cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Co-methylation analysis in lung tissue identifies pathways for fetal origins of COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) likely has developmental origins, however the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully identified. Investigation of lung tissue-specific epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation using network approaches might facilitate insights linking in-utero smoke (IUS) exposure and risk for COPD in adulthood. We performed genome-wide methylation profiling for adult lung DNA from 160 surgical samples and 78 fetal lung DNA samples isolated from discarded tissue from 8 to 18 weeks of gestation. Co-methylation networks were constructed to identify preserved modules that shared methylation patterns in fetal and adult lung tissues and associations with fetal IUS exposure, gestational age and COPD. Weighted correlation networks highlighted preserved and co-methylated modules for both fetal and adult lung data associated with fetal IUS-exposure, COPD and lower adult lung function. These modules were significantly enriched for genes involved in embryonic organ development and specific inflammation-related pathways including Hippo, PI3K/AKT, Wnt, MAP-Kinase and TGF-beta signalling. Gestational age-associated modules were remarkably preserved for COPD and lung function and were also annotated to genes enriched for the Wnt and PI3K/AKT pathways. Epigenetic network perturbations in fetal lung tissue exposed to IUS and of early lung development recapitulated in adult lung tissue from former smokers with COPD. Overlapping fetal and adult lung tissue network modules highlighted putative disease pathways supportive of exposure-related and age-associated developmental origins of COPD.
Comparative toxicokinetics of bisphenol S and bisphenol AF in male rats and mice following repeated exposure via feed

We investigated the plasma toxicokinetic behavior of free (parent) and total (parent and conjugated forms) of bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol AF (BPAF) in plasma of adult male rats and mice followi...
Tackling equitable coverage and quality of care for neonates in hospitals: a pre-post assessment on asphyxia interventions in Mesoamerica.

BACKGROUND Intrapartum-related hypoxic events, or birth asphyxia, causes one-fourth of neonatal deaths globally and in Mesoamerica. Multidimensional care for asphyxia must be implemented to ensure timely and effective care of newborns. Salud Mesoamerica Initiative (SMI) is a performance-based program seeking to improve maternal and child health for low-income areas of Central America. Our objective was to assess the impact of SMI on neonatal asphyxia care in health centers and hospitals in the region. METHODS A pre-post design. Two hundred forty-eight cases of asphyxia were randomly selected from medical records at baseline (2011-2013) and at second-phase follow-up (2017-2018) in Mexico (state of Chiapas), Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala as part of the SMI Initiative evaluation. A facility survey was conducted to assess quality of health care and the management of asphyxia. The primary outcome was coverage of multidimensional care for the management of asphyxia, consisting of a skilled provider presence at birth, immediate assessment, initial stabilization, and appropriate resuscitation measures of the newborn. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS Management of asphyxia improved significantly after SMI. Proper care of asphyxia in intervention areas was better (OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.3-4.6) compared to baseline. Additionally, multidimensional care was significantly higher in Honduras (OR = 4.0; 95% CI = 1.4-12.0) than in Mexico. Of the four multidimensional care components, resuscitation showed the greatest progress by follow-up (65.7%) compared to baseline (38.7%). CONCLUSION SMI improved the care for neonatal asphyxia management across all levels of health care in all countries. Our findings show that proper training and adequate supplies can improve health outcomes in low-income communities. SMI provides a model for improving health care in other settings.
Hydrogen Peroxide Motor Exhaust Heating to Components at Cryogenic Temperatures in the Vacuum of Space

The exhaust piume of rocket engines fired In the vacuum of space experiences an extremely wide expansion. The compact packaging on space vehicles, due to weight and space limitations, very often subjects equipment to engine exhaust plume heating. The impingement heating rates cannot be measured In the laboratory because of the difficulty In maintaining a vacuum environment during engine firing and the significant change of plume expansion characteristics due to the presence of a pressure field. On vehicles using cryogenic propeliants, Impingement heating becomes even more important because of the increased temperature potential between exhaust products and cryogenic temperature components and the general requirement to keep heating to the propellants at a minimum.
A Boundary Value Approach to Optimization with an Application to Salmonella Competition.

We develop a novel optimization framework to study strategies in ecological competition processes. The optimization method uses theory from dynamical systems describing the asymptotic behavior of a bistable system based on initial conditions, which we implement using a numerical boundary value problem. As an application of our method, we develop a model of the competition between Salmonella Typhimurium and the host’s native microflora, which constantly and densely inhabit the intestinal lining of most mammals. S. Typhimurium invades the gut in two distinct phenotypic populations, one virulent and one avirulent, though the avirulent bacteria have the ability to activate a virulence factor and thereby “switch” into the virulent population. Counterintuitively, some studies have found that the combined population of S. Typhimurium gains an environmental advantage over the commensal microbiota after the virulent subpopulation provokes the body’s inflammatory defenses. Our model represents the competition between the commensal microbiota, the avirulent salmonella, and the virulent salmonella populations and incorporates a simple representation of the immune response. We use our model to predict optimal strategies that would favor salmonella in its competition with the commensal bacteria.
The impact of first careers on second career academic reference librarians : A pilot study

