cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myelin as a regulator of development of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Abstract Myelination in the peripheral and central nervous systems is critical in regulating motor, sensory, and cognitive functions. As myelination occurs rapidly during early life, neonatal gut dysbiosis during early colonization can potentially alter proper myelination by dysregulating immune responses and neuronal differentiation. Despite common usage of antibiotics (Abx) in children, the impact of neonatal Abx-induced dysbiosis on the development of microbiota, gut, brain (MGB) axis, including myelination and behavior, is unknown. We hypothesized that neonatal Abx-induced dysbiosis dysregulates host-microbe interactions, impairing myelination in the brain, and altering the MGB axis. Neonatal C57BL/6 mice were orally gavaged daily with an Abx cocktail (neomycin, vancomycin, ampicillin) or water (vehicle) from postnatal day 7 (P7) until weaning (P23) to induce gut dysbiosis. Behavior (cognition; anxiety-like behavior), microbiota sequencing, and qPCR (ileum, colon, hippocampus and pre-frontal cortex [PFC]) were performed in adult mice (6–8 weeks). Neonatal Abx administration led to intestinal dysbiosis in adulthood, impaired intestinal physiology, coupled with perturbations of bacterial metabolites and behavioral alterations (cognitive deficits and anxiolytic behavior). Expression of myelin-related genes (Mag, Mog, Mbp, Mobp, Plp) and transcription factors (Sox10, Myrf) important for oligodendrocytes were significantly increased in the PFC region of Abx-treated mice. Increased myelination was confirmed by immunofluorescence imaging and western blot analysis, demonstrating increased expression of MBP, SOX10 and MYRF in neonatally Abx-treated mice compared to sham controls in adulthood. Finally, administration of the short chain fatty acid butyrate following completion of the Abx treatment restored intestinal physiology, behavior, and myelination impairments, suggesting a critical role for the gut microbiota in mediating these effects. Taken together, we identified a long-lasting impact of neonatal Abx administration on the MGB axis, specifically on myelin regulation in the PFC region, potentially contributing to impaired cognitive function and bacterial metabolites are effective in reversing this altered phenotype.
The School Psychologist in Higher Education

This article discusses the roles of the school psychologist serving in institutions of higher education. Direct services to professors and administrators (and thus indirect services to students) in...
Quality versus quantity: Determining real-world social functioning deficits in schizophrenia.

Abstract Social dysfunction is a hallmark of schizophrenia that is associated with emotional disturbances. Researchers have employed ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to measure social and emotional functioning in people with schizophrenia. Yet, few studies have evaluated quality of real-world social interactions, and it is unclear how interactions impact emotional experiences in this population. Using novel EMA that passively collects audio data, we examined daily social behavior and emotion in schizophrenia (n = 38) and control (n = 36) groups. Contrary to hypotheses, both groups interacted with others at the same rate and exhibited similar levels of positive emotion. However, as expected, the schizophrenia group exhibited significantly less high-quality interactions and reported more negative emotion than controls. Social versus non-social context did not influence experienced emotion in either group. This is the first real-world study to passively assess quality of social interactions in schizophrenia. Although those with schizophrenia did not differ in their number of interactions, they were less likely to engage in substantive, personal conversations. Because high-quality interactions are linked with better social outcomes, this finding has important potential treatment implications. Future research should investigate quality of interactions across different types of social activities to gain a more nuanced understanding of social dysfunction in schizophrenia.
Inventory Accounting Method and Earnings‐Price Ratios*

Lee (1988) finds that LIFO firms have higher earnings-price (EP) ratios than non-LIFO firms despite the income-reducing effects of LIFO, a result contrary to economic intuition that Lee describes as a “puzzle.” This paper attempts to resolve this puzzle by introducing refined measures of variables that are related to both EP ratios and inventory costing method choices. The improved proxies are analysts' expectations of future growth rather than realized growth, beta computed using a procedure designed to reduce measurement error rather than the usual OLS beta, and leverage as a supplemental risk measure. Further, we control for expected earnings changes, since transitory earnings shocks that are not expected to persist in future earnings affect the numerator of the EP ratio. After controlling for these factors, we find that EP ratios for LIFO firms are actually lower than those of non-LIFO firms, a result consistent with economic intuition and the result expected by Lee.
Warning Bell: Liberals Implicitly Respond to Group Morality Before Rejecting it Explicitly

Moral Foundations Theory (Haidt & Graham, 2007) explains the intractability of many political disagreements as the result of liberals and conservatives reacting to different patterns of intuitive moral concerns. Research using self-report measures has shown that liberals endorse the Care/harm and Fairness/cheating foundations but generally do not endorse the Loyalty/betrayal, Authority/subversion, and Sanctity/degradation foundations, while conservatives endorse all five types of moral concerns (Graham, Haidt, & Nosek, 2009). Research on ideology and implicit attitudes (Jost, Federico, & Napier, 2010; Jost, Nosek, & Gosling, 2008) suggests that liberals may have more of a discrepancy between implicit reactions and endorsed attitudes than do conservatives. The present studies test whether liberals have implicit reactions to moral stimuli that contradict their consciously endorsed attitudes. The studies take a multi-method approach in order to measure moral reactions using different foundation-related stimuli and procedures, including self-reported gut reactions (Study 1), evaluative priming (Study 2), the Affect Misattribution Procedure (Study 3), and EEG event-related potentials (Study 4). The studies provide convergent evidence of implicit group-focused moral concerns in liberals not captured by explicit measures.
Unraveling the mysteries of the large watershed black box: Implications for the streamflow response to climate and landscape perturbations

