cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eosinophil accumulation in postnatal lung is specific to the primary septation phase of development.

Type 2 immune cells and eosinophils are transiently present in the lung tissue not only in pathology (allergic disease, parasite expulsion) but also during normal postnatal development. However, the lung developmental processes underlying airway recruitment of eosinophils after birth remain unexplored. We determined that in mice, mature eosinophils are transiently recruited to the lung during postnatal days 3–14, which specifically corresponds to the primary septation/alveolarization phase of lung development. Developmental eosinophils peaked during P10-14 and exhibited Siglec-Fmed/highCD11c−/low phenotypes, similar to allergic asthma models. By interrogating the lung transcriptome and proteome during peak eosinophil recruitment in postnatal development, we identified markers that functionally capture the establishment of the mesenchymal-epithelial interface (Nes, Smo, Wnt5a, Nog) and the deposition of the provisional extracellular matrix (ECM) (Tnc, Postn, Spon2, Thbs2) as a key lung morphogenetic event associating with eosinophils. Tenascin-C (TNC) was identified as one of the key ECM markers in the lung epithelial-mesenchymal interface both at the RNA and protein levels, consistently associating with eosinophils in development and disease in mice and humans. As determined by RNA-seq analysis, naive murine eosinophils cultured with ECM enriched in TNC significantly induced expression of Siglec-F, CD11c, eosinophil peroxidase, and other markers typical for activated eosinophils in development and allergic inflammatory responses. TNC knockout mice had an altered eosinophil recruitment profile in development. Collectively, our results indicate that lung morphogenetic processes associated with heightened Type 2 immunity are not merely a tissue “background” but specifically guide immune cells both in development and pathology.
Rate of radiation-induced microbleed formation on 7T MRI relates to cognitive impairment in young patients treated with radiation therapy for a brain tumor

Abstract Background Radiation therapy (RT) is essential to the management of many brain tumors, but has been known to lead to cognitive decline and vascular injury in the form of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs). Purpose In a subset of children, adolescents, and young adults recruited from a larger trial investigating arteriopathy and stroke risk after RT, we evaluated the prevalence of CMBs after RT, examined risk factors for CMBs and cognitive impairment, and related their longitudinal development to cognitive performance changes. Methods Twenty-five patients (mean 17 years, range: 10–25 years) underwent 7-Tesla MRI and cognitive assessment. Nineteen patients were treated with whole-brain or focal RT 1-month to 20-years prior, while 6 non-irradiated patients with posterior-fossa tumors served as controls. CMBs were detected on 7T susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) using semi-automated software, a first use in this population. Results CMB detection sensitivity with 7T SWI was higher than previously reported at lower field strengths, with one or more CMBs detected in 100% of patients treated with RT at least 1-year prior. CMBs were localized to dose-targeted brain volumes with risk factors including whole-brain RT (p = 0.05), a higher RT dose (p = 0.01), increasing time since RT (p = 0.03), and younger age during RT (p = 0.01). Apart from RT dose, these factors were associated with impaired memory performance. Follow-up data in a subset of patients revealed a proportional increase in CMB count with worsening verbal memory performance (r = −0.85, p = 0.03). Conclusions Treatment with RT during youth is associated with the chronic development of CMBs that evolve with memory impairment over time.
Ultraconserved elements help resolve the phylogeny of an ancient radiation of venomous flies (Diptera: Asilidae)

Robber flies or assassin flies (Diptera: Asilidae) are a diverse family of venomous predators. The most recent classification organizes Asilidae into 14 subfamilies based on a comprehensive morphological phylogeny, but many of these have not been supported in a subsequent molecular study using traditional molecular markers. To address questions of monophyly in Asilidae, we leveraged the recently developed Diptera-wide UCE baitset to compile seven datasets comprising 151 robber flies and 146 - 2,508 loci, varying in the extent of missing data. We also studied the behavior of different nodal support metrics, as the non-parametric bootstrap is known to perform poorly with large genomic datasets. Our ML phylogeny was fully resolved and well-supported, but partially incongruent with the coalescent phylogeny. Further examination of the datasets suggested the possibility that GC bias had influenced gene tree inference and subsequent species tree analysis. The subfamilies Brachyrhopalinae, Dasypogoninae, Dioctriinae, Stenopogoninae, Tillobromatinae, Trigonomiminae, and Willistonininae were not recovered as monophyletic in either analysis, consistent with a previous molecular study. The inter-subfamily relationships are summarized as follows: Laphriinae and Dioctriinae (in part) are successively sister to the remaining subfamilies, which form two clades; the first consists of a grade of Stenopogoninae (in part), Willistonininae (in part), Bathypogoninae+Phellinae, Stichopogoninae, Leptogastrinae, Ommatiinae, and Asilinae; the second clade consists of a thoroughly paraphyletic assemblage of genera from Dioctriinae (in part), Trigonomiminae, Stenopogoninae (in part), Tillobromatinae, Brachyrhopalinae, and Dasypogoninae. We find that nodal support does not significantly vary with missing data. Furthermore, the bootstrap appears to overestimate nodal support, as has been reported from many recent studies. Gene concordance and site concordance factors seem to perform better, but may actually underestimate support. We instead recommend quartet concordance as a more appropriate estimator of nodal support. Our comprehensive phylogeny demonstrates that the higher classification of Asilidae is far from settled, and it will provide a much-needed foundation for a thorough revision of the subfamily classification.
Cognition and Cognitive Screeners in Audiological Management