Summary Librarianship represents a second or even third career for a significant number of professional librarians. What are the backgrounds of these second career librarians? What impact do these first careers have on academic reference librarians entering the profession later in their working lives? Does a candidate's pre-MLS career affect how he or she is evaluated by potential employers? A pilot study of academic librarians in Nevada provides some answers to these questions.
Development and Evaluation of the Regional Oxidant Model for the Northeastern United States

The second generation U.S. EPA Regional Oxidant Model (ROM2) has been developed over the last 10 years and is now operational. The 3-D grid model has been applied to the Northeast U.S. for a 50-day period in 1980. Model evaluation results show the ROM2 is performing well with respect to predicting the frequency distributions and spatial pattern of observed O3 concentrations.
Transcription factor activation during signal-induced apoptosis of immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes: A protective role of c-Fos

Many signals that cause apoptotic cell death operate by inducing transcription and translation of other (presumably death effector) mediators, and it is well established that stimulus-induced apoptosis can often be blocked by inhibiting transcription and translation. Transcriptional regulation of apoptosis, however, is incompletely understood. To gain insight into nuclear events associated with signal-induced apoptosis during T cell development, we studied signal-induced apoptosis of ex vivo isolated immature CD8(+)4(+) double-positive (DP) thymocytes. Stimuli utilizing the T cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway or its parts (an alphaCD3/TCR monoclonal antibody, a Ca2+ ionophore, or a protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester) or a stimulus that antagonizes TCR signaling and apoptosis in T cell hybridoma (forskolin, a cyclic AMP-signaling activator) resulted in massive apoptosis of DP thymocytes. At the same time, these stimuli induced qualitatively similar but quantitatively unique patterns of inducible transcription factors (TFs) NF-kappaB/RelA-p50, AP-1 (Fos-Jun), and NUR-77. We focused our attention on the role of AP-1 (Fos-Jun) complex, which was strongly induced by all of the above stimuli and thus was a candidate for a proapoptotic TF. However, we found that AP-1/c-Fos induction was vital in prolonging DP thymocyte life, as judged by increased spontaneous and induced death of DP cells in Fos-/- mice. In direct support of this hypothesis, experiments with antisense oligonucleotides demonstrated that c-Fos plays an essential role in protecting normal DP thymocytes from Ca2+- and cAMP-induced apoptosis but not from TCR-mediated death. Together, these results demonstrate a physiological role for c-Fos in maintaining longevity of DP thymocytes.
Soluble aggregates of the amyloid‐β protein selectively stimulate permeability in human brain microvascular endothelial monolayers

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy associated with Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by cerebrovascular deposition of the amyloid-β protein (Aβ). Aβ elicits a number of morphological and biochemical alterations in the cerebral microvasculature, which culminate in hemorrhagic stroke. Among these changes, compromise of the blood-brain barrier has been described in Alzheimer’s disease brain, transgenic animal models of Alzheimer’s disease, and cell culture experiments. In the current study, presented data illustrates that isolated soluble Aβ1–40 aggregates, but not unaggregated monomer or mature fibril, enhance permeability in human brain microvascular endothelial monolayers. Aβ1–40-induced changes in permeability are paralleled by both a decrease in transendothelial electrical resistance and a re-localization of the tight junction-associated protein zonula occludin-1 away from cell borders and into the cytoplasm. Small soluble Aβ1–40 aggregates are confirmed to be the most potent stimulators of endothelial monolayer permeability by establishing an inverse relationship between average aggregate size and stimulated changes in diffusional permeability coefficients. These results support previous findings demonstrating that small soluble Aβ1–40 aggregates are also primarily responsible for endothelial activation, suggesting that these same species may elicit other changes in the cerebrovasculature associated with cerebral amyloid angiopathy and Alzheimer’s disease.
NMK and ΛΛK amplitudes in chiral perturbation theory

Abstract We explore the S-wave and P-wave amplitudes for NNK and ΛΛK interactions using chiral perturbation theory to ( m s log m s ). In contrast to the large corrections found in P-wave amplitudes in the nonleptonic decay of octet baryons, the NNK amplitudes receive only small corrections to their tree-level values. The uncertainty in the ΛΛK amplitudes is found to be large.
PROTOCOL FOR THE EXAMINATION OF SCHOOL BUS VEHICLES TO SUPPORT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND RECONSTRUCTION

This paper provides a protocol for the examination of school bus vehicles to support accident investigation and reconstruction. The topics covered are generally beyond what is normally conducted during a routine commercial motor coach accident investigation. Included are suggested points on administrative preparation, information research, logistics, examination equipment preparation, photography, and safety precautions. The examination protocol addresses inspection of the vehicle interior, under (front) hood, and exterior damage. Passenger compartment integrity and intrusion, occupant kinematic contact and evidentiary transfers, seating, and occupant restraint system components are addressed, along with evidentiary component recovery and packaging, for potential shipment to a laboratory. (A) For the covering abstract of the publication see IRRD E200601.
New ferroelectric polymer ultrasound contact transducers for nondestructive testing applications

The development of both single-element and multielement nondestructive testing (NDT) contact ultrasound transducers based on piezo-polymers is reported. The performance of single-element contact transducers is illustrated in pulse-echo and through-transmission waveforms taken from a variety of materials including nonplanar structures. Multielement transducer arrays based on the same design technology have also been developed. Nine-element arrays of two different 3*3 patterns have been constructed with overall thicknesses of 0.006-0.020 in., depending on the desired frequency of the design. Their flexible thin profile and broadband performance are illustrated in a novel NDT application. >
Same-sex harassment: how hostile does it have to be?

