cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasma Estradiol in Holstein and Beef Cows During the Periparturient Period

Abstract Plasma estradiol, measured by radio-immunoassay, was compared in Holstein and beef cows during the periparturient period. A disposable Celite column was used for separation of estrogens. The antibody-estrogen complex was separated by charcoal and centrifugation. Circulating plasma estradiol was higher in 11 Holstein than in 9 beef cows prior to parturition. For Holstein cows, among nonsignificant differences, highest mean concentrations were 580 pg/ml on the day before parturition and 440 pg/ml on the day of parturition. Beef cows reached a peak of 538 pg/ml on the day of parturition. Concentrations rapidly and similarly decreased in both groups following parturition.
Critical Issues: Crafting State Educational Policy: The Slippery Role of Research and Researchers

For most of the past decade, there have been rumblings in the nrc membership around the question: Should nrc be involved in attempting to influence educational policy making? This question has been posed at Town Meetings, in campaign statements, committee reports, conference forums, symposia, and papers. It has been debated at board meetings, Vital Issues, and in nrc publications. The debate continues, but that debate often seems grounded in one or more unwarranted assumptions. In this article, some of those assumptions are challenged, primarily through the use of descriptive case studies of educational policy making in two states - Texas and California.
Relationship of eigenvalues for USAOR iterative method applied to a class of p-cyclic matrices

A new relationship of eigenvalues between the Jacobi iterative matrix and the USAOR iterative matrix for a block p-cyclic case is derived. Many known results are its special cases.
Cytochrome c oxidase and phosphatides. I. Spectral changes associated with changes in phosphatide profile.

Summary Changes in both spectral properties and phosphatide composition of the lipoprotein, cytochrome c oxidase (cytochrome c:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.9.3.1), have been obtained following incubation at 37°. The most marked change in spectral properties was obtained following reduction and addition of CO. The new maximum was at 417 mμ. There was a general decrease in all the phosphatides of the oxidase following incubation, as determined by column chromatography of lipid extracts on Unisil silicic acid. A marked decrease in the fraction containing polyglycerolphos-phatide was evident. Changes in phosphatide content were attributed to endogenous phospholipases. The addition of phospholipase C (phosphatidylcholine cholinephos-phohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.3) was shown to accelerate the spectral changes, whereas phospholipase A (phosphatide acyl-hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.4) blocked these changes. Modification of spectral properties is discussed in terms of cleavage of polar constituents of the lipoprotein.
Using Quantum Dots for Liquid-Phase Thermometry at Near-Infrared Wavelengths in Silicon Devices

The need for new thermal management technologies to cool electronic components with their ever-increasing density and power requirements has renewed interest in techniques for measuring liquid-phase coolant temperatures, especially nonintrusive techniques with micron-scale spatial resolution. A variety of optical liquid-phase thermometry techniques exploit the changes in the emission characteristics of fluorescent, phosphorescent or luminescent tracers suspended in a liquid-phase coolant. Such techniques are nonintrusive and have micron-scale spatial resolution, but they also require optical access to both excite and image the emissions. Silicon (Si), the leading material for electronic devices, is opaque at visible wavelengths, but is partially transparent in the near-infrared (IR). To date, the only tracers that emit at near-IR wavelengths with reasonable quantum yield are IR quantum dots (IRQD), colloidal nanocrystals of semiconductor materials such as lead sulfide (PbS). Previous work has shown that the intensity of emissions at 1.55 μm from PbS IRQD suspended in toluene are temperature-sensitive, decreasing by as much as 15% as the temperature increased from 20 °C to 60 °C. The accuracy of temperature measurements using PbS IRQD was estimated to be about 5 °C, based on 95% confidence intervals, where the major limit on the accuracy of the technique was the poor photostability of this material [1]. Recently, a new method for creating a cadmium sulfide (CdS) overcoat layer on PbS “cores” has been developed [2]. The experimental results presented here on the temperature sensitivity of these PbS/CdS core-shell infrared quantum dots with an emission peak around 1.35 μm and a diameter of 5.7 nm (with a core diameter of 4 nm) suggest that these new core-shell structures are more temperature-sensitive than the PbS cores. These core-shell quantum dots, when suspended in toluene, were found to have a 0.5% decrease in emission power per °C increase in temperature at suspension temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 60 °C. The uncertainty in the liquid-phase temperatures derived from these emissions was estimated to be less than 0.3 °C based on the standard deviation. Furthermore, the PbS/CdS quantum dots were highly photostable, with a consistent response more than 100 days after suspension. These results imply that that these new IRQD can be used to measure liquid-phase coolant temperatures without disturbing the flow of coolant at an accuracy comparable to commercially available thermocouples in monolithic Si devices.© 2010 ASME
Friendship and Belief

I intend to argue that good friendship sometimes requires epistemic irresponsibility. To put it another way, it is not always possible to be both a good friend and a diligent believer.
Bone Mineralization and Osteoblast Differentiation Are Negatively Modulated by Integrin αvβ3