Purpose Cognition is essential to communication, yet this topic is often neglected in discussions with aging patients in most clinical settings. Audiologists, however, represent a crucial role in a...
Thermal Suitability Scheme: Habitability Classification of Exoplanets

In this paper, a metric for estimating the potential habitability of exoplanets, called thermal suitability score (TSS) is developed based on machine learning (ML). As compared to prior literature, the TSS ascertains habitability by using a sign – positive for potentially habitable, and negative for non-habitable – and a number indicating the extent to which an exoplanet is habitable or non-habitable. The TSS is used on the data provided in the University of Puerto Rico’s Planetary Habitability Laboratory’s Exoplanets Catalog (PHL-EC).
Analytical Inverse Kinematic Solutions for End-Effector Positioning and Pointing Applied to Revolute Manipulators with Spherical Wrists

This paper describes an analytical inverse kinematic solution for the functionally redundant task of both positioning and pointing the end-effector of a manipulator comprised of a three degree-of-freedom revolute arm possessing a three degree-of-freedom spherical wrist. This analytical solution is built upon an existing solution that is used for both positioning and orienting the end-effector of this type of manipulator. However, pointing is very different from orienting from a kinematic perspective. Therefore, the paper describes the kinematics of pointing and parameterizes the infinite number of pointing solutions to this problem in terms of a single free-parameter. The paper shows how these kinematic results are incorporated into the inverse kinematics problem for both positioning and orienting which leads to an analytical technique for both positioning and pointing. This general solution technique is then applied to an actual manipulator and inputs and outputs to the analytical solution method are tabulated and graphically presented.
Annotation-Efficient 3d U-Nets For Brain Plasticity Network Mapping

A fundamental challenge in machine learning-based segmentation of large-scale brain microscopy images is the time and domain expertise required by humans to generate ground truth for model training. Weakly supervised and semi-supervised approaches can greatly reduce the burden of human annotation. Here we present a study of three-dimensional U-Nets with varying levels of supervision to perform neuronal nuclei segmentation in light-sheet microscopy volumes. We leverage automated blob detection with classical algorithms to generate noisy labels on a large volume, and our experiments show that weak supervision, with or without additional fine-tuning, can outperform resource-limited fully supervised learning. These methods are extended to analyze coincidence between multiple fluorescent stains in cleared brain tissue. This is an initial step towards automated whole-brain analysis of plasticity-related gene expression.
Motile and Sensory Cilia Function in Zebrafish

Advances in developmental genetics and human disease gene cloning have highlighted the essential roles played by cilia in developmental cell fate decisions, left–right asymmetry, and the pathology ...
Formale Behandlung des Begriffs „Pflicht“

Der Begriff „Pflicht“ ist ein zentraler Begriff der Rechtswissenschaft. Versuche, ihn zu formalisieren, fuhrten zu Systemen der deontischen Logik, die allerdings bisher nicht zu praktischer Anwendung gelangt sind. Im Rahmen des Projekts Juristisches Expertensystem auf der Grundlage von Linguistik und Logik (LEX) haben wir einen neuen Ansatz der Formalisierung versucht, der sich einerseits enger an der moglichen sprachlichen Verwendung von „Pflicht“ orientiert und andererseits die von Kamp vorgeschlagene Diskursreprasentationstheorie als Grundlage fur die Formalisierung benutzt. Das fuhrt zu einer realistischeren Analyse dieses Begriffs und zu der Moglichkeit, Beweisverfahren einzusetzen, die fur die Pradikatenlogik erster Stufe formuliert sind.
Methods for evaluating novel biomarkers – a new paradigm

In late 2006 the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published a paper that evaluated a series of novel plasma biomarkers for the prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) using data from the Framingham Heart Study.1 The authors concluded that the use of 10 novel biomarkers resulted in only small increases in the ability to assess risk. More recently in July of 2009, some of the same authors analyzed a set of six biomarkers using data from Malmo, Sweden.2 The more recent paper again concluded that gains over conventional risk factors in predicting CVD were minimal. What may not be obvious is that between the first and second papers, a sea change in the evaluation of biomarkers occurred. While the papers both concluded that novel biomarkers add little to prediction, the statistical methods they used were very different; new methods were developed to compare risk prediction models in the interim. In this perspective the change in methodology will be described and whether the conclusions are justified will be discussed.
MIDL: a hybrid language of medium level

