cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethanol regulation of γ-aminobutyric acidA receptors: genomic and nongenomic mechanisms

gamma-Aminobutyric acid(A) (GABA(A)) receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that, predominantly, mediate inhibitory synaptic transmission in the CNS. These receptors are pentameric complexes that are comprised of subunits from several classes (alpha, beta, gamma, delta, ), with each class consisting of several isoforms. Chronic ethanol consumption alters GABA(A) receptor function producing cellular tolerance to GABA and ethanol, cross-tolerance to benzodiazepines and barbiturates, and sensitization to inverse agonists. Recent studies have clearly demonstrated that GABA(A) receptors play an important role in ethanol dependence and functional properties of GABA(A) receptor are altered following chronic ethanol administration. However, the exact mechanisms that account for alterations in GABA(A) receptor function following chronic ethanol administration have not been resolved. The mechanisms responsible for adaptation of GABA(A) receptors to chronic ethanol exposure may involve ethanol-induced changes in cell surface expression, subcellular localization, synaptic localization, receptor phosphorylation, neurosteroids, and/or changes in GABA(A) receptor subunit composition. In this review, we provide an overview of recent data pertaining to mechanisms that could be responsible for altered properties and expression of GABA(A) receptors following chronic ethanol administration.
Customized file systems: an investigator's approach

With the growth of many open source operating systems comes the introduction of open source file systems that allow free modification. File system modifications can be a method of users to evade investigators who use commercial tools to analyze the suspect's media. Investigators need to be aware of what is possible and ways to circumvent the methods that users can utilize when modifying their file system to hide data.
The impact of harvester ants on decomposition, N mineralization, litter quality, and the availability of N to plants in the Mojave Desert

In arid areas of North America, nests of the seed-harvesting ant Pogonomyrmex rugosus tend to be elevated in mineral nitrogen and other soil nutrients relative to other microhabitats. We investigated the roles of decomposition, N mineralization, and plant nutrient uptake in maintaining high standing stocks of nutrients in P. rugosus ant nests. Decomposition rates of standard cellulose substrates placed on the surface of ant nests and other desert microhabitats suggest that conditions found in ant nests and bare areas are conducive to higher rates of decomposition than conditions under shrubs. In laboratory incubations of moist soil, net N mineralization rates were significantly higher in soil from ant nests than from bare areas and under two of three plant species. Net N mineralization rates measured in situ were much lower than those measured in laboratory incubations, but ant nest soil still exhibited higher rates at one of two sites. Litter collected from ant mounds, composed chiefly of seed chaff, was similar in N content to litter collected from underneath the dominant plant species, but had a significantly higher mean δ15N. Using this distinctive isotope signature as a tracer, we found no evidence that large perennial shrubs tap ant nests as a source of N. An invasive, annual grass species was significantly enriched in 15N, had higher leaf %N, and produced more seeds when growing on the mound than when growing several meters away; however P. rugosus nest surfaces are typically free of such annuals. We conclude that both high rates of nutrient cycling relative to other Mojave Desert microhabitats and low N utilization by the surrounding vegetation contribute to high standing stocks of mineral N in P. rugosus nests.
Science, industry, and the new Japanese challenge

The Japanese Super-Speed Computer project, recently begun, has generated pressure for a response in the United States and other countries. The background for the Japanese project is the world-wide effort to computerize four hundred years of science, in support of industrial applications of science. In the United States, a number of barriers are slowing progress of the computerization process. The barriers include software problems, lack of U.S. university participation in the computerization effort, poor matching of resources to needs, etc. The computer revolution is also part of the background for the Japanese project, and problems caused by the computer revolution, such as inadequate education, also require attention. Specific recommendations to overcome these barriers are proposed. Computer-assisted instruction meeting the standards set by Professor Arnold Arons combined with teacher retraining would help science education. A national computer communications network for basic and applied research would greatly improve technology transfer within the United States for an absurdly low cost; Britain already is developing such a network. The diverse groups engaged in the computerization of science need a sense of community which a national network would provide. They also need more decision-making power, and more effective sharing of resources. The U.S. Government should establish the network and provide seed money to help private industry, universities, and government laboratories collectively implement the other recommendations.
The efficiency of equilibrium traffic flows

Abstract This paper studies the behavior of an optimizing driver on a freeway and the equilibrium speed at which specified flows of traffic move. It shows that both when passing is not allowed (the standard car-following framework of the engineering literature) and when it is permitted, the equilibria tend to exhibit speeds below the Pareto optimal speeds. The flat congestion toll proposed by Oron, Pines and Sheshinski (1973) does not, by itself, bring about Pareto optimality.
Home Literacy Experiences and Early Childhood Disability: A Descriptive Study Using the National Household Education Surveys (NHES) Program Database

Purpose The present article illustrates how the National Household Education Surveys (NHES; U.S. Department of Education, 2009) database might be used to address questions of relevance to researchers who are concerned with literacy development among young children. Following a general description of the NHES database, a study is provided that examines the extent to which parent-reported home literacy activities and child emergent literacy skills differ for children with (a) developmental disabilities versus those who are developing typically, (b) single disability versus multiple disabilities, and (c) speech-language disability only versus other types of disabilities. Method Four hundred and seventy-eight preschool-age children with disabilities and a typically developing matched sample (based on parent report) were identified in the 2005 administration of the Early Childhood Program Participation (ECPP) Survey in the NHES database. Parent responses to survey items were then compared between groups. Resul...
Salivary cortisol and posttraumatic stress disorder in a low-income community sample of women.

