cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure of the Neurospora SET Domain Protein DIM-5, a Histone H3 Lysine Methyltransferase

AdoMet-dependent methylation of histones is part of the “histone code” that can profoundly influence gene expression. We describe the crystal structure of Neurospora DIM-5, a histone H3 lysine 9 methyltranferase (HKMT), determined at 1.98 A resolution, as well as results of biochemical characterization and site-directed mutagenesis of key residues. This SET domain protein bears no structural similarity to previously characterized AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases but includes notable features such as a triangular Zn3Cys9 zinc cluster in the pre-SET domain and a AdoMet binding site in the SET domain essential for methyl transfer. The structure suggests a mechanism for the methylation reaction and provides the structural basis for functional characterization of the HKMT family and the SET domain.
Goal-based speech motor control: A theoretical framework and some preliminary data

Abstract A theoretical framework for the segmental component of speech production is outlined and some preliminary supporting data are reviewed. According to the framework, articulatory movements are programmed to achieve sequences of goals that are defined in terms of articulatory and acoustic parameters. The goals are correlates of distinctive features. Some feature correlates are determined by quantal (non-linear) relations between articulation and sound. Goals may also be influenced by other principles, such as a compromise between sufficient perceptual contrast and economy of articulatory effort, which leads to the prediction that the goal definitions correspond to regions (as opposed to points) in acoustic and articulatory space. Thus the goals are characterized by some parameter variation, which is possible partly because listeners can understand variable speech. Before utterances are produced, goal specifications are modified by prosodic influences and reduction. The sequence of modified goal specifications is converted to smooth, appropriately-timed articulatory movements by the speech motor control system. This control and the resulting kinematics are constrained in part by the biomechanical properties of the articulators. To help keep acoustic variability within perceptually-acceptable limits, speech motor control mechanisms may include a strategy by which different parts of the vocal-tract area function are adjusted in a complementary (“motor equivalent”) manner. The strategy takes advantage of the fact that for some sounds, a similar acoustic transfer function can be achieved with somewhat different area functions. The existence of such a strategy and the idea that speech motor programming is based in part on acoustic goals are supported by data that show trading relations between lip rounding and tongue-body raising in production of the vowel /u/.
Effect of mutations in the PINHEAD gene of Arabidopsis on the formation of shoot apical meristems

The primary shoot apical meristem of angiosperm plants is formed during embryogenesis. Lateral shoot apical meristems arise postembryonically in the axils of leaves. Recessive mutations at the PINHEAD locus of Arabidopsis interfere with the ability of both the primary shoot apical meristem as well as lateral shoot apical meristems to form. However, adventitious shoot apical meristems can form in pinhead mutant seedlings from the axils of the cotyledons and also from cultred root explants. In this report, the phenotype of pinhead mutants is described, and a hypothesis for the role of the wild-type PINHEAD gene product in shoot meristem initiation is presented. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Estimating the annual fraction of eggs contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis in the United States.

Using available data on the occurrence of Salmonella enteritidis (SE) in US layer flocks and eggs, and a probabilistic scenario tree method, an estimate of the fraction of SE-contaminated eggs produced annually is derived with attendant uncertainty. In lieu of a definitive prevalence survey, the approach presented here provides insight to the relative contribution of various pathways leading to contaminated eggs. A Monte Carlo model with four branches is developed. The first branch predicts the proportion of all US flocks that are SE-affected. The second branch apportions SE-affected flocks into three categories (high, moderate, and low level affected flocks) based on population-adjusted epidemiologic data. The third branch predicts the proportion of affected flocks that are molted and producing eggs during a high risk period subsequent to molt. The fourth branch predicts the fraction of contaminated eggs produced by flocks of the type described by the pathway (e.g. high level affected flocks that are not molted) based on egg sampling evidence from naturally infected flocks. The model is simulated to account for uncertainty in the data used to estimate the branch probabilities. Correlation analysis is used to estimate the sensitivity of model output to various model inputs. The output of this model is an uncertainty distribution for the fraction of all eggs that are SE-contaminated during 1 year of production in the US. The expected value of this distribution is approximately one SE-affected egg in every 20,000 eggs annually produced, and the 90% certainty interval is between one SE-contaminated egg in 30,000 eggs, and one SE-contaminated egg in 12,000 eggs. The model estimates that an average of 14% of all eggs (i.e. contaminated and not contaminated) from affected flocks are produced by high level, non-molted affected flocks, but these flocks are estimated to account for more than two-thirds of the total fraction of contaminated eggs produced annually. Sensitivity analysis also suggests that the proportion of affected flocks that are high level flocks - and the egg contamination frequency for these types of flocks - are the most sensitive model inputs. The model's pathways provide a framework for evaluating interventions to reduce the number of contaminated eggs produced in the US. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis of the model identifies those inputs whose uncertainty is most influential on the model's output. Future farm-level research priorities can be established on the basis of this analysis, but public policy decisions require a fuller exposure assessment and dose-response analysis to account for microbial growth dynamics, meal preparation, and consumption demographics among US egg consumers.
Architecture leadership and management in globally distributed software development