[1] Spatial and temporal trends in stream chemistry have been used to provide insights into the scale dependencies of streamflow generation processes in small catchments. However, these scale dependencies have not been thoroughly investigated at large watershed scales (defined as drainage areas greater than 1000 km2). Quantifying these scale dependencies is critical to understanding how large watersheds will respond to future perturbations; e.g., the long-term streamflow response to climate change and/or changes in land-cover and land-use. Here we investigate the spatial and temporal scaling relationships of all dominant streamflow generation processes in a large alpine watershed in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Observations in the watershed indicate that dominant streamflow processes are spatially and temporally variable. The relative strengths of dominant streamflow mechanisms vary as a function of internal watershed structure (i.e., spatial variability in topographic relief, soil development, groundwater flowpath development, and stream network structure) and external forcing such as timing and character of precipitation. This behavior coupled with previous observations that streamflow from the watershed contained a significant component of basin-scale groundwater, suggests that similar large watersheds may have internal buffering, at least initially, against rapid change.
Cluster Detection in Databases: The Adaptive Matched Filter Algorithm and Implementation

Matched filter techniques are a staple of modern signal and image processing. They provide a firm foundation (both theoretical and empirical) for detecting and classifying patterns in statistically described backgrounds. Application of these methods to databases has become increasingly common in certain fields (e.g. astronomy). This paper describes an algorithm (based on statistical signal processing methods), a software architecture (based on a hybrid layered approach) and a parallelization scheme (based on a client/server model) for finding clusters in large astronomical databases. The method has proved successful in identifying clusters in real and simulated data. The implementation is flexible and readily executed in parallel on a network of workstations.
Fast orthogonal nonnegative matrix tri-factorization for simultaneous clustering

Orthogonal Nonnegative Matrix Tri-Factorization (ONMTF), a dimension reduction method using three small matrices to approximate an input data matrix, clusters the rows and columns of an input data matrix simultaneously However, ONMTF is computationally expensive due to an intensive computation of the Lagrangian multipliers for the orthogonal constraints In this paper, we introduce Fast Orthogonal Nonnegative Matrix Tri-Factorization (FONT), which uses approximate constants instead of computing the Lagrangian multipliers As a result, FONT reduces the computational complexity significantly Experiments on document datasets show that FONT outperforms ONMTF in terms of clustering quality and running time Moreover, FONT is further accelerated by incorporating Alternating Least Squares, and can be much faster than ONMTF.
Zinc Salts Inactivate Clinical Isolates of Herpes Simplex Virus In Vitro

Using a standard plaque assay and clinical isolates of herpes simplex virus (HSV), we have tested the ability of zinc salts to inactivate HSV. Virus was treated by incubation at 37°C with zinc salts in morpholinepropanesulfonic acid-buffered culture medium and was then diluted and plated onto CV-1 cells for detection and quantitation of remaining infectious virus. Of 10 randomly chosen clinical isolates (five HSV type 1 [HSV-1] isolates and five HSV-2 isolates), seven were inactivated >98% by treatment in vitro with 50 mM zinc gluconate for 2 h and nine were inactivated >97% by treatment with zinc lactate. The effect was concentration dependent. With an HSV-1 isolate, 50 mM zinc gluconate or zinc lactate caused 100% inactivation, 15 mM caused 98 to 99% inactivation, and 5 mM caused 63 to 86% inactivation. With an HSV-2 isolate, 50 and 15 mM zinc gluconate caused 30% inactivation and 5 and 1 mM caused less than 9% inactivation, whereas 50 and 15 mM zinc lactate caused greater than 92% inactivation and 5 and 1 mM caused 37 and 26% inactivation, respectively. The ability of the zinc salts to inactivate HSV was not related to pH in the pH range of 6.1 to 7.6 since inactivation by zinc gluconate or zinc lactate in that pH range was 99.7 to 100% with a 2-h treatment with 50 mM zinc salt. Short (5-min) treatments of selected isolates with zinc gluconate, zinc lactate, zinc acetate, or zinc sulfate yielded inactivation rates of 0 to 55%.
An acoustical guidance and position monitoring system for endotracheal tubes

