cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of the integrin subunit α9 in the murine embryo

The alpha 9 integrin subunit is expressed in adult skeletal muscle, visceral smooth muscle, hepatocytes, squamous epithelium, and airway epithelium. The in vivo function of this protein is unknown. Thus far, only a single alpha 9-containing integrin has been identified (alpha 9 beta 1) and only a single ligand (tenascin) has been found for this integrin. In order to gain insight into the potential function of alpha 9 integrin(s), we examined the spatiotemporal distribution of the alpha 9 subunit and tenascin during murine embryogenesis. In all tissues where alpha 9 was expressed, its appearance was associated with other evidence of cell differentiation. In developing airway, visceral, and vascular smooth muscles, the onset of alpha 9 expression either coincided with or immediately followed the expression of alpha-SM actin. Expression of alpha 9 in epithelia was restricted to the choroid plexus and the basal cell layer of squamous epithelia where its appearance coincided with the development of stratification. alpha 9 immunostaining was first detected in developing skeletal musculature when skeletal myotubes formed. Tenascin expression was detected in many, but not all tissues found to express alpha 9. For example, the hair germs of maturing hair follicles exhibited high levels of alpha 9 staining, but no tenascin immunoreactivity was detected either within the hair germ themselves or in the adjacent dermis. In some tissues where tenascin expression colocalized with alpha 9, expression patterns were not synchronous. Although alpha 9 expression was associated with the onset of tissue differentiation, its expression was not limited to terminally differentiated cells. In fact, in the skin, alpha 9 expression appeared restricted to cells known to retain the capacity to proliferate, i.e., basal cells and hair germs. Thus, alpha 9 integrin(s) are not likely to contribute to the early steps in organ formation, but probably play a role in the maturation and/or maintenance of a variety of differentiated tissues. The expression of alpha 9 without its only known ligand, tenascin, suggests the existence of additional ligands.
Anophthalmos in an Infant With Multiple Congenital Anomalies

A full-term, 2,828-g male infant who lived five weeks had histologically proven, bilateral, congenital anophthalmos. The infant had multiple congenital anomalies including esophageal atresia, choanal stenosis, tetralogy of Fallot, persistent left superior vena cava, arhinencephaly, retardation of myelination in the brain, cerebellar sclerosis, and dysplasias, as well as other developmental anomalies of the central nervous system. There was no family history of anophthalmos, and, in view of the arhinencephaly, we diagnosed sporadic secondary anophthalmos.
Humanized cobra venom factor decreases myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury

Cobra venom factor (CVF) is a complement activating protein in cobra venom, which functionally resembles C3b, and has been used for decades for decomplementation of serum to investigate the role of complement in many model systems of disease. The use of CVF for clinical practice is considered impractical because of immunogenicity issues. Humanization of CVF was recently demonstrated to yield a potent CVF-like molecule. In the present study, we demonstrate that mice treated with recombinant humanized CVF (HC3-1496) are protected from myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MI/R) injuries with resultant preservation of cardiac function. Also, C3 deposition in the myocardium following MI/R was not observed following treatment with HC3-1496. HC3-1496 led to complement activation and depletion of C3, but preserved C5 titers. These data suggest, unlike CVF, HC3-1496 does not form a C5 convertase in the mouse, similar to recent studies in human sera/plasma. These results suggest that humanized CVF (HC3-1496) protects the ischemic myocardium from reperfusion injuries induced by complement activation and represents a novel anti-complement therapy for potential clinical use.
Treatment of Severe Perceptual-Motor Disorders in Children Diagnosed as Learning Disabled.

This study evaluates a procedure using positive reinforcement in the remediation of severe perceptual-motor disorders in the handwriting of four earning disabled boys. In Experiment 1, two of the students were asked to copy five words, five geometric figures, and their first name five times during each session. Following baseline in a multiple baseline design across subjects, token reinforcement was made contingent on correct responses (that contained no errors of orientation, sequence, or legibility), and corrective feedback was given following incorrect responses. Probe sessions during which the children copied different words and figures were interspersed three times during baseline and three times during treatment to assess the degree of generalization to new stimuli. Reinforcement and corrective feedback were not given during these sessions. When reinforcement and corrective feedback were introduced, substantial increases in the frequency of correct printings were found during both the treatment and ...
Dynamic Memory: Keeping Track of Continually Changing Information

The requirement to remember continuously changing information places substantial demands on the human operator's working memory system. Previous research (Yntema & Mueser, 1960) found that in keeping track of dynamically changing information, humans' memory for changing information was better when they kept track of many different attributes of a single object than when they kept track of the identical attribute of many different objects. Due to a confound in the Yntema and Mueser experiment, the unique and combined effects of information organization and similarity-based interference cannot be determined, limiting the information about dynamic memory. This experiment represents an attempt to overcome this limitation by assessing the roles of organization and similarity-based interference in dynamic memory. The experimental task was a keeping track task in which a series of changing attribute values were presented sequentially, and subjects were required to remember the most recent update for each attribu...
The design of a CAMAC diagnostic module

Abstract The design of a CAMAC module for on-line monitoring of CAMAC integrity is described. The unit is a single-width module which monitors the power supplies and allows verification of proper communication within a multi-crate system.
Commentary on (1) 'Application of the health belief model: development of the hearing beliefs questionnaire (HBQ) and its associations with hearing health behaviors' (International Journal of Audiology, 2013; 52, 558-567), and (2) 'Development and evaluation of a questionnaire to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards hearing loss prevention' (International Journal of Audiology, 2014; 53, 209-218).

