cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Salmonella inactivation and sponge/microfiber mediated cross-contamination during papaya wash with chlorine or peracetic acid as sanitizer

Abstract Imported papayas from Mexico have been implicated in multiple salmonellosis outbreaks in the United States in recent years. While postharvest washing is a critical process to remove latex, dirt, and microbes, it also has the potential of causing cross-contamination by foodborne pathogens, with sponge or other fibrous rubbing tools often questioned as potential harboring or transmitting risk. In this study, Salmonella inactivation and cross-contamination via sponges and microfiber wash mitts during simulated papaya washing and cleaning were investigated. Seven washing treatments (wash without sanitizer; wash at free chlorine 25, 50, and 100 mg/L, and at peracetic acid 20, 40, and 80 mg/L), along with unwashed control, were evaluated, using Salmonella strains with unique antibiotic markers differentially inoculated on papaya rind (serovars Typhimurium, Heidelberg, and Derby) and on wash sponge or microfiber (serovars Typhimurium, Newport, and Braenderup). Salmonella survival and transfer on papaya and on sponge/microfiber, and in wash water were detected using selective plating or enrichment. The washing and cleaning process reduced Salmonella on inoculated papayas by 1.69–2.66 and 0.69–1.74 log for sponge and microfiber cleaning, respectively, with the reduction poorly correlated to sanitizer concentration. Salmonella on inoculated sponge or microfiber was under detection limit (1.00 log CFU/cm2) by plate count, but remained recoverable by selective enrichment. Transference of Salmonella from inoculated papaya to sponge/microfiber, and vice versa, could be detected sporadically by selective enrichment. Sponge/microfiber mediated Salmonella cross-contamination from inoculated to uninoculated papayas was frequently detectable by selective enrichment, but rendered undetectable by wetting sponge/microfiber in sanitizing wash water (FC 25–100 mg/L or PAA 20–80 mg/L) between washing different papaya fruits. Therefore, maintaining adequate sanitizer levels and frequently wetting sponge/microfiber in sanitizing wash water can effectively mitigate risks of Salmonella cross-contamination associated with postharvest washing, especially with regard to the use of sponge or microfiber wash mitts.
Teaching Design to Public Health Majors: A Design Case of an Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Course

This design case describes the design of an interdisciplinary undergraduate course that teaches multimedia design and production skills to undergraduate students majoring in public health. Over the years, the course evolved from a technical skills training course, in which students learned basic “how-to” procedures of developing multimedia using computer software, into a design course focused on the interdisciplinary area between instructional design and public health. While the course was built due to the demands of the public health job market, the latest point in the course evolution was built under the philosophy that multimedia design and production skills are crucial to future public health practitioners, who will face complex and interesting problems that can be addressed through an instructional design approach. Therefore, learning experiences in this course needed to be contextualized and authentic to the field of public health. This case is structured around two iterations of the course design process that spanned over two academic years. We—the authors and the designers—first report a description of the course. Then, we describe how the course was designed through the first and second iterations by narrating our design failures and explaining our design decisions.
Toward a neuropsychology of political orientation: exploring ideology in patients with frontal and midbrain lesions.

How do people form their political beliefs? In an effort to address this question, we adopt a neuropsychological approach. In a natural experiment, we explored links between neuroanatomy and ideolo...
A Phase 1 Dose-Escalation Trial of Radiation Therapy and Concurrent Cisplatin for Stage II and III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Purpose Patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) experience higher local-regional recurrence rates than those with luminal or HER2-positive tumors. This prospective, phase 1B trial was designed to assess the safety and to establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of cisplatin with radiation therapy for women with early-stage TNBC. Methods and Materials Eligible patients had stage II or III TNBC. Cisplatin was initiated at 10 mg/m2 intravenously once weekly during radiation and then escalated in a 3 + 3 design by 10 mg/m2 at each dose level until 40 mg/m2, or the MTD, was reached. Patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy (BCT) or mastectomy were accrued in separate parallel cohorts during dose escalation, followed by a 10-patient expansion at the MTD. Results During 2013 to 2018, 55 patients were accrued. Four patients developed dose-limiting toxicity. In the BCT cohort, 1 patient receiving 40 mg/m2 developed tinnitus resulting in a cisplatin delay; therefore, this was the BCT cohort MTD. In the mastectomy cohort, 1 patient receiving 20 mg/m2 developed a grade 3 urinary infection, and 2 additional patients had dose-limiting toxicities at 40 mg/m2 (grade 3 neutropenia and grade 2 tinnitus), both resulting in cisplatin delay. Thus, 30 mg/m2 was the mastectomy cohort MTD. Median follow-up was 48.5 months. Three-year disease-free survival was 74.7% for the BCT cohort and 64.4% for the mastectomy cohort. Conclusions Adjuvant radiation therapy with concurrent cisplatin is feasible with a recommended phase 2 dose of 30 mg/m2 and 40 mg/m2 intravenously weekly in mastectomy and BCT cohorts, respectively.
Comparative analysis of two isocyanate-free urethane-based gels for antifouling applications.

