cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antibody isotypes in sera of equine fetuses aborted due to Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona-type kennewicki infection

Leptospira-specific antibody isotypes in sera of late term equine fetuses aborted due to Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona-type kennewicki infection were characterized and compared with those of their dams. IgM was the dominant Leptospira-Specific isotype in both fetuses and mares. However, IgGa was the isotype in highest concentration in petal sera and strong Leptospira-specific IgGa but no IgGb and little or no IgG(T) were detected. In contrast, although IgGb was quantitatively the dominant isotype in mares serum, Leptospira-specific serum IgG in aborting mares was dominated by IgG(T) but also included large amounts of IgGa and IgGb. IgGa and IgGb were quantitatively the dominant isotypes in sera of fetuses and mares, respectively. Affinity purified IgGa from fetuses did not agglutinate leptospires but serum devoid of IgGa did, suggesting that IgM is the principal agglutinating antibody. It is concluded that the equine fetus is deficient in IgGb and IgG(T) synthesis.
The occurrence of methylazoxymethanol in Cycas circinalis L.

Cycas circinalis nuts were chemically fractionated and bioassayed for toxicity. Three of the nine fractions obtained were acutely toxic. The toxic water-soluble fraction was passed through a carbon column; then the material eluted from the column was chromatographed on a cellulose column. A compound, which occurred pure in three of the 30 eluate fractions collected, was crystallized and identified as cycasin, methylazoxymethoxyglucoside. Cycasin was previously reported by other workers to be acutely toxic. Toxicity in two of the fractions was probably due to cycasin. The ethyl ether-soluble Fraction B when ingested by rats in high doses produced acute liver damage, causing death. Smaller doses over a long period of time produced hepatomas. Evidence is presented to show that Fraction B contains methylazoxymethanol, the aglycone of cycasin. The formaldehyde determination by the chromotropic acid method is shown to be applicable for rapid measurement of the quantity of cycasin in cycad nuts.
Effect of suspending medium on heat resistance of spores of Clostridium perfringens.

THE degree of heat resistance of spores of the various strains of Clostridium perfringens is a matter of both theoretical and practical importance, particularly because the organism is a potential food poisoning species. Studies carried out in various laboratories, by, among others, Hall et al.1, have indicated that spores of selected strains, when produced in Ellner's medium2, are less heat resistant than those produced in SEC broth. Hall et al. stated, “It seems probable that the atypical spores noted so frequently in this medium did not possess the heat resistant characteristic of those produced in foods by the parent strain”.
Mechanism for electrochemical hydrogen insertion in carbonaceous materials

The mechanism for safe and reversible storage of hydrogen in porous carbonaceous materials by electrochemical decomposition of water in alkaline electrolyte is proposed. Atomic H was found to be inserted into the microdomains of defective graphene layers. Hydrogen storage capacity increases with increasing interlayer distance between carbon sheets. Hydrogen insertion in carbonaceous materials occurs at ambient conditions. Static potential acts as an electrochemical valve which can retain the hydrogen in the carbon structure, thus preventing leakage during storage.
Fabrication of porous and pillar-shaped Mg by magnetron sputtering

Abstract We report on the synthesis of nanostructured Mg platelets with nanopores and Mg pillars by magnetron sputtering techniques under different deposition conditions. By varying deposition parameters, the morphology of Mg varied from fully dense epitaxial films to polycrystalline nanoporous structures containing hexagonal platelets. The influence of layer thickness, deposition rate, incidence angle and mode of deposition (DC vs. RF sputtering) on morphology of Mg was investigated. Mg nanopillars were formed via glancing angle deposition technique. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation was performed to examine the influence of surface diffusion on morphology of Mg films.
The influence of long-term estrogen treatments on daily plasma prolactin levels in ovariectomized rats

Abstract Prolactin levels were determined in the plasma of female rats from 4 to 54 days after ovariectomy or ovariectomy and treatment with a long acting polymer of estradiol, polyestradiol phosphate (PEP), or Silastic implants of crystalline estradiol-17β. Blood samples were withdrawn from indwelling aortic catheters in the morning (0900–1100) and afternoon (1500–1700). Both methods of estrogen delivery elevated plasma prolactin in the morning and afternoon compared to ovariectomized controls. However, the increases in the afternoon were significantly greater than those in the morning. The difference from ovariectomized controls and the morning-afternoon differences were maintained for 25–26 days in the polyestradiol phosphate-treated group whereas those differences in the group receiving the implants of estradiol were significant for the entire length of the experiment (54 days). In addition, there were periodic fluctuations in the morning and afternoon levels of prolactin in the estradiol implanted animals. It is suggested that the plasma prolactin response to estrogen varies with time of day, time after administration of estrogen and with the method of estrogen delivery.
Doing advocacy from a feminist standpoint