A prototype instrument to guide the placement and continuously monitor the position of an endotracheal tube (ETT) was developed. An incident audible sound pulse is introduced into the proximal ETT and detected as it travels down the ETT via a miniature microphone located in the wall. This pulse is then emitted from the tube tip into the airways and the reflected signal from the airways is detected by the microphone. A well defined reflection arises from the point where the total cross sectional area of the airways increases rapidly, and the difference in timing between detection of the incident pulse and this reflection is used to determine ETT position or movement. This reflection is not observed if the ETT is erroneously placed in the esophagus. The amplitude and polarity of an additional reflection that occurs at the ETT tip is used to estimate the cross-sectional area of the airway in which the ETT is placed. This combined information allows discrimination between tracheal and bronchial intubation and can be used to insure an adequate fit between the ETT and trachea. The instrument has proven extremely reliable in multiple intubations in eight canines and offers the potential to noninvasively and inexpensively monitor ETT position in a continuous manner. >
Sensitivity of California Isolates of Uncinula necator to Trifloxystrobin and Spiroxamine, and Update on Triadimefon Sensitivity

ABSTRACT Sensitivities of Uncinula necator to spiroxamine and trifloxystrobin were established by assay of 36 and 35 isolates, respectively, recovered from California grape vineyards in 2002 and increased as single-spore lines for laboratory testing. Twenty-nine single-spore isolates also were evaluated for levels of sensitivity to the fungicide triadimefon to determine if there had been a reversion to sensitivity following the development of resistance in 1986. Although triadimefon use was limited after 1992, other demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides (fenarimol and myclobutanil) were used extensively in California vineyards. For spiroxamine, the sample mean value of the median effective concentration (EC50 value) was 365 μg/liter (95% confidence interval [CI] from 251 to 531 μg/liter) and values were distributed log-normally. The corresponding mean for trifloxystrobin was 12.8 μg/liter bounded by 8.9 to 18.5 μg/liter for the 95% CI. State-wide, the triadimefon mean EC50 was 8.8 mg/liter, bounded by ...
A Membrane-Mimetic barrier for islet encapsulation

A stabilized, membrane-mimetic film was produced on a polyelectrolyte multiplayer (PEM) by in-situ photopolymerization of an acrylate functonalized phospholipid assembly at a solid−liquid interface. The phospholipid monomer was synthesized, prepared as unilamellar vesicles, and fused onto close-packed octadecyl chains as part of an amphiphilic terpolymer anchored onto the PEM by electrostatic interactions. The lipid film displayed an advancing contact angle of ∼ 60°, elemental composition, as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, was in agreement with that anticipated for a lipid membrane. Data obtained from both high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and ellipsometry were consistent with the formation of a supported lipid monolayer. In addition, polarized external reflection infrared spectroscopy revealed significant acyl chain ordering induced on lipid fusion and polymerization. Doping the lipid assembly with a fluorescein terminated polymerizable lipid provided visible confirmation of f...
Heterogeneous nucleation of calcium oxalate on native oxide surfaces

The aqueous deposition of calcium oxalate onto colloidal oxides has been studied as a model system for understanding heterogeneous nucleation processes of importance in biomimetic synthesis of ceramic thin films. Calcium oxalate nucleation has been monitored by measuring induction times for nucleation using Constant Composition techniques and by measuring nucleation densities on extended oxide surfaces using an atomic force microscope. Results show that the dependence of calcium oxalate nucleation on solution supersaturation fits the functional form predicted by classical nucleation theories. Anionic surfaces appear to promote nucleation better than cationic surfaces, lowering the effective energy barrier to heterogeneous nucleation.
Reconstituting the Next Generation: An Analysis of the United Daughters of the Confederacy's Catechisms for Children

This essay examines the strategies a shattered collective may employ to reconstitute itself and its next generation. Specifically, I analyze how the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) encouraged members of the Children of the Confederacy to participate in their definition of the “Southern people” through the rhetoric of their catechisms. I argue that the UDC reconstituted a Southern people with a collective history, shared identity, common location, and unified action. Further, I contend that the UDC interpellated the Children into the Southern people with pathetic appeals and by having the Children perform the catechism ritual. The UDC's case offers insights beyond original constitution to illustrate rhetorical reconstitution, a process that rebuilds the fractured requirements of a de-collectivized people.
The regulation of histone gene expression during the cell cycle.

In this review, I will discuss the principal experimental basis for our present understanding of molecular mechanisms regulating histone gene expression. Particular emphasis will be given to the following issues: the nature of the mechanisms for S phase specific expression of histone genes; the coupling of histone gene expression and DNA synthesis; processes controlling the coordinate and stoichiometric production of histones during S phase; and the ability of the cell to titrate histone production to that quantity required for chromatin assembly
The Super-Stefan problem

The classical Stefan free-boundary problem describes the conduction of heat through a medium in which a phase change occurs at a prescribed temperature. Here is considered the more general case in which the freezing temperature lies strictly below the melting temperature, so the entropy is given by a hysteresis functional which permits super-cooling or super-heating of the medium. The model is developed and formulated as an evolution system in L1, and well-posedness results are described. This model and its connection to the evolution equation are made possible by our representation of the hysteresis functional as an ordinary differential equation subject to a constraint.
Inhibition of potassium currents by the antiarrhythmic drug E4031 in rat taste receptor cells

