cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regional (14C) 2-deoxyglucose uptake during vibrissae movements evoked by rat motor cortex stimulation.

Repetitive left mystacial vibrissae movements were produced by electrical stimulation of right motor cortex (MI) with a bipolar electrode in the alert, unanesthetized rat. Regional increases of (14C) 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) uptake were mapped autoradiographically during these left vibrissae movements. Uptake of 2DG increased in a 2–4-mm-diameter area about the stimulating electrode in right MI and in a smaller region in left MI cortex. Columnar increases of 2DG uptake occurred bilaterally in somatosensory cortex in the face region of somatosensory cortex (SI). Bilateral increases of 2DG uptake occurred subcortically in dorsolateral caudate-putamen (CP) and subthalamic nucleus. Primarily right-sided increases of 2DG uptake occurred in other basal ganglia structures including dorsal globus pallidus (GP), posterior entopeduncular nucleus (EPN), ventrolateral substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), and anterolateral substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). Uptake of 2DG increased on the right side of the following thalamic regions: much of the ventrolateral (VL) nucleus, particularly dorsally; the anterodorsal reticular nucleus; dorsolateral posteromedial (POm) nucleus; the ventromedial nucleus; and dorsolateral parafasicular nucleus. The anterior and ventral posterior portions of VL were not activated. Caudal to thalamus right-sided 2DG uptake increased in the medial, ventral, and lateral pontine nuclei, deep layers of superior colliculus, lateral deep mesencephalic nucleus (DMN), and nucleus cuneiformis (NCU). Uptake of 2DG increased in right rostral parvocellular red nucleus in a few animals. Discrete portions of the right internal capsule and right medial pyramidal tract increased 2DG uptake during MI stimulation. Uptake of 2DG increased on the left side of the brain during right MI stimulation in the left lateral nucleus (NL) of cerebellum and in several discrete regions of left cerebellar hemisphere granule cells including anterior paravermis, lobulus simplex, crus II, and the paramedian lobule. Uptake of 2DG increased in left nucleus of the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve (ntV) ventrally in subnuclei interpolaris and oralis. Left lateral portions of the facial nucleus were activated in a few animals. The lateral portions of the facial nucleus are known to project to vibrissae musculature. All of the above structures may be involved in the motor-sensory processing responsible for vibrissae movements. Regions not previously suggested to play a major role in vibrissae movements include DMN and NCU. Though NCU has been called the “locomotor center” it may play a role in facial movements as well. Polysynaptic activation of GP, EPN, NL, and cerebellar hemisphere occurred since no connections between MI and these regions exist. A pathway from ntV to POm to MI and SI is suggested to provide proprioceptive input to motor-sensory cortex from the moving vibrissae since neither the principal trigeminal sensory nucleus nor the ventrobasal nucleus of thalamus increased 2DG uptake during MI stimulation.
Inflammatory stromal keratopathies: medical management of stromal keratomalacia, stromal abscesses, eosinophilic keratitis, and band keratopathy in the horse

The cornea is composed of three layers: the outermost tear film and epithelium, the middle stroma, and the innermost endothelium. The total thickness of the equine cornea is 0.8 to1.0 mm. The normal equine corneal epithelium is approximately 60 lm thick. The thickest corneal layer (700 lm), the stroma, is composed of a three-dimensional mosaic of interconnected keratocytes in an extracellular matrix (ECM) of proteoglycans and small-diameter collagen fibrils. These fibrils are combined into highly ordered sheet-like lamellae that lie essentially parallel to the corneal surface. The small consistent diameter of the stromal fibrils and their highly ordered spatial arrangement are partially responsible for corneal transparency. The endothelium is a cellular monolayer with a thick collagenous basement membrane (Descemet’s membrane). Diseases of the equine corneal epithelium are covered in a separate article in this issue. This review discusses the diagnosis and medical treatment of stromal keratomalacia or ‘‘melting ulcers,’’ stromal abscesses, eosinophilic keratitis (EK), and calcific band keratopathy. These are common and important inflammatory keratopathies of the equine corneal stroma [1]. Keratomalacia and stromal abscesses are associated with infection, leukocytic invasion of the stroma, and loss of tissue and tear film proteinase homeostasis. Eosinophils infiltrate the stroma in response to unknown stimuli in EK. Calcium is deposited in the stroma and epithelium secondary
Adsorption of elemental S on Si(100)-2 × 1 surfaces