Because the production version of the MIDL compiler is not yet complete, it is premature to draw conclusions about MIDL's success in regard to usefulness and efficiency. However, we very much expect that MIDL will be a suitable tool for developing a production version of a global SETL optimizer from the (already formidable) SETL version of this optimizer. More generally, it will make SETL more widely useable by allowing critical sections of SETL programs to be optimized manually. PL/I and ALGOL 68 are existing languages with roughly the same semantic level as MIDL; However, MIDL is compatible with our existing SETL software, and is highly transportable.
Martin Smith: May 2002

SUBJECT AREAS: Careers & career planning, Entrepreneurial finance, Financial strategy, Investments, Leveraged buyouts, Venture capital CASE SETTINGS: New York, NY; 20 employees; 2002 Martin Smith, a recent HBS graduate, has just begun working with a leveraged buyout firm. His first assignment is to evaluate three different deals and make recommendations to the partners. As he studies the deals, he realizes that each has different merits and drawbacks and that his recommendation must take into account not only the specifics of each target company but also the situation of his firm. Also, he must consider the stage of his career and that of the senior partner.
Chemoprevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes chronic hepatitis, which can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States tripled between 1975 and 2005, and is expected to increase further, and to remain elevated for more than 20 years. Curing hepatitis C infection in patients with cirrhosis through treatment with peginterferon and ribavirin reduces the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma. Several noncurative treatments also appear to reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Prospective studies report a reduced incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma among patients treated with a mixture of carotenoids with or without myo-inositol, with vitamin K2, or with polyprenoic acid (an acyclic retinoid). Uncontrolled and/or retrospective studies have reported beneficial effects of treatment with Sho-saiko-to, glycyrrhizin and ursodeoxycholic acid on hepatocellular carcinoma incidence. Meta-analyses of epidemiologic studies show a reduced risk of hepatocellular carcinoma among liver disease patients who drink two or more cups of coffee per day. Numerous agents prevent or reduce hepatocarcinogenesis in animal models. An ongoing Phase II clinical trial is evaluating S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) as a potential chemopreventive agent in hepatitis C cirrhosis. Overall, these data suggest that chemoprevention of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C is an achievable objective.
A single phase p-q theory based active filter

Active filters (AFs) are used to compensate for harmonics and reactive component of the load current drawn by nonlinear loads. Reference signal extraction plays crucial role in the control scheme of AF. Recently a lot of attention has been given to single phase p-q theory as a method for reference current signal extraction for AF. In this work the method of reference signal generation using single phase p-q theory is presented in a simple form. The simplified procedure is applied to an AF used in a single-phase system with non-linear load. The simulation results in MATLAB/SIMULINK environment validate the effectiveness of the proposed method of reference extraction using single-phase p-q theory.
Narcotic addiction in pregnancy.

Abstract It is estimated that there are 25,000 female addicts in the Metropolitan area of New York City. As a consequence, we are faced with a significant number of pregnant addicts. Our study of over 300 such patients demonstrates the problems they present. Over 90 per cent of these women had no or inadequate prenatal care. The incidence of maternal complications has been markedly higher than in our general clinic population. Obstetric complications include prematurity, toxemia, breech births, and precipitate labor. As might be expected, prostitution serves as the source of income to support the drug habit, and the incidence of venereal disease and hepatitis is increased. Over 70 per cent of the neonates show congenital neonatal addiction with clinically recognizable withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms suggest hyperactivity of the autonomic nervous system as evidenced by diaphoresis, diarrhea, and rhinorrhea. Hypertonicity and a characteristic high-pitched shrill cry are frequently observed. In addition to being premature by dates, 50 per cent of these infants show evidence of retarded intrauterine growth. The severity of the symptoms seems to be maternal dose related.
Congenital Heart Disease Linked to Maternal Autoimmunity against Cardiac Myosin

Structural congenital heart disease (CHD) has not previously been linked to autoimmunity. In our study, we developed an autoimmune model of structural CHD that resembles hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a life-threatening CHD primarily affecting the left ventricle. Because cardiac myosin (CM) is a dominant autoantigen in autoimmune heart disease, we hypothesized that immunization with CM might lead to transplacental passage of maternal autoantibodies and a prenatal HLHS phenotype in exposed fetuses. Elevated anti-CM autoantibodies in maternal and fetal sera, as well as IgG reactivity in fetal myocardium, were correlated with structural CHD that included diminished left ventricular cavity dimensions in the affected progeny. Further, fetuses that developed a marked HLHS phenotype had elevated serum titers of anti–β-adrenergic receptor Abs, as well as increased protein kinase A activity, suggesting a potential mechanism for the observed pathological changes. Our maternal–fetal model presents a new concept linking autoimmunity against CM and cardiomyocyte proliferation with cardinal features of HLHS. To our knowledge, this report shows the first evidence in support of a novel immune-mediated mechanism for pathogenesis of structural CHD that may have implications in its future diagnosis and treatment.
High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein: A Novel and Promising Marker of Coronary Heart Disease

