cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of respiration in submitochondrial particles by uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation.

High concentrations of uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation inhibit the oxidation of succinate and NADH catalyzed by phosphorylating beef heart submitochondrial particles. Inhibition is reversed by bovine serum albumin but not by ATP. ATP does not influence either the stimulation of respiration at low uncoupler concentrations or the inhibition of respiration at high uncoupler concentrations. The cytochromes of the electron transfer chain appear to be in the oxidized state during the oxidation of NADH catalyzed by submitochondrial particles partially inhibited by uncoupler, indicating that the inhibitory site resides at, or prior to, the substrate dehydrogenase. These data are consistent with a recent hypothesis which attempts to account for uncoupling action on the basis of competition between uncoupler and substrate molecules for an energy-requiring transport system in the mitochondrial membrane. However, not supportive of such a hypothesis are data indicating that in submitochondrial particles the inhibition does not appear to be of the competitive type and, furthermore, agents and procedures which destroy permeability barriers in mitochondria, and preparations of “open” submitochondrial particles, do not interfere with the uncoupler-mediated inhibition of substrate oxidation by the submitochondrial particle. It is suggested that high uncoupler concentrations interfere with the function of the nonheme iron moieties of the succinic and NADH dehydrogenases. Consistent with this suggestion are the findings that dithiothreitol partially reverses the uncoupler-mediated inhibition of substrate oxidations in submitochondrial particles and also protects against the inhibitory effects of uncoupler. In addition, the nonheme iron components of the succinic and NADH dehydrogenases were reducible by their respective substrates, while the characteristic electron paramagnetic resonance signal of the succinic dehydrogenase nonheme iron moiety was not observed in the uncoupler-inhibited submitochondrial particle upon the addition of NADH.
Dentatectomy: absence of effects on dyskinesias arizing from chemical stimulation of the striatum in rats.

Elektrolytische, ipsilaterale, kontralaterale oder bilaterale Lasionen blieben in den tiefen Kernen des Cerebellums ohne Einfluss auf Intensitat oder Charakter von Dyskinesien, welche durch Injektionen von 1,5 μg Carbachol in den Caudatum-Putamen-Komplex ungehindert beweglicher Ratten hervorgerufen wurden.
Thermodynamic Modeling of Neptunium(V) Solubility in Concentrated Na-CO3-HCO3-Cl-ClO4-H-OH-H2O Systems

Safety assessments of nuclear waste repositories often require estimation of actinide solubilities as they vary with groundwater composition. Although a considerable amount of research has been done on the solubility and speciation of actinides,1,2 relatively little has been done to unify these data into a model applicable to concentrated brines. Numerous authors report data on the aqueous chemical properties of Np(V) in NaClO4, Na2CO3, and NaCl media, but a consistent thermodynamic model for predicting these properties is not available. To meet this need, a model was developed to describe the solubility of Np(V) in Na-Cl-ClO4-CO3 aqueous systems, based on the Pitzer activity coefficient formalism for concentrated electrolytes. Hydrolysis and/or carbonate complexation are the dominant aqueous reactions with the neptunyl ion in these systems. Literature data for neptunyl ion extraction and solubility are used to parameterize an integrated model for Np(V) solubility in the Np(V)-Na-CO3-HCO3-Cl-ClO4-H-OH-H2O system. The resulting model is tested against additional solubility and extraction data, and compared with Np(V) solubility experiments in complex synthetic brines.
Report on the second KDD workshop on data mining for advertising

Following the success of our first workshop, we organized ADKDD 2008 1 - the second International Workshop on Data Mining and Audience Intelligence for Advertising, in conjunction with KDD 2008 at Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. This report is a summary of the workshop, including brief descriptions of the accepted papers.
An online positive affect skills intervention reduces depression in adults with type 2 diabetes

Positive affect predicts improved glycemic control and longevity in adults with type 2 diabetes. We tested Developing Affective HeaLth to Improve Adherence (DAHLIA), a self-paced online intervention for type 2 diabetes that teaches positive affect skills such as savoring, gratitude, and acts of kindness. Participants (n = 49) were randomized to the five-week DAHLIA course or an emotion-reporting wait-list control. DAHLIA was understood and accepted by participants and showed good retention (78%). At post-intervention, DAHLIA participants showed a significantly greater decrease in depression than controls (−4.3 vs. +0.6 points on the CES-D, p = 0.05). Secondary analyses found that this effect was considerably stronger in intervention recipients recruited online than those recruited in person. Intervention recipients recruited online also showed significantly increased positive affect, reduced negative affect, and reduced perceived stress. There were no effects on measures of diabetes-specific efficacy or s...
Megestrol acetate reverses multidrug resistance and interacts with P-glycoprotein.

We evaluated the multidrug resistance (MDR)-modulating effects of progesterone (PRG) and an orally active, structurally related compound, megestrol acetate (MA), in several MDR human cell lines. At 100 μm, both steroids inhibited the binding of aVinca alkaloid photoaffinity analog to P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in MDR human neuroblastic SH-SY5Y/VCR cells [which show >1500-fold resistance to vincristine (VCR) in the tetrazolium dye (MTT) assay]. However, 100 μm MA markedly enhanced the binding of [3H]-azidopine to P-gp in both SH-SY5Y/VCR cells and the MDR human epidermoid KB-GSV2 cell line (which displays 250-fold resistance to VCR in the MTT assay). PRG had little effect on the binding of [3H]-azidopine to P-gp. MA at low doses was more effective than PRG in sensitizing cells to VCR and enhancing their accumulation of [3H]-VCR. The highly resistant SH-SY5Y/VCR subline exhibited significant collateral sensitivity to both steroids. These data suggest that MA may be a clinically useful modulator of MDR.
MOF: An R Function to Detect Outlier Microarray

We developed an R function named “microarray outlier filter” (MOF) to assist in the identification of failed arrays. In sorting a group of similar arrays by the likelihood of failure, two statistical indices were employed: the correlation coefficient and the percentage of outlier spots. MOF can be used to monitor the quality of microarray data for both trouble shooting, and to eliminate bad datasets from downstream analysis. The function is freely avaliable at http://www.wriwindber.org/applications/mof/.
Indigenous agriculture in the Americas

Significant advances in our understanding of ancient agricultural practices in the Americas have been made in recent years. This review of the literature focuses on studies published between 1987 and early 1994. Issues pertaining to the transition from foraging to farming include the habitability of the American tropics prior to the development of agriculture, theories on plant domestication and the origins of agriculture, regional syntheses of agricultural development, and the origin, evolution, and dissemination of domesticates in the Americas. Other topics reviewed include new techniques that have recently been applied to the study of prehistoric agriculture in the Americas, various approaches to the study of agricultural change, and ways in which research on ancient agricultural practices is being applied in modern experimental agriculture and rural development projects.
Verification studies of thermophoretic protection for EUV masks

A 'thermophoretic pellicle' has been proposed as an alternative to the traditional organic pellicle as a means of protecting EUV lithographic photomasks from particle contamination. The thermophoretic pellicle protects a mask from particles by exploiting the thermophoretic force, which is exerted on a particle by a surrounding gas in which a temperature gradient exists. Two critical requirements of the thermophoretic pellicle are: 1) the mask is kept warmer than its surroundings (either by heating the mask or by cooling the surroundings) and 2) the surrounding gas pressure is kept sufficiently high to enable thermophoretic protection. Experiments are presented which verify the viabilitiy of