cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation in humans: effects on body composition and energy expenditure.

Recent animal studies have demonstrated that dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces body fat and that this decrease may be due to a change in energy expenditure. The present study examined the effect of CLA supplementation on body composition and energy expenditure in healthy, adult women. Seventeen women were fed either a CLA capsule (3 g/d) or a sunflower oil placebo for 64 d following a baseline period of 30 d. The subjects were confined to a metabolic suite for the entire 94 d study where diet and activity were controlled and held constant. Change in fat-free mass, fat mass, and percentage body fat were unaffected by CLA supplementation (0.18±0.43 vs. 0.09±0.35 kg; 0.01±0.64 vs. −0.19±0.53 kg; 0.05±0.62 vs. −0.67±0.51%, placebo vs. CLA, respectively). Likewise, body weight was not significantly different in the placebo vs. the CLA group (0.48±0.55 vs. −0.24±0.46 kg change). Energy expenditure (kcal/min), fat oxidation, and respiratory exchange ratio were measured once during the baseline period and during weeks 4 and 8 of the intervention period. At all three times, measurements were taken while resting and walking. CLA had no significant effect on energy expenditure, fat oxidation, or respiratory exchange ratio at rest or during exercise. When dietary intake was controlled, 64 d of CLA supplementation at 3 g/d had no significant effect on body composition or energy expenditure in adult women, which contrasts with previous findings in animals.
Development of a serum‐free system to expand dental‐derived stem cells: PDLSCs and SHEDs

Recently, extracted teeth have been identified as a viable source of stem cells for tissue regenerative approaches. Current expansion of these cells requires incorporation of animal sera; yet, a fundamental issue underlying cell cultivation methods for cell therapy regards concerns in using animal sera. In this study, we investigated the development of a chemically defined, serum-free media (K-M) for the expansion of human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and human stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs). Proliferation assays were performed comparing cells in serum-containing media (FBS-M) with cells cultured in four different serum-free medium and these demonstrated that in these medium, the cell proliferation of both cell types was significantly less than the proliferation of cells in FBS-M. Additional proliferation assays were performed using pre-coated fibronectin (FN) tissue culture plates and of the four serum-free medium, only K-M enabled PDLSCs and SHEDs to proliferate at higher rates than cells cultured in FBS-M. Next, alkaline phosphatase activity showed that PDLSCs and SHEDs exhibited similar osteogenic potential whether cultured in K-M or FBS-M, and, additionally, cells retained their multipotency in K-M as seen by expression of chondrogenic and adipogenic genes, and positive Von Kossa, Alcian blue, and Oil Red O staining. Finally, differential expression of 84 stem cell associated genes revealed that for most genes, PDLSCs and SHEDs did not differ in their expression regardless of whether cultured in K-M or FBS-M. Taken together, the data suggest that K-M can support the expansion of PDLSCs and SHEDs and maintenance of their multipotency. J. Cell. Physiol. 226: 66‐73, 2010. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Multi-front waves for extended form of modified Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation

An extended form of the modified Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (mKP) equation is investigated. The simplified form of the Hirota bilinear method established by Hereman and Nuseir is employed. Multi-front wave solutions are formally derived to the extended mKP equation and the mKP equation. The results show that the extension terms do not kill the integrability of the mKP equation.
Antibody coated gold particles containing radioactive gold in the demonstration of cell surface molecules

Gold particles of varying size which contain either 195Au or 198Au were prepared using white phosphorus or sodium citrate as the reducting agent. After coating with specific antibody to blood group A antigen or human IgG these particles were used to determine the number of particles binding to the surface of A1 RBC's or rat RBC's to which human IgG had been attached. The number of particles binding to the surface of cells correlated with the number of antibody coated gold particles in the fluid bathing the cells as well as the number of antigen molecules on the cell surface. That is, the number of particles binding increased as the particle density of the suspension increased and as the cell surface antigen density increased. Under the conditions of the experiments, both blood group A antigen and human IgG appeared to be randomly distributed over the surface of the cells in TEM and SEM preparations. This approach permitted the quantitation of the number of gold particles bound per cell and at the same time, the examination of the distribution of the particles over the surface of the same cell population by TEM and SEM.
Ethnocomputing with electronic textiles: culturally responsive open design to broaden participation in computing in American indian youth and communities

There have been many efforts to increase access and participation of indigenous communities in computer science education using ethnocomputing. In this paper, we extend culturally responsive computing by using electronic textiles that leverage traditional crafting and sewing practices to help students learn about engineering and computing as they also engage with local indigenous knowledges. Electronic textiles include sewable microcontrollers that can be connected to sensors and actuators by stitching circuits with conductive thread. We present findings from a junior high Native Arts class and an academically-oriented summer camp in which Native American youth ages 12-15 years created individual and collective e-textile designs using the LilyPad Arduino. In our discussion we address how a culturally responsive open design approach to ethnocomputing with e-textile activities can provide a productive but also challenging context for design agency and cultural connections for American Indian youth, and how these findings can inform the design of a broader range of introductory computational activities for all.
Sedimentary siloxanes : a depositional history