Background: Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the industrialized world. Clinical and laboratory studies have shown that inflammation plays a major role in the initiation, progression, and destabilization of atheromas. C-Reactive protein (CRP), an acute phase reactant that reflects low-grade systemic inflammation, has been studied in a variety of cardiovascular diseases. Approach: Findings from prospective clinical trials were examined to determine the prognostic utility of CRP in acute coronary syndromes, and observations from epidemiological studies were reviewed to determine the ability of CRP to predict future first coronary events. The analytical considerations of CRP measurement in these clinical applications were also examined. Content: In patients with established coronary disease, CRP has been shown to predict adverse clinical events. In addition, prospective studies have consistently shown that CRP is a strong predictor of future coronary events in apparently healthy men and women. The relative risk associated with CRP is independent of other cardiovascular disease risk factors. High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) assays are needed for risk assessment of cardiovascular disease. Such assays are currently available but may require further standardization because patients’ results will be interpreted using population-based cutpoints. Preventive therapies to attenuate coronary risk in individuals with increased hs-CRP concentrations include aspirin and statin-type drugs. Summary: hs-CRP has prognostic utility in patients with acute coronary syndromes and is a strong independent predictor of future coronary events in apparently healthy subjects.
Choice of material in the design of permanent magnet flux sources

To determine the temperature dependence of the magnetization of three commercial high energy product permanent magnet materials under conditions approximating those in a permanent magnet circuit, a method is devised whereby measurements are made at values of mu /sub L/=B/ mu /sub 0/H that remain constant as the temperature is varied. All the values of mu /sub L/ used are on the same spherical sample for any given material. The values of mu /sub L/ range from zero to ten thousand to mimic almost any circumstance likely to be encountered in most real permanent magnet circuits. The method of measurement is described, and an example of the material selection procedure for an actual magnetic circuit is given. >
Multi-Axis Maglev Positioner With High Resolution Over Large Travel Range

This paper presents a novel multi-axis positioner that operates on the magnetic-levitation (maglev) principle. This maglev stage is capable of positioning at the resolution of a few nanometers over a planar travel range of several millimeters. A novel actuation scheme was developed for the compact design of this stage that enables 6-axis force generation with just 3 permanent magnets. We calculated the forces with electromagnetic analysis over the whole travel range and experimentally verified them with a unit actuator. The single moving part, namely the platen, is modeled as a pure mass due to the negligible effect of magnetic spring and damping. There are 3 laser interferometers and 3 capacitance sensors to sense the 6-axis position/rotation of the platen. A lead-lag compensator was designed and implemented to control each axis. A nonlinear model of the force was developed by electromagnetic analysis, and feedback linearization was applied to cancel the nonlinearity of the actuators over the large travel range. Various experiments were conducted to test positioning, loading, and vibration-isolation capabilities. This maglev stage has a moving mass of 0.267 kg. Its position resolution is 4 nm over a travel range of 5 × 5 mm in the x-y plane. It can carry and precisely position an additional payload of 2 kg. Its potential applications include semiconductor manufacturing, micro-fabrication and assembly, nanoscale profiling, and nano-indentation.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
An experimental assessment of semantic apprehension of graphical linguistics

Visual displays of information (such as dashboards) have become very sophisticated in rendering world semantics but neglect display semantics, leading to what is commonly called information overload. Underlying storage and retrieval research has been utilizing semantic and cognitive theory to drive the current implementations of ontology markup using the resource description framework (RDF) and Web ontology language (OWL) for over a decade. Yet despite these semantically rich underlying description logics, and despite the very large and mature stream of cognitive and neuroscience theory literature on visual perception and attention, memory, and linguistics, this is one aspect within the area of information visualization and human factors research where empirically tested semantic theory has not yet caught up, and begs for theory-driven research into display semantics using what might be termed ''graphical linguistics.'' We conducted an experiment to assess the cognitive effort of interpreting domain general knowledge using the same information represented in three forms, and found that graphical linguistics reduce cognitive effort for a specific type of task involving high-density time-sensitive information typically found in situation control rooms.
Variations among Woody Angiosperms in Response to Flooding

Effects of flooding on young Populus deltoides, Salix nigra, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. globulus, Ulmus americana, Quercus rubra and Fraxinus pennsylvanica plants were studied. Flooding variously induced several sequential physiological disturbances, with stomatal closure among the earliest responses. Subsequent responses included inhibition of root growth, alterations in root and stem morphology, formation of adventitious roots, and leaf senescence. In amphistomatous species (Populus deltoides, Salix nigra, Eucalyptus camaldulensis) flooding rapidly induced stomatal closure on the adaxial leaf surface. It also significantly induced stomatal closure on the abaxial epidermis of Populus deltoides but not that of Salix nigra or Eucalyptus camaldulensis. In hypostomatous species (Eucalyptus globulus, Ulmus americana) flooding significantly induced stomatal closure on the abaxial surface within 3 days. Stomatal responses to flooding were not correlated with leaf water stress. In both long- and short-term experiments, flooding did not significantly increase plant water stress. These results deemphasized the importance of plant water stress in inducing plant responses to flooding. The importance of various hormones in inducing flooding symptoms is discussed.
Promoting peace, yet sustaining conflict? A fantasy‐theme analysis of Seeds of Peace publications

