cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Na,K-ATPase β1-subunit is a target of sonic hedgehog signaling and enhances medulloblastoma tumorigenicity.

Background The Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway plays an important role in cerebellar development, and mutations leading to hyperactive Shh signaling have been associated with certain forms of medulloblastoma, a common form of pediatric brain cancer. While the fundamentals of this pathway are known, the molecular targets contributing to Shh-mediated proliferation and transformation are still poorly understood. Na,K-ATPase is a ubiquitous enzyme that maintains intracellular ion homeostasis and functions as a signaling scaffold and a cell adhesion molecule. Changes in Na,K-ATPase function and subunit expression have been reported in several cancers and loss of the β1-subunit has been associated with a poorly differentiated phenotype in carcinoma but its role in medulloblastoma progression is not known.
Experiment and theory in harmony.

Mark A. Johnson at Yale University discusses how the two sides of physical chemistry have necessarily developed together, and looks at how their synergy dictates the direction of contemporary research.
Acute cerebral changes in experimental canine fat embolism.

Abstract Adult dogs, given 1 ml per kilogram body weight of Wesson oil i.v., were killed by injection of Nembutal after intervals varying from 22 hours to 9 days. The neurological deficit consisted of varying degrees of paralysis and decerebrate rigidity. Sudan-stained fat emboli were scattered through the brain, accumulated within circumscribed areas and around foci of degeneration. Lesions of the brain varied considerably in size and degree of tissue destruction. The temporal sequence of changes conformed with conventional patterns, except for minute lesions with reactive changes peripherally. Siderosis occurred from the second day and was more striking in the cerebellum than the cerebrum. It was tentatively explained as an instability of serum iron concentration with diffusion of iron compounds through damaged vascular walls. Fibrin was demonstrated perivascularly near the embolized part of the vessels in 2-day-old lesions. The conversion of fibrinogen was considered to be due to diffusion of plasma products at the sites of severe vascular damage, and admixture of thromboplastin within degenerating astrocytes. The glomeruli were clogged by discrete threads of fibrin attached to fat emboli. After repeated injections of fat, the cerebrum and cerebellum were damaged by hemorrhagic infarctions, the mechanism of which was not determined. Otherwise all foci seemed to have developed around vessels with arrested emboli, but the factors involved in the arrest were not understood. Many dogs suffered from chronic meningoencephalitis, choroiditis, and marked hydrocephalus. These changes were old and unrelated to the fat emboli.
Effect of Time of Day of Artificial Insemination and Oviposition-Insemination Interval on the Fertility of Broiler Breeder Hens

Two experiments using two populations of 160 broiler-type females in each were conducted to study the effect of time of day of artificial insemination and the effect of oviposition-insemination interval on fertility. Each population was subdivided into eight groups of 20 hens and inseminated with .05 ml of semen once a week at one of the following times: 2400, 0300, 0600, 0900, 1200, 1500, 1800, or 2100 hr for 5 weeks in Experiment 1 and for 6 weeks in Experiment 2. In Experiment 1, the highest level of fertility was obtained from hens inseminated at 2100 hr, while in Experiment 2, significantly higher levels of fertility were obtained from hens inseminated at 2100, 2400, and 0300 hr. In both experiments, fertility of females inseminated in mid-morning and mid-afternoon did not differ significantly and lower levels of fertility were obtained when hens oviposited within 3 hr after insemination. Lower fertility occurred when morning and mid-day inseminations were followed by oviposition within 3 hr after insemination.
NMR INVESTIGATION OF RING CONFORMATION IN SUBSTITUTED DIHYDRONAPHTHALENES

Abstract Vicinal JHH couplings were investigated for a series of substituted dihydronaphthalenes allowing the conformation of the non-aromatic ring to be evaluated. It was found that the substitution of bromine for hydrogen increases the total puckering amplitude of the non-aromatic ring. Different formulations of the Karplus equation were investigated and the influence on the observed results are discussed.
Resting (basal) secretion of proteins is provided by the minor regulated and constitutive-like pathways and not granule exocytosis in parotid acinar cells.

Resting secretion of salivary proteins by the parotid gland is sustained in situ between periods of eating by parasympathetic stimulation and has been assumed to involve low level granule exocytosis. By using parotid lobules from ad libitum fed rats stimulated with low doses of carbachol as anin vitro analog of resting secretion, we deduce from the composition of discharged proteins that secretion does not involve granule exocytosis. Rather, it derives from two other acinar export routes, the constitutive-like (stimulus-independent) pathway and the minor regulated pathway, which responds to low doses of cholinergic or β-adrenergic agonists (Castle, J. D., and Castle, A. M. (1996) J. Cell Sci. 109, 2591–2599). The protein composition collected in vitro mimics that collected from cannulated ducts of glands given low level stimulation in situ. Analysis of secretory trafficking along the two pathways of resting secretion has indicated that the constitutive-like pathway may pass through endosomes after diverging from the minor regulated pathway at a brefeldin A-sensitive branch point. The branch point is deduced to be distal to a common vesicular budding event by which both pathways originate from immature granules. Detectable perturbation of neither pathway in lobules was observed by wortmannin addition, and neither serves as a significant export route for lysosomal procathepsin B. These findings show that parotid acinar cells use low capacity, high sensitivity secretory pathways for resting secretion and reserve granule exocytosis, a high capacity, low sensitivity pathway, for massive salivary protein export during meals. An analogous strategy may be employed in other secretory cell types.
A Cross-Country Comparison of Virtual Discussion Board Use in United States and Costa Rican Education Settings

The purpose of the current study was to compare the use of virtual discussion boards in various educational settings in the United States and Costa Rica. Participants included professors of education, in-service and pre-service teachers in the United States and Costa Rica where a survey was used that included demographic, knowledge, attitude, and behavioral questions regarding the use of virtual discussion boards. Results indicated that sixty-two percent of the participants used discussion boards in an educational setting. Instructors reported creating discussion board prompts that were constructivist in nature, and responses were frequently assessed for reflection, application, or collaboration. Findings show implications for educators in Costa Rica the United States due to the extensive rural landscape that perpetuates a need for alternative forms of communication and distance learning as well as to provide a comparison to how this technology is used in United States educational settings.
Eumycetozoa = Amoebozoa?: SSUrDNA Phylogeny of Protosteloid Slime Molds and Its Significance for the Amoebozoan Supergroup

Amoebae that make fruiting bodies consisting of a stalk and spores and classified as closely related to the myxogastrids have classically been placed in the taxon Eumycetozoa. Traditionally, there are three groups comprising Eumycetozoa: myxogastrids, dictyostelids, and the so-called protostelids. Dictyostelids and myxogastrids both make multicellular fruiting bodies that may contain hundreds of spores. Protostelids are those amoebae that make simple fruiting bodies consisting of a stalk and one or a few spores. Protostelid-like organisms have been suggested as the progenitors of the myxogastrids and dictyostelids, and they have been used to formulate hypotheses on the evolution of fruiting within the group. Molecular phylogenies have been published for both myxogastrids and dictyostelids, but little molecular phylogenetic work has been done on the protostelids. Here we provide phylogenetic trees based on the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU) that include 21 protostelids along with publicly available sequences from a wide variety of amoebae and other eukaryotes. SSU trees recover seven well supported clades that contain protostelids but do not appear to be specifically related to one another and are often interspersed among established groups of amoebae that have never been reported to fruit. In fact, we show that at least two taxa unambiguously belong to amoebozoan lineages where fruiting has never been reported. These analyses indicate that we can reject a monophyletic Eumycetozoa, s.l. For this reason, we will hereafter refer to those slime molds with simple fruiting as protosteloid amoebae and/or protosteloid slime molds, not as protostelids. These results add to our understanding of amoebozoan biodiversity, and demonstrate that the paradigms for understanding both nonfruiting and sporulating amoebae must be integrated. Finally, we suggest strategies for future research on protosteloid amoebae and nonfruiting amoebae, and discuss the impact of this work for taxonomists and phylogenomicists.
SU-C-220-01: Comparative MTF and DQE Performance of Wireless Digital Image Receptors

Purpose: Two new wireless digital receptors were evaluated and compared with a conventional flat‐panel using the International Electrotechnical Commission formalism (IEC 62220‐1) for measuringmodulation transfer function(MTF),noise power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) using two filtration schemes. Methods: Raw images were acquired for three image receptors (Pixium 4600, Trixell; DRX‐1C and DRX‐1, Carestream Health, Inc.) using a radiographic system with a well‐characterized output (Philips Super80 CP, Philips Healthcare). Free in‐air exposures were measured using a calibrated radiation meter (Unfors Mult‐ O‐Meter Type 407, Unfors Instruments AB). Additional aluminum filtration (and a new alternative combined copper‐aluminum filtration) were used to conform the x‐ray output to IEC‐specified beam quality definitions RQA5 and RQA9. Testing was performed to exclude lag effects. Assessment of the DR systems followed the IEC 62220‐1 formalism. Each detector was irradiated with RQA5 and RQA9 open beams with each filtration at increasing photon fluence to determine the system conversion function. The normal exposure level (XN) was set at 1.0 mR to the detector surface. The NPS was evaluated at XN/2, XN, and at 2XN. The prescribed edge test device was used to evaluate the MTF. The DQE was then calculated from the MTF and NPS functions. Results: All three DR systems demonstrated similar MTFs at most frequency ranges, while the DRX‐1 showed lower values near the cutoff of approximately 3.5 cycles/mm. At each exposure, the Pixium 4600 and DRX‐1C demonstrated similar NPS curves that indicated better noise performance than the DRX‐1. Zero‐frequency DQEs for Pixium 4600, DRX‐1C, and DRX‐1 were approximately 63%, 74%, and 38% for RQA5 and 42%, 50%, and 28% for RQA9, respectively. Conclusion: In terms of DQE performance, the DRX‐1C image receptor is superior to the Pixium 4600 and DRX‐1. Wireless DR receptors offer high‐quality alternatives to CR for portable imaging applications. Supported in part by Carestream Health, Inc. (Rochester, NY)
Cyclooxygenases, peroxide tone and the allure of fish oil.

Skepticism about the health benefits of fish oil is largely the result of our incomplete understanding of the biochemistry of ω3 essential fatty acids. Recent work has confirmed the roles of ω3 fatty acids in gene transcription and signal transduction, and has given insight into the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and the EPA/arachidonic acid (AA) ratio on prostanoid (PG) metabolism and function. One pronounced effect of fish-oil-induced increases in EPA/AA ratios is decreased PG formation from AA via cyclooxygenase-1, because EPA inhibits this isoform. In addition, cells lacking endogenous alkyl-peroxide-generating systems and thus having a low ‘peroxide tone’ cannot oxygenate EPA via cyclooxygenase-1. Platelets, however, which are equipped with a lipoxygenase that can produce an abundance of hydroperoxide from AA, can form small amounts of thromboxane A3 from EPA via cyclooxygenase-1. A second major consequence of elevated EPA/AA ratios is significantly increased production of 3-series PGs, including PGE3, via cyclooxygenase-2. There are four PGE receptor subtypes and at least one of these types — not yet identified — has a significantly different response to PGE3 than to PGE2; this difference may underlie the ability of ω3 fatty acids to mitigate inflammation and tumorigenesis.
A survey of psychological assessment on interdisciplinary craniofacial teams.

Objective: To explore the role of mental health professionals on craniofacial teams and determine how craniofacial teams assess for psychological concerns in their patient populations. Design: Online and paper surveys. Participants: A total of 55 craniofacial team coordinators and 40 mental health professionals who are team members participated in this study. Results: Results indicated that teams in 2007 generally viewed psychological services on their teams similarly to teams assessed in 1987. Most teams do not use formal measures in their assessment of psychological concerns, and they provide feedback via discussions with the families. Mental health professionals assess a wide variety of potential areas of concern and are generally satisfied with the referral sources available to their patients. Conclusions: Craniofacial teams appear to practice in a manner consistent with professional standards, and these teams seem to value the inclusion of mental health professionals as part of the interdisciplinary ...
Near-Infrared Fluorescence Labeled Anti-TAG-72 Monoclonal Antibodies for Tumor Imaging in Colorectal Cancer Xenograft Mice

Anti-TAG-72 monoclonal antibodies target the tumor-associated glycoprotein (TAG)-72 in various solid tumors. This study evaluated the use of anti-TAG-72 monoclonal antibodies, both murine CC49 and humanized CC49 (HuCC49deltaCH2), for near-infrared fluorescent (NIR) tumor imaging in colorectal cancer xenograft models. The murine CC49 and HuCC49deltaCH2 were conjugated with Cy7 monofunctional N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (Cy7-NHS). Both in vitro and in vivo anti-TAG-72 antibody binding studies were performed. The in vitro study utilized the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line LS174T that was incubated with Cy7, antibody-Cy7 conjugates, or excessive murine CC49 followed by the antibody-Cy7 conjugates and was imaged by fluorescence microscopy. The in vivo study utilized xenograft mice, bearing LS174T subcutaneous tumor implants, that received tail vein injections of Cy7, murine CC49-Cy7, HuCC49deltaCH2-Cy7, or nonspecific IgG-Cy7 and were imaged by the Xenogen IVIS 100 system from 15 min to 288 h. The biodistribution of the fluorescence labeled antibodies was determined by imaging the dissected tissues. The in vitro study revealed that the antibody-Cy7 conjugates bound to LS174T cells and were blocked by excessive murine CC49. The in vivo study demonstrated that murine CC49 achieved a tumor/blood ratio of 15 at 96 h postinjection. In comparison, HuCC49deltaCH2-Cy7 cleared much faster than murine CC49-Cy7 from the xenograft mice, and HuCC49deltaCH2-Cy7 achieved a tumor/blood ratio of 12 at 18 h postinjection. In contrast, Cy7 and Cy7 labeled nonspecific IgG resulted in no demonstrable tumor accumulation. When mice were injected with excessive unlabeled murine CC49 at 6 h before the injection of murine CC49-Cy7 or HuCC49deltaCH2-Cy7, both the intensity and retention time of the fluorescence from the tumor were reduced. In summary, the Cy7 labeled murine CC49 and HuCC49deltaCH2 demonstrate tumor-targeting capabilities in living colorectal cancer xenograft mice and provide an alternative modality for tumor imaging.
Recruitment And Retention Of Optics Faculty

ABSTRACT There is widespread need for scientists and engineers educated in optics. Universities are beginning to respond to this need by creating new programs in optics and including more optics education in the context of existing programs. This situation presents challenges in recruiting and retention of faculty. This paper examines issues relevant to this challenge. 1. Introduction.Like many other participants in this meeting, this was my first venture in giving atalk or writing a paper on a nontechnical subject. The topic was assigned to me bythe conference organizers. The only qualification I bring to this task is to have been part of the building of three groups in optics, and witness to the demise of one strong university based optics center. My approach to the topic was to try to gather"data" on the subject then form some general conclusions. My attempt to gather data was via a questionnaire sent to various universities. The response to the questionnaire was sketchy at best. In some cases people thought the questionnaire toprobing, other thought that they would be giving secrets to the competition and stillothers (the majority I think) simply ignored it as yet another piece of junk mail.In most cases the returned questionnaires were only partially filled out, and in manycases it was obvious that the respondent had interpreted the questions differently
Strongyloides stercoralis: protective immunity to third-stage larvae in BALB/cByJ mice

A murine model system was developed to study the induction and mechanism of protective immunity to L3 of Strongyloides stercoralis. L3 were implanted in BALB/cByJ mice in diffusion chambers constructed with 0.1- or 2.0-microns-pore-size membranes. Parasites survived equally well regardless or membrane type for 7 days, after which larval survival decreased in diffusion chambers constructed with 2.0-microns-pore-size membranes, which allowed host cells to enter. Survival of S. stercoralis L3 in diffusion chambers implanted in mice was assayed after immunization with live, heat-killed, and homogenized L3. Optimal immunization was achieved with 10,000 live L3, whereby immunized mice eliminated 97% of the larvae either contained within diffusion chambers or free within the tissues of the mouse by 24 hr postinfection. Sera from immunized mice had elevated levels of IgG1, IgM, and IgA parasitic-specific antibody; IgM was the only antibody isotype that recognized surface antigens of L3. Larvae were not killed in immunized mice if contact between host cells and the parasites was prevented. In the peripheral blood and diffusion chamber fluid of immunized mice, eosinophil levels were significantly higher when compared to the levels found in control mice. The rodent model developed in the present study has thus demonstrated that virtually complete immunity can be induced to the L3 of S. stercoralis and that larval killing was found to be associated with the presence of both specific antibody and eosinophils.
Human development and the optimal size of government

Abstract Previous studies have found evidence for an optimal size of government with respect to GDP growth. In this paper, I look at the impact of the size of government consumption expenditures on social welfare as measured by the Human Development Index. Utilizing dynamic GMM estimation in a panel data framework, I find that evidence for an optimal size of government with respect to social welfare.
Glycolipid and Ganglioside Metabolism Imbalances In Huntington’s Disease

We have explored genome-wide expression of genes related to glycobiology in exon 1 transgenic Huntington's disease (HD) mice using a custom-designed GLYCOv2 chip and Affymetrix microarray analyses. We validated, using quantitative real-time PCR, abnormal expression levels of genes encoding glycosyltransferases in the striatum of R6/1 transgenic mice, as well as in postmortem caudate from human HD subjects. Many of these genes show differential regional expression within the CNS, as indicated by in situ hybridization analysis, suggesting region-specific regulation of this system in the brain. We further show disrupted patterns of glycolipids (acidic and neutral lipids) and/or ganglioside levels in both the forebrain of the R6/1 transgenic mice and caudate samples from human HD subjects. These findings reveal novel disruptions in glycolipid/ganglioside metabolic pathways in the pathology of HD and suggest that the development of new targets to restore glycosphingolipid balance may act to ameliorate some symptoms of HD.
Hypophagic effects of propionate increase with elevated hepatic acetyl coenzyme A concentration for cows in the early postpartum period

Abstract Thirty multiparous lactating dairy cows were used in a randomized block design experiment to evaluate factors related to the degree of hypophagia from intraruminal infusion of propionate. Cows between 3 and 40 d postpartum at the start of the experiment were blocked by calving date and randomly assigned to treatment. Treatments were 1.0 mol/L propionic acid or 1.0 mol/L acetic acid adjusted to pH 6 with sodium hydroxide and infused at 0.5 mol of volatile fatty acid/h from 6 h before feeding until 12 h after feeding. Propionate infusion decreased dry matter intake by 20.0%, total metabolizable energy intake by 22.5%, and plasma β-hydroxybutyrate concentration by 54.3% compared with acetate infusion. Effects of treatment on dry matter intake were related to concentration of acetyl coenzyme A (CoA) in the liver; hypophagic effects of propionate compared with acetate increased as liver acetyl CoA concentration increased. Hypophagic effects of propionate are greater for cows with elevated concentrations of acetyl CoA in the liver.
Beyond the fear of fever

Abstract Children are commonly brought to doctors mid emergency departments for evaluation of fewer. Fever provokes anxiety in parents and concern in physicians. This article examines some factors behind the fear of fever, emphasizing the behaviors of physicians that tend to exaggerate and misdirect parental concern. Measurement of fever is surprisingly controversial. Some reasons for this are examined. As tympanic infrared thermometry continues to gain in popularity among both parents and health workers, cautions and guidelines arc discussed for temperature measurement. Also considered arc the clinical significance of fever, its biological benefits and risks, and the rational use of antipyretics. Guidelines are provided for discussing fever with parents.
Calcium dependence of bleb formation and cell death in hepatocytes

Calcium dependence of bleb formation and cell death was evaluated in rat hepatocytes following ATP depletion by metabolic inhibition with KCN and iodoacetate (‘chemical hypoxia’). Cytosolic free Ca2+ was measured in single cells by ratio imaging of Fura-2 fluorescence using multiparameter digitized video microscopy. Cells formed surface blebs within 10 to 20 minutes after chemical hypoxia and most cells lost viability within an hour. An increase of cytosolic free Ca2+ was not required for bleb formation to occur. One to a few minutes prior to the onset of cell death, free Ca2+ increased rapidly in high Ca2+ buffer (1.2 mM) but not in low Ca2+ buffer (<1 μM). In either buffer, the rate of cell killing was the same. As the onset of cell death was approached in both high and low Ca2+ buffers, Fura-2 began to leak from the cells at an accelerating rate indicating rapidly increasing plasma membrane permeability. In high Ca2+ buffer, cytosolic free Ca2+ increased in parallel with dye leakage. No regional changes in cytosolic free Ca2+ were observed during this metastable period of increased membrane permeability. In many experiments, actual rupture of cell surface blebs could be observed which led to micron-size discontinuities of the cell surface and cell death. We conclude that a metastable period characterized by increasing plasma membrane permeability marked the onset of cell death in cultured hepatocytes which culminated in rupture of a cell surface bleb. An increase of cytosolic free Ca2+ was not required for the metastable state to develop or cell death to occur.
A survey of attitudes about maternal serum screening for fetal chromosome abnormalities in women 35 years of age and older.

We asked two groups of women their opinion on prenatal diagnosis and maternal serum screening (MSS): group 1 comprised women who had undergone a prenatal diagnostic procedure (amniocentesis or chorion
Oxyphor R2 and G2: phosphors for measuring oxygen by oxygen-dependent quenching of phosphorescence

Oxygen-dependent quenching of phosphorescence is a useful and essentially noninvasive optical method for measuring oxygen in vivo and in vitro. Calibration of the phosphors is absolute, and once phosphors have been calibrated in one laboratory the same constants can be used by anyone else as long as the measurement is done under the same conditions. Two new phosphors, one based on Pd-meso-tetra-(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin and the other on Pd-meso-tetra-(4-carboxyphenyl)tetrabenzoporphyrin, are very well suited to in vivo oxygen measurements. Both phosphors are Generation 2 polyglutamic Pd-porphyrin-dendrimers, bearing 16 carboxylate groups on the outer layer. These phosphors are designated Oxyphor R2 and Oxyphor G2, respectively. Both are highly soluble in biological fluids such as blood plasma and their ability to penetrate biological membranes is very low. The maxima in the absorption spectra are at 415 and 524 nm for Oxyphor R2 and 440 and 632 nm for Oxyphor G2, while emissions are near 700 and 800 nm, respectively. The calibration constants of the phosphors are essentially independent of pH in the physiological range (6.4 to 7.8). In vivo application is demonstrated by using Oxyphor G2 to noninvasively determine the oxygen distribution in a subcutaneous tumor growing in rats.
A correlation for phase behavior of nonionic surfactants

Abstract In previous studies, the systematics of variation of phase behavior of oil/water/surfactant systems have been detailed for anionic surfactants. The present study details the behavior of such systems with nonionic surfactants, including the variables: temperature, alcohol type and concentration, added electrolyte, ethylene oxide number of the surfactant, alkane molecular weight for the oil phase, and the hydrophobic molecular weight for the surfactant.
The postsynaptic 43k protein clusters muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in xenopus oocytes

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are localized at high concentrations in the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction. A peripheral membrane protein of Mr 43,000 (43K protein) is closely associated with AChRs and has been proposed to anchor receptors at postsynaptic sites. We have used the Xenopus oocyte expression system to test the idea that the 43K protein clusters AChRs. Mouse muscle AChRs expressed in oocytes after injection of RNA encoding receptor subunits are uniformly distributed in the surface membrane. Coinjection of AChR RNA and RNA encoding the mouse muscle 43K protein causes AChRs to form clusters of 0.5-1.5 microns diameter. AChR clustering is not a consequence of increased receptor expression in the surface membrane or nonspecific clustering of all membrane proteins. The 43K protein is colocalized with AChRs in clusters when the two proteins are expressed together and forms clusters of similar size even in the absence of AChRs. These results provide direct evidence that the 43K protein causes clustering of AChRs and suggest that regulation of 43K protein clustering may be a key step in neuromuscular synaptogenesis.
Estimating room temperatures from fires along walls and in corners

Determination of temperatures associated with room fires provides a means of assessing an important aspect of fire hazard: the likelihood of the occurrence of flashover. Layer temperatures in excess of 600°C have been associated with the occurrence of flashover. A data correlation has previously been presented to estimate layer temperatures for fires burning in the center of rooms. For fires in corners and along walls, restricted entrainment results in higher layer temperatures than predicted by the previous correlation. Modification factors for the previous correlation are developed to extend its applicability to wall and corner burning geometries. The present analysis suggests that a fire in a corner may cause flashover with only half the heat release rate necessary for a fire burning in the center of a room.
Patterns of differences in wayfinding performance and correlations among abilities between persons with and without Down syndrome and typically developing children

Down syndrome (DS) impacts several brain regions including the hippocampus and surrounding structures that have responsibility for important aspects of navigation and wayfinding. Hence it is reasonable to expect that DS may result in a reduced ability to engage in these skills. Two experiments are reported that evaluated route-learning of youth with DS, youth with intellectual disability (ID) and not DS, and typically developing (TD) children matched on mental age (MA). In both experiments, participants learned routes with eight choice point presented via computer. Several objects were placed along the route that could be used as landmarks. Participants navigated the route once with turn indicators pointing the way and then retraced the route without them. In Experiment 1 we found that the TD children and ID participants performed very similarly. They learned the route in the same number of attempts, committed the same number of errors while learning the route, and recalled approximately the same number of landmarks. The participants with DS performed significantly worse on both measures of navigation (attempts and errors) and also recalled significantly fewer landmarks. In Experiment 2, we attempted to reduce TD and ID vs DS differences by focusing participants’ attention on the landmarks. Half of the participants in each group were instructed to identify the landmarks as they passed them the first time. The participants with DS again committed more errors than the participants in the ID and TD groups in the navigation task. In addition, they recalled fewer landmarks. While landmark identification improved landmark memory for both groups, it did not have a significant impact on navigation. Participants with DS still performed more poorly than did the TD and ID participants. Of additional interest, we observed that the performance of persons with DS correlated with different ability measures than did the performance of the other groups. The results the two experiments point to a problem in navigation for persons with DS that exceeds expectations based solely on intellectual level.
Medroxyprogesterone acetate, but not progesterone, protects against inflammation-induced parturition and intrauterine fetal demise.

Abstract Objective This study was undertaken to determine whether progestational agents can prevent inflammation-induced preterm parturition and fetal demise. Study design The activation of contractile and inflammatory pathways in response to localized intrauterine inflammation was investigated by using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum progesterone (P4) levels and alterations in progesterone receptor-B (PR-B) were determined with radioimmunoassay and quantitative PCR, respectively. With our in vivo model of intrauterine inflammation, animals were randomly assigned to pretreatment with P4 or medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) before intrauterine lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Animals were observed for preterm delivery. The number of live pups 48 hours after intrauterine LPS was recorded for each treatment group. The ability of MPA to alter signal transduction pathways leading to preterm parturition were investigated by quantitative PCR and histochemical studies. Results Intrauterine inflammation is associated with decreased serum progesterone levels and decreased transcription of PR-B. Preterm delivery rates were 100% for LPS alone, 63% for LPS + P4, and 0% for LPS + MPA. No live pups remained at 48 hours in the LPS or LPS + P4 groups. Pretreatment with MPA significantly preserved fetal viability. MPA suppressed activation of contraction-associated genes and inflammatory mediators and prevented cervical ripening in response to intrauterine inflammation. Conclusion MPA, with its progestational and anti-inflammatory properties, prevented inflammation-induced preterm parturition and significantly preserved fetal viability.
First-Principles Studies of the Structural and Electronic Properties of the (Ga1-xZnx)(N1-xOx) Solid Solution Photocatalyst

Design of visible-light-driven photocatalytic materials has attracted intense interest in recent years in an attempt to enhance photonic efficiencies of hydrogen production via water splitting. Recent studies have shown that a solid solution of GaN and ZnO, (Ga1-xZnx)(N1-xOx), can oxidize water under visible light in the presence of a sacrificial electron acceptor. Here we present a systematic study of the structural and electronic properties of this (Ga1-xZnx)(N1-xOx) solid solution as a function of zinc (oxygen) concentration, x, using density-functional theory (DFT). The DFT+U approach has been adopted, and two different periodic supercells, the 16-atom (Ga8-nZnn)(N8-nOn) and 32-atom (Ga16-nZnn)(N16-nOn), have been used to model this solid solution. Results obtained from both supercells are in qualitative agreement with available experimental findings (in the lower concentration range x < 0.25), although overall the larger 32-atom supercell provides a better description of the (Ga1-xZnx)(N1-xOx) solid ...
Flexibility in Water Resources Management: Review of Concepts and Development of Assessment Measures for Flood Management Systems

Discussions around adapting water management systems to climate change often express the need to increase system flexibility. Yet despite the frequent use of the term flexibility, very little work has examined what exactly it means to have a flexible water management system, what features of a system make it more flexible than another system, or when the costs to implement flexible options outweigh the benefits gained from increased flexibility. To define and operationalize the concept of flexibility in the field of water resources management, this article reviews and analyzes concepts of flexibility from the fields of information technology, manufacturing, management, and adaptive social-ecological systems. We identify five characteristics of flexible water resources systems, namely: slack, redundancy, connectivity, compatibility/coordination, and adjustability. We then operationalize the assessment of flexibility for flood management systems by proposing original flexibility metrics and discussing their application. We conclude with a discussion on the tradeoffs of increasing flexibility.
Improving the fermentation medium for Echinocandin B production. Part I: sequential statistical experimental design

Abstract Sequential statistical experimental designs (Plackett–Burman, factorial, response surface and ridge analysis) were used to improve the medium for the production of Echinocandin B (ECB) by Aspergillus nidulans . Special attention is given to the ridge analysis, a search and optimization technique which can be applied to second-order models. Fifteen medium ingredients were investigated using a total of 108 shake flask fermentations over five stages of experimentation. The iterative process of thoughtful design and careful data analysis ultimately produced a simple, five component media, which increased titre by 46%.
A Quantitative Comparison of Graduate Programs in Architecture and Interior Design

This article compares research activities and program specialities of 64 architecture graduate programs with 27 interior design graduate programs. The architecture sample was the list of schools in the directory of Architecture Schools in North America. The interior design sample was taken from the Interior Design Educators Council membership. The results indicate that there are more graduate programs, more areas of specialization, more graduate faculty, and more graduate students in graduate programs of architecture than in graduate programs of interior design. The study also identifies commonalities in program areas of specialization, research emphases, and scholarship. Implications of findings are addressed in the larger context of graduate education.
Stimulation of acetylcholine release from guinea-pig ileal synaptosomes by cyclic nucleotides and forskolin.

Abstract Various agents which are known to affect intracellular levels of cAMP have been assessed for their ability to induce the release of [ 3 H]acetylcholine ([ 3 H]ACH) from a synaptosomal preparation derived from the guinea-pig ileum myenteric plexus. 8-Bromo-cAMP increased the release of [ 3 H]ACh above basal levels. While 8-bromo-cGMP also increased the release, this nucleotide was far less potent than 8-bromo-cAMP. Comparison of the release caused by the cyclic nucleotids to the release induced by the nicotinic agonist dimethylphenylpiperazinium (DMPP) suggested that there is some relationship, as yet undefined, between the 8-bromo-cAMP-induced and the DMPP-induced release, while no relationship was evident between the release induced by 8-bromo-cGMP and that caused by DMPP. The 8-bromo-cAMP-induced release was Ca 2+ -dependent. Neither adenosine, clonidine, nor oxotremorine (all of which modulate the nicotinically-induced release) affected the 8-bromo-cAMP-induced release. The phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine stimulated the release of [ 3 H]ACh as did the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin. The forskolin-induced release was not affected by adenosine, clonidine or oxotremorine. The ability of the modulators to block the nicotinically-induced release but not the release caused by the cyclic nucleotides indicates that the modulation of release evoked by nicotinic activity does not occur at a step involving protein phosphorylation.
Quasi-periodic decompositions and the Kemperman structure theorem

The Kemperman structure theorem (KST) yields a recursive description of the structure of a pair of finite subsets A and B of an Abelian group satisfying |A + B| ≤ |A| + |B| - 1. In this paper, we introduce a notion of quasi-periodic decompositions and develop their basic properties in relation to KST. This yields a fuller understanding of KST, and gives a way to more effectively use KST in practice. As an illustration, we first use these methods to (a) give conditions on finite sets A and B of an Abelian group so that there exists b ∈ B such that |A + (B \ {b})| ≥ |A| + |B| - 1, and to (b) give conditions on finite sets A, B, C1,...,Cr of an Abelian group so that there exists b ∈ B such that |A + (B \ {b})| ≥ |A| + |B| - 1 and |A + (B \ {b}) + Σi=1r Ci| ≥ |A| |B| + Σi=1r |Ci| - (r + 2) + 1. Additionally, we simplify two results of Hamidoune, by (a) giving a new and simple proof of a characterization of those finite subsets B of an Abelian group G for which |A + B| ≥ min{|G| - 1, |A| + |B|} holds for every finite subset A ⊆ G with |A| ≥ 2, and (b) giving, for a finite subset B ⊆ G for which |A + B| ≥ min{|G|, |A| + |B| - 1} holds for every finite subset A ⊆ G, a nonrecursive description of the structure of those finite subsets A ⊆ G such that |A + B| = |A| + |B| - 1.
Algebraic subrings and perfect compactifications

Abstract A subring F of C ∗ (X) is algebraic if F contains the constant functions and those functions f ϵ C ∗ (X) such that f2 ϵ F. According to Gillman and Jerison, the set F of all functions in C ∗ (X) that are constant on a given connected set is an algebraic subring of C ∗ (X) . Also, if X is compact and F is an algebraic subring of C ∗ (X) , then maximal stationary sets of F (sets on which members of F are constant) are connected. A compactification KX of X is perfect if k←(p) is connected for each p ϵ KX, where k: βX → KX is the natural map. We discuss the relationship between perfect compactifications of X and algebraic subrings of C ∗ (X) .
Bourgeois blues: Intergenerational relationships and manhood as post-civil rights discourse

Bourgeois Blues: An American Memoir is a painstakingly reconstructed history of a relationship; that of the young author, Jake Lamar Jr., with his father, Jake Lamar Sr. However, it is also simultaneously a history of black America and its attempts to survive intact while beneath the hegemonic yoke of white supremacy. Jake Jr.’s memoir intricately intertwines race, class, gender, intergenerational relationships, and very crucially, historical period in a profound manner unparalleled as a recent example of the sociocomplexities of recent gender scholarship.
A convenient method for the determination of the absolute configuration of chiral amines.

A highly useful methodology that allows the determination of the absolute configuration of aliphatic and aromatic chiral amines based on the rationalization of stereoselective three-point interactions during chromatography on a rationally designed chiral stationary phase and conformational analysis of the elutes was developed. This approach is based on the broadly accepted chiral recognition mechanism of the Whelk-O 1 CSP and requires a facile derivatization of the amine and the determination of the lowest energy conformation of the corresponding t-Boc- or Z-derived carbamates. The absolute configuration determined by employing chiral structure activity relationships in HPLC analysis was verified by single-crystal X-ray analysis or studies with carbamoyl derivatives of amines of known configuration. The general validity and applicability of this methodology was demonstrated by analysis of seven carbamates derived from aliphatic and aromatic amines. Due to its simplicity and time-efficiency, i.e., ease of ...
Cobalt oxides as Co2B catalyst precursors for the hydrolysis of sodium borohydride solutions to generate hydrogen for PEM fuel cells

Abstract Cobalt boride (Co2B) is an inexpensive catalyst for the hydrolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) to generate hydrogen (H2) for PEM fuel cells. Preparation of Co2B in situ in the H2 generation vessel as well as in an external reactor was studied using cobalt (III) oxide (Co3O4) and lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) as precursors. The oxide precursors were characterized by XRD and the Co2B catalysts by XRD and ICP. Co2B formation from the oxide precursors depends on the crystallinity of the oxides as well as the concentration of NaBH4 in the solution. During reduction of the oxides to CoB2, Co(s) metal, Co(BO2)2 may also form from competing side reactions, however crystalline oxides react faster leading to higher Co2B yield and better H2 generation efficiency. Crystallinity of Co3O4 was improved by preparing it at a higher temperature. Co3O4 prepared at 600 °C reacts faster leading to enhanced Co2B formation than Co3O4 prepared at lower temperatures (200 °C and 400 °C). The activation energy for the hydrolysis of NaBH4 by Co2B formed in situ from Co3O4 produced at 600 °C was calculated to be 77.90 kJ mol−1. This activation energy value is found to be slightly higher than that of Pt, Ru-based catalysts.
Characterization of vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus durans

During investigation of an outbreak of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium in a paediatric hospital, an isolate of Enterococcus durans resistant to vancomycin, teicoplanin, ampicillin and highly resistant to gentamicin and streptomycin was found in the stools of a patient also colonized with a strain of E. faecium with the same resistance pattern. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of vancomycin and teicoplanin were 512 and 64 mg/mL, respectively. Resistance to vancomycin as well as high-level resistance to gentamicin was transferable to an E. faecium recipient strain. Both multiresistant E. faecium and E. durans isolates as well as the transconjugant presented only one plasmid. The vanA gene was detected and localized to the high molecular weight plasmid by DNA hybridization with a vanA gene probe. Growth in vancomycin resulted in induction of an approximately 40 kDa protein visible in membrane preparations from these cells. Genetic linkage between vancomycin and gentamicin resistance genes in the same plasmid is suggested.
372 SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PHENYTOIN-INDUCED CLEFT PALATE IN MICE CORRELATED WITH INHIBITION OF FETAL PALATAL RNA AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

372 SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PHENYTOIN-INDUCED CLEFT PALATE IN MICE CORRELATED WITH INHIBITION OF FETAL PALATAL RNA AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
Left Ventricular Dilatation and Diastolic Compliance Changes during Chronic Volume Overloading

The magnitude and time course of alterations in left ventricular size, end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), and stiffness consequent to chronic volume overloading were examined in conscious dogs. A large infrarenal aortocaval shunt was produced surgically, left ventricular dimensions were measured by cineradiography using radiopaque beads implanted subendocardially, and LVEDP was measured via an indwelling catheter. In nine experimental and seven control animals, LVEDP was related to the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) over a range of LVEDP produced by transfusion and bleeding. In control studies LVEDP averaged 6.7 ± 1.42 (sem) mm Hg, LVEDD determined at 15 mm Hg LVEDP averaged 4.8 ± 1.13 cm, and the mean slope of linear stiffness curves was 45.9 ± 2.3 mm Hg/cm. Time-dependent changes in all of these parameters were observed following creation of the shunt: A progressive increase of LVEDP reached a maximum by 2 to 3 weeks, and when early postshunt studies (mean 5.2 days) were compared with late...
973 Serum Zn and Cu Concentrations During Infection in the Premature Infant

Serial serum zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) concentrations were measured in 4 intravenously fed, non-Zn, non-Cu supplemented premature infants all of whom had culture proven bacterial septicemia in the 3rd to 4th weeks of life. (Mean G.A. = 28.7 wks., mean birth wt.=1115gms.). Mean serum Zn and Cu concentrations in the infected group were compared to 9 non-Zn and non-Cu supplemented, age matched, IV nourished controls. The data suggests that the premature infant, similar to the adult, (J Infect Dis 126:77, 1977), is capable of sequesting Zn as a host response to infection from early in gestation. Serum Zn concentrations may be helpful in monitoring onset of infection and adequacy of antibiotic therapy in the newborn. No statistically significant changes in Cu in response to infection were seen.
Building the Union Pacific Railroad: a study of mid-nineteenth-century railroad construction accounting and reporting practices

America's greatest technological achievement of the nineteenth century was the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The ensuing political scandal over the disposition of millions of dollars in government bonds led to congressional hearings that revealed accounting and reporting practices for construction contracts that obscured the relationship between the two companies involved – the Union Pacific Railroad Company and the Credit Mobilier of America. Some of the accounting practices, such as the reporting of assets, liabilities, and capital matched contemporary practices of the mid-nineteenth century. Other practices, such as accounting for stock dividends and bond discounts, may have been first employed by the two organizations, but some eventually made their way into common practice among railroads of that era.