Numerous bone matrix proteins can interact with αv-containing integrins including αvβ3. To elucidate the net effects of the interaction between these proteins and αvβ3 on osteoblast function, we developed a murine osteoblastic cell line that overexpressed human αvβ3. Human αvβ3-integrin was expressed on cell membrane, in which its presence did not alter the surface level of endogenous mouse αvβ3. The expressed human αvβ3 was functional because cell adhesion to osteopontin was increased and this increment was abolished by antibody against human αvβ3. The proliferation rate of cells overexpressing αvβ3 (αvβ3-cells) was increased whereas matrix mineralization was decreased. To elucidate the mechanisms leading to inhibition of matrix mineralization, the expression of proteins important for mineralization was analyzed. Alkaline phosphatase activity and the expression of osteocalcin, type I collagen, and bone sialoprotein (BSP) were decreased whereas osteopontin was stimulated in αvβ3-cells. The regulation of osteopontin, osteocalcin, and BSP expression was mediated via transcriptional mechanism because their promoter activities were altered. Examination of molecules involved in integrin signaling indicated that activator protein-1 (AP-1) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) activities were enhanced whereas c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activity was decreased in αvβ3-cells. The activity of p38 and the levels of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and vinculin were not altered. Moreover, the adhesions of αvβ3-cells to type I collagen and fibronectin were inhibited, which was attributed to decreased β1-integrin levels on cell surface. In conclusion, overexpressing αvβ3-integrin in osteoblasts stimulated cell proliferation but retarded differentiation, which were derived via altered integrin-matrix interactions, signal transduction, and matrix protein expression.
VARIABILITY IN ADJUSTMENT PREFERENCES TO GROUNDWATER DEPLETION IN THE AMERICAN HIGH PLAINS

ABSTRACT: This paper explores the adjustments and institutions that residents of the American High Plains prefer in coping with the depletion of the High Plains (Ogallaia) aquifer. The authors identify 48 possible adjustments and report on public preferences for them as determined from a mail survey of 956 respondents in 14 counties. For purposes of analysis, the adjustments are categorized into five groups: user practices, management policies, financial incentives and disincentives, technological fixes, and other. Preferences were also determined among five levels of government to enforce each of the adjustments. Adjustments associated with user conservation practices were generally most preferred while financial incentives and disincentives were least favored. Local groundwater management agencies were the most favored level of institution to administer conservation adjustments followed by the state, county, and federal levels. The most preferred option for 20 adjustments was that no agency should be involved. Respondents in agriculturally related occupations showed less support for water conservation laws and gave greater acceptance to the continuance of existing methods. Irrigators viewed the increasing cost of lifting water as a more serious problem than the depletion of groundwater.
Site and time dependent effects of acute stress on hippocampal long-term potentiation in freely behaving rats

The phasic effects of stress-induced elevations of corticosterone on long-term potentiation (LTP) were investigated in the hippocampus of awake, freely behaving rats. Field potential recordings were performed in the dentate gyrus with stimulation of the medial perforant pathway or the CA1 with stimulation of the commissural/associational pathway, on the contralateral hemisphere. LTP was induced either shortly (1 h) after acute stress or 4 h later. Animals were either adrenalectomized or adrenally intact. A subgroup of animals were injected with a low dose of dexamethasone 4 h prior to the stressor, in order to suppress the corticosterone response to restraint stress, and they were tested for LTP in the dentate gyrus 4 h after the stressor. In the dentate gyrus, stress had no effect on LTP induction at 1 h post-stress; however, it produced a significant suppression at the 4 h interval. As expected, adrenalectomized rats did not show stress-suppression of LTP, but showed a lower level of LTP with or without stress. Supporting a role of stress-induced glucocorticoid secretion in LTP suppression, dexamethasone treatment of adrenally intact animals blocked the acute stress suppression of LTP in the dentate gyrus. In the CA1 field, restraint stress did not significantly affect LTP induction at either the 1- or 4-h post-stress intervals. Similarly, stress by itself, did not significantly affect neuronal excitability in either the dentate gyrus or CA1 hippocampal field at either the 1- or 4-h post-stress interval. The present results suggest that stress affects synaptic plasticity differently at the two hippocampal subfields and that the effects are time-dependent and involve the stress-induced surge of glucocorticoids.
The impact of electron transport regimes on the linearity of AlGaAs/n+-InGaAs HFETs

Abstract The metal-insulator-doped-channel FET (MIDFET) is well-suited to telecommunications power applications requiring high device linearity. We have explored the transport physics limiting linearity in the MIDFET through a systematic study of the gate length ( L g ) scaling of g m and f T vs V GS , V B , and I D,MAX in pseudomorphic Al 0.38 Ga 0.62 As/ n + -In 0.15 Ga 0.85 As MIDFETs with L g between 1.7 and 50 μm. Our devices reveal three distinct regimes, with g m , f T , and f max rising linearly with V GS just above threshold, flattening into broad plateaus at higher V GS , and finally declining. The L g scaling of the slopes of both g m and f T vs V GS demonstrates that the MIDFET is mobility-limite for small V GS . For larger V GS , the scaling of the plateau values of both g m and f T shows that devices with L g μ m enter velocitiy saturation ( υ sat ) limited transport. This regime, together with a large, L g -independent drain-source breakdown voltage of 19 V, results in the MIDFET's linear, high-power capability. For sufficiently high V GS , both g m and f T decline due to ν sat in the extrinsic device in short gate devices ( L g μ m) and to gate leakage in longer gate devices. Our results provide key insights for optimizing the MIDFET design for many important telecommunications applications.
Reliability Degradation Indicators being Observed on Terrestrial Silicon Solar Cells