Amphiphilic gels consisting of acrylamide (AAM)/2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), hexafluorobutyl methacrylate (HFBMA) and non-isocyanate urethane dimethacrylate (NIUDMA) of varying molecular wei...
The concurrent burden of multimorbidity, mental health conditions, and severe obesity among United States health center patients

Abstract Aims This paper examines the association of multimorbidity, mental health (MH) conditions, and obesity severity among health center (HC) patients in the United States. Methods We used cross-sectional data from the 2014 Health Center Patient Survey (n = 5370). We examined the independent association of multimorbidity and MH conditions with obesity severity using a multinomial logistic regression model, controlling for potential confounders. Results More than half (50.4%) of HC patients had obesity, including 15% with severe obesity. In addition, 41% had multimorbidity and 49% had one of five diagnosed MH conditions. We found higher odds of having mild (OR = 4.06), moderate (OR = 3.39), and severe (OR = 4.93) obesity with the presence of both multimorbidity and MH conditions. Multimorbidity alone was also associated with higher odds of obesity, but MH conditions alone were only associated with having moderate obesity. Conclusions Findings show a higher burden of comorbidity and MH conditions given the severity of obesity among HC patients. This complex patient profile highlights the need for innovative approaches in effective care delivery and management of HC patients who are primarily low-income or uninsured. Approaches may include further integration of behavioral health and social services with primary care and the need for targeted practice guidelines for providers managing such patients.
Does Superior Bone Health Promote a Longer Lifespan

IntroductionPublic health achievements throughout the last century have resulted in a steady increase in life expectancy. An emergent subset has distinguished themselves, living well beyond the nin...
Tumor-Derived TGF-β Reduces the Efficacy of Dendritic Cell/Tumor Fusion Vaccine

Dendritic cell (DC)-based antitumor vaccine is a novel cancer immunotherapy that is promising for reducing cancer-related mortality. However, results from early clinical trials were suboptimal. A possible explanation is that many tumors secrete immunosuppressive factors such as TGF-β, which may hamper host immune response to DC vaccine. In this study, we demonstrated that TGF-β produced by tumors significantly reduced the potency of DC/tumor fusion vaccines. TGF-β-secreting (CT26-TGF-β) stable mouse colon cancer cell lines were generated using a retroviral vector expressing TGF-β. A non-TGF-β-secreting (CT26-neo) cell line was generated using an empty retroviral vector. The efficacies of DC/tumor fusion vaccines were assessed in vitro and in vivo. DC/CT26-TGF-β fusion cells failed to induce a strong T cell proliferative response in vitro, mainly due to the effect of TGF-β on T cell responsiveness rather than DC stimulatory capability. Animals vaccinated with DC/CT26-TGF-β fusion vaccine had lower tumor-specific CTL activity and had significantly lower survival after tumor challenge as compared with animals immunized with DC/CT26-neo hybrids (45 vs 77%, p < 0.05). Ex vivo exposure of DCs to TGF-β did not appear to lessen the efficacy of DC vaccine. These data suggest that tumor-derived TGF-β reduces the efficacy of DC/tumor fusion vaccine via an in vivo mechanism. Neutralization of TGF-β produced by the fusion cells may enhance the effectiveness of DC-based immunotherapy.
Will a global subsidy of artemisinin-based combination treatment (ACT) for malaria delay the emergence of resistance and save lives?

Artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACTs) are seen as an important tool in the global effort to roll back malaria. With rapidly increasing parasite resistance to chloroquine in many parts of the world, there is greater international recognition of the need for both a different antimalarial and a coordinated malaria treatment strategy to ensure that resistance does not needlessly cut short the useful therapeutic life of any successor drug to chloroquine. The effectiveness of antimalarial drugs is a global public good, of particular value in malarious regions that also are among the most economically impoverished parts of the world. Inappropriate drug use in neighboring countries reduces the incentive of any given country to deploy drug regimens that may be rapidly undermined by resistance originating outside their borders. Therefore, a case can be made for globally coordinated action to protect the effectiveness of these valuable drugs. Translating this case to one for a global subsidy is not straightforward. On the one hand, in the absence of such a subsidy to ensure that ACTs are comparably priced to monotherapies, increasing monotherapy of artemisinin and other antimalarials that would be used along with artemisinin in ACT will hasten the demise of this drug. On the other hand, a global subsidy would greatly increase the use and potential misuse of ACTs and could result in resistance emerging at a more rapid rate. This study finds that a subsidy to ACTs is likely to slow the rate of emergence of resistance to artemisinin and partner drugs, even if such a subsidy were to increase the use of ACTs significantly. This conclusion is robust to alternative assumptions regarding the responsiveness of demand to the lower price for ACTs and a wide range of epidemiological and economic parameters. However, the simulation results show that a subsidy for two or more ACT combinations is likely to be much more cost-effective than a subsidy to a single ACT. The only consideration is that the drugs used as partners to artemisinin be unrelated to each other and to artemisinin in mechanism of action and in genetic bases of resistance, so that a single mutation cannot encode resistance to both components. Such a subsidy program for ACTs, administered globally, that reduces reliance on any single combination, and discourages monotherapy, not only of artemisinin but of any effective antimalarial that could potentially be used as partner drug with artemisinin, is likely to be effective (and cost-effective) both in buying time for ACTs and in saving lives
Use of molecular techniques to evaluate the survival of a microorganism injected into an aquifer