AbstractFeminist Standpoint theory contends that all research is partial, located, and interested. It argues that research should start from the standpoint of the disadvantaged and work toward social change. Following a brief exploration of the perspective, this article explores some of the ways that feminists pursue advocacy. The article reviews two methodological approaches employed by Feminist Standpoint researchers: Community Action Research and Institutional Ethnography. Turning to examine the work of several feminist scholars who study religion, we see that there is no one way that they do advocacy. There is considerable variation in choice of subject (who feminists advocate for) and audience (who feminists advocate to), as well as in the forms that advocacy takes. Finally, the article suggests that for these scholars of religion, being an advocate is an important identity that they bring to their work.
A new philosophy for model selection and performance estimation of data-based approximate mappings

The MC-HARP algorithm uses a Monte Carlo strategy in conjunction with a hierarchical adaptive random partitioning scheme to develop data-based approximate mappings. An estimate of the variance of the Monte Carlo sample for every point in the domain (as opposed to only data points) is a natural artifact of the MC-HARP algorithm. We define global measures, computed from the approximation variance function, that are indicative of the performance of the approximation. We show how these performance indices can be used to select an MC-HARP model with optimal complexity when the data are polluted with noise. The proposed approach represents a philosophical departure from currently available sampling-based techniques for model selection and performance estimation and has distinct advantages when spatial relationships among the data are important.
Effect of Body Weight and Adiposity on Physical Fitness in Healthy Adolescent Females. 1

Decreased physical activity and increased adiposity are commonly found in adolescent females and contribute to the pathological manifestations of syndromes like obesity, noninsulin dependent diabetes, and/or polycystic ovarian syndrome. But the important relationship between fitness and fatness has not been adequately studied in large part because of confounding effects of adiposity on the determinants of traditional indexes of fitness like maximal oxygen uptake (VdotO2max). We used serial, magnetic resonance images of the right thigh to noninvasively measure muscle and fat volume of 44 healthy females (age 15-17 y.o.). VdotO2max was measured using standard progressive cycle ergometer protocols. As expected, when normalized to body weight VdotO2max/kg decreased as thigh fat increased. In contrast, VdotO2max normalized to muscle mass was independent of thigh fat. In healthy adolescent females, adiposity is not associated with muscle size-independent components of fitness (such as mitochondrial or capillary density). If fitness declines with increasing adiposity, the mechanism is likely related to a decrease in muscle volume relative to fat Figure
Correction of systematic errors in measuring convection coefficients in a liquid-fluidized bed

Abstract Several studies of liquid-fluidized beds have measured convection coefficients based on electrical power dissipation from surfaces that are closely wrapped with resistance wire. In this technique, convection coefficients are determined by plotting dissipated power vs average wire temperature, the latter quantity determined from measurements of wire resistivity. Studies in our laboratory have revealed significant systematic errors in convection coefficients measured in this manner. The errors are of two types. First, the technique assumes that the surface being tested is at a uniform temperature equal to the wire temperature. Second, the technique assumes that all the heat is dissipated directly to the fluidized bed from the wire-wrapped region of the surface. Under the experimental conditions we investigated, these assumptions yielded underestimates of convection coefficients by 20–35%. We present a methodology that a accounts for these errors, thus preserving the utility of the heated-wire technique.
Lamivudine and interferon versus lamivudine monotherapy for HBeAg-positive hepatitis B treatment: a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials.

The suboptimal outcomes of current chronic hepatitis B treatments have prompted the notion of combination therapy as a means of augmenting the therapeutic response. In this study, investigators compared lamivudine monotherapy versus its combination with conventional or pegylated interferon-α, pooling data from all pertinent randomized controlled studies into the meta-analysis. The studies were evaluated for methodologic quality and heterogeneity. Rates of sustained virologic and biochemical responses and of hepatitis B e antigen clearance and seroconversion were used as primary efficacy measures. Quantitative meta-analyses were conducted to assess differences between groups for conventional and pegylated interferon, and overall. Analysis yielded greater sustained virologic, biochemical, and seroconversion rates with the addition of conventional (odds ratio [OR]=4.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.2–9.4,P}<.001; OR=2.1, 95% CI=1.3–3.2,P=.002; and OR=2.6, 95% CI=1.4–4.8,P=.001, respectively) and pegylated (OR=2.0, 95% CI=1.1–3.6,P=.02; OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.3–2.6,P}<.001; and OR=1.6, 95% CI=1.1–2.3,P=.03, respectively) interferon-α to lamivudine, with the former also yielding greater hepatitis B e antigen clearance rates (OR=2.6, 95% CI=1.3–5.2,P=.008). As previous studies suggested that pegylated interferon monotherapy and its combination with lamivudine were comparable, the use of this combination is not justified. In contrast, when conventional interferon-α is used, its combination with lamivudine should be considered.
Dark CO2 Fixation and its Role in the Growth of Plant Tissue