Globally distributed software development is inherently difficult. The fundamental problem is that communication, coordination and control mechanisms that operate so naturally and invisibly in co-located projects are not available or not as effective for distributed teams. Maintaining a shared up-to-date understanding of the system under design among distributed teams separated by physical, temporal, and cultural distances, therefore, becomes challenging. Under such circumstances the role of a project architect takes on an added significance. The architect must bridge the gaps that exist among the distributed teams especially those with interrelated tasks. Bridging gaps across teams requires proactive effort to create, among distributed teams, a shared level of understanding of the system context, its problem domain and an overarching vision of the system to be designed. We call this a shared project context. Establishing a shared project context goes a long way in creating architectural artifacts, understanding dependencies across software elements of the architecture and the allocation of their development to the distributed teams. Lack of such a context leads to the creation of multiple realities promoting ignorance, confusion and frustration, which subsequently undermine mutual trust and make inter-team communications less effective. This vicious cycle leads to dysfunctional teams, inefficiencies in the project and ultimately to poorly designed architectures.
Cellular localization of carnosinase in the human nasal mucosa.

The cellular localization of the enzyme carnosinase in human nasal mucosa was investigated using immunoperoxidase and double-staining immunoflourescence techniques. In the olfactory mucosa, carnosinase immunoreactivity was localized in the sustentacular cells, the acinar cells of Bowman's glands, and the perinuclear region of a small subset of olfactory receptor neurons. In the respiratory mucosa, carnosinase immunoreactivity was identified in the secretory vesicles of the epithelial goblet cells as well as in the respiratory glands. There was an age-related trend toward a decrease in the intensity of carnosinase immunoreactivity in the olfactory mucosae of older subjects. These results suggest that the role of carnosinase may be to provide the amino acids histidine and β-alanine, the products of carnosine hydrolysis, to the amino acid pool for protein synthesis in the cells that secrete nasal mucus and in olfactory receptor neurons.
Heteroatom removals from aromatic hydrocarbons over a phosphoric acid-promoted Mn2O3-NiO catalyst

Abstract The main objective of this paper is to investigate possible ways to produce high-quality products for transportation fuels from coal-derived oils and heavy distillates including heteroatoms. H 3 PO 4 -promoted Mn 2 O 3 –NiO catalysts were found to be essentially good for this purpose. The catalysts showed TPR spectra though they are acidic. Through XPS, TPR and NH 3 -TPD measurements, it was found that the added phosphate played a role in reducing NiO of the catalysts in the presence of hydrogen. This finding was confirmed by the nuclear hydrogenation of naphthalene and anthracene, and heteroatoms removal and ring-opening reaction of carbazole and dibenzothiophene over these catalysts. A Canadian Battle River coal-derived oil sample was used as an empirical sample to estimate the catalyst activity. Among them, the 0.12H 3 PO 4 /0.2Mn 2 O 3 –0.8NiO catalyst showed the best performance for this purpose; it yielded 30 mol % of HDN products from carbazole, 29 mol % of HDS products from dibenzothiophene, 40 mol % of HDO products and 59 mol % of dearomatization products from the coal-derived oil. Furthermore, it yielded chained and cyclic hydrocarbons by the ring-opening reaction. For comparison, a commercial NiMo/Al 2 O 3 catalyst, HDS-3, was tested; it yielded 6 mol % of HDN products from carbazole, 58 mol % of HDS products from dibenzothiophene and 29 mol % of dearomatization products from the coal-derived oil, but HDO products were insufficient. It was found through comparison that the present catalysts were sufficient for this purpose.
Yarn design for functional tissue engineering

Tissue engineering requires the ability to design scaffolds with mechanical properties similar to those of the native tissue. Here, B. mori silk yarns are used as a model system to demonstrate the potential benefits and drawbacks of several textile methods used to fabricate tissue engineering scaffolds. Fibers are plied, twisted, cabled, braided, and/or textured to form several geometries with a wide range of mechanical outcomes. Predictable changes in ultimate tensile strength and stiffness are demonstrated following processing and as a function of test environment. The mechanical effects of increasing turns per inch and combining groups of fibers into higher-order yarn structures are demonstrated. Braids, one of the most commonly used textile structures, are shown to be limited by a change in stiffness following the locking-angle and therefore, potentially not the ideal structure for tissue engineering. Cabled yarns appear to allow the most flexibility in mechanical outcomes with a highly organized geometry. Twisted yarns, while more economical than cabled yarns, result in a higher stiffness and lower percent elongation at break than cabled yarns.
Myeloproliferative Disease with Megakaryocytic Predominance in a Dog with Occult Dirofilariasis

A 7-year-old male German Shepherd dog with a history of lethargy, weight loss and severe anemia was referred to the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for examination. Abnormal laboratory findings included a normocytic and normochromic anemia, thrombocytosis, eosinophilia, basophilia and hyperproteinemia. An increased pulmonary density in the caudal lung lobes was observed on thoracic radiographs. Bone marrow aspiration and core biopsy revealed a hypercellular bone marrow with increased numbers of unidentified blast cells and bizarre megakaryocyte proliferation. Circulating microfilariae were not present in the blood, but serum examined by immunofluorescence was strongly positive for antibodies against Dirofilaria immitis microfilariae. A diagnosis of myeloproliferative disease with megakaryocytic predominance and occult dirofilariasis was made.
Pelvic exenteration for carcinoma of the cervix: Analysis of 252 cases

