cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The fate of dichlorvos in soil

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine the factors responsible for the loss (adsorption, chemical hydrolysis, microbial degradation, etc.) of dichlorvos (2,2-dichlorovingl 0 , 0 -dimethyl phosphate) in soil perfusion systems of Houston Black clay. The rate of disappearance from the perfusate (hence the rate of dichlorvos degradation in soil) was related directly to the presence of Bacillus cereus in the perfusion system, the pH of the system, and the extent of dichlorvos adsorption. Gas liquid chromatographic analyses of the perfusates showed that dichlorvos disappearance was rapid when B . cereus was added to a previously sterilized soil perfusion system (50% in 3.9 days). Under sterile conditions, 50% of the added dichlorvos was recovered after 10 days. When B . cereus was added to a mineral salts medium containing dichlorvos as sole ccrbon source, 49% of the initial dichlorvos concentration was degraded in 4 days. The organism was not capable of utilizing dichlorvos as a sole phosphorus source. Chemical hydrolysis of dichlorvos in aqueous, buffered, soil-free systems showed that hydrolysis did not occur in very acid systems ( pH 3.3), but increased with increasing pH values (26% in 4 days at pH 6.9), and was rapid at pH 9.3 (> 99% in 2 days). The extent of dichlorvos adsorption was determined by comparing the initial loss of dichlorvos in a sterile, soil-free extract solution with the initial loss in a sterile soil perfusion system. The rapid initial disappearance of dichlorvos in the presence of sterilized soil was attributed to soil adsorption of the pesticide. After 10 days both systems contained equal concentrations (50%) of dichlorvos. Non-biological mechanisms accounted for 70% of the total degradation of dichlorvos, while bacterial degradation accounted for 30% in the soil perfusion systems.
A portable user interface for a scientific programming environment

The subject of integrated programming environments for scientific computing has become very popular over the last few years. Environments such as Rn [CCHK87] are being constructed to help coordinate the disjoint activities of editing, debugging, and performance tuning typically seen in the program development cycle. One key aspect of an integrated development setting is the library of user interface tools which are available to the environment builders. Projects such as Andrew [MSCH86] have begun to construct reusable user interface libraries for client applications. This paper describes the interface tool kit for the Faust project being conducted at the University of Illinois. Faust is targeted at building a coherent development environment for scientific applications through the use of a library of portable user interface utilities.
DNA-dependent RNA polymerase from phage T4 infected E. coli: an enzyme missing a factor required for transcription of T4 DNA.

Abstract The “modified” DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, isolated from E. coli cells infected with phage T4 and unable to transcribe T4 DNA, can be activated by addition of a protein factor normally associated with RNA polymerase from uninfected cells.
Geochronology, biostratigraphy, and changing shell morphology in the land snail subgenus Poecilozonites during the Quaternary of Bermuda

Shells from over 280 collections representing all known forms of subgenus Poecilozonites (Zonitidae) from Bermuda have been ranked in stratigraphic order and relative-age aminostratigraphy. The samples were first grouped by their source lithostratigraphic unit, with additional refinements being made based on the epimerization ratio d-alloisoleucine/l-isoleucine or A/I from nearly 400 representative individual shells of each of the forms. A plot of A/I frequency defines several modes or “aminozones”. The aminozones correlate strongly with defined lithostratigraphy, with some minor variation resulting from less optimally preserved shells. The succession of land snails is ranked over chronological range from the middle and early Pleistocene, with greatest resolution since 500 ka. This > 500 ka age-range and density of sampling is among the most extensive for any organism on an oceanic island. Morphological analysis of Poecilozonites demonstrates oscillation and repetition of morphotypes over multiple sea-level cycles. Shells from the small island(s) that formed during interglacial times are generally small and show little variation in form. During glacial periods, when Bermuda reached maximal size, shells are much larger. Extreme variation in shell size and shape occurs at interglacial–glacial transitions in as little as 2–4 ka. Because the subgenus has been endemic to Bermuda for at least ca. 1000 ka, such dramatic and rapid shifts in shell morphology cannot be the result of recolonization from outside sources. An intact and undisturbed 130-ka-long biostratigraphic record of Poecilozonites is contained in a single, vertical 2 m-thick talus accumulation in Admirals Cave that has been dated at high resolution by three independent techniques. The bio- and chronostratigraphy show that snails were very large at the close of glacial stage marine isotope stage (MIS) 6, small during interglacial MIS 5, re-evolved identical large size during the last glaciation (MIS 4-2), and changed abruptly to the small paedomorphic modern form at the onset of the Holocene (MIS 2-1) about 10–12 ka ago. When assessed with care, shells of Poecilozonites may be used as guide fossils for rapid field identification of lithostratigraphic units in surface deposits and as chronological indicators in cave and fissure fills when used in combination with vertebrate remains.
Anisotropic photoelasticity with application to composites