Purpose – This paper relates to the recent media attention with respect to same-sex issues is leading to a rise in same-sex sexual harassment cases. Given its complicated burden of proof under case law interpretations of the Civil Rights Act, it would be helpful to review current case law governing the issue. Design/methodology/approach – This review was conducted at the appeals court level where the law is more settled. Over 40 relevant cases were identified and reviewed. Based on this review, guiding principles were derived for practitioners. Findings – The law is complex, however, several principles can be gleaned: same-sex harassment is only actionable under four specific conditions: sexual overtures, general hostility toward a particular gender, unequal treatment of the sexes and sex-role stereotypes. For those cases meeting these requirements, unwanted physical contact of an intimate nature is considered severe and only requires a few occurrences to be hostile. For conduct that is verbal or visual, ...
DoD Standards: Hindrance or Help to Software Maintainability?

In the past thirty years the total life-cycle cost of software relative to computer hardware has risen dramatically. In addition, software maintenance costs are now equal to, or exceed, the cost of software development. As a result of these trends, software maintenance is now a significant portion of the total computer system life-cycle cost. This paper explores the extent to which the existing military standards and regulations governing software acquisition contribute to increased software maintainability, and thus, help minimize software life-cycle costs. In addition, recommendations for augmenting the standards through the use of measurable characteristics are offered.
A 55 GHz Bandpass Filter Realized With Integrated TEM Transmission Lines

A compact 4-pole bandpass filter centered at 55 GHz with a 13.6% bandwidth is realized using an integrated three dimensional microfabrication process. The filter has an almost exact match to the design simulations except for a shift in the center frequency that is less than 1.3%. Measured insertion loss is 2.4-3.5 dB. The filter is very compact, measuring less than 0.86 mm (ap lambda/6) by 1.9 mm (ap lambda/3) by 0.3 mm (ap lambda/15). This filter clearly demonstrates the potential of three dimensional microfabrication processes for the realization of millimeter wave filters
Adrenotrophic β-receptors in the frog and chicken

Abstract Results presented in this and previous communications show that the β-adrenotropic receptor population is divided into two major subdivisions, β-1 and β-2. Both receptor types have been found in the chicken. Our results with the isolated perfused frog heart have disclosed the β-2 receptor type in this organ. A review of the available literature suggests that in this species there is also another receptor which resembles the β-1 type. The role played by each receptor may have been altered by evolution but has retained its basic character as indicated by responses to structurally varied sympathomimetic amines.
Lover, Mother, Reader: The Epistolary Courtship of Walt Whitman

If it seems to you there must needs be something unreal, illusive, in a love that has grown up entirely without the basis of personal intercourse, dear Friend, then you do not yourself realize your...
Lifetime Prevalence, Correlates, and Persistence of Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.

Background: Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a leading cause of referral for youth mental health services; yet, many uncertainties exist about ODD given it is rarely examined as a distinct psychiatric disorder. We examined the lifetime prevalence, onset, persistence, and correlates of ODD. Methods: Lifetime prevalence of ODD and 18 other DSM-IV disorders was assessed in a nationally representative sample of adult respondents (n = 3,199) in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Retrospective age-of-onset reports were used to test temporal priorities with comorbid disorders. Results: Lifetime prevalence of ODD is estimated to be 10.2% (males = 11.2%; females = 9.2%). Of those with lifetime ODD, 92.4% meet criteria for at least one other lifetime DSM-IV disorder, including: mood (45.8%), anxiety (62.3%), impulse-control (68.2%), and substance use (47.2%) disorders. ODD is temporally primary in the vast majority of cases for most comorbid disorders. Both active and remitted ODD significantly predict subsequent onset of secondary disorders even after controlling for comorbid conduct disorder (CD). Early onset (before age 8) and comorbidity predict slow speed of recovery of ODD. Conclusions: ODD is a common child- and adolescent-onset disorder associated with substantial risk of secondary mood, anxiety, impulse-control, and substance use disorders. These results support the study of ODD as a distinct disorder. Prospective and experimental studies are needed to further delineate the temporal and causal relations between ODD and related disorders.
Comparative total and proportional rate of germination of Bipolaris sorokiniana and Curvularia geniculata conidia is influenced by culture age and temperature

Comparative observations of Bipolaris sorokiniana and Curvularia geniculata conidia germination as influenced by culture age and temperature showed some distinct differences, but generally established the ability of these organisms to function under similar conditions. Total germination of B. sorokiniana conidia was favored by increasing culture age from 20 to 60 days and temperature to 25°C; total conidia germination of C. geniculata was favored by increasing temperature to 25°C, but increasing culture age decreased germination. These reactions seem associated with conidia age. Maximum proportional intra-population germination of conidia of each organism also varied with culture age and temperature. At temperatures of 5°C and 15°C, amplitude of maximum proportional germination of both organisms increased as culture age was increased from 20 to 40 days and then decreased among 60-day-old cultures. At 25°C and above, amplitude of maximum proportional germination of conidia of both organisms decreased from each older culture. Progressively increasing temperature at a given culture age increased the amplitude of maximum proportional germination up to 25°C for conidia of B. sorokiniana, but generally decreased it for conidia of C. geniculata (except 20-day-old cultures). Frequency (specific 2 h interval) of maximum proportional intrapopulation germination of B. sorokiniana shifted from 6 h to 2 h in response to increasing temperature and culture age; conidia from youngest cultures of C. geniculata shifted to intervals of 4 h and 2 h in response to increasing temperature to 25°C, but among conidia from 60-day-old cultures, frequency shifted to 6 h intervals at all temperatures. Above 25°C, maximum proportional germination of C. geniculata conidia from cultures of all ages occurred at 6 h. It was concluded that the germination response of B. sorokiniana and C. geniculata conidia to temperature and culture age (and, subsequently, conidia age) are enough similar that these organisms could function in a potential ‘disease complex’ on Poa pratensis and Agrostis palustris.
Video ethics: The dilemma of value balancing

This article considers the ethics of photojournalism from a television news perspective. The author, on the basis of his participant‐observation study conducted at two major‐market television stations, suggests that while most of the television news photographers he observed and interviewed expressed strong ethical beliefs and values, those same individuals admitted they often acted in contradiction to many of their personal ethical beliefs. Their actions in carrying out their work and their revelations on the structure of their ethical beliefs indicate they face a dilemma in balancing values. They must deal with the often contradictory values of competition, careerism, journalistic norms, peer pressure, technology, and management and organizational expectations.
Determining the geographic origin of potatoes with trace metal analysis using statistical and neural network classifiers.

The objective of this research was to develop a method to confirm the geographical authenticity of Idaho-labeled potatoes as Idaho-grown potatoes. Elemental analysis (K, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, S, Cd, Pb, and P) of potato samples was performed using ICPAES. Six hundred eight potato samples were collected from known geographic growing sites in the U.S. and Canada. An exhaustive computational evaluation of the 608 x 18 data sets was carried out using statistical (PCA, CDA, discriminant function analysis, and k-nearest neighbors) and neural network techniques. The neural network classification of the samples into two geographic regions (defined as Idaho and non-Idaho) using a bagging technique had the highest percentage of correct classifications, with a nearly 100% degree of accuracy. We report the development of a method combining elemental analysis and neural network classification that may be widely applied to the determination of the geographical origin of unprocessed, fresh commodities.
Detection of Storm Damage Tracks with EOS Data

The damage surveys conducted by the NWS in the aftermath of a reported tornadic event are used to document the location of the tornado ground damage track (pathlength and width) and an estimation of the tornado intensity. This study explores the possibility of using near-real-time medium and high spatial resolution satellite imagery from the NASA Earth Observing System satellites to provide additional information for the surveys. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data were used to study the damage tracks from three tornadic storms: the La Plata, Maryland, storm of 28 April 2002 and the Ellsinore and Marquand, Missouri, storms of 24 April 2002. These storms varied in intensity and occurred over regions with significantly different land cover. It was found that, depending on the nature of the land cover, tornado damage tracks from intense storms (F1 or greater) and hail storms may be evident in ASTER, Landsat, and MODIS satellite imagery. In areas where the land cover is dominated by forests, the scar patterns can show up very clearly, while in areas of grassland and regions with few trees, scar patterns are not as obvious or cannot be seen at all in the satellite imagery. The detection of previously unidentified segments of a damage track caused by the 24 April 2002 Marquand, Missouri, tornado demonstrates the utility of satellite imagery for damage surveys. However, the capability to detect tornado tracks in satellite imagery depends on the ability to observe the ground without obstruction from space and appears to be as much dependent on the nature of the underlying surface and land cover as on the severity of the tornadic storm.
DNA Repair Mutations and Outcomes in Ovarian Cancer—Letter

It was with great interest that I read the article by Pennington and colleagues ([1][1]) in the recent issue of Clinical Cancer Research . Pennington and colleagues sought to determine the therapeutic implications (particularly, the effect on platinum sensitivity) of somatic BRCA1/2 mutations and
Slowed Information Processing in HIV-1 Disease

This investigation examined the effects of HIV-1 infection on speeded complex cognitive processing in a group of HIV-negative (n = 666), HIV-positive symptomatic (n = 156), and HIV-positive asymptomatic (n = 623) participants while controlling for the effects of slowed motor functioning, peripheral neuropathy, and several other putative confounds. Stroop Interference and reaction-time tasks served as anchor procedures to assess cognitive processing. The present findings suggest that HIV-1 infection is capable of compromising CNS-mediated cognitive processes (speeded processing) infringing upon their efficacy in the symptomatic stages of the disease while sparing individuals in the asymptomatic stage. The detrimental effects observed on information-processing mechanisms associated with HIV infection persisted despite the use of procedures to control for peripheral nerve integrity and other potential confounds.
Temperature dependence of silicon solar cell characteristics

Abstract The effects of temperature on the characteristics of p-n junction solar cells are investigated theoretically. An exact numerical model of the semiconductor transport equations is used to calculate the output parameters of the cell taking into account temperature effect on the material parameters of the cell. These calculations show that the temperature coefficient of solar cell parameters such as open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, efficiency, etc., are typically nonlinear over the range of temperature (300–450 K) studied in agreement with the experimental results as against a constant value obtained by simple calculations.
Primary structure of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase. I. Chemical characterization of the polypeptide chain and of tryptic and chymotryptic peptides.

Abstract The amino acid composition of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase was determined and calculated assuming that the enzyme contained one protoheme per molecule. On the basis of the amino acid composition and heme content the minimum Mr was calculated to be 35,235. Gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate indicated the presence of a single polypeptide chain with a Mr of approximately 33,000. A single cysteinyl residue present in the molecule was shown to be resistant against reaction with iodoacetic acid in the native form of both holo- and apo-enzymes, but readily modified with the reagent in the denatured form. Automated Edman degradation yielded an aminoterminal sequence of 11 residues beginning with threonine. Twenty-eight tryptic and 47 chymotryptic peptides were isolated from the carboxymethylated apoprotein and subjected to the sequence analysis by the dansyl-Edman method. The results with these peptides confirmed and extended the amino- and carboxyl-terminal sequences and in addition provided a partial sequence covering approximately 90% of the polypeptide chain.
Scattering of Daylight in the Sea

Measurements of the scattering and transmission of three spectral bands of visible solar radiation have been made in the San Juan Archipelago. Ratios of the scattered light to the transmitted light of each spectral band have been computed and the results shown graphically.
Quenching of electrogenerated chemiluminescence by phenols, hydroquinones, catechols, and benzoquinones.

Efficient quenching of Ru(bpy)32+ (bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridine) electrogenerated chemiluminescence has been observed in the presence of phenols, catechols, hydroquinones, and benzoquinones. In most instances, quenching is observed with 100-fold excess of quencher over Ru(bpy)32+, with complete quenching observed between 1000- and 2000-fold excess. The mechanism of quenching is believed to involve energy transfer from the excited-state luminophore to benzoquinone. In the case of phenols, catechols, and hydroquinones, quenching is believed to occur via a benzoquinone derivative formed at the electrode surface. Photoluminescence and UV−visible experiments coupled with bulk electrolysis support the formation of benzoquinone products upon electrochemical oxidation.
Crystal growth of alkaline earth fluorides in a reactive atmosphere

Abstract Crystal growth of MF2 (M = Ca, Sr, or Ba) is carried out in a reactive atmosphere consisting of HF and a carrier gas (He). Single-crystal Bridgman ingots, with the axis oriented at 〈111〉, are grown up to 5.2 cm in diameter. The mechanical strength of these specimens is found to be higher than what has been reported.
A random number

This pedagogical tip presents a physical means for generating a random number - that turns out to be not so random after all.
Fluorescenz und chemische Umwandlungen

1. Fluoreszierende Stoffe wie Eosin, Fluorescein, Methylenblau, Rhodamin usw. und nicht fluoreszierende Stoffe wie: Malachitgrun, Indigokarmin sind in Wirklichkeit instabile Verbindungen, die je nach den Umstanden als oxydierende oder reduzierende Agenzien wirken konnen; gerade wie Ozon, H2O2, HNO2, SO2, Hydroxylamin sich unter verschiedenen Bedingungen als Oxydations- und Reduktionsmittel erweisen konnen.
Absence of substrate inhibition and freezing-inactivation of the mosquito acetylcholinesterase are caused by alterations of hydrophobic interactions.

Abstract Membrane-bound acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from mosquito showed the characteristic substrate inhibition of this enzyme, but 105000×g supernatants of freshly extracted enzyme did not. Addition of chaotropic anions, a freeze-thaw cycle and autolysis of the amphiphilic acetylcholinesterase to its non-amphiphilic derivatives resulted in return of the substrate inhibition feature along with an apparent increment in the enzyme activity. These results suggested that the lipidic environment of the mosquito AChE is temporarily perturbed when extracted. The enzyme is probably trapped in non-sedimenting mixtures composed of endogenous amphiphilic molecules. The occurrence of this phenomenon was not affected by the presence of Triton X-100 and other detergents, either alone or in combination with sodium chloride. Freezing in the presence of strong chaotropic anions (perchlorate, iodide and thiocyanate) caused the irreversible inactivation of the mosquito AChE. Crude and incomplete purified fractions of the enzyme were more sensitive than a more purified preparation. With both the purified AChE and the non-purified AChE, amphiphilic AChE was more freeze labile. Freezing at −10°C enhanced inactivation of non-purified fractions. At this temperature, even weak chaotropic anions (fluoride, chloride and nitrate), while in combination with non-ionic detergents that solubilized mosquito AChE efficiently, reduced the enzyme activity of these fractions. In this case, recovery of the enzyme activity by incubation at 25°C was inversely correlated with the effectiveness of the chaotropic anion. Gel filtration failed to show any change in the hydrodynamic radius of the freezing-inactivated AChE. Therefore, this phenomenon is explained as different degrees of denaturation of the enzyme in direct association with the chaotropic strength. Thus, antichaotropic anions, such as sulfate, should improve the stability of the mosquito acetylcholinesterase during extraction, purification and storage.
Ownbey's Tragopogons : 40 years later

Two of the classic examples of recent allopolyploid speciation are Tragopogon mirus and T. miscellus. Previous studies have documented that both allotetraploids originated within the past 50-60 years; the diploid parents of T. mirus are T. dubius and T. porrifolius; those of T. miscellus are T. dubius and T. pratensis. It has now been 40 years since these allotetraploids were first described by Ownbey in 1950. To assess whether population size (the absolute number of plants) and population number of these species have changed during the past 40 years, we determined their distribution and numbers in the Palouse region of eastern Washington and northem Idaho in the spring of 1990. We visited 90 localities, 60 in Washington and 30 in Idaho. Tragopogon mirus is found in nine locations, with eight of these sites located in eastern Whitman County, Washington. Tragopogon miscellus is much more widespread, occurring in 38 of 90 locations. The latter species is now one of the most common weeds in the vicinity of Spokane, Washington. Comparison of the current distributions of these species with historical records indicates that both allotetraploids, especially T. miscellus, have increased substantially in both geographic range and numbers. These Tragopogon species offer an excellent model system for testing questions concerning the ecology and population biology of recently derived allotetraploid species and their diploid progenitors.
Nalfurafine, a kappa opioid receptor agonist, inhibits scratching behavior secondary to cholestasis induced by chronic ethynylestradiol injections in rats

Abstract Scratching is the behavioral manifestation of pruritus. The pruritus of cholestasis can be severe, intractable and affect the quality of life. We investigated if ethynylestradiol (EE)-induced cholestasis is associated with scratching in rats and if nalfurafine, a kappa opioid receptor agonist with antipruritic effects in human uremic pruritus, would antagonize such scratching. Chronic injection of EE (2 mg/kg, s.c., for 14 days) induced cholestasis as documented by increased serum concentrations of bile acids and caused a higher incidence of body scratching compared to vehicle, thus providing an animal model to study scratching behavior secondary to cholestasis. Pretreating the rats with nalfurafine (0.005–0.04 mg/kg, s.c.) inhibited EE-induced scratching dose-dependently with an A 50 value of 0.013 (0.009–0.021) mg/kg. Serum levels of dynorphin A and nitric oxide were decreased in rats with cholestasis compared to control animals. Our data suggest that (a) nalfurafine has the potential to relieve cholestatic pruritus and (b) both kappa opioid and nitric oxide systems are involved, at least in part, in mediating the pruritus of cholestasis.
Clinical profile of autosomal dominant polycystic liver disease

Most reports on the natural history, manifestations, and treatment of polycystic liver disease are based on the disease as it manifests in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The purpose of this study was to develop a clinical profile of isolated autosomal dominant polycystic liver disease (ADPLD) using nonaffected family members as controls. The study included 146 probands, known affected relatives, and first-degree relatives of affected individuals. Participants underwent a formalized medical history interview and physical examination, ultrasonographic examination of the liver and kidneys, magnetic resonance angiography of the brain, and echocardiography. Thirty-eight of the 49 individuals diagnosed with polycystic liver disease before participation in the study were or had been symptomatic. Of 97 previously undiagnosed at-risk individuals, 23 were affected, 39 were unaffected, and 35 were indeterminate. Compared with patients with a negative or indeterminate diagnosis, those with polycystic liver disease had slightly higher levels of serum alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin and lower levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides. Female patients had a significantly higher mean cyst score than male patients. The cysts were found to arise from the dilatation of biliary microhamartomas and from peribiliary glands. Structural mitral leaflet abnormalities were detected more frequently in affected than in indeterminate or nonaffected individuals. A vascular phenotype was detected in 5.6% of the patients with isolated ADPLD diagnosed clinically and/or by linkage analysis but in none of the unaffected patients. In conclusion, isolated ADPLD is underdiagnosed and genetically distinct from polycystic liver disease associated with ADPKD but with similar pathogenesis, manifestations, and management.
Women, work, and health

The U.S. Bureau of National Affairs has conducted several surveys asking women to rate the seriousness of 11 hazards thought to affect female workers. In 1995 the women respondents ranked them in the following order: 1) stress, 2) repetitive motions, 3) AIDS, 4) violence, 5) VDTs, 6) indoor air pollution, 7) hepatitis, 8) injury on the job, 9) reproductive hazards, 10) tuberculosis, and 11) other infectious diseases. A parallel list of 11 hazards thought to affect male workers would look very different. The purpose of this paper is to explore why this is so and what it implies for the occupational health research agenda.
Modifying training attitudes and practice during health care reform

Health care reform has focused on the high cost of care today. To comply with proposed changes, new attitudes, training, and practice patterns are needed. Constant concern about the cost of diagnosis must exist, and only proven therapies can be justified.
Monitoring Diesel Fuel Degradation by Gas Chromatography−Mass Spectroscopy and Chemometric Analysis

Recent advances in the field of chemometrics have provided us with an opportunity to determine if it is possible to extend numerical multivariate pattern recognition techniques beyond simple fuel characterization, to the identification of important compositional features that are related to fuel quality. This can include unique combinations of normally benign constituents that exert an impact on fuel stability. Fuels are ideal candidates for chemometric analysis, because we are often concerned with minute features within a complex compositional matrix. Two potential benefits of this approach are the development of diagnostic and predictive models that can relate fuel composition to quality. We have begun our investigation with studies of gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC−MS) data from fuels that have undergone various levels of thermally induced autoxidation. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) feature selection technique has been applied to locate features in the GC−MS data that change from sample to ...
On the asymptotic behaviour of a semigroup of linear operators

Let T = {T(t)}t ≥ 0 be a C0-semigroup on a Banach space X. In this paper, we study the relations between the abscissa ωLp(T) of weak p-integrability of T (1 ≤ p < ∞), the abscissa ωpR(A) of p-boundedness of the resolvent of the generator A of T (1 ≤ p ≤ ∞), and the growth bounds ωβ(T), β ≥ 0, of T. Our main results are as follows. 1. (i) Let T be a C0-semigroup on a B-convex Banach space such that the resolvent of its generator is uniformly bounded in the right half plane. Then ω1 − ϵ(T) 0. 2. (ii) Let T be a C0-semigroup on Lp such that the resolvent of the generator is uniformly bounded in the right half plane. Then ωβ(T) ¦1p − 1p′¦, 1p + 1p′ = 1. 3. (iii) Let 1 ≤ p ≤ 2 and let T be a weakly Lp-stable C0-semigroup on a Banach space X. Then for all β>1p we have ωβ(T) ≤ 0. Further, we give sufficient conditions in terms of ωqR(A) for the existence of Lp-solutions and W1,p-solutions (1 ≤ p ≤ ∞) of the abstract Cauchy problem for a general class of operators A on X.
Units in Vacuum Measurements

ALONG with the growing unification of the various branches of physics there has been a trend toward unifying our systems of units. Originally the various branches developed systems of units peculiar to each; but as the branches have overlapped and merged some special units have been discarded in favour of those related in a simple way to the units selected as fundamental. The joule, for example, is beginning to replace the calorie as a heat unit, and meteorologists are changing from the inch of mercury to the bar for barometric pressures.
Deception Detection Expertise

A lively debate between Bond and Uysal (2007, Law and Human Behavior, 31, 109–115) and O’Sullivan (2007, Law and Human Behavior, 31, 117–123) concerns whether there are experts in deception detection. Two experiments sought to (a) identify expert(s) in detection and assess them twice with four tests, and (b) study their detection behavior using eye tracking. Paroled felons produced videotaped statements that were presented to students and law enforcement personnel. Two experts were identified, both female Native American BIA correctional officers. Experts were over 80% accurate in the first assessment, and scored at 90% accuracy in the second assessment. In Signal Detection analyses, experts showed high discrimination, and did not evidence biased responding. They exploited nonverbal cues to make fast, accurate decisions. These highly-accurate individuals can be characterized as experts in deception detection.
Intracellular calcium response of Sf-9 insect cells exposed to intense fluid forces

Suspension cell cultures are exposed to periodic high intensity, short duration fluid forces by circulating them through a flow loop containing a capillary, which simulates what a cell experiences in a stirred bioreactor. Sf-9 insect cells exhibit an increase in intracellular calcium concentration, [Ca2+]i when exposed to these cyclic fluid forces. Flow through the capillary spans both the laminar and turbulent regime and the calcium response is not dependent on the transition to turbulence. The calcium response is a nearly linear function of the rate of energy dissipation per mass of fluid in the capillary. The source of the increased calcium ions in the cell cytosol is within the cell itself, indicating that the calcium response is a cellular response to fluid forces and not a matter of increased plasma membrane permeability to Ca2+ ions. Flow cytometry on hydrodynamically stimulated and unstimulated cells reveals that the increase in the intracellular calcium concentration averaged over the cell population is due to an increase in intracellular calcium concentration in only a small sub-population of the entire suspension.
Ill-posedness of the 3D-Navier–Stokes equations in a generalized Besov space near BMO−1

Abstract The ill-posedness of the 3D-Navier–Stokes equations in a generalized Besov space which is smaller than B ∞ , q − 1 ( q > 2 ) is considered. In 2008, Bourgain–Pavlovic proved that the 3D-Navier–Stokes equation is ill-posed in B ∞ , ∞ − 1 by showing norm inflation phenomena of the solution for some initial data. On the other hand, in 2008, Germain proved that the flow map is not C 2 in the space B ∞ , q − 1 for q > 2 . However he did not treat ill-posed problem in such spaces. Thus our result is an extension of these previous results.
The Return of Epidemics and the Politics of Global–Local Health