Abstract We have studied the adsorption of elemental S on Si(100)-2 × 1 surfaces by LEED, AES, TDS, and WF measurements in UHV. The adsorption of S at room temperature causes the surface restoration of the reconstructed Si(100)-2 × 1 substrate to its original bulk-terminated surface, Si(100)-1 × 1. The S adsorbate follows the substrate structures, i.e. it forms initially a (2 × 1) up to 0.5 ML and subsequently a (1 × 1). Above 1 ML, sulfur is imbedded into the Si bulk near the surface. The sticking coefficient of S on Si(100) surface is constant, S = 1, up to 2 ML. Deposition of S at RT up to 1 ML increases the WF of the surface by about 0.30 ± 0.05 eV. Above 1 ML, as the S is diffused into the Si bulk, the WF decreases. The TDS measurements show that S is desorbed as SiS molecule with a single TD peak near 585°C. This may indicate that the Si-S bond energy is greater than that of Si-Si which may be the dominant cause of the substrate restoration.
Analytical Degenerate Carrier Density and Quantum Capacitance for Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes

Analytical equations are developed for the degenerate carrier density and quantum capacitance with good agreement to numerical computation and experimental data. These results lay the foundation for analytical transport and compact modeling of carbon nanotube (CNT) devices, and for evaluating diameter dependence on electrical performance.
Magma mixing: the Marsco suite, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Magma mixing has been proposed as a major mechanism for the origin of a wide variety of rock suites. In mid-ocean basalts there are few obstacles to mixing because of the similarities in chemical and physical properties of the proposed end-members. However, in calc-alkaline rocks the proposed end-members have disparate properties and these present obstacles to mixing.
Systolic time intervals: assessment by isolated cardiac muscle studies.

To document the independent effects of acute changes in preload, afterload and inotropic state on the systolic time intervals, 10 isolated rat left ventricular muscle preparations were studied. Experiments were performed using physiologically sequenced contractions that simulate the loading conditions of the intact left ventricle. The preshortening period was measured from the time of the electrical stimulus to the onset of muscle shortening, and the isotonic contraction time was measured as the duration of shortening. These variables are analogous to the preejection period and the left ventricular ejection time in the intact heart. It was found that an isolated increase in preload shortened the preshortening period and prolonged the isotonic contraction time, whereas an increase in afterload prolonged the former and shortened the latter. Isoproterenol shortened both the preshortening period and the isotonic contraction time, while an increase in calcium shortened the preshortening period and lengthened the isotonic contraction time. All changes were significant (p Thus, the similar dependence of preshortening period, isotonic contraction time and clinical systolic time intervals on changes in preload, afterload and inotropic state supports the derivation of systolic time intervals from fundamental principles of myocardial mechanics. These data provide an improved basis for the rational interpretation of systolic time intervals in patients with and without heart disease.
Erlang-delayed stochastic chemical kinetic formalism for efficient analysis of biological systems with non-elementary reaction effects

Stochastic chemical kinetics (SCK) has become an important formalism for modeling and analysis of complex biological systems as it can capture the discreteness and the randomness of underlying biochemical reactions. One of the assumptions made by SCK is that each reaction be an elementary step which cannot be broken down into smaller steps. As such, transition events of the SCK model occur spontaneously in that there is no time lag between the reaction initiation and completion. In practice, however, it is very difficult to experimentally determine if an observed state change is a result of an elementary reaction or a sequence of several reaction steps. To test various hypotheses on such time-delays through the use of the SCK, all of the intermediate reactions and species need to be explicitly specified, which can quickly become cumbersome. To more efficiently model and analyze potential effects of such intermediate reaction steps, this paper proposes a new formalism for higher-level discrete-stochastic treatment of biological systems with reaction delays. Our new formalism can represent a time delay caused by intermediate reaction steps as an Erlang random variable, allowing a model's size to be reduced substantially. This paper illustrates an application of this formalism for analysis of the effect of different transcription elongation steps and rates on the distribution of RNA molecules.
Improved multimode link bandwidth using spatial diversity in signal reception

Summary form only given. The demands placed on LANs and the use of multimode fiber (MMF) in gigabit Ethernet has motivated development of differential mode delay (DMD) compensation. An adopted method of compensation uses a restricted mode launch, limiting the number of excited modes. This method can realize significant improvement in MMF links; however, it requires an optical transmitter optimized for single-mode fiber. Unfortunately, this precludes the use of multimode VCSELs, which can achieve the low cost of ownership required of LANs. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate spatially diverse detection, where multiple photodetectors are used to detect separate groups of modes. The weighted signals are recombined to compensate for DMD. Consequently, this method does not require strict control of the launch condition, i.e. it is compatible with VCSELs, and retains the alignment tolerance of MMF.
“I Wouldn’t Have Said it That Way”: Mediating professional editorial comments in a secondary school science classroom

Abstract This article presents an analysis of a videotaped lecture from a secondary school science classroom. The students in this class had drafted science journalism articles and submitted them for professional editorial review and possible publication in a science newsmagazine for a teenage audience. Before allowing her students to see the editorial feedback, the teacher prepared a lecture along with a handout; she appeared to be trying to mediate the editor's comments. Using discourse analysis, this article examines the teacher's varied roles in this class period as she worked to create a hybrid space, a space that was not a typical science classroom but was also not a professional newsroom. The article concludes that this teacher's repositioning was necessary in order for her to open her classroom to more authentic learning opportunities for her students.
Which patients respond to a mental health consumer survey.

