cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-resolution transmission electron microscopy of silicide formation and morphology development of Ni/Si and Ni/Si1-xGex

Nickel-silicide phase formation in the Ni/Si and Ni/Si1−xGex (x=0.20) systems and its correlation with variations in sheet resistance have been studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and related techniques. Following a 500°C anneal, uniform and low-resistivity NiSi and NiSi1−xGex (x<0.20) crystalline films were formed in the respective systems. Annealed at 900°C, NiSi2, in the form of pyramidal or trapezoidal islands, is found to replace the NiSi in the Ni/Si system. After a 700°C anneal, threading dislocations were observed for the first time in the Ni/Si1−xGex system to serve as heterogeneous nucleation sites for rapid lateral NiSi1−xGex growth.
Differential response of BDCA-1+ and BDCA-3+ myeloid dendritic cells to respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of respiratory infections in children, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Severe infection is associated with short- and long-term morbidity including pneumonia, recurrent wheezing, and abnormal pulmonary function, and several lines of evidence indicate that impaired adaptive immune responses during infection are critical in the pathophysiology of RSV-mediated disease. Myeloid Dendritic cells (mDCs) play a pivotal role in shaping antiviral immune responses in the respiratory tract; however, few studies have examined the interactions between RSV and individual mDC subsets. In this study, we examined the effect of RSV on the functional response of primary mDC subsets (BDCA-1+ and BDCA-3+) isolated from peripheral blood. BDCA-1+ and BDCA-3+ mDCs were isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy adults using FACS sorting. Donor-matched BDCA-1+ and BDCA-3+ mDCs were infected with RSV at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 5 for 40 hours. After infection, cells were analyzed for the expression of costimulatory molecules (CD86, CD80, and PD-L1), cytokine production, and the ability to stimulate allogenic CD4+ T cell proliferation. Both BDCA-1+ and BDCA-3+ mDCs were susceptible to infection with RSV and demonstrated enhanced expression of CD86, and the inhibitory costimulatory molecules CD80 and PD-L1. Compared to BDCA-3+ mDCs, RSV-infected BDCA-1+ mDC produced a profile of cytokines and chemokines predominantly associated with pro-inflammatory responses (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, MIP-1α, and TNF-α), and both BDCA-1+ and BDCA-3+ mDCs were found to produce IL-10. Compared to uninfected mDCs, RSV-infected BDCA-1+ and BDCA-3+ mDCs demonstrated a reduced capacity to stimulate T cell proliferation. RSV infection induces a distinct pattern of costimulatory molecule expression and cytokine production by BDCA-1+ and BDCA-3+ mDCs, and impairs their ability to stimulate T cell proliferation. The differential expression of CD86 and pro-inflammatory cytokines by highly purified mDC subsets in response to RSV provides further evidence that BDCA-1+ and BDCA-3+ mDCs have distinct roles in coordinating the host immune response during RSV infection. Findings of differential expression of PD-L1 and IL-10 by infected mDCs, suggests possible mechanisms by which RSV is able to impair adaptive immune responses.
Atmospheric turbulence component of the innovation covariance

The innovation covariance is derived for general atmospheric turbulence conditions and for climatologies of upper-level turbulence based on aircraft data. Error is defined in terms of the effective spatial filter of the forecast model to produce a consistent definition of measurement error and model error. Calculations of the atmospheric turbulence component (observation sampling-error covariance) are performed for rawinsonde data and various forecast model resolutions. Significant contributions from the atmospheric turbulence field are produced, especially for the older forecast models. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Early activation of cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) following loose ligation of the sciatic nerve in rats

Activation of cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in the spinal dorsal horn may be a crucial contributor to the activity-dependent synaptic plasticity that is thought to underlie the development of persistent pain following peripheral nerve injury. In this study, we examined the early period of CREB activation following chronic constriction injury (loose ligation) of the sciatic nerve in rats. The estimated levels of Ser133-phosphorylated (activated) CREB significantly increased at 2 hours (424 ± 85%) and remained elevated at 4 hours (349 ± 97%) and 8 hours (258 ± 69%) after sciatic ligation compared with control animals. By contrast, activated CREB levels in sham-operated animals were not significantly greater than in control animals except at 1 hour (176 ± 6%) and 8 hours (288 ± 16%). The maximal ligation-associated activation of CREB at 2 hours occurred bilaterally and was dependent, at least partly, on NMDA-receptor activation because pretreatment with 20 µg MK-801 significantly attenuated the ligation-associated activation of CREB. The levels of non-phosphorylated CREB in ligated and sham-operated animals did not differ significantly from controls at the time-points examined. These data establish a significant, persistent increase in CREB phosphorylation within hours of loose ligation of the sciatic nerve and indicate an early but consequential injury-related shift in the manner in which spinal dorsal horn neurons processed sensory information. The data lend further support to the notion that ligation-associated CREB-dependent synaptic plasticity in the spinal dorsal horn might underlie the development of persistent pain following peripheral nerve injury.
Kidney Involvement in Leukemia and Lymphoma