Abstract Background Studies of male combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder have demonstrated a profile of low cortisol. Studies with women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have focused on childhood sexual abuse and holocaust survivors, both of whom experienced trauma during development, which could be different than adult trauma exposure. Methods Using an epidemiologic sample of low-income women from an urban area in Michigan, we conducted structured psychiatric interviews and saliva cortisol collection on a subsample of women with exposure to trauma but never PTSD ( n = 72), recent PTSD ( n = 29), and past PTSD ( n = 70). Saliva cortisol was collected at awakening, 30 minutes later, at bedtime, and during a clinic visit. Results Recent trauma exposure but not past trauma exposure led to an increase in saliva cortisol. Neither recent PTSD nor past PTSD resulted in any saliva cortisol changes compared with the trauma exposed, never PTSD group. Recent major depression (past 12 months) demonstrated a weak effect ( p = .08) on bedtime saliva cortisol. Conclusions While recent trauma exposure can increase saliva cortisol, neither recent nor past PTSD affected saliva cortisol in our community sample of women. Our data do not support saliva cortisol changes associated with PTSD.
Recent Advances in the Genetics of Dystonia

Dystonia, a common and genetically heterogeneous neurological disorder, was recently defined as "a movement disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions causing abnormal, often repetitive, movements, postures, or both." Via the application of whole-exome sequencing, the genetic landscape of dystonia and closely related movement disorders is becoming exposed. In particular, several "novel" genetic causes have been causally associated with dystonia or dystonia-related disorders over the past 2 years. These genes include PRRT2 (DYT10), CIZ1 (DYT23), ANO3 (DYT24), GNAL (DYT25), and TUBB4A (DYT4). Despite these advances, major gaps remain in identifying the genetic origins for most cases of adult-onset isolated dystonia. Furthermore, model systems are needed to study the biology of PRRT2, CIZ1, ANO3, Gαolf, and TUBB4A in the context of dystonia. This review focuses on these recent additions to the family of dystonia genes, genotype-phenotype correlations, and possible cellular contributions of the encoded proteins to the development of dystonia.
C2 interpolation over hypercubes

Multivariate interpolation problems in scientific research sometimes require a solution which is twice continuously differentiable. This can sometimes be achieved using Coons' patches, smooth local interpolants to lower dimensional data sets. However, to interpolate as desired, these schemes require that all mixed partial derivatives, the 'twists', commute, and this is not the case in some situations of practical importance, such as for wire frame data. Worsey [Worsey '84] has developed a compatibly corrected C^2 Coons' patch for bivariate surfaces and here we generalize that result to the case of funcions of n variables. The Scheme we propose uses the techniques developed by Barnhill and Worsey [Bornhill, Worsey '84] who considered the case of C^1 interpolation over the hypercube. The interpolant is built up inductively from one to n dimensions, requiring, at each step, only one additional term to be defined.
Estimating regional brain activity from evoked potential fields on the scalp

Potential fields on the surface of the brain were estimated from discretely sampled scalp fields in human subjects. Relatively simple methods of linear algebra were combined with detailed anatomical information from magnetic resonance imaging. The method was verified using a tank model of the human head that encased a fully hydrated human skull in a polymer matrix of controlled resistivity matching that of human brain and scalp. Brain surface fields evoked by checkerboard contrast reversal spread less than their scalp field counterparts, and provided information helpful in localizing brain activity. >
Developments in appliances which might influence the detergent and textile industries

The interrelation of researches in detergents, appliances, and textiles is discussed, showing how a major development in one industry can force reactions by the other industries. Several new appliance developments, which might affect detergents, include a water softener built onto a washer and two novel washing systems. The possibilities of a home dry-cleaner are reviewed, as are appliance industry reactions to the development of permanent-press fabrics by the textile industry. Some predictions about the washing machine of the future are presented.
A novel intermittent regimen of norgestimate to preserve the beneficial effects of 17β-estradiol on lipid and lipoprotein profiles