A Puget Sound sediment core has been quantitatively analyzed for organic silicon content, as derived from post-1945 release of poly(organo)-siloxanes (silicones). The sedimentary silicone data record and preserve at depth, a smeared event horizon, or first appearance of silicone in the sediment column. Core samples older than 50 years showed no detectable silicone as measured by a new procedure utilizing inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectroscopy after solvent extraction to collect the silicone from gram-sized sediment core samples.
In Vivo AAV-Mediated Expression of Calbindin-D28K in Rat Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons

Abstract The cholinergic neurons of the basal forebrain (BFCNs) in human and non-human primates are rich in the calcium binding protein calbindin-D28k (CB). We have shown a selective loss of CB from BFCNs in the course of normal aging, which appears to predispose these neurons to tangle formation and degeneration in Alzheimer's disease. Our previous preliminary investigation demonstrated that rodent BFCNs are devoid of CB. Here we confirm that rat choline acetyltransferase-rich BFCNs are devoid of CB immunoreactivity. We then describe a method for adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) induced expression of CB in rat BFCNs in vivo. We constructed AAV vectors bearing the CB gene under the control of the CMV promoter, or neuron-specific enolase (NSE) promoter, to bias expression in neurons. Both vectors resulted in CB expression in mouse neuronal cultures, and in rat brain following injections. AAV–NSE–CB resulted in more robust expression in neurons. Injections of 10 μl of AAV–NSE–CB in the BFCNs component located within the internal segment of globus pallidus and internal capsule resulted in expression of CB in 84% of BFCNs. Expression was optimum at 14 days. Injections of AAV–NSE–LacZ resulted in robust β-galactosidase expression, but no CB immunoreactivity. Our results show that use of NSE promoter leads to high expression of genes in neurons and that the BFCNs can be targeted for expression of genes that are differentially expressed in the rodent and primate brains. These findings have important implications for gene replacement therapy in human BFCNs.
A BAYESIAN INTERPRETATION OF MULTIPLE POINT ESTIMATES

Consider a large number of econometric investigations using different estimation techniques and/or different subsets of all available data to estimate a fixed set of parameters. The resulting empirical distribution of point estimates can be shown – under suitable conditions – to coincide with a Bayesian posterior measure on the parameter space induced by a minimum information procedure. This Bayesian interpretation makes it easier to combine the results of various empirical exercises for statistical decision making. The collection of estimators may be generated by one investigator to ensure the satisfaction of our conditions, or they may be collected from published works, where behavioral assumptions need to be made regarding the dependence structure of econometric studies.
Hyperoxia activates ATM independent from mitochondrial ROS and dysfunction

High levels of oxygen (hyperoxia) are often used to treat individuals with respiratory distress, yet prolonged hyperoxia causes mitochondrial dysfunction and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage molecules such as DNA. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase is activated by nuclear DNA double strand breaks and delays hyperoxia-induced cell death through downstream targets p53 and p21. Evidence for its role in regulating mitochondrial function is emerging, yet it has not been determined if mitochondrial dysfunction or ROS activates ATM. Because ATM maintains mitochondrial homeostasis, we hypothesized that hyperoxia induces both mitochondrial dysfunction and ROS that activate ATM. In A549 lung epithelial cells, hyperoxia decreased mitochondrial respiratory reserve capacity at 12 h and basal respiration by 48 h. ROS were significantly increased at 24 h, yet mitochondrial DNA double strand breaks were not detected. ATM was not required for activating p53 when mitochondrial respiration was inhibited by chronic exposure to antimycin A. Also, ATM was not further activated by mitochondrial ROS, which were enhanced by depleting manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2). In contrast, ATM dampened the accumulation of mitochondrial ROS during exposure to hyperoxia. Our findings suggest that hyperoxia-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and ROS do not activate ATM. ATM more likely carries out its canonical response to nuclear DNA damage and may function to attenuate mitochondrial ROS that contribute to oxygen toxicity.
Distribution of corpus callosum and anterior commissure in cat and raccoon.

The distribution of the forebrain commissures was studied using the Nauta-Gygax silver technique. Following total forebrain commissure transection in the cat the striate cortex or visual area I was remarkably free of degenerating fibers, while peristriate or visual area II showed dense degeneration. Somatic sensory arm and distal hindlimb areas appeared degeneration free while proximal leg and face areas revealed heavy degeneration. The somatic motor area of the anterior sigmoid gyrus contained dense numbers of degenerating fibers. The auditory areas of ectosylvian gyrus showed moderate degeneration over their entire surface except the most ventrally situated cortical areas which were degenerated free. Fibers from the corpus callosum also terminated in the dorsolatearal portions of the head of the caudate nucleus. The anterior limb of anterior commissure distributed mainly to the inner granular layer of the olfactory bulb. In addition, it disseminated considerable numbers of fibers in the anterior olfactory nucleus. The accessory olfactory bulb was degeneration free. The distribution of the forebrain commissures in the raccoon was very similar to the cat. The outstanding feature of the commissural pattern in the raccoon was the total absence of degenerating fibers in the lobular complex relating to the digits of the forepaw.
Estimation using sampled data containing sequentially correlated noise.