Leukemia and lymphoma are hematologic malignancies that can affect any age group. Disease can be aggressive or indolent, often with multiorgan system involvement. Kidney involvement in leukemia and lymphoma can be quite extensive. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is quite prevalent in these patients, with prerenal and acute tubular necrosis being the most common etiologies. However other prerenal, intrinsic, and obstructive etiologies are possible. AKI can be a direct effect of the malignancy, a complication of the malignancy, or the consequence or side effect of chemotherapy. Nephrotic syndrome and glomerulonephritis, often presenting without overt kidney failure, have also been seen in all forms of leukemia and lymphoma. Lastly, the direct effects of the malignancy and complications from the tumor often result in numerous electrolyte disturbances and acid-base disorders, with life-threatening consequences if left untreated.
Neuromotor Changes in Alzheimer's Disease: Implications for Patient Care:

As a result of the neuropathologic process of Alzheimer's disease (AD), significant changes occur in neuromotor function (e.g., paratonia and compulsive grasping). These changes become manifest in the moderately severe stage of AD, when patients begin to require ongoing assistance with activities of daily life (ADL), and they are prominent in the severe stage of AD, when patients are continuously dependent on a caregiver. Patients in these stages often display behavioral disturbances during care activities. These disturbing behaviors result not only from cognitive impairment, but also from a patient's physical inability to cooperate with the caregiver. When care management strategies take into account the characteristic physical restrictions resulting from the neuromotor changes that accompany advanced AD, the caregiving process may be significantly facilitated.
Source of Atomic Hydrogen in the Atmosphere of HD 209458b

Atomic hydrogen loss at the top of HD 209458b's atmosphere has been recently suggested (Vidal-Madjar et al.). We have developed a one-dimensional model to study the chemistry in the upper atmosphere of this extrasolar "hot Jupiter." The three most abundant elements (other than He) as well as four parent molecules are included in this model, viz., H, C, O, H_2, CO, H_2O, and CH_4. The higher temperatures (~1000 K) and higher stellar irradiance (~6 × 10^5 W m^-2) strongly enhance and modify the chemical reaction rates in this atmosphere. The main result is that the production of atomic hydrogen in the atmosphere is mainly driven by H_2O photolysis, and the reaction of OH with H_2, and is insensitive to the exact abundances of CO, H_2O, and CH_4. For comparison, the bulk H concentration for "hot Jupiters" is 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of Jupiter.
Audiovisual celebrity recognition in unconstrained web videos

The number of video clips available online is growing at a tremendous pace. Conventionally, user-supplied metadata text, such as the title of the video and a set of keywords, has been the only source of indexing information for user-uploaded videos. Automated extraction of video content for unconstrained and large scale video databases is a challenging and yet unsolved problem. In this paper, we present an audiovisual celebrity recognition system towards automatic tagging of unconstrained web videos. Prior work on audiovisual person recognition relied on the fact that the person in the video is speaking and the features extracted from audio and visual domain are associated with each other throughout the video. However, this assumption is not valid on unconstrained web videos. Proposed method finds the audiovisual mapping and hence improve upon the association assumption. Considering the scale of the application, all pieces of the system are trained automatically without any human supervision. We present the results on 26,000 videos and show the effectiveness of the method per-celebrity basis.
Long-Term Follow-Up of Multifocal Osteoarticular Sporotrichosis Treated with Itraconazole

Sporotrichosis is a granulomatous disease caused by the di­ morphic fungus Sporothrix schenckii. Disseminated disease may involve bones, joints, lungs, and meninges and is rarely seen in immunocompetent hosts. Amphotericin B has been the treatment of choice for deep-seated sporotrichosis, although recent reports describing cases with <24 months of follow-up suggest that itraconazole therapy may be more effective [1]. Relapse of multifocal osteoarticular disease has been reported following treatment with alternate antifungal agents 36 months after treatment was discontinued [2]; this finding indicates that longer follow-up is required to establish efficacy. We describe two patients with multifocal osteoarticular sporotrichosis who each received a 24-month course of therapy with intraconazole and have not relapsed 41 and 68 months after discontinuing treatment. Case 1. A 51-year-old male developed itching ofboth arms in July 1986 after working in his garden. The following week he developed swelling of the upper extremities. The titer of antinuclear antibody (ANA) was 1:320. Microscopic examina­ tion ofbiopsy specimens from the forearm demonstrated necro­ biosis with granulomas. His condition improved with symp­ tomatic treatment, followed by prednisone therapy. In November 1986, he was referred for evaluation of recurrent symptoms. Physical examination demonstrated livedo reticularis, swell­ ing of the wrists and hands, and a tender, edematous left fore­ arm. Roentgenograms of the hands and wrists revealed soft­ tissue swelling. He subsequently developed vasospasm in his fingers and tender, red, fluctuant lesions at many sites on the
Tracking Controller for Linear Systems With Time Delays in Both State and Control Variables

Linear time invariant control systems with time delays in both state and control variables are studied. The problem is to design a controller so that the system response will follow a given reference input with zero steady-state error. The reference input is assumed to be a polynomial function of time. The controller is based on feeding forward the reference input and its delayed values. A method is derived for determining the feedforward gain matrices. Necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of proposed tracking controller is also obtained. An example is given to illustrate the proposed method
The significance of cardiopulmonary reserve in the late results of pneumonectomy for carcinoma of the lung.