Abstract Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of 3 dosage levels of intermittent norgestimate plus a constant dose of 17β-estradiol on blood lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in 236 postmenopausal women. Study Design: In this multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group trial the subjects were randomly assigned to receive 1 mg estradiol daily or 1 mg estradiol daily plus intermittent (3 days off and 3 days on) doses of 30 μg, 90 μg, or 180 μg norgestimate for 360 days. Results: The regimens of 1 mg estradiol plus 30 μg norgestimate and 1 mg estradiol plus 90 μg norgestimate increased concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL 2 high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL 3 high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (except the regimen of 1 mg estradiol plus 30 μg norgestimate at 7 months), and apolipoprotein apo A-I. They decreased total cholesterol concentration, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein ratio, apolipoprotein apo B concentration, and Lp(a) lipoprotein concentration, and they attenuated estradiol-induced increases in triglyceride concentrations. In contrast, the regimen of 1 mg estradiol plus 180 μg norgestimate reduced concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein HDL 3 cholesterol, and apolipoprotein apo A-I at 7 months and increased the low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein ratio at 7 months. Conclusions: An intermittent regimen of norgestimate at 30 or 90 μg daily administered for 3 days off followed by 3 days on preserved the beneficial lipid and lipoprotein changes induced by continuous therapy with 1 mg 17β-estradiol daily; however, 180 μg norgestimate did not do so. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;182:41-9.)
The Bane of Surrogate Decision Making: Defining the Best Interests of Never-Competent Persons

Anglo-American law traditionally has recognized a sovereign's authority to protect helpless populations. This state authority, known as the parens patriae power, is described as “the inherent equit...
Gathering Complete Response from Mexican‐Americans by Personal Interview

To investigate the quality of response to the personal interview a survey was undertaken among Mexican-American migrant parents and children. These representative samples were used to determine how complete the response would be to the interview in terms of sample mortality, item nonresponse, and the detail given to open-ended items. Differences in respondent characteristics and the type of item were considered. These data indicate the serious problems which may result from utilizing interview results in social action research projects. Significant differences exist in the completeness of response given to demographic as opposed to perceptual items. Differences also exist depending upon the characteristics of the respondent. Implications of the results for social action research projects and future research are discussed.
Intergranular creep cavitation with time-discrete stochastic nucleation

Abstract An empirical model for the time-discrete stochastic nucleation of intergranular creep cavities is proposed. Nucleation is assumed to occur randomly in time, with the temporal behavior being governed by an inhomogeneous Poisson process. Based upon experimental evidence, the mean function of the Poisson process is taken to be a power-law function of time. The nucleation model is then implemented in conjunction with a recent analysis which treats the growth of randomly spaced populations of voids in a simplified bicrystal configuration. Numerical simulations with the resulting model indicate, among other things, that both the times-to-failure and the cavity radii are distributed according to a Weibull cumulative distribution function. Both predictions have qualitative experimental support. Moreover the presence of nucleation is found to reduce the time-to-failure by creep rupture by approximately a factor of two to eight compared to simulations without nucleation.
Conference Scene: Parkinson’s disease in the UK: a report from the Parkinson’s UK Research Conference

The second Parkinson’s UK Research Conference was held in York in November 2010 and provided a forum for researchers to interact and discuss their progress. With six oral presentation sessions and ongoing poster sessions, the meeting highlighted the breadth of work across many areas that Parkinson’s UK has been involved in funding. All types of approaches were discussed at the meeting, from molecular biology using induced pluripotent stem cells as novel models for genetic forms of Parkinson’s disease to assessments of the potential for exercise as a beneficial intervention in people who live with Parkinson’s disease. With this multidisciplinary approach, the conference aimed to identify ways in which the impact of Parkinson’s disease could be minimized.
Pituitary tumors in children and adolescents

T occupying the pituitary fossa are of two main types: craniopharyngiomas, the most common tumor causing hypopituitarism in childhood, and pituitary adenomas. Virtually all tumors of this region are benign. Tumors that metastasize to the pituitary during childhood are exceedingly rare. Neoplastic or infiltrative processes of the pituitary area, including gliomas arising from the optic chiasm and surrounding region, meningiomas, germ cell tumors arising from the pituitary stalk, and granulomatous diseases that include histiocytosis X, tuberculosis, and sarcoidosis, may interfere with pituitary function. This review will focus on neoplastic diseases that arise from the pituitary gland or its anlagen.
Comparison Of Bipolar Joint Transform Image Correlators And Phase-Only Matched Filter Correlators

In this paper, we compare the performance of the bipolar joint transform correlator to the continuous phase-only matched filter correlator, the binary phase-only matched filter correlator, and the classical correlator. The pattern recognition systems will be compared in the areas of correlation peak, autocorrelation peak to sidelobe ratio, autocorrelation bandwidth, and discrimination sensitivity.
Hydro-gasified Coal Chars' Property Assessment for Hydrogen Synthesis Suitability