Results of a program to investigate the reliability characteristics of unencapsulated low-cost terrestrial solar cells using accelerated stress testing are presented. A total of seven types of cells were investigated. Results of extended (~ 1 year) bias-temperature stress testing of four cell types were obtained. An additional three cell types, including cells fabricated using the advanced technologies of ribbon-grown silicon and polycrystalline silicon, were subjected to various combinations of bias, temperature cycling stress tests. The spectrum of tests used was based on previous years' work, but differs from that used earlier. An electrical measurement procedure capable of distinguishing small changes in cell electrical parameters was used. Significant degradation was shown by some cell types in some stress tests. Other combinations of cell types and stress tests resulted in no detectable cell degradation. Analysis of the origins of the differences in degradation is continuing. Second quadrant characteristics of some cell types were also investigated in order to establish the electrical behavior of cells which may be exposed to this stress condition in modules deployed in the field.
Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci among Chronic Hemodialysis Patients: A Prospective Study of Acquisition

To determine the prevalence and rate of acquisition of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) among patients undergoing chronic (i.e., long-term) hemodialysis who were admitted to a tertiary care center, serial rectal cultures for VRE were performed at hospital admission and every 5 days until hospital discharge. A total of 7 (6%) of the 119 patients were colonized with VRE at admission. Six (19%) of the 32 patients who remained in the hospital > or =4 days acquired VRE. A nonambulatory status was significantly associated with colonization at admission (OR, 9.7; 95% CI, 1.8-53; P=.01), and vancomycin exposure was significantly associated with VRE acquisition (relative risk, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-2.9; P=.02). All patients acquired VRE from epidemiologically linked dialysis patients colonized with similar VRE genotypes. Hospital acquisition of VRE contributes substantially to the increasing prevalence of VRE in the chronic hemodialysis patient population.
Sintering of Mullite-Containing Materials: I, Effect of Composition

Sintering behavior of mullite-containing powders was studied over a range of chemical compositions (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SiO{sub 2} ratio). Densification measurements were made for both liquid phase-containing and solid state systems. Small amounts of liquid phase were observed to have a significant effect on densification rate. A linear relationship was obtained between the percent of theoretical density and the logarithm of time for compositions in the range 73-75 wt% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Currently available models for intermediate stage sintering kinetics were considered to be inadequate for these systems. Grain boundary transport 0r diffusion appeared to be the primary mechanism of densification.
Low temperature CMOS devices and technology

The major advantages of operating CMOS circuits at reduced temperatures have been well known for many years. However, no large scale systems have yet employed this option commercially. This situation should change within the next year. Perhaps this is because the 2-3X performance improvement easily obtainable by cooling to 77°K (LN 2 ), is becoming more and more difficult to achieve by traditional device scaling. There are other options for high performance technologies, however. These include truly optimized LN 2 CMOS, room temperature BICMOS and GaAs devices. This paper will attempt to assess our present capability in LN 2 CMOS and opportunities for future progress.
On thermal and vibrational properties of LaGaO3 single crystals

Abstract The thermal expansion and vibrational properties of [1 0 0] and [0 0 1] LaGaO 3 single crystals have been studied by thermal mechanical analysis and micro-Raman spectroscopy. A first-order orthorhombic to rhombohedral phase transition has been confirmed by both techniques, as well as by in situ heating using optical microscopy. The appearance of a metastable intermediate phase, tentatively assigned as monoclinic, has been detected both by optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy upon heating of the [1 0 0] and [0 0 1] LaGaO 3 single crystals. Not only temperature, but the stress-induced orthorhombic to rhombohedral phase transition has also been detected by Raman mapping of the residual impression made by Vickers indentation. The position map of bands belonging to the lower-temperature/pressure orthorhombic and the higher-temperature/pressure rhombohedral phase show that the rhombohedral phase is located inside the impression, where the applied indentation stresses are the highest, whereas no rhombohedral phase is detected outside the impression, where the surface has not been altered by contact stresses.
Application of the regularization method to the inverse black body radiation problem

The inverse black body radiation problem is concerned with the determination of the area temperature distribution of a black body source from spectral measurements of its radiation. Although several inversion approaches have been developed, none of them has overcome the problem of ill-posedness. In this study, Tikhonov's regularization method is applied to the solution of the inverse black body radiation problem. A very simple implementation of this approach together with applications of this method are presented. The effect of the regularization parameter and operator on the results is discussed. >
PET Scanner Quality Control