We present the results of 252 pelvic exenterations for primary and recurrent carcinoma of the cervix at the Hospital General de Mexico, a tertiary-care institution for the indigent. Emphasis is placed on the morbidity and mortality of the procedure in relation to patient selection. In underdeveloped countries, where early detection of cervical cancer is a rare event, pelvic exenteration must continue in the armamentarium of physicians; it can be associated with gains in the quality of life, with long-term survival, with effective rehabilitation, and possibly with cures.
Assignment of muscarinic receptor subtypes mediating G-protein modulation of Ca2+ channels by using knockout mice

There are five known subtypes of muscarinic receptors (M(1)-M(5)). We have used knockout mice lacking the M(1), M(2), or M(4) receptors to determine which subtypes mediate modulation of voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels in mouse sympathetic neurons. Muscarinic agonists modulate N- and L-type Ca(2+) channels in these neurons through two distinct G-protein-mediated mechanisms. One pathway is fast and membrane-delimited and inhibits N- and P/Q-type channels by shifting their activation to more depolarized potentials. The other is slow and voltage-independent and uses a diffusible cytoplasmic messenger to inhibit both Ca(2+) channel types. Using patch-clamp methods on acutely dissociated sympathetic neurons, we isolated each pathway by pharmacological and kinetic means and found that each one is nearly absent in a particular knockout mouse. The fast and voltage-dependent pathway is lacking in the M(2) receptor knockout mice; the slow and voltage-independent pathway is absent from the M(1) receptor knockout mice; and neither pathway is affected in the M(4) receptor knockout mice. The knockout effects are clean and are apparently not accompanied by compensatory changes in other muscarinic receptors.
The Vertical Vorticity Structure within a Squall Line Observed during BAMEX: Banded Vorticity Features and the Evolution of a Bowing Segment

AbstractA quasi-linear convective line with a trailing stratiform region developed during the Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convective Vortex Experiment (BAMEX) while being sampled by two airborne Doppler radars. The finescale reflectivity and Doppler velocities recorded by the radars documented the evolution of the convective line. Bands of positive and negative vertical vorticity oriented parallel to the convective line were resolved in the analysis. This type of structure has rarely been reported in the literature and appears to be a result of the tilting and subsequent stretching of ambient horizontal vorticity produced by the low-level wind shear vector with a significant along-line component. The radar analysis also documented the evolution of an embedded bow echo within the convective line. Embedded bow echoes have been documented for a number of years; however, a detailed analysis of their kinematic structure has not been previously reported in the literature. The counterrotating circulation patterns tha...
A Road Map for Those Who Don't Know JAK-STAT

The Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway transmits information received from extracellular polypeptide signals, through transmembrane receptors, directly to target gene promoters in the nucleus, providing a mechanism for transcriptional regulation without second messengers. Evolutionarily conserved in eukaryotic organisms from slime molds to humans, JAK-STAT signaling appears to be an early adaptation to facilitate intercellular communication that has co-evolved with myriad cellular signaling events. This co-evolution has given rise to highly adapted, ligand-specific signaling pathways that control gene expression. In addition, the JAK-STAT signaling pathways are regulated by a vast array of intrinsic and environmental stimuli, which can add plasticity to the response of a cell or tissue.
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors Cardiovascular Science and Medicine at the End of the Millenium

Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it And spills the upper boulders in the sun, And makes gaps even two can pass abreast. I let my neighbor know beyond the hill, And on a day we meet to walk the line And set the wall between us as we go … He is all pine and I am apple orchard. My apple trees will never get across And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him … Before I built a wall I’d ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to give offense. Something there is that doesn’t love a wall … He says again, “Good fences make good neighbors.” —Robert Frost “Mending Wall,” 1914 Cardiovascular science and medicine have been friendly “neighbors” for decades. It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood—supportive neighborhood organizations (NHLBI) provided balanced funding of clinical and basic science projects, cardiology fellows were schooled in both clinical and scientific camps, and intimate family reunions (AHA) were designed to bring together citizens from both sides of the tracks. The “Boyz in the Hood” were Braunwald, Ross, Sobel, Willerson, Weisfeldt, Marcus, Abboud, Smith, and Haber; the icons for a generation of cardiovascular physician–scientists. It was the heyday of cardiovascular physiology, and this fundamental science was easily translated into major therapeutic advances that still form the mainstay of our current-day prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic approach to patients with heart disease. The experimental subject of choice was often patients themselves, or surrogate large-animal model systems that were easily manipulated by all the guys in the hood. …
Complete repair of bladder exstrophy in the newborn: complications and management.