Property assessment of the hydro-gasified char was undertaken. The char was pre-pared using a high-pressure drop tube reactor under hydrogen atmosphere and rapid pyrolysis conditions. For comparison purposes, another type of char was also prepared under N2 atmosphere (N2-char). From the results, the coal conversion was found to increase with increasing pressure in the case of the hydro-gasified char but decreased in the case of N2-char. The char reactivity decreased slightly with an increase in pressure for the hydro-gasified char but remained almost constant for the N2-char. Generally, hydrogasified char was more reactive than the N2-char at lower pyrolysis pressures, but the tendency reversed as pyrolysis pressure increased. Results also show the depend-ency of the reaction rate constant on pressure to be proportional to the 1/4th power of the total pressure at 1, 273K. The hydrogasified char was found to have an activation energy of 68 kJ/mol. As for the effect of hydrogenation on the particle surface area, results showed that the surface area increases with an increase in the pyrolysis pres-sure. Further, it was found that, as the pyrolysis pressure increases, more pores are made but with smaller pore diameters. On the other hand, upon increasing H2/coal feed ratio, the coal conversion was found to increase while char reactivity decreased. The corresponding effect was not observed from the N2-char thus exhibiting the so called “rapid carbon” of about 15‰ at H2/coal ratios greater than 1.0. Comparison of char from this work to that from a relatively larger equipment (ca. 2.5 ton/day) revealed that the chars' properties are quite similar in many ways and that drop tube results can serve as useful indicators in the scale-up of the hydrogasification process.
Molecular Dissection of Lymphocyte Signal Transduction Pathways

ABSTRACT: The earliest biochemical changes in lymphocyte activation include the accumulation of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins. This accumulation, catalyzed by specific protein tyrosine kinases, is required for subsequent cell activation. Experimental manipulation of these protein tyrosine kinases results in improved or decreased transit through the activation sequence. Analysis of transgenic animals bearing altered kinase genes permits assembly of a model for signal transduction from the T-cell antigen receptor.
Visual Robot Programming for Generalizable Mobile Manipulation Tasks

General-purpose robots present the opportunity to be programmed for a specific purpose {em after} deployment. This requires tools for end-users to quickly and intuitively program robots to perform useful tasks in new environments. In this paper, we present a flow-based visual programming language (VPL) for mobile manipulation tasks, demonstrate the generalizability of tasks programmed in this VPL, and present a preliminary user study of a development tool for this VPL.
Geological controls on remaining oil in Miocene fluvial and shoreface reservoirs in the Mioceno Norte area, Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela

Facies architecture and structure are the primary controls on reservoir geometry, fluid-flow pathways, and distribution of remaining oil in fluvial and shoreface reservoirs of Miocene age in the 46.7 km 2 Mioceno Norte area in northern Lake Maracaibo. This mature field is undergoing depletion and nearing the final stages of primary recovery. Although the area has produced oil since the 1940s, appreciable volumes of oil (commonly 400 to 1200X10 3 STB (stock tank barrels)/20-acre drainage area) remain in multiple, poorly contacted reservoir sandstones at the current 984 ft (300 m) well spacing. Detailed lithofacies maps document the control of sandstone architecture on hydrocarbon distribution and demonstrate that the current well spacing on a grid pattern is too large to recover efficiently the remaining oil. Moreover, the facies architecture influences water-cut patterns and the irregular advancement of inferred oil-water contacts on the western margin of the field. A wide variety of infill wells, recompletions, redrilled wells, horizontal wells, and water-injection wells is proposed. Approximately 80X10 6 STB of remaining oil will be produced by maintaining the current 984 ft (300 m) well spacing. However, an additional 46.5X10 6 STB can be produced with geologically targeted infill wells, recompletions and horizontal wells. In addition, new water-injection wells can appreciably increase oil recovery by enhancing sweep efficiency and providing pressure support.
A role for Jag2 in promoting uveal melanoma dissemination and growth

Purpose Controlling the spread of uveal melanoma is key to improving survival of patients with this common intraocular malignancy. The Notch ligand Jag2 has been shown to be upregulated in primary tumors that metastasize, and we therefore investigated its role in promoting invasion and clonogenic growth of uveal melanoma cells. Methods mRNA and protein expression of Notch pathway components were measured using qPCR and Western blot in uveal melanoma cell lines. Expression of Jag2 ligand was upregulated using Jag2-GFP-MSCV constructs or downregulated by sh-Jag2 in the uveal melanoma cell lines Mel285, Mel290, 92.1, and OMM1, and the effects on growth and invasion were assessed. Results Jag2 was introduced into Mel285 and Mel290 cells, which have low baseline levels of both this ligand and Notch activity. Overall growth of the Jag2-expressing cultures increased somewhat, and a significant 3-fold increase in clonogenic growth in soft agar was also noted. Introduction of Jag2 increased motility in both wound-healing and transwell invasion assays. We also observed a significant increase in Jag2 and Hes1 mRNA in invasive OMM1 cells that had passed through a Matrigel-coated filter in the transwell assay when compared with noninvading cells. Loss-of-function studies performed in 92.1 and OMM1 lines using Jag2 shRNAs showed that downregulation of the ligand significantly suppressed cellular growth, invasion, and migration. Conclusions Our data suggest that Jag2 may play an important role in promoting Notch activity, growth, and metastasis in uveal melanoma.
Daily coordination of cancer growth and circadian clock gene expression.