The effect of the class III antiarrhythmic agent E4031 was investigated on a non-cardiac preparation as a potential tool for studying potassium currents. Patch clamp recordings in the whole cell configuration were performed on dissociated rat taste cells. These cells possess a variety of potassium currents; they also conduct action potentials. Unlike its more specific action on a type of delayed rectifier channel in cardiac cells, three types of potassium currents were reversibly diminished in taste cells in the presence of E4031. These included transient, sustained, and inwardly-rectifying potassium currents. Activation properties were not altered but the inactivation curve was shifted to the left by approximately 10 mV. Inhibitions of whole cell currents were voltage-dependent, larger at depolarized potentials, but were never complete. E4031 significantly broadened the gustatory action potential and, at higher concentrations, inhibited spike height, suggesting an additional inhibitory effect on sodium channels that was evident in voltage-clamp records. We conclude that E4031 is an effective inhibitor of potassium currents in the micromolar range and that it likely acts at a conserved segment of the potassium channel.
An update on photodynamic therapies in the treatment of onychomycosis.

Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection of the nails that is increasing in prevalence in the old, diabetics and immunocompromised. Onychomycosis presents a therapeutic challenge that can lead to significant reductions in quality of life leading to both physical and psychological consequences. Current treatment modalities are difficult to implement due to the poor penetration of topical treatments to the nail bed, the slow growing nature of nails and the need for prolonged use of topical and/or oral medications. Standard of care medications have cure rates of 63‐76% that leads to a high propensity of treatment failures and recurrences. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers an alternative treatment for onychomycosis. Methylene blue dye, methyl-aminolevulinate (MAL) and aminolevulinic acid (ALA) have been used as photosensitizers with approximately 630 nm light. These modalities are combined with pre-treatment of urea and/or microabrasion for better penetration. PDT treatments are well tolerated with only mild transient pain, burning and erythema. In addition, significant cure rates for patients who have contraindications to oral medications or failed standard medications can be obtained. With further enhancements in photosensitizer permeability, decreased pre-treatment and photosensitizer incubation times, PDT can be a more efficient and cost-effective in office based treatment for onychomycosis. However, more large-scale randomized control clinical trials are needed to access the efficacy of PDT treatments.
Mathematical boundary integral equation analysis of an embedded shell under dynamic excitations

A boundary integral equation method is presented for the analysis of a thin cylindrical shell embedded in an elastic half-space under axisymmetric excitations. By virtue of a set of ring-load Green's functions for the shell and a group of dynamic fundamental solutions for the semi-infinite medium, the structure–medium interaction problem of wave propagation is shown to be reducible to a set of coupled boundary integral equations. Through the analysis of an auxiliary pair of Cauchy integral equations, the singularities of the contact stress distributions arc rendered explicit. With a direct incorporation of such analytical features into the formulation, an effective computational procedure is developed which involves an interpolation of regular functions only. Typical results for the dynamic contact load distributions, displacements, and complex compliance functions are included as illustrations. In addition to furnishing quantities of direct engineering interest, this treatment is apt to be useful as a foundation for further rigorous as well as approximate developments for various related physical problems and boundary integral methods.
Approach to the Patient with Subclinical Hyperthyroidism

Endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism, defined by normal circulating levels of free T4 and T3 and low levels of TSH, is a common clinical entity and is typically caused by the same conditions that account for the majority of cases of overt hyperthyroidism: Graves’ disease, toxic multinodular goiter, and solitary autonomously functioning thyroid nodules. Subclinical hyperthyroidism has been associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation and mortality, decreased bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, and mild hyperthyroid symptoms. Treatment of subclinical hyperthyroidism remains controversial, given the lack of prospective randomized controlledtrialsshowingclinicalbenefitwithrestorationoftheeuthyroid state. Nevertheless, it seems reasonable to treat older individuals whose serum TSH levels are less than 0.1 mU/liter and certain highrisk patients, even when the serum TSH is between 0.1 and the lower limit of the normal range. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 92: 3–9, 2007) The Case A 75-yr-old woman is found to have abnormal thyroid function tests when screened by her primary care physician, and she is referred for further evaluation. She has a history of dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes. She has no personal or family history of thyroid disease and no history of neck irradiation. Her physical examination is generally normal except for a bilaterally enlarged nodular thyroid gland with an estimated size of 40 g. Results of thyroid function tests are asfollows:freeT4,1.3ng/dl(0.8–1.8);T3,135ng/dl(80–180); TSH, 0.13 mU/liter (0.5–4.5). Thyroid sonography reveals a bilaterally enlarged gland with multiple isoechoic and hyperechoicnodulesranginginsizefrom1to3cm.Thenodules all have a spongiform appearance and a sonolucent halo. A thyroid radionuclide scan using I123 shows a bilaterally enlarged gland with multiple areas of increased and decreased tracer uptake consistent with a multinodular goiter. The 24-h thyroidal radioiodine uptake is 22%. A bone densitometry study done 2 yr earlier showed osteopenia in the lumbar spine and hip.
Textual Appropriation in Engineering Master's Theses: A Preliminary Study