Multistage linear dynamic systems with sequentially correlated noise, evaluating filtering, prediction and smoothing procedures
Characterization of Polyaniline Nanocomposite Using AC Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Silicate minerals have been found to improve physical and mechanical properties of polymers significantly through clay/polymer nanocomposites. This class of materials uses smectite-type clays, such as hectorite, montmorillonite, magadiite, and synthetic mica, as fillers to enhance the properties of polymers. One of the most important properties of smectite-type clays is their layered structure, in which each layer is constructed from tetrahedrally coordinated Si atoms fused into an edge-shared octahedral plane of either Al(OH)3 or Mg(OH)2 . The layers exhibit excellent mechanical properties parallel to the layer direction due to the nature of the bonding between these atoms. It has been found that Young’s modulus in the layer direction is 50 to 400 times higher than that of a typical polymer [1–5]. The layers have a high aspect ratio and each one is approximately 1 nm thick, while the diameter may vary from 30 nm to several microns or larger. Hundreds or thousands of these layers are stacked together with weak van der Waals forces to form a clay particle. With such a configuration, it is possible to tailor clays into various different structures in polymer [1,6,7].Copyright © 2006 by ASME
The effect of surface composition on the chemisorption of hydrogen on tungsten carbide

Abstract Polymeric carbon and oxygen were detected at the surface of tungsten carbide powders by Auger electron spectroscopy and electron spin resonance. Chemisorption of dihydrogen is suppressed by polymeric carbon but enhanced by surface oxygen as some of the latter reacts in the presence of water with hydrogen spilling over from the tungsten carbide parts of the surface.
Thermal stability of esters under simulated boundary lubrication conditions

Abstract Oxidation and thermal instability are two important causes of lubricant degradation at the high temperature and thin film conditions prevalent in boundary lubrication. In this study, the “Penn State” microreactor test system was used in an inert atmosphere (nitrogen) to evaluate the thermal stability of trimethylolpropane triheptanoate (TMPTH), a typical polyolester basestock component of aircraft gas turbine lubricants. The Penn State microreactor test can produce the high temperature and thin film conditions found in boundary lubrication. Thermal stability tests showed that several metals had catalytic effects on the thermal degradation of TMPTH. The thermal instability threshold temperature was much lower under these thin film conditions than for the bulk conditions of previous thermal stability tests. The increased rates of decomposition at lower temperatures in the thin film mode appear to be related to the fluid-volume-to-metal-surface-area ratios.
ACADEMIC GRADES: THEIR SUBJECTIVE SCALE STRUCTURE BASED ON COLLEGE STUDENT IMPRESSIONS

70 judges' (university freshmen) evaluations of 12 grade intervals showed good agreement as had college professors previously. The Thurstonian scales were curvilinearly related to the grade-point-average scale.
Beta-blocker therapy and primary angioplasty: what is the controversy?

Beta-blocker therapy has long been recommended for the treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and is listed as a class 1 indication in the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Guidelines for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (MI) [(1)][1].
Alterations in monodeiodination of iodothyronines in the fasting rat: effects of reduced nonprotein sulfhydryl groups and hypothyroidism.

Hepatic monodeiodination of thyroxine (T4), reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), and triiodothyronine (T3) are enzymic reactions that depend on tissue concentrations of sulfhydryl (SH) groups. Fasting in the rat is associated with low serum concentration of thyroid hormones (T4 and T3), a low rate of hepatic 5′-monodeiodination of T4, and low tissue concentrations of nonprotein SH (NP-SH) groups. This study describes the relationship between these various abnormalities and the effect of fasting on conversion of rT3 and T3 to 3,3′-diiodothyronine (3,3′-T2). Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150–220 g were sacrificed after fasting for 0, 1, 2, and 4 days and iodothyronine monodeiodinations and total SH (T-SH) and NP-SH concentrations were quantified in liver homogenates. Hepatic T-SH concentration did not change appreciably during fasting. However, NP-SH levels decreased considerably at 1 day and then gradually recovered to or towards normal by 4 days of fasting. Hepatic NP-SH concentration in a representative experiment was 6.2 ± 0.20 μM/g in controls and 4.1 ± 0.49, 5.2 ± 0.36, and 6.9 ± 1.2 μM/g (mean ± SE) at 1, 2, and 4 days of fasting, respectively. On the other hand, T4-T3 converting activity (ng T3 produced/μg T4/geq tissue/hr) decreased progressively from 219 ± 15 in controls to 205 ± 18, 166 ± 6.7, (p < 0.005) and 149 ± 10 (p < 0.005) at 1, 2, and 4 days of fasting, respectively. Addition of dithiothreitol (DTT) to liver homogenates of 2-day (412 ± 15) and 4-day (397 ± 42) fasted rats did not render T3 production from T4 comparable to that in control animals (613 ± 76). When rats were treated with T4 (2 μg100 g body wt), changes in liver NP-SH still occurred as mentioned. However, hepatic T4-T3 conversion was reduced (193 ± 11 versus 352 ± 29, p < 0.005) only at 2 days when NP-SH was low, and it increased normally after addition of DTT (691 ± 26 versus 823 ± 74, NS). It was normal in absence (357 ± 67) and in presence (872 ± 68) of DTT at 4 days of fasting when NP-SH was normal. Monodeiodination of T3 to 3,3′-T2 was normal in fasting, whereas that of rT3 was low but normalized with DTT. The various data suggest that (1) low tissue NP-SH levels are important in causing the reduction in hepatic T4 5′-monodeiodination only early in fasting (subsequently, hypothyroidism is the key factor); and (2) inner ring monodeiodination of T3 is normal in fasting.
The Candida albicans 14-3-3 gene, BMH1, is essential for growth.