Background.Circadian coordination in mammals is accomplished, in part, by coordinate, rhythmic expression of a series of circadian clock genes in the central clock within the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus. These same genes are also rhythmically expressed each day within each peripheral tissue. Methods.We measured tumor size, tumor cell cyclin E protein, tumor cell mitotic index, and circadian clock gene expression in liver and tumor cells at six equispaced times of day in individual mice of a 12-h light, 12-h dark schedule. Results.We demonstrate that C3HFeJ/HeB mice with transplanted syngeneic mammary tumor maintain largely normal circadian sleep/activity patterns, and that the rate of tumor growth is highly rhythmic during each day. Two daily 2.5-fold peaks in cancer cell cyclin E protein, a marker of DNA synthesis, are followed by two daily up-to-3-fold peaks in cancer cell mitosis (one minor, and one major peak). These peaks are, in turn, followed by two prominent daily peaks in tumor growth rate occurring during mid-sleep and the second, during mid-activity. These data indicate that all therapeutic targets relevant to tumor growth and tumor cell proliferation are ordered in tumor cells within each day. The daily expression patterns of the circadian clock genes Bmal1, mPer1, and mPer2, remain normally circadian coordinated in the livers of these tumor bearing mice. Bmal1 gene expression remains circadian rhythmic in cancer cells, although damped in amplitude, with a similar circadian pattern to that in normal hepatocytes. However, tumor cell mPer1 and mPer2 gene expression patterns fail to maintain statistically significant daily rhythms. Conclusion. We conclude that, if core circadian clock gene expression is essential to gate tumor cell proliferation within each day, then there may be substantial redundancy in this timing system. Alternatively, the daily ordering of tumor cell clock gene expression may not be essential to the daily gating of cancer cell DNA synthesis, mitosis and growth. This would indicate that host central SCN-mediated neuro–humoro-behavioral controls and/or daily light-induced changes in melatonin or peripherally-induced rhythms such as those resulting from feeding, may be adequate for the daily coordination of cancer cell expression of proliferation related therapeutic targets.
Highway improvements and land development in Minnesota's Greater Twin Cities Area, 1970-1997

As increased traffic congestion becomes an issue in more and more cities across the country and especially in rapidly growing suburban areas, the following questions are often asked. How are improvements in highway transportation and patterns of land development in suburban and exurban areas related? Do road improvements encourage land development, or vice versa? The key question of leads and lags between transportation and development within cities and townships of the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area was investigated for five time intervals between 1970 and 1997. Correlation and regression analyses were used to measure the strength and causality of relationships between highway improvements and the timing and levels of residential, industrial, commercial, and office development. Although statistical relationships describing correlations of leads, lags, and contemporaneous change were found to be highly significant, the measures of those relationships were seldom constant. They differed from one time period to the next, from one location to another within specific time periods, and from one type of development to another. The weakest relationships occurred in the most recent era (1990s) for all development types. Generally, industrial development seemed to be most influenced by transportation and location over the eras, followed by office and commercial construction. New housing seemed to be least affected by transportation and location; this finding may have major implications for addressing issues of traffic congestion.
Photoelastic effect in Ti 3 + -doped sapphire

We have used photothermal-beam-deflection spectroscopy to measure the change in the index of refraction of ${\mathrm{Ti}}^{3+}$-doped sapphire after pulsed excitation at 532 nm with a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser. The beam-deflection signal arises from both thermal and nonthermal sources. The nonthermal part of the signal decays with the fluorescence lifetime of ${\mathrm{Ti}}^{3+}$ in sapphire. The shape of the nonthermal part depends on whether the probe beam is polarized perpendicular (\ensuremath{\sigma}) or parallel (\ensuremath{\pi}) to the c axis of the crystal. This behavior can be explained by a photoelastic law based upon the anisotropic volume expansion caused by a strong Jahn-Teller effect of the ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{6}$ complex in the excited state. The experimental values of the change in the index of refraction for each ion per unit volume are \ensuremath{\Delta}n/N=3.3 A${\mathrm{\r{}}}^{3}$ and \ensuremath{\Delta}n/N=1.2 A${\mathrm{\r{}}}^{3}$ for \ensuremath{\sigma} and \ensuremath{\pi} polarization, respectively, compared with the calculated values of \ensuremath{\Delta}n/N=3.73 A${\mathrm{\r{}}}^{3}$ (for \ensuremath{\sigma}) and \ensuremath{\Delta}n/N=1.50 A${\mathrm{\r{}}}^{3}$ (for \ensuremath{\pi}) for a model that includes the photoelastic law. The bulk expansion per ${\mathrm{TiO}}_{6}$ complex, derived from the beam-deflection signal, is \ensuremath{\approxeq}11.8 A${\mathrm{\r{}}}^{3}$, while the calculated value based on the configuration-coordinate model is \ensuremath{\approxeq}9.9 A${\mathrm{\r{}}}^{3}$.
Characterization of proteins binding the 3′ regulatory region of the IL-3 gene in IL-3-dependent and autocrine-transformed hematopoietic cells