In the thesis literature review, an engineering graduate student is expected to place original research in the context of previous work by other researchers. However, for some students, particularly those for whom English is a second language, the literature review may be a mixture of original writing and verbatim source text appropriated without quotations. Such problematic use of source material leaves students vulnerable to an accusation of plagiarism, which carries severe consequences. Is such textual appropriation common in engineering master’s writing? Furthermore, what, if anything, can be concluded when two texts have been found to have textual material in common? Do existing definitions of plagiarism provide a sufficient framework for determining if an instance of copying is transgressive or not? In a preliminary attempt to answer these questions, text strings from a random sample of 100 engineering master’s theses from the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database were searched for appropriated verbatim source text using the Google search engine. The results suggest that textual borrowing may indeed be a common feature of the master’s engineering literature review, raising questions about the ability of graduate students to synthesize the literature. The study also illustrates the difficulties of making a determination of plagiarism based on simple textual similarity. A context-specific approach is recommended when dealing with any instance of apparent copying.
Pulsatile pump perfusion of pancreata before human islet cell isolation.

Abstract Machine pulsatile perfusion for whole pancreas preservation might improve yield, viability, and function of human islets recovered after prolonged cold ischemia times. Four human pancreata were procured from cadaver donors (1 non–heart-beating donor) and stored in cold University of Wisconsin (UW) solution for a mean 13 hours prior to placement on a machine pulsatile perfusion device. The four pancreata were perfused for 4 hours with UW solution before undergoing islet isolation. Islets were quantified, viability was assessed, and insulin secretion was measured. Results were compared with nonpumped islet isolations stratified for cold ischemia time (CIT) 8 hours. The islet yield for the four pumped pancreata was 3435 (±1951) islet equivalents/gram pancreas tissue (IEQ/g), compared with a mean yield of 5134 (±2700) IEQ/g and 2640 (±1000) IEQ/g from pancreas with 8 hours CIT, respectively. The mean viability after machine pulsatile perfusion was 86% (vs 74% and 74% for the 8 hour CIT groups). The mean viable yield (total yield × viability) was 2937 IEQ/g for machine perfusion, compared with 3799 IEQ/g and 1937 IEQ/g from pancreata with 8 hours CIT, respectively. The insulin secretion index of islets after machine perfusion was 6.4, compared with indices of 1.9 and 1.8 for the 8 hour CIT groups. This preliminary data indicates that low-flow machine pulsatile perfusion of pancreata with prolonged cold ischemia time can result in excellent yield, viability, and function.
Retinal Tissue Oxygen Imaging by Near Infrared Light and White Light Interferometry

Human retina consists of multiple layers, with oxygen supply from chorioidal and retinal vascular circulations. A number of ocular disorders are associated with insufficient oxygen supply in the retinal layer. However no effective method has been developed yet to quantify the retinal tissue oxygen saturation. Diffuse optical imaging and spectroscopy (DOIS) offers a new opportunity for tissue oximetry. The technique is non-invasive, low cost, non-radioactive and real time. However, the application of DOIS in ocular imaging is hindered by the following limitations: 1) lack of spatial and depth resolution; 2) light transportation in thin layers less than single mean free path; 3) low scattering coefficient in neural retina and high absorption coefficient in RPE; 4) interference by retinal vessels. This paper discussed both theoretical and experimental works toward quantitative assessment of retinal tissue oxygenation. Theoretical side, photon migration in multi-layer tissue was simulated by solving diffusion equations in Fourier domain. The resulting diffuse reflectance was compared with Monte Carlo simulation. Experimental side, a dual modal imaging prototype was developed combining white light interferometry for tissue thickness measurement and near infrared spectroscopy for optical property measurement. The capability for white light interfferometry to capture thin layer thickness was demonstrated by a series of benchtop tests.
Enhancing the Spectral Sensitivity and Resolution of Interferometers Using Slow-Light Media

We demonstrate experimentally that the spectral sensitivity and resolution of an interferometer can be greatly enhanced by introducing a slow-light medium into it with an enhancement factor equal to the group index of the medium.
Transient MPK6 activation in response to oxygen deprivation and reoxygenation is mediated by mitochondria and aids seedling survival in Arabidopsis

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MPKs) are regulated by diverse stresses with a reactive oxygen species (ROS) component. Here, we report the rapid and transient activation of MPK3, MPK4 and MPK6 upon oxygen deprivation as well as reoxygenation in seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana. MPK activation peaked within 2 h of oxygen deprivation and again at a higher magnitude within 5 min of reoxygenation. MPK6 was the predominant kinase regulated by oxygen availability in both aerial and root tissue, except in mpk6 mutants, which displayed compensatory activation of MPK3. A universal consequence of oxygen deprivation in eukaryotes is inhibition of the terminal step of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (mETC). We demonstrate that treatment of seedlings with the mETC inhibitors antimycin A and potassium cyanide under normoxia promotes transient MPK6 and MPK3 activation. Confocal imaging of seedlings provided evidence that both oxygen deprivation and mETC inhibitors stimulate mitochondria-associated ROS production. We found that seedling survival of prolonged oxygen deprivation was improved in transgenics that ectopically overexpress MPK3, MPK4 and MPK6, but the induction of mRNAs associated with low oxygen acclimation responses were not markedly altered in MPK6 overexpression lines or mpk6 loss-of-function mutants. However, distinctions in MPK6 activation potential were correlated with other differences in mRNAs accumulation. Our findings suggest that oxygen deprivation and reoxygenation trigger mitochondrial ROS production to activate MPK signaling, which in turn regulate reversible processes that aid survival of transient oxygen deprivation.
Polymerization of olefins through heterogeneous catalysis. IX. Experimental study of propylene polymerization over a high activity MgCl2-supported Ti catalyst