Characteristics of patients at the Los Angeles County - University of Southern California Medical Center, Adult Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic who responded to a Los Angeles County voluntary "Client Satisfaction Survey" were compared with those who did not. Three significant differences consistently emerged. If an individual was a member of a minority group (black of Spanish surname), had less than a high school education, and was taking antispsychotic medication, his chance of returning a questionnaire to a waiting-room collection box was 79% as compared to the 30% chance of returning if he had none of these three characteristics. Younger patients had "Anglos" more often used the U.S. mail than the collection box to return the questionnaires. It is important that both methods be used to minimize bias. Most of the many patient-characteristics studied did not influence return rate. These findings are discussed in relation to the return method, ethnicity, medication, chronic mental illness, diminished freedom, and consumer voice in voluntary questionnaires.
Linkages between childhood executive functioning and adolescent social functioning and psychopathology in girls with ADHD

We followed an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of preadolescent girls with ADHD (n = 140) and matched comparison girls (n = 88) over a period of 5 years, from middle childhood through early/midadolescence, with the aim of determining whether childhood levels of executive function (EF) would predict adolescent multi-informant outcomes of social functioning and psychopathology, including comorbidity between externalizing and internalizing symptomatology. Predictors were well-established measures of planning, response inhibition, and working memory, along with a control measure of fine motor control. Independent of ADHD versus comparison group status, (a) childhood planning and response inhibition predicted adolescent social functioning and (b) childhood planning predicted comorbid internalizing/externalizing disorders in adolescence. Subgroup status (ADHD-Combined, ADHD-Inattentive, and comparison) moderated the relationship between childhood planning and adolescent internalizing/externalizing comorbidity, with the combined type revealing particularly strong associations between baseline planning and adolescent comorbidity. Mediation analyses indicated that adolescent social functioning mediated the prediction from childhood EF to comorbidity at follow-up; in turn, in the girls with ADHD, adolescent comorbidity mediated the prediction from childhood EF to social functioning at follow-up. We conclude that childhood interventions should target EF impairments in addition to behavioral symptoms.
Physician practices in the treatment of pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis.

• To quantify physican practices in the care of patients with presumed pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis, we analyzed heparin sodium orders, the intensity of anticoagulation, and complications in 65 patients with the diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. All patients were given heparin, for a mean (± SEM) period of 8.8 ± 0.4 days. A high percentage of patients (60%) did not have a single partial thromboplastin time (PTT) greater than 1.5 times control within the first 24 hours of heparin therapy. Not until day 8 were 90% of PTTs in therapeutic range. We Identified five common practices that led to delays in achieving a PTT greater than 1.5 times the laboratory control: (1) failure to start heparin therapy at the time of initial clinical suspicion, (2) choice of a heparin sodium bolus (mean, 5861 ± 365 U) and continuous infusion (1026 ± 148 U/h) insufficient to elevate the PTT to greater than 1.5 times control, (3) delay in obtaining the first PTT (mean, 11.7 ± 1 h after start of heparin therapy), (4) insufficient heparin dosing in response to a low PTT, and (5) excessive and prolonged reductions in heparin therapy in response to a PTT greater than three times control, leading to subtherapeutic levels in 56% of subsequent PTTs. We think that poor understanding of heparin kinetics, overcautious behavior of physicians, and high heparin requirements in this selected population account for the findings. (Arch Intern Med1988;148:1321-1325)
A Spatial-Discounting Theory of Interaction Preferences

In a variety of situations involving human interaction, actors compare alternative interaction opportunities in terms of their perceived distance or accessibility to opportunities within some relevant space of attributes. In this paper, a theory of interaction preferences is proposed in which actors implicitly discount potential opportunity interactions in terms of these perceived distances. This form of implicit discounting behavior is shown to be characterized by three general axioms of observable preference behavior. The special case of exponential spatial discounting is also characterized explicitly. In addition, conditions are established under which discounted preferences are representable by utility functions. Finally, the dependence of discounted preferences on the underlying configuration of distances is examined in depth.
Glutaric Acidaemia Type II (Multiple Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenation Deficiency)

The clinical and biochemical phenotype of glutaric acidaemia type II (GAII) has led to the suggestion that the defect in the disorder affects electron transfer from primary FAD-containing dehydrogenases into the respiratory chain. Two proteins are involved in this process, i.e. electron transfer flavoprotein (ETF) and ETF dehydrogenase, an iron—sulphur flavoprotein with a distinctive EPR signal. Reliable catalytic assays for these proteins are not available, but both proteins have been purified and antisera against them prepared in rabbits.
A Grammar for Function Structures