Seeds of Peace is a nongovernmental organization that annually brings together children from the Middle East and various other regions of conflict for a summer camp experience in the woods of Maine, USA. It also operates coexistence centers throughout the world. Founded in 1993, the organization has gained worldwide acclaim for its peace education programs. This fantasy‐theme rhetorical analysis explains Seeds of Peace’s rhetorical vision using Ernest Bormann’s symbolic convergence theory. The analysis suggests that the rhetorical vision constituted by organizational stakeholders and promoted in marketing and promotional publications by Seeds of Peace project peace as something achievable only in the future. The result is an organization that seeks to bring peace to the world, but potentially participates in sustaining conflict in the present. This article considers the ways in which peace institutes and nongovernmental organizations can unknowingly participate, rhetorically, in maintaining a deferred sen...
Effects of Symmetry Breaking and Conductive Contact on the Plasmon Coupling in Gold Nanorod Dimers

We have explored the consequences of symmetry breaking on the coupled surface plasmon resonances in individual dimers of gold nanorods using single-particle dark-field scattering spectroscopy and numerical simulations. Pairs of chemically grown nanorods can exhibit wide variation in sizes, gap distances, and relative orientation angles. The combination of single-particle spectroscopy and theoretical analysis allowed us to discern the effects of specific asymmetry-inducing parameters one at a time. The dominant influence of symmetry breaking occurred for longitudinal resonances in strongly coupled nanorods in linear end-to-end configurations. In particular, we found that the normally dark antibonding dimer mode becomes visible when the sizes of the two nanorods are different. In addition, we observed a conductively coupled plasmon mode that was red-shifted by at least 250 nm from the bonding plasmon mode for the corresponding nontouching geometry. Gaining detailed insight into how symmetry breaking influences coupled surface plasmon resonances of individual nanorod dimers is an important step toward the general understanding of the optical properties of assemblies of chemically synthesized nanorods with unavoidable irregularities in size and orientation.
XIV. Static Versus Dynamic Densities

Experimental density maps are affected by both thermal smearing and limited resolution. The two effects commute and have to be introduced in theoretical density maps for a quantitative comparison between theory and experiment. An appropriate procedure is discussed and some applications are given. The error expression for the thermally smeared multipolar density is given. No error analysis exists for the thermally deconvoluted “at rest” density at infinite resolution, which corresponds to an extrapolation beyond the limit of experimental information.
A survey of techniques for the modeling of serialization delays in computer systems

The problem of exclusive access to shared resources was solved using critical sections that are accessed by controlling the values of the synchronization primitives (e.g., semaphores) [4]. In [5] it is shown that a queueing network model can be constructed to represent spin lock behavior. That model may be used to predict the performance degradation due to locking. The results of extensive simulations of systems with static and dynamic locking to study the effects of the granularity of locks in a database system are presented in [8,9].
The metabolism of lyso-platelet-activating factor (1-O-alkyl-2-lyso-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) by a calcium-dependent lysophospholipase D in rabbit kidney medulla.

A Ca2+-dependent lysophospholipase D activity in microsomal preparations from the rabbit kidney medulla hydrolyzes the choline moiety from 1-O-[9,10-3H]hexadecyl-2-lyso-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (lyso-PAF) to form 1-O-[9,10-[3H]hexadecyl-2-lyso-sn-glycero-3-P; the latter is subsequently dephosphorylated by a phosphohydrolase to 1-O-[9,10-3H]hexadecyl-sn-glycerol. Sodium vanadate, which is known to inhibit phosphohydrolases, reduces the proportion of hexadecylglycerol and increases the formation of hexadecyllysoglycerophosphate. Essentially no hydrolysis occurs when the sn-2 position of the hexadecyllysoGPC substrate contains an acyl moiety. The lysophospholipase D in rabbit kidney is of microsomal origin and has a broad pH optimum between 8.0 and 8.8, with the activity decreasing sharply from pH 7.6 to 7.2. Wykle et al. (Biochim. Biophys. Acta 619 (1980) 58–67) have previously demonstrated the existence of a microsomal lysophospholipase D (specific for ether lipid substrates) in rat tissues that requires Mg2+ and exhibits a pH optimum of 7.2; high activities of the Mg2+-dependent lysophospholipase D were found in liver and brain, but not in kidney. In contrast to the Mg2+-dependent lysophospholipase D in rat tissues, the renal enzyme from rabbits requires Ca2+ (5 mM), whereas Mg2+ (5 mM) exhibits little stimulatory action. Under optimal assay conditions (0.1 M Tris-HCl (pH 8.4)/5 mM CaCl2), lysophospholipase D in the rabbit kidney medulla has an activity of 2.7 nmol/min per mg protein compared to 0.9 nmol/min per mg protein for the lysophospholipase D in the rat kidney medulla (0.1 M Tris-HCl (pH 7.2)/5 mM MgCl2). The Ca2+-dependent lysophospholipase D is highest in the liver and kidney medulla from rabbits, but is very low in rat tissues; similar activities were found in male and female rabbits. Our data indicate that the divalent metal ion requirements for expression of maximum lysophospholipase D activities can differ markedly among animal species and also suggest the microsomal Ca2+-dependent lysophospholipase D is an important catabolic route for lyso-PAF metabolism in rabbit renomedullary tissue.
Presynaptic changes during mossy fibre LTP revealed by NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic responses

ACTIVITY-DEPENDENT changes in synaptic strength are important for learning and memory. Long-term potentiation (LTP) of glutamatergic excitatory synapses following brief repetitive stimulation provides a compelling cellular model for such plasticity1a¤-4. In the CA1 region of the hippocampus, anatomical studies have revealed large numbers of NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor sites at excitatory synapses5,6, which express primarily an NMDA receptor-dependent form of LTP7. In contrast, these studies5,6 have suggested that mossy fibre synapses activate primarily or exclusively α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors and, indeed, these synapses express a form of LTP that is entirely independent of NMDA receptors8,9. Here we present physiological data demonstrating that mossy fibres activate a substantial NMDA receptor synaptic component that expresses LTP. The presence of an NMDA receptor response allowed us to use the pen-channel NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 to establish directly that the probability of transmitter release is enhanced during the expression of mossy fibre LTP.
Mitochondrial DNA mutations, apoptosis, and the misfolded protein response.

Studies of transgenic mice with accelerated accumulation of mtDNA mutations specifically in the heart lead us to propose that apoptotic signaling and cell death is central to the pathogenesis of mt...
Maximality of the Bernstein polynomials

For fixed a and b, let Qn be the family of polynomialsq.x/ all of whose roots are real numbers inTa;bU (possibly repeated), and such that q.a/D q.b/D 0. Since an element of Qn is completely determined by it roots (with multiplicity), we may ask how the polynomial is sensitive to changes in the location of its roots. It has been shown that one of the Bernstein polynomials bi.x/D.x a/ n i .x b/ i , iD 1;:::;n 1, is the member of Qn with largest supremum norm inTa;bU. Here we show that for p 1, b1.x/ and bn 1.x/ are the members of Qn that maximize the L p norm inTa;bU. We then find the associated maximum values.
Modeling of Autonomic Control in Sleep-Disordered Breathing

There is ample evidence to support the notion that chronic exposure to repetitive episodes of interrupted breathing during sleep can lead to systemic hypertension, heart failure, myocardial infarction and stroke. Recent studies have suggested that abnormal autonomic control may be the common factor linking sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) to these cardiovascular diseases. We have developed a closed-loop minimal model that enables the delineation of the major physiological mechanisms responsible for changes in autonomic system function in SDB, and also forms the basis for a noninvasive technique that enables the early detection of cardiovascular control abnormalities. The model is “minimal” in the sense that all its parameters can be estimated through analysis of the data measured noninvasively from a single experimental procedure. Parameter estimation is enhanced by broadening the frequency content of the subject’s ventilatory pattern, either through voluntary control of breathing or involuntary control using ventilator assistance. Although the original form of the model is linear and time-invariant, extensions of the model include the incorporation of nonlinear dynamics in the autonomic control of heart rate, and allowing the transfer functions of the model components to assume time-varying characteristics. The various versions of the model have been applied to different populations of subjects with SDB under different conditions (e.g. supine wakefulness, orthostatic stress, sleep). Our cumulative findings suggest that the minimal model approach provides a more sensitive means of detecting abnormalities in autonomic cardiovascular control in SDB, compared to univariate analysis of heart rate variability or blood pressure variability.
Distribution and activity of Drosophila suzukii in cultivated raspberry and surrounding vegetation

Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), may utilize wild ‘Himalaya’ blackberry (HB) Rubus armeniacus Focke or other non-crop plants as refugia and possibly exploit adjacent field margins before colonizing cultivated fruiting crops. Studies were conducted to determine the role of field margins containing HB and their effect on D. suzukii activity, density and distribution in an adjacent commercial red raspberry crop. One-ha plots adjacent to field margins containing HB or known non-host (NH) grass crops were established in 2011 and 2012 and replicated three times. Each plot contained two transects with monitoring traps for D. suzukii in the field margin (0 m) and spaced approximately 10 (crop boundary), 40, 70 and 100 m into the adjacent crop (n = 10 traps/plot). Field margin vegetation was treated with a 10% chicken egg white mark solution weekly from pre-harvest until the end of harvest using a cannon sprayer. Adult D. suzukii were collected from traps weekly and analysed for the presence of the egg white mark using an egg white-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). During both years, marked flies and total flies were captured in higher numbers in HB field margins, whereas virtually no flies were captured in field margins containing no known alternative host. Similarly, more flies were captured in the crop near HB than near NH. Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (SADIE) and mean D. suzukii trap captures additionally displayed significantly higher fly densities in the raspberry field near HB than near NH. These results suggest that HB may contribute to elevated D. suzukii populations and pest pressure in comparison with field margins containing no known alternate host vegetation for D. suzukii. Having closely adjacent non-crop alternate host landscapes may result in increased D. suzukii pest pressure.
Coastwide Otolith Signatures of Juvenile Atlantic Menhaden, 2009–2011

