: Stage 1 (days 1 to 7), Stage 2 (days 8 to 14), and Stage 3 (days 15 to 21). The temperature data abstracted from the captured images were divided into two groups. Group 1, consisting of two-thirds of the data, was used to construct a model. Group 2, consisting of one-third of the data, was used to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the model. A three-layer artificial neural network model was developed to predict embryo development stage given a temperature profile. Results suggest that the neural network model is sufficient to predict embryo development stage with good accuracy of 75%. Accuracy can likely be improved if more data sets for each development stage are available.
Application of computerized image analysis in quantitative microscopy

Digitized images obtained through a light microscope permit quantification of measured parameters. The author has been studying the use of video densitometry to analyze volume fractions of elastic tissue in skin, the localization of B-carotene in atherosclerosis by special ratioing of absorbances at different wavelengths, and the quantification of fluorophores. The application of these techniques of video densitometry to diagnostic pathology offers the possibility of obtaining quantitative information which will be reproducible from laboratory to laboratory; however, these studies must be analyzed with an understanding of the hardware and techniques. >
Abstract 5166: Membrane phospholipid asymmetry mediates the selective packaging of protein factors in cancer microparticles.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Objective: Growing evidence indicates that cancer cell-derived microparticles (MPs) play important regulatory roles on cellular and system levels. These activities are attributed to protein factors inside MPs. It has been known that contents in MPs are not a passive representation of the host cell, but a collection of factors packaged in a selective fashion. In the current study, we hypothesize that membrane phospholipid dynamics promotes the selective packaging of protein factors by modulating the electrostatic density inside MPs. Methods: The dynamics of phospholipid species across the membrane bilayer, including phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylinositides (PIs) are characterized using specific molecular probes. We used exogenous probes, Duramycin and bovine lactadherin, to stain the presence of PE and PS, respectively, on the outer surface of MP membrane. Endogenously expressed probes include GFP-tagged C2 domain of lactadherin (LacC2-GFP), and GFP-tagged 2PH-PLCdelta, are used to assess the relative density of PS and PI, respectively, in the inner leaflet of MP membranes. We examined the distribution of small Rho GTPases, including RhoA, Cdc42 and Rac1, using GFP-labeled reporters. To further examine the electrostatic interactions, we used RhoA mutants with the polybasic amino acids mutated to Gln. Additionally, we constructed a GFP-PBR to validate the electrostatic-dependent packaging mechanism. Results: PE is externalized to the outer surface of MPs. This is correlated with a greater density of negatively charged phospholipids, particularly PS, in the inner leaflet. The process is independent of apoptosis or the generation of apoptotic bodies. The redistribution of PE to the MP surface is correlated with an elevated presence of small GTPases in a PBR-dependent manner. Mutation of PBR abolished RhoA uptake in MPs. The incorporation of PBR to GFP significantly enhanced GFP localization in MPs. Conclusion: PE externalization to MP surface likely results in a greater density of negatively charged phospholipids, including PS, and to a lesser extent, PIs. An elevated density of anionic phospholipids provides an electrostatic attraction for membrane-associated proteins to MPs. This may provide a general mechanism for the selective sequestration of signal transduction factors in cancer cell-derived MPs. Citation Format: Songwang Hou, Carol Williams, Ming Zhao. Membrane phospholipid asymmetry mediates the selective packaging of protein factors in cancer microparticles. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5166. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5166
SENS: a sensor, environment and network simulator