Abstract The paper presents a formulation of photelasticity equations for composite materials by using the refraction tensor. In the derivation a clear distinction is maintained between optical behaviour and elastic behaviour. Discussed in detail are the additive property of refraction tensor, analysis of residual fringes, derivation of stress-proportioning models, and symmetry of stress- and strain-optic relations for composites.
Stimulation of aortic protein synthesis in experimental rabbit atherosclerosis

Abstract Collagen, elastin and non-fibrous protein synthesis were measured in the aortas of male New Zealand white rabbits fed a diet containing 2% cholesterol for 140 or 180 days. At these time periods increases in aortic cholesterol and cholesteryl esters were evident. The atherosclerotic lesions induced were predominantly of the foam cell type although some areas of early fibrous lesion formation were noted. These changes in lipid concentration and arterial morphology were accompanied by a significant increase in collagen synthesis as determined by the formation of [ 14 C]hydroxyproline. This increase, however, was not confined specifically to collagen since both elastin and noncollagenous proteins were also being synthesized at a higher rate. The two-fold increase in the rates of both fibrous and non-fibrous protein synthesis may in part be a consequence of marked intimal hyperplasia necessitating a general increase in protein synthesis.
Secondarily infected nonstruvite urolithiasis: a prospective evaluation.

Objective To characterize patients who form nonstruvite stones associated with infection (secondarily infected calculi), and to define the bacteria associated with these. Materials and Methods Patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy were prospectively recruited. Medical records were reviewed, and stones were analyzed using micro computed tomography and infrared spectroscopy. A fragment of each stone was sent for bacterial culture. Patients were categorized by stone culture results (SC±) and the presence of struvite (ST±). The Fisher exact test was used for comparison of proportion. Sterility of intraoperative SC was established with independently collected controls. Results In total, 125 patients were enrolled: 24 SC+/ST−, 19 SC+/ST+, and 82 SC−/ST−. Proportions of patients with prior urologic surgery, diabetes, and immunodeficiency were similar between groups. Patients with neurogenic bladder were more likely to have SC+/ST+ stones or SC+/ST− stones than SC−/ST− stones (26% vs 8% vs 0%, respectively; P P = .28). Approximately 40% of cultured organisms in the secondarily infected calculi possessed urease and another 40% citrate lyase activities. Conclusion Secondarily infected stones were detected in approximately 20% of this surgical cohort and may be more common than previously appreciated. Neurogenic bladder appeared to predispose patients to either struvite or secondarily infected stones. The role of bacterial infection in stone formation is unclear but may include alteration of urinary components, acting as a nidus for crystallization, or inducing inflammation.
Use of the Tetracycline-controlled Transcriptional Silencer (tTS) to Eliminate Transgene Leak in Inducible Overexpression Transgenic Mice

The doxycycline-inducible reverse tetracycline transactivator (rtTA) is frequently used to overexpress transgenes in a temporally regulated fashion in vivo. These systems are, however, often limited by the levels of transgene expression in the absence of dox administration. The tetracycline-controlled transcriptional silencer (tTS), a fusion protein containing the tet repressor and the KRAB-AB domain of the kid-1 transcriptional repressor, is inhibited by doxycycline. We hypothesized that tTS would tighten control of transgene expression in rtTA-based systems. To test this hypothesis we generated mice in which the CC10 promoter targeted tTS to the lung, bred these mice with CC10-rtTA-interleukin 13 (IL-13) mice in which IL-13 was overexpressed in an inducible lung-specific fashion, and compared the IL-13 production and phenotypes of parental mice and the triple transgenic CC10-rtTA/tTS-IL-13 progeny of these crosses. In the CC10-rtTA-IL-13 mice, IL-13, mucus metaplasia, inflammation, alveolar enlargement, and enhanced lung volumes were noted at base line and increased greatly after doxycycline administration. In the triple transgenic tTS animals, IL-13 and the IL-13-induced phenotype could not be appreciated without doxycycline. In contrast, tTS did not alter the induction of IL-13 or the generation of the IL-13 phenotype by doxycycline. Thus, tTS effectively eliminated the baseline leak without altering the inducibility of rtTA-regulated transgenes in vivo. Optimal "off/on" regulation of transgene expression can be accomplished with the combined use of tTS and rtTA.
SU‐E‐I‐73: The “Routine” Enhanced Chest CT: Does It Exist?