This paper presents a combination of two design methodologies: function structures and graph grammars. The objective of this research is to provide a systematic language for creating function structures by applying the formalism of a graph grammar. Function structures are commonly used to spur new solution principles in conceptual design as well as aid in redesigning existing solutions. Recent function structures research has provided a systematic basis of functions that indicate such structures can be described by a finite number of common functions. However, function structures remain difficult to evaluate both in terms of correctness and effectiveness, and hence difficult to share among designers and to teach to aspiring designers. By developing a graph grammar that encapsulates the feasible ways of creating a function structure, we have provided a foundation for computer tools that allows for quick drafting of function structures, a forum for teaching function structures, and a mechanism for automatically creating function structures for brainstorming new conceptual solutions with a designer.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Neural Mechanisms Involved in the Regulation of Ventricular Repolarization

Neural mechanisms have important influences on ventricular repolarization. The normal gradients of repolarization such as that from long to short duration on the endocardial-epicardial axis are probably not the result of nonuniform neural effects. The ventricular distributions of individual cardiac sympathetic nerves is, however, localized and provides a possible basis for nonuniform effects on repolarization in various disease states. Such localized sympathetic effects are the probable mechanism of electrocardiographic waveform abnormalities associated with neurologic disease and a possible mechanism of the idiopathic prolonged QT interval syndromes. The medical significance of nonuniform neural influences on ventricular repolarization includes the evaluation of neurogenic electrocardiographic waveform abnormalities that may be erroneously attributed to intrinsic heart disease. Of greater importance, nonuniform repolarization has established relations to cardiac arrhythmias including ventricular fibrillation and nonuniform sympathetic effects on repolarization may be a significant factor in the occurrence and persistence of these disorders. Parasympathetic influences on ventricular repolarization are slight compared to sympathetic effects and may operate by opposing adrenergic effects.
Prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 biosynthesis capacities of heart, arteries and platelets at various stages of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits.

Abstract Atherosclerosis was induced by feeding rabbits with 1 g of cholesterol and 3 g of olive oil daily for 1, 3 and 5 months. Arachidonic acid (AA)-induced generation of prostacyclin (PGI 2 ) by perfused hearts and spontaneous generation of PGI 2 by slices of mesenteric arteries and aortas were strongly suppressed after 1 and 3 months of the diet, while after 5 months a tendency for PGI 2 synthesizing capacity to recover was observed. Aggregatability of blood platelets in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) by exogenous AA and endogenous thromboxane A 2 (TXA 2 ) was increased but not earlier than 3 months on the diet. On the other hand, platelet sensitivity to the pro-aggregatory action of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and to the anti-aggregatory action of PGI 2 was heightened as early as 1 month from the beginning of the experiment. These findings suggest that the first stage of experimental atherosclerosis may be causally related to the strong suppression of PGI 2 generation by arteries, whereas the metabolism of AA in platelets remains unchanged. At this early stage of atherosclerosis increased susceptibility of platelets in PRP to both ADP and PG1 2 may be due to the lowering of cyclic AMP levels in platelets as a consequence of PGI 2 deficiency. A genuine enhancement of AA metabolism in blood platelets occurs only at the second stage of experimental atherosclerosis. This stage is particularly dangerous since an increased generation of TXA 2 by platelets in PRP is combined with a decreased generation of PGI 2 by arteries. At the last stage of atherosclerosis observed, a slow recovery of the enzymic activity occurs in arteries.
Radioiodination of sulfhydryl-sensitive proteins

A new procedure is described for the radioiodination of proteins with sulfhydry1 groups essential for their biological activity. Aniline is iodinated with rzsIlabeled sodium iodide in the presence of chloramine-T. the product separated by solvent extraction, diazotized and coupled to protein. Radioiodination with rz51 has emerged as the method of choice for labeling protein to high specific radioactivity. A number of procedures have been developed to iodinate proteins under mild conditions and with reproducible results (l-7). Of these techniques, none is suitable for the iodination of proteins having thiol groups. Exposure to the oxidants Nchloro-p-toluene sulfonamide (chloramine-T) (l), hydrogen peroxide (2-4), iodinemonochloride (5), and iodine itself (7) may result in oxidation of sulfhydryl groups with the concomitant disruption of tertiary structure or the chemical modification of a specific amino acid residue in the active site. An alternative method involves the acylation of protein with N-succinimidyl-3-(3-[1251]iodo-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate (6). However, this active ester could react with cysteinyl as well as lysyl residues and thus also disturb the structural integrity of the protein. The present report describes a simple, rapid, and reproducible technique for the radioiodination of sulfhydryl-containing proteins to high specific activity. Aniline is iodinated with Na[1251] in the presence of an oxidant, the product separated by solvent extraction, diazotized, and coupled to the protein. This method which was first suggested by Boyd et al. (8) has been applied successfully to the iodination of three proteins known to require cysteinyl residues for full activity. METHODS Protein-iodination-grade Na[lz51] (- 17 Ci/mg) was purchased from New England Nuclear Corp., Boston, MA; N-chloro-p-toluene sulfonamide from Eastman Organic Chemicals, Rochester, NY; and aniline, chloroform, and sodium nitrite from J. T. Baker Chemicals, Phil
The evolution of colony-level development in the Siphonophora (Cnidaria:Hydrozoa)