The quality control (QC) related to PET instruments includes specific procedures that are performed on the systems, monitoring of the routine data acquisition process, and inspection of the data produced by the system. As with all QC, a limited amount of time can be spent on a system that is being used effectively. The effort, to be most helpful, should be geared toward uncovering any operational problems in the system, with emphases on those malfunctions that are most likely to occur, and those malfunctions that are most likely to result in problems in the interpretation of the resulting images. Quality control procedures have been established for specific systems (Spinks et al. 1989; Daghighian et al. 1989; van Baien et al. 1999). A strong emphasis should be placed on understanding the specifics of the particular system being used. PET systems have differences that can impact how best to perform QC procedures. Each manufacturer will provide suggestions and tools for doing QC on its systems, hopefully in a way that will be as effective as possible, while requiring as little labor as possible. Since the details of each system differ, and since the tools provided for performing QC differ, we will not attempt in this chapter to provide details on how to perform QC on each type of PET system. Instead, we will explain some features and procedures that are common to many of the existing systems, and describe some evaluation that be done on the images resulting from any system to assure proper function.
Respiratory Muscle Function, Assessment, and Training

This article presents a brief overview of respiratory muscle mechanics and the effects of lung disease and neuromuscular disease on pulmonary function. A variety of current specific and general muscle training techniques are described and discussed. Also presented is a current review of training studies and the effects of muscle training on cardiopulmonary function, muscle strength, endurance and fatigue, and exercise tolerance.
The Interaction of a Constitutively Active Arrestin with the Arrestin-Insensitive 5-HT2A Receptor Induces Agonist-Independent Internalization

HT2A serotonin receptors are unusual among G-protein cou- pled receptors in that they can be internalized and desensi- tized, in some cell types, in an arrestin-independent manner. The molecular basis of the arrestin-insensitivity of 5-HT2A re- ceptors is unknown but is probably caused, in part, by the apparent lack of agonist-induced 5-HT2A receptor phosphory- lation. Because the arrestin-insensitivity of 5-HT2A receptors is cell-type selective, we used a "constitutively active" arrestin mutant that can interact with agonist-activated but nonphos- phorylated receptors. We show here that this "constitutively active" arrestin mutant (Arr2-R169E) can force 5-HT2A recep- tors to be regulated by arrestins. Cotransfection of 5-HT2A receptors with Arr2-R169E induced agonist-independent 5-HT2A receptor internalization, and a constitutive translocation of the Arr2-R169E mutant to the plasma membrane, whereas wild-type Arrestin-2 had no effect. Additionally, Arr2-R169E, unlike wild-type arrestin-2, induced a significant decrease in efficacy of agonist-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis with an unexpected increase in agonist potency. Radioligand bind- ing assays demonstrated that the fraction of receptors in the high-affinity agonist binding-state increased with expression of Arr2-R169E, indicating that Arr2-R169E stabilizes the agonist- high affinity state of the 5-HT2A receptor (R*). Intriguingly, the agonist-independent interaction of Arr2-R169E with 5-HT2A re- ceptors was inhibited by inverse agonist treatment and is thus probably caused by the high level of 5-HT2A receptor constitu- tive activity. This is the first demonstration that a constitutively active arrestin mutant can both induce agonist-independent internalization and stabilize the agonist-high affinity state of an arrestin-insensitive G protein coupled receptor. Serotonin2A (5-hydroxytryptamine2A (5-HT2A)) receptors are essential for mediating a large number of physiologic processes in the periphery and in the central nervous system, including platelet aggregation, smooth muscle contraction, and the modulation of mood and perception. Many drugs of diverse therapeutic classes mediate their actions, at least in part, by interactions with 5-HT2A receptors. Most but not all hallucinogens (Roth et al., 2002), including lysergic acid di- ethylamide and N,N-dimethyltryptamine, function as ago- nists at 5-HT2A receptors, whereas all clinically approved atypical antipsychotic drugs are potent 5-HT2A receptor an- tagonists. 5-HT2A receptors are localized to the apical den- drites of pyramidal neurons in the frontal cortex and are
Making decisions about chronic disease treatment: a comparison of parents and their adolescent children.

Objective To compare factors considered by parents to those considered by adolescents making decisions about chronic disease treatments. Methods We conducted individual interviews with 15 parent–adolescent dyads in which the adolescent had either juvenile idiopathic arthritis or Crohn's disease. Questions focused on treatment decisions, with an emphasis on the factors that influenced each individual's preferences related to biologic therapies. A multidisciplinary team developed a coding structure. All interviews were coded by two people with disagreements resolved through discussion. We used content analysis and coding matrices to examine decision factors within and between parent–adolescent dyads. Results Parents and adolescents both participated in decisions about treatment with biologic therapies but considered decision factors differently. In only half of cases did parents and adolescents agree on the factor that most influenced their decision. Although their decision factors often fell into similar categories (e.g. treatment risks, quality of life), in many cases the specifics varied between adolescents and their parents. Adolescents were more likely to focus on immediate treatment effects and quality of life while parents took a longer term view of the decision. Agreement within dyads was most consistent when a special circumstance influenced the treatment decision. Conclusions Differences regarding influential decision factors exist within parent–adolescent dyads. Continued research is needed to determine the extent to which such differences are due to individual preferences or to variations in the information available to each person. Future decision support interventions will need to address parents’ and adolescents’ potentially disparate views and information needs.
A new description of the photon beam peak-depth profile as a function of field size