Purpose: The phrase “routine” is often used to describe CT exams, for example, a “routine enhanced chest CT”. To assess the consistency of a routine exam, we compare the scan parameters and corresponding dose‐length product (DLP)‐based dose estimates for an enhanced, single‐phase chest CT acquired on six different CTscanners. Methods: Scan parameters and dose estimates for 3,184 enhanced chest CT exams performed in 2010 are extracted from image‐based dose sheets using RADIANCE. RADIANCE is an open‐source automated pipeline for extracting CT‐related dose parameters. X‐ray tube voltage kV, tube current mA, reference mA used for tube current modulation and DLP‐based estimated effective dose (ED) were compared for the following scanners: 16‐slice (2), 40‐slice (1), 64‐slice dual source (2) and 64‐slice single source (1). Results: Nearly all studies were performed at 120 kV, and when a reference mA was prescribed, it was predominantly either 180 or 200 mA. However, the actual mA ranged from less than 100 mA to more than 600 mA. ED estimates for the two dual source 64‐slice scanners were similar, approximately 8 +/− 2 mSv. However, the ED estimates on the two 16‐slice scanners, 6.96 +/− 1.78 mSv and 7.91 +/− 3.04 mSv, did not coincide. Furthermore, no correlation was observed between detector size and estimated ED. However, for all six scanners, the ED estimate increased linearly with increasing mA. Since the kV was nearly constant at 120, this likely represents the effect of the variable mA. Conclusions: Despite being a “routine” exam, an enhanced chest CT varies significantly in terms of scan parameters and dose estimates across six scanners within the same department. This necessitates not only the standardization and optimization of protocols at a departmental level, but also a means for regular review and optimization of departmental protocols.
First Report of Erwinia amylovora on Firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea) and Mountainash (Sorbus sp.) in Turkey.

Fire blight, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is a serious disease of apples (Malus spp.) and pears (Pyrus spp.) but can also infect many ornamental species in the Rosaceae family. In the summers of 2009 and 2010, leaf and shoot blight and reddish colored cankers were observed on firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea) and brown discolored leaves and necrotic stem lesions on mountain ash (Sorbus sp.) both from the landscape areas of Konya province. Investigation of these symptoms showed that in an 85-ha area, disease incidence was estimated at 1.5% and 1% on firethorn and mountain ash, respectively. Bacteria were consistently isolated from both leaf and lesions onto nutrient sucrose agar medium. Nine representative bacterial colonies from firethorn isolations and six from mountain ash isolations purified and characterized as gram-negative, rod-shaped, mucoid, fermentative, yellow-orange on Miller & Scroth medium, positive for levan formation and acetoin production, no growth at 36°C, positive for gelati...
Oblique meniscomeniscal ligament: a normal variant

A 13-year-old boy with chronic right knee pain underwent MR imaging evaluation. The study revealed a cord-like structure (Fig. 1, arrow) originating from the anterior horn of the medial meniscus and coursing through the intercondylar notch and inserting on the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus. On a sagittal image, there was a linear fibrous band lying inferior to the posterior cruciate ligament (Fig. 2, arrow) simulating the double posterior cruciate ligament sign seen with bucket-handle meniscal tears. This linear structure represents a medial oblique meniscomeniscal ligament. No abnormality was identified to account for the child’s pain. The four ligaments that connect the medial and lateral menisci are: the anterior transverse meniscal ligament (58% incidence), the posterior transverse meniscal ligament (1–4%), and two oblique meniscomeniscal ligaments, medial and lateral, named by their anterior attachments (1–4%) [1]. The oblique meniscomeniscal ligament should not be mistaken for a displaced meniscal fragment from a flap or bucket-handle tear [2].
Stimulation of hepatic lipocyte collagen production by Kupffer cell-derived transforming growth factor β: Implication for a pathogenetic role in alcoholic liver fibrogenesis

Transforming growth factor beta has a specific stimulatory effect on collagen formation by hepatic lipocytes, a cell type believed to be a major source of extracellular matrices in the liver. Because monocytes and macrophages are the known sources of transforming growth factor beta, Kupffer cells--resident macrophages in the liver--may also play an important role in liver fibrogenesis by releasing this cytokine and stimulating lipocyte collagen production. The present study tested this hypothesis using Kupffer cells and hepatic lipocytes isolated from a rat model of alcoholic liver fibrosis. Kupffer-cell-conditioned medium derived from the rat liver with alcoholic fibrosis, but not that from pair-fed control animals, significantly stimulated the net collagen formation of lipocytes isolated from the alcohol-fed, pair-fed control and chow-fed animals. Acidification of the Kupffer-cell-conditioned medium potentiated this effect threefold to fourfold, indicating the presence of a latent form. Fractionation of the Kupffer-cell-conditioned medium by high-performance liquid chromatography gel filtration revealed the major peak of the stimulatory activity corresponding to the molecular weight between 20 kD and 30 kD. It was completely inhibited by anti-transforming growth factor beta IgG. Furthermore, Northern blotting and hybridization of Kupffer-cell messenger RNA from alcohol-fed rats with 32P-labeled transforming growth factor beta complementary DNA demonstrated the presence of 2.5 kb messenger RNA for this cytokine. We conclude that: (a) Kupffer cells isolated from the rat liver with alcoholic fibrosis express and release transforming growth factor beta; (b) that this cytokine is largely responsible for the Kupffer-cell-conditioned medium-induced stimulation of collagen formation by hepatic lipocytes; and (c) that this may represent a possible molecular mechanism of lipocyte stimulation during alcoholic liver fibrogenesis.
Assessment of pollen stores by foragers in colonies of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L.