Purpose: Complete repair of bladder exstrophy in the newborn includes bladder, and posterior and penile urethral closure, along with epispadias repair and abdominal wall closure without bladder neck reconstruction. While reports have shown the need for early reimplantation of the ureters in 50% of patients and repair of hypospadias in those in whom the urethral plate does not reach the tip of the glans, to my knowledge none has described immediate postoperative complications in these patients.Materials and Methods: Six males and 1 female were referred after “complete repair” procedure in the newborn period without osteotomy. Complete dehiscence with loss of the proximal urethra and a significant amount of penile skin occurred in 2 male patients. Bladder prolapse with loss of the urethra well onto the penis occurred in 2 newborns, of whom 1 had undergone 2 closures before referral and 1 had partial loss of the glans on 1 side. One patient had only minor bladder prolapse but lost most of the urethra and pen...
Building biosafety laboratories.

Martin Enserink's article on Jim Orzechowski's work in biocontainment laboratory construction (“The architect behind the new fortresses of science,” News Focus, 7 Feb., p. [812][1]) helps to perpetuate the dominance of Orzechowski and his associates in this field. In 1999, the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research opened a full suit biosafety level (BSL) 4 lab. The cost of this building was $11 million, which also included 12 BSL2 labs, 3 BSL3 labs, and a $1-million campus energy plant upgrade. This price tag is considerably less than the $70 million budget on the Orzechowski-designed Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health. The architecture firm for the Southwest Foundation was Overland Partners in San Antonio, Texas. The building won the National Eagle award, first place for design and construction for a building costing under $25 million. If the United States is going to continue to build these buildings, then they should know that there is a way to do it that will not break the bank. Please get the word out so that Orzechowski and company do not dominate the construction of these buildings. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.299.5608.812
Electromyographic Analysis of Knee Rehabilitation Exercises

Many exercises are used to strengthen the knee muscles, yet limited studies that evaluate the exercises exist. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the muscle firing patterns in five knee muscles during five rehabilitative exercises, which were presumed either to strengthen a specific muscle group or to elicit a cocontraction. During short-arc knee extension, the medial and lateral vasti were significantly more active during the last 15 degrees of extension than during other arcs (p < .05). The short-arc knee extension with hamstring cocontraction demonstrated significantly more activity in the rectus femoris, vastus medialis oblique, and vastus lateralis than the biceps femoris and semimembranosus in the final 15 degrees of extension (p < .05). With isometric knee cocontractions, no significant difference in muscle activity occurred in any of the arcs tested. During squatting, the rectus femoris, vastus medialis oblique, and vastus lateralis were significantly more active than the biceps femoris and semimembranosus during the descending, holding, and arising phases (p < .05). This information offers suggestions in selecting optimal knee rehabilitation exercises.
Prenatal diagnosis of a craniopharyngioma using ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging

We report an infant with a craniopharyngioma which was detected in utero. Maternal uterine ultrasonography, done at 27 weeks because of polyhydramnios, revealed a 4 cm midline mass near the base of the fetal skull. At 31 weeks, magnetic resonance imaging of the maternal abdomen confirmed the presence of a mass in the region of the third ventricle and revealed hydrocephalus. Two days post-partum a computed tomography (CT)-guided needle biopsy of the mass was performed and recovered tissue which was histologically consistent with a craniopharyngioma. The infant' s postnatal period was complicated by seizures, which were treated with phenobarbital, and by progressive hydrocephalus, necessitating placement of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. He also received therapy for central hypothyroidism and diabetes insipidus. The infant' s parents refused permission for attempted resection of the tumour and he died at 8 weeks of age. This represents the second reported case of an antenatally detected craniopharyngioma. Four other cases of different intracranial tumours have been detected in utero using ultrasound, with no reported survivors past 3 days of age. There is a uniformly poor prognosis of such infants, but earlier diagnosis and intervention may change this result.
Ultrasound-modulated fluorescent contrast agent for optical imaging through turbid media

Optical imaging in a highly scattering medium is effective only at very shallow depths which limits its use as a diagnostic tool in biomedical imaging. By combining optical and acoustic modalities, high-contrast, physiologicallyrelevant optical information at higher spatial resolutions can be achieved. Hybrid imaging modalities such as acoustooptic and photoacoustic imaging improve resolution over conventional optical imaging, but tissue scattering results in poor signal-to-background ratios especially in deeper tissues. To overcome these challenges, we have developed a novel microbubble (MB) contrast agent surface-loaded with a self-quenching fluorophore. In response to ultrasound, the MB expands and contracts, generating changes in fluorophore surface density. The changes in physical separation between fluorophores modulate the quenching efficiency and produce a fluorescence intensity modulation. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental demonstration of ultrasound modulation of fluorescence using a self-quenching MB scheme. The modulation is spatially localized to the ultrasound focal zone where the pressure is greatest and the largest MB oscillations are induced. The modulated signal can be extracted from a large constant light background, increasing detection sensitivity. This technique can enable sensitive optical imaging with ultrasound-scale sub-millimeter spatial resolution, overcoming significant challenges of optical imaging in deep tissue. The contrast agent MBs were prepared with a shell of phospholipid and lipophilic self-quenching fluorophore. MB ultrasound response was studied in a custom setup which monitored fluorescence emitted from an insonified sample. Fluorescence signals displayed clearly modulated intensity and the fast Fourier transform (FFT) showed a strong component at the ultrasound driving frequency.
The Nature of the Ions Emitted by Heated Filaments and Salts