Saunders et al recently published two manuscripts regarding the use of the Health Belief Model (HBM) to develop a survey capable of addressing hearing health behaviors— particularly those associate...
Maturational changes in airway smooth muscle structure-function relationships.

Airways become less compliant with age. When examined at either extreme of the developmental spectrum, airway smooth muscle (ASM) undergoes changes that parallel the trachea: both passive and active stress increase from preterm to adult. To determine how ASM changes throughout maturation, trachealis muscles from sheep airways of five age groups (group 1, <110 d gestation; group 2, 110–124 d gestation; group 3, 125–140 d gestation; group 4, newborn; and group 5, adult) were separated from their cartilaginous supports and cleaned of their mucosa and serosa. The length at which active stress was optimal was determined and passive and active stress were measured. Concentration-effect curves for acetylcholine (ACh) and KCl were performed at the length at which active stress was optimal. Morphometric analysis of the muscle was performed by computerized image analysis. At the length at which active stress was optimal, both passive and active stress increased with maturation (p < 0.001). Concentration-effect curves for both ACh and KCl also showed a significant increase in active stress as a function of dose and of age (p < 0.002), and the ED50 for ACh decreased with maturation (p < 0.005). Although muscle length, thickness, and area increased with age (p < 0.005), the ratio of contractile to connective tissue within the muscle bundle remained constant throughout maturation. These data demonstrate that ASM undergoes a progressive increase in contractility and sensitivity to ACh throughout maturation. The inability of immature ASM to generate as much force as adult ASM may in part explain why preterm infants who require positive-pressure ventilation are at risk to sustain structural central airway injury.
A Robust Alternative Based on Ranks to Least Squares in Analyzing Linear Models

A unified approach based on the ranks of the residuals iS developed for testing and estimation in the linear model, The methods are robust and efficient relative to least squares methods. For ease of application, the strong analogy to least squares strategy is emphasized. The procedures are illustrated on examples from regression and analysis of covariance.
An investigation of the decoding of triplets adjacent to AUG during initiation.

Abstract Using R17 RNA and native ribosomal subunits, we have found that in the 30S initiation complex the codons both immediately proceding and following the AUG do not direct aminoacyl-tRNA binding. Moreover, de-coding of the 3′-adjacent triplet does not occur until after junction and the “accommodation” of the bound fMet-tRNA. Thus it is apparent that while the correct selection of the initiator AUG is made at the level of the 30S initiation complex, this selection does not involve translation of the codons contiguous to AUG.
Introducing the Elephant in the Room: Power

“The ideal of fully absent power is not only impossible to achieve; it is even hard to envision. We are all the products of power relations and exercise power by our very presence in the world.” —Jane Mansbridge, 2009
Value of a centralized surveillance system during a national epidemic of endophthalmitis.

Abstract A centralized registry of cases was established when it became apparent that an outbreak of Candida parapsilosis endophthalmitis in California was due to intrinsic contamination of a nationally distributed ocular irrigation solution. The purposes were (1) to detect cases, (2) to identify patients at risk, (3) to collect and disseminate clinical information regarding the infection, and (4) to make available information and experience regarding treatment. As a result of these efforts, all patients exposed to the solution were reviewed by their physicians and numerous cases of infection were detected. In contrast, Food and Drug Administration-mandated procedures, traditionally focused on manufacturing standards, were effective in recalling the contaminated solution but failed to provide physicians with adequate information to identify and care for patients at risk.
Ribavirin in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Background and Aim: Current practice guidelines recommend that individuals chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) be treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. Ribavirin, however, is associated with serious adverse events (AE), especially anemia. We review its mechanism of action, its importance in treating chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients, the AE associated with its use, and techniques used to lessen these AE. Methods: Medline searches were performed using the keywords ribavirin and hepatitis, together with the keywords mechanism, anemia, liver transplant, renal function, pharmacokinetics, and dose reduction. Searches of abstracts of recent Digestive Diseases Week, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, and European Association for the Study of Liver Diseases meetings were also performed. Results: Ribavirin may be effective in treating CHC by affecting the virus or the host; for example by inducing viral mutations, blocking cellular enzymes, or affecting the host immune response. Although the pegylated interferons are the primary drugs used to treat CHC, a combination with ribavirin is more effective than pegylated interferon alone. Ribavirin-associated AE may be lessened by ribavirin dose reductions and by maintenance of the hematocrit. Conclusions: Treatments of ribavirin toxicities, especially anemia, can allow patients to continue full-dose combination therapy with peginterferon and ribavirin, enhancing their probability of attaining a sustained virologic response (SVR). Treatment of CHC should be tailored to individual patients, especially those with renal dysfunction, and should include agents that treat the side-effects of CHC treatment. Monitoring of plasma ribavirin concentrations during treatment may help in the future.
The combustion of trichloroethylene studied with vacuum ultraviolet photoionization mass spectrometry