Experiments were designed to determine the significance of dark CO(2) fixation in excised maize roots, carrot slices and excised tomato roots grown in tissue culture. Bicarbonate-(14)C was used to determine the pathway and amounts of CO(2) fixation, while leucine-(14)C was used to estimate protein synthesis in tissues aerated with various levels of CO(2).Organic acids were labeled from bicarbonate-(14)C, with malate being the major labeled acid. Only glutamate and aspartate were labeled in the amino acid fraction and these 2 amino acids comprised over 90% of the (14)C label in the ethanol-water insoluble residue.Studies with leucine-(14)C as an indicator of protein synthesis in carrot slices and tomato roots showed that those tissues aerated with air incorporated 33% more leucine-(14)C into protein than those aerated with CO(2)-free air. Growth of excised tomato roots aerated with air was 50% more than growth of tissue aerated with CO(2)-free air. These studies are consistent with the suggestion that dark fixation of CO(2) is involved in the growth of plant tissues.
Hallucinations and Reversed Cerebral Dominance in Mesial Temporal Sclerosis

The localizing value of experiential phenomena in temporal and occipital lobe epilepsy has become increasingly elucidated. We describe complex visual and auditory hallucinations in a right-handed adolescent and review the localization value of ictal visual and auditory auras in partial epilepsy. A 15-year-old right-handed girl with 2 previous secondarily generalized seizures manifested a new semiology of complex visual and auditory hallucinations, characterized by seeing a school bus full of children and then hearing a male voice tell her to "feed the children." Feeling compelled, she "fed" the children, and they reboarded the bus and the bus drove away. Video electroencephalogram monitoring demonstrated fluent language during her seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging was compatible with left mesial temporal sclerosis. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography demonstrated left temporal hypometabolism. An ictal single-photon emission computed tomography study demonstrated left anterior temporal hyperperfusion; Wada testing revealed reversed cerebral dominance. The patient underwent left anterior temporal lobectomy without complication and remains seizure-free. Complex auditory and visual hallucinations can occur in occipitotemporal and anteromedial temporal epilepsy. Reversed cerebral dominance is more common in children than adults and should be considered in any dextral person with fluent ictal speech with a left-sided epileptogenic lesion.
β-Secretase (BACE-1) inhibitors : Accounting for 10s loop flexibility using rigid active sites

Abstract BACE-1 is a flexible enzyme with experimentally determined motion in the flap region, the catalytic aspartates, and the 10s loop. Four in-house crystallographically determined complexes of tertiary carbinamine inhibitors revealed 10s loop motion in the S 3 pocket. These X-ray structures were used to correlate K i values, which span over five orders of magnitude, with the calculated interaction energy, using the Merck Molecular Force Field for a series of 19 tertiary carbinamine inhibitors.
Does Active Control Eliminate the Aperture Illusion

When a contour moves behind a circular aperture, observers misperceive the contour's motion as perpendicular to its orientation regardless of its true motion. This aperture illusion is relevant to the design of technologies that limit an observer's field of view, for example, cameras used in minimally-invasive surgery. Thus, it is important to determine the conditions under which the illusion occurs and how to eliminate it. In prior studies of the aperture illusion, observers passively viewed displays in which a line moved behind an aperture. Here, we demonstrated that the illusion occurred when participants actively controlled the line's motion. Furthermore, the aperture illusion was smaller with a rectangular aperture compared with a circle or octagon. Further research of this kind will help improve the design of technologies that limit an observer's field of view.
Estimating stuck fault coverage in sequential logic using state traversal and entropy analysis

Stuck fault coverage estimation for sequential circuits relies on a time expansion model, where combinational techniques are employed for each time-frame. Faults that are hard to detect and require a particular sequence of states are often incorrectly estimated to be detected. This problem is more evident for designs that exhibit low coverage either due to low testability or insufficient vectors that fail to exercise the required sequence of states. This paper illustrates how a simple state traversal analysis can mitigate this problem. For circuits with large number of sequential elements, we propose an entropy based technique that collapses the state graph to be analyzed. Experimental results for larger ISCAS benchmarks show that this technique reduces the coverage estimation error by as much as 50%.
Hepatoblastoma presenting with focal nodular hyperplasia after treatment of neuroblastoma

Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is a benign, poorly understood hepatic tumor that is rare in children. Although there is no evidence for malignant degeneration, FNH can occur adjacent to a malignancy. Here, the case of a 4-year-old boy with a hepatic mass and history of stage IV neuroblastoma is presented. Initial imaging and core-needle biopsy were consistent with FNH. However, after left lateral segmentectomy, pathologic examination revealed a malignant tumor most consistent with small cell undifferentiated hepatoblastoma as well as 3 foci of FNH in the surrounding parenchyma.
What is computation

Our culture is in the process of renegotiating what it thinks computation and computer really mean.
Response of longleaf pine plantations to litter removal.

Abstract Potential impact of litter removal in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) plantations includes disruption of both hydrologic and macronutrient cycles. Both could cause growth reduction of plantation trees. In longleaf pine plantations on the Savannah River Plant which were examined 2 or 3 years following litter removal, growth (as determined by ring analysis) was reduced in the first year following removal. Growth reduction may also continue through the second year. Due to the rapid response to litter removal, disruption of the hydrologic cycle seems most probable. No differences were found in macronutrient concentration of foliage or litter components between treatments. The economic benefit of this practice must be evaluated in light of the observed growth reduction to determine the overall costs of this practice.
College of Business Faculty Views on Gift Authorships in Business Journals.