Evolutionary developmental biology has focused almost exclusively on multicellular organisms, but there are other relevant levels of biological organization that have remained largely neglected. Animal colonies are made up of multiple physiologically integrated and genetically identical units called zooids that are each homologous to solitary, free-living animals. Siphonophores, a group of pelagic hydrozoans (Cnidaria), have the most complex colony-level organization of all animals. Here the colony-level development of five siphonophore species, strategically sampled across the siphonophore phylogeny, is described from specimens collected using deep-sea submersibles and by self-contained underwater breathing apparatus diving. These species include three cystonects, Bathyphysa sibogae, Rhizophysa filiformis, and Rhizophysa eysenhardti, and two “physonects”, Agalma elegans and Nanomia bijuga. These data, together with previous findings, are analyzed in a phylogenetic framework to reconstruct key features of the history of colony-level organization and development in the Siphonophora. It is shown that gonodendra and gastrozooids of the examined cystonects arise as independent buds directly on the stem, whereas probud subdivision (the origin of feeding, reproductive, and other zooids from a single bud) is a synapomorphy of the Codonophora. The origin of probud subdivision is associated with the origin of cormidia as integrated units of colony organization, and may have allowed for greater morphological and ecological diversification in the Codonophora relative to the Cystonectae. It is also found that symmetry is labile in siphonophores, with multiple gains and/or losses of directional asymmetry in the group. This descriptive work will enable future mechanistic and molecular studies of colony-level development in the siphonophores.
Benign Bone-Forming Tumors: Approach to Diagnosis and Current Understanding of Pathogenesis

The diagnosis of benign bone-forming tumors continues to be based on the traditional approach to bone tumor diagnosis using knowledge of the spectrum of histopathologic features seen in these tumors in combination with clinical and radiological correlation. This review emphasizes the pathologic features and the clinical and radiological features that the surgical pathologist must have a working understanding of to make an accurate diagnosis and avoid confusion with other lesions, particularly osteosarcoma. New and persistent challenges facing the practicing pathologist and our current understanding of the cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities involved in the pathogenesis of these tumors are discussed.
Biological contributions to the presentation and understanding of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a review.

Abstract Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed disorder in children today with estimated prevalence rates falling between 3 and 5% of children (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). From inception, research has focused on studying varying facets of this disorder with initial efforts primarily focusing on treatment outcome. However, prominent efforts have been made in recent research efforts to shed light on the etiology of this disorder. Such research has discovered the contribution of genetic inheritance, as well as environmental factors that lead to the development of this disorder. Furthermore, studies using neurological and neuropsychological assessment measures have implicated the involvement of various parts of the brain. This article critically reviews this body of research in light of its impact on the current specific neuropsychologically based etiological theories, as well as the most beneficial directions for future research.
Neuroticism and defensive responding

This study explored the relationship between responses to the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) Neuroticism Scale (N) and defensive responding. The EPI and the Marlowe Crowne Social Desirability Scale (SD) were administered to 157 college students. Repressors (REP), characterized by defensive responding, were defined by median splits on N and SD as low N and high SD. As predicted, REPs scored lower on N than truly low anxious subjects, low N and low SD. Also consistent with expectation, there were significantly fewer defensive high anxious subjects, high N and high SD. The first of these findings replicates Plante and Schwartz (1990). The second is consistent with Weinberger, Schwartz and Davidson (1979). A low correlation was found between extraversion and SD while the correlation between the EPI Lie Scale and SD was high enough to suggest some similarity (r = 0.33, P < 0.001) but low enough to indicate that it would not be a suitable replacement for SD in detecting defensive responding on N.
Interleukin-17 Is Not Required for Classical Macrophage Activation in a Pulmonary Mouse Model of Cryptococcus neoformans Infection