Previously we documented the prolongation of the IL-3 mRNA half-life in an autocrine-transformed cell line. This cell line has an intracisternal type A particle transposition in the IL-3 mRNA 3′ untranslated region which displaced four out of six AUUUA motifs involved in IL-3 mRNA destabilization. In this study, the proteins binding to the IL-3 mRNA AU-rich elements (ARE) were examined. Specific protein binding was detected to the wild-type IL-3 ARE region which contained 6 AUUUA motifs (AU6). In contrast, no binding was detected to the mutated IL-3 ARE region which contained only two AUUUA motifs (AU2). Proteins with apparent molecular weights of 36, 40, 43, 46, 55, 57, 68 and 95 kDa were bound to AU6 motif. The hnRNP C and AUF-1 (hnRNP D) proteins were determined to be two of the IL-3 ARE binding proteins. Incubation of protein extracts with antibodies to hnRNP C and AUF-1 significantly decreased the protein binding to the IL-3 ARE. Treatment of IL-3 dependent cells with calcium ionophores eliminated the proteins binding to the ARE in wild-type IL-3-dependent FL5.12 cells and also resulted in the accumulation of IL-3 mRNA transcripts with a long half-life. These results indicated that there was a specific complex which bound the IL-3 mRNA 3′ ARE. Mutations which truncate the IL-3 ARE eliminate the ability of proteins to bind this regulatory region and can result in autocrine transformation due to the presence of IL-3 mRNA transcripts with a long half-life.
Experimental Observations on Intracavitary Imaging of Cardiac Structures with 20-MHz Ultrasound Catheters

Recently catheter-based ultrasound devices have become available for obtaining high-resolution images of blood vessels. In this study we evaluated the feasibility of imaging cardiac structures using 20-MHz ultrasound catheters. In 25 dogs, the ultrasound catheter was advanced into the right and left heart chambers percutaneously. The intravascular devices yielded images of the right atrial wall, right and left ventricular myocardia, tricuspid, pulmonic, and aortic valves, and the great vessels. Although the small depth of field inherent to the frequency range of 20 MHz limited the visualization to only portions of the cardiac chambers, the images obtained were of high resolution and allowed easy identification of the various cardiac structures. Intracardiac echocardiography was easy to perform and did not result in damage to the cardiac structures. We conclude that intracardiac echocardiography using ultrasound catheters provides a new approach to cardiac imaging and that the development of lower frequency catheters could aid in extending the potential utility of intracardiac echocardiography. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 8, January 1991)
Kinetic Effects on the Cycloaddition of 1,3-Cyclohexadiene to the 3C-SiC(001)-3 × 2 Surface Studied via Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics

Silicon carbide (SiC) surfaces are often the semiconductor material of choice for applications under extreme conditions or with biocompatibility requirements. The SiC(001)-3 × 2 surface has a top Si tilted dimer that should react with π bonds in organic molecules, potentially forming a well-ordered semiconductor-organic interface. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of a prototype cycloaddition system, 1,3-cyclohexadiene (CHD) + SiC(001)-3 × 2, reveal that four products form via a two-step carbocation mechanism: [4 + 2] intradimer adduct, [2 + 2] intradimer adduct, H abstraction, and [4 + 2] subdimer adduct. The longer distance between dimers eliminates interdimer adducts that form on the Si(100)-2 × 1 system. CHD can wander more than 100 A or 20 ps before finding the proper reactive environment. The intermediate lifetime ranges from 50 fs, when CHD is perfectly oriented, to more than 18 ps, when the CHD repeatedly visits the unstable [2 + 2] subdimer adduct. The reorientation caused by the [2 + 2] ...
Crystal structures of reversible ketone-Based inhibitors of the cysteine protease cruzain

The crystal structures of two hydroxymethyl ketone inhibitors complexed to the cysteine protease cruzain have been determined at 1.1 and 1.2 A resolution, respectively. These high resolution crystal structures provide the first structures of non-covalent inhibitors bound to cruzain. A series of compounds were prepared and tested based upon the structures providing further insight into the key binding interactions.
Time-domain backprojection for precise geodetic coding of spaceborne SAR imagery

A new era of precise-orbit determination for space-borne SAR permits time-domain backprojection of the data for accurate geocoded image production. In this work, time-domain backprojection is applied to Level 1.0 data from the ALOS/PALSAR instrument to form imagery at two sites in southern California. The accuracy of the backprojection is verified by comparing the measured position of a corner reflector at a calibration site to its position in the formed SAR imagery. The observed offset of the corner reflector is ≪2 m in the range direction and 12 m in the cross-range or along track direction. Images backprojected in an absolute WGS-84 Cartesian system onto 1/3 arc second or 10 m posting digital elevation data exhibit no gross registration errors. This indicates that the backprojection image formation method may be useful for processing differential radar interferometry (D-InSAR) products, where topography terms must first be removed.
Herpes Simplex Virus 2 UL45 Is a Type II Membrane Protein

In addition to eleven glycoproteins, the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) genome encodes several proteins with potential membrane-spanning segments but no asparagine-linked carbohydrates. One of these is UL45. Fractionation of infected cells showed that HSV-2 UL45 is an integral membrane protein, and analysis of UL45 mutants with potential glycosylation sites showed that it has a type II membrane orientation, the first HSV protein known to have this orientation. Furthermore, it is detectable in infected cells at a time similar to that when glycoproteins gB and gD are detected, consistent with a role in cell-cell fusion, which has previously been found for HSV-1 UL45.
Interstellar Clouds: From A Dynamical Perspective on Their Chemistry