The views of college of business faculty were sought to determine their perception on the extent of undeserved authorship in business journals and their impact on the faculty reward system. Six hundred ninety-eight faculty members responded to an electronic survey conducted through Zoomerang. A total of 80% of the respondents indicated that they had been aware of a faculty member undeservedly being carried on a published business journal article, and 58% indicated that they had collaborated with a coauthor who had performed very little work, and 18% reported working with a coauthor who had actually done no work on a published article.
An externally air-cooled low-flow torch for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Abstract A low-flow torch specifically designed for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was developed and evaluated. The outside of the torch is cooled externally by pressurized air flowing at ∼70 l min−1 through a fourth tube sealed onto the usual ‘outer’ tube of a standard minitorch. This external air flow merely cools the outer tube of the torch and does not enter the plasma. Although plasmas can be sustained at operating power as low as 400 W with a 2 l min−1 outer Ar flow, somewhat higher power and flows are advisable. A stable and analytically useful plasma can be obtained at 850 W with an outer Ar flow rate of only 4 l min−1. Under optimum operating conditions, the externally air-cooled plasma produces comparable sensitivities, M2+/M+ signal ratios, matrix effects and other analytical figures of merit as those produced by a conventional torch while using much less argon. MO+/M+ signal ratios are slightly higher with the externally cooled torch.
The Association of Alcohol Consumption with Coronary Heart Disease Mortality and Cancer Incidence Varies by Smoking History

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of alcohol on coronary heart disease (CHD), cancer incidence, and cancer mortality by smoking history. DESIGN/SETTING: A prospective, general community cohort was established with a baseline mailed questionnaire completed in 1986. PARTICIPANTS: A population-based sample of 41,836 Iowa women aged 55–69 years. MEASUREMENTS: Mortality (total, cancer, and CHD) and cancer incidence outcomes were collected through 1999. Relative hazard rates (HR) were calculated using Cox regression analyses. MAIN RESULTS: Among never smokers, alcohol consumption (≥14 g/day vs none) was inversely associated with age-adjusted CHD mortality (HR, 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.19 to 0.84) and total mortality (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55 to 0.92). Among former smokers. alcohol consumption was also inversely associated with CHD mortality (HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.88) and total mortality (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62 to 0.97), but was positively associated with cancer incidence (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.51). Among current smokers, alcohol consumption was not associated with CHD mortality (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.73 to 1.50) or total mortality (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.92 to 1.25), but was positively associated with cancer incidence (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.54). CONCLUSIONS: Health behavior counseling regarding alcohol consumption for cardioprotection should include a discussion of the lack of a decreased risk of CHD mortality for current smokers and the increased cancer risk among former and current smokers.
Evaluation of non-fumigant alternatives to methyl bromide for weed control and crop yield in California strawberries (Fragaria ananassa L.)

Abstract In California, USA, agricultural fumigant use regulations hinder the complete transition from methyl bromide (MB) to alternative fumigants. Alternative fumigants such as 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) and chloropicrin (Pic) are being used on approximately half of California conventional strawberry production fields. Geographic use limits and buffer zones set by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for 1,3-D + Pic restrict a more complete replacement of MB. Due to the regulatory constraints and public resistance to fumigant use, it is necessary to develop fumigant-free strawberry production systems. Trials were conducted during the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 strawberry growing seasons at Salinas and Watsonville, California. Non-fumigant treatments including steam, mustard seed meal (MSM), Muscodor albus, and furfural, fertilizers including Mustard Products & Technologies fertilizer and stabilised urea, and fungicide treatments including AG3(NP), fludioxonil + mefenoxam (mfx), and mfx + thiophanate-methyl were evaluated for weed control and strawberry fruit yield, and compared to MB + Pic (MBPic) standard soil fumigation and an untreated control. Steam treatment applied pre-plant to achieve soil temperature of ≥70 °C for 20 min up to 25 cm soil depth consistently provided weed control similar to the MBPic standard soil fumigation. Use of oxyfluorfen herbicide prior to fungicide applications in 2008/2009 also controlled weeds similar to the MBPic standard soil fumigation. Strawberry yields in steam-treated plots with the exception of steam alone in 2007/2008 at Salinas, were comparable to MBPic. At Watsonville in 2008/2009, treatment effect on strawberry yields was insignificant. Yields in furfural and MSM treatments were comparable to MBPic only in some years or sites. With the exception of steam, none of the treatments can be considered viable replacement to MB.
Debate on the Chernobyl disaster: response to Dr. Sergei V. Jargin.