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes disease in individuals with suppressed cell-mediated immunity. Recent studies in our laboratory have shown that increases in pulmonary Th1-type and interleukin-17A (IL-17A) cytokine production, classical macrophage activation, and sterilizing immunity are elicited in response to infection with a gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing C. neoformans strain, H99γ. IL-17A-treated macrophages, compared to IL-4-treated macrophages, have been demonstrated to exhibit increased microbicidal activity in vitro, a characteristic consistent with classical macrophage activation. The purpose of these studies is to determine the role of IL-17A in the induction of classically activated macrophages following infection with C. neoformans. Immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR were used to characterize the macrophage activation phenotype in lung tissues of mice treated with isotype control or anti-IL-17A antibodies and given an experimental pulmonary infection with C. neoformans strain H99γ. The pulmonary fungal burden was resolved, albeit more slowly, in mice depleted of IL-17A compared to the fungal burden in isotype control-treated mice. Nonetheless, no difference in classical macrophage activation was observed in IL-17A-depleted mice. Similarly, classical macrophage activation was evident in mice deficient in IL-17A or the IL-17 receptor A, which mediates IL-17A signaling, following pulmonary infection with wild-type C. neoformans strain H99 or H99γ. These studies suggest that IL-17A may play a role in the early immune response to C. neoformans but is not required for classical macrophage activation in mice experimentally infected with C. neoformans.
Curcumin (Diferuloylmethane) Down-Regulates Expression of Cell Proliferation and Antiapoptotic and Metastatic Gene Products through Suppression of IκBα Kinase and Akt Activation

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), an anti-inflammatory agent used in traditional medicine, has been shown to suppress cellular transformation, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis through a mechanism not fully understood. Because several genes that mediate these processes are regulated by nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), we have postulated that curcumin mediates its activity by modulating NF-kappaB activation. Indeed, our laboratory has shown previously that curcumin can suppress NF-kappaB activation induced by a variety of agents (J Biol Chem 270:24995-50000, 1995). In the present study, we investigated the mechanism by which curcumin manifests its effect on NF-kappaB and NF-kappaB-regulated gene expression. Screening of 20 different analogs of curcumin showed that curcumin was the most potent analog in suppressing the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced NF-kappaB activation. Curcumin inhibited TNF-induced NF-kappaB-dependent reporter gene expression in a dose-dependent manner. Curcumin also suppressed NF-kappaB reporter activity induced by tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)1, TNFR2, NF-kappaB-inducing kinase, IkappaB kinase complex (IKK), and the p65 subunit of NF-kappaB. Such TNF-induced NF-kappaB-regulated gene products involved in cellular proliferation [cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), cyclin D1, and c-myc], antiapoptosis [inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP)1, IAP2, X-chromosome-linked IAP, Bcl-2, Bcl-x(L), Bfl-1/A1, TNF receptor-associated factor 1, and cellular Fas-associated death domain protein-like interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme inhibitory protein-like inhibitory protein], and metastasis (vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1) were also down-regulated by curcumin. COX-2 promoter activity induced by TNF was abrogated by curcumin. We found that curcumin suppressed TNF-induced nuclear translocation of p65, which corresponded with the sequential suppression of IkappaBalpha kinase activity, IkappaBalpha phosphorylation, IkappaBalpha degradation, p65 phosphorylation, p65 nuclear translocation, and p65 acetylation. Curcumin also inhibited TNF-induced Akt activation and its association with IKK. Glutathione and dithiothreitol reversed the effect of curcumin on TNF-induced NF-kappaB activation. Overall, our results indicated that curcumin inhibits NF-kappaB activation and NF-kappaB-regulated gene expression through inhibition of IKK and Akt activation.
Soil moisture retrieval from AMSR-E

The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) on the Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua satellite was launched on May 4, 2002. The AMSR-E instrument provides a potentially improved soil moisture sensing capability over previous spaceborne radiometers such as the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer and Special Sensor Microwave/Imager due to its combination of low frequency and higher spatial resolution (approximately 60 km at 6.9 GHz). The AMSR-E soil moisture retrieval approach and its implementation are described in this paper. A postlaunch validation program is in progress that will provide evaluations of the retrieved soil moisture and enable improved hydrologic applications of the data. Key aspects of the validation program include assessments of the effects on retrieved soil moisture of variability in vegetation water content, surface temperature, and spatial heterogeneity. Examples of AMSR-E brightness temperature observations over land are shown from the first few months of instrument operation, indicating general features of global vegetation and soil moisture variability. The AMSR-E sensor calibration and extent of radio frequency interference are currently being assessed, to be followed by quantitative assessments of the soil moisture retrievals.
Alkali elemental and potassium isotopic compositions of Semarkona chondrules

We report measurements of K isotope ratios in 28 Semarkona chondrules with a wide range of petrologic types and bulk compositions as well as the compositions of CPX-mesostasis pairs in 17 type I Semarkona chondrules, including two chondrules with radial alkali zonation and 19 type II chondrules. Despite the wide range in K/Al ratios, no systematic variations in K isotopic compositions were found. Semarkona chondrules do not record a simple history of Rayleigh-type loss of K. Experimentally determined evaporation rates suggest that considerable alkali evaporation would have occurred during chondrule formation. Nevertheless, based on Na CPX-mesostasis distribution coefficients, the alkali contents of the cores of most chondrules in Semarkona were probably established at the time of final crystallization. However, Na CPX-mesostasis distribution coefficients also show that alkali zonation in type I Semarkona chondrules was produced by entry of alkalis after solidification, probably during parent body alteration. This alkali metasomatism may have gone to completion in some chondrules. Our preferred explanation for the lack of systematic isotopic enrichments, even in alkali depleted type I chondrule cores, is that they exchanged with the ambient gas as they cooled.
Combined delay and graph embedding of epileptic discharges in EEG reveals complex and recurrent nonlinear dynamics

The dynamical structure of the brain's electrical signals contains valuable information about its physiology. Here we combine techniques for nonlinear dynamical analysis and manifold identification to reveal complex and recurrent dynamics in interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs). Our results suggest that recurrent IEDs exhibit some consistent dynamics, which may only last briefly, and so individual IED dynamics may need to be considered in order to understand their genesis. This could potentially serve to constrain the dynamics of the inverse source localization problem.
Pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding screening and brief intervention for prescription opioid abuse: A survey of Utah and Texas pharmacists

Background In the USA prescription opioids, which are misused or abused by some patients, are often obtained from pharmacies. However, screening and brief intervention (SBI) for prescription opioid misuse has not been tested in this setting. The goal of this project was to assess pharmacists' attitudes and motivation towards delivering SBI for prescription opioid abuse. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional online survey was administered to pharmacists in Utah and Texas, USA. The survey assessed pharmacists': (1) interest in addressing prescription opioid abuse; (2) beliefs about whether pharmacies may be effective locations to deliver SBI; and (3) potential education or training needs to facilitate SBI service delivery. Results A total of 739 pharmacists responded to the survey. Despite demographic differences, responses to the survey items were similar between Utah and Texas. The highest levels of agreement for survey subscales indicated that: (1) screening and intervention resources would increase pharmacists' motivation to deliver SBI; (2) pharmacists were interested in helping patients who misuse; and (3) pharmacists possess sufficient opioid knowledge and confidence in practice to address prescription abuse. Roughly half of pharmacists that responded agreed that SBI is a service they should deliver. Conclusion Pharmacists are interested in helping those who misuse prescription opioids and believe pharmacies may be settings in which SBI services can be tested and delivered. These results require replication to assess if they portray pharmacists' views generally. If replicated, future research could examine methods of screening and intervention in the pharmacy setting for prescription opioid misuse.
Association of pathogen strain-specific gene transcription and transmission efficiency phenotype of Anaplasma marginale.

Efficient transmission of pathogens by an arthropod vector is influenced by the ability of the pathogen to replicate and develop infectiousness within the arthropod host. While the basic life cycle of development within and transmission from the arthropod vector are known for many bacterial and protozoan pathogens, the determinants of transmission efficiency are largely unknown and represent a significant gap in our knowledge. The St. Maries strain of Anaplasma marginale is a high-transmission-efficiency strain that replicates to a high titer in the tick salivary gland and can be transmitted by 30-fold more ticks. We hypothesized that strain-specific genes expressed in the tick salivary gland at the time of transmission are linked to the differences in the transmission efficiency phenotype. Using both annotation-dependent and -independent analyses of the complete genome sequences, we identified 58 strain-specific genes. These genes most likely represent divergence from common ancestral genes in one or both strains based on analysis of synteny and lack of statistical support for acquisition as islands by lateral gene transfer. Twenty of the St. Maries strain-specific genes and 16 of the strain-specific genes in the Israel strain were transcribed in the tick salivary gland at the time of transmission. Although associated with the transmission phenotype, the expression levels of strain-specific genes were equal to or less than the expression levels in infected erythrocytes in the mammalian host, suggesting that function is not limited to salivary gland colonization.
Estimated development times for stage-structured marine organisms are biased if based only on survivors

Stage duration is a key parameter in modeling population dynamics of stage-struc-tured populations, however stage duration can be difﬁcult to estimate accuratelybecause calculations are based on survivors and fail to account for mortality. Herewe show a method by which development time and stage duration can be adjustedafter accounting for within-stage mortality. As an example, we use a previouslypublished data set on stage-speciﬁc abundances of the euphausiid, Euphausia paciﬁcafrom four laboratory-incubated cohorts, raised from egg to juvenile stage. We useda stage-structured population model along with an inverse algorithm to estimatestage durations, both with and without considering mortality rates. Results suggestthat the overall stage duration from egg to furcilia was 48 days when mortalitywas considered, and 60 days when mortality was not included. Stage-speciﬁcmortality rates were generally lower than 10% per day for those stages with rela-tively high mortality rates (egg and naupliar stages and furcilia VI–VII) and ,4%for other developmental stages. However, the difference between the estimateswith and without considering mortality rates did not show a clear relationshipwith stage-speciﬁc mortality rates. More robust models that can incorporate thevariability in developmental pathways and physiological changes that occur duringthe molting process may be necessary to further investigate how age distributionwithin stage and mortality inﬂuence the estimation of stage duration.KEYWORDS: Euphausia paciﬁca; stage duration; stage-speciﬁc mortalitystage-structured population model; inverse technique
GROWTH AND NEUROENDOCRINE DYSFUNCTION FOLLOWING THERAPY FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER

Over the past 30 years, there has been a dramatic improvement in the survival rates of children with cancer such that the overall 5-year survival is better than 65%. 2 For certain diseases (e.g., Hodgkin's disease and Wilms' tumor), the cure rates are in excess of 90%. These remarkable strides have come about, in large part, because of the advent of multimodality therapy and the use of combination chemotherapy. Unfortunately, these therapies can be associated with severe delayed toxicities that generally are more prevalent and of greater clinical significance when therapy is administered during childhood. The endocrine system seems to be particularly susceptible to damage from radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Thus, endocrine disorders are common among survivors of childhood cancer. The following discussion is an overview of some of the most clinically important endocrine disturbances pediatricians are likely to encounter.
Using intelligent tutors to enhance student learning of application programming interfaces

An essential part of software engineering training is for students to learn how to effectively use application programming interfaces (APIs), but traditional instruction only provides direct support for helping students to learn the most commonly used APIs. This paper introduces a new approach whereby professors could delegate some of these training responsibilities to intelligent tutors, which are interactive instructional materials that tailor themselves to each student's progress. A prototype system has been developed that semi-automatically generates API tutors from open source code freely available on the web. As API tutors are published to a new website, students have an increasingly large menu of training materials available for them to choose from. A preliminary study indicates that the approach increases student learning on sample tasks.
Coagulation-driven platelet activation reduces cholestatic liver injury and fibrosis in mice

SummaryBackground The coagulation cascade has been shown to participate in chronic liver injury and fibrosis, but the contribution of various thrombin targets, such as protease activated receptors (PARs) and fibrin(ogen), has not been fully described. Emerging evidence suggests that in some experimental settings of chronic liver injury, platelets can promote liver repair and inhibit liver fibrosis. However, the precise mechanisms linking coagulation and platelet function to hepatic tissue changes following injury remain poorly defined. Objectives To determine the role of PAR-4, a key thrombin receptor on mouse platelets, and fibrin(ogen) engagement of the platelet αIIbβ3 integrin (αIIbβ3) in a model of cholestatic liver injury and fibrosis. Methods Biliary and hepatic injury was characterized following 4 week administration of the bile duct toxicant α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) (0.025%) in PAR-4–deficient mice, mice expressing a mutant form of fibrin(ogen) incapable of binding integrin αIIbβ3 (FibγΔ5), and wild-type mice. Results Elevated plasma thrombin-antithrombin and serotonin levels, hepatic fibrin deposition, and platelet accumulation in liver accompanied hepatocellular injury and fibrosis in ANIT-treated wild-type mice. PAR-4 deficiency reduced plasma serotonin levels, increased serum bile acid concentration, and exacerbated ANIT-induced hepatocellular injury and peribiliary fibrosis. Compared with PAR-4–deficient mice, ANIT-treated FibγΔ5 mice displayed more widespread hepatocellular necrosis accompanied by marked inflammation, robust fibroblast activation, and extensive liver fibrosis. Conclusions Collectively, the results indicate that PAR-4 and fibrin-αIIbβ3 integrin engagement, pathways coupling coagulation to platelet activation, each exert hepatoprotective effects during chronic cholestasis.
Deploying a wireless sensor network on an active volcano

Augmenting heavy and power-hungry data collection equipment with lighten smaller wireless sensor network nodes leads to faster, larger deployments. Arrays comprising dozens of wireless sensor nodes are now possible, allowing scientific studies that aren't feasible with traditional instrumentation. Designing sensor networks to support volcanic studies requires addressing the high data rates and high data fidelity these studies demand. The authors' sensor-network application for volcanic data collection relies on triggered event detection and reliable data retrieval to meet bandwidth and data-quality demands.
Orientational relationship between a b.c.c. phase and a new icosahedral phase in Ti–V–Si alloys

Abstract We report, for the first time, the formation of the icosahedral phase (i-phase) in rapidly quenched Ti73-xV27Six alloys, where 13 ≤ × ≤ 25. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) lattice image studies show that the i-phase occurs with b.c.c. phase of large unit cell. Diffraction studies demonstrate that the two phases are coherently related; the cubic 〈001〉 directions are parallel to three of the two-fold icosahedral axes, the 〈111〉 directions are parallel to the threefold icosahedral axes and the 〈530〉 cubic directions are nearly parallel to the fivefold directions. The b.c.c. lattice constant, a0 = 12·98 A, is related to he quasilattice constant, 4·72 A, suggesting different projections from the same six-dimensional cubic lattice. These observations demonstrate the similarity of these two structures. A determination of the atom locations in this crystalline phase should provide information of the atomic positions in the icosahedral phase.