Species concentration profiles in a low-pressure premixed methane/oxygen flame, seeded with trichloroethylene (TCE), are measured with a newly developed flame sampling vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) laser photoionization mass spectrometer. The results lead to significant extensions of the kinetic mechanisms incorporated in chlorocarbon combustion models derived from previous experiments with TCE/O 2 flames at higher chlorine-to-hydrogen ratios. Sensitivity analyses reveal that the most important reaction channels in the decomposition of TCE in the CH 4 /TCE/O 2 /Ar flame are the displacement by H atoms of Cl atoms from TCE, 1,1-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride. The displacement of Cl atoms from TCE by OH, a reaction previously observed under nonflame conditions, also makes an important contribution to the decomposition of TCE and leads to the production of 2.2-dichloroethenol, a species unobserved in previous flame studies. Other species found in large concentrations in the present CH 4 /TCE/O 2 /Ar flames, but not observed in earlier TCE/O 2 /Ar flame studies, are ketene, chloroketene, and dichloroketene. Finally, the presence of TCE catalyzes the formation of C 3 –C 6 hydrocarbons. The observation of significant concentrations of C 3 H 3 , C 3 H 4 , and C 6 H 6 suggests that these catalytic reactions may proceed by “old carbon species” mechanisms analogous to those suggested for benzene formation in hydrocarbon flames.
Discovery of Intrinsic Primitives on Triangle Meshes

The discovery of meaningful parts of a shape is required for many geometry processing applications, such as parameterization, shape correspondence, and animation. It is natural to consider primitives such as spheres, cylinders and cones as the building blocks of shapes, and thus to discover parts by fitting such primitives to a given surface. This approach, however, will break down if primitive parts have undergone almost-isometric deformations, as is the case, for example, for articulated human models. We suggest that parts can be discovered instead by finding intrinsic primitives, which we define as parts that posses an approximate intrinsic symmetry. We employ the recently-developed method of computing discrete approximate Killing vector fields (AKVFs) to discover intrinsic primitives by investigating the relationship between the AKVFs of a composite object and the AKVFs of its parts. We show how to leverage this relationship with a standard clustering method to extract k intrinsic primitives and remaining asymmetric parts of a shape for a given k. We demonstrate the value of this approach for identifying the prominent symmetry generators of the parts of a given shape. Additionally, we show how our method can be modified slightly to segment an entire surface without marking asymmetric connecting regions and compare this approach to state-of-the-art methods using the Princeton Segmentation Benchmark.
Oxidation of humic substances by manganese oxides yields low-molecular-weight organic substrates

MANY bacteria oxidize thermodynamically unstable manganese(II) to Mn oxides and deposit the oxides on their surfaces1,2, a process that appears to account for most Mn oxidation in natural waters3–5 and sediments6. Among the reasons that have been proposed for the evolutionary selection of this process are protection from damage by toxic metals and oxygen species, protection from ultraviolet light, and strengthening of the bacterial sheath or capsule1,7. Mn oxides may promote harmful free radical reactions, however, and marine Mn-oxidizing bacteria are particularly susceptible to photoinhibition8. Here we report that Mn oxides lyse complex humic substances, which in general cannot be used by microorganisms directly9–11, to form low-molecular-weight organic compounds that can be used as substrates for microbial growth. Mn-oxidizing bacteria may thus be able to use the carbon pool in humic substances, which represent one of the largest organic reservoirs in natural waters, sediments and soils.
A social validation of college examinations

Social validation procedures were used to compare views held by professors and students concerning college examinations. In the first phase of this project, four groups of participants (21 professors and 126 students representing psychology and biology) listed characteristics of good and poor tests. The characteristics given by the groups were somewhat similar, although very few ideas were given about the results of examinations (e.g., range of scores). A socially valid questionnaire was constructed from the most commonly cited characteristics, and four additional groups of professors (n = 25) and students (n = 102) were asked to rate the importance of each. MANOVAs indicated that the professors and students gave significantly different ratings, but there were only slight differences between the two disciplines, and no differences between those who reported having taken measurement or testing classes and those who had not. The differences between professors and students were especially clear in ratings of...
Uveitis and acute renal failure