It is possible that the great diversity of physical and chemical properties exhibited by interstellar clouds may be easily comprehended if these clouds are incessantly evolving from initial diffuse to a later dense state and then to star formation which ultimately restructures or disperses the remaining cloud material to re-enact the same evolutionary process. This suggests the need and usefulness of studying the chemistry and dynamics of interstellar clouds in a coupled manner.
Preservation of the larval ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz (Ctenophora, Lobata)

Mnemiopsis leidyi larvae were preserved quantitatively for up to 1 year in 5―20% acid Lugol's solution. The highest preservation efficiency and least shrinkage and deformation occurred in the 5% treatment.
Computerized assessment of syntactic complexity in Alzheimer's disease: a case study of Iris Murdoch's writing.

Currently, the majority of investigations of linguistic manifestations of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alz- heimer's disease are conducted based on manual linguistic analysis. Grammatical complexity is one of the language use characteristics sensitive to the effects of Alzheimer's disease and is difficult to operationalize and measure using manual approaches. In the current study, we demonstrate the application of computational linguistic methods to automate the analysis of grammatical complexity. We implemented the Computerized Linguistic Analysis System (CLAS) based on the Stanford syntactic parser (Klein and Manning, Pattern Recognition, 38 (9), 1407-1419, 2005) for longitudinal analysis of changes in syntactic complexity in language affected by neurodegenerative disorders. We manually validated CLAS scoring and used it to analyze writings of Iris Murdoch, a renowned Irish author diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. We found clear patterns of decline in grammatical complexity consistent with previous analyses of Murdoch's writing conducted by Garrard, Maloney, Hodges, and Patterson (Brain, 128(250-260, 2005). CLAS is a fully automated system that may be used to derive objective and reproducible measures of syntactic complexity in language production and can be particularly useful in longitudinal studies with large volumes of language samples.
Treatment of Chronic Symptomatic Supraventricular Bradyarrhythmias with Transdermal Scopolamine

The management of symptomatic bradyarrhythmias can be challenging in patients in whom cardiac pacing is not indicated, such as in the terminally ill or severly demented. We applied a transdermal scopolamine patch on one such patient with resultant substantial improvement in his supraventricular bradyarrhythmia.
Social Acceptability Characteristics of Learning Disabled Students

Previous studies, in exploring correlates of lack of social acceptance of LD students by other children, have identified characteristics associated with qualities of verbal interactions and social cues. The present study found LD students to be less accepted than non-handicapped children, but attitudes toward LD were more positive than toward other handicaps. Attitudes of 4th-grade students were less positive than those of younger and older students. Children in this study were significantly more willing to have the LD child as a friend or in a social group than to have the LD child be in an authority position. Finally, subjects were more receptive to the LD student when she initiated an interaction.
Intraoperative use of dextran is associated with cardiac complications after carotid endarterectomy.

Objective Although dextran has been theorized to diminish the risk of stroke associated with carotid endarterectomy (CEA), variation exists in its use. We evaluated outcomes of dextran use in patients undergoing CEA to clarify its utility. Methods We studied all primary CEAs performed by 89 surgeons within the Vascular Study Group of New England database (2003-2010). Patients were stratified by intraoperative dextran use. Outcomes included perioperative death, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and congestive heart failure (CHF). Group and propensity score matching was performed for risk-adjusted comparisons, and multivariable logistic and gamma regressions were used to examine associations between dextran use and outcomes. Results There were 6641 CEAs performed, with dextran used in 334 procedures (5%). Dextran-treated and untreated patients were similar in age (70 years) and symptomatic status (25%). Clinical differences between the cohorts were eliminated by statistical adjustment. In crude, group-matched, and propensity-matched analyses, the stroke/death rate was similar for the two cohorts (1.2%). Dextran-treated patients were more likely to suffer postoperative MI (crude: 2.4% vs 1.0%; P = .03; group-matched: 2.4% vs 0.6%; P = .01; propensity-matched: 2.4% vs 0.5%; P = .003) and CHF (2.1% vs 0.6%; P = .01; 2.1% vs 0.5%; P = .01; 2.1% vs 0.2%; P Conclusions Dextran use was not associated with lower perioperative stroke but was associated with higher rates of MI and CHF. Taken together, our findings suggest limited clinical utility for routine use of intraoperative dextran during CEA.
Effects of self-disclosure role on liking, closeness, and other impressions in get-acquainted interactions

We experimentally examined whether giving or receiving self-disclosure leads to greater liking and other positive impressions (e.g., closeness) in initial interactions. We also contributed to a recent debate about the familiarity-attraction link by examining whether knowledge about another leads to greater (or lesser) degrees of liking and perceived similarity. Pairs of unacquainted undergraduates completed a structured self-disclosure task. We randomly assigned one participant to disclose while the other listened in a first interaction; participants switched roles for a second interaction. After the first interaction, listeners (vs. disclosers) reported more liking and other positive interpersonal impressions. These differences disappeared after participants switched roles in the second interaction. Furthermore, listening was associated with greater degrees of perceived similarity.
Becoming Wikipedian: transformation of participation in a collaborative online encyclopedia