Recent advances in microelectromechanical systems and VLSI lithography have enabled the miniaturization of sensors and controllers. Such minitiarization facilitates the deployment of large-scale wireless sensor networks (WSNs). However, the considerable cost of deploying and maintaining large-scale WSNs for experimental purposes makes simulation useful in developing dependable and portable WSN applications. SENS is a customizable sensor network simulator for WSN applications, consisting of interchangeable and extensible components for applications, network communication, and the physical environment. Multiple component implementations in SENS offer varying degrees of realism. Users can assemble application-specific environments; such environments are modeled in SENS by their different signal propagation characteristics. The same source code that is executed on simulated sensor nodes in SENS may also be deployed on actual sensor nodes; this enables application portability. Furthermore, SENS provides diagnostic facilities such as power utilization analysis for development of dependable applications. We validate and demonstrate usability of these capabilities through analyzing two simple WSN services.
Binding of wild-type p53 by topoisomerase II and overexpression of topoisomerase II in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract In order to study the mechanisms by which p53 function is regulated, human wild-type p53 cDNA was cloned into a vaccinia virus vector and the expressed p53 protein was used to investigate binding of the p53 by cellular proteins from a cDNA expression library from human liver. One protein that bound wild-type p53 had >99% homology with DNA topoisomerase IIb. p53 protein was coimmunoprecipitated from topoisomerase II-rich cell lysates (but not from topoisomerase II-deficient cell lysates) by an antibody to topoisomerase IIa and IIb. This binding was shown to occur without a dsDNA intermediary. Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and adjacent nontumorous liver tissues from ten patients were studied to determine the level of expression of topoisomerase II and p53. Overexpressed topoisomerase II proteins were detected by western blot in six of ten HCCs (60%), including several in which presumed wild-type p53 was detected by immunohistochemistry. No topoisomerase II expression was detectable in the ten nontumorous liver tissues from the same patients or in a sample of normal human liver.
FAQ-master: an ontological multi-agent system for web FAQ services

This paper expresses the results of our research in developing a multi-agent system: FAQ-master as an intelligent Web information integration system based upon intelligent retrieval, filtering, integration, and ranking capabilities in order to provide high-quality FAQ answers from the Web to meet the user information request. We are describing FAQ-master, discussing how it improves FAQ query quality from the following three aspects of Web search activities at the same time: user intention, document content processing, and website search. The system is implemented as four agents working together through an ontology-supported content base. Techniques involved in the design include domain ontology, ontology-supported user query processing, ontology-supported solution caching, ontology-directed FAQ wrapping, storage, retrieval and ranking, and ontology-supported website classification and expansion.
Germ Cell and Sex Cord Stromal Tumors: Clinical Introduction

Nonepithelial tumors, which include germ cell and sex cord stromal tumors, comprise approximately 10% of all ovarian cancers. In contrast to ovarian carcinomas, nonepithelial ovarian malignancies more frequently present in younger patients, and the prognosis is frequently good. This chapter provides an introduction to the clinical presentation of germ cell tumors, as well as an overview of the clinical features of specific germ cell tumors (dysgerminoma, teratoma, yolk sac tumor, embryonal carcinoma and choriocarcinoma of the ovary). Sex cord stromal tumors, granulosa-stromal tumors, and Sertoli–Leydig tumors are also discussed.
Individual differences in posterior cortical volume correlate with proneness to pride and gratitude

Proneness to specific moral sentiments (e.g. pride, gratitude, guilt, indignation) has been linked with individual variations in functional MRI (fMRI) response within anterior brain regions whose lesion leads to inappropriate behaviour. However, the role of structural anatomical differences in rendering individuals prone to particular moral sentiments relative to others is unknown. Here, we investigated grey matter volumes (VBM8) and proneness to specific moral sentiments on a well-controlled experimental task in healthy individuals. Individuals with smaller cuneus, and precuneus volumes were more pride-prone, whereas those with larger right inferior temporal volumes experienced gratitude more readily. Although the primary analysis detected no associations with guilt- or indignation-proneness, subgenual cingulate fMRI responses to guilt were negatively correlated with grey matter volumes in the left superior temporal sulcus and anterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (right >left). This shows that individual variations in functional activations within critical areas for moral sentiments were not due to grey matter volume differences in the same areas. Grey matter volume differences between healthy individuals may nevertheless play an important role by affecting posterior cortical brain systems that are non-critical but supportive for the experience of specific moral sentiments. This may be of particular relevance when their experience depends on visuo-spatial elaboration.
Using the Digital Camera as a Classroom Data Collector

S ^ tate-of-the-art digital cameras open up enormous possibilities for the biology classroom, especially as data collectors. This article will give a rationale for their use, recommended technical specifications of these cameras for use in a biology classroom, and one complete sample digital camera activity. I will also share some ideas illustrating how the use of these cameras can provide students rich science experiences, and make suggestions for classroom implementation of the digital camera.