It has been found that positive ions are emitted by filaments of tungsten, tantalum, and molybdenum when heated to temperatures near the melting points. Sodium and potassium ions were found in addition to those of the filament metal. When alkali halides were heated to 800–1000°C on platinum they emitted the singly charged ions of the corresponding alkali metal. No negative ions were found and no ions were obtained from the chlorides of calcium, magnesium, strontium, barium, or zinc.
Occurrence of wide-chain Ca-pyriboles as primary crystals in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field, California, USA

Amphiboles and pyroxenes occurring in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field were found to contain coherent intergrowths of chain silicates with other than double and single chain widths by using transmission and analytical electron microscopy. Both occur in the biotite zone at the temperature (depth) interval of 310° C (1,060 m) to 330° C (1,547m) which approximately corresponds to temperatures of the greenschist facies. The amphiboles occur as euhedral fibrous crystals occupying void space and are composed primarily of irregularly alternating (010) slabs of double or triple chains, with rare quadruple and quintuple chains. Primary crystallization from solution results in euhedral crystals. Clinopyroxenes formed mainly as a porefilling cement and subordinately as prismatic crystals coexisting with fibrous amphiboles. Fine lamellae of double and triple chains are irregularly intercalated with pyroxene. AEM analyses yield formulae (Ca1.8Mg2.9Fe1.9Mn0.1) Si8O21.8(OH)1.8 (310° C) and (Ca2.0Fe2.5Mg2.3) Si8O21.8 (OH)2.0 (330° C) for amphiboles and (Ca1.1Fe0.6Mg0.3) Si2O6 for clinopyroxene. Thermodynamic calculations at Pfluid=100 bar of equilibrium reactions of (1) 3 chlorite +10 calcite + 21 quartz = 3 actinolite + 2 clinozoisite + 8 H2O + 10 CO2 and (2) actinolite+ 3 calcite+ 2 quartz = 5 clinopyroxene + H2O + 3 CO2 using Mg-end member phases indicate that formation of amphibole and pyroxene require very water-rich conditions \((X_{CO_2 } < 0.06)\) at temperatures below 330° C.
The new generation of recombinant human hematopoietic cytokines

In the past year, the most exciting development in the field of hematopoietic growth factors has been the identification of the platelet-inducing factor Mpl ligand. Administration of recombinant Mpl ligand may alleviate the potential for hemorrhagic complications following cancer therapies. Stem cell factor continues to be studied clinically in the mobilization of peripheral blood cells for transplantation.
Nonlinear Models of Electoral Change: the Implications of Political Time and Chaos Theory for the Study of Mass Political Behavior

Abstract The implications of political time and chaos theory for the study of electoral behavior are introduced. A variety of possible time worlds are presented, along with the basics of fractal geometry, chaos theory, and catastrophe theory. Four propositions are advanced: that electoral time is not linear, that more electoral change will be found when measuring change across shorter time periods, that electoral revolutions are due to nonlinear change, and that electoral and attitude series are always changing. The implications of these propositions for electoral studies are discussed. Finally, it is argued that electoral change is more common that usually recognized, but, as a result, it is also less important than it is usually considered.
An eigenvalue problem arising in a patch formation model

A simple numerical scheme has been developed for the solution of the eigenvalue problem arising in a patch formation model given by Del Grosso et al. [1]. The scheme is based on finding bounds which separate the eigenvalues. The exact eigenvalues are obtained by solving an algebraic equation given by the corresponding regular Frobenius series solution. At the same time eigenfunctions may also be obtained from this series solution.
The recognition of river channel flood infiltration capacity based on numerical simulation

River channel flood infiltration capacity is an important recharge source for groundwater sometimes, so the definition of river channel flood infiltration capacity is especially important in ground water balance calculation. The calculation and check of flood infiltration in the model in this paper, based on the computer numerical simulation technology, take advantage of flood observation data and the groundwater level rising data of long-term observation holes. This paper calculates river channel flood infiltration intensity relatively accurately. This method not only performs an important role in check of numerical model, but also provides a new idea for calculation of the flood infiltration capacity.
Contexts of Learning for Minority Students

(1988). Contexts of Learning for Minority Students. The Educational Forum: Vol. 52, No. 3, pp. 243-253.
SIMPLE, MULTIBORE COLUMNS FOR SUPERIOR FRACTIONATION OF LIPIDS.

Abstract Multibore columns were constructed and found to have a high capacity, give sharp resolution, with less adsorbent and smaller amounts of eluting solvent. A separation requiring 12 hr on a straight column can be accomplished in one-third less time on a multibore column. This factor, added to the superiority of fractionations on multibore columns, has proved to be of great benefit in routine analysis.
A Probabilistic Approach to Multivariate Constrained Robust Design Simulation

Presented at the 2nd World AviationCongress and Exposition, Anaheim, CA, October 13-16, 1997.
Systems biology approach to transplant tolerance: proof of concept experiments using RNA interference (RNAi) to knock down hub genes in Jurkat and HeLa cells in vitro.

