cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Novel Pharmatope Tag Inserted into the β4 Subunit Confers Allosteric Modulation to Neuronal Nicotinic Receptors

alpha-Bungarotoxin, the classic nicotinic antagonist, has high specificity for muscle type alpha1 subunits in nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. In this study, we show that an 11-amino-acid pharmatope sequence, containing residues important for alpha-bungarotoxin binding to alpha1, confers functional alpha-bungarotoxin sensitivity when strategically placed into a neuronal non-alpha subunit, normally insensitive to this toxin. Remarkably, the mechanism of toxin inhibition is allosteric, not competitive as with neuromuscular nicotinic receptors. Our findings argue that alpha-bungarotoxin binding to the pharmatope, inserted at a subunit-subunit interface diametrically distinct from the agonist binding site, interferes with subunit interface movements critical for receptor activation. Our results, taken together with the structural similarities between nicotinic and GABAA receptors, suggest that this allosteric mechanism is conserved in the Cys-loop ion channel family. Furthermore, as a general strategy, the engineering of allosteric inhibitory sites through pharmatope tagging offers a powerful new tool for the study of membrane proteins.
Structures of the l-rhamno-d-mannan from Ceratocystis ulmi and the d-gluco-d-mannan from Ceratocystis brunnea

Abstract The structures of mannose-containing polysaccharides of cell walls from Ceratocystis ulmi and Ceratocystis brunnea have been determined. The l -rhamno- d -mannan from Ceratocystis ulmi (the causative agent of Dutch elm disease) contains a (1→6)-linked α- d -mannopyranose main-chain substituted in the 3-positions mainly by single-unit α- l -rhamnopyranosyl side-chains ( 1 ) and probably by a small proportion of O- l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)- l -rhamnopyranosyl side chains ( 2 ). The d -gluco- d -mannan from Ceratocystis brunnea also has an (1→6)-linked α- d -mannopyranose main-chain, which is substituted in most of the 2-positions by α- d -glucopyranosyl side-chains ( 3 ) and also by O -α- d -glucopyranosyl-(1→2)- O -α- d -mannopyranosyl ( 4 ) and d -mannopyranosyl side-chains ( 5 ). The mannan main-chain ( 10 ) of the d -gluco- d -mannan was prepared by conversion of the side-chain units ( 6 and 8 ) into the 3,6-anhydro-derivatives ( 7 and 9 ), which were then removed preferentially by partial acid hydrolysis.
A novel approach to analysis of transcriptional regulation in human cells: initial application to melanocytes and melanoma cells.

Abstract An assay system for transcriptional profile analysis of cultured eukaryotic cells has been developed to simultaneously handle multiple samples in a rapid, sensitive, and internally controlled manner. The methodology incorporates a microtiter plate assay system, a rapid cell-harvest enzyme-assay technique, and the bacterial reporter genes β-glucuronidase and β-galactosidase. We demonstrate, using β-actin and SV40 (late) transcription promoting sequences, that this technically refined microtiter-triton-lysate (MTL) assay methodology can readily differentiate between the transcriptional states of human melanocytes before and after pharmacologic stimulation and malignantly transformed versus normal cell environments. Differences in the transcriptional environments are revealed by the relative expression of transcription element probes. The transcriptional activity ratio of the β-actin compared to the SV40 late transcription promoting sequences was approximately 1:2 in primary cultured melanocytes, 2: 1 in 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-treated melanocytes and 1:4 in the Tang melanoma cell line. Because this MTL assay methodology can accommodate a panel of transcription element probes, we anticipate that the resultant transcriptional profiles will prove useful in deciphering the diverse transcriptional changes that occur within normally regulated and malignantly transformed cells.
Paramagnetic Resonance Absorption ofMn++in Single Crystals of CaCO3

Paramagnetic resonance absorption of ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{++}$ at 9300 Mc/sec has been studied using single crystals of CaC${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ containing 0.06 wt. percent ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{++}$ ions. The ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{++}$ spectrum consists of 30 well-resolved lines approximately 3.5 gauss wide and extending over a range of 1100 gauss with a large dependence upon angular orientation between crystal axes and external magnetic field. The theory pertaining to the ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{++}$ resonance absorption in the CaC${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ crystal is developed and presented. The interpretation of the observed spectra is based upon crystalline field effects plus nuclear hyperfine interaction. The spectroscopic $g$ factor is found to be essentially isotropic. The hyperfine structure factors ${A}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ and ${B}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ are found to be nearly equal. The fine structure constants ${D}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ and ${d}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ are determined. The values assigned are: ${g}_{\mathrm{II}}=2.0022, {g}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}=2.0014, {A}^{\ensuremath{'}}=8.782\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1},$ ${D}^{\ensuremath{'}}=3.75\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}, {d}^{\ensuremath{'}}=4.00\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}, {B}^{\ensuremath{'}}=8.774\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3} {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}.$
α-Ketoamides, α-ketoesters and α-diketones as HCV NS3 protease inhibitors

Peptide-based α-ketoamides, α-ketoesters and α-diketones were designed, synthesized and evaluated against HCV NS3 protease. α-Ketoamides have the highest affinity among the three classes, with 8 Scheme 1. (a) (Boc)2O, NaOH, THF/H2O (95%); (b) MeONHMe HCl, BOP, TEA, CH2Cl2 (90%); (c) LAH, THF (91%); (d) Me2C(OH)CN, TEA, CH2Cl2 (81%); (e) HCl, H2O/dioxane; (f) (Boc)2O, Na2CO3, H2O (73% for two steps); (g) allylamine, BOP, DIEA, DMF (82%); (h) 4 N HCl in dioxane; (i) Boc-Asp(t-Bu)-Glu(t-Bu)-Val-Val-Pro-OH (9), BOP, DIEA, DMF (70% for two steps); (j) Dess–Martin oxidation (70%); (k) TFA, CH2Cl2 (95%). Figure options Download full-size image Download high-quality image (57 K) Download as PowerPoint slide being the most potent inhibitor with an IC50 of 340 nM.
rt-PA and stroke: does IST-3 make it all clear or muddy the waters? Answers to the November 2012 Journal Club questions.

Editor’s Note: You are reading the 30th installment of Annals of Emergency Medicine Journal Club. This Journal Club refers to the Third International Stroke Trial (IST-3) that was published in Lancet. Information about the journal club can be found at http://www.annemergmed.com/content/ journalclub. Readers should recognize that these are suggested answers. We hope they are accurate; we know that they are not comprehensive. There are many other points that could be made about these questions or about the article in general. Questions are rated novice “ ,” intermediate “ ,” and advanced “ “ so that individuals planning a journal club can assign the right question to the right student. The “novice” rating does not imply that a novice should be able to spontaneously answer the question. “Novice” means we expect that someone with little background should be able to do a bit of reading, formulate an answer, and teach the material to others. Intermediate and advanced questions also will likely require some reading and research, and that reading will be sufficiently difficult that some background in clinical epidemiology will be helpful in understanding the reading and concepts. We are interested in receiving feedback about this feature. Please e-mail journalclub@acep.org with your comments.
Sediment exchange between Amazon mudbanks and shore-fringing mangroves in French Guiana

Time-series remote sensing data, sediment cores, and water column profiles of fluid properties and suspended sediment concentration were utilized to examine the mechanisms and volumes of sediment exchange between the mangrove fringe and the coastal zone in French Guiana. Remote sensing estimates of sediment yield from mangrove shoreline erosion by wave attack during the ∼30-year periods when offshore Amazon mudbanks are not adjacent to a 30–40 km long section of the shoreline are 6–23 million tons year−1. 7Be, 137Cs, and 210Pb inventories in sediment cores from inner (<5 m water depth) mudbank areas suggest the mangrove erosion occurs primarily during the January–April period of high wave energy, and is responsible for the bulk of sediment deposition on the leading edge of the mudbank. Remote sensing estimates of shoreline accretion associated with onshore flux of sediment from a mudbank are also large (8–26 million tons year−1). Radiotracer-generated strata age relationships indicate that the lower intertidal zone of the leading (depositional) edge of the mudbank is a relict surface, suggesting the offshore mudbank is decoupled from the shoreline. Water column profiles and radiochemical signatures point to fluid mud suspensions (10–400 g l−1) as the primary mechanism for delivering sediment across the relict intertidal zone to create the accretion at the shoreline. If the estimates of sediment volume involved in shoreline accretion and erosion in the studied area are extrapolated along the entire 1400-km-long Guianas coastline possessing offshore mudbanks, the annual exchange of sediment to and from the mangrove fringe is at least equivalent to the average input of new sediment from the Amazon.
The effects of erodent composition and shape on the erosion of steel

Abstract The effects of erodent composition, hardness-strength characteristics and shape on the erosion of AISI 1020 carbon steel were determined. Tests were performed at a velocity of 80 m s −1 at two angles of impingement (α = 30° and 90°). Angularly shaped particles of five compositions were used with Vickers' hardnesses H V from 115 to 3000 kgf mm −2 . It was determined that the erosion rate increased with increasing particle hardness to a constant rate for particles with H V > 700 kgf mm −2 . The hardness was a measure of the friability of the particle composition. When the particles were strong enough not to break up on impacting the AISI 1020 steel surface, the erosion rate became constant. It was also determined by using angular and spherical steel erodents that angular particles can result in four times more erosion than spherical particles.
Real-time detection of cellular death receptor-4 activation by fluorescence resonance energy transfer

Targeted therapy involving the activation of death receptors DR4 and/or DR5 by its ligand, TRAIL, can selectively induce apoptosis in certain tumor cells. In order to profile the dynamic activation or trimerization of TRAIL-DR4 in live cells in real-time, the development of an apoptosis reporter cell line is essential. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technology via a FRET pair, cyan fluorescence protein (CFP) and yellow fluorescence protein (YFP), was used in this study. DR4-CFP and DR4-YFP were stably expressed in human lung cancer PC9 cells. Flow cytometer sorting and limited dilution coupled with fluorescence microscopy were used to select a monoclonal reporter cell line with high and compatible expression levels of DR4-CFP and DR4-YFP. FRET experiments were conducted and FRET efficiencies were monitored according to the Siegel's YFP photobleaching FRET protocol. Upon TRAIL induction a significant increase in FRET efficiencies from 5% to 9% demonstrated the ability of the DR4-CFP/YFP reporter cell line in monitoring the dynamic activation of TRAIL pathways. 3D reconstructed confocal images of DR4-CFP/YFP reporter cells exhibited a colocalized expression of DR4-CFP and DR4-YFP mainly on cell membranes. FRET results obtained during this study complements the use of epi-fluorescence microscopy for FRET analysis. The real-time FRET analysis allows the dynamic profiling of the activation of TRAIL pathways by using the time-lapse fluorescence microscopy. Therefore, DR4-CFP/YFP PC9 reporter cells along with FRET technology can be used as a tool for anti-cancer drug screening to identify compounds that are capable of activating TRAIL pathways.
Control of pancreatic enzyme secretion: a critique on the role of calcium.

Abstract Secretion of digestive enzymes by the exocrine pancreas is thought to be initiated by a rise in cytosol Ca 2+ activity. It is not yet clear whether influx of extracellular calcium or release of calcium from an intracellular site is responsible for this event. Review of the literature provides evidence that both extracellular and intracellular calcium regulate secretion and that under different circumstances each may be an important source of ‘messenger’ calcium.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse Management in Female Kidney Transplant Recipients

Purpose: Pelvic organ prolapse in female postmenopausal kidney transplant recipients may be complicated by adverse events affecting graft function. We describe our experience with pelvic reconstructive surgery in renal transplant recipients.Materials and Methods: Pelvic reconstructive surgery was done in 16 female renal transplant recipients with pelvic organ prolapse with or without stress urinary incontinence. Intraoperative and postoperative data were recorded prospectively, including medical and surgical history, pelvic organ prolapse quantification measurement, 24-hour pad count, quality of life measurements and graft outcome. Patients were followed up to 12 months.Results: Mean ± SD age at surgery was 58.3 ± 7.7 years (range 50 to 66). Mean time to renal transplantation was 54.2 ± 15.1 months (range 38 to 123). A total of 12 anterior and 4 combined anterior/posterior colporrhaphies were done. A concomitant suburethral single incision transobturator sling procedure was performed in 8 women. We noted ...
The Responsible Administrator Has The Ethics Edge

Books reviewed: Terry L. Cooper, The Responsible Administrator: An Approach to Ethics for the Administrative Role Evan M. Berman, Jonathan P. West, Stephen J. Bonczek, eds., The Ethics Edge
EPR Spectroscopy of Nitrite Complexes of Methemoglobin

The chemical interplay of nitrogen oxides (NO's) with hemoglobin (Hb) has attracted considerable recent attention because of its potential significance in the mechanism of NO-related vasoactivity regulated by Hb. An important theme of this interplay-redox coupling in adducts of heme iron and NO's-has sparked renewed interest in fundamental studies of FeNO(x) coordination complexes. In this Article, we report combined UV-vis and comprehensive electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic studies that address intriguing questions raised in recent studies of the structure and affinity of the nitrite ligand in complexes with Fe(III) in methemoglobin (metHb). EPR spectra of metHb/NO(2)(-) are found to exhibit a characteristic doubling in their sharper spectral features. Comparative EPR measurements at X- and S-band frequencies, and in D(2)O versus H(2)O, argue against the assignment of this splitting as hyperfine structure. Correlated changes in the EPR spectra with pH enable complete assignment of the spectrum as deriving from the overlap of two low-spin species with g values of 3.018, 2.122, 1.45 and 2.870, 2.304, 1.45 (values for samples at 20 K and pH 7.4 in phosphate-buffered saline). These g values are typical of g values found for other heme proteins with N-coordinated ligands in the binding pocket and are thus suggestive of N-nitro versus O-nitrito coordination. The positions and shapes of the spectral lines vary only slightly with temperature until motional averaging ensues at approximately 150 K. The pattern of motional averaging in the variable-temperature EPR spectra and EPR studies of Fe(III)NO(2)(-)/Fe(II)NO hybrids suggest that one of two species is present in both of the alpha and beta subunits, while the other is exclusive to the beta subunit. Our results also reconfirm that the affinity of nitrite for metHb is of millimolar magnitude, thereby making a direct role for nitrite in physiological hypoxic vasodilation difficult to justify.
"The Surest Foundation of Morality": the Political Teaching of Hume's Dialogues Concerning Na Tural Religion

HE EXTRAORDINARILY DEFENSIVE reaction which followed Aleksandr Solzhenitzyn's celebrated 1978 Harvard commencement address suggests that his remarks touched a nerve in our body politic. Although Solzhenitzyn was speaking to an American audience, his remarks apply more generally to citizens of all modern liberal democracies. He accused such societies of a kind of moral bankruptcy, the symptom of which is a decline in courage or a "loss of will," which leaves liberal democracies, and the United States in particular, incapable of self-defense. Solzhenitzyn's analysis is not a manifestation of any contemporary political disposition, although it is radical in the literal sense. He does not see the West's moral bankruptcy as a recent or accidental development, and Americans cannot claim to have remedied the problem by electing Ronald Reagan and beefing up defense budgets. If Solzhenitzyn is correct, all of us living in liberal democracies are in serious trouble no matter what we spend on defense hardware. But an overwhelming chorus denies the validity of the charge, or denies that Solzhenitzyn could know us well enough to level it. He is dismissed as a hater of the free press and a moralizer who longs for a return to theocracy. Whatever one's reaction to Solzhenitzyn's formulation of the issue, it is impossible for thoughtful men and women who reflect on our situation not to share his serious concern about the foundations of liberal society. Solzhenitzyn charges that the "twentieth century's moral poverty" is manifest in its shallow and selfish legalism and its rampant devotion to the body and material goods, untempered by any notion of duty or self-restraint. It is the result, he believes, of a mistake "at the root, at the very basis of human thinking in the past centuries," that is, in the "prevailing Western view of the world." The mistake itself is identified by Solzhenitzyn as "anthropocentricity," which is "the proclaimed and enforced autonomy of man from any higher force above him." We may restate this to say that, according to Solzhenitzyn, the defect of the prevailing modern view is its misunderstanding of the relationship of man to God. That is, the defect is associated with the modern understanding of religion. If we seek an answer to his charges, we must thus recognize at the outset that the center of our concern will be the status of piety. Now, it seems to be the case that at least some of the great thinkers behind the modern conception of liberal society believed that the most urgent part of their task was to supply a critique of religion. This critique was intended to liberate political life from the influence of religious myth or superstition, and from the pernicious effects of Christianity in particular,
Fiction and Humor in Transforming McDonald’s Narrative Strategies

The article builds on and expands a narrative perspective on strategy. Specifically, we develop a more Bakhtinian model in which corporate fiction and humor serve the firm’s strategic dialogic imagination. We develop this model through an analysis of the McDonald’s corporation. Through the grotesque humor of its fictitious Ronald McDonald world, McDonald’s develops its dialogic imagination and transforms its strategic narratives. That is, strategic transformation is enacted narratively in and through its corporate fiction regenerating and revitalizing existing strategic narratives. Implications for research on McDonald’s in particular and strategy in general are discussed.
Redundancy - The new device technology for circuits of the 80's

This work provides an overview of the technologies associated with the widespread use of redundancy to improve die yields in VLSI memory circuits. Yield improvement benefits, the nature of repairable defects, methods to optimize the number and type of spare memory elements, and the reliability issues associated with redundancy are described. The paper focuses on the relative benefits of various technologies used which allow the replacement of a defective element with a redundant one. The two most popular techniques, those using on-chip transistors or off-chip lasers to disconnect fuses are discussed in detail. Comparisons are made between relative yield improvement, fuse programming physics, process variation effects on programming yield, and scalability with reduced process dimensions of these two techniques. Future applications for redundancy techniques are proposed.
Prostaglandin E2 Enhances Bradykinin-evoked iCGRP Release in Bovine Dental Pulp

Mediators produced during inflammation are responsible for hyperalgesia and expression of neurotransmitters and receptors in the nervous system. The production of bradykinin (BK) and the prostaglandins (PGs) may regulate initiation of pain. This study tested the hypothesis that BK and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) have a positive interaction in evoking neurosecretion of immunoreactive calcitonin gene-related peptide (iCGRP). Bovine dental pulp was prepared and stimulated by the superfusion method with BK alone and in combination with PGE2. Kinin receptor antagonists to bradykinin-evoked release of iCGRP were also tested. Also tested was the hypothesis that dental pulp contains either the B1 or B2 or both BK receptors. Results showed that PGE2 enhanced BK-evoked iCGRP release by more than 50%. Western immunoblots revealed detectable B2 receptor protein with no detectable B1 receptor protein. We conclude that BK evokes iCGRP release from bovine dental pulp which is enhanced by a positive interaction with PGE2. Neurosecretion is evoked from isolated terminals of dental pulp fibers via the bradykinin B2 receptor-dependent mechanism.
Aminophylline induced atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) with a rapid ventricular response was induced by intravenous (i.v.) aminophylline during treatment for symptomatic pulmonary disease in three patients who had no evidence of underlying heart disease or previous cardiac arrhythmia. Serum theophylline concentration was therapeutic in two patients and toxic in the third. Previous reports of AF related to aminophylline have underscored its association with toxic serum theophylline concentration. Conversion to sinus rhythm occurred at a time interval (9-14 hours) appropriate to the serum decay of aminophylline, after its cessation. A shortened atrial refractory period and dispersed recovery of excitability consequent to aminophylline may engender multiple reentrant circuits and lead to AF. i.v. diltiazem was more effective than digoxin in the ventricular rate control of AF prior to conversion to sinus rhythm.
Formation of subsurface Al 2O 3 layers in aluminum by oxygen ion implantation

Abstract The use of high-dose oxygen ion implants to create buried, insulating SiO 2 layers in silicon has been reported by many groups. In contrast, only a few groups have studied ion-implanted oxide layers on and in aluminum films. We have investigated the formation of subsurface Al 2 O 3 layers in bulk, polycrystalline aluminum. In particular, we implanted (1–16) × 10 17 atoms cm −2 using low current densities of 180 keV O 2 + near room temperature. Depth distributions of oxygen and aluminum were determined using both Auger-electron spectroscopy combined with argon-ion sputtering and helium-ion backscattering. For oxygen fluences greater than about 8 × 10 17 atoms cm −2 our analyses revealed subsurface layers of Al 2 O 3 were formed with thicknesses that increased with implanted dose. We combined our results with those from the aluminum film literature to propose a formation process.
Fcγ receptor type IIIA polymorphisms influence treatment outcomes in patients with inflammatory arthritis treated with tumor necrosis factor α–blocking agents

Objective To determine whether polymorphisms in Fcγ receptor type IIIA (FcγRIIIA) correlate with clinical efficacy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) being treated with tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) inhibitors. Methods The study group comprised 30 patients with RA and 5 patients with PsA. Patients were classified as being very good responders (n = 23) or nonresponders (n = 12) to therapy with TNF blocking agents. Whole blood was obtained from all patients, and DNA was extracted for FcγRIIIA analysis. The FcγRIIIA-158 polymorphism was determined using an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction assay. Results The distribution of FcγRIIIA-158 genotypes was as follows: for F homozygous (F/F), 31.5%; for V homozygous (V/V), 11.5%; and for V/F heterozygous (V/F), 57%. Among very good responders, the distribution of alleles was as follows: for F/F, 48%; for V/V, 13%; and for V/F, 39%. Among nonresponders, the distribution of alleles was as follows: for F/F, 0%; for V/V, 8%; and for V/F, 92%. The low-affinity F/F homozygous genotype was found to be significantly associated with response to TNF inhibitor therapy (P < 0.01 by Fisher's exact test). Conclusion These results suggest that FcγRIIIA-158 polymorphisms may affect the outcome of treatment with TNF blocking agents. Better understanding of the factors affecting responses to these agents could result in improved outcomes of treatment.
Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Measurements of HIV Fusion Peptide to Lipid Distances Reveal the Intimate Contact of β Strand Peptide with Membranes and the Proximity of the Ala-14−Gly-16 Region with Lipid Headgroups†

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection begins with fusion between viral and host cell membranes and is catalyzed by the HIV gp41 fusion protein. The 20 N-terminal apolar residues of gp41 are called the HIV fusion peptide (HFP), interact with the host cell membrane, and play a key role in fusion. In this study, the membrane location of peptides which contained the HFP sequence (AVGIGALFLGFLGAAGSTMGARS) was probed in samples containing either only phospholipids or phospholipids and cholesterol. Four HFPs were examined which each contained 13 CO labeling at three sequential residues between G5 and G16. The 13 CO chemical shifts indicated that HFP had predominant ‚ strand conformation over the labeled residues in the samples. The internuclear distances between the HFP 13 CO groups and the lipid 31 P atoms were measured using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance rotational-echo double-resonance experiments. The shortest 13 CO- 31 P distances of 5-6 A were observed for HFP labeled between A14 and G16 and correlated with intimate association of ‚ strand HFP and membranes. These results were confirmed with measurements using HFPs singly labeled with 13 CO at A6 or A14. To our knowledge, these data are the first measurements of distances between HIV fusion peptide nuclei and lipid P, and qualitative models of the membrane location of oligomeric ‚ strand HFP which are consistent with the experimental data are presented. Observation of intimate contact between ‚ strand HFP and membranes provides a rationale for further investigation of the relationship between structure and fusion activity for this conformation.
CountTorrent: ubiquitous access to query aggregates in dynamic and mobile sensor networks

We study the problem of aggregate querying over sensor networks where the network topology is continuously evolving. We develop scalable data aggregation techniques that remain efficient and accurate even as nodes move, join or leave the network. We present a novel distributed algorithm called CountTorrent, that enables fast estimation of certain classes of aggregate queries such as COUNT and SUM. CountTorrent does not require a static routing infrastructure, is easily implemented in a distributed setting, and can be used to inform all network nodes of the aggregate query result, instead of just the query initiator as is done in traditional query aggregation schemes. We evaluate its robustness and accuracy compared to previous aggregation approaches through simulations of dynamic and mobile sensor network environments and experiments on micaz motes. We show that in networks where the nodes are stationary, CountTorrent can provide 100% accurate aggregate results even in the presence of lossy links. In mobile sensor networks where the nodes constantly move and hence the network topology changes continuously, CountTorrent provides a close (within 10 -- 20%) estimate of the accurate aggregate query value to all nodes in the network at all times.
Bidirectional sulfate diffusion in saline-lake sediments: Evidence from Devils Lake, northeast North Dakota

Chemical and isotopic gradients in pore water in Devils Lake indicate that maximum rates of sulfate reduction occur between 1 and 3 cm depth in the bottom sediments. Dissolved sulfate diffuses into the sulfate-reduction zone upward from deeply buried saline pore water at an average rate of 1.4 {times} 10{sup {minus}5} {mu}mol {center dot} cm{sup {minus}2} {center dot} s{sup {minus}1}, and downward from the overlying water column at an average rate of 2.4 {times} 10{sup {minus}5} {mu}mol {center dot} cm{sup {minus}2} {center dot} s{sup {minus}1}. The result is a bidirectional flux of sulfate into sulfate-reduction zone. Upward-diffusing sulfate provides a ready supply of electron acceptors for sulfate-reducing bacteria even at fairly great depths in the sediments. The abundance of electron acceptors enables sulfate-reducing bacteria to outcompete methanogenic bacteria for organic material and thereby suppress methane production. Suppression of methanogenesis may be widespread in sulfate-rich lakes and wetlands and may limit methane fluxes from these water bodies to the atmosphere.
Turbulence statistics for jet noise source modeling from filtered PIV measurements

Time-resolved, particle image velocimetry was used to measure the velocity fluctuation field at three locations along the lipline of two subsonic jets. The time history data within these fields were filtered in the time domain using empirical mode decomposition to produce two signals from the velocity fluctuation measurements. One signal was for the low-frequency, large-scale turbulent eddy component of the velocity fluctuations and represented the computed results of a large-eddy simulation. The other signal was for the high-frequency, small-scale turbulent eddy component of the velocity fluctuations. This represented the missing scales of a large-eddy simulation. The effect of filtering on the statistical properties of the velocity fluctuations relevant to jet noise prediction modeling were studied. Two-point, space-time, cross correlations were computed for the axial velocity fluctuations. Comparisons were made for the second- and fourth-order two-point correlations, the integral phase velocities, leng...
Acquisition of endovascular skills for obstetrician-gynecologists

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To identify skills not part of the training of obstetrician-gynecologists that are needed to perform endovascular procedures, especially uterine artery embolization. DESIGN: Literature review of known skills necessary to perform endovascular procedures. RESULTS: Important areas of endovascular skills are as follows. Understanding of the modern C-arm image intensifier is basic to performing endovascular procedures safely for the patient, physician, and others in the procedure room. Many states require physicians to obtain a Fluoroscopy Supervisors Permit when doing such interventions. Arteriotomy begins every endovascular procedure. Physicians must understand catheter manipulation and selection, and the use of microcatheters. An understanding of the pelvic arterial anatomy will help the surgeon identify the uterine arteries. Once in the uterine artery, the surgeon must understand how to successfully embolize the artery. As in any surgery, prevention of complications is important as well as management of complications once they arise. CONCLUSION: Obstetrician-gynecologists should plan on devoting a year for the acquisition of skills needed to perform endovascular procedures. Methods of acquiring such skills include simulator training, animal laboratory procedures, and observation of live procedures. Didactic courses will give physicians an overview of endovascular procedures.
PROPERTIES OF THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF A CHICKEN TUMOR : V. ANTIGENIC PROPERTIES OF THE CHICKEN TUMOR I.

The injection of tumor extracts and their active protein fractions into rabbits induced the formation of precipitins and neutralizing antibodies. When the major portion of proteins in the tumor extract had been eliminated it induced the formation of neutralizing antibodies, but not of precipitins. The tumor agent, more highly purified by removal of the viscous fraction, did not induce precipitins, and only 2 out of the 15 sera gave any evidence of neutralizing bodies. After the removal of the major portion of protein, the extracts showed insufficient interaction with the sera to fix complement.
Effective robot team control methodologies for battlefield applications

In this paper, we present algorithms and display concepts that allow Soldiers to efficiently interact with a robotic swarm that is participating in a representative convoy mission. A critical aspect of swarm control, especially in disrupted or degraded conditions, is Soldier-swarm interaction-the Soldier must be kept cognizant of swarm operations through an interface that allows him or her to monitor status and/or institute corrective actions. We provide a control method for the swarm that adapts easily to changing battlefield conditions, metrics and supervisory algorithms that enable swarm members to economically monitor changes in swarm status as they execute the mission, and display concepts that can efficiently and effectively communicate swarm status to Soldiers in challenging battlefield environments.
Enthalpy of dissociation and hydration number of methane hydrate from the Clapeyron equation

Abstract The enthalpies of the reactions in which methane hydrate is dissociated to methane vapor and either (1) water, or (2) ice are determined by a new analysis using the Clapeyron equation. The difference in enthalpies of the two reactions is used to infer the hydration number at the quadruple point where hydrate, ice, liquid water, and methane vapor coexist. By appropriate corrections, the hydration number at points removed from the quadruple point is also determined. The most important feature of the new analysis is the direct use of the Clapeyron equation. The method avoids the use of certain simplifying assumptions that have compromised the accuracy of previous analyses in which the Clausius–Clapeyron equation was used. The analysis takes into account the finite volumes of all phases, the non-ideality of the vapor phase, and the solubility of methane in water. The results show that the enthalpy of dissociation and hydration number are constant within experimental error over the entire (hydrate, liquid, vapor) coexistence region. The results are more accurate than but entirely consistent with almost all previous studies.
Nutrient solution growth of sorghum and corn in mineral nutrition studies

The growth of plants in nutrient solutions is an invaluable tool for mineral nutrition studies. Successful growth of plants in nutrient solutions require special attention and consideration. Details and helpful ideas for the growth of plants in nutrient solutions are often omitted in publications where techniques like these are used. The objective of this report is to focus on some of the concerns, successes, experiences, and problems noted for the growth of sorghum and corn in nutrient solutions. Topics discussed are nutrient solution composition, pH of nutrient solutions, phosphorus concentrations, sources of Fe in solutions, plus several suggestions and comments for successful growth of sorghum and corn in nutrient solutions.
Asymptotically anti-de Sitter spaces

Asymptotically anti-de Sitter spaces are defined by boundary conditions on the gravitational field which obey the following criteria: (i) they are O(3, 2) invariant; (ii) they make the O(3, 2) surface integral charges finite; (iii) they include the Kerr-anti-de Sitter metric. An explicit expression of the O(3, 2) charges in terms of the canonical variables is given. These charges are shown to close in the Dirac brackets according to the anti-de Sitter algebra. The results are extended to the case ofN=1 supergravity. The coupling to gravity of a third-rank, completely antisymmetric, abelian gauge field is also considered. That coupling makes it possible to vary the cosmological constant and to compare the various anti-de Sitter spaces which are shown to have the same energy.
Sensitivity of bulk sedimentary stable carbon isotopes to prehistoric forest clearance and maize agriculture

The stable carbon isotope compositions (d 13 C) of tropical lake sediments and soils have been used to reconstruct the occurrence of prehistoric maize cultivation and its relative importance through time. This study assesses some of the possible variables affecting the response of lake sediment bulk organic carbon isotope (d 13 CTOC) values to variations in the scale of prehistoric maize cultivation and the potential of this proxy to yield quantitative estimates of the scale of prehistoric maize agriculture in small tropical watersheds. High resolution analyses of d 13 CTOC values, maize pollen concentrations, and mineral influx were conducted on sediments deposited during a w220 year period of prehistoric maize agriculture in the watershed of Laguna Castilla, a small lake in the mid-elevations of the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic. Close correspondence between d 13 CTOC values and maize pollen concentrations in the Laguna Castilla sediment record indicates a close relationship between the isotopic values and the scale of prehistoric maize cultivation. Correlations between the d 13 CTOC signature and mineral influx indicate that the isotope record is also sensitive to variations in allochthonous carbon delivery. This study establishes that sedimentary d 13 CTOC values can provide a highly sensitive proxy of the spatial scale of prehistoric maize agriculture in small tropical watersheds, but
Manufacture of a 1.7 m prototype of the GMT primary mirror segments

We have manufactured a 1.7 m off-axis mirror as part of the technology development for the Giant Magellan Telescope. The mirror was polished with a stressed lap and measured using a hybrid reflective-diffractive null corrector.
Making cloud intermediate data fault-tolerant

Parallel dataflow programs generate enormous amounts of distributed data that are short-lived, yet are critical for completion of the job and for good run-time performance. We call this class of data as intermediate data. This paper is the first to address intermediate data as a first-class citizen, specifically targeting and minimizing the effect of run-time server failures on the availability of intermediate data, and thus on performance metrics such as job completion time. We propose new design techniques for a new storage system called ISS (Intermediate Storage System), implement these techniques within Hadoop, and experimentally evaluate the resulting system. Under no failure, the performance of Hadoop augmented with ISS (i.e., job completion time) turns out to be comparable to base Hadoop. Under a failure, Hadoop with ISS outperforms base Hadoop and incurs up to 18% overhead compared to base no-failure Hadoop, depending on the testbed setup.
Dichlorobis(triphenylphosphine oxide)magnesium

The compound [MgCl2(C18H15OP)2] was inadvertantly crystallized during a reaction involving magnesium germanide. It is isostructural to the Mn, Co, Cu and Zn analogs. Since four-coordinate Mg is rare, its structure is reported here. The Mg atom lies on a twofold axis and is surrounded by two O atoms and two Cl atoms in a distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry.
Granulomatous eruption after BCG vaccine immunotherapy for malignant melanoma.

In a patient receiving intralesional bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine injections for recurrent cutaneous metastases of malignant melanoma of the right leg, a striking eruption developed on that limb only. The eruption consisted of multiple 1 to 2 mm, reddish brown, flat-topped papules, with confluence into plaques. Histopathologic examination showed multiple tuberculoid granulomas within the papillary and reticular dermis; special stains and cultures were negative for mycobacteria.
A single nucleotide polymorphism in IL28B affects viral evolution of hepatitis C quasispecies after pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy

Interleukin-28B (IL28B) polymorphisms are associated with viral response to peginterferon and ribavirin (RBV) in chronic hepatitis C (HCV). Their recognition represents a breakthrough in the understanding of the role of the host in viral eradication. How these polymorphisms determine viral eradication is unknown. The IL-28B variants are hypothesized to have a differential impact on HCV quasispecies evolution during treatment with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and RBV. In this study, HCV RNA levels were measured at early time points in 33 naive genotype 1 hepatitis C patients and clonal analysis of the entire NS5A region was performed on sera from baseline and Day 7. Site rs12979860 polymorphisms were determined by direct sequencing of PCR products and classified into CC, CT, and TT and were identified in 13, 11, and 9 patients, respectively. The CC polymorphism more commonly was seen in Whites versus Blacks [12/21 (57%) vs. 1/12 (8%), P = 0.009] and HIV-infected versus mono-infected [13/25 (52%) vs. 0/8 (0%), P = 0.009]. Patients with CC and non-CC had similar baseline viral loads. More patients with the CC polymorphism had amino acid substitutions in NS5A compared to non-CC patients. Despite similar baseline viral diversity, by Day 7, significantly more patients with CC had higher non-synonymous substitution values compared to non-CC (P = 0.02). Chronic hepatitis C patients with the CC IL28B polymorphism have a higher number of amino acid substitutions in the NS5A region and early viral evolution due to greater interferon induced selective pressure during this critical period of treatment. J. Med. Virol. 84:1913–1919, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adult bone strength of children from single-parent families: the Midlife in the United States Study.

Summary Bone health may be negatively impacted by childhood socio-environmental circumstances. We examined the independent associations of single-parent childhood and parental death or divorce in childhood with adult bone strength indices. Longer exposure to a single-parent household in childhood was associated with lower bone strength in adulthood.
Translating data into meaning: education in conservation biology.

Most scientists recognize that species are disappear ingat an alar ming rate, and man y disappear bef or e w e canev en name them, let alone under stand their ev olutionar yhistor y o r role in their ecosystems. The reason fo r biodi-versity losses is larg ely anthr opog enic. As a response tothis cr isis, pr of essional biologists founded the Society fo rConser vation Biolog y (SCB) in 1987 (Soul e« 1987). Oneof six ke y objectiv es of SCB (1987) is Othe education, atall lev els, pr epar ator y and continuing, of the pub lic, ofbiologists, and of mana gers in the pr inciples of conser va-tion biolog y.O What role has education pla yed in the SCBand the jour nal Conser vation Biolog y since their incep-tion, and what oppor tunities exist fo r strengthening thiscr itical element within SCB and the field?
Ovarian clear cell carcinoma, outcomes by stage: the MSK experience

Abstract Objective Ovarian clear cell carcinomas (OCCCs) are rare, and uncertainty exists as to the optimal treatment paradigm and validity of the FIGO staging system, especially in early-stage disease. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of all OCCC patients diagnosed and treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center between January 1996 and December 2013. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated by stage and race, and comparisons were made using the log-rank test. Statistical significance was set at p Results There were 177 evaluable patients. The majority of patients were stage I at diagnosis (110/177, 62.2%). Of these, 60/110 (54.6%) were stage IA, 31/110 (28.2%) were stage IC on the basis of rupture-only, and 19/110 (17.3%) were stage IC on the basis of surface involvement and/or positive cytology of ascites or washings. Patients with stage IA and IC based on rupture-only had similar PFS/OS outcomes. Patients with stage IC based on surface involvement and/or positive cytology had a statistically significant decrement in PFS/OS. Stage was an important indicator of PFS/OS, while race was not. Conclusions OCCC often presents in early stage. Women with stage IA OCCC have excellent prognosis, and future studies should explore whether they benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. Women with IC OCCC need further staging clarification, as surgical rupture alone affords better prognosis than surface involvement and/or positive cytology. Women with advanced OCCC have poor survival and are often chemotherapy resistant/refractory. New treatment paradigms are needed.
Mechanical debridement of subgingival biofilm in participants with asymptomatic third molars does not reduce deeper probing depths in the molar regions of the mouth.

Purpose To assess the impact of mechanical debridement of subgingival biofilm on periodontal outcomes in adolescents and young adults with asymptomatic third molars. Methods Healthy participants with 4 asymptomatic third molars were enrolled in an institutional review board–approved longitudinal study. Clinical data were collected at enrollment and at follow-up visits. Full-mouth periodontal probing, 6 sites per tooth, was assessed as a measure of clinical periodontal status. At enrollment, all participants had dental prophylaxis after data collection, which included removal of subgingival biofilm; this was repeated annually. The primary outcome measures were the comparison from baseline to follow-up 2 years after enrollment of participants' periodontal probing depths for third molars and first/second molars. In addition, a comparison of extent scores at baseline to follow-up 2 years after enrollment for periodontal probing sites of at least 4 mm was performed for the same molar regions of the mouth. Changes over time in clinical periodontal status from enrollment to the follow-up at least 2 years later were analyzed with Mantel-Haenszel row mean score statistics. The level of significance was set at P Results The median follow-up from entry to the study was 2.2 years (interquartile range, 2.0-2.8 years) for 262 participants who averaged 27.7 years of age (SD, 1.2 years); 53% were female participants, and 81% were white. Most participants (90%) were educated beyond high school. On the basis of periodontal probing depths, participants' clinical periodontal status did not differ from enrollment to follow-up. Conclusions Dental prophylaxis at yearly intervals in participants with asymptomatic third molars, which included mechanical removal of subgingival biofilm, had minimal or no impact on reducing deeper probing depths, clinical indicators of periodontal pathology in young adults.