SUMMARY 1. Pulmonary reserve in young people and dogs is very considerable. They may tolerate pneumonectomy without much resulting clinical handicap or physiologic change. 2. Pulmonary reserve in older individuals is decreased and in some cases a 50 per cent reduction in pulmonary capacity cannot be tolerated. Survival may be for three to five weeks, death being due to cardiac failure in spite of adequate blood oxygen saturation. Pulmonary artery pressure may be elevated as much as 25 to 50 per cent, and mild exercise increases cardiac strain by additional elevation of pulmonary artery pressures to as much as 75 to 100 per cent. 3. The ability of dogs to compensate for the ill-effects of reduced lung capacity to 20-25 per cent over a period of six to eight years following surgery is variable. All dogs develop pulmonary hypertension on mild exercise, to as much as twice the normal value in some instances. 4. Studies on five patients, eight to 15 years following pneumonectomy reveal varying degrees of pulmonary hypertension (from 33/0 to 75/35 mm. Hg.), following pneumonectomy which became additionally elevated on mild exercise to as much as 300 per cent of normal (from 48/7 to 112/45). 5. From these studies it seems reasonable to believe that pulmonary hypertension accounts for a high percentage of deaths following total pneumonectomy in older people. Furthermore, the resection of less than an entire lung should be seriously considered in carcinoma of the lung, if it appears possible to remove all tumor bearing tissue by that procedure.
The Prevention of Bilirubin Encephalopathy

Summary 1. Maternal titer values and/or apositive Coombs' test by themselves are not an indication for replacement transfusion in hemolytic disease of the newborn due to Rh incompatibility. The main emphasis should be placed on the clinical condition and early course of the newborn infant, particularly the ability to handle bilirubin. 2. A demonstrated rise of serumbilirubin toward critical levels (20 mg. per cent) early, particularly within 12 hours, remains the best single criterion for the need of replacement transfusion in questionable cases. Close supervision is essential. 3. Clinical judgment, which requires a thorough understanding of the clinical and laboratory data, may indicate the necessity of transfusion in individual cases. Therefore, it is desirable to refer these infants to a Center if adequate facilities and personnel are not available. The procedure itself is not without hazard, particularly in the hands of unskilled personnel. 4. Replacement transfusions by present methods may be inadequate, in rare instances, to control the serum bilirubin level and prevent brain damage.
A FoxL in the Smad house: activin regulation of FSH.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), produced by pituitary gonadotrope cells, is required for maturation of ovarian follicles. The FSHβ subunit is the limiting factor for production of mature hormone and provides biological specificity. Activin dramatically induces FSHβ transcription and the secondary rise in FSH, important for follicular development, is dependent on this induction. Thus, regulation of FSHβ levels by activin is crucial for female reproductive fitness. This review discusses activin signaling pathways, transcription factors and FSHβ promoter elements required for activin responsiveness. Because FoxL2, a forkhead transcription factor, was recently shown to be instrumental in relaying activin signaling to the FSHβ promoter, we focus in this paper on its role and the inter-relatedness of several key players in activin responsiveness on the FSHβ promoter.
Differential gene expression in experimental hepatocellular carcinoma induced by woodchuck hepatitis B virus

Hepatitis B virus infection is closely linked to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the pathological mechanism of hepatocarcinogenesis by this virus is not well understood. In order to gain further insight into the molecular mechanism of HCC, we constructed and screened a subtracted c-DNA library which was specific to HCC cells of a woodchuck infected with woodchuck hepatitis B virus. Among eight clones that were isolated based on their differential expressions, we determined nucleotide sequences of two genes whose expressions were most significantly stimulated in HCC. Our results indicate that these two genes appear to be woodchuck counterpart genes of hemopexin (HPX) and α-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP), suggesting that the expression of HPX and AGP genes are strongly augmented in tumor cells partly due to transcriptional regulation.
Tubulin isotypes in maize endosperm. Alterations during development and water deficit

Maize (Zea mays L. cv. Pioneer 3925) endosperm development is sensitive to water deficit during rapid cell division and nuclear DNA endoreduplication. To gain insight into effects of water deficit on gene-products that are involved in these processes, we examined the accumulation of β-tubulin, a 50-kDa subunit of microtubules. Proteins extracted from endosperms were separated by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotted with antibodies to β-tubulin. In addition to the expected 50-kDa β-tubulin protein, monoclonal antibodies recognized a 35-kDa protein that predominated at early stages of development and progressively disappeared coincident with the appearance of 50-kDa β-tubulin. Various tests demonstrated that the cross-reacting 35-kDa protein was not a post-harvest artifact, but represented a group of in situ tubulin isotypes preferentially detected by the monoclonal antibodies we used. The pattern of appearance of the fragment suggested that differential expression or degradation of tubulin isotypes normally occurs during development. This expression pattern is prologed or altered during water deficit, which may affect cell division.
Arrestin Serves as a Molecular Switch, Linking Endogenous α2-Adrenergic Receptor to SRC-dependent, but Not SRC-independent, ERK Activation

Our previous studies have demonstrated that neither receptor endocytosis nor arrestin is required for ERK activation by the α2-adrenergic receptor (Wang, Q., Zhao, J., Brady, A. E., Feng, J., Allen, P. B., Lefkowitz, R. J., Greengard, P., and Limbird, L. E. (2004) Science 304, 1940–1944). The present studies address whether arrestin plays a role in determining the route of α2AR-evoked ERK signaling activation, taking advantage of endogenous expression of the α2AAR subtype in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and the availability of MEFs without arrestin expression (derived from Arr2,3–/– mice). Our data demonstrate that the endogenous α2AAR evokes ERK phosphorylation through both a Src-dependent and a Src-independent pathway, both of which are G protein dependent and converge on the Ras-Raf-MEK pathway. Arrestin is essential to recruit Src to this process, as α2AAR-mediated ERK signaling in Arr2,3–/– MEFs does not involve Src. Stimulation of α2AAR enhances arrestin-Src interaction and promotes activation of Src. α2 agonists have similar potencies in stimulating Src-dependent and Src-independent ERK phosphorylation in wild-type and Arr2,3–/– cells, respectively. However, Src-independent α2AAR-mediated ERK stimulation has both a longer duration of activation and a more rapid translocation of pERK into the nucleus when compared with Src-dependent activation. These data not only affirm the role of arrestin as an escort for signaling molecules such as Src family kinases but also demonstrate the impact of arrestin-dependent modulation on both the temporal and spatial properties of ERK activation.
THE EFFECT OF WATER MOTION ON ALGAL SPORE ADHESION1,2

The effects of water motion on the attachment of algal germ cells to benthic substrates were studied. Water motion was measured in the field and the forces on a germ cell attached to a substrate surface computed. Laboratory apparatus for simulating wave surge was developed, calibrated, and used for experiments on the spore attachment process. A “waterbroom,” producing water motion over the surface of a submerged substrate in a laboratory aquarium, closely simulates wave surge; it was calibrated by measuring static and dynamic pressures in the substrate’s boundary layer and determining whether the layer was laminar or turbulent. Preliminary tests with the waterbroom indicate that the adhesion of carpospores of Agarrlhielln tenera to a clean glass surface increases wih residence time, while that of Cryptopleura violacea decreases. Improved experimental data on Gracilariopsis sjoestedtii showed an increase in adhesiveness with residence time, from 10 hr to an asymptotic limit at 20. Once attached, the Gracibariopsis spores adhere firmly, resisting removal by shear
Effects of temperature on embryonic development of the veiled chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus

Temperature dependence of development of the chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus, was assessed from observations on eggs incubated at 25, 28 and 30 °C. Overall, differentiation, growth in mass, and growth of the yolk sac and chorioallantois were the slowest at 25 °C but did not differ between 28 and 30 °C. The relative area of the yolk sac (YS), chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), and their precursor, the area opaca vasculosa (AV) was used to characterize developmental phases. During Phase 1, only the AV was present; development was characterized by differentiation with little increase in the size of the embryo. During Phase 2, the vascularized YS and CAM grew from about 10 to 100% coverage of the surface of the shell during a period of about two weeks. Differentiation and growth of the embryo were accordingly rapid. During Phase 3, the YS and CAM were fixed in size and the remainder of development was relatively slow. Characterization of embryonic development with respect to the relative area of the AV–YS–CAM highlighted the functional linkage between development and the systems that provide nutrients to embryos.
A prospective study of disordered eating among college students

The prevalence of disordered eating among college students was assessed at the beginning and the end of the freshman year. The study aimed to identify factors related to worsening of disordered eating during the year. Questionnaires were completed by 590 males and 450 females at baseline and 546 males and 403 females at follow-up. At baseline, the prevalence of bulimia nervosa was 3.8% for females and 0.2% for males. The prevalence of disordered eating symptoms was considerably higher. The prevalence of bulimia nervosa at follow-up was virtually unchanged. However, many students experienced an onset of disordered eating during the year. Analyses of changes during the year revealed that worsening of disordered eating among females was associated with increasingly dysphoric feelings about weight, decreased ratings of their attractiveness, high perceived stress, increased weight dissatisfaction, and increased ineffectiveness.
"Personal connections in the digital age," by Nancy K. Baym

Review of Nancy Baym, Personal connections in the digital age. Malden, MA: Polity Press, 2010, paperback, $19.95 (196p) ISBN 978-0745643328.
Measurement of Concentration and Viability in Stallion Sperm

Abstract Sperm concentration and sperm membrane intactness (SMI) or viability are two measures of sperm quality that provide important but different information about a stallion's reproductive capability. Sperm concentration is a measure that, by itself, informs little about the reproductive status of either the stallion or the ejaculate. Nevertheless, it is part of the product, along with semen volume, that determines total sperm number. The correct calculation of total sperm number directly affects the number of mares a stallion can breed and therefore, fertility. If either sperm concentration or semen volume is incorrectly measured, both the number of mares that a stallion can breed and the fertility of those breedings are affected. Although considerable between-stallion variation exists, sperm concentration, semen volume and total sperm number tend to be seasonal and vary with ejaculation frequency.
Synaptic mechanisms of forward suppression in rat auditory cortex

In the auditory cortex, brief sounds elicit a powerful suppression of responsiveness that can persist for hundreds of milliseconds. This forward suppression (sometimes also called forward masking) has usually been attributed to synaptic (GABAergic) inhibition. Here we have used whole-cell recordings in vivo to assess the role of synaptic inhibition in forward suppression in auditory cortex. We measured the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic conductances elicited by pairs of brief sounds presented at intervals from tens to hundreds of milliseconds. We find that inhibitory conductances rarely last longer than 50-100 ms, whereas spike responses and synaptic inputs remain suppressed for hundreds of milliseconds. We conclude that postsynaptic inhibition contributes to forward suppression for only the first 50-100 ms after a stimulus and that intracortical contributions to long-lasting suppression must involve other mechanisms, such as synaptic depression.
On the problem of unbalanced load distribution in wireless sensor networks

In multi-hop wireless sensor networks that are characterized by many-to-one traffic patterns, problems related to energy imbalance among sensors often appear. When each node has a fixed transmission range, the amount of traffic that the sensor nodes are required to forward increases dramatically as the distance to the data sink becomes smaller. Thus, sensors closest to the data sink tend to die early, leaving areas of the network completely unmonitored and causing network partitions. Alternatively, if all sensors transmit directly to the data sink, the furthest nodes from the data sink dies much more quickly than those close to the sink. While it may seem that network lifetime could be improved by use of a more intelligent transmission power control policy that balances the energy used in each node by requiring nodes further from the data sink to transmit over longer distances (although not directly to the data sink), such a policy can only have a limited effect. In fact, this energy balancing can be achieved only at the expense of gross energy inefficiencies. In this paper, we investigate the transmission range distribution optimization problem and show where these inefficiencies exist when trying to maximize the lifetime of many-to-one wireless sensor networks.
Porpholactams and chlorolactams: replacement of a β,β′-double bond in meso-tetraphenyl-porphyrin and -chlorin by a lactam moiety

Reaction of meso-tetraphenylporpholactone with hydrazine converts the lactone moiety to an N-aminolactam. It also reduces the opposite pyrrolic moiety of both the starting material and the N-aminolactam, generating chlorin-like chlorolactone and N-aminochlorolactam, respectively. Reductive N–N cleavage of the N-aminoporpholactam generates the parent porpholactam.
Science Signaling Podcast: 25 August 2015

This Podcast features an interview with Todd Rosen and Bingbing Wang, authors of a Research Article that appears in the 25 August 2015 issue of Science Signaling , about epigenetic changes in the placenta that are induced by glucocorticoids and associated with labor. Hormones control all stages of female reproduction, including the length of gestation and the timing of labor. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is produced by the hypothalamus in response to stress, but it is also produced by the placenta during pregnancy. Near the end of gestation, the fetus produces the glucocorticoid cortisol, which stimulates the placenta to increase CRH production. Di Stefano et al . found that glucocorticoids stimulated the expression of CRH in placental cells by promoting dynamic histone acetylation and deacetylation at the CRH promoter through a mechanism that was dependent on the transcription factor NF-κB. These findings identify an epigenetic switch that controls the duration of gestation and the timing of labor and suggest a mechanism by which placental stress induces labor. Listen to Podcast
LDL Receptor Mutations in Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia

The low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor plays a major role in the maintenance of normal LDL level in humans (1). Mutations in the LDL receptor gene result in Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH), an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by elevated levels of plasma LDL (1). The LDL receptor is normally synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as a precursor of 120,000 daltons that contains immature N- and 0-linked oligosaccharides. During synthesis, an amino-terminal signal sequence is cleaved from receptor. Maturation of the oligosaccharides in the Golgi complex generates the mature form of the receptor with a molecular weight of 160,000. The receptors are then transported to the cell surface, where they cluster in coated pits and can bind LDL. By receptor-mediated endocytosis, the bound LDL is internalized as the coated pits invaginate to form coated vesicles. The receptor and ligand are then transported to endosomes, where they dissociate. The LDL is eventually transported to lysosomes where it is degraded. In contrast, the receptor returns to the cell surface to repeat the cycle (1).
The interaction between androgen receptor and PDGF-D in the radiation response of prostate carcinoma.

PURPOSE To determine the functional relationship between androgen receptor (AR) and PDGF D as it relates to the radiation response of PTEN-null prostate cancer (PCa) cells and the effect of enzalutamide on these interactions. METHODS AND MATERIALS Using murine PTEN-null prostate epithelial cell line and human prostate carcinoma LNCaP (PTEN-mutant) models, nuclear and cytosolic AR levels were determined by immunoblot analysis and the transcriptional activity of nuclear AR was assessed by RT-PCR analysis of its target genes with or without irradiation. Cell survival was evaluated by clonogenic assay or sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay upon irradiation in the absence or presence of the AR antagonist enzalutamide. RESULTS PTEN loss resulted in upregulation of AR expression in a PDGF-D dependent manner and irradiation selectively increased the nuclear AR protein level and its activity in a murine cell model. When the functional significance of AR in cell survival was tested, treatment with enzalutamide resulted in radiosensitization of human LNCaP cells. Similarly to the murine model, PDGF-D overexpression increased the nuclear AR level and its transcriptional activity in LNCaP cells. PDGF-D over-expression was associated with radioresistance and enzalutamide treatment effectively reversed PDGF-D-mediated radioresistance in LNCaP cells. CONCLUSIONS We have demonstrated that AR, a target of the PTEN and PDGF D-downstream signaling program, contributes to radiation resistance in human PCa cells. In addition, this study suggests that anti-androgens such as enzalutamide may serve as radiation sensitizers for the treatment of PCa patients, particularly so in patients with loss of PTEN or overexpression of PDGF-D. Prostate 76:534–542, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tectonic implications of recent earthquakes near Annsville, New York

A sequence of microearthquakes near Annsville, New York, during January 1980 yielded a composite focal mechanism solution indicating east-northeast compression resulting in thrust motion on a north-northwest striking fault plane. These findings are in agreement with the east-northeast-trending, near-horizontal maximum compressive stress field defined for most of the Eastern United States. An earlier sequence of minor seismicity near Annsville during September 1977 resulted in a similar solution as did a sequence at nearby Wappingers Falls, New York, in June 1974. Other local events, however, indicate northwest compression and faulting on northeast-striking structures, notably at Mt. Kisco, New York, in 1979. Due to the prominent northeast-trending structural grain of the region and the suggestion of northwest compression from events such as at Mt. Kisco, the interpretation of northwest compression resulting in thrust motion on northeast-trending faults has been favored for this region to date. These recent data from earthquakes near Annsville provide cause for questioning the current interpretation and highlight the need for deep in situ stress measurements in this area to help resolve the conflicting data from focal mechanism solutions.
Treponema denticola PurE Is a bacterial AIR carboxylase.

De novo purine biosynthesis proceeds by two divergent paths. In bacteria, yeasts, and plants, 5-aminoimidazole ribonucleotide (AIR) is converted to 4-carboxy-AIR (CAIR) by two enzymes: N5-carboxy-AIR (N5-CAIR) synthetase (PurK) and N5-CAIR mutase (class I PurE). In animals, the conversion of AIR to CAIR requires a single enzyme, AIR carboxylase (class II PurE). The CAIR carboxylate derives from bicarbonate or CO2, respectively. Class I PurE is a promising antimicrobial target. Class I and class II PurEs are mechanistically related but bind different substrates. The spirochete dental pathogen Treponema denticola lacks a purK gene and contains a class II purE gene, the hallmarks of CO2-dependent CAIR synthesis. We demonstrate that T. denticola PurE (TdPurE) is AIR carboxylase, the first example of a prokaryotic class II PurE. Steady-state and pre-steady-state experiments show that TdPurE binds AIR and CO2 but not N5-CAIR. Crystal structures of TdPurE alone and in complex with AIR show a conformational chang...
Slow Light in Resonant Raman Systems for High-Speed Applications

We propose a novel slow light scheme using resonant Raman system. Slow down factor of 19 with a bandwidth exceeding 2 THz can be achieved in semiconductor quantum wells with signal gain at room temperature.
Neutralizing antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus in healthy populations and patients with infectious mononucleosis.

Sera from healthy donors and individuals with primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections were titrated for EBV-neutralizing antibodies, and the results were compared with those obtained in indirect immunofluorescence assays for antibodies to EB-viral capsid antigens (anti-VCA) and to EBV-induced early antigens (antiEA). Sera from more than 100 healthy donors without anti-VCA failed to show neutralizing activity, whereas, with one exception, anti-VCA-positive sera from nearly 150 donors neutralized the virus. The ratios between the neutralizing and anti-VCA titers varied considerably, however, indicating that different antibodies were measured. The general correspondence with neutralizing activity explains why anti-VCA serves as a dependable indicator of immunity to infectious mononucleosis (IM). Accordingly, sera taken before infection from individuals who subsequently developed IM or seroconverted with respect to anti-VCA antibodies without evident or significant signs of disease were devoid of neutralizing activity. Titers of anti-VCA antibody usually attained peaks early in the course of the disease (within two weeks) and subsequently declined to lower, persistent levels, whereas maximal neutralizing titers were reached in six to seven weeks and showed no significant declines thereafter. Because of their slow development,
Families at risk: home and car smoking among pregnant women attending a low-income, urban prenatal clinic.

Introduction Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) has been identified as a distinct risk factor for adverse obstetric and gynecological outcomes. This study examined the prevalence of SHSe reduction practices (i.e., home and car smoking bans) among pregnant women in a large U.S. prenatal clinic serving low-income women. Methods Pregnant women (N = 820) attending a university-based, urban prenatal clinic in Houston, Texas, completed a prenatal questionnaire assessing bans on household and car smoking and a qualitative urine cotinine test as part of usual care. Data were collected from April 2011 to August 2012. Results Nearly one-third (n = 257) of the sample reported at least 1 smoker living in the home. About a quarter of the women in the full sample did not have a total smoking ban in their home and car. Within smoking households, 44% of the pregnant women reported smoking, 56% reported smoking by another household member, and in 26% of smoking households both the pregnant woman and at least one other person were smoking. Only 43% of women with a household smoker reported a total ban on smoking, with higher rates among Hispanic women. Smoking bans were less common when the pregnant women smoked, when more than 1 smoker resided in the home, and when pregnant with her first child. Conclusions SHSe among low-income pregnant women is high, and interventions to raise awareness and increase the establishment of smoking bans in homes and cars are warranted.
The Optimum Wavelength of Spanwise Segmented Plasma Actuator Forcing of a Circular Cylinder Wake

A study on three dimensional forcing of a cylinder wake was conducted in order to determine the optimum spanwise forcing wavelength. The forcing was implemented by mounting dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators on the cylinder in a square wave pattern. Actuators of wavelength 1d, 2d, 4d and 6d (d = cylinder diameter) were used to study the influence of forcing on the wake at a Reynolds number of 4700. The actuators were operated at two distinct power levels. Drag measured at an intermediate wake distance showed that maximum drag reduction was obtained when the 4d actuator was operated at a high power setting. The strength of vortex shedding was considerably attenuated in the near wake during forcing with the 4d actuator in the high power case. Forcing with 6d actuators caused significant variation in the spanwise properties of the wake which was evident even at a streamwise distance of 40 cylinder diameters. Particle image velocimetry was used to obtain cross flow images in the near wake. It was found that forcing with the 4d actuator created distinct patterns of streamwise vorticity in the wake with a spanwise wavelength of 4d which resembled mode A structures. It is argued that the effectiveness of the 4d actuator compared to other wavelengths was due to the formation of streamwise mode A structures in the near wake which hindered the development of spanwise Karman vortices.
OLFACTORY SENSITIVITY OF THE TURKEY VULTURE (CATHARTES AURA) TO THREE CARRION-ASSOCIATED ODORANTS

The Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) is generally thought to rely on olfactory cues to locate carrion. Because vertically rising odorants are dispersed rapidly by wind tur- bulence, we predict that Turkey Vultures should be highly sensitive to these chemicals to detect them at foraging altitudes. Olfactory thresholds to three by-products of animal decomposition (1 x 10 -6 M for buta- noic acid and ethanethiol, and 1 x 10 -5 M for trimethylamine) were determined from heart- rate responses. These relatively high thresholds indicate that these odorants are probably not cues for foraging Turkey Vultures. Odorant thresholds, food habits of Turkey Vultures, and the theoretical properties of odorant dispersion cast some doubt on the general impor- tance of olfaction in food location by this species. Received 23 September 1985, accepted 3 March 1986. THE sensory modality by which Turkey Vul- tures (Cathartes aura) locate carrion has been debated by naturalists for nearly 140 years (see Stager 1964 for review). Most of the controver- sy concerned whether olfaction or vision was the more important sense, although other the- ories included an "occult" sense (Beck 1920), the noise of carrion-eating rodents, or the noise of carrion-eating insects (Taber 1928, Darling- ton 1930) as attracting Turkey Vultures to their prey.
Diversification Strategy and Systematic Risk: Another Look

The article presents information on a study which used both strategic management and financial theory to explore the relationship between corporate diversification strategy and systematic or market...
Harvest Protocol to Reduce Variability of Soluble Enzyme Yield from Cultured Cells

Many aspects of physiology and gene regulation can be studied by examining the levels of enzymes harvested from cultured cells. We found that the yield from cultured cells of two different cytosoli...
Drosophila Ringmaker regulates microtubule stabilization and axonal extension during embryonic development

ABSTRACT Axonal growth and targeting are fundamental to the organization of the nervous system, and require active engagement of the cytoskeleton. Polymerization and stabilization of axonal microtubules is central to axonal growth and maturation of neuronal connectivity. S tudies have suggested that members of the tubulin polymerization promoting protein (TPPP, also known as P25α) family are involved in cellular process extension. However, no in vivo knockout data exists regarding its role in axonal growth during development. Here, we report the characterization of Ringmaker (Ringer; CG45057), the only Drosophila homolog of long p25α proteins. Immunohistochemical analyses indicate that Ringer expression is dynamically regulated in the embryonic central nervous system (CNS). ringer -null mutants show cell misplacement, and errors in axonal extension and targeting. Ultrastructural examination of ringer mutants revealed defective microtubule morphology and organization. Primary neuronal cultures of ringer mutants exhibit defective axonal extension, and Ringer expression in cells induced microtubule stabilization and bundling into rings. In vitro assays showed that Ringer directly affects tubulin, and promotes microtubule bundling and polymerization. Together, our studies uncover an essential function of Ringer in axonal extension and targeting through proper microtubule organization.
Supervised Learning Algorithms

Supervised learning algorithms help the learning models to be trained efficiently, so that they can provide high classification accuracy. In general, the supervised learning algorithms support the search for optimal values for the model parameters by using large data sets without overfitting the model. Therefore, a careful design of the learning algorithms with systematic approaches is essential. The machine learning field suggests three phases for the design of a supervised learning algorithm: training phase, validation phase, and testing phase. Hence, it recommends three divisions (or subsets) of the data sets to carry out these tasks. It also suggests defining or selecting suitable performance evaluation metrics to train, validate, and test the supervised learning models. Therefore, the objectives of this chapter are to discuss these three phases of a supervised learning algorithm and the three performance evaluation metrics called domain division, classification accuracy, and oscillation characteristics. The chapter objectives include the introduction of five new performance evaluation metrics called delayed learning, sporadic learning, deteriorate learning, heedless learning, and stabilized learning, which can help to measure classification accuracy under oscillation characteristics.
Noncommunicating Rudimentary Uterine Horns

A unicornuate uterus occurs in 1 in 1000 to 1 in 5400 women, 74–90 % of those women have an associated rudimentary uterine horn. Such horns may or may not communicate with the unicornuate uterus; and may or may not have functional endometrium. Other entities such as a bicornuate uteri with adenomyosis, septate uteri with an obstructed horn, cavitary accessory uterine masses, or leiomyomas may be confused with a noncommunicating rudimentary uterine horn. Most patients present in the post-menarchal period with pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, or dyspareunia. They may or may not have an associated pelvic mass. MRI is currently the gold standard for diagnostic imaging; however, 3D ultrasound is also a valuable diagnostic tool. The treatment for noncommunicating rudimentary uterine horns is resection—with the goals of treatment being resolution of pain symptoms and the optimization of fertility. Minimally invasive surgical techniques are typically utilized to resect the horn. Patients with noncommunicating uterine horns that contain functional endometrium are at an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy, hematosalpinx, endometriosis, and endometriomas secondary to retrograde menstruation. They are also at an increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. There is limited data on the future fertility in patients who have undergone excision of the rudimentary horn.
Dynamics of Rigid Clusters of Charged Particles

As the next level of complexity beyond the dynamics of a single particle, we consider rigid clusters of such particles. In this chapter, we consider the cluster to already be formed, with particles rigidly bound together by either mechanical, chemical or electromagnetic bonds.
Using Freely Available RDA Resources to Provide In-House Training to a Medium-Sized Academic Library

Recent surveys have indicated that training available for the new cataloging standard, Resource Description and Access (RDA), has been slow to reach many academic institutions, particularly small- and medium-sized libraries. These surveys have shown that smaller institutions have reported being particularly behind in transitioning to RDA due to lack of training and also indicate that in-house training, while preferred by a large population of catalogers and metadata specialists, is typically not available due to constraints on staffing, cost, and time. By discussing a case study of in-house RDA training provided at Oakland University, this paper addresses RDA training needs in small- to medium-sized academic institutions and the potential to provide the personalized, in-person training desired by the professional community. Training was offered in a hybrid online and in-person environment to the entire library faculty and staff for a 6-week period, resulting in the transition to RDA shortly after the offi...
Both the Activity and Stability of the Transcriptional Repressor PLZF Are Modified by the Class III Histone Deacetylase SIRT1.

The transcription factor PLZF is expressed in hematopoietic development and rearranged in t(11;17) acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). PLZF expression is high in the quiescent progenitor CD34+ cell, and declines during differentiation along myeloid and erythroid lineages. PLZF encodes a BTB-Zinc finger transcriptional repressor that inhibits the cell cycle through inhibition of targets genes such as cyclin A and c-myc through the recruitment of histone deacetylase complexes. However, PLZF itself is regulated by acetylation. In a separate study we demonstrate that acetylation of PLZF by p300/CBP enhances the transcriptional repression activity of PLZF. Through a yeast two-hybrid study we found that PLZF associates with the protein deacetylase SIRT1. SIRT1 is a member of the sirtuin family of class III histone deacetylases. In model organisms such as yeast, worms and flies, sirtuins play a common role in lifespan extension. The interaction between PLZF and SIRT1 was confirmed by co-precipitation of endogenous proteins and localized to the zinc fingers of PLZF, the region targeted for acetylation by p300/CBP. Acetylation of PLZF mediated by p300/CBP was reversed by SIRT1. Furthermore while acetylation of PLZF enhances its ability to repress transcription, co-expression of SIRT1 decreased PLZF transcriptional repression activity, consistent with loss of acetylation. Conversely, inhibition of SIRT1 activity with nicotinamide enhanced both PLZF acetylation and transcriptional repression of PLZF on its endogenous target gene c-myc. Further, increasing PLZF acetylation by inhibition of SIRT1 was associated with decreased PLZF stability. Acetyl-PLZF levels were stabilized by inhibition of the proteosomal degradation machinery, together implying that PLZF acetylation and activation results in increased protein turnover. These data point to the increasing complexity of the role of acetylation in transcriptional regulation and stand in contrast with data for the related Bcl6 repressor where acetylation of the protein inhibits repression. These data also indicate a novel function for sirtuins in regulation of transcriptional repression.