Background Systems biology is gaining importance in studying complex systems such as the functional interconnections of human genes [1] . To investigate the molecular interactions involved in T cell immune responses, we used databases of physical gene-gene interactions to constructed molecular interaction networks (interconnections) with R language algorithms. This helped to identify highly interconnected “hub” genes AT(1)P5C1, IL6ST, PRKCZ, MYC, FOS, JUN, and MAPK1. We hypothesized that suppression of these hub genes in the gene network would result in significant phenotypic effects on T cells and examined this in vitro . The molecular interaction networks were then analyzed and visualized with Cytoscape. Materials and Methods Jurkat and HeLa cells were transfected with siRNA for the selected hub genes. Cell proliferation was measured using ATP luminescence and BrdU labeling, which were measured 36, 72, and 96 h after activation. Results Following T cell stimulation, we found a significant decrease in ATP production ( P P Conclusion In both Jurkat and HeLa cells, targeted gene knockdown using siRNA showed decreased cell proliferation and ATP production in both Jurkat and HeLa cells. However, Jurkat T cells and HELA cells use different hub genes to regulate activation responses. This experiment provides proof of principle of applying siRNA knockdown of T cell hub genes to evaluate their proliferative capacity and ATP production. This novel concept outlines a systems biology approach to identify hub genes for targeted therapeutics.
A fast, accurate, and non-statistical method for fault coverage estimation

We present a fast, dynamic fault coverage estimation technique for sequential circuits that achieves high degrees of accuracy by significantly reducing the number of injected faults and faulty-event evaluations. Specifically, we dynamically reduce injection of two types of faults: (1) hyperactive faults that never get detected, and (2) faults whose effects never propagate to a flip-flop or primary output. The cost of fault simulation is greatly reduced as injection of most of these two types of faults is prevented. Experiments show that our technique gives very accurate estimates with frequently greater speedups than the sampling techniques for most circuits. Most significantly, the proposed technique can be combined with the sampling approach to obtain speedups equivalent of small sample sizes and retain estimation accuracy of large fault samples.
Parathyroid Hormone for Treatment of Osteoporosis

Background: Osteoporosis is a common condition associated with multiple deleterious consequences. No therapy entirely abolishes fracture risk. Methods: A MEDLINE database (1966 to the present) search was performed for randomized controlled trials in humans using the keywords osteoporosis and parathyroid hormone (PTH) or parathyroid hormone and fracture. The Cochrane database was searched using the search terms osteoporosis and parathyroid hormone. Results: Parathyroid hormone (usually subcutaneous) dosages varied markedly across the 20 randomized controlled trial studies retrieved. In the range of 50 to 100 µg/d, effects may be dose-related. Results of larger trials (up to 1637 patients) were conflicting as to whether effects were limited to the spine and suggested detrimental effects on radius bone mineral density. Little data analyzed the effects of PTH in older vs younger subjects or directly compared the effects by sex. Increases in spine bone mineral density are induced by PTH in postmenopausal osteoporosis, glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, and idiopathic osteoporosis. Parathyroid hormone may protect against gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist–related bone loss. Effects are less clear at nonspine sites when PTH is used as part of combination or sequential therapies or for treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Parathyroid hormone decreased the incidence of radiographically detected spinal fractures. The numbers of nonvertebral fractures were too low to be broken down by individual site. Parathyroid hormone injections were difficult for some patients to comply with. Occasionally, PTH-associated hypercalcemia may be dose-dependent, often manifesting early in treatment. An increase in cancer risk from PTH is not reported in humans. Conclusions: Parathyroid hormone decreases vertebral fractures and increases spinal bone density in postmenopausal osteoporosis and glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, but at the expense of a decrease in radius bone density. The long-term safety and nonvertebral fracture efficacy are unknown. Arch Intern Med. 2002;162:2297-2309
Cross-Layer Aware Routing Approaches for Lifetime Maximization in Rate-Constrained Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper proposes medium contention aware routing schemes for rate-constrained traffic in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) that maximize network lifetime. Three sufficient conditions, referred to as rate-based, degree-based, and mixed constraints, are incorporated into the routing formulations to guarantee medium access feasibility of the routing solutions. Simulations show that the mixed condition based approach always achieves better network lifetimes than the other two approaches for larger networks, but at the cost of larger execution times. Our results show that the rate-based condition approach is the best choice in terms of balancing between solution quality and complexity.
Vitamin B-12 Status Differs among Pregnant, Lactating, and Control Women with Equivalent Nutrient Intakes