Results from an experimental study of propylene polymerization in heptane diluent over a high activity Mg-supported Ti catalyst are presented. The study provides an examination of the effect of operating conditions on polymerization rate, product melt index, and powder bulk density. Among the findings are that product bulk density decreases with increasing operating temperature and decreasing operating pressure while prepolymerization increases the bulk density. The results support the hypothesis that polymer morphology is closely linked to mass transfer limitations within the growing polymer particle during the early stages of polymerization.
Design and testing of a hybrid polymeric electrostrictive/piezoelectric beam with bang–bang control

Abstract Electrostrictive materials, hard ceramics and soft polymers, have been used as precision actuators in many engineering applications. This study is to examine bang–bang control performance of a hybrid Plexiglas beam laminated with polymeric electrostrictive (RTV 270) actuator and piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensor layers using both analytical and experimental techniques. Material characteristics are calibrated via static testing first; a hybrid beam model is then fabricated and an experiment set-up, consisting of a bang–bang controller, high-voltage amplifier, data acquisition system and the hybrid beam system, is designed to evaluate vibration control characteristics (i.e., damping ratio estimation) of the hybrid beam subjected to various control conditions. Due to the quadratic behaviour of electrostrictive materials, the controller activates the electrostrictive actuator only in upward motion of the beam, with reference to signals generated from the piezoelectric sensor. Base on constitutive equations and dynamic/control characteristics, a mathematic hybrid beam model is also derived from the electrostrictive thin shell theory and its dynamic responses, based on the finite difference discretization, are simulated to predict damping ratios resulting from control forces induced by the electrostrictive actuators. Dynamic responses (with and without control) of the physical beam model are measured and compared with simulation results. Favourable comparison suggests that the mathematical model describes the experimental model very well and its application to other advanced structures can be proceeded.
Quantum Localization in Amorphous W-Re Alloys

The resistance of amorphous W-Re wires between 2 and 20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} K has been measured. Wires with a resistance of approximately 10 k\ensuremath{\Omega} show a different temperature dependence from that of wires with a resistance of over 200 k\ensuremath{\Omega}. The latter show a relative increase in resistance as the temperature is decreased or the magnetic field is increased. These wires also show an anomalous dependence of resistance on width and length. These results are discussed in the perspective of Thouless's suggestion of maximum metallic resistance.
The role of protein dynamics in increasing binding affinity for an engineered protein-protein interaction established by H/D exchange mass spectrometry.

It is generally accepted that protein and solvation dynamics play fundamental roles in the mechanisms of protein−protein binding; however, assessing their contribution meaningfully has not been straightforward. Here, hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (H/D-Ex) was employed to assess the role of dynamics for a high-affinity human growth hormone variant (hGHv) and the wild-type growth hormone (wt-hGH) each binding to the extracellular domain of their receptor (hGHbp). Comparative analysis of the transient fluctuations in the bound and unbound states revealed that helix-1 of hGHv undergoes significant transient unfolding in its unbound state, a characteristic that was not found in wt-hGH or apparent in the temperature factor data from the X-ray analysis of the unbound hGHv structure. In addition, upon hormone binding, an overall increase in stability was observed for the β-sheet structure of hGHbp which included sites distant from the binding interface. On the basis of the stability, binding kinet...
M-structure in Banach spaces

L-structure in a Banach space X was defined in (3) by L-projections, that is projections P satisfyingfor all x ∈ X. The significance of L-structure is shown by the following facts: (1) All L-projections on X commute and together form a complete Boolean algebra. (2) X can be isometrically represented as a vector-valued L1 on a measure space constructed from the Boolean algebra of its L-projections (2). (3) L1-spaces in the ordinary sense are characterized among Banach spaces by properties equivalent to having so many L-projections that the representation in (2) is everywhere one-dimensional.
Structure of an unusual complex-type oligosaccharide isolated from Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Abstract An asparagine-linked oligosaccharide with an unusual structure has been isolated from Pronase digests of Chinese hamster ovary cell glycoproteins using gel filtration, ion exchange chromatography, and affinity chromatography on lectin-Sepharose columns. The oligosaccharide contained approximately 7.5% of the total cellular glycopeptide galactose and 1.3% of the mannose. The structure of the oligosaccharide was determined by the combination of methylation analysis and digestion with exo - and endo -glycosidases. The oligosaccharide has predominantly a triantennary structure consisting of repeating [Galβ1 → 4GlcNAcβ1 → 3] units in the outer branches linked to a trimannosyl-di- N,N′ -acetyl-chitobiose core. It resembles oligosaccharides present on human erythrocyte glycoproteins and corneal keratan sulfate.
Cloning and characterisation of genes encoding two transforming growth factor-β-like ligands from the hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum

Abstract To elucidate the role of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signalling in the arrest/reactivation pathway of the Ancylostoma caninum hookworm, two parasite-encoded TGF-β-like ligands were cloned and characterised. Ac - dbl -1 showed 60% amino acid identity to the Caenorhabditis elegans dbl -1 gene, which regulates growth while Ac - daf -7 showed 46% amino acid identity to Ce - daf -7 which regulates arrested development. Exon/intron organisation of the genes for Ac - dbl -1 and Ac - daf -7 were different from that of the corresponding C. elegans genes with nine and 10 exons, respectively, and introns ranging in size from 56 to 2556 bp. Based on real-time reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR, Ac - dbl -1 and Ac - daf -7 were expressed in all stages tested, i.e. egg, first/second stage larvae (L1/L2), infective third stage larvae (iL3), serum-stimulated third stage larvae (ssL3), and male and female adult worms. Expression of Ac - dbl -1 peaked in the adult male stage suggesting a similar role to Ce - dbl -1 in regulating male tail patterning. Ac - daf -7 expression was at a maximum in the arrested iL3 and reactivated ssL3 stages, which differs from that of Ce - daf -7 expression and may be unique to parasitic nematodes that have an obligate requirement to undergo developmental arrest. In support of the PCR results, antibodies to the A. caninum TGF-β-like ligands detected proteins in iL3, ssL3, and adult worm extracts. Immunofluorescent studies showed that Ac - daf -7 is expressed in the anterior region of the iL3 similar to Ce - daf -7, which is localised to the ASI chemosensory neurons.
Patch clamp analysis of chemically activated and modulated ionic channels in isolated mammalian cardiomyocytes.

Techniques routinely utilized in this laboratory for recording currents through single ionic channels of isolated atrial and ventricular rat cardiomyocytes are described. Emphasis is placed in two main areas: first, on methods for obtaining a sufficient yield of Ca++-tolerant myocytes suitable for patch clamp experiments, and secondly, on methods for analyzing the temporal characteristics of ‘patched’ ionic channels. These methods were used on acetylcholine activated K+ channels in isolated atrial myocytes and on an inwardly-rectifying K+ channel in ventricular myocytes. The latter is an example of a hormonally modulated K+ channel, since its activity could be substantially increased by norepinephrine. Analysis of the closed and open time distributions suggested that one of the closed states of this channel is markedly abbreviated by norepinephrine, whereas the open state is nearly unaffected. Norepinephrine was effective when channel activity was recorded from on-cell patches and the hormone was added to the solution bathing the cell membrane outside of the patched area. This indicates that a second messenger substance is probably mediating the action of norepinephrine.
Self-sustained oscillations of shear flow past a slotted plate coupled with cavity resonance

Abstract Shear flow past a slotted plate configuration can give rise to highly coherent, self-sustained oscillations when coupling occurs with a resonant mode of an adjacent cavity. The distinctive feature of these oscillations is that the wavelength of the coherent instability along the plate is of the order of the plate length. This observation is in contrast to previous investigations of flow past perforated or slotted surfaces, where the instability scales on the diameter of the perforation or the gap length of a slot. The present oscillations occur even when the inflow boundary layer is turbulent and an inflectional form of the shear flow cannot develop along the cavity opening, due to the presence of the slotted plate. Instigation of a resonant mode of the cavity, in conjunction with an inherent instability of the shear flow along the plate, gives rise to ordered clusters of instantaneous vorticity and instantaneous velocity correlation. During the oscillation, ejection of flow occurs from the cavity to the region of the shear flow; this ejection is in accord with the convection of the large-scale cluster of vorticity along the slotted plate. This oscillation can be effectively detuned by adjusting the inflow velocity, such that the inherent instability of the shear flow past the slotted plate is no longer coincident with the resonant frequency of the cavity. Certain features of this self-sustained oscillation are directly analogous to recent findings of oscillations due to shear flow past a perforated plate bounded by a cavity, but in the absence of cavity resonance effects.
The Cosmos as Creative Mind: Spontaneous Arising, Generating, and Creating in the Heng Xian

One of the key concepts in the Heng Xian is the concept of creation, as expressed through a process of spontaneous arising and spontaneous generation. This article analyzes the mechanics of spontaneous creation in terms of the cosmogony that is prominent in the text. I also show how psychomorphic descriptions of the cosmos—associated with the process of cosmogenesis—provide an explanation for change and movement in the cosmos as well as a template for idealized human action in the world. Lastly, I suggest a possible cultural context in which such descriptions of creation became prominent in the late Warring States period.
Bivariate distributions of some ratios of independent noncentral chi-square random variables

The bivariate distributions of three pairs of ratios of in¬dependent noncentral chi-square random variables are considered. These ratios arise in the problem of computing the joint power function of simultaneous F-tests in balanced ANOVA and ANCOVA. The distributions obtained are generalizations to the noncentral case of existing results in the literature. Of particular note is the bivariate noncentral F distribution, which generalizes a special case of Krishnaiah*s (1964,1965) bivariate central F distribution. Explicit formulae for the cdf's of these distribu¬tions are given, along with computational procedures
Chronopsies assess the within-day variability of blood pressure and pulse.