The stated purpose of Chernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment, published by the New York Academy of Sciences in 2009, was to challenge and answer publications on Chernobyl and its aftermath by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Until the independence of the WHO from the IAEA is assured, we can have little faith in their statements, whether it involves Chernobyl or Fukushima.
On the Performance of Some Sequential Multiple-Decision Procedures

The performance of several sequential procedures for the following multiple-decision problem is investigated. Samples from k random processes (or populations) are available, k at a time (one from each process), to a receiver or data processor. One process contains a signal; the other k - 1 are statistically identical noise. The receiver is to select the odd process (locate the signal), with prescribed probability of error. The optimal receiver makes the selection in minimum average time. Analytical and Monte Carlo computations were performed under the hypothesis that the processes sampled are Rayleigh; however, a method for extrapolating results to other cases is given. The parameter k is allowed to vary from 2 to 1000.
Sulfite enhancement of diolepoxide mutagenicity: the role of altered glutathione metabolism

Sulfur dioxide is a cocarcinogen for benzo[a]pyrene in the respiratory tract of rats and hamsters. Sulfur dioxide exists under physiological conditions as the sulfite ion. Sulfite enhances the mutagenic potency of (+-)-7r,8t-dihydroxy-9t,-10t- epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (anti-BPDE) and 7r,8t-dihydroxy-9c10c-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]py ren e (syn-BPDE) in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100. This enhancement of diolepoxide mutagenicity is observed with sulfite concentrations between 1 and 20 mM, and the concentration dependence is identical for the two diolepoxides. Half-maximal enhancement of mutagenicity occurs at approximately 5 mM sulfite. Sulfite is neither toxic nor mutagenic to the bacteria under these conditions. The enhancement of diolepoxide mutagenicity requires that the bacteria be exposed to sulfite prior to the addition of the diolepoxide. Simultaneous addition of sulfite and diolepoxide significantly decreases the enhancing effect, and addition 15 min after the diolepoxide virtually abolishes the effect. This is consistent with sulfite serving to increase the efficiency of processes leading to DNA modification by the diolepoxides, rather than some effect subsequent to DNA adduct formation. Direct evidence for this hypothesis was provided by determining the effect of sulfite on mutagenicity and DNA binding in TA98 using [3H]anti-BPDE. Exposure of the bacteria to 10 mM sulfite for 5 min prior to the addition of the labeled mutagen led to as much as 170% increase in DNA binding levels relative to parallel incubations without sulfite. Corresponding increases in mutagenicity were seen as well. As sulfite can affect the glutathione/glutathione-S-transferase systems, the primary cellular defense against BPDE, the effect of sulfite on these pathways in Salmonella was determined. When strain TA98 was treated with N-acetoxy-2-acetamidofluorene, a direct-acting mutagen not scavenged by glutathione, prior addition of 10 mM sulfite to the bacteria had no effect on resultant viability or mutagenicity. Assessment of the bacterial glutathione levels revealed that 10 mM sulfite treatment results in an 82% decrease in the concentration of the cosubstrate. We were, however, unable to detect diolepoxide-glutathione conjugates in any of our incubations. Moreover, the presence of sulfite leads to significant trapping of the diolepoxide in the form of sulfonate derivatives. Based on these data, we conclude that the depletion of glutathione does indeed play a role in the enhancement of diolepoxide mutagenicity in S. typhimurium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
miR-153 Regulates SNAP-25, Synaptic Transmission, and Neuronal Development

SNAP-25 is a core component of the trimeric SNARE complex mediating vesicle exocytosis during membrane addition for neuronal growth, neuropeptide/growth factor secretion, and neurotransmitter release during synaptic transmission. Here, we report a novel microRNA mechanism of SNAP-25 regulation controlling motor neuron development, neurosecretion, synaptic activity, and movement in zebrafish. Loss of miR-153 causes overexpression of SNAP-25 and consequent hyperactive movement in early zebrafish embryos. Conversely, overexpression of miR-153 causes SNAP-25 down regulation resulting in near complete paralysis, mimicking the effects of treatment with Botulinum neurotoxin. miR-153-dependent changes in synaptic activity at the neuromuscular junction are consistent with the observed movement defects. Underlying the movement defects, perturbation of miR-153 function causes dramatic developmental changes in motor neuron patterning and branching. Together, our results indicate that precise control of SNAP-25 expression by miR-153 is critically important for proper neuronal patterning as well as neurotransmission.
Monoclonal antibodies to HIV-1 p24 core protein include pairs which exhibit synergistic binding

Gamma and kappa chain cDNAs from four mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) which bind three different sites on the core antigen (p24) of HIV-1 have been cloned and their V-region sequences determined. These mAbs are part of a larger group of seven anti-p24 mAbs analyzed in simultaneous competition assays with HIV-1 lysate as antigen and in protein blotting experiments using 10 carboxy-terminal truncations of a p24 fusion protein. One mAb, BB128, recognizes the p24 loop sequence EAAEWDRVHP and enhances the binding of two other mAbs (BI1777 and BI1279) when tested pairwise in simultaneous competition assays. The two monoclonals enhanced by BB128 recognize different antigenic sites on p24, with BI1777 binding to carboxy-terminal sequences and BI1279 to amino-terminal residues. In the pairwise assays, mAb BI1279 also acts as enhancing antibody for BI1777, as does mAb BB328, which recognizes residues in the central region of p24. Since aggregated p24 monomers form the HIV-1 capsid, p24 is a multivalent antigen in HIV-1 lysate. It seems likely, therefore, that synergistic binding of mAb pairs to p24 is effected by bivalent binding of the enhancing mAb stabilizing a conformation favorable for bivalent binding of the enhanced mAb.
Are orthodontic educational opportunities adequate

IN 195 8 I made a study of current graduate orthodontic training and presented my findings in a paper before the Workshop in Orthodontics which was held at the University of Michigan and sponsored by the American Association of Orthodontics and the Kellogg Foundation. The title-‘ ‘An Evaluation of Graduate Training as Preparation for Specialization in Orthodontics”-could well be used for the material that I am discussing here.l Much of what I presented then is pertinent. The passage of almost five years since the completion of this study lends a perspective and permits us to appraise the validity of the concepts and projections entertained at that time. In August, 1960, one of the most important pronouncements on orthodontics as a specialty, entitled “Survey of Specialty Practice in Orthodontics,” appeared in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHODONTICS.~ This succinct and cogent report, prepared by B. F. Dewel and presented before a conference of National Organizations for Areas of Dental Practice held in Chicago in June, 1960, by the Board of Trustees of the American Dental Association, has great significance for us and merits prime consideration as a strategic document in our efforts to assess orthodontic training today. The officers of both the American Board of Orthodontics and the American Association of Orthodontists cooperated in this project, and the statement bears their signature of approval. Of considerable help in the preparation of my material has been Hollinshead’s3 SzLrvey of Dentistry, published in 1961, with a comprehensive analysis of the many-faceted problems of dental education. The surveys by Weber* and the Bureau of Economic Research and Statistics of the American Dental As sociation have helped to make this study as current as possible.5* 6, 25
Clinical Quality Improvement Curriculum for Faculty in an Academic Medical Center.

Interested faculty enrolled in this 6-month-long quality improvement (QI) course to facilitate independent QI project work. The course included monthly 1.5-hour sessions: 20-minute presentations covering key QI concepts, then small group activities to facilitate project work. Faculty were required to identify, construct, and implement an independent QI project. They met individually with mentors twice during the course, with additional guidance offered virtually via phone or e-mail, and completed pretests and posttests of QI knowledge (maximum score = 15) and self-assessed confidence. A statistically significant difference in knowledge (pre-course mean = 7.75, standard deviation [SD] = 3.06; post-course mean = 11.75, SD = 3.28; P = .02) and self-assessed confidence (pre mean = 3.08, SD = 0.65; post mean = 4.5, SD = 0.68; P < .0001) was found. Of 8 faculty, 5 were able to conduct small tests of change; 3 studied the current processes and planned to run tests of change. Positive responses to this course hel...
An empirical study of predicting software faults with case-based reasoning

The resources allocated for software quality assurance and improvement have not increased with the ever-increasing need for better software quality. A targeted software quality inspection can detect faulty modules and reduce the number of faults occurring during operations. We present a software fault prediction modeling approach with case-based reasoning (CBR), a part of the computational intelligence field focusing on automated reasoning processes. A CBR system functions as a software fault prediction model by quantifying, for a module under development, the expected number of faults based on similar modules that were previously developed. Such a system is composed of a similarity function, the number of nearest neighbor cases used for fault prediction, and a solution algorithm. The selection of a particular similarity function and solution algorithm may affect the performance accuracy of a CBR-based software fault prediction system. This paper presents an empirical study investigating the effects of using three different similarity functions and two different solution algorithms on the prediction accuracy of our CBR system. The influence of varying the number of nearest neighbor cases on the performance accuracy is also explored. Moreover, the benefits of using metric-selection procedures for our CBR system is also evaluated. Case studies of a large legacy telecommunications system are used for our analysis. It is observed that the CBR system using the Mahalanobis distance similarity function and the inverse distance weighted solution algorithm yielded the best fault prediction. In addition, the CBR models have better performance than models based on multiple linear regression.
Dictyostelium Myosin 25-50K Loop Substitutions Specifically Affect ADP Release Rates†

While most of the sequence of myosin's motor domain is highly conserved among various organisms and tissue types, the junctions between the 25 and 50 kDa domains and the 50 and 20 kDa domains are strikingly divergent. The 50-20K loop is positioned to interact with actin, while the 25-50K loop is situated nearer the ATP binding site (Rayment, I., et al. (1993) Science 261 ,5 0-58). Chimeric studies of the 50-20K loop (Uyeda, T. Q.-P., et al. (1994) Nature 368, 567-569; Rovner, A. S., et al. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270(51), 30260-30263) have shown that this loop affects actin activation of ATPase activity. Given the function of myosin as a molecular motor, it was proposed that the 25-50K loop might specifically alter ADP release (Spudich, J. A. (1994) Nature 374, 515-518). Here we study the role of this loop by engineering chimeras containing the Dictyostelium myosin heavy chain with loops from two enzymatically diverse myosins, rabbit skeletal and Acanthamoeba. The chimeric myosins complement the myosin null phenotype in vivo, bind nucleotide normally, interact normally with actin, and display wild-type levels of actin-activated ATPase activity. However, the rate of ADP release from the myosins, normally the slowest step involved in motility, was changed in a manner that reflects the activity of the donor myosin. In summary, studies of Dictyostelium myosin heavy chain chimeras have shown that the 50-20K sequence specifically affects the actin-activated ATPase activity (Uyeda, T. Q.-P., et al. (1994)) while the 25-50K sequence helps determine the rate of ADP release.
Task response time optimization using cost-based operation motion

We present a technique for task response time improvement based on the concept of code motion from the software domain. Relaxed Operation Motion (ROM) is a simple yet powerful approach for performing safe and useful operation motion from heavily executed portions of a design task to less visited segments. We introduce here our algorithm, how it differs from other code motion approaches, and its application to the embedded systems domain. Results of our investigation indicate that cost-guided operation motion has the potential to improve task response time significantly.
Thermal Conductivity of Exfoliated p-Type Bismuth Antimony Telluride

A bulk p-type thermoelectric compound with nominal composition Bi0.5Sb1.5 Te3 has been exfoliated using dimethyl sulfoxide as a solvent. Samples have been prepared from the exfoliated platelets by pressing followed by sintering or hot pressing. The exfoliated nanoplatelets have been characterized for size distribution and composition using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry. The smallest size platelet was 40 nm, and the maximum in the size distribution was near 80 nm. The exfoliated platelets and sintered sample showed significant deficiency in Sb and Te. The nonstoichiometry in the composition of the exfoliated platelets indicates that the mechanism of exfoliation may not be between quintuplets only, with other layers also being active. The composition of the hot-pressed sample remained closer to that of the bulk. Results of x-ray diffraction indicated the presence of Bi2Te3 and Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 phases and pure Te and Sb. Residual porosity was observed in the hot-pressed and sintered samples. The thermal conductivity of the samples was measured by transient thermoreflectance. The results showed that the thermal conductivity of the hot-pressed sample was reduced by a factor of two compared with that of the bulk as a result of the presence of a high density of interfaces and residual porosity. The thermal conductivity of the sintered sample showed an increase above that of the bulk sample, which is explained by the change in composition due to loss of Sb and Te.
Vortex suppression and drag reduction in the wake of counter-rotating cylinders

The flow over a pair of counter-rotating cylinders is investigated numerically and experimentally. It is demonstrated that it is possible to suppress unsteady vortex shedding for gap sizes from one to five cylinder diameters, at Reynolds numbers from 100 to 200, expanding on the more limited work by Chan & Jameson (Intl J. Numer. Meth. Fluids, vol. 63, 2010, p. 22). The degree of unsteady wake suppression is proportional to the speed and the direction of rotation, and there is a critical rotation rate where a complete suppression of flow unsteadiness can be achieved. In the doublet-like configuration at higher rotational speeds, a virtual elliptic body that resembles a potential doublet is formed, and the drag is reduced to zero. The shape of the elliptic body primarily depends on the gap between the two cylinders and the speed of rotation. Prior to the formation of the elliptic body, a second instability region is observed, similar to that seen in studies of single rotating cylinders. It is also shown that the unsteady wake suppression can be achieved by rotating each cylinder in the opposite direction, that is, in a reverse doublet-like configuration. This tends to minimize the wake interaction of the cylinder pair and the second instability does not make an appearance over the range of speeds investigated here.
A novel class of somatic small RNAs similar to germ cell pachytene PIWI-interacting small RNAs

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that bind PIWI family proteins exclusively expressed in the germ cells of mammalian gonads. MIWI2-associated piRNAs are essential for silencing transposons during primordial germ cell development, and MIWI-bound piRNAs are required for normal spermatogenesis during adulthood in mice. Although piRNAs have long been regarded as germ cell-specific, increasing lines of evidence suggest that somatic cells also express piRNA-like RNAs (pilRNAs). Here, we report the detection of abundant pilRNAs in somatic cells, which are similar to MIWI-associated piRNAs mainly expressed in pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids in the testis. Based on small RNA deep sequencing and quantitative PCR analyses, pilRNA expression is dynamic and displays tissue specificity. Although pilRNAs are similar to pachytene piRNAs in both size and genomic origins, they have a distinct ping-pong signature. Furthermore, pilRNA biogenesis appears to utilize a yet to be identified pathway, which is different from all currently known small RNA biogenetic pathways. In addition, pilRNAs appear to preferentially target the 3′-UTRs of mRNAs in a partially complementary manner. Our data suggest that pilRNAs, as an integral component of the small RNA transcriptome in somatic cell lineages, represent a distinct population of small RNAs that may have functions similar to germ cell piRNAs.
On understanding a text: reader response and Alan Duff's Once Were Warriors

ABSTRACT: This paper compares responses of two groups of readers from different cultures to the same novel as a means of shedding light on the text and uncovering differences in values, assumptions, and the ways words and actions are interpreted in the two cultures. Pacific-island readers and non-Pacific-island readers responded to Once Were Warriors, the prize-winning novel by New Zealand Maori Alan Duff. Analyses of the responses suggest differences in the ways Pacific-island readers and non-Pacific-island readers respond to the diseased social order depicted in the novel and to the agents of change and images of healing that are presented as well as to concepts of knowledge, personal power, and physical courage evoked by the novel. The study has theoretical implications for the diversity and unity of English and applied implications for teacher training and curriculum development.
Chemical reactivity evaluation: The CCPS program

A summary is presented of the chemical reactivity evaluation aspects of the soon to be published [open quotes]Guidelines for Chemical Reactivity Evaluation and Application to Process Design[close quotes] developed under the sponsorship of the Center for Chemical Process Safety. Emphasis is placed on strategies for thermochemical evaluation of industrial chemical substances. Certain structural entities, for example, high degrees of unsaturation and nitrogen-halogen linkages, will likely identify hazardous reactive chemicals. The effects of impurities in the chemicals, as well as, for example, incidental contact with water and air (oxygen), must also be considered in the evaluation of potential reactivity hazards, representing undesired reactions. Various test methods are indicated briefly along with the rationale for use of specific methods in hazard evaluation. 30 refs., 1 fig., 9 tabs.
Detecting low‐frequency functional connectivity in fMRI using a self‐organizing map (SOM) algorithm

Low-frequency oscillations (0.08 Hz) have been detected in functional MRI studies, and appear to be synchronized between functionally related areas. A current challenge is to detect these patterns without using an external reference. Self-organizing maps (SOMs) offer a way to automatically group data without requiring a user-biased reference function or region of interest. Resting state func- tional MRI data was classified using a self-organizing map (SOM). Functional connectivity between the left and right motor cortices was detected in five subjects, and was comparable to results from a reference-based approach. SOMs are shown to be an attractive option in detecting functional connectivity using a model-free approach. Hum. Brain Mapp. 20:220 -226, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Abstraction mechanisms for pictorial slicing

Big programs tend to have big slices, so reverse engineering tools based on slicing must apply additional abstractions to make slices intelligible. We have built a tool that displays slices as diagrams. By confining the slice to the statements of a single procedure, by eluding all primitive statements, and by merging different calls of the same procedure, we eliminate local information that is easily seen in the code without the help of tools. And by labelling edges with the variables responsible for flows between procedure calls, global information about called procedures is represented locally. The resulting diagram gives a compact but rich summary of the role of called procedures in the slice. >
Miniature Photometers for Liquid Chromatography

A series of miniature photometers has been developed for use as on-stream detectors in systems for liquid chromatography. All of the detectors feature dual-beam, dual-wavelength operation without mechanical or electrical switching of either wavelength or signal. The two types of detectors originally developed—ultraviolet (254 and 280 nm) and colorimetric (any two choices of visible wavelengths)—have been integrated into a single modular instrument that can be converted from ultraviolet to use with visible wavelengths by substituting source and filter modules. Both straight-through vertical quartz tube flow cells of 3-mm i.d. and Z-cell modules with 10-mm light pathlengths are available. A single-unit power-source and rangeswitching box is used with any configuration of the detector.
Spatio-temporal analysis for velocity estimation of contours in an image sequence with occlusion

A method is presented for analyzing a sequence of closely sampled images, forming a spatio-temporal volume. It is proposed to find the normal velocity component of each edge point by making assumptions about this scene, such as smooth motion, common motion and constant illumination. The resulting normal velocity field can then be used to resolve the real velocity field and to perform segmentation. The system is quite robust and is capable of handling occlusion as well as disocclusion. Results are presented on synthetic data consisting of two objects moving with occlusion and on real image sequences. >
Perioperative rehabilitation using a knee extension device and arthroscopic debridement in the treatment of arthrofibrosis.

Background:Arthrofibrosis is a postoperative complication of intra-articular knee surgery that can be difficult to treat. Evidence suggests that maximizing knee range of motion may improve outcomes in patients with arthrofibrosis who undergo arthroscopic debridement.Hypothesis:Patients who achieve greater knee range of motion will have better subjective scores.Study Design:Retrospective case series analysis.Methods:A review of records was performed for 33 patients with arthrofibrosis who underwent knee arthroscopy and scar resection coupled with perioperative rehabilitation to maximize knee range of motion. Patient demographics and preoperative and postoperative range of motion measurements were extracted from the records. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Form was administered to assess pain, activity, and knee function. Patients performed a preoperative and postoperative rehabilitation program utilizing a knee extension device to maximize knee extension.Results:Accord...
The Persistence of the Image: Dhākira Hurra in Dia Azzawi's Drawings on the Massacre of Tel al-Zaatar

This article examines the memory-image in a set of drawings produced by the Iraqi artist Dia Azzawi on the massacre of the Palestinian refugee camp, Tel al-Zaatar, during the Lebanese civil war. It...