The 14-3-3 proteins are a family of conserved small acidic proteins that have been implicated in playing major roles in a wide variety of signalling cascades. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the 14-3-3 genes (BMH1 and BMH2) are essential for normal pseudohyphal induction and normal bud cell development. The Bmh proteins function in the cAMP-dependent RAS/MAPK and rapamycin-sensitive signalling cascades. Deletion of only one BMH gene demonstrates no phenotypic differences under normal growth conditions. Strains deleted of both BMH1 and BMH2 are either non-viable or demonstrate sensitivity to environmental stresses. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the BMH homologues (RAD24 and RAD25) are essential for cell cycle control after DNA damage and deletion of both genes renders the cell inviable. The 14-3-3 gene in Candida albicans (BMH1) was identified using a novel adherence assay and differential display RT-PCR. Unlike other yeasts, C. albicans has only one 14-3-3 gene (BMH1). It was not possible to construct double knockouts by routine methods. These results suggested that the C. albicans BMH1 gene is essential. The essentiality of C. albicans BMH1 was confirmed by a PCR disruption technique. The C. albicans bmh1 Delta/BMH1 heterozygotes exhibit growth and morphogenetic defects. Therefore, the BMH1 gene in C. albicans (Accession No. AF038154) is an excellent candidate to improve our understanding of the coordinate regulation of cell cycle and morphogenesis.
Epidemiology, stage at diagnosis, and tumor biology of breast carcinoma in multiracial and multiethnic populations.

All women, regardless of their racial or ethnic origin or heritage, are at risk of developing breast cancer. Variations in breast carcinoma incidence rates among multicultural populations suggest that etiologic factors differ in their biologic expression and impact on disease outcome. Key among those factors that affect breast carcinoma development are the roles of genetics and the environment, the reproductive experience and the effects of endogenous and exogenous hormones in women, the change in immune status and host vulnerability, and the biologic determinants of breast carcinoma. Cultural dynamics, sociodemographic differences, and behavioral characteristics across population subgroups modulate how biologic disease is expressed among different races and ethnic groups. These interactions contribute to the observed variations in breast carcinoma incidence, mortality, and survival. Stage, a measure of disease status, is used to assess prognosis, plan treatment, and evaluate outcome. Numerous studies have reported a more advanced stage of breast carcinoma at diagnosis in racial/ethnic subgroups, especially among women from African American, Hispanic, American Indian, and native Hawaiian cultures. Factors associated with advanced stage at diagnosis in multicultural populations range from changes in the basic biological characteristics at the molecular and cellular level, to more complex behavioral attributes unique to a particular multicultural population, to societal issues-such as access to care and socioeconomic conditions-all of which impact on the health measure called "stage at diagnosis." Rapid advancements in knowledge of cancer biology and of genetic markers and tumor products are providing new mechanisms for identifying etiologic pathways that can be utilized for better screening, detection, treatment and monitoring of disease. Further studies are needed that evaluate the biologic and molecular alterations in tumor development, progression, and response to therapy. Public health attention needs to be directed toward the societal influences that impact breast carcinoma development, as well as augmenting recognition of the need for culturally appropriate, broad-based behavioral changes at the community level. In addition, continued efforts are needed to ensure the inclusion of multicultural population subgroups and minority investigators in all aspects of research-basic, clinical and applied.
A comparison of dense gas dispersion model simulations with burro series LNG spill test results

Abstract The predictions from three vapor dispersion models for cold dense gas releases are compared with the results from several 40 m3 LNG spill experiments conducted at China Lake, California, in 1980. The models vary considerably in the degree to which they approximate important physical phenomena and include restricting assumptions. The simplest model (GD), a modified Gaussian plume model, predicted a vapor cloud that was always too high and too narrow by a factor of 1.5 to 3. The second model (SLAB), a layer-averaged conservation equation model with one independent spatial variable (downwind distance), generally predicted the maximum distance to the lower flammability limit (LFL) and cloud width quite well. SLAB assumes the vertical concentration distribution is nearly uniform so that the vertical concentration gradient (∂c/∂z) is essentially zero from the ground up through most of the cloud and then very steep at the top of the cloud. This was generally not the case in these experiments, especially in the high wind speed tests, where the vertical concentration gradient was found to be more gradual throughout the cloud. The final model (FEM3) is a fully three-dimensional conservation equation model that generally predicted the concentration distribution in time and space rather well. A particular achievement of this model was the prediction of a bifurcated cloud structure observed in one experiment conducted with a low ambient wind speed. Both the SLAB and the FEM3 models accurately predicted the length of time required for the cloud to disperse to a level below the LFL, even in the low wind speed test where the vapor cloud lingered over the source region for a considerable length of time after the LNG spill was terminated.
Target detection with distributed radar sensor networking systems (DRASENS)

An innovative radar sensor networking system is introduced for effective target detection. By using orthogonal coding waveforms, the number of radar echoes generated by the radar network from the same target is maximized for the best fusion processing result. Several centralized signal detection schemes are investigated for the networking system and their performances are evaluated.
The Relationship of Sex-Role Perception and Levels of Self-Actualization in Public School Teachers

The Personal Orientation Inventory and the Sex-Role Stereotype Questionnaire were administered to 218 public school teachers of Connecticut, K-12, for the purpose of testing the following hypotheses: (1) Teachers would perceive male and female students as significantly different; (2) teachers' perceptions would not be influenced by teachers' sex; and (3) teachers' differential perceptions of male and female students would be inversely related to teachers' levels of self-actualization. All three hypotheses were supported. However, hypothesis 2 may require qualification. While no relationship could be established between sex of teachers and the index of teachers' perceptions (BDTOT) — a finding that supports the second hypothesis — the research did yield some evidence that younger female teachers in the lower grades may be more apt to perceive students, particularly male students, in sex-stereotypic terms.
Multiphase flow modeling of gas hydrates with a simple hydrodynamic slug flow model

Abstract The formation and accumulation of natural gas hydrates in deep subsea flow lines are one of the most challenging flow assurance problems. Typical high pressure/low temperature operation conditions in deep subsea facilities promote rapid formation of gas hydrates. Recent observations in flow loop experiments in gas/water systems suggested a relationship between hydrate volume and flow regime on pressure drop. In the current work, a simple hydrodynamic slug flow model, based on fundamental multiphase flow concepts, is coupled with a transient hydrate kinetics model to study the effect of hydrate formation on slug flow in gas/water systems.
The Economics and Politics of Agricultural Trade Liberalization

Fred Sanderson, (Ed.), Agricultural Protectionism in the Industrialized World. Theodore Cohn, The International Politics of Agricultural Trade.
Determination of the persistence length of an aromatic polyamide-hydrazide by small-angle x-ray diffraction

Small-angle x-ray diffraction measurements were performed upon dimethyl acetamide (DMAc) solutions of four samples of X-500, an aromatic polyamide-hydrazide. The solubility improved as the polymer molecular weight increased, the most soluble sample being in the form of a highly oriented, crystalline fiber. Molecular weights determined from the scattering curves indicate that aggregation was present in all solutions. Its extent varied with the solubility of the sample, increased with polymer concentration and, for the lowest concentrations studied, could be reduced by the addition of acetic acid. Radius of gyration values were smaller than those obtained by light scattering, probably because of insufficient resolution of the camera. The mass per unit length along the chain was found to be 18–20 A, while the radius of gyration of the cross section was 3.5–4.8 A. Three of the samples gave nearly the same angular intersection for the coil-and rodlike regions of the scattering curve. Two of these were whole polymers and the other a narrow fraction. The fact that essentially the same intercept was found in all three cases indicates the persistence length as measured for linear chain polymers by small-angle x-ray diffraction is independent of the heterogeneity of the sample. The intercepts, after a small correction for excluded volume effects, correspond to persistence lengths in the range 71–88 A for DMAc solutions, which approximate those determined for dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solutions by light scattering the intrinsic viscosity without correction for excluded volume, but are substantially larger than the DMSO values, corrected for excluded volume of 30–49 A. We can offer no explanation for this difference.
CHARACTERISTICS OF FEMALE ADOLESCENT SEXUAL OFFENDERS

Descriptive data on a group of female adolescent sexual offenders seen in an outpatient clinic are presented, with characteristics of offenders, offenses, and victims. Unlike female adult sexual offenders of previous studies, these adolescents committed offenses without coercion from male co-offenders starting at an early age. Results are discussed with reference to gender differences among adolescent sexual offenders.
Ubiquitous points of control over regulatory T cells

Posttranslational modification by ubiquitin tagging is crucial for regulating the stability, activity and cellular localization of many target proteins involved in processes including DNA repair, cell cycle progression, protein quality control, and signal transduction. It has long been appreciated that ubiquitin-mediated events are important for certain signaling pathways leading to leukocyte activation and the stimulation of effector function. Now it is clear that the activities of molecules and pathways central to immune regulation are also modified and controlled by ubiquitin tagging. Among the mechanisms of immune control, regulatory T cells (or Tregs) are themselves particularly sensitive to such regulation. E3 ligases and deubiquitinases both influence Tregs through their effects on the signaling pathways pertinent to these cells or through the direct, posttranslational regulation of Foxp3. In this review, we will summarize and discuss several examples of ubiquitin-mediated control over multiple aspects of Treg biology including the generation, function and phenotypic fidelity of these cells. Fully explored and exploited, these potential opportunities for Treg modulation may lead to novel immunotherapies for both positive and negative fine-tuning of immune restraint.
722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York

When it first opened on October 27, 1904, the New York City subway ran twenty-two miles from City Hall to 145th Street and Lenox Avenue-the longest stretch ever built at one time. From that initial route through the completion of the IND or Independent Subway line in the 1940s, the subway grew to cover 722 miles-long enough to reach from New York to Chicago. In this definitive history, Clifton Hood traces the complex and fascinating story of the New York City subway system, one of the urban engineering marvels of the twentieth century. For the subway's centennial the author supplies a new foreward explaining that now, after a century, "we can see more clearly than ever that this rapid transit system is among the twentieth century's greatest urban achievements."
Effect of Prenatal Diagnosis on Outcome in Patients With Congenital Heart Disease

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. List the most frequent prenatally diagnosed forms of congenital heart disease. 2. List the fetal indications for echocardiography. 3. List the maternal indications for echocardiography. 4. Review the findings of studies comparing the outcome of prenatally versus postnatally diagnosed newborns who have congenital heart disease. 5. List the advantages of prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease (CHD) continues to be a major source of neonatal mortality. Since the development of echocardiographic screening for fetal cardiac anatomy in the 1980s, an increasing number of affected newborns are identified prior to delivery. (1) A recent study in a population that had risk factors for CHD found that the sensitivity of fetal echocardiography was 38%, with a false-positive rate of only 0.05%. (2) However, when performed by skilled operators viewing outflow tracts in addition to the four-chamber view, an accuracy as high as 96% has been reported. (3) These prenatal diagnoses are heavily skewed toward more severe CHD, with disorders of the atrioventricular junction (endocardial cushion defects), univentricular hearts, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) being the most common (Table 1). | Diagnosis | Proportion of All Fetal Diagnoses | Proportion of CHD in Newborns in Study | |:-------------------------------------------:| --------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | Hypoplastic left heart syndrome | 31% | 15% | | Atrioventricular septal defect | 30% | 25% | | Univentricular heart | 20% | 9% | | Pulmonary atresia intact ventricular septum | 8% | 5% | | Total anomalous pulmonary venous return | 0.3% | 1% | | Tetralogy of Fallot | 9% | 28% | | Transposition of the great arteries | 1.7% | 17% | Table 1. Relative Frequencies of Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) at Fetal Diagnosis and Seen At Birth* The ability to identify the most severe forms of CHD prior to delivery has changed the population of liveborn infants who have CHD. Prenatal diagnosis allows for extensive parental counseling and coordination of care. The fetal diagnosis of CHD prompts genetic testing to identify chromosomal abnormalities, which are found in 10% of cases, and a detailed anatomic evaluation to assess associated extracardiac anomalies, which coincide in 15% of cases. (1) In cases of poor prognosis, early prenatal diagnosis gives the parents the option of terminating …
An adaptive Src–PDGFRA–Raf axis in rhabdomyosarcoma

Abstract Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (aRMS) is a very aggressive sarcoma of children and young adults. Our previous studies have shown that small molecule inhibition of Pdgfra is initially very effective in an aRMS mouse model. However, slowly evolving, acquired resistance to a narrow-spectrum kinase inhibitor (imatinib) was common. We identified Src family kinases (SFKs) to be potentiators of Pdgfra in murine aRMS primary cell cultures from mouse tumors with evolved resistance in vivo in comparison to untreated cultures. Treating the resistant primary cell cultures with a combination of Pdgfra and Src inhibitors had a strong additive effect on cell viability. In Pdgfra knockout tumors, however, the Src inhibitor had no effect on tumor cell viability. Sorafenib, whose targets include not only PDGFRA but also the Src downstream target Raf, was effective at inhibiting mouse and human tumor cell growth and halted progression of mouse aRMS tumors in vivo. These results suggest that an adaptive Src–Pdgfra–Raf–Mapk axis is relevant to PDGFRA inhibition in rhabdomyosarcoma.
Reflectionless symmetric potentials from vertex operators.

The construction of symmetric reflectionless potentials with an arbitrary bound-state spectrum is compared using supersymmetric quantum mechanics and using vertex operators. The simplicity of each method may have useful consequences for the other.
Surface-bulk uptake of hydrogen by niobium

Photoemission spectroscopy and electrical resistivity have been used to measure both the surface and the bulk concentrations of H incident on Nb. It is difficult to understand both the uptake data and the surface-coverage results on the basis of a dilute hydrogen phase on the surface in equilibrium with the bulk. A model is proposed here in which at high surface concentration a hydride layer forms on the surface. Both the surface-coverage data and the bulk-uptake results are analyzed using this model.
The effect of lithium wall conditioning in TFTR on plasma–surface interactions

Five TFTR deuterium supershots with increasing Li pellet injection are analyzed in detail. Five chords of experimental H-α measurements are compared to predictions from a series of computational models. First, experimental data from the discharge is used in the TRANSP plasma transport code to predict the ion flux to the wall. Then a modified version of the DEGAS neutral transport code which includes both reflection, desorption and sputtering of hydrogenic species from the wall is used to determine the neutral density profile across the machine. This data combined with the known density and temperature contours predicts values for the magnitude of H-α light observed for 16 viewing angles of the diagnostic. To match the experimental data, the wall reflection, desorption and sputtering coefficients were altered using data from VFTRIM-3D to include the effect of the added Li. In addition, the first 10 cm of the stainless steel wall adjoining the C inner bumper limiter was treated as C-covered; the highest flux area of the inner wall was treated as a sink; and the lower reflection coefficients for a Li-wall rather than a C-wall were used over an increasingly larger area of the inner wall as the Li concentration in the discharges increased.
Wavelength dependence of the threshold in an InGaP-InAlGaP vertical cavity surface emitting laser

The wavelength dependence of the threshold in an InGaP‐InAlGaP vertical cavity surface emitting laser is investigated using a microscopic theory of the semiconductor gain medium. Good agreement is found between experiment and theory for the minimum threshold lasing wavelength for a range of laser structures.
Alcohol, Tobacco and Marijuana Use among Youth: An Overview of Epidemiological, Program and Policy Trends

Dr. Lawrence Wallack is an assistant Professor at the School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California. Dr. Kitty Corbett is on the faculty of the School of Liberal Arts, John F. Kennedy University, Orinda, California. She is also a Research Associate, Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Work on this article was primarily supported by a contract from the National Insti-
Rumen Fermentation and Intestinal Supply of Nutrients in Dairy Cows Fed Rumen-Protected Soy Products

Four multiparous lactating Holstein cows that were fistulated in the rumen and duodenum and that averaged 205 d in milk were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design to evaluate the practical replacement of solvent-extracted soybean meal (SSBM) with soy protein products of reduced ruminal degradability. On a dry matter (DM) basis, diets contained 15% alfalfa silage, 25% corn silage, 34.3 to 36.9% corn grain, 19.4% soy products, 18.2% crude protein, 25.5% neutral detergent fiber, and 35.3% starch. In the experimental diets, SSBM was replaced with expeller soybean meal (ESBM); heated, xylose-treated soybean meal (NSBM); or whole roasted soybeans (WRSB) to supply 10.2% of the dietary DM. Intakes of DM (mean = 20.4 kg/d), organic matter, and starch were unaffected by the source of soy protein. Similarly, true ruminal fermentation of organic matter and apparent digestion of starch in the rumen and total tract were not altered by treatments. Intake of N ranged from 567 (WRSB) to 622 g/d (ESBM), but differences among soy protein supplements were not significant. Compared with SSBM, the ruminal outflow of nonammonia N was higher for NSBM, tended to be higher for ESBM, and was similar for WRSB. The intestinal supply of nonammonia nonmicrobial N was higher for NSBM and WRSB and tended to be higher for ESBM than for SSBM. However, no differences were detected among treatments when the flow to the duodenum of nonammonia nonmicrobial N was expressed as a percentage of N intake or nonammonia N flow. The ruminal outflow of microbial N, Met, and Lys was not altered by the source of soy protein. Data suggest that partially replacing SSBM with ESBM, NSBM, or WRSB may increase the quantity of feed protein that reaches the small intestines of dairy cows. However, significant improvements in the supply of previously reported limiting amino acids for milk production, particularly of Met, should not be expected.
An Alternative Picture of the Geomagnetic Field

Spherical harmonic models of the Earth's magnetic field are a convenient way of describing the characteristics of the field. It has been common practice to use the Lowes/Mauersberger function to describe the power of the field in each degree of harmonic. There are several characteristics of this power spectrum which are well known from recent analyses of the geomagnetic field. Firstly, there is a general decrease of power as the degree of harmonic is increased. This general pattern is that the power varies as a function of a constant raised to the power n where n is the degree of the harmonic. However, there are some exceptions to this rule of thumb. Firstly, the dipole term (n = 1) is higher than expected. Secondly, the degree two term is lower than expected. Thirdly, the degree eight term is lower than expected. Although these facts might be considered to be just a chance happening, characteristic of today's field but not of other fields, it is shown that these characteristics are true for the last 200 years, during which time both the degree two and the degree eight individual harmonic terms change drastically. It is therefore suggested that these patterns represent a more permanent feature of the field, which may be caused by the sources approximating current loops located close to the core-mantle boundary (CMB). Another interesting fact about the spherical harmonic analyses of the field over the past 200 years is that the low order harmonics tend to be significantly stronger than the high order harmonics. This probably reflects sources which are preferentially located at higher latitudes, or are stronger at higher latitudes than at lower latitudes. The rates of change of the field are also studied, and it is shown that these rates of change are similar to what might be expected if the foci of the field at the CMB moved without changing their strength greatly. These simple observations based on analysis of the Gauss coefficients give information which may be useful for dynamo theories of Earth's magnetic field.
Re-Drawing Boundaries: Work, Households, and Gender in China

Re-Drawing Boundaries: Work, Households, and Gender in China. Barbara Entwisle and Gail Henderson, eds. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2000. ix + 344 pp., glossary, references, index.
SUMO: A Multifaceted Modifier of Chromatin Structure and Function

A major challenge in nuclear organization is the packaging of DNA into dynamic chromatin structures that can respond to changes in the transcriptional requirements of the cell. Posttranslational protein modifications, of histones and other chromatin-associated factors, are essential regulators of chromatin dynamics. In this Review, we summarize studies demonstrating that posttranslational modification of proteins by small ubiquitin-related modifiers (SUMOs) regulates chromatin structure and function at multiple levels and through a variety of mechanisms to influence gene expression and maintain genome integrity.
The effect of dietary fat intake on long term vascular function in an animal model of gestational diabetes

ANIMAL MODEL OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES EGLE BYTAUTIENE, ESTHER TAMAYO, ANCIZAR BETANCOURT, MICHEL MAKHLOUF, GARLAND D. ANDERSON, MONICA LONGO, GEORGE SAADE, University of Texas Medical Branch, Obstetrics & Gynecology/Maternal Fetal Medicine, Galveston, Texas OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of fat intake on maternal long term cardiovascular function in the heterozygous db mouse, an animal model of gestational diabetes. STUDY DESIGN: Leptin mutant, BKS.Cg-mC/ Leprdb/J strain mice maintained on standard (5% fat) or breeder’s diet (9% fat) were bred, allowed to deliver, and used at 4-6 months postpartum for evaluation of blood pressure (BP) and vascular reactivity. BP was measured in the conscious unrestrained animals by telemetric BP catheters inserted into the aortic arch. Mean BP was calculated for each 24-hour period. Vascular reactivity was determined in vitro using carotid artery rings mounted in physiological salt solution in a wire myograph for isometric force recording. To assess the vasodilatory function, the vessels were pre-contracted with phenylephrine (PE) and cumulative concentration-response curves were obtained to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine (ACh), endothelium-independent vasodilator sodium nitroprusside and b-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (ISO). Vascular contractile function was determined by obtaining cumulative responses to the a1adrenergic agonist PE, thromboxane A2 mimetic (U46619), and serotonin. Vasodilatatory responses were calculated as percent relaxation from PE precontraction, and contractile responses were calculated as percent of the reference contraction to potassium chloride. RESULTS: There were no differences in pre-pregnancy/postpartum weight changes between the groups. Mean BP was significantly higher in postpartum mice on the 9% fat diet compared with the 5% fat diet. Vascular contractile responses to PE were significantly less, and relaxant responses to Ach and ISO were significantly more in the 9% fat compared with the 5% fat. CONCLUSION: In an animal model of gestational diabetes, increased fat intake has significant long term implications on cardiovascular function. This effect is independent of weight change. Women with gestational diabetes may benefit from dietary evaluation and counseling beyond the gestational and immediate postpartum periods.
Long-term survival of cardiac xenografts in fully xenogeneic (mouse --> rat) bone marrow chimeras.

Abstract Background . The shortage of human hearts remains a major barrier to the efficacy of heart transplantation for the treatment of end-stage heart disease. One potential solution to the supply problem would be the use of hearts from nonhuman donors (xenografts). We have established a model of mouse to rat xenogeneic bone marrow chimerism, and in this study we have hypothesized that such chimeric rats will accept both donor and recipient specific heart grafts while rejecting third-party mouse and rat grafts. We also investigated humoral responses in naive and chimeric rats with and without donor murine cardiac grafts. Methods . Recipient Lewis rats (n = 22) were given 1100 cGy lethal total body irradiation and the same day received 300 × 10 6 donor B10.BR mouse bone marrow cells intravenously. Peripheral blood of surviving rats (n = 18) was typed at 4 weeks and then monthly thereafter. Donor and recipient specific and third-party heterotopic heart transplantations were performed at 6 to 8 weeks after reconstitution with bone marrow. Results . Multilineage bone marrow chimerism was produced in all experimental animals with complete replacement of recipient marrow by donor cells. Murine donor and rat recipient strain hearts transplanted in chimeric rats survived indefinitely. Third-party rat and mouse hearts were rejected, though at a slower rate than bone marrow matched naive controls. High levels of antimouse antibodies were detected in rats with rejected hearts. These antibodies were absent in chimeric animals with long-term surviving heart grafts. Conclusions . Long-term multilineage bone marrow chimerism can be produced in a mouse → rat bone marrow transplant model. Long-term survival of donor specific and recipient specific vascularized cardiac grafts can be produced in these chimeric animals. These animals are clinically normal but show signs of subclinical immunosuppression regimen as they reject third-party hearts later than naive animals. Our results suggest that antibodies also play a significant role in concordant xenograft rejection, and induction of bone marrow chimerism can overcome this barrier.