BACKGROUND Limited data are available from controlled studies on biomarkers of maternal vitamin B-12 status. OBJECTIVE We sought to quantify the effects of pregnancy and lactation on the vitamin B-12 status response to a known and highly controlled vitamin B-12 intake. METHODS As part of a 10-12 wk feeding trial, pregnant (26-29 wk gestation; n = 26), lactating (5 wk postpartum; n = 28), and control (nonpregnant, nonlactating; n = 21) women consumed vitamin B-12 amounts of ∼8.6 μg/d [mixed diet (∼6 μg/d) plus a prenatal multivitamin supplement (2.6 μg/d)]. Serum vitamin B-12, holotranscobalamin (bioactive form of vitamin B-12), methylmalonic acid (MMA), and homocysteine were measured at baseline and study-end. RESULTS All participants achieved adequate vitamin B-12 status in response to the study dose. Compared with control women, pregnant women had lower serum vitamin B-12 (-21%; P = 0.02) at study-end, whereas lactating women had higher (P = 0.04) serum vitamin B-12 throughout the study (+26% at study-end). Consumption of the study vitamin B-12 dose increased serum holotranscobalamin in all reproductive groups (+16-42%; P ≤ 0.009). At study-end, pregnant (vs. control) women had a higher holotranscobalamin-to-vitamin B-12 ratio (P = 0.04) with ∼30% (vs. 20%) of total vitamin B-12 in the bioactive form. Serum MMA increased during pregnancy (+50%; P < 0.001) but did not differ by reproductive state at study-end. Serum homocysteine increased in pregnant women (+15%; P = 0.009) but decreased in control and lactating women (-16-17%; P < 0.001). Despite these changes, pregnant women had ∼20% lower serum homocysteine than the other 2 groups at study-end (P ≤ 0.02). CONCLUSION Pregnancy and lactation alter vitamin B-12 status in a manner consistent with enhanced vitamin B-12 supply to the child. Consumption of the study vitamin B-12 dose (∼3 times the RDA) increased the bioactive form of vitamin B-12, suggesting that women in these reproductive states may benefit from vitamin B-12 intakes exceeding current recommendations. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01127022.
Kierkegaard, Schelling, and Hegel: How to Read the Spheres of Existence as Appropriate Knowledge

The central purposes of this article are twofold: (1) to give a brief sketch of contemporary scholarship on Kierkegaard's relation to Schelling and Hegel, clarifying, by discussing the famous Kantian and Kierkegaardian paradoxes, how the spheres of existence—aesthetic, ethical, and immanent religious—represent failed ways of appropriating or “knowing” oneself, and (2) to clarify Johann Climacus's distinction between “approximate” and “appropriate” knowledge by challenging Nathan Carson's interpretation as presented in this issue. The upshot is that the standard interpretation of the Kierkegaard/Hegel relation must be renegotiated in terms of the Kantian and the Kierkegaardian paradoxes regarding the source of normativity.
Travelling-wave photodetectors

Attention to the microwave design of waveguide photodetectors leads to travelling-wave photodetectors. These devices show bandwidths as high as 172 GHz, the highest reported for a p-i-n photodetector, and bandwidth efficiency products as large as 76 GHz, the largest reported for any photodetector without gain. Direct comparisons with vertically illuminated and waveguide photodetectors confirm the advantages of travelling-wave photodetectors. >
Effect of evidence and changes in reimbursement on the rate of arthroscopy for osteoarthritis.

Background:The efficacy of arthroscopic debridement or lavage for knee osteoarthritis (OA) was cast into doubt after publication of several randomized controlled trials beginning in 2002.Purpose:The authors set out to determine whether evidence of ineffectiveness, along with subsequent changes in reimbursement, were followed by changes in utilization rates of arthroscopy for patients with OA.Study Design:Cohort study (prevalence); Level of evidence, 2.Methods:The Florida State Ambulatory Surgery Database was used to examine population-based rates of knee arthroscopy from 2000 to 2008 for patients with and without the diagnosis of OA; data were stratified between public and private payers. These trends were compared with patients who underwent arthroscopy for other diagnoses and were also compared with patients whose arthritis was not the primary indication for surgery.Results:A 39% decrease in the adjusted population-based rate of knee arthroscopy for OA was observed, from 12.2 per 100,000 adults in 2000 ...
Vascular remodeling of the vitelline artery initiates extravascular emergence of hematopoietic clusters.

The vitelline artery is a temporary structure that undergoes extensive remodeling during midgestation to eventually become the superior mesenteric artery (also called the cranial mesenteric artery, in the mouse). Here we show that, during this remodeling process, large clusters of hematopoietic progenitors emerge via extravascular budding and form structures that resemble previously described mesenteric blood islands. We demonstrate through fate mapping of vascular endothelium that these mesenteric blood islands are derived from the endothelium of the vitelline artery. We further show that the vitelline arterial endothelium and subsequent blood island structures originate from a lateral plate mesodermal population. Lineage tracing of the lateral plate mesoderm demonstrates contribution to all hemogenic vascular beds in the embryo, and eventually, all hematopoietic cells in the adult. The intraembryonic hematopoietic cell clusters contain viable, proliferative cells that exhibit hematopoietic stem cell markers and are able to further differentiate into myeloid and erythroid lineages. Vitelline artery–derived hematopoietic progenitor clusters appear between embryonic day 10 and embryonic day 10.75 in the caudal half of the midgut mesentery, but by embryonic day 11.0 are sporadically found on the cranial side of the midgut, thus suggesting possible extravascular migration aided by midgut rotation.
Neuronal activity regulates astrocytic Nrf2 signaling