AbstractThe Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus is a clupeid that plays a critical role in the marine food web and supports one of the largest fisheries on the U.S. East Coast. Along with a decrease in overall numbers and spawning stock biomass, recruitment levels have remained low since the 1990s. Atlantic Menhaden use numerous estuaries along the Atlantic coast for juvenile development before recruiting to the adult population, but the contribution of each of these nursery grounds is currently unknown. Chesapeake Bay is thought to contribute 70% of the total recruits, although this estimate is over 20 years old and predates current low recruitment levels. We investigated the potential of trace element (Li, Mg, Mn, Rb, Sr, Y, Ba, and Pb) and stable isotope ratio (δ13C and δ18O) signatures in otoliths to distinguish among Atlantic Menhaden collected from various nursery grounds along the U.S. Atlantic coast (Connecticut to South Carolina) during 2009–2011. Juveniles were classified to four regional nurs...
Digital recording and numerical reconstruction of holograms: an optical diagnostic for combustion.

Holographic interferometry (HI) has proved to be a useful tool for nonintrusive temperature measurements in flames (and thereafter for inference of the local composition based on the state relationship approach) with high spatial and temporal resolution. Digital holographic interferometry (DHI) is a relatively new imaging and measurement technique that electronically records a hologram (e.g., on a CCD) and reconstructs it by a numerical method. Cumbersome chemical processing of the hologram is avoided in DHI, which thereby provides greater flexibility, speed, and the potential for real-time processing. In conventional holography, fringes that are neither bright nor dark on a hologram cannot be accurately resolved. The DHI technique has not yet to our knowledge been used for combustion applications. Herein we evaluate its efficacy for making temperature measurements in flames and assess its applicability through a simulation. Each part of a double exposure associated with the holographic technique is considered to be recorded by a hypothetical CCD sensor at a separate time from the other part. We applied the principles of Fourier optics to develop two numerical methods for hologram reconstruction, and we show that both methods provide an accurate reconstruction of the phase image associated with a flame. Because of the periodic nature of the wave function, the reconstructed phase values are limited to the interval [-pi/2, pi/2]. Thus an unwrapping algorithm is provided that produces a continuous phase distribution based on the condition that the reconstructed phase is jumped by a value of -pi or pi. We have also developed an iterative calculation method to adjust the value of the digital reference wave parameters that determines the phase imaging reconstruction in DHI.
The control of ciliary movements: An application of the cusp catastrophe

Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to describe the mutual control relations between ciliary movements and molecular events in the axoneme. These control relations are expressed mathematically through a cusp-catastrophe description between angular movements and active sliding. The parameters are defined so that they are widely applicable and accessible to experimentation. A choice of parameters is tested on the basis of Satir's studies on active sliding, the energetics of ciliary beating, and the dependency on ATP for beat amplitude. For all these cases a good predictive fit is found. Further application and connections of the proposed control model are discussed.
Slant judgments from static and rotating trapezoids correspond to rules of perspective geometry

Apparent static slant of trapezoids aligned in the observer's frontal plane was compared with the apparent plane of reversal for the same trapezoids when rotated. Slant responses were similar in both static and rotation conditions, thus allowing description of the trapezoidal window illusion in terms oi\ projective geometry. Linear perspective was systematically varied in the stimulus series to geometrically imply slants of 50, 60, 70, and 80 deg. Perceived slant corresponded remarkably well with these values. The results show that with the proper viewing conditions and response measures, observers may be rather good perspective geometers. The ,trapezoidal window illusion has been the subject of some theoretical interest and much fascination since Ames (1951) introduced it. Typically, the S viewed the slowly rotating trapezoid with one eye at a distance of about 10 ft. Ames (1951) described the resulting illusion as follows: "As the trapezoidal window slowly rotates about a vertical axis, instead of appearing to rotate completely around, it appears to oscillate back and forth through an angle of about 100° [po 15]." The trapezoidal window illusion is but one example of a larger class of important perceptual phenomena in which the usual depth information (binocular and motion parallax) is reduced or absent. This study attempts to isolate some of the variables contributing both to slant perception from trapezoidal stimuli and the illusion of oscillation. The stimulus information of interest is the trapezoidal contour outline. How do variations in outline shape of a trapezoid affect the observer's perception of depth (slant) and illusory oscillation? Suppose that, under certain viewing conditions, the observer tends to see a trapezoidal projection on the retina as a slanted rectangle. By rules of projective geometry (see Braunstein & Payne, 1969), a trapezoidal retinal projection may be cast by a rectangle at a specified slant to the line of sight. How good a projective geometer is the S? Given the assumption that the trapezoidal retinal projection is caused by a slanted rectangle, how closely will the S's perceived slant be related to geometrically implied. slant? Also, when a trapezoid shape is rotated, how will the projective geometry affect the illusion of oscillation? The Ames trapezoidal window illusion, with its motion component, may seem to be of a separate class, but the principles alluded to above for static trapezoidal
Regulation of T cell cytokine production by dendritic cells generated in vitro from hematopoietic progenitor cells.