Colonies of social insects coordinate many activities in response to changing colony needs. One example is the maintenance of pollen stores in the nest by honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). To adjust pollen intake in an appropriate manner, individual foragers must assess the colony's need for pollen. This assessment could be done either directly, through physical contact with larvae and stored pollen, or indirectly, using information obtained from other bees in the colony. We investigated the mechanisms by which foragers assess their colony's need for pollen. We segregated foragers from non-foragers using either a single screen that permitted contact between the two groups of bees, or a double screen that prevented contact. We supplied the segregated foragers in colonies of both of the screen treatment groups with either a comb containing 300 g pollen (P+) or a comb without pollen (P-). To create a need for pollen in the non-forager compartment of each colony, we provided that compartment with combs bearing 3-5 d old larvae but without any pollen. Foragers on combs with pollen returned 3.5% of the time with pollen, while foragers on combs without pollen returned with pollen 20.7% of the time (P 0.80). The interaction between the pollen and screen treatments was not significant. These results suggest that foragers adjust their foraging behavior based on their direct assessment of the amount of pollen stored in the colony, and that non-foragers do not provide an excitatory indirect stimulus to foragers.
Multi-spectroscopic and molecular modelling studies on the interaction of esculetin with calf thymus DNA.

Understanding the interaction of small molecules with DNA has become an active research area at the interface between chemistry, molecular biology and medicine. Plant derived polyphenols possess diverse biological and pharmacological properties. Esculetin is a coumarin derivative polyphenolic compound having diverse pharmacological and therapeutic properties. However, its mode of interaction with DNA is still not well understood. In the present study, we have attempted to determine the mode of binding of esculetin with calf thymus DNA (Ct-DNA) through various biophysical techniques. Analysis of UV-visible absorbance spectra and fluorescence spectra indicates the formation of a complex between esculetin and Ct-DNA. The binding constant was found to be 1.87 × 104 M−1. Thermodynamic parameters ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS at different temperatures indicated that hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding played major roles in the binding process. Several other experiments such as iodide induced quenching and competitive displacement studies with ethidium bromide, acridine orange and Hoechst 33258 suggested that esculetin possibly binds to the minor groove of the Ct-DNA. The strong dependence on ionic strength in controlling the binding of esculetin with Ct-DNA confirms the possibility of electrostatic interaction. These observations were further supported by DNA melting studies, viscosity measurements, CD spectral analysis and in silico molecular docking.
More numerical evidence on the uniqueness of Markov Numbers

A Markov triple is a solution in postive integers of the equationx 2+y 2+z 2=3xyz. The maximum of the triple is a Markov Number. It is conjectured (Cassels “Introduction to Diophantine Approximations”) that 2 distinct Markov triples cannot share the same Markov Number. Rosen & Patterson (Math. of Comp. 25 (1971)) tested the conjecture up to 1030 by direct computation of the Markov Numbers. Modular Arithmetic was used here to carry the computation up to 10105. No duplication was found. In addition the number of Markov numbers withN or less decimal digits is found to be approximatelyN 2 as in Rosen & Patterson.
Propagation of an ionizing light pulse through a gaseous medium.

An approximate theory is presented for the propagation of an ionizing light pulse through a gaseous medium. Saturation occurs in the pulse attenuation as the ground-state population is depleted.
An examination of decision-makers' utilization of decision support system output

Abstract A study was conducted of 18 decision support systems in major U.S. corporations in order to examine their methods of operation and the ways in which the DSS contribute to the decision making process. These DSS were studied with respect to organizational level of the decision maker, phases of the decision making process, interaction among decision makers using the DSS, requirement for and regularity of DSS use, impact on job tasks and performance, and perceived value of the DSS. Study results provide substantial support for generalized conceptualizations in the literature. Decision support is primarily for upper and/or middle management working in interaction. Use of the DSS is at the discretion of the decision maker and the majority of DSS users are highly satisfied with their systems.
Monovalent cations and striatal tyrosine hydroxylase.

: The kinetic properties of soluble tyrosine hydroxylase from rat striatum and the activation of the enzyme by the polyanion heparin were assessed as a function of the monovalent cations K+, Na+, tetramethylammonium (TMA+), and Tris. Substitution of K+ or Na+ for TMA+ or Tris can alter the kinetic properties of tyrosine hydroxylase in the absence of heparin, the nature of the interaction of the enzyme with heparin and also the kinetic properties of the heparin-activated enzyme. The data suggest that monovalent cations can support unique conformational states of the enzyme.
Inpatient alcoholics: Characteristics and needs