Department ofMedicine, South Nassau Communities Hospital, Rockville Centre, New York, New York, USACASE PRESENTATIONA 44-year-old Caucasian female presented to theophthalmologist with blurry vision and excessive tearingin the right eye. She was diagnosed with iritis and treatedwith steroid eye drops. Soon after, the patient went to herprimary care physician with complaints of fevers, chills,fatigue, and anorexia. The patient was found to have aserum creatinine of 1.7 mg/dl (normal 0.5–1.2 mg/dl),which increased to 1.9 mg/dl over the following 4 weeks,at which time she was referred for nephrologic evaluation.At the time of nephrologic consultation, physicalexamination revealed a well-appearing but obese womanwith a height of 66 inches, weight 228lbs, and bloodpressure of 122/80mm Hg. There was trace to 1 þbilateral lower extremity edema. Her physical exam wasotherwise unremarkable. Specifically, she had no orallesions, lymphadenopathy, skin rash, joint swelling, orcardiacmurmurorrub.Other than the recent iritis, the patient had nosignificant past medical history. She took no prescriptionmedications, and she denied use of herbal medicationsand non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. There were norecent intravenous contrast studies. She denied orallesions, joint aches or swelling, rashes, shortness of breath,focal weakness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or chest pain.Initial laboratory evaluation revealed a sodium of139 mmol/l (135–146 mmol/l), potassium 3.1 mmol/l(3.5–5.3 mmol/l), chloride 108 mmol/l (98–110 mmol/l),serum bicarbonate 19mmol/l (21–33mmol/l), blood ureanitrogen 22mg/dl (7–22mg/dl), serum creatinine 2.2 mg/dl (0.5–1.2 mg/dl), serum calcium 10mg/dl (8.5–10.4mg/dl), serum albumin 4.0g/dl (3.5–4.9g/dl), and cholesterol171 mg/dl (normal o200 mg/dl). Liver function tests wereunremarkable with the exception of a mildly elevatedalkaline phosphatase of 139 U/l (20–125 U/l). Urinalysisshowed 1þ blood and 1 þ protein with 10–20white blood cells/high-power field. No white blood cell orred blood cell casts were seen. Negative serologiesincluded anti-nuclear antibody, anti-double stranded DNAantibody, anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody,proteinase-3 anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies,myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies,hepatitis B surface antigen, and hepatitis C antibody. C3and C4 serum complement levels were mildly elevated at193 mg/dl (90–180 mg/dl) and 69mg/dl (16–47mg/dl),respectively. C-reactive protein was also elevated at1.6 mg/dl (less than 0.8 mg/dl). Serum and urineimmunofixation did not reveal a monoclonal spike.Twenty-four-hour urine collection revealed 1.5g ofprotein. Chest X-ray was normal, without evidence of hilaradenopathy or infiltrates. The kidneys measured 11.2 and12.9cm in length by ultrasound. The patient had a whiteblood cell count of 11.0 (3.8–10.8 10
Corporate Issues Campaigns: Six Theoretical Approaches

Through the broader concept of issues management, corporate issues campaigns have been tied to at least six theoretical frameworks. Systems and powerful stakeholder theories focus the organization's choice of issues on which to expend resources; legitimacy gap and issue life-cycle theories explain issue development; and social exchange theory and rhetorical analysis present approaches to practicing issue campaign management. These theories can also be applied to social-issues campaigns. All of the theories emphasize the need for research in campaign management, from understanding the relationships within the multidependencies identified by systems theory to evaluating the costs and benefits of social exchanges presented in campaign messages. This article attempts to explicate these theoretical foundations, present a model of the issues campaign process, and demonstrate the contribution the theories make to issues campaigns.
The thermodynamics of liquid Fe-based ternary solutions containing nitrogen

Abstract Ternary Fe-based liquid solutions containing nitrogen have been analyzed in terms of a first-order statistical model. The model enables interaction energies between the dissolved N-atoms and the matrix to be extracted from measured solubility data. Such interaction energies have been deduced from experimental thermodynamic data and shown to correlate well with the Allred-Rochow electronegativities of the atomic species in the ternary liquids.
Dynamic strength and fragmentation of hot-pressed silicon carbide under uniaxial compression

Abstract The dynamic strength and dynamic fragmentation of a recently developed hot-pressed silicon carbide, SiC–N, has been studied experimentally using a modified Kolsky bar technique together with a servo-controlled hydraulic test machine (MTS). The effect of loading rate on the uniaxial compressive strength has been measured and further analyzed through the wing crack array approach. It is confirmed that the inertia effect is primarily responsible for the rate effect in the high loading rate regime while subcritical crack growth dominates the effect of loading rate in the low strain rate regime. High-speed photography was employed to observe and characterize in real-time the evolution of the failure mode and fragmentation during the test. Quantitative analysis of the fragments is coupled with theoretical models to investigate the mechanism involved with fragmentation over loading rates from 10−4 to 103 MPa/μs.
Some properties of thorium monocarbide and dicarbide

The two known carbides of thorium, ThC and ThC/sub 2/, were prepared from thorium metal and spectro-grade graphite by arc melting. A quantitative mass spectrographic study of the room temperature gaseous hydrolysis products showed ThC to produce mainly methane and ThC/sub 2/ to produce mainly ethane and hydrogen. X-ray powder diffraction, electrical resistivity, and microhardness data are also presented. (auth)
Effect of succinimide ring modification on N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)succinimide-induced nephrotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley and Fischer 344 rats.