Blood pressure and pulse were monitored throughout 24 hours in 13 middle-aged men using a sphygmomanometer with an automatically inflatable cuff. These volunteers were in part mistakenly believed to have a "mildly elevated blood pressure" (in the light of a conventional non-chronobiologic approach, involving timeunspecified spot checks of blood pressure). Within about 24 hours, blood pressures and pulse varied remarkably: the coefficient of variation extended from 6.9 to 14.9% for systolic blood pressure (SBP), from 8.5 to 15.4% for diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and from 8.0 to 17.9% for pulse. By applying the single cosinor method (involving the least-squares fit of a 24-hour cosine curve), statistically significant circadian rhythms were observed in SBP, DBP, and pulse in all but 2 cases. In most cases, the timing of peak values was estimated to be in the evening for all 3 variables. Circadian rhythmicity accounted for up to 46, 30, and 42% of the total variability of SBP, DBP, and pulse, respectively. This marked circadian rhythmic variability is an important aspect of cardiovascular function.
STS database risk models: predictors of mortality and major morbidity for lung cancer resection.

Background The aim of this study is to create models for perioperative risk of lung cancer resection using the STS GTDB (Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Database). Methods The STS GTDB was queried for all patients treated with resection for primary lung cancer between January 1, 2002 and June 30, 2008. Three separate multivariable risk models were constructed (mortality, major morbidity, and composite mortality or major morbidity). Results There were 18,800 lung cancer resections performed at 111 participating centers. Perioperative mortality was 413 of 18,800 (2.2%). Composite major morbidity or mortality occurred in 1,612 patients (8.6%). Predictors of mortality include the following: pneumonectomy (p Conclusions Thoracic surgeons participating in the STS GTDB perform lung cancer resections with a low mortality and morbidity. The risk-adjustment models created have excellent performance characteristics and identify important predictors of mortality and major morbidity for lung cancer resections. These models may be used to inform clinical decisions and to compare risk-adjusted outcomes for quality improvement purposes.
Electron spin resonance and optical spectra of the complexes of dialkylnitrosoamines with cytochrome P-450.

Summary Optical absorpiton and Electron Spin Resonance studies have been conducted on cytochrome P-450 complexes with dialkylnitrosoamines. Under reducing conditions, it was observed that these labile carcinogens when incubated with cytochrome P-450 either derived from rat liver microsomes or as purified preparations from rabbit liver or camphor, gave optical and ESR spectra characteristic of cytochrome P-450-NO complexes. Verification of the spectra was made by comparison with complexes derived either from reduced NaNo 2 or NO gas. These results suggest that the dialkylnitrosoamines are metabolized by the mixed function oxidase system in microsomes to yield free NO which complexes to cytochrome P-450 to rapidly yield cytochrome P-420.
Factors Affecting Urinary Excretion of 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol in Children and Its Clinical Significance

The utilization of 24-hour urinary excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) as a biological marker in clinical studies of psychiatric disorders in childhood is gaining popularity. Several factors that are known to alter MHPG excretion in adults have not been studied in children. Preliminary findings in this report indicate that MHPG excretion in children correlates positively with age, body surface, and urinary creatinine; is higher in boys than in girls; and is not affected by low monoamine diet. Expressing 24-hour urinary MHPG in children as micrograms per 24 hours per square meter (m 2 ) of body surface is recommended. Physiological changes that affect MHPG levels are reviewed and their significance is discussed.
Amicus Curiae Briefs By the Solicitor General During the Warren and Burger Courts: a Research Note:

HE solicitor general is the representative of the executive branch before the Supreme Court of the United States. The office has four major functions: it screens losing cases involving the United States for review to the Supreme Court; it argues for or against review of cases not involving the United States to the Supreme Court; it argues cases for the United States as direct party before the Court; and it files amicus curiae briefs for litigants before the Court when the U.S. is not a direct party. This research note will examine the the solicitor general in its fourth stated role, amicus curiae. It will do so by updating and expanding upon the works by Scigliano (1971), Puro (1971, 1981), O'Connor (1983) and Ulmer and Willison (1985). As O'Connor has noted, "the solicitor general's amicus briefs have had a substantial effect on public policy, through without the scrutiny given other arenas in the political system" (p. 264). Using the population of amicus briefs filed from 1953 until 1982, this paper will describe and explain the ideological direction of such briefs, the factors affecting the solicitors' success rates and the votes of the justices.