Abstract When dendritic cells (DC) present antigens to T cells, reciprocal cellular interactions occur that lead to cytokine production. This cytokine response is regulated by specific properties of DC, notably their maturation/activation status and perhaps their origin. The latter possibility prompted us to determine if DC produced along distinct developmental pathways induced distinct T cell responses. Hematopoietic progenitor cells with the potential to differentiate into multiple lineages of cells were induced to differentiate into DC along two pathways. One leads to the formation of lymphoid-related DC but not of monocyte-derived DC and is induced by culture of CD34 + cells with flt-3 ligand (F), c-kit ligand (K), GM-CSF (Gm), IL-1β (“1”), and IL-7 (“7”) (FKGm17). Another pathway with distinct molecular requirements supports in part monocyte-derived DC and is induced by the cytokines F, K, Gm, TNF-α (T), and IL-4 (“4”) (FKGmT4). DC produced along these two pathways were isolated by flow cytometry and compared. They differed only slightly in phenotype and morphology and both induced Th1-type cytokine production in MLR (mixed lymphocyte reactions). However, on a cell-per-cell basis, FKGm17-DC produced more IL-18 or IL-12 and induced more IFN-γ by T cells in MLR. Such superior properties were not intrinsically determined by the origin of the DC but were induced by FKGm17 cytokines. We conclude that lymphoid-related DC have the potential to induce Th1 T cell responses but that environmental signals strongly influence T-cell-stimulating properties of DC.
Potentiation of wheat germ agglutinin aggregation of platelets by von Willebrand protein and by a 116,000 molecular weight tryptic fragment

Abstract This study compares selected properties of purified tryptic fragments of human von Willebrand (vW) protein in order to better understand how the Mr 116,000 fragment retains activity in ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) aggregation of platelet-rich plasma was potentiated by preincubation of WGA with intact vW protein and with the Mr 116,000 moiety, but not by the smaller (Mr 45,000) or larger (Mr 220–250,000) tryptic fragments. Since all of the fragments bound to WGA, the unique potentiating effect of the Mr 116,000 fragment on platelet aggregation could not be explained by differential ability to form a complex with this lectin. No clearcut difference in binding of tryptic fragments to platelets in the presence of ristocetin was found, and all of the tryptic fragments had approximately equal content of carbohydrate, as reflected by periodic acid-Schiff staining and binding to the lectin Ricinus communis type II. The Mr 116,000 fragment contains a subunit polypeptide chain of Mr 73,000 that is lacking from both larger and smaller fragments in the tryptic digest. This chain may possess critical features that mimic the optimal structure of vW protein that forms intercellular bridges and promotes agonist stimulation by WGA via membrane receptors.
Flush primitives for asynchronous distributed systems

Abstract We present three channel primitives for sending messages: two-way-flush, forward-flush, and backward-flush, collectively termed Flush. A non-FIFO channel that supports Flush will be termed an F-channel. F-channels can permit as much concurrency as non-FIFO channels and yet retain the properties of FIFO channels that lead to simplicity of reasoning in design and proofs of correctness of distributed algorithms. We illustrate these claims using examples of distributed algorithms for taking global snapshots and in the process we also illustrate that use of these primitives weaker definition of a channel state compared to defining it as a sequence of messages.
A programmable suite for identifying thermal parameters in engineering processes

A system is described for identifying thermophysical characteristics and boundary conditions for heat transfer in pulsed processes.
Detection of multivalent interactions through two-tiered energy transfer.

A method based on two-tiered fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET) has been developed for selective and sensitive detection of species involved in a multivalent interaction. Pentavalent binding between cholera toxin and ganglioside GM1 is used as a model system to demonstrate the advantage of the two-tiered FRET over one-stage FRET in both conventional fluorimeter and flow cytometer. In the system, three fluorescent probes (namely, fluorescence donor, acceptor, and intermediate) are covalently tagged to receptors, and the intermediate is used to bridge the energy transfer between the donor and acceptor even though the donor's fluorescence spectrum does not overlap with absorption spectrum of the acceptor. One of the most significant improvements of the scheme over one-stage FRET is a dramatic decrease in the background fluorescence of the acceptor fluorescence, which, theoretically and practically, increases the detection sensitivity.