Abstract Studies of the incidence and prevalence of alcoholism admissions have demonstrated repeatedly the large numbers of alcoholics treated as inpatients. In most reports, alcoholism is one of the two or three diagnostic categories with the largest number of psychiatric admissions. 1, 2 In these reports, first admissions for alcoholism comprised from 10% to 20% of the total first admissions for all psychiatric disorders. In spite of the large numbers of patients admitted for this disorder, relatively little is known about the epidemiology of their clinical characteristics. Clinical information of this kind is crucial because it provides essential data about several major issues important for program planning. Two of these issues are: (1) whether alcoholic inpatients are hospitalized for severe medical or psychiatric problems or are primarily admitted for disposition "just for a place to stay" and (2) whether these patients are socially bereft and totally dependent on the treatment facilities for care and rehabilitation or have other support systems available that can be of use. Data on the chronicity and severity of disorders in alcoholics admitted for treatment and on the social resources of these patients are crucial for resolving these issues. Information is also needed regarding the kinds of patients treated in different facilities in order to evaluate problems that might arise from disproportionate distribution of patients to treatment centers. This report provides clinical and epidemiological information in these areas by describing the prevalence, incidence, and demographic characteristics of all alcoholics from a given catchment area admitted as inpatients over a period of 1 year, by evaluating the clinical characteristics of the incidence group through a review of their case records, and by determining the kinds of patients treated in the different facilities.
The Cost and Value of Anti–Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Therapies: Let's Not Be Rash

I don't treat any of my patients with RAS wild-type colorectal cancer with first-line cetuximab- or panitumumab-containing regimens. I don't think you should either. Here's why. The skin rash from use of anti– epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibodies is miserable, and the cost per dose is roughly double that of bevacizumab. Furthermore, anti-EGFR agents can be used in therapies other than first line to provide survival benefit to patients with RAS wild-type cancer, so their unpleasant adverse effects can be delayed until other, less noxious treatment options have been exhausted. Even if the data convincingly showed a modest sur
A natural extracellular factor that induces Hsp72, inhibits apoptosis, and restores stress resistance in aged human cells.

Experiments with cultured cells showed that most cellular stress resistance components are specialized for certain types of damage. For example, superoxide dismutase protects from oxidative damage; DNA repair enzymes guard against mutagens and other DNA-damaging agents. On the other hand, the major inducible heat shock protein Hsp72 protects cells from a large variety of stresses and thus represents a generalized repair/stress resistance component. Hsp72 not only refolds damaged proteins but also interferes with programmed cell death signaling pathways, thus providing cells with time to repair the damage, hence its universality as a stress protector. In the present study we demonstrate the occurrence in murine and human ascites fluids (AF) of a natural nontoxic extracellular factor (ascites Hsp72-inducing factor, AHIF) capable of activating Hsp72 expression in different types of cells via a pathway distinct from the heat shock response pathway. AHIF is unique in that it is the first physiological factor capable of inducing synthesis of Hsp72 not only in young cells but, remarkably, also in aged human cells that largely have lost the ability to express Hsp72 in response to stresses, a manifestation at the cellular level of a progressive impairment in the ability to adapt to environmental changes which characterizes aging. Pretreatment of aged human cells with AF triggers Hsp72 expression at levels seen in young stressed cells and protects cells from a variety of otherwise lethal stressful treatments such as heat shock, TNF, UV irradiation, etoposide, and menadione. Activation of Hsp72 expression is essential for antiapoptotic action of AHIF because specific inhibition of Hsp72 expression by antisense RNA abolishes the cytoprotective effect of AF. In view of an important link between stress resistance and longevity in different organisms, the abilities of AHIF make it a unique candidate for the role of a systemic regulator of the aging process. While a cell-autonomous stress response diminishes with aging, aged cells retain the ability to respond to an extracellular factor which induces the expression of Hsp72. This finding opens up exciting possibilities for using AF factor to restore stress resistance to old cells and organisms and the possibility of interfering with the aging process. The ability to induce stress resistance in young cells and to restore it in aged cells could serve as a basis for developing effective antiapoptotic therapies.
Measures of Structural Redundancy in Reinforced Concrete Buildings. II: Redundancy Response Modification Factor R R

The effects of the element ductility capacity, the flexibility of beams (in terms of the beam span-to-beam depth ratio), the flexibility of columns (in terms of column slenderness ratio), and the level of gravity loads on the structural redundancy of plane frames are studied. A simplified expression to evaluate the redundancy response modification factor \IR\DR\N and account for the effects of plan and vertical irregularity on the strength of framing systems in a direct and scientific manner is presented. The required parameters involved in the expression can be obtained from a nonlinear pushover analysis of a structure. The redundancy response modification factor is evaluated for a group of two-dimensional frames with 3, 5, and 7 stories and 1, 2, 4, and 6 bays. Finally a simplified expression for the reliability or safety index β is formulated and applied to the same group of structures.
Simple expressions for scattering by a chiral elliptic cylinder of small cross-sectional dimensions

An integral-equation method is used to derive simple expressions for the field scattered by infinitely long chiral cylinders of elliptic cross sections; the derived expressions are applicable when the cross-sectional dimensions are electrically small. Reductions for the scattering of plane waves are obtained. The derived results can be extended to thin strips.
Gingipain-specific IgG in the sera of patients with periodontal disease is necessary for opsonophagocytosis of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Background: Porphyromonas gingivalis is a primary etiologic agent of generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAgP), and gingipains, a group of cysteine proteinases, are critical virulence factors expressed by this organism. GAgP patients develop specific antibodies to gingipains; however, the function of these antibodies in the clearance of P. gingivalis infection is poorly understood.Methods: In this study, we defined the levels of gingipain-specific antibodies in GAgP patient sera and examined the ability of gingipain-specific antibodies to facilitate opsonophagocytosis of P. gingivalis by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) using a fluorescent phagocytosis assay.Results: GAgP patient sera possessed elevated levels of P. gingivalis-, arginine-gingipain (Rgp)A-, RgpB-, and lysine-gingipain (Kgp)-specific IgG (Kgp > RgpA > P. gingivalis > RgpB). Adsorption of GAgP sera with P. gingivalis whole organisms, RgpA, RgpB, and Kgp conjugated to sepharose beads reduced opsonophagocytosis of P. gingivalis by P...
Sequence of the Sendai virus L gene: open reading frames upstream of the main coding region suggest that the gene may be polycistronic.

Abstract The sequence of the L gene of Sendai virus, encompassing 6799 nucleotides, has been determined, completing the primary sequence of the entire virus genome. An open reading frame beginning at position 569 codes for a basic protein of 2048 amino acids with an estimated M r of 231,608. No nucleotide sequence similarities with the analogous L gene of vesicular stomatitis virus were observed. However, comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of both proteins revealed a conserved 18 amino acid sequence that may have functional significance. Two additional overlapping reading frames which precede the L protein sequence could encode proteins with M r s of 6474 and 14,026, suggesting that the gene is polycistronic.
A guide to the Burr type XII distributions

SUMMARY A set of families of distributions which might be useful for fitting data was described by Burr (1942). Special attention was focused on the family, Type XII, with generic distribution function 1- (1 + Xc)-k (X > 0) which yields a wide range of values of skewness, 1fl1, and kurtosis, fi2. The area in the (Ifi1, /2) plane corresponding to the Type XIT distributions is derived and presented in two figures. 1. INTRODIUCTION Suppose that Z is a positive random variable with probability density function
The error term in Golomb's sequence

Abstract S. Golomb discovered a self describing sequence of integers with a simple asymptotic behavior. This paper examines how close the sequence is to the asymptotic estimate. I give an upper bound for the error term and give strong evidence that this upper bound is actually the best possible. The evidence consists of a formal solution to a recurrence relation, as well as numerical evidence. I also present an efficient method for computing Golomb's sequence for large values. This method relies on the enumeration of a special kind of tree.
Separation of fine-particle dispersions using periodic flows in a spinning coiled tube part II: Batch fractionation experiments

Resultats experimentaux du fractionnement en discontinu d'un melange binaire de particules fines, de l'oxyde ferrique et de l'oxyde de zirconium
THE USE OF PROVERBS IN BEGINNERS‘ CLASSES IN THE MODERN LANGUAGES

AS THE class program in the Modern Language group becomes more modified and systematized, it is natural that certain phases of the work should be curtailed or even discarded. It is a fair conjecture, for example, that the use of proverbs in the classroom is considerably less common at the present moment than in former years of modern language teaching. And yet the instructor who experiments a little with the judicious use of proverbs in his classwork is likely to make some interesting discoveries. First of all he will probably be surprised to find how quickly they are conveyed to the student, how easily they are learned and how readily retained. Still more, he may be convinced, after a little time, that their use bears fruit in a variety of ways. For it is certain that when a beginning student of serious intent learns such a proverb as 'Qui ne risque rien n'a rien,' or 'Obra empezada medio acabada,' or 'Hunger ist der beste Koch,' that student does much more than mentally mop up a string of foreign words. Some of the elements of a foreign language course are more or less bound to enter the student's mind only to lie dormant there: but proverbs are likely to remain alive and active. A brief examination of some of the potential values of the proverb will illustrate this point. I. Proverbs stick in the mind. Usage so shapes the proverb in the first place that it fits readily in the mind and sticks there. It is likely to have a 'swing' to it like a tune; it recurs at the slightest provocation. The beginning student takes to a proverb moreover, because in it he has something which he may 'parade' a little from time to time with sureness and ease.
Openness in adoption and the impact on birth mother plans for search and reunion

This article addresses the attitudes of 125 birth mothers about their roles in their birth children's lives, 12 to 20 years postplacement. As part of a longitudinal study on adoption openness, deci...
An AFLP-based survey of genetic diversity among accessions of sea oats (Uniola paniculata, Poaceae) from the southeastern Atlantic and Gulf coast states of the United States.

Uniola paniculata, commonly known as sea oats, is a C4 perennial grass capable of stabilizing sand dunes. It is most abundant along the Gulf of Mexico and southeastern Atlantic coastal regions of the United States. The species exhibits low seed set and low rates of germination and seedling emergence, and so extensive clonal reproduction is achieved through production of rhizomes, which may contribute to a decline in genetic diversity. To date, there has been no systematic assessment of genetic variability and population structure in naturally occurring stands in the USA. This study was conducted to assess the genetic relationship and diversity among nineteen U. paniculata accessions representing eight states: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Twelve AFLP EcoRI+MseI primer combinations generated a wide range of polymorphisms (42–81%) with a mean of 59%. Overall, the sea oats plants exhibited a low range of genetic similarity. Florida accessions, FL-33 and FL-39, were most genetically diverse and the accessions from both Carolinas and Virginia (NC-1, NC-11, SC-15, and VA-53) harbored less genetic variability. Cluster analysis using the UPGMA approach separated U. paniculata plants into four major clusters which were also confirmed by principal coordinate analysis (PCO). Further examination of the different components of genetic variation by analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated the largest proportion of variability at the state level (47.8%) followed by the variation due to the differences among the genotypes within an accession (34.4%), and the differences among the accessions within a state (17.8%). The relationship between genetic diversity and geographic source of sea oats populations of the United States as revealed through this comprehensive study will be helpful to resource managers and commercial nurseries in identifying suitable plant materials for restoration of new areas without compromising the adaptation and genetic diversity.
Estrogens, bone mass, and osteoporotic fracture

C ross-sectional data accumulated over many years have set the point at which bone loss begins in women at approximately the time of menopause. This temporal relationship lent credence to Albright’s [l] hypothesis that the loss of ovarian function is causally related to osteoporotic fracture. However, until prospective studies were completed demonstrating that estrogen reduced the rate at which postmenopausal women lose bone mass, doubts remained about the role of estrogen deficiency in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, particularly since the mechanism of action was obscure. During the last few years, considerable information has been accumulated about the effects of estrogen in preventing bone loss as well as treating the established syndrome [2]. In addition, there are now sufficient data to allow a postulated mechanism of action to be proposed. This review examines some of the evidence.
The Controversial Role of Chemoradiation for Patients With Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

This case examines whether to continue chemotherapy or initiate chemoradiation for a patient with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
Recent developments in subterranean robotics

Robotic systems exhibit remarkable capability for exploring and mapping subterranean voids. Information about subterranean spaces has immense value for civil, security, and commercial applications where problems, such as encroachment, collapse, flooding and subsidence can occur. Contemporary method for underground mapping, such as human surveys and geophysical techniques, can provide estimates of void location, but cannot achieve the coverage, quality, or economy of robotic approaches. This article presents the challenges, mechanisms, sensing, and software of subterranean robots. Results obtained from operations in active, abandoned, and submerged subterranean spaces will also be shown. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Relativistic increase of energy loss by ionization in gases

Measurements of ionization loss by relativistic charged particles have been made in helium, argon and xenon. The experimental results agree well with theory in the case of helium. In argon, and particularly in xenon, the relativistic rise in ionization found experimentally is less than that predicted theoretically. The measurements were made by the method of counting drops in a cloud chamber.
Emerging Biology of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) in Cancer Detectionand Chemotherapy

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) are present in the blood of all types of cancer patients, and originate from primary tumors and metastasis. Migration and cell adhesion of these cells determine the future site of cancerous growth in the distant organ. The presence of CTCs in the blood could be used to develop suitable biomarkers to detect cancers that are difficult to diagnose, such as pancreatic, lung, brain and ovarian cancer. Isolating single CTCs from blood combined with molecular profiling using Nextgen sequencing could identify genes, miRNA or noncoding RNA to diagnose any cancer and provide significant clues for its treatment. To eradicate cancer, it is essential to kill all CTCs in the blood of cancer patients. Chemotherapy is the only way to treat them, since tumor surgery and radiation therapy are unable to completely remove them. However, very limited information is available about their biology, molecular mechanisms of spreading, cell adhesion and their overall responsiveness to different types of chemotherapy. Recently, an efflux of report indicates that studying CTCs biology with Nextgen genomic technologies is emerging as an important field for the detection and treatment of cancer. Isolation of CTCs
Silicon technology directions in the new millennium

Silicon technology development is at a crossroad, in spite of its exponential rate of progress for more than thirty years. It is now clear that traditional CMOS devices are fast approaching both performance saturation and density saturation. Nonetheless, CMOS will remain the digital logic technology platform for future evolution of silicon technology in application-specific directions. Besides optimizing CMOS scaling further for speed and density, there will be additional emphases placed upon low power dissipation, on programmability, RF and analog functions, and on the chip-scale integration of these functions with digital CMOS. The technical challenges are formidable, but the application opportunities enabled by these developments will provide the incentive for driving the development of silicon technology forward.
Ionospheric storms at geophysically-equivalent sites – Part 2: Local time storm patterns for sub-auroral ionospheres

Abstract. The response of the mid-latitude ionosphere to geomagnetic storms depends upon several pre-storm conditions, the dominant ones being season and local time of the storm commencement (SC). The difference between a site's geographic and geomagnetic latitudes is also of major importance since it governs the blend of processes linked to solar production and magnetospheric input, respectively. Case studies of specific storms using ionospheric data from both hemispheres are inherently dominated by seasonal effects and the various local times versus longitude of the SCs. To explore inter-hemispheric consistency of ionospheric storms, we identify "geophysically-equivalent-sites" as locations where the geographic and geomagnetic latitudes have the same relationship to each other in both hemispheres. At the longitudes of the dipole tilt, the differences between geographic and geomagnetic latitudes are at their extremes, and thus these are optimal locations to see if pre-conditioning and/or storm-time input are the same or differ between the hemispheres. In this study, we use ionosonde values of the F2-layer maximum electron density (NmF2) to study geophysical equivalency at Wallops Island (VA) and Hobart (Tasmania), using statistical summaries of 206 events during solar cycle #20. We form average patterns of ΔNmF2 (%) versus local time over 7-day storm periods that are constructed in ways that enhance the portrayal of the average characteristic features of the positive and negative phases of ionospheric storms. The results show a consistency between four local time characteristic patterns of storm-induced perturbations, and thus for the average magnitudes and time scales of the processes that cause them in each hemisphere. Subtle differences linked to small departures from pure geophysical equivalency point to a possible presence of hemispheric asymmetries governed by the non-mirror-image of geomagnetic morphology in each hemisphere.
What Titan is really like: in-situ measurements of the Titan environment by the Huygens probe

The dramatic findings of the Cassini mission, and especially the Huygens probe, at Titan confirm it to be a planetary target of great interest in many scientific fields. This paper reviews in particular the meteorological and geological results of Huygens as they pertain to future missions.
The Past in Question: Modern Macedonia and the Uncertainties of Nation

Brown, Keith. The Past in Question: Modern Macedonia and the Uncertainties of Nation. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2003. 301 pages. ISBN: 0-691-09994-4(cloth), 0-691-09995-2 (paper)
Social Change and Social Control: College-Educated Punjabi Women 1913 to 1960

Kinnaird College alumnae who did not work often expressed regret for having been ‘just’ wives and mothers, and a feeling of not having lived up to expectations. In some cases, these women's parents planned for them to have professional careers, but more often, such women mentioned the expectations of their college teachers that alumnae would contribute to their society in some concrete way.Educated women, in short, left Kinnaird with a sense that their education implied obligations to society. Women with careers, whether or not they had married, were satisfied that they had ‘used’ their educations fittingly. Women without careers often expressed dissatisfaction, at least to a foreign observer, butat the same time, they justified their education by pointing with pride to the way they had reared their own children, recognizing that mothers are active transmitters of social identities within the family. Alumnae who remained in primarily domestic roles as wives and mothers frequently expanded their world to include non-domestic social work and other activities beyond their immediate kin group.
Uniqueness of Normal Forms is Decidable for Shallow Term Rewrite Systems

Uniqueness of normal forms (UN=) is an important property of term rewrite systems. UN= is decidable for ground (i.e., variable-free) systems and undecidable in general. Recently it was shown to be decidable for linear, shallow systems. We generalize this previous result and show that this property is decidable for shallow rewrite systems, in contrast to confluence, reachability and other properties, which are all undecidable for flat systems. Our result is also optimal in some sense, since we prove that the UN= property is undecidable for two superclasses of flat systems: left-flat, left-linear systems in which right-hand sides are of depth at most two and right-flat, right-linear systems in which left-hand sides are of depth at most two.
A microfabricated preconcentrating device for exhaled breath analysis

Breath analysis is a promising non-invasive method for health diagnosis. Several ketones and aldehydes in breath have been recognized as metabolic indicators of certain lung diseases. We report a fabricated microreactor with thousands of micropillars that have been engineered to selectively preconcentrate ultra-trace gaseous ketones and aldehydes of breath. The micropillar surfaces are functionalized with a quaternary ammonium aminooxy salt for capturing trace carbonyl VOCs by means of an oximation reaction. The reacted adducts are analyzed by Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). This method provides a quantitative analysis of ketones and aldehydes in breath.
Decidual prolactin-related protein: heterologous expression and characterization.

As a first step in understanding the role of decidual PRL-related protein (dPRP) during pregnancy, we have generated recombinant dPRP protein. In this report, we present data on the generation, purification, and characterization of recombinant dPRP protein. The dPRP complementary DNA was subcloned into the pMSXND vector, and the vector was transfected into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells by electroporation. After appropriate selection, amplification, and induction procedures, recombinant dPRP was purified from conditioned medium of the CHO-dPRP cells using ultrafiltration, sizeexclusion chromatography, and reverse phase HPLC. Recombinant dPRP was found to possess electrophoretic mobility, immunoreactivity, and N-terminal amino acid sequence identical to those of dPRP