With fears of global health epidemics (of reemerging infectious diseases) having escalated over the past few decades, we must ask how we understand the diverse responses to such outbreaks. I explore a single event that merits revisiting—the 1994 outbreak of plague in Surat, the commercial capital of the Indian state of Gujarat—in an attempt to answer this question. I trace responses at various intersecting levels of public health and political authority—global, national, and local—as they interacted with each other and expressed specific political concerns and social anxieties during this outbreak.
Red Quasars and Quasar Evolution: The Case of BAL QSO FIRST J155633.8+351758

We present the first near-infrared spectroscopic observations of the radio-loud broad absorption line quasi-stellar object (QSO), FIRST J155633.8+351758. The spectrum is similar to that of a reddened QSO and shows strong emission lines of H? and H?, as well as strong Fe II emission blends near H?. The redshift of the object, measured from the H? and H? lines, is zBLR = 1.5008 ? 0.0007, slightly larger than the redshift of zmetal = 1.48, estimated from the broad metal absorption features. Thus, the broad metal absorption features are blue shifted with respect to the systemic velocity. The width of the H? emission line (FWHM ? 4100 km s -1) is typical of that observed in QSO broad-line regions, but the Balmer decrement (H?/H? ? 5.8) is larger than that of most optically selected QSOs. Both the Balmer decrement and the slope of the rest-frame UV?optical continuum independently suggest a modest amount of extinction along the line of sight to the broad-line region (EB-V ? 0.5 for SMC-type screen extinction at the redshift of the QSO). The implied gas column density along the line of sight is much less than that implied by the weak X-ray flux of the object, suggesting that either the broad emission and absorption line regions have a low dust-to-gas ratio or that the rest-frame optical light encounters significantly lower mean column density lines of sight than the X-ray emission. From the rest-frame UV-optical spectrum, we are able to constrain the stellar mass content of the system (<3 ? 1011 M?). Comparing this mass limit with the black hole mass estimated from the bolometric luminosity of the QSO, we find it possible that the ratio of the black hole to stellar mass is comparable to the Magorrian value, which would imply that the Magorrian relation is already in place at z = 1.5. However, multiple factors favor a much larger black hole?to?stellar mass ratio. This would imply that if the Magorrian relation characterizes the late history of QSOs and if the situation observed for F1556+3517 is typical of the early evolutionary history of QSOs, central black hole masses develop more rapidly than bulge masses.
Framing identities: Gender, ethnic, and national parity in network announcing of the 2002 winter Olympics

Analysis of 53 prime-time hours of host and reporter commentary in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics located the degree and types of gender, ethnic, and national biases hidden within the prime-time network telecasts. Not surprisingly, most of the clock time went to men, most of the top 20 most mentioned athletes were men, and most of the athlete mentions and descriptors were devoted to men. Ethnic findings showed that four fifths of all athletes mentioned and the top 20 most mentioned were White. Surprisingly, non-American athletes were mentioned more frequently than American athletes were, but American athletes were characterized as being more composed and courageous whereas non-American athletes were described as succeeding because of experience.
Delayed histologic damage and neuron death in the substantia nigra reticulata following transient forebrain ischemia depends on the extent of initial striatal injury

Transient forebrain ischemia in normoglycemic, normotensive rodents reproducibly causes selectively vulnerable neurons in the striatum to degenerate within 24 h. Neurons in the substantia nigra reticulata (SNR) are resistant to this acute process. Histologic evidence demonstrates that the combination of acute ischemic injury to the caudate nucleus and globus pallidus is associated with delayed neuron degeneration in the SNR that matures at 3 weeks after reperfusion. Ischemia, like certain ablative neurotoxin lesions, may provoke degenerative, perhaps transneuronal events that continue to evolve long after the initial insult.
Prolactin induction of the alpha 2-Macroglobulin gene in rat ovarian granulosa cells: stat 5 activation and binding to the interleukin-6 response element.

alpha 2-Macroglobulin (alpha 2M) is expressed at high levels in the corpus luteum of pregnant rats in response to PRL and rat placental lactogens. These studies document that PRL induction of alpha 2M mRNA occurs rapidly in granulosa cells differentiated to the preovulatory phenotype in the presence of FSH and steroid, is hormone specific [induced by PRL but not by LH or interleukin-6 (IL-6)], and involves tyrosine kinase activity. To analyze the cellular signaling events stimulated by PRL, transient transfections of granulosa cells and electrophoretic mobility shift assays were done using the IL-6 response element (IL-6RE) of the alpha 2M promoter. The IL-6RE consists of two gamma-activating like sequences (GAS) that bind the acute phase response factor (APRF/Stat 3) in rat liver and the mammary gland factor (MGF/Stat 5) from mammary tissue. By transfecting various alpha 2M promoter-luciferase reporter transgenes into the granulosa cell cultures, we show that the GAS-like sites together with the minimal ...