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the transcriptional master regulator of the stress-induced antioxidant response, plays a key role in neuronal resistance to oxidative stress and glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Nrf2-mediated neuroprotection is primarily conferred by astrocytes both in vitro and in vivo, but little is known about physiologic signals that regulate neuronal and astrocytic Nrf2 signaling. Here, we report that activity of the Nrf2 pathway in the brain is fine-tuned through a regulatory loop between neurons and astrocytes: elevated neuronal activity leads to secretion of glutamate and other soluble factors, which activate the astrocytic Nrf2 pathway through a signaling cascade that involves group I metabotropic glutamate receptors and intracellular Ca(2+). Therefore, regulation of endogenous antioxidant signaling is one of the functions of the neuron-astrocyte tripartite synapse; by matching the astrocyte neuroprotective capacity to the degree of activity in adjacent neuronal synapses, this regulatory mechanism may limit the physiologic costs associated with Nrf2 activation.
Salt And Public Health: Contested Science And The Challenge Of Evidence-Based Decision Making

For more than four decades, starting in the late 1960s, a sometimes furious battle has raged among scientists over the extent to which elevated salt consumption has adverse implications for population health and contributes to deaths from stroke and cardiovascular disease. Various studies and trials have produced conflicting results. Despite this scientific controversy over the quality of the evidence implicating dietary salt in disease, public health leaders at local, national, and international levels have pressed the case for salt reduction at the population level. This article explores the development of this controversy. It concludes that the concealment of scientific uncertainty in this case has been a mistake that has served neither the ends of science nor good policy. The article poses questions that arise from this debate and frames the challenges of formulating evidence-based public health practice and policy, particularly when the evidence is contested.
Die Kombination von Kreiselpumpe und Wasserstrahlpumpe

Fur Bohranlagen mit kleiner Fordermenge und nicht zu groser Saughohe (bis 40 m) wurde eine besondere Pumpenart entwickelt, die aus einer Kombination einer Kreiselpumpe mit einer Wasserstrahl-pumpe besteht. Die Kreiselpumpe steht zusammen mit dem Motor auf der Erdoberflache und liefert die Antriebsmenge und -hohe fur die auf dem Boden des Bohrloches befindliche Strahlpumpe (Abb. 18.1). Bei Bohrungen, deren Tiefe 7,5 m nicht uberschreitet, kann die Strahl-pumpe auch auf der Erdoberflache angeordnet werden [1]. Die mechanischen Vorteile der Kombination von Kreiselpumpe und Strahlpumpe sind offensichtlich: Im Bohrloch selbst befinden sich keine bewegten Teile und die Kreiselpumpe mit ihrem Motor kann an irgendeinem beliebigen Punkt aufgestellt werden. Die hydraulischen Vorteile sind: eine steile Fordercharakteristik, wobei die Forderhohe etwa 50% hoher ist als die der Kreiselpumpe allein und eine Leistungscharakteristik, die keine Uberlastung des Motors zulast. Der maximale Wirkungsgrad der Kombination ist gleich oder besser als der der Strahlpumpe allein, ist jedoch niedriger als der von axialen und radialen Pumpen.In kleinen Abmessungen wird diese Pumpenart oft fur die Hauswasserversorgung eingesetzt. Nach den Angaben des „U.S. Department of Commerce Census (Facts for Industry, Series M 31 B-116)“ wurden in der Zeit von 1946 bis 1952 jahrlich 360000 Einheiten des Strahl-pumpensystems im Wert von uber $ 30000000 verkauft.
Pathogen-Induced Inflammatory Environment Controls Effector and Memory CD8+ T Cell Differentiation

In response to infection, CD8(+) T cells integrate multiple signals and undergo an exponential increase in cell numbers. Simultaneously, a dynamic differentiation process occurs, resulting in the formation of short-lived effector cells (SLECs; CD127(low)KLRG1(high)) and memory precursor effector cells (CD127(high)KLRG1(low)) from an early effector cell that is CD127(low)KLRG1(low) in phenotype. CD8(+) T cell differentiation during vesicular stomatitis virus infection differed significantly than during Listeria monocytogenes infection with a substantial reduction in early effector cell differentiation into SLECs. SLEC generation was dependent on Ebi3 expression. Furthermore, SLEC differentiation during vesicular stomatitis virus infection was enhanced by administration of CpG-DNA, through an IL-12-dependent mechanism. Moreover, CpG-DNA treatment enhanced effector CD8(+) T cell functionality and memory subset distribution, but in an IL-12-independent manner. Population dynamics were dramatically different during secondary CD8(+) T cell responses, with a much greater accumulation of SLECs and the appearance of a significant number of CD127(high)KLRG1(high) memory cells, both of which were intrinsic to the memory CD8(+) T cell. These subsets persisted for several months but were less effective in recall than memory precursor effector cells. Thus, our data shed light on how varying the context of T cell priming alters downstream effector and memory CD8(+) T cell differentiation.