Traditional activities change in surprising ways when computer-mediated communication becomes a component of the activity system. In this descriptive study, we leverage two perspectives on social activity to understand the experiences of individuals who became active collaborators in Wikipedia, a prolific, cooperatively-authored online encyclopedia. Legitimate peripheral participation provides a lens for understanding participation in a community as an adaptable process that evolves over time. We use ideas from activity theory as a framework to describe our results. Finally, we describe how activity on the Wikipedia stands in striking contrast to traditional publishing and suggests a new paradigm for collaborative systems.
Gestational carriers: A viable alternative for women with medical contraindications to pregnancy

Objective: Compare the efficacy of surrogate or gestational carrier (GC) cycles to that of autologous in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injections (ICSI) in patients with gynecologic or medical co-morbidities contraindicative to pregnancy. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Infertility patients from a single university hospital-based program from 1998-2009. Intervention(s): 128 GC cycles from 80 intended parents were identified and compared with 15,311 IVF or ICSI cycles. Main Outcome Measure(s): The peak estradiol (E2), number of oocytes retrieved, cycle cancellation, ongoing pregnancy, and live-birth were compared between GCs and autologous IVF carriers. Indications for GC use were also identified. Multiple cycles contributed by the same patient were accounted for using multivariable generalized estimating equations and two-sided Wald p-values. Results: Uterine factors (67%) was the most common indication for using a GC, followed by non-gynecologic medical conditions including coagulopathies (13%), end stage renal disease (10%), cardiovascular disease (5%) and cancer (5%). Adjusting for age, ovulation induction in GC cycles had similar peak E2 levels and number of oocytes retrieved relative to IVF cycles (p = 0.23 and 0.43, respectively). Clinical pregnancy (49% vs. 42%, p = 0.28) and live-birth rates (31% vs. 32%, p = 0.74) were also comparable. A sub-analysis of GC cycles in those women with uterine factor indications, demonstrated significantly higher clinical pregnancy rates (OR = 2.0; CI = 1.2 - 3.5) with 60% greater odds of live-birth relative to IVF/ICSI cycles, however this odds was not statistically significant for differences in live-birth (CI = 0.9 - 2.9). Conclusions: GCs are a viable alternative to start families for patients with medical co-morbidities precluding pregnancy.
Heuristic Strategies for Inclusion Dependency Discovery

Inclusion dependencies (INDs) between databases are assertions of subset-relationships between sets of attributes (dimensions) in two relations. Such dependencies are useful for a number of purposes related to information integration, such as database similarity discovery and foreign key discovery.
Designing Agent99 trainer: a learner-centered, web-based training system for deception detection

Research has long recognized that humans have many biases andshortcomings that severely limit our ability to accurately detect deception. Howcan we improve our deception detection ability? One possible method is totrain individuals to recognize cues of deception. To do this, we need to createeffective training curricula and educational tools. This paper describes how weused existing research to guide the design and development of a Web-based,multimedia training system called Agent99 Trainer to provide effective deceptiondetection training. The Agent99 Trainer system integrates explicit instructionon the cues of deception, detection experience through practice, and immediatefeedback with anytime, anywhere Web access. Our initial experimentsshow that our training improves human deception detection accuracy and theAgent99 Trainer system provides training as effective as instructor-led lecturebasedtraining.
Stability and protection of superconducting magnets-a discussion

The paper discusses stability and protection, two key issues for design and operation of superconducting magnets, both LTS and HTS. A rather optimistic view on stability is presented first, followed by discussion of protection issue, focusing on its sub-issues-overheating and internal voltage-for three types of magnets: 1) LTS cryostable magnet; 2) LTS adiabatic magnet; and 3) HTS adiabatic magnet.
The ineffectiveness of grooming in prevention of body fouling in the red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii

The frequency and duration (time spent) of various grooming behaviors were recorded with timelapse video and quantified. The intensity of body cleaning behavior in Procambarus clarkii, compared to that of some other decapod crustaceans, is quite low. Since molting, a growth process, completely rids the body of fouling in crustaceans, molting rates were measured in laboratory populations. In P. clarkii, intermolt periods during which epibiotic fouling could develop ranged from a few to several weeks, with intermolt period positively correlated to body size. Experiments were conducted in which the effectiveness of grooming was tested by exposing crayfishes to environmental fouling. Body cleaning was prevented in experimental treatments by ablation of appendages used in grooming. In control treatments, non-grooming appendages were removed. No significant effect of grooming on body fouling was found in the habitats (commercial crayfish pond; river) in which the experiments were conducted. It is concluded that the antifouling defenses of P. clarkii are not sufficient to resist heavy fouling pressures from tenacious exotic fouling organisms, both macroscopic (such as zebra mussels) or microscopic (microbial, protozoan) that might be introduced into commercial crayfish ponds or natural habitats. D 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.