A PCR primer set and an internal probe that are specific for Pseudomonas sp. strain B13, a 3-chlorobenzoate-metabolizing strain, were developed. Using this primer set and probe, we were able to detect Pseudomonas sp. strain B13 DNA sequences in DNA extracted from aquifer samples 14.5 months after Pseudomonas sp. strain B13 had been injected into a sand and gravel aquifer. This primer set and probe were also used to analyze isolates from 3-chlorobenzoate enrichments of the aquifer samples by Southern blot analysis. Hybridization of Southern blots with the Pseudomonas sp. strain B13-specific probe and a catabolic probe in conjunction with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of ribosome genes was used to determine that viable Pseudomonas sp. strain B13 persisted in this environment. We isolated a new 3-chlorobenzoate-degrading strain from one of these enrichment cultures. The B13-specific probe does not hybridize to DNA from this isolate. The new strain could be the result of gene exchange between Pseudomonas sp. strain B13 and an indigenous bacterium. This speculation is based on an RFLP pattern of ribosome genes that differs from that of Pseudomonas sp. strain B13, the fact that identically sized restriction fragments hybridized to the catabolic gene probe, and the absence of any enrichable 3-chlorobenzoate-degrading strains in the aquifer prior to inoculation. Images
Radio port spacing in low tier wireless systems

The capacity of a low tier wireless system is dependent on the distance between adjacent radio ports (RPs). Maximum port spacing, determined by a RP’s maximum coverage area, is important where population density is low. Minimum port spacing is important where population density is high, as is the case in congested urban areas. Minimum port spacing imposes a significant capacity constraint and has a direct impact on the amount of spectrum needed in a low tier wireless system.
Historical biogeography of the arid‐adapted velvet ant Sphaeropthalma arota (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) reveals cryptic species

Aim To investigate the phylogeographic patterns among populations of the wide-ranging velvet ant Sphaeropthalma arota to (1) examine the biogeographic patterns within this species, and (2) associate major genetic divergences to historical vicariance events in order to gain insight into the processes that drove diversification in arid-adapted organisms. Location Western North America. Methods Phylogenetic relationships were determined by analysing the two ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) in MrBayes. Divergence dates were estimated for major nodes using two different molecular dating analyses: a penalized likelihood approach to rate smoothing using the program r8s, and a Bayesian MCMC averaging approach to rate smoothing using the program beast. Both analyses were calibrated using fossils from Dominican amber. Haplotype networks were estimated using tcs. Ecological niche models (ENMs) were developed using six bioclimatic variables from the WorldClim data set in the program Maxent. Results The phylogenetic reconstructions indicate that S. arota can be split into four deeply divergent lineages that probably represent distinct species. No morphological characters were found that can be used to identify these four species, making the S. arota species complex the first documented cryptic species complex in the family Mutillidae. Ecological niche models provide estimated distributions, which indicate that each of the four species inhabits a distinct niche. Divergence date estimates suggest that major diversification events occurred in the late Neogene. Main conclusions Sphaeropthalma arota is composed of four genetically distinct species that cannot be distinguished morphologically based on current methods. We suggest that the members of this group be identified as the S. arota species complex. Major diversification events in this species complex can be linked to late Neogene mountain building and aridification events, specifically the uplift of the mountain ranges in southern California and the expansion of the Bouse Sea.
AP-1 and STAT mediate hyperoxia-induced gene transcription of heme oxygenase-1

We have previously shown marked induction of the stress-inducible gene heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in vivo and in vitro after hyperoxia. In RAW 264.7 cells, HO-1 induction is transcriptionally regulated and dependent on cooperation between the HO-1 gene promoter and the 5' distal enhancer element SX2. In our present study, further deletional and mutational analyses demonstrate that signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) DNA binding sites located in the promoter of HO-1 and activator protein (AP)-1 DNA binding sites in the distal enhancer element SX2 are necessary for optimal HO-1 gene activation after hyperoxia. Interestingly, a second 5' distal enhancer element, AB1, located 10 kb upstream from the HO-1 promoter, alone is activated after hyperoxia but cannot confer maximal hyperoxia-induced HO-1 gene transcription. Mutational analysis of the AB1 enhancer shows that AP-1 is essential for AB1-mediated HO-1 gene transcription after hyperoxia. Electromobility shift assays show increased STAT1, STAT3, STAT5, and AP-1 DNA binding activity in RAW 264.7 cells after hyperoxia. Taken together, our data suggest that the 5' distal enhancer elements of the HO-1 gene in concert with the promoter regulate HO-1 gene induction and highlight the complexity of HO-1 gene transcription in response to hyperoxia.
Computational rock physics at the pore scale: Transport properties and diagenesis in realistic pore geometries

Transport properties, such as permeability, are important in many geophysical and petroleum applications. However, complex pore geometry often makes modeling and simulation of transport properties in porous media very difficult. Conventional methods are usually based on partial differential equations, but the implementation of these techniques becomes very complicated when the geometry is extremely complex. As a result, simplified geometry is often used; thus the implementation depends heavily on the model. Solving the same problem in a different geometry often means that many parts of the implementation have to be changed. Therefore, a more robust and simple tool, which can handle complex pore space without oversimplification or modification of the model, is needed. The Lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM), based on statistical description of microscopic phenomena, is one alternative. LBM describes fluid motion as collisions of imaginary particles, which are much bigger than the real fluid molecules. These particles have nearly nothing in common with real fluids, but they show almost the same behavior at a macroscopic scale. This simple collision rule is exactly equivalent to the Navier-Stokes equation within certain appropriate limits. Figure 1 shows a synthetic pore geometry (a random dense pack of identical spheres) and the corresponding digital 3-D structure. Uniform spheres in a random dense pack are a reasonable first approximation to real sandstones. Another advantage for this model is that changing porosity is relatively easy, and laboratory measurements can be mimicked using sintered glass beads. Figure 2 shows electric flux (current) calculated by the finite-element method (FEM) and hydraulic flux calculated by LBM. Both are normalized by each maximum value. The hydraulic flux shows much more sensitivity to the grain boundary than the electric current; the hydraulic flux decreases rapidly near the boundary. Also, the high flux regions are different in Figure 2, even though pore geometry …
High-Resolution Observations of the Trowal–Warm-Frontal Region of Two Continental Winter Cyclones

Abstract This paper compares the structure of the trough of warm air aloft (trowal)–warm-frontal region of two continental wintertime cyclones. The cyclones were observed over the central Great Lakes region during the Lake-Induced Convection Experiment/Snowband Dynamics Project field campaign. The cyclones had different origins, with the first forming east of the Colorado Rockies and the second forming over the Gulf of Mexico. They were associated with different upper-level flow regimes, one located just north of a nearly zonal jet and the other located just west of a nearly meridional jet. Both storms produced heavy swaths of snow across the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan. High-resolution observations of frontal structure were made during flights of the National Center for Atmospheric Research Electra aircraft using dropsondes and the Electra Doppler Radar tail radar system. The high-resolution observations suggest a different arrangement of air masses in the trowal region compared with the ...
Graphic Organizers: Tools to Build Behavioral Literacy and Foster Emotional Competency.

Too frequently, current approaches to discipline de-emphasize the importance of social, emotional, and behavioral instruction and overemphasize the use of punishment. When reactive, punitive consequences are the primary form of discipline, a negative school climate emerges. To prevent an unconstructive learning environment, educators need to teach students the knowledge, skills, and abilities that lead to the development of emotional competency. This article describes creative ways to use graphic organizers to effectively manage educational environments, build behavioral literacy in students, and create a learning community that celebrates diversity and empowerment.
Changes with age in mouse kidney.

Abstract Histologic and micrometric studies have been performed to study changes with age in mouse kidney. The number of tubular cells and glomerular cells decreased significantly with increasing age. The number of glomerular tufts per unit area did not show any significant change during aging. The size of Malpighian corpuscles, glomerular tufts, nuclei of glomerular cells and nuclei of tubular cells increased significantly in senile kidneys. The statistical analysis revealed that the values of the coefficient of variation generally increased with age.
Electron-electron scattering in simple metals

The interaction between two-electron quasiparticles is approximated in terms of the dielectric and vertex functions of the uniform electron gas. These functions must satisfy the compressibility sum rule, and this fact makes the interaction at metallic densities much stronger than the Thomas-Fermi screened Coulomb interaction. A problem arises in applying this theory to real metals because the compressibility of the electron gas at densities appropriate to rubidium and cesium is negative. This anomaly is removed by taking into account the real metal effect of core polarization. The effective interaction is used to calculate the electron-electron scattering rate and its contribution to the thermal resistivity. The result is consistent with the single experimental measurement presently available on sodium (new results on potassium, rubidium, and cesium became available after this paper was completed; these are reported in Table III), whereas the Thomas-Fermi interaction predicts a thermal resistivity that is too small by a factor of 7. The scattering rates and thermal resistivities of all the alkali metals are calculated to enable comparison with future experimental values.
An exploratory study of hypnotic capacity of schizophrenic and borderline patients in a clinical setting.

Abstract A review of current clinical and experimental research discloses that psychotic patients display hypnotic capacity. There is disagreement about the degree of this capacity. The most recent research indicates that schizophrenic populations are comparable to normal populations on the Stanford Scales of Hypnotic Susceptibility and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility. However, on the Hypnotic Induction Profile the mean scores of schizophrenics are significantly lower than normals. To investigate these inconsistencies, I undertook an exploratory study of the hypnotizability of schizophrenic and borderline patients in a clinical setting. Test results in this clinical setting, using the Stanford Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility: Form A and the Hypnotic Induction Profile, indicated higher than usual hypnotizability. The effects of transference in the clinical setting may be a possible explanation for some of the differences in the test results. Posttest questioning revealed response patter...
Dipolar chains formed by chemically synthesized cobalt nanocubes

Abstract Cobalt nanocubes with an average edge length of 50 nm and epsilon crystalline structure were synthesized via thermo-decomposition in 1,2-dichlorobenzene at 120 °C in the presence of surfactants. These nanocubes form dipolar chains upon drying in zero applied field and bundles of chains along the direction of an applied magnetic field. The magnetic measurements reveal strong interparticle couplings among the nanocubes in their dried magnetic-field-induced assemblies. The constricted hysteresis loops and near-zero coercivity indicate the existence of vortex states in the assemblies. Exposure to electron beam heats up the nanocubes and turns the dipolar chains into nanowires.
Anecdotes [software history]

Walter Brown's recollection of Atlantic Software explains how the firm was one of the earliest formed specifically to market third-party software. In many ways, the rise and fall of Software Resources Corporation epitomized the software marketing environment of the late 1960s, as Robert V. Head recounts. Lawrence Welke describes, with his account of the ICP Directories, how they began in 1967 as the first public lists of program products for sale.
Effects of concurrent verbal rehearsal and temporal set upon judgements of temporal duration

Abstract Subjects (N = 252, college students) rehearsed a 30-item free-recall list, or rested for one of three intervals (32, 42 or 54 sec), on the first, third, or ninth study trial. At the conclusion of the interval, subjects made an absolute judgement of interval duration. Half the subjects were informed that this time judgement would be required prior to the interval (prospective), and the remainder were not informed of the required time judgement until after the interval (retrospective). As the number of previous trials increased, judged time (1) increased linearly in the prospective-rehearsal group, (2) decreased linearly in the retrospective-rehearsal group, and (3) had no effect on the nonrehearsal groups. Prospective judgements were greater than retrospective. It was concluded that retrospective time judgements are a function of the amount of information the subject remembers having processed during the interval.
Speed Harmonization: Evaluation of Effectiveness Under Congested Conditions

The objective of this study was to explore the impacts of early shock wave detection on breakdown formation and driving hazards (safety) and the possible corresponding improvements from the use of speed harmonization as a control strategy. Several efforts have been made to evaluate speed harmonization systems by means of various traffic microsimulation models. However, further related behavioral-based studies are needed, especially in light of the development of connected-vehicle technology. The adopted approach relies on a cognitive risk-based microscopic simulation model capable of endogenously accounting for incidents to study the effects of speed harmonization strategies on traffic flow characteristics and safety. An algorithm based on wavelet transform--to detect shock wave formation--was combined with a reactive speed limit selection algorithm to implement speed harmonization within the microscopic simulation model. Three sets of scenarios were simulated. The results showed significant improvement in traffic flow characteristics through the implementation of the speed harmonization control strategy under congested conditions. Analysis of a fundamental diagram revealed the existence of an optimal location to implement the speed limit changes upstream of the point of shock wave detection. The analysis also revealed the role of speed limit compliance for the success of a speed harmonization system. Language: en
Apoptosis following peripheral sensory deafferentation in the olfactory bulb of adult zebrafish

Removal of the olfactory organ in adult zebrafish results in a significant decrease in volume of the ipsilateral olfactory bulb. The current study investigated the potential role of apoptosis in this phenomenon. It was hypothesized that cells in the adult olfactory bulb normally undergo minimal apoptosis and that apoptosis increases upon removal of sensory stimulation. By using both the terminal transferase-mediated deoxyuridine nick-end labeling method and bis-benzimide labeling, the current study showed that, in the normal adult olfactory bulb, cells exhibiting apoptotic profiles were scarce and were localized to the outer layers of the bulb. However, in deafferented animals, there was a significant increase in the number of apoptotic cells. The apoptotic response occurred in two phases and was confined to the rostral half of the bulb. The first phase of cell death peaked at 1 hour postsurgery. These apoptotic profiles appeared to be primarily nonneuronal in nature, in that they exhibited no immunohistochemical labeling to the neuron-specific protein Hu. The second phase of cell death peaked at 24 hours and declined to normal levels by 1 week. At the 24 hour time point, only a fraction of the apoptotic cells was neuronal in nature. Thus, apoptosis of nonneuronal and neuronal elements accounts for at least part of the deafferentation-induced volume decrease in the zebrafish olfactory bulb. This model of anterograde transneuronal degeneration will be useful in elucidating the afferent signals involved in survival and maintenance of mature brain neurons.
Imaging of the serotonergic system: interactions of neuroanatomical and functional abnormalities of depression

For nearly three decades, evidence supporting a role for aberrant serotonergic function in the pathogenesis of depression has accumulated; however, only recently have methodologies and radiotracers suitable for in vivo clinical assessment of depression become available. To date, only a few neurochemical imaging studies have been performed in actively depressed subjects. A preliminary study using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has demonstrated decreased levels of serotonin (5-HT) transporters in the midbrain regions of subjects with major depression. Analysis of the 5-HT2 receptor using positron emission tomography (PET) has suggested that this receptor may not be altered significantly in the depressed brain but may increase in response to antidepressant treatment. These findings are supported by studies in secondary "poststroke" depression that have shown that elevations in 5-HT2 receptor density correlated with the alleviation of symptoms of depressed mood. With the rapid development of novel PET and SPECT radiotracers, future studies of the serotonergic system that evaluate presynaptic (5-HT transporter) and postsynaptic (5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors) markers and the interaction of synaptic levels of 5-HT with these sites will make profound contributions to the understanding of the role of the serotonergic synapse in the pathophysiology of depression.
Modeling the post-yield flow behavior after neutron and electron irradiation of steels and iron-base alloys.

Irradiation hardening is an issue of practical importance as it relates to the remanent life and the nature of failure of reactor components exposed to displacement-producing radiation. Understanding these phenomena requires studies of fundamental microstructural mechanisms of hardening. In this paper, we analyze the tensile behavior of pressure vessel steels (A212B and A350) irradiated by neutrons and electrons. The results show that the post-yield true stress/true strain behavior can provide fingerprints of the different hardening effects that result from irradiation by the two particles, which suggests correspondingly different hardening microstructures for the two particles. Microstructurally-based models for irradiation-induced yield strength increases, combined with a model for strain hardening, are used to make predictions of the different effects of irradiation by the two particles on the entire flow curve that agree well with data.
On conditioned reconstruction, gene content data, and the recovery of fusion genomes.

Conditioned reconstruction (CR)1 represents a new phylogenetic method that has been presented as a means of utilizing vast amounts of gene absence/presence data to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and to directly study the inXuence of genome fusion on evolution (Lake and Rivera, 2004; Rivera and Lake, 2004; Simonson et al., 2005). In the Wrst direct application of CR, the results were stated to unambiguously support the role of an archaeal and eubacterial genome fusion event in the ancestry of the eukaryotic genome (McInerney and Wilkinson, 2005; Rivera and Lake, 2004; Simonson et al., 2005). In the present manuscript, we outline the basic components of CR, discuss the logic behind their application, and subsequently identify concerns with aspects of data interpretation and the current use of conditioning genomes and aligned networks in the study of genome fusion. Conditioned reconstruction begins with the selection of a conditioning genome (CG) that will represent the full set of orthologous genes coded during matrix development (Lake and Rivera, 2004). Strong emphasis has been placed on the strict use of relatively small genomes as conditioning genomes (Lake and Rivera, 2004). This recommendation is based on the observation that the use of relatively large conditioning genomes can induce an artifact referred to as “big genome attraction,” which can mislead phylogenetic inference. All other genomes that will be used in the analysis are scored for the absence or presence of a putative ortholog to each gene in the CG. Orthologs present in other genomes included in the
Two-dimensional arsenic-precipitate structures in GaAs

Abstract A technique is demonstrated to control the incorporation of excess arsenic and subsequent positioning of As clusters with coarsening anneals in AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures. By growing at low substrate temperatures using molecular beam epitaxy, excess As can be incorporated in GaAs and AlGaAs epilayers. By switching the growth mode at these low substrate temperatures to migration enhanced epitaxy, close to stoichiometric epilayers can be obtained when the As flux is As4. Upon anneal, the As precipitates form preferentially in the GaAs regions, even if the as-grown GaAs regions were highly-stoichiometric and the as-grown AlGaAs regions contained an excess of As. However, the excess As can be contained in the AlGaAs regions, where it will form clusters with anneal, if thin AlAs As-diffusion barriers clad the AlGaAs regions.
Precise age determinations and petrogenetic studies using the KCa method

High precision mass spectrometric determination of calcium isotope ratios allows the 40K → 40Ca radioactive decay to be used for dating a much broader range of geologic materials than is suggested by previous work. 40Ca42Ca is used to monitor enrichments in 40Ca and can be measured to ±0.01% (2σ) using an exponential mass discrimination correction (Russell et al., 1978) and large ion currents. The earth's mantle has such a low KCa (∼0.01) that it has retained “primordial” 40Ca42Ca = 151.016 ± 0.011 (normalized to 42Ca44Ca = 0.31221), as determined by measurements on two meteorites, pyroxene from an ultramafic nodule, metabasalt, and carbonatite. 40Ca42Ca ratios can be conveniently expressed relative to this value as ϵCa in units of 10−4. To test the method for age dating, a mineral isochron has been obtained on a sample of Pikes Peak granite, which has been shown to have concordant KAr, RbSr, and UPb ages. Plagioclase, K-feldspar, biotite, and whole rock yield an age of 1041 ± 32 m.y. (2σ) in agreement with previous age determinations (λK = 0.5543 b.y.−1, λβ−λK = 0.8952, 40K = 0.01167%). The initial 40Ca42Ca of 151.024 ± 0.016 (ϵCa = +0.5 ± 1.0), indicates that assimilation of high K/Ca crust was insufficient to affect calcium isotopes. Measurements on two-mica granite from eastern Nevada indicate that the magma sources had K/Ca ≈ 1, similar to intermediate-composition crustal rocks. These results show that the KCa system can be used as a precise geochromometer for common felsic igneous and metamorphic rocks, and may prove applicable to sedimentary rocks containing authigenic K minerals. The relatively short half-life of 40K, the non-volatile daughter, and the fact that potassium and calcium are stoichiometric constituents of many minerals, make the KCa system complementary to other dating methods, and potentially applicable to a variety of geologic problems.
The Relation Between Interest Rate Derivatives, Debt Maturity Structure, and Exposure in the Lodging Industry

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relation between interest rate derivatives, interest rate exposure, and debt maturity structure in a sample of lodging firms from 2000 to 2004. Lodgi...
Haplotype structure of inflammatory cytokines genes (IL1B, IL6 and TNF/LTA) in US Caucasians and African Americans.

The major inflammatory cytokines interleukin(IL)1β, IL6 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) play a crucial role in infection, inflammation and stress responses. Previously, three coding genes were resequenced, identifying promoter polymorphisms that were used in association studies of neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders and cancer. These studies have produced intriguing but inconsistent results, potentially because the known functional variants: IL1B-511 C>T, IL6-174 G>C and TNF-308 G>A provided an incomplete picture of the total functional diversity at these genes. Therefore, we created marker panels for IL1B, IL6 and TNF/LTA that included the known functional marker but also other markers evenly spaced and with sufficient density to identify haplotype block structure and to maximize haplotype diversity. A total of 26 markers were genotyped in 96 US Caucasians and 96 African Americans. In both populations, a single block with little evidence of historical recombination was observed in IL1B, IL6 and TNF/LTA. For each gene, haplotypes captured the information content of each functional locus, even if that locus was not genotyped, and presumably haplotypes would capture the signal from unknown functional loci whose alleles are of moderate abundance. This study demonstrates the utility of using gene haplotype maps and marker panels as tools for linkage studies on related phenotypes.
The role of the androgen-binding nonhistone proteins in the transcription of prostatic chromatin.

Abstract Non-histone proteins from rat prostate chromatin have been separated into three fractions: a salt-soluble fraction, a salt-insoluble fraction (the residual proteins), and a DNA-histone complex. A single injection of radioactive testosterone into the castrated rats resulted in an initially increased, and a subsequently reduced binding of labeled androgens to the salt-soluble nonhistone proteins. Concomittantly, the residual proteins showed an inverse pattern with androgen binding increasing late in the period. Analysis of the template activities of chromatins from castrated and normal rat prostates and comparison of the DNA-RNA hybridizations of RNAs transcribed from these chromatins indicate that the residual proteins are one of the determining factors in specifying the hormone responsive transcription of these chromatins.
Oxygen isotope composition of phosphate in organic compounds : Isotope effects of extraction methods

Abstract Organophosphorus (Porg) is an important phosphorus (P) source in aquatic environments and Porg cycling is an integral part of the overall biogeochemical cycle of P. It has been recently demonstrated that the 18O/16O ratio of PO 4 3 - (δ18OP) is a useful tracer of reactions and processes controlling the biogeochemical cycling of inorganic phosphate (Pi) in natural waters. The goal of this work was to develop methods that can recover the δ18O value of organically bound PO 4 3 - moiety groups in Porg ( δ 18 O P org ). This work compares the oxygen (O) isotope effects of four different Pi extraction methods: dry combustion, acid hydrolysis, UV radiation (UVR) and enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis. The dry combustion method for releasing PO 4 3 - from Porg promotes extensive oxygen isotope exchange between phosphate and atmospheric O2 and thus, erases the original δ 18 O P org value. Both acid and enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of Porg incorporate oxygen atoms from water into extracted Pi and thus δ18O values of Pi extracted using these two methods only partially retain the original δ 18 O P org value. The oxygen isotope effect on Pi extracted from Porg using UVR methods shows that the original δ 18 O P org values of phosphomonoesters are retained in extracted PO 4 3 - moieties, and the oxygen isotope effects on Pi extracted from phosphodiesters (e.g., due to water incorporation) are small. Thus, δ18O values of PO 4 3 - moieties extracted from Porg may be applied to trace Porg sources and also to study water-mass sources and mixing processes.
Tracheobronchial Issues in Congenital Heart Disease

In children with congenital heart disease, tracheobronchial compromise is uncommon but potentially life-threatening. Airway lesions in these patients may be congenital or acquired, and may be stenotic, compressive, or malacic in nature. We present an overview of the etiologies of tracheobronchial lesions typically seen in children with congenital heart disease and review management options for these lesions.
Computing some distance functions between polygons

Abstract We present algorithms for computing some distance functions between two (possibly intersecting) polygons, in both the convex and nonconvex cases. The interest for such distance functions comes from applications in robot vision, pattern recognition and contour fitting. We present an optimal EREW-PRAM parallel algorithm for the case when the input polygons are convex, and an essentially quadratic sequential algorithm for the case of arbitrary polygons (possibly with holes).
Factors associated with cytoreducibility among women with ovarian carcinoma.

Abstract Objectives. The aim of the current study is to investigate the clinical and molecular factors associated with cytoreduction among women with advanced stage epithelial ovarian carcinoma EOC. Methods. Seventy-two women with FIGO stage III and IV EOC or primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPC) underwent similar attempt at surgical cytoreduction, mostly by the same surgeon. The histologic material of these patients was reviewed and the histologic subtype and grade were assigned. Immunohistochemical tests were performed for expression of molecular regulators of apoptosis (p53, p21, Bcl 2 , Bcl x , Bax) and chemoresistance (PGP, MRP, LRP, GST). The following factors were assessed for their association with complete (no residual tumor) and optimal (residual tumor 2 , Bcl x , Bax, PGP, MRP, LRP, GST expression using the odds ratio and associated 95% confidence intervals. Significant univariate odds ratios were assessed jointly in a multivariate logistic regression model. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the CA-125 level with the maximal cytoreduction prognostic power. Results. Twenty-three (31.9%) women had no residual tumor, 35 (48.6%) had ≤1 cm residual tumor and 14 (19.4%) had residual tumor >1 cm. Factors with significant univariate associations with complete cytoreduction included stage, CA-125 level, ascites, histology, and p53. p53 expression was the only factor which remained significant in the multivariate analysis (odds ratio 7.2, 95% CI 1.5, 34.9). A preoperative CA-125 value of ≤500 IU/ml best determined complete cytoreducibility. Conclusions. Innate tumor characteristics determine cytoreducibility of women with ovarian carcinoma. Pre-operative evaluation of p53 expression may be of value in predicting the outcome of cytoreductive surgery in women with advanced stage EOC.
Suppressor Analysis of a Histone Defect Identifies a New Function for the Hda1 Complex in Chromosome Segregation

Histones are essential for the compaction of DNA into chromatin and therefore participate in all chromosomal functions. Specific mutations in HTA1, one of the two Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes encoding histone H2A, have been previously shown to cause chromosome segregation defects, including an increase in ploidy associated with altered pericentromeric chromatin structure, suggesting a role for histone H2A in kinetochore function. To identify proteins that may interact with histone H2A in the control of ploidy and chromosome segregation, we performed a genetic screen for suppressors of the increase-in-ploidy phenotype associated with one of the H2A mutations. We identified five genes, HHT1, MKS1, HDA1, HDA2, and HDA3, four of which encode proteins directly connected to chromatin function: histone H3 and each of the three subunits of the Hda1 histone deacetylase complex. Our results show that Hda3 has functions distinct from Hda2 and Hda1 and that it is required for normal chromosome segregation and cell cycle progression. In addition, HDA3 shows genetic interactions with kinetochore components, emphasizing a role in centromere function, and all three Hda proteins show association with centromeric DNA. These findings suggest that the Hda1 deacetylase complex affects histone function at the centromere and that Hda3 has a distinctive participation in chromosome segregation. Moreover, these suppressors provide the basis for future studies regarding histone function in chromosome segregation.
Immunotherapeutic approaches to enhance protective immunity against Candida vaginitis.

Protective host defense mechanisms against vaginal Candida infections are poorly understood. While cell-mediated immunity (CMI) is the predominant host-defense mechanism against most mucosal Candida infections, no protective role for systemic or local Candida-specific CMI or antibodies has been identified against vaginal candidiasis. Rather, evidence exists for immunoregulation in vaginal tissue, which may inhibit a more profound protective Th1-type response. This study evaluated immunotherapy and gene therapy approaches in the murine model to potentially overcome immunoregulation and promote enhanced protection against vaginal candidiasis. In the first set of studies, the intravaginal and systemic administration of Th1-type cytokines and anti-IL-10 and anti-TGF-β antibodies failed to enhance protection against a vaginal Candida infection. In a second set of studies, the novel intravaginal administration of Adenoviruses encoding Th1-type cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-12) and the chemokine, MCP-1, showed substan...
Crew integration and automation testbed: display utilization

The United States' Army Tank-automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) recently started a project entitled Crew integration and Automation Testbed (CAT). This paper will describe the project, which will utilize an unprecedented number of displays for an Army vehicle.
Permanent disorganization of the regenerating optic tract in the frog

Abstract The organization of the optic tract as it regenerates following optic nerve transection in adult frogs was studied using microelectrode recordings from optic nerve arborizations in the tectum. In normal frogs, a cut extending from the midline partway across the rostromedial margin of the tectum severs optic axons with receptive fields in the temporosuperior quadrant of the visual field. During regeneration, however, a similar cut spares many axons with temporosuperior fields. This result implies that some fibers which normally enter the tectum via the most medial parts of the optic tract regenerate through other parts of the tract. Despite their anomalous routes, many of these fibers eventually terminate at the appropriate locations in the tectum.