Abstract N-(3,5-Dichlorophenyl)succinimide (NDPS) has proven to be an effective experimental agricultural fungicide. However, NDPS produces marked nephrotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley and Fischer 344 rats. The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of an intact, unsubstituted succinimide ring for acute NDPS-induced nephrotoxicity. Structural modifications included ring opening, reduction of one or both carbonyl groups, breaking the ethylene carbon–carbon bond and mono- or dialkyl substitution on the succinimide ring. Sprague-Dawley or Fischer 344 rats were administered NDPS or an NDPS analog (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 or 1.0 mmol/kg) or sesame oil (2.5 ml/kg, i.p.) and renal function was monitored at 24 h and 48 h. All structural modifications produced compounds with markedly reduced nephrotoxic potential in both Sprague-Dawley and Fisher 344 rats when compared to NDPS. However, N,N-diacetyl-3,5-dichloroaniline and N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)pyrrolidine-2-one were more lethal than NDPS. The reduced renal effects of the NDPS analogs did not correlate with lipophilic character. These results indicate that an intact, unsubstituted succinimide ring is optimal for acute NDPS-induced nephrotoxicity.
Complement in rheumatoid inflammation.

In view of the importance, more and more established in recent research, of the complement components in rheumatoid arthritis, we have invited Dr. J. B. Natvig and Dr. R. J. Winchester to summarize today's information on the biochemistry and reaction mechanism of these components.
My mother was a typewriter: Fun Home and the importance of materiality in comics studies 1

This essay distinguishes itself from previous work on Alison Bechdel's Fun Home (2007) by virtue of its attention to the material and medial qualities of this text. Based on a reading of materiality in Fun Home, I argue that comics scholars need to pay greater attention to how material and technological parameters shape the experience of reading comics. Fun Home foregrounds questions of typography (specifically the difference between handwriting and typewriting) and of the physical form of books. By doing so, it self-reflexively calls the reader's attention to its own typography and its own physical appearance. As such, Fun Home exemplifies the usefulness for comics studies of what Katherine Hayles calls ‘media-specific analysis’. My reading of Fun Home thus illustrates the importance of interdisciplinary dialogue between comics studies and media studies.
Isolating the Effect of Natural Amenities on Population Change at the Local Level

Chi G. and Marcouiller D. W. Isolating the effect of natural amenities on population change at the local level, Regional Studies. As latent production inputs, natural amenities are thought to serve as the basis for a variety of regional effects. In this study, natural amenity and socio-economic conditions were analysed with respect to population growth empirically estimated at the municipal level in an amenity-rich lakes region of the North Central United States from 1970 to 2000 with a specific focus on spatial relationships. The limited results suggest mixed effects that confirm an increased amenity influence as one of many factors that drive localized population change. Chi G. et Marcouiller D. W. Isoler l'effet des amenites naturelles sur la variation demographique au niveau local, Regional Studies. On pense que les amenites naturelles, en tant que facteurs de production latents, sont a l'origine d'effets regionaux multiples. Dans cette etude sur une region de lacs riche en amenites du Centre Nord des...
Cyclopion, An Autonomous Guided Vehicle For Factory Use

This paper reports on the concept, software and design of a laboratory model of an autonomous guided vehicle, i.e. a freely moving robot that orients itself in space with the aid of fixed passive optical beacons and follows a path, as given by coordinate points previously stored in its memory. Communication to a base station takes place via a digital radio link. Commands are received and status is reported back. The goal is to design a system that can be implemented essentially with existing technology and will not have to rely on optical pattern recognition from a television camera - an approach certainly more elegant, but at the present time rather immature.
The ability of dental students and faculty to estimate the total occlusal convergence of prepared teeth

Statement of problem Total occlusal convergence (TOC) is an important aspect of tooth preparation, but the accuracy of its visual estimation has not been determined. Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine which TOC angles are considered ideal, maximal, and minimal, and also to determine the accuracy of visually estimating TOC. Material and methods Thirteen dentoform teeth were prepared, for complete gold crown restorations, with TOC angles ranging between −3 and 30. Thirty students and 30 faculty members visually identified the teeth they believed had ideal, maximal, and minimal convergence and then estimated the angle of TOC for each tooth. Data were analyzed with a 2-sample binomial test and the 2-sample t test (α=.05), as well as the general linear model (the mixed procedure). Results Teeth selected had TOC angles of 9-12 degrees, 21-30 degrees, and 3-12 degrees for ideal, maximal acceptability, and minimal acceptability, respectively. Students and faculty exhibited similar visual estimation capabilities. Greater accuracy of visual estimation of TOC angles occurred with teeth judged to have minimal or ideal convergence, as opposed to those with maximally acceptable angles, indicating estimation accuracy decreased as convergence increased. More than half of the estimates were within 5 degrees of the measured TOC. However, 11 ideal, 14 maximal, and 5 minimal estimates were judged inaccurately by 11 to 20 degrees, and 5 estimates were inaccurate by more than 20 degrees. There were more underestimates than overestimates. Conclusions Most visual estimates were accurate, but several were inaccurate by more than 10 degrees. The most common inaccuracies were underestimated TOC. Students and faculty were not significantly different in their ability to accurately estimate TOC. Students and faculty were less accurate when estimating large, as opposed to small, TOC angles. (J Prosthet Dent 2009;101:7-12)
Two secreted retinal factors regulate different stages of development of the outer blood-retinal barrier.

Abstract The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) lies at the interface between the neural retina and the choriocapillaries where it forms a blood–retinal barrier. Like endothelial regions of the blood–brain barrier, the development of the RPE barrier is a gradual, multistep process. A culture model of chick RPE was used to study this development. The permeability of the tight junctions that limit diffusion between neighboring RPE cells was measured as the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). Embryonic day 14 (E14) retinas were used to make a conditioned medium that lowered the permeability of cultured RPE. The TER of cultures prepared from E14 RPE was twice that of E7 RPE. In each culture, retinal conditioned medium increases the TER 2–2.5 fold. The active factors of conditioned medium that affected each culture had different physical properties. The factor that affected E7 was protease-resistant with a Mr
Biology of the galling wasp Tetramesa romana, a biological control agent of giant reed

The biology of the gall-forming wasp Tetramesa romana Walker (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) from southern France and Spain was studied to determine its suitability as a biological control agent of giant reed (Arundo donax L.), an exotic and invasive riparian weed in the US and Mexico. Females produced eggs parthenogenetically and deposited them into shoot tips. Eggs were 1.26 mm long and hatched within 5 days of oviposition. The larvae completed three instars within 23–27 days, with the first and second instars lasting 5 days each at 27 C and the third instar lasting 12 days. Larvae increased in length from 0.9 mm to 4.1 mm between the first and last instars. The total generation time averaged 33 days. Adults were 6.8 mm long with antennae and lived 3.7 days. Spanish wasps lived 1.3 days longer than French wasps. Most (80%) parthenogenetic reproduction involved wasps that were less than 5 days old. A total of 36% of French wasps tested and 65% of Spanish wasps produced offspring. Individual Spanish wasps produced an average of 26 (up to 66) progeny, displaying an intrinsic capacity for increase of 0.081 and a population doubling time of 9.2 days. Over 90% of exit holes made by emerging wasps were located within two nodes of the shoot tip. Reproductive wasps made 2.5-fold more probes than did wasps that failed to gall stems, and probing behavior was 13% more prevalent in the afternoon than in the morning. The Spanish genotypes of T. romana are particularly suitable for mass production to support field releases.
Ras gene mutation and amplification in human nonmelanoma skin cancers

Our previous studies have shown that human skin cancers occurring on sun-exposed body sites frequently contain activated Ha-ras oncogenes capable of inducing morphologic and tumorigenic transformation of NIH 3T3 cells. In this study, we analyzed human primary squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) occurring on sun-exposed body sites for mutations in codons 12, 13, and 61 of Ha-ras, Ki-ras, and N-ras oncogenes by amplification of genomic tumor DNAs by the polymerase chain reaction, followed by dot-blot hybridization to synthetic oligonucleotide probes designed to detect single base-pair mutations. In addition to the primary human skin cancers, we also analyzed Ha-ras-positive NIH 3T3 transformants for mutations in the Ha-ras oncogene. The results indicated that all three NIH 3T3 transformants, 11 of 24 (46%) SCCs, and 5 of 16 (31%) BCCs contained mutations at the second position of Ha-ras codon 12 (GGC----GTC), predicting a glycine-to-valine amino acid substitution, whereas only 1 of 40 skin cancers (an SCC) displayed a mutation in the first position of Ki-ras codon 12 (GGT----AGT), predicting a glycine-to-serine amino acid change. In addition, three of the SCCs contained highly amplified copies of the N-ras oncogene in their genomic DNA. Interestingly, two of the SCCs containing amplified N-ras sequences also had G----T mutations in codon 12 of the Ha-ras oncogene. These studies demonstrate that mutations in codon 12 of the Ha-ras oncogene occurred at a high frequency in human skin cancers originating on sun-exposed body sites, whereas mutation in codon 12 of Ki-ras or amplification of N-ras occurred at a low frequency. Since the mutations in the Ha-ras and Ki-ras oncogenes were located opposite potential pyrimidine dimer sites (C-C), it is likely that these mutations were induced by ultraviolet radiation present in sunlight.
Cretaceous extinctions: evidence for wildfires and search for meteoritic material.

The results of analyses of the contents of deposits in the Cretaceous-Ternary (K-T) transition at three sites worldwide are discussed. The study was undertaken to examine the composition of the object which may have struck the earth, causing widespread biotic extinction. The data indicate that most of the parent body was destroyed on impact, a condition which would also hold true for comets, suggesting that comets were not a source of prebiotic life. A four-orders-of-magnitude excess of carbon in the K-T layer is considered in terms of its source, which is suspected to be deposits from wildfires. The consequent extinctions of species are regarded as possibly making the current nuclear winter scenarios too optimistic.
Oncogene Activation Induces Metabolic Transformation Resulting in Insulin-Independence in Human Breast Cancer Cells

Normal breast epithelial cells require insulin and EGF for growth in serum-free media. We previously demonstrated that over expression of breast cancer oncogenes transforms MCF10A cells to an insulin-independent phenotype. Additionally, most breast cancer cell lines are insulin-independent for growth. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which oncogene over expression transforms MCF10A cells to an insulin-independent phenotype. Analysis of the effects of various concentrations of insulin and/or IGF-I on proliferation of MCF10A cells demonstrated that some of the effects of insulin were independent from those of IGF-I, suggesting that oncogene over expression drives a true insulin-independent proliferative phenotype. To test this hypothesis, we examined metabolic functions of insulin signaling in insulin-dependent and insulin-independent cells. HER2 over expression in MCF10A cells resulted in glucose uptake in the absence of insulin at a rate equal to insulin-induced glucose uptake in non-transduced cells. We found that a diverse set of oncogenes induced the same result. To gain insight into how HER2 oncogene signaling affected increased insulin-independent glucose uptake we compared HER2-regulated gene expression signatures in MCF10A and HER2 over expressing MCF10A cells by differential analysis of time series gene expression data from cells treated with a HER2 inhibitor. This analysis identified genes specifically regulated by the HER2 oncogene, including VAMP8 and PHGDH, which have known functions in glucose uptake and processing of glycolytic intermediates, respectively. Moreover, these genes specifically implicated in HER2 oncogene-driven transformation are commonly altered in human breast cancer cells. These results highlight the diversity of oncogene effects on cell regulatory pathways and the importance of oncogene-driven metabolic transformation in breast cancer.
Arsenic cycling within the water column of a small lake receiving contaminated ground-water discharge

Abstract The fate of arsenic discharged from contaminated ground water to a small, shallow lake at a hazardous waste site was examined to understand the role of iron (hydr)oxide precipitation–dissolution processes within the water column. Field and laboratory observations indicate that arsenic solubility was controlled, in part, by the extent of ferrous iron oxidation–precipitation and arsenic sorption occurring near the lake chemocline. Laboratory experiments were conducted using site-derived water to assess the impact of these coupled processes on the removal of dissolved arsenic from the water column. The measured concentration of organic carbon from epilimnetic and hypolimnetic water sampled from the lake was approximately 1.3 mM and 17.0 mM, respectively. Experiments conducted with these samples along with synthetic controls containing no organic carbon demonstrated that observed rates of formation and crystallinity of the precipitated iron (hydr)oxide were dependent on the concentration of organic carbon in the lake water. Increasing dissolved organic matter concentration did not significantly interfere with ferrous iron oxidation, but inhibited iron (hydr)oxide precipitation and subsequent sorption of arsenic. For experiments using water sampled from the lake hypolimnion there was a strong relationship between the fraction of precipitated iron and the fraction of sorbed arsenic. Laboratory- and field-derived iron (hydr)oxide precipitates were characterized to evaluate mineralogy and arsenic distribution. In-situ suspended solids and precipitates formed in laboratory experiments using hypolimnetic water were identified as poorly crystalline 2-line ferrihydrite. These solids were readily dissolved in the presence of dithionite indicating that elevated dissolved iron and arsenic observed in the hypolimnion resulted, in part, from in-situ reductive dissolution of settling 2-line ferrihydrite near the sediment–water interface. These observations support the contention that the levels of dissolved arsenic observed in the shallow lake can be attributed to ground-water discharge and internal recycling of arsenic within the water column. The efficiency of the process resulting in iron (hydr)oxide precipitation and arsenic sorption limits the downgradient export of arsenic derived from ground-water discharge.
Inositol 5-phosphatases: insights from the Lowe syndrome protein OCRL

The precise regulation of phosphoinositide lipids in cellular membranes is crucial for cellular survival and function. Inositol 5-phosphatases have been implicated in a variety of disorders, including various cancers, obesity, type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases and rare genetic conditions. Despite the obvious impact on human health, relatively little structural and biochemical information is available for this family. Here, we review recent structural and mechanistic work on the 5-phosphatases with a focus on OCRL, whose loss of function results in oculocerebrorenal syndrome of Lowe and Dent 2 disease. Studies of OCRL emphasize how the actions of 5-phosphatases rely on both intrinsic and extrinsic membrane recognition properties for full catalytic function. Additionally, structural analysis of missense mutations in the catalytic domain of OCRL provides insight into the phenotypic heterogeneity observed in Lowe syndrome and Dent disease.
Hooks for mammal pollination

Two species of Banksia (family Proteaceae) studied in Australia were shown to be pollinated by small, non-flying mammals rather than by birds as previously thought, and to possess several adaptations appropriate for mammal-rather than bird-pollination: odor, troughs that channel excess nectar to the ground for attraction, open inflorescence structure for nectar accessibility, hooked wiry styles for effective pollen transfer, crepuscular and nocturnal nectar and pollen presentation, and copious nectar. This apparently is the first documentation with quantified data of pollination by non-flying mammals, although many other probable examples exist.
Random vibrations of a rotating shaft with non-linear damping

Abstract Bending vibrations of a rotating shaft due to external random excitation are considered for the case of potential instability of the shaft's linear model due to the presence of internal or “rotating” damping. A two-degree-of-freedom model is studied which accounts for non-linearity in external or “non-rotating” damping. An explicit expression is obtained for a stationary joint probability density of displacements and velocities as an exact analytical solution to the corresponding Fokker–Planck–Kolmogorov equation. The results are used to develop criterion for on-line detection of instability for the operating shaft from its measured response.
Individual convergence of several serological characteristics in people with high physical efficiency

Abstract Heterozygosis of MN and Hp 2-1 with the A 1 characteristic (in convergence) is statistically a stigma of people with high physical efficiency.
Conceptualizing crimes against older persons: elder abuse, domestic violence, white-collar offending, or just regular ‘old’ crime

Past research does not differentiate between the types of crimes committed against the elderly. This study examines the similarities and differences between the multiple types of offenses committed against older persons. The current study uses data drawn from 294 abuse, neglect, and exploitation cases with an aim toward differentiating between elder abuse, elder domestic violence, elder white-collar crime, and general crime. Cross tabulations were used to examine the relationship between offense type and victim, as well as situational characteristics. A series of multivariate logistic regression models were employed to examine which characteristics were associated with the different offense types. Results show that victim characteristics vary in the different offense categories, and specific offense types are tied to the offense categories. The results also show that caregiver burden is more common in elder abuse cases involving daughters as offenders. Although white-collar crimes targeting older victims ...
Clinical, Radiological, and Manometric Profile in 145 Patients with Untreated Achalasia

Background Esophageal achalasia is characterized by the absence of esophageal peristalsis and by a dysfunctional lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Descriptions of clinical, radiological, and manometric findings in patients with achalasia usually have been based on small numbers of patients. This study was designed to determine in patients with untreated achalasia: (1) clinical presentation; (2) how often a diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was erroneously made based on the presence of heartburn; (3) manometric profile; (4) relationship between chest pain and the manometric finding of vigorous achalasia. Methods Between 1990 and 2004, a diagnosis of esophageal achalasia was established in 145 patients. None of them had been previously treated (no previous endoscopic or surgical treatment). We evaluated the demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the results of the endoscopy, barium swallow, esophageal manometry, and ambulatory pH monitoring. We also compared the clinical and the manometric profile of patients with classic and patients with vigorous achalasia. Results Most patients with untreated achalasia had dysphagia (94%). Regurgitation was present in 76% and heartburn in 52%. Chest pain (41%) and weight loss (35%) were less common. Acid-suppressing medications had been prescribed to 65 patients (45%) who complained of heartburn on the assumption that GERD was present. The LES was hypertensive in 43% of patients only. There was no significant difference in the prevalence, severity, and duration of chest pain in patients with classic and with vigorous achalasia. Conclusions These results show that in patients with untreated achalasia: (1) dysphagia was the most frequent complaint, but regurgitation and heartburn were frequently present; (2) a diagnosis of GERD based on the presence of heartburn was highly unreliable; (3) the LES was hypertensive in less than half of patients; and (4) the prevalence, severity, and duration of chest pain did not correlate with the manometric finding of vigorous achalasia.
Adaptive Gaussian Process for Short-Term Wind Speed Forecasting

We study the problem of short term wind speed prediction, which is a critical factor for effective wind power generation. This is a challenging task due to the complex and stochastic behavior of the wind environment. Observing various periods in the wind speed time series present different patterns, we suggest a nonlinear adaptive framework to model various hidden dynamic processes. The model is essentially data driven, which leverages non-parametric Heteroscdastic Gaussian Process to model relevant patterns for short term prediction. We evaluate our model on two different real world wind speed datasets from National Data Buoy Center. We compare our results to state-of-arts algorithms to show improvement in terms of both Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE).