cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Inducible Alternate Terminal Oxidase in Euglena gracilis Mitochondria

Abstract 1. A new succinoxidase activity has been found in mitochondria of Euglena gracilis grown in the presence of either ethanol or succinate and antimycin. 2. The new oxidase activity is characterized by its insensitivity to antimycin and KCN and by its marked stimulation on addition of AMP. The principal products of succinate oxidation are malate, fumarate, and water. Tests for the formation of H2O2 have been negative. 3. Oxidation of NADH can be channeled through this terminal oxidase as indicated by an insensitivity to KCN and stimulation by AMP. Cyanide-insensitive oxidation of NADH is linked to phosphorylation, whereas succinate oxidation is not. These findings suggest that the new terminal oxidase is associated with the electron transport chain in the region of succinate dehydrogenase. 4. It is suggested that the alternate oxidase may account for the high respiratory rates known to accompany induction of glyoxylate cycle enzymes in Euglena.
Sm-Nd Isotopic Studies of Proterozoic Anorthosites: Systematics and Implications

Sm-Nd isotopic studies of anorthosites can be used to provide information on their ages of crystallization and metamorphism, contamination history, and mantle sources. Proterozoic anorthosites in the Grenville and Nain Provinces of eastern North America crystallized between about 1100 and 1600 Ma, and some were metamorphosed at about 1000 Ma. Grenville Province anorthosite massifs were derived from depleted mantle. It is not clear whether massifs and related mafic intrusions throughout the Nain Province of Labrador were derived from enriched mantle, or were contaminated by early Archean (greater than 3500 Ma) silicic crustal materials, heretofore thought to be restricted to coastal Labrador.
NK but not CD1-restricted NKT cells facilitate systemic inflammation during polymicrobial intra-abdominal sepsis.

Evidence suggests that NK and NKT cells contribute to inflammation and mortality during septic shock caused by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). However, the specific contributions of these cell types to the pathogenesis of CLP-induced septic shock have not been fully defined. The goal of the present study was to determine the mechanisms by which NK and NKT cells mediate the host response to CLP. Control, NK cell-deficient, and NKT cell-deficient mice underwent CLP. Survival, cytokine production, and bacterial clearance were measured. NK cell trafficking and interaction with myeloid cells was also studied. Results show that mice treated with anti-asialoGM1 (NK cell deficient) or anti-NK1.1 (NK/NKT cell deficient) show less systemic inflammation and have improved survival compared with IgG-treated controls. CD1 knockout mice (NKT cell deficient) did not demonstrate decreased cytokine production or improved survival compared with wild type mice. Trafficking studies show migration of NK cells from blood and spleen into the inflamed peritoneal cavity where they appear to facilitate the activation of peritoneal macrophages (F4-80 + GR-1 − ) and F4-80 + Gr-1 + myeloid cells. These findings indicate that NK but not CD1-restricted NKT cells contribute to acute CLP-induced inflammation. NK cells appear to mediate their proinflammatory functions during septic shock, in part, by migration into the peritoneal cavity and amplification of the proinflammatory activities of specific myeloid cell populations. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms used by NK cells to facilitate acute inflammation during septic shock.
Functional improvement precedes structural regression of atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUNDVasoconstrictor responses to serotonin are augmented in monkeys with diet-induced atherosclerosis and improve after 18 months of normal diet. We tested the hypothesis that functional improvement may occur early during regression, before evidence of structural improvement.METHODS AND RESULTSResponses of the iliac artery to serotonin were measured by quantitative angiography and a Doppler flow probe in several groups of monkeys: (1) normal monkeys, (2) monkeys fed an atherogenic diet for 2 years (atherosclerotic), and (3) monkeys fed an atherogenic diet for 2 years (preregression) followed by a normal diet for 4, 8, or 12 months (regression). In normal monkeys, serotonin produced minimal constriction of the iliac artery, and blood flow to the legs increased. In atherosclerotic monkeys, there was pronounced constriction of the iliac artery, and blood flow to the legs decreased markedly. After 4 months of regression diet, four of eight monkeys demonstrated marked reduction in hyperresponsiveness to ...
The terminal regions of adenovirus and minute virus of mice DNAs are preferentially associated with the nuclear matrix in infected cells.

The interaction of viral genomes with the cellular nuclear matrix was studied by using adenovirus-infected HeLa cells and minute virus of mice (MVM)-infected A-9 cells. Adenovirus DNA was associated with the nuclear matrix both early and late in infection, the tightest interaction being with DNA fragments that contain the covalently bound 59-terminal protein. Replicative forms of MVM DNA were also found to be exclusively matrix associated during the first 16 to 20 h of infection; at later times viral DNA species accumulated in the soluble nuclear fraction at different rates, suggesting a saturation of nuclear matrix-binding sites. MVM DNA fragments enriched in the matrix fraction were also derived from the terminal regions of the viral genome. However, only the subset of fragments which possess a covalently bound 59-terminal protein (i.e., DNA fragments in which the 59 palindromic DNA sequences are in the extended duplex rather than the hairpin conformation) were matrix associated. These observations suggest that the DNA-matrix interactions are, at least in part, mediated by the viral terminal proteins. Since these proteins have previously been shown to be intimately involved in viral DNA replication, our results further indicate that an association with the nuclear matrix may be important for viral genome replication and possibly also for efficient gene transcription. Images
ASSESSING DUAL LANGUAGE POLICY: A CASE STUDY

The Oklahoma City Public School System has a unique opportunity to evaluate Bilingual Education. A large enclave of Hispanics has settled in south central Oklahoma City and appears on the way towards establishing a bicultural community. Some degree of community dialogue spurred the creation of a bilingual education program that could potentially serve both Anglo and Hispanic students. Despite the initiation of a federally funded program, sustainable organized public support for Bilingual Education failed to materialize and public school administrators quietly moved towards other educational strategies.
Ablative Material Testing for Missile Radome Applications

The next generation of high speed, air to air missiles are expected to have velocities exceeding Mach 4. These high speed flights produce severe thermal and load conditions on the missile’s radome. The radome must be able to withstand aerodynamic heating, mechanical loads and possible rain impingement while still serving as a distortion free electromagnetic window for a complex electronic guidance system. Ceramic materials, such as Pyroceram 9606 or slip cast fused silica, are currently being used as radomes for high speed missiles. Major drawbacks of ceramic radomes are their high initial cost, fragile nature (require frequent replace-ment — thus increasing system cost), and poor performance at off design frequencies (poor broadband or multi-frequency transmission).
From ordered bubbles to random stripes : pattern formation in a hydrodynamic lattice gas

A two-component momentum-conserving lattice gas with competing interactions is introduced in two dimensions. One interaction acts at short range and produces interfaces with surface tension. The second interaction, the negative of the first, acts at rangea and produces modulated structures with approximate wavelength 2a. Depending on particle density, species concentration, and relative interaction strength, the equilibrium patterns formed by the model range from isotropic mixed and unmixed phases to hexagonally-ordered bubbles to randomly-oriented stripes. A Ginzburg-Landau equation is proposed that qualitatively captures the basic features of these phase transitions.
Novel oxidatively activated agents modify DNA and are enhanced by ercc1 silencing.

Agents that chemically modify DNA form a backbone of many cancer treatments. A key problem for DNA-modifying agents is lack of specificity. To address this issue, we designed novel molecular scaffolds, termed An-Hq and An-Hq2, which are activated by a hallmark of some cancers: elevated concentrations of reactive oxygen species. Elevated reactive oxygen species are linked to oncogenesis and are found to increase in several aggressive cancers. The agents are quinones that, upon oxidation, form highly electrophilic species. In vitro studies identified the mode of addition to DNA. The aniline portion of An-Hq serves to enhance nucleophilic addition to the ethyl phenyl ether instead of forming common Michael additions. Structural characterization showed that the agents add to 2′-deoxyguanosine at the N2,N3-positions. The product formed is a bulky hydroxy-N2,3-benzetheno-2′-deoxyguanosine adduct. In addition, the oxidatively activated agents added to 2′-deoxyadenosine and 2′-deoxycytidine but not thymidine or 2...
Eosinophilic pleocytosis in coccidioidal meningitis: Frequency and significance

Abstract purpose: Coccidioidal meningitis (CM) is a major source of. morbidity and mortality in endemic regions. The diagnosis of CM is a clinical challenge. Eosinophilic pleocytosis (EP) is an uncommon finding and present in a relatively limited number of conditions. In order to determine the frequency and the prognostic significance of EP in CM, we conducted the present study. patients and methods: Retrospective chart review of all patients diagnosed as having CM between 1986 and 1991 at Kern Medical Center. All patients had clinical and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings confirmatory of CM. results: Nineteen patients (70%) in the study group had EP, and of these, 8 patients (30%) met the criteria for eosinophilic meningitis (greater than or equal to 10 eosinophils/mm 3 ). No correlation was found between EP and age, sex, race, results of complement fixation test for coccidioidal antigen in CSF or serum, peripheral eosinophilia, or outcome. conclusion: The presence of EP is a frequent observation in CM. Although we did not demonstrate any prognostic correlation with EP, this finding is of major diagnostic significance and its presence should bring attention to the diagnosis of CM.
Introducing expert review of respiratory medicine.

I am delighted to introduce the latest addition to the Expert Review journals. While your heart may sink at the thought of yet another journal, this is a journal with a difference. We are bombarded...
Implications of observed charge states of low-energy solar cosmic rays

Recent measurements of the charge states of low-energy (about 100 keV/nucleon) solar cosmic rays at 1 AU are discussed. The measurements are consistent with models involving charge equilibrium with neutral matter at the sun only if the particles lose about 90% of their energy owing to adiabatic deceleration in the solar wind. Such an energy loss is shown to be possible only if the diffusion coefficient for 1-MeV/nucleon particles is smaller than 100 quintillion sq cm per sec. The implications of these results for models of solar-cosmic-ray acceleration are discussed.
Field Studies Delve Into the Intricacies of Mountain Weather

Mountain meteorology, in particular weather prediction in complex (rugged) terrain, is emerging as an important topic for science and society. Large urban settlements such as Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Rio de Janeiro have grown within or in the shadow of complex terrain, and managing the air quality of such cities requires a good understanding of the air flow patterns that spill off of mountains. On a daily time scale, the interconnected engineered and natural systems that sustain urban metabolism and quality of life are affected by weather [Fernando, 2010]. Further, recent military engagements in remote mountainous areas have heightened the need for better weather predictions—alpine warfare is considered to be one of the most dangerous types of combat.
The effects of identifier retention and stop word removal on a latent Dirichlet allocation based feature location technique

Feature location, an important task in program comprehension, occurs when the developer identifies the source code entity or entities responsible for implementing a functionality. Researchers have applied static analysis techniques to multiple software maintenance tasks, including feature localization. Static analysis techniques operate on a document corpus. Configuration and preprocessing decisions are required to build a suitable source code corpus for a static analysis technique. Currently, there is little guidance in the software engineering literature for making such configuration decisions. This paper focuses on two preprocessing methods for source code corpora, identifier splitting and stop word lists. We experiment on three open source Java test suites, i.e. Mylyn 1.0.1, Rhino 1.5R5, and Rhino 1.6R5. Our results indicate that identifier splitting and stop word list decisions do not significantly affect the performance of the LDA based feature location technique.
Unfair Treatment vs. Confirmation Bias? Comments on Santelices and Wilson

Santelices and Wilson (2010) claimed to have addressed technical criticisms of Freedle (2003) presented in Dorans (2004a) and elsewhere. Santelices and Wilson's abstract claimed that their study confirmed that SAT® verbal items do function differently for African American and White subgroups. In this commentary, I demonstrate that the Santelices and Wilson article provided no evidence to confirm differential item functioning (DIF) and failed to address my technical criticisms of Freedle. Instead, Santelices and Wilson contained several misrepresentations, including substituting “considered serious” for “more unusual” to describe an effect size and claiming to have studied four editions of the SAT when only two were actually studied. Central to its thesis was a hypothesis about DIF/difficulty correlations that was misattributed to Dorans. Santelices and Wilson based their argument for DIF on correlations between highly correlated variations on an index of DIF with item difficulty. While failing to demonstrate either unfairness in the test items or unfairness in the treatment of Freedle, Santelices and Wilson did contain evidence of confirmation bias.
Decreased 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Is Associated with Neural Progenitor Phenotype in Normal Brain and Shorter Survival in Malignant Glioma

Epigenetic modification of DNA by cytosine methylation to produce 5-methylcytosine (5mC) has become well-recognized as an important epigenetic process in human health and disease. Recently, further modification of 5mC by the ten eleven translocated (TET) family of enzymes to produce 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) has been described. In the present study, we used immunohistochemistry to evaluate the distribution of 5hmC in human brain during different periods of development and in a large series of gliomas (n=225). We found that during development, 5hmC levels are high in more differentiated compartments like the fetal cortex, but low in the periventricular progenitor cell regions. In adults, we found 5hmC levels to be highest in the cortex, but present in all intrinsic cell types in the brain including stromal elements. In brain tumors, 5hmC levels were high in low grade tumors and reduced in malignant glioma, but did not exhibit any correlation with IDH1 mutation status. Additionally, we identified a significant relationship between low levels of 5hmC and reduced survival in malignant glioma. This observation was further supported by in silico analysis showing differential expression of genes involved in 5hmC homeostasis in aggressive subsets of glioblastoma. Finally, we show that several genes involved in regulating the levels of 5hmC are also prognostic in malignant glioma. These findings suggest that 5hmC regulation in malignant glioma may represent an important determinant of tumor differentiation and aggressive behavior, as well as a potential therapeutic target.
Nifedipine reduces atherogenesis in cholesterol-fed heterozygous WHHL rabbits

Abstract We have developed a new model to study the interaction between diet and genetics in atherogenesis, the cholesterol-fed heterozygous WHHL rabbit. To determine the effects of calcium blockers on atherosclerosis in this model, two groups of heterozygous WHHL rabbits were fed 0.25% cholesterol and 2% peanut oil with ( n = 6) and without ( n = 6) oral nifedipine (40 mg/ kg/ day) for 16 weeks. Body weights, serum cholesterol, triglycerides and calcium, and blood pressures were not significantly different between the 2 groups during the study period. Heterozygous WHHL rabbits in the nifedipine group had less aortic surface area with sudanophilic lesions (23 ± 15% vs. 62 ± 18%, P P
Karyotypic variation in the bryozoan Paludicella articulata.

Specimens of Paludicella articulata collected in the vicinity of Washington, D. C. had 2n=22, with a usual karyotype consisting of a relatively large submetacentric set, 4 metacentrics, and 6 subtelocentrics. A few specimens showed a subtelocentric replacing one member of a metacentric set. Hyperploid cells, with from 26 to 35 chromosomes, were found in some morphologically normal colonies. In one instance, 12 hyperploid spreads and a few normal ones were obtained from a terminal bud. This is the first report of hyperploidy in the Bryozoa.
Enhancement of Intestinal Permeability Utilizing Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Increases γ-tocotrienol Oral Bioavailability

γ-Tocotrienol (γ-T3), a member of the vitamin E family, has been reported to possess an anticancer activity. γ-T3 is a lipophilic compound with low oral bioavailability. Previous studies showed that γ-T3 has low intestinal permeability. Thus, we have hypothesized that enhancing γ-T3 intestinal permeability will increase its oral bioavailability. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) were tested as a model formulation to enhance γ-T3 permeability and bioavailability. γ-T3 intestinal permeability was compared using in situ rat intestinal perfusion, followed by in vivo relative oral bioavailability studies. In addition, in vitro cellular uptake of γ-T3 from SLN was compared to mixed micelles (MM) in a time and concentration-dependent studies. To elucidate the uptake mechanism(s) of γ-T3 from SLN and MM the contribution of NPC1L1 carrier-mediated uptake, endocytosis and passive permeability were investigated. In situ studies demonstrated SLN has tenfold higher permeability than MM. Subsequent in vivo studies showed γ-T3 relative oral bioavailability from SLN is threefold higher. Consistent with in situ results, in vitro concentration dependent studies revealed γ-T3 uptake from SLN was twofold higher than MM. In vitro mechanistic characterization showed that while endocytosis contributes to γ-T3 uptake from both formulations, the reduced contribution of NPC1L1 to the transport of γ-T3, and passive diffusion enhancement of γ-T3 are primary explanations for its enhanced uptake from SLN. In conclusion, SLN successfully enhanced γ-T3 oral bioavailability subsequent to enhanced passive permeability.
Compactifications and cohomological dimension

Abstract The following theorems follow from results proved in the paper: Theorem 1. For each Abelian group G≠0 there is a separable metric space X such that dimGX≤3 and all Hausdorff compactifications X′ of Sn× X, n≥0, have cohomological dimension dimGX′ strictly greater than dimG(Sn×X). Theorem 2. If G≠0 is either a torsion group or G is torsion free and l={p|p· G=G, p prime} is infinite, then there is a separable metric space X such that dimGX=2 and all Hausdorff compactifications X′ of Sn×X, n≥0, have cohomological dimension dimGX′; strictly greater than dimG(Sn×X).
Ab initio calculation of the anomalous Hall conductivity by Wannier interpolation

The intrinsic anomalous Hall conductivity in ferromagnets depends on subtle spin-orbit-induced effects in the electronic structure, and recent ab initio studies found that it was necessary to sample the Brillouin zone at millions of $k$-points to converge the calculation. We present an efficient first-principles approach for computing this quantity. We start out by performing a conventional electronic-structure calculation including spin-orbit coupling on a uniform and relatively coarse $k$-point mesh. From the resulting Bloch states, maximally localized Wannier functions are constructed which reproduce the ab initio states up to the Fermi level. The Hamiltonian and position-operator matrix elements, needed to represent the energy bands and Berry curvatures, are then set up between the Wannier orbitals. This completes the first stage of the calculation, whereby the low-energy ab initio problem is transformed into an effective tight-binding form. The second stage only involves Fourier transforms and unitary transformations of the small matrices setup in the first stage. With these inexpensive operations, the quantities of interest are interpolated onto a dense $k$-point mesh and used to evaluate the anomalous Hall conductivity as a Brillouin zone integral. The present scheme, which also avoids the cumbersome summation over all unoccupied states in the Kubo formula, is applied to bcc Fe, giving excellent agreement with conventional, less efficient first-principles calculations. Remarkably, we find that about 99% of the effect can be recovered by keeping a set of terms depending only on the Hamiltonian matrix elements, not on matrix elements of the position operator.
The chromosomal distribution of satellite DNA in the germ-line and somatic tissues of the gall midge, Heteropeza pygmaea.

Somatic DNA from Heteropeza pygmaea separated in CsCl gradients into a main band DNA (ϱ=1.685 g/cm3) and a satellite band (ϱ=1.716 g/cm3) comprising 15% of the total DNA. The satellite melted sharply at 93.0°C in SSC, 10.4°C higher than the main band DNA. Satellite DNA reassociated rapidly, banding in CsCl heavier than native satellite but lighter than denatured satellite. The complementary strands of the satellite formed a single band in alkaline gradients and hence are apparently similar in G+T composition. — Filter hybridization experiments with Xenopus ribosomal RNA showed that the satellite band does not contain ribosomal cistrons. — Complementary RNA (cRNA) transcribed in vitro from isolated satellite bound extensively to satellite DNA but not to main band DNA. — The strain of Heteropeza used here contained about 58 chromosomes in germ-line cells and reproduced only paedogenetically. During early cleavage, the presumptive somatic nuclei eliminate most of their chromosomes (E-chromosomes) and retain only ten (S-chromosomes). In situ hybridizations with satellite-cRNA showed satellite DNA (prepared from predominately somatic tissues) to be localized in the centromeric heterochromatin of S- and E-chromosomes. Silver grain comparisons suggested that the amount of satellite is equivalent in both types of chromosomes. — Lastly we found that both diploid and polyploid cells contain similar amounts of satellite DNA. We interpreted this to mean that during polyploidization, as has been demonstrated during polytenization, satellite DNA does not replicate or replicates only slightly while other DNA fractions increase.
Modification of the cell based assay for brevetoxins using human cardiac voltage dependent sodium channels expressed in HEK-293 cells.

Abstract Assays using living cells provide an effective means to generate activity measurements of toxins, especially in situations where the toxins are part of a complex mixture or in an unfamiliar form such as natural or synthetic derivatives or bioactive metabolites. An important step in the refinement of cell based assays is to simplify the cellular reactions needed or required to generate the functional response of interest. Advances in the engineering of functional responses in cells provide a means to direct the response to given toxins. In this report, we describe the homogeneous high level expression of the initial target for brevetoxin, the voltage dependent sodium channel in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293). HEK cells stably transfected with a 6.208 kb cDNA of human heart voltage-dependent Na + channel (hH1a) were examined as an alternative to mouse neuroblastoma cells (N2A). The HEK-hH1a cells showed a reduced dependence on cofactors, increased sensitivity to brevetoxin and a useful means to assure absolute selectivity to the sodium channel. We next assessed the assay in a reporter gene format. Expression of a panel of minimal response elements as well as the c-fos promoter failed to provide a response to brevetoxin, indicating that the HEK cells lack a necessary intermediate signaling component. The expression of voltage dependent sodium channels in HEK cells is anticipated to provide enhanced performance for cell-based detection of toxins for drug and natural product discovery, biomonitoring and environmental monitoring.
ASYMPTOMATIC CONGENITAL CMV: CT AND ABR ABNORMALITIES

Five infants with asymptomatic congenital CMV documented by urine culture in the first week of life were evaluated in a prospective study of the relationship between maternal CMV serology during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcome of the infant. Initial assessment at 1 week to 3 months of age consisted of unenhanced cranial CT scan, ABR, and neurologic exam, with reassessment at 6-9 months of age. Three of the 5 infants had abnormalities on one or more of these exams. Two infants had abnormal lucency of the cerebral white matter on CT scan; on subsequent scans, one had mildly dilated lateral ventricles and one had no abnormalities. Both infants were mildly hypotonic and had abnormal ABR's characterized by prolonged Wave V latencies and Wave I-V intervals (≥2 S.D. above mean for age, Salamy and McKean, Electro Clin Neuro, 1976), with normal Wave I latency. Serial ABR's revealed gradual decrease in latency times to normal limits by 6-9 months of age. A third infant had both an abnormal CT scan (abnormally prominent interhemispheric fissure and cisternal spaces), but normal ABR. In the absence of other perinatal risk factors, three "normal" infants had CT, ABR and/or neurologic abnormalities which may be related to the in utero CMV infection. However, the pathophysiology and long term significance of these findings are not clear. Longitudinal assessment will be essential to define the full impact of in utero exposure to CMV.
Closed-Loop Digital Predistortion System With Fast Real-Time Adaptation Applied to a Handset WCDMA PA Module

A real-time adaptive digital predistortion system (RT-ADPD) for power amplifier linearization is described in this paper, featuring fast closed-loop adaptation to provide robust linearity across quickly shifting power amplifier (PA) operating conditions. The RT-ADPD system requirements, architecture, and its design methodology are analyzed in detail, with particular emphasis on the optimization of the feedback loop convergence speed and stability. A novel, compact algorithm to achieve rapid adaptation of the predistortion lookup tables, without any prior knowledge of the PA distortion characteristics, is introduced. A prototype of the RT-ADPD system is implemented using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and it is experimentally exploited to linearize a handset WCDMA PA module. Due to the linearization action, the PA maximum modulated output power is increased by 1.9 dB, to 30.9 dBm, and its power-added efficiency by 9%, to 48.5%, still maintaining a -40-dB ACPR at a 5-MHz offset. In addition, a true closed-loop adaptation ensures excellent PA linearity under load mismatch and other environmental variations. Indeed, ACPR is improved by up to 15 dB, below -47 dB, under 2:1 VSWR at 28 dBm. Remarkably fast adaptation speed is also demonstrated, as adequate signal fidelity is achieved within a ~50-μs time frame.
Environmental and Behavioral Influences on Gene Activity

The central dogma of molecular biology holds that “information” flows from the genes to the structure of the proteins that the genes bring about through the formula DNA → RNA → protein. In this view, a set of master genes activates the DNA necessary to produce the appropriate proteins that the organism needs during development. In contrast to this view, probabilistic epigenesis holds that necessarily there are signals from the internal and external environment that activate DNA to produce the appropriate proteins. To support this view, I review a substantial body of evidence showing that external environmental influences on gene activation are normally occurring events in a large variety of organisms, including humans. This demonstrates how genes and environments work together to produce functional organisms, thus extending the model of probabilistic epigenesis.
The artificial beetle, or a brief manifesto for engineered biomimicry

The artificial beetle is possibly the Holy Grail for practitioners of engineered biomimicry. An artificial beetle could gather and relay data and images from compromised environments on earth and other planets to decision makers. It could also be used for surveillance of foes and friends alike, and will require ethical foresight and oversight. What would it take to develop an artificial beetle? Several biotemplating techniques can be harnessed for the replication of external structural features of beetle bodies, and thus preserve functionalities such as coloration of the exoskeleton and the hydrophobicity of wings. The body cavity must host a power supply, motors to move the wings for flight, sensors to capture ambient conditions and images, and data transmitters and receivers to communicate with a remote command center. All of these devices must be very small and reliable.
Integrated analysis and design of knowledge systems and processes

Although knowledge management has been investigated in the context of decision support and expert systems for over a decade, interest in and attention to this topic have exploded recently. But integration of knowledge process design with knowledge system design is strangely missing from the knowledge management literature and practice. The research described in this chapter focuses on knowledge management and system design from three integrated perspectives: 1 reengineering process innovation, 2 expert systems knowledge acquisition and representation, and 3 information systems analysis and design. Through careful analysis and discussion, we integrate these three perspectives in a systematic manner, beginning with analysis and design of the enterprise process of interest, progressively moving into knowledge capture and formalization, and then system design and implementation. Thus, we develop an integrated approach that covers the gamut of design considerations from the enterprise process in the large, through alternative classes of knowledge in the middle, and on to specific systems in the detail. We show how this integrated methodology is more complete than existing developmental approaches and illustrate the use and utility of the approach through a specific enterprise example, which addresses many factors widely considered important in the knowledge management environment. Using the integrated methodology that we develop and illustrate in this article, the reader can see how to identify, select, compose and integrate the many component applications and technologies required for effective knowledge system and process design.
The man who hugged me.

Late one very busy Friday afternoon, the Physician’s Assistant (PA) I was supervising approached me with a question about one of the patients she was seeing. “Ken, please take a look at this guy and see if you think we should scan his head.” As we walked over to see him in the back of the Emergency Department (ED) (it was such a busy day that he was being examined in the room usually reserved for incoming cardiac arrests), she told me that he was there for a head laceration he’d sustained in a fall the day before. She was concerned because he said it had happened during the evening after he’d had a few drinks and now, at about 4:00 p.m. the following day, she thought she could still smell alcohol on his breath. I appreciated her concern. Anyone who has spent any time working in medicine knows the potential land mines littering this patient’s situation: alcoholic liver disease causing clotting problems, multiple falls after alcoholic blackouts, seizures, hidden blood trapped inside various cavities in the skull and brain. Where in this landscape would our patient be? Sitting on the gurney was a very pleasant, casually dressed man in his mid 40s. I introduced myself and took a look at the wound on the back of his head. It was about 2 inches long and deep enough to require staples to put it back together, but in the scheme of things didn’t appear too serious. In addition, although I agreed that he still had a stale alcohol odor on his breath and seemed a bit out of focus, after speaking with him and doing an evaluation, I felt that he didn’t need a CT scan of the head. What he clearly needed was to have someone talk to him about the real issue that had brought him to the ED. As I found out, he was a man with a full time job and a family; a very smart man with all the classic signs of substance abuse: denial, injury, self-destructive behavior, defensiveness. How many times have I seen this in the ED? How many times have I tried to talk with someone? How many times have I not? We talked and I told him what I saw. I felt he was already clearly so deep into a behavior pattern which this time had only caused him a minor head injury, but was leading him toward much more serious, irreversible problems. The PA then came and stapled his head laceration and I said goodbye to him as he headed out the door. The following Friday morning I was working, and at about 7:30 the triage nurse came in and asked if I would see a patient who’d come in to have his staples removed. I walked over and, after a moment or two, prompted by his very warm greeting and handshake, I recognized my patient of the week before. With a huge smile on his face he said, “Hi doc. I just had to shake your hand!” As the nurse and I stood there he continued, “I just want to tell you that what you said to me last week and the way you handled the situation really turned me around. You know when you think that maybe there’s a problem but you kind of put it aside and go on, you don’t realize how serious it is? Well, after you talked to me last week it hit me. I realized that I really did have an
Life cycle comparison of environmental emissions from three disposal options for unused pharmaceuticals.

We use life cycle assessment methodology to compare three disposal options for unused pharmaceuticals: (i) incineration after take-back to a pharmacy, (ii) wastewater treatment after toilet disposal, and (iii) landfilling or incineration after trash disposal. For each option, emissions of active pharmaceutical ingredients to the environment (API emissions) are estimated along with nine other types of emissions to air and water (non-API emissions). Under a scenario with 50% take-back to a pharmacy and 50% trash disposal, current API emissions are expected to be reduced by 93%. This is within 6% of a 100% trash disposal scenario, which achieves an 88% reduction. The 50% take-back scenario achieves a modest reduction in API emissions over a 100% trash scenario while increasing most non-API emissions by over 300%. If the 50% of unused pharmaceuticals not taken-back are toileted instead of trashed, all emissions increase relative to 100% trash disposal. Evidence suggests that 50% participation in take-back pro...
HyperCam: hyperspectral imaging for ubiquitous computing applications

Emerging uses of imaging technology for consumers cover a wide range of application areas from health to interaction techniques; however, typical cameras primarily transduce light from the visible spectrum into only three overlapping components of the spectrum: red, blue, and green. In contrast, hyperspectral imaging breaks down the electromagnetic spectrum into more narrow components and expands coverage beyond the visible spectrum. While hyperspectral imaging has proven useful as an industrial technology, its use as a sensing approach has been fragmented and largely neglected by the UbiComp community. We explore an approach to make hyperspectral imaging easier and bring it closer to the end-users. HyperCam provides a low-cost implementation of a multispectral camera and a software approach that automatically analyzes the scene and provides a user with an optimal set of images that try to capture the salient information of the scene. We present a number of use-cases that demonstrate HyperCam's usefulness and effectiveness.
An extended 16-week course of alefacept in the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis

Background The efficacy and safety of one and two courses of alefacept have been demonstrated in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, with a course of alefacept defined as 12 weeks of once-weekly treatment followed by 12 weeks of observation. Methods This randomized, single-center study compared the safety and efficacy of a standard 12-week versus extended 16-week alefacept dosing period in 20 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis. Results Both dose groups showed marked improvement in mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score from baseline through week 24 (between-group difference: not significant). In each group, 60% of patients achieved PASI 50 (≥50% reduction from baseline PASI score) at any time between weeks 12 and 24. For patients who received 16 weeks of alefacept, the mean percentage change from week-12 PASI score was higher and continued to increase through week 24 compared with that for patients who received 12 weeks of alefacept ( P Conclusions This was an open-label, single-center study of 20 patients. Further study is warranted to assess the effect of alefacept when administered for more than 12 weeks. Extended dosing with alefacept appeared to have a similar safety profile to 12-week dosing and may offer further benefit to some patients for disease improvement.
Dynamics of atmospheric teleconnections during the northern summer

The mechanisms of northern summertime teleconnections are investigated using a barotropic model. In a series of numerical experiments the atmospheric response over the eastern Pacific-North America to an idealized local divergence source corresponding to the northward displacement of the ITCZ in the eastern Pacific is studied. It is found that the response is much stronger in June than in May and is strongest when the forcing is located north of about 10 deg N. This can be explained in terms of the refractive properties of the climatological summertime subtropical jet stream over North America. In another series of experiments the global response as a function of the longitudinal location of the tropical forcing is examined. A wave train emanating from the subtropics of the western Pacific near the Philippines, arching across the Aleutians and the Gulf of Alaska, and terminating with a high anomaly over the continental United States appears over a wide longitudinal range of local forcing, suggesting the existence of a normal mode for the northern summertime climatological flow. The normal-mode concept is supported by further experiments using extratropical forcings as well as free-mode integrations.
Approaches to describing inter-rater reliability of the overall clinical appearance of febrile infants and toddlers in the emergency department

Objectives. To measure inter-rater agreement of overall clinical appearance of febrile children aged less than 24 months and to compare methods for doing so. Study Design and Setting. We performed an observational study of inter-rater reliability of the assessment of febrile children in a county hospital emergency department serving a mixed urban and rural population. Two emergency medicine healthcare providers independently evaluated the overall clinical appearance of children less than 24 months of age who had presented for fever. They recorded the initial ‘gestalt’ assessment of whether or not the child was ill appearing or if they were unsure. They then repeated this assessment after examining the child. Each rater was blinded to the other’s assessment. Our primary analysis was graphical. We also calculated Cohen’s κ, Gwet’s agreement coefficient and other measures of agreement and weighted variants of these. We examined the effect of time between exams and patient and provider characteristics on inter-rater agreement. Results. We analyzed 159 of the 173 patients enrolled. Median age was 9.5 months (lower and upper quartiles 4.9–14.6), 99/159 (62%) were boys and 22/159 (14%) were admitted. Overall 118/159 (74%) and 119/159 (75%) were classified as well appearing on initial ‘gestalt’ impression by both examiners. Summary statistics varied from 0.223 for weighted κ to 0.635 for Gwet’s AC2. Inter rater agreement was affected by the time interval between the evaluations and the age of the child but not by the experience levels of the rater pairs. Classifications of ‘not ill appearing’ were more reliable than others. Conclusion. The inter-rater reliability of emergency providers’ assessment of overall clinical appearance was adequate when described graphically and by Gwet’s AC. Different summary statistics yield different results for the same dataset.
POLYPLOIDY IN HUMAN LEUCOCYTE CULTURES TREATED WITH CYSTEAMINE AND IRRADIATION.

CYSTEAMINE (β-mercaptoethylamine) has a considerable radioprotective effect as measured both by survival of lethally irradiated animals1 and by assay of the loss of reproductive integrity of irradiated human cells in tissue culture2. One effect of irradiation is to induce polyploidy in human leucocyte cultures stimulated by phytohaemagglutinin3–5. Cysteamine is one of several sulphydryl compounds which also induce polyploidy in such cultures6,7. This report describes experiments to determine whether the effects of irradiation and cysteamine in combination are competitive or additive.
Optimal dosing of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole when used with loperamide to treat traveler's diarrhea.

To explore the optimal dosing regimen for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) when used in combination with loperamide to treat traveler's diarrhea, 190 U.S. adults with acute diarrhea were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized trial in Guadalajara, Mexico. All patients received loperamide (4-mg loading dose; 2 mg after each loose stool, not to exceed 16 mg/day for 3 days) and were randomized to receive a 3-day course of TMP-SMX (160:800 mg twice daily for six doses) (group A), a single large dose of TMP-SMX (320:1,600 mg) (group B), or a large loading dose (320:1,600 mg) followed by standard doses for 3 days (160:800 mg twice daily for five doses) (group C). Patients in group C responded best (P < 0.01), with 75% of subjects recovered from diarrhea in 12 h compared with 34 h (group A) and 33 h (group B). Similar differences in favor of group C were noted in the subset of patients who presented with moderate to severe diarrhea. On average, patients in group C took significantly (P < 0.05) less loperamide (1.2 mg) after the 4-mg loading dose compared with patients in group A (2.4 mg) or group B (2.0 mg). We conclude that the most efficacious treatment of traveler's diarrhea in the interior of Mexico is to take loperamide in usual doses to control symptoms in combination with a single large dose of TMP-SMX, which should then be continued for 3 days in standard doses.
Information fusion across expert groups with dependent and independent components

Predicting a single agency's effectiveness to reduce the consequences of a malicious event is a complex problem. It is even more complex to predict the overall effectiveness of a group of agencies considering the possible interdependency of their portfolio of actions. However, this is an essential task in disaster management arena. This work proposes a method to fuse individual effectiveness provided by subject matter experts, considering the dependency among agencies, to predict the holistic effectiveness. It can be applied to agency groups that are dependent, partially dependent, or completely independent. Simulation results illustrate the method.
Hidden diversity in the tide pool ciliate Strombidium occulatum as revealed by mutiple molecular markers

We find tremendous genetic diversity underlying the morphological entity Strombidium occulatum. We used multi-locus sequence data to examine molecular diversity within S. occulatum across space and time so as to explore the biogeography and biodiversity of this marine ciliate species. We are sequenceing the internally transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) of the SSU rDNA gene, Mitochodrial SSU and Histone H4 from S. occulatum populations collected on either side of the North Atlantic Ocean: from tide pools along the western coast of the United Kingdom and the southern coast of New England. Samples were collected over short temporal (tidal) and both small and large spatial scales in order to explore the level of intraspecific genetic variation. Analyses of our sequence data show that a high level of DNA polymorphisms and genetic heterogeneity (e.g. up to 13% divergence at the ITS locus) underlies S. occulatum, indicating the existence of extensive cryptic speciation in this ciliate. We propose that the high levels of genetic diversity in S. occulatum arose during times of population subdivision (allopatry), perhaps driven by glacial retreat and sea-level change during the Middle Miocene (∼15 mya) in Europe.
New insights into the role of the N terminus in conformational transitions of the Na,K-ATPase.

Abstract The deletion of 32 residues from the N terminus of the α1 catalytic subunit of the rat Na,K-ATPase (mutant α1M32) shifts the E1/E2 conformational equilibrium toward E1, and the combination of this deletion with mutation E233K in the M2-M3 loop acts synergistically to shift the conformation further toward E1 (Boxenbaum, N., Daly, S. E., Javaid, Z. Z., Lane, L. K., and Blostein, R. (1998)J. Biol. Chem. 273, 23086–23092). To delimit the region of the cytoplasmic N terminus involved in these interactions, the consequences of a series of N-terminal deletions of α1 beyond Δ32 were evaluated. Criteria to assess shifts in conformational equilibrium were based on effects of perturbation of the entire catalytic cycle ((i) sensitivity to vanadate inhibition, (ii) K+ sensitivity of Na-ATPase measured at micromolar ATP, (iii) changes in K′ATP, and (iv) catalytic turnover), as well as estimates of the rates of the conformational transitions of phospho- and dephosphoenzyme (E1P → E2P and E2(K+) → E1 + K+). The results show that, compared with α1M32, the deletion of up to 40 residues (α1M40) further shifts the poise toward E1. Remarkably, further deletions (mutants α1M46, α1M49, and α1M56) reverse the effect, such that these mutants increasingly resemble the wild type α1. These results suggest novel intramolecular interactions involving domains within the N terminus that impact the manner in which the N terminus/M2-M3 loop regulatory domain interacts with the M4-M5 catalytic loop to effect E1 ↔ E2 transitions.