The dose profile at peak depth in water is described as the product of an apparatus function and a source function. In principle, the source function is the circularly symmetric profile which would be measured at peak depth without any collimation. In practice, the peak-depth profile in the diagonal plane, measured for the largest collimator setting, is used for this purpose. The apparatus function represents the collimator acting upon the source function, and is referred to as the collimator function. The collimator function for any field size can be developed from the ratio of the peak-depth profile for a single medium-sized field and the source function. The method has been tested for a set of irregularly flattened 4-MV x-ray beams as well as for practically flat 15-MV x-ray beams. The model requires as basic data only three peak-depth profiles: one in each principal plane of a medium-sized square field and the peak-depth profile in the diagonal plane for the largest field. It replaces the peak-depth transformation in the projective beam model.
Estimation of genetic parameters for somatic cell score in Holsteins.

Genetic parameters of somatic cell scores for Holstein cows were estimated using an animal model and REML for two data sets. Set 1, with 13,017 records from 5278 cows, was used to obtain variance components, heritability, and repeatability for two lactation measures: the simple average and the weighted average of test day data. Set 2, with 14,418 records from 4806 cows, was used to obtain genetic correlations for the simple average between lactations 1 and 2, between lactations l and 3, and between lactations 2 and 3. Simple and weighted average of test day somatic cell scores had the same heritabilities (.12) and repeatabilities (.35). Phenotypic variances were about 1.2, and herd-sire interaction variances were small (.002). Genetic correlation for somatic cell score was about .55 between lactations 1 and 2 and between lactations l and 3 and .65 between lactations 2 and 3. Phenotypic correlation was .20 between lactations 1 and 2, .16 between lactations 1 and 3, and .31 between lactations 2 and 3.
The trouble with unity : Latino politics and the creation of identity

INTRODUCTION SLEEPING GIANTS AND DEMOGRAPHIC FLOODS: LATINOS AND THE POLITICS OF EMERGENCE 1. El Pueblo Unido: Visions of Unity in the Chicano and Puerto Rican Movements 2. The Incomplete and Agonistic "We": Reading Latinidad into Democratic Theory 3. "The Bacchanalia of the Political": Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the Dream of Latino Identification 4. From Identification to Representation: Civic Latinidad and the Making of "the Latino Vote" 5. Labor, Action, and the Space of Appearance: Immigrant Embodiment and the Problem of Freedom CONCLUSION LATINO IS A VERB: DEMOCRACY, LATINIDAD, AND THE CREATION OF THE POLITICAL NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
Sequence Analysis and Polymorphism Discovery in 4 Members of the Bovine Cathelicidin Gene Family

Cathelicidins (CATHLs) are small, cationic antimicrobial peptides that establish an early innate immune defense against infections in mammals. Beyond their wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity, these peptides play important roles in wound repair, chemotactic activity, and apoptosis. Thus, polymorphisms present in bovine CATHLs 2, 5, 6, and 7 could potentially underlie inherited differences in innate immunity and disease resistance. The purpose of the present study was to characterize single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertion-deletion (indel) polymorphisms within the bovine CATHL gene family. Comparative sequence analysis for 10 domestic cattle breeds representing both Bos taurus and Bos indicus revealed 60 SNPs, 7 of which were nonsynonymous and 5 indel mutations. Characterization of these novel polymorphisms is central to developing a firm understanding regarding what effects, if any, nonsynonymous CATHL variation has with respect to bovine innate immunity.
Antibodies in Cold Stressed Mice Recognize a Surface Protein in Toxoplasma gondii Tachyzoites

Physical or psychological stressors are known to have significant consequences for immune function and the outcome of disease in human and animal models. In mice, cold water stress (CWS) has been shown to delay control of acute infection and reactivation of latent infections. Increased levels of parasite-specific IgG and IgM antibodies are observed when CWS is applied in the chronic phase. The present study examined the effects of a physical stressor, CWS, on tachyzoites antigens of Toxoplasma gondii, with particular emphasis on a low molecular weight antigen, 5 kDa, which seems to be recognized by antibodies from mice subjected to CWS in the chronic phase. This antigen is not recognized by antibodies from infected mice not subjected to CWS. Sera obtained from stressed and infected (CWS + INF) mice subjected to CWS during the chronic phase (CWS + INF + CWS) were used to harvest anti–5-kDa antibodies for immunolocalization studies. Tachyzoite lysate preparations were electrophoretically separated and trans...
KATP Channels and Cardiovascular Disease Suddenly a Syndrome

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels were first discovered in the heart 30 years ago. Reconstitution of KATP channel activity by coexpression of members of the pore-forming inward rectifier gene family (Kir6.1, KCNJ8, and Kir6.2 KCNJ11) with sulfonylurea receptors (SUR1, ABCC8, and SUR2, ABCC9) of the ABCC protein subfamily has led to the elucidation of many details of channel gating and pore properties. In addition, the essential roles of Kir6.x and SURx subunits in generating cardiac and vascular KATP(2) and the detrimental consequences of genetic deletions or mutations in mice have been recognized. However, despite this extensive body of knowledge, there has been a paucity of defined roles of KATP subunits in human cardiovascular diseases, although there are reports of association of a single Kir6.1 variant with the J-wave syndrome in the ECG, and 2 isolated studies have reported association of loss of function mutations in SUR2 with atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Two new studies convincingly demonstrate that mutations in the SUR2 gene are associated with Cantu syndrome, a complex multi-organ disorder characterized by hypertrichosis, craniofacial dysmorphology, osteochondrodysplasia, patent ductus arteriosus, cardiomegaly, pericardial effusion, and lymphoedema. This realization of previously unconsidered consequences provides significant insight into the roles of the KATP channel in the cardiovascular system and suggests novel therapeutic possibilities.
Reversal of Chronic Molecular and Cellular Abnormalities Due to Heart Failure by Passive Mechanical Ventricular Containment

Passive mechanical containment of failing left ventricle (LV) with the Acorn Cardiac Support Device (CSD) was shown to prevent progressive LV dilation in dogs with heart failure (HF) and increase ejection fraction. To examine possible mechanisms for improved LV function with the CSD, we examined the effect of CSD therapy on the expression of cardiac stretch response proteins, myocyte hypertrophy, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase activity and uptake, and mRNA gene expression for myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms. HF was produced in 12 dogs by intracoronary microembolization. Six dogs were implanted with the CSD and 6 served as concurrent controls. LV tissue from 6 normal dogs was used for comparison. Compared with normal dogs, untreated HF dogs showed reduced cardiomyocyte contraction and relaxation, upregulation of stretch response proteins (p21ras, c-fos, and p38 alpha/beta mitogen-activated protein kinase), increased myocyte hypertrophy, reduced SERCA2a activity with unchanged affinity for calcium, reduced proportion of mRNA gene expression for alpha-MHC, and increased proportion of beta-MHC. Therapy with the CSD was associated with improved cardiomyocyte contraction and relaxation, downregulation of stretch response proteins, attenuation of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, increased affinity of the pump for calcium, and restoration of alpha- and beta-MHC isoforms ratio. The results suggest that preventing LV dilation and stretch with the CSD promotes downregulation of stretch response proteins, attenuates myocyte hypertrophy and improves SR calcium cycling. These data offer possible mechanisms for improvement of LV function after CSD therapy.
SPATIOTEMPORAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SERIAL CSS AND THEIR RELATION TO SEARCH MODES AND RESPONSE FORM

In four experiments, we examined how the spatiotemporal proximity to food of the two elements of a serial conditioned stimulus (CS) influenced the pattern of CS-directed versus food-site-directed behavior in rats. Experiment 1 showed that only temporal proximity affected responding when the serial CS consisted of two successive 4-sec presentations of either a spatially near or a spatially far lever (NN or FF). However, Experiment 2 showed that behavior depended markedly on whether rats received a near followed by a far lever (NF) or a far followed by a near lever (FN). Experiment 3 showed that the effects of Experiment 2 could be changed by increasing the duration of the second CS element, and Experiment 4 showed that these changes were not related to previous training. We concluded that behavior produced by the spatiotemporal qualities of the lever elements can be attributed to a mapping between the temporal qualities of the CS elements and an underlying sequence of search modes related to finding food.
A Toll-Like Receptor-Responsive Kinase, Protein Kinase R, Is Inactivated in Endotoxin Tolerance through Differential K63/K48 Ubiquitination

Overwhelming inflammation triggered by systemic infection in bacterial sepsis contributes to the pathology of this condition. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important in early septic inflammation. As a safeguard, the innate immune system has evolved to counter excessive inflammation through the induction of "tolerance." In endotoxin tolerance, TLR signaling is inhib- ited and/or attenuated by multiple mechanisms that mitigate the ability of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to activate critical kinases through TLR4. Here, we describe a novel mechanism. Protein kinase R (PKR), a kinase normally activated by a subset of TLRs, is rendered unresponsive to LPS in endotoxin-tolerized cells. In its naive state, PKR is subject to K63-linked ubiquitination (Ub), followed by K48-linked Ub, in response to LPS. In tolerance, the kinetics of this differential Ub is altered, resulting in a predomi- nance of K48-linked chains, concomitant with a loss of PKR activation. Thesefindings provide a novel mechanism by which a TLR-responsive kinase may be rendered inactive in tolerance. IMPORTANCE "Endotoxin tolerance" is a period of transient unresponsiveness to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) outer membrane component of Gram-negative bacteria that is induced by prior exposure to LPS through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). The loss of LPS-inducible cytokine production by macrophages from patients who have experienced Gram-negative sepsis is well docu- mented, and the increased susceptibility of such patients to reinfection has been attributed to the development of endotoxin tol- erance. Multiple mechanisms have been proffered to account for this attenuated response. Using the LPS-responsive kinase pro- tein kinase R (PKR), we have identified differential K48 versus K63 ubiquitination as an additional molecular mechanism by which signal-transducing elements may be inactivated in a state of endotoxin tolerance. This work is highly significant because it links recent discoveries concerning the important role of ubiquitination of signaling molecules in regulating TLR signaling with the loss of LPS responsiveness in tolerance.
Comparison of body mass index among patients with versus without angiographic coronary artery disease

We examined body mass index (BMI) in kilograms divided by height in meters squared in 842 patients who underwent coronary angiography for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) in a 2-month period in 2000 at Baylor University Medical Center. Comparison of the BMI in the 624 patients in whom ≥1 coronary artery was narrowed >50% in diameter to the BMI in the 218 patients with absent or lesser degrees of coronary narrowing disclosed the following: the BMI was >30 (obese) in 209 (33%) versus 92 (42%) patients (p 0.008): 26 to 30 (overweight but not obese) in 233 (37%) versus 80 patients (37%) (p = NS), and BMI ≤25 (ideal) in 182 (29%) versus 46 (21%) patients (p 0.01). Compared with the patients ≥65 years of age, the patients 50% in diameter were less likely to be obese and more likely to be at ideal body weight than the group of patients with absent or lesser degrees coronary narrowing by angiogram.
Response of ground beetle (Carabidae) assemblages to logging history in northern hardwood–hemlock forests

We quantified differences in ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities in relation to forest management practices and historic forest cover changes in hardwood–hemlock forests of the north central United States. Beetles were sampled with pitfall traps in 1996 and 1997 and compared among three forest types: old-growth, and post-logging uneven- and even-aged forests. Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination was used to assess compositional differences among forest types for 39 carabid species (43,483 individuals), which revealed distinct differences in beetle assemblages among forest types. Coarse woody debris, snag volume, gap area, understory vegetation and forest floor depth were significantly correlated with ordination axes suggesting that these variables are critical in structuring the beetle communities. Several of the species significantly associated with old-growth forests, like Carabus sylvosus, are known to favor forest habitats, whereas species commonly found in open habitats, such as Carabus nemoralis, had stronger affiliations with managed forests. Comparisons of northern hardwood–hemlock forest distribution from pre-Euroamerican settlement with current distributions reconstructed using the Forest Inventory and Analysis database indicate that old-growth habitat has declined to <1% of its original extent in this region. At the landscape level, these data suggest that the abundance of carabid species that prefer old-growth forest conditions has undergone broad-scale decline. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A scattering matrix-based beamformer for wide-angle scanning in hybrid antennas

This paper presents a new approach to beamforming in hybrid antennas. Using a scattering matrix model for the hybrid antenna system, a bidirectional transformation is developed that relates the signals at the hybrid system feed to the signals that would be present in a planar array at the location of the reflector aperture. For example, the received fields at the feed of a hybrid antenna system may be transformed into the fields at the reflector aperture, and these reflector aperture fields may then be processed as if they were received by a planar or linear array. Similarly, the desired field or current distribution across the reflector aperture when transmitting may be transformed into the required field or current distribution at the hybrid system feed. This method allows standard linear or planar array analysis and synthesis techniques to be used with the hybrid system. Examples are provided for transmit and receive weight synthesis.
Credit Risk Models and Agricultural Lending

Credit risk models are developed and used to estimate capital requirements for agricultural lenders under the New Basel Capital Accord. The study uses credit value-at-risk methods to calculate probability of default, loss given default, and expected and unexpected losses. Two applied models, CreditMetrics and Moody's KMV, are estimated using farm financial data. The results show that the necessary capital for agricultural lenders under the New Basel Accord varies substantially depending on the riskiness and granularity of the portfolio.
Sex Peptide is Required for the Efficient Release of Stored Sperm in Mated Drosophila Females

The Drosophila seminal fluid protein (SFP) sex peptide (SP) elicits numerous post-mating responses, including increased egg laying and decreased sexual receptivity, in the mated female. Unlike other SFPs, which are detectable in mated females for only a few hours post mating, SP is maintained—and its effects are sustained—for several days. The persistence of SP in the mated female's reproductive tract is thought to be a consequence of its binding to, and gradual release from, sperm in storage, which maintains SP's ability to act within the female reproductive tract. Recent studies have shown that several other SFPs, acting in a network, are needed for SP's localization to sperm and are necessary for the efficient release of sperm from storage. This result suggested an additional new role for SP modulating the release of sperm from storage. We tested for this possibility by examining sperm storage parameters in mated females that did not receive SP. We found that while sperm accumulation into storage was unaffected, sperm depletion from storage sites was significantly decreased (or impaired) in the absence of SP. Mates of males expressing a modified SP that is unable to be released from sperm showed a similar phenotype, indicating that release of sperm-bound SP is a necessary component of normal sperm depletion. Additionally, SP null males were more successful in a sperm competitive environment when they were first to mate, which is likely a consequence of higher retention of their sperm due to defective sperm release. Our findings illustrate a direct role for SP in the release of sperm from storage.
The 30–50 Day Mode at 850 mb During MONEX

Abstract The analyzed wind field at 850 mb during the summer monsoon experiment (MONEX) is subjected to a time series analysis to confirm the existence of a peak in the time range of 30–50 days. Having established that, this study presents a mapping of the motion field for this time scale. In this short paper we illustrate the steady meridional propagation of a train of troughs and ridges that seem to form near the equator and dissipate near the Himalayas. The meridional scale of this mode is around 300 km, and its meridional speed of propagation is ∼0.75° latitude per day. The amplitude of the wind for this mode is around 3–6 m s−1. The salient contributions here are the mapping and the demonstration of a very regular behavior of this mode; its existence is here noted from a period well before the onset of monsoon, i.e., from early May to late July. Three major storms during MONEX were noted to form within the trough line of this system, and the period of major cessation of rains over the Indian subconti...
Impermeability of the GIRK2 weaver channel to divalent cations.

A single amino acid mutation (G156S) in the putative pore-forming region of the G protein-sensitive, inwardly rectifying K+ channel subunit, GIRK2, renders the conductance constitutively active and...
Large-Area Pulsed Laser Deposition of Tantalum Oxide Films

A large-area pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique was used to uniformly grow tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) films on silicon wafers of 75 mm diameter. A KrF excimer laser beam was focused onto a 90 mm diameter Ta2O5 target to induce its ablation in oxygen gas ambient. The large-area coverage was obtained by rastering the laser beam over the radius of the rotating target, while the substrate was rotated simultaneously. The tantalum oxide films were characterized in terms of uniformity of thickness, composition, structure, and optical properties across the substrate. Average deviations typically below 1% were achieved in thickness, composition, indices of refraction and optical energy band-gap. Identical X-ray diffraction spectra were obtained at the center, middle of radius and edge of the wafers.
A single generation of domestication heritably alters the expression of hundreds of genes

The genetic underpinnings associated with the earliest stages of plant and animal domestication have remained elusive. Because a genome-wide response to selection can take many generations, the earliest detectable changes associated with domestication may first manifest as heritable changes to global patterns of gene expression. Here, to test this hypothesis, we measured differential gene expression in the offspring of wild and first-generation hatchery steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared in a common environment. Remarkably, we find that there were 723 genes differentially expressed between the two groups of offspring. Reciprocal crosses reveal that the differentially expressed genes could not be explained by maternal effects or by chance differences in the background levels of gene expression among unrelated families. Gene-enrichment analyses reveal that adaptation to the novel hatchery environment involved responses in wound healing, immunity and metabolism. These findings suggest that the earliest stages of domestication may involve adaptation to highly crowded conditions.
Identifying Reverse Malingering in the Civilian Occupational Setting

Malingering is a common phenomenon in the workplace. However, reverse malingering can be just as common, but may have greater negative consequences for employees and employers. The only research on reverse malingering has been conducted in the military; however, little is known about this phenomenon in the civilian setting.
Flight Initiation of Lesser Grain Borer (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) as Influenced by Temperature, Humidity, and Light

The rate that stored-product insects migrate by flight into a grain storage facility is influenced by environmental conditions that mediate flight activity. The influence that temperature, humidity, and light intensity have on the initiation of flight by the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), was examined in the laboratory. Flight initiation by male and female beetles up to 8 wk old was examined. Lower and upper temperature thresholds for flight were calculated to be 19.9 and 41.6°C, respectively. Humidity did not influence /light initiation within this temperature range. The optimal temperature resulting in the highest percentage of flights was 30.7°C. Male and female R. dominica flight activity was similar. Greatest flight activity occurred in beetles up to 1 wk old, whereas older adults exhibited little flight activity. This suggests that, once R. dominica infest a bulk of grain, they tend to stay and reproduce rather than leave. Migration by flight is possible during the summer when wheat is harvested and stored, but temperatures may limit migration in fall when corn and sorghum are harvested or wheat is aerated. Early fall aeration when temperatures are >20°C could cause R. dominica to be attracted to volatiles emanating from the bin.
Technetium Removal Processes for Soluble Defense High-Level Waste

Two methods for removing technetium from soluble defense high-level waste are described. In the first method, technetium is precipitated as tetraphenylphosphonium pertechnetate and separated from the decontaminated solution using sintered metal crossflow filters. In the second method, pertechnetate is removed from solution using a strong base anion exchange resin and then eluted from the resin with nitric acid. The nitric acid is recovered by sorption of the pertechnetate on a weak base ion exchange resin. The pertechnetate is eluted from the weak base resin with NaOH and recovered by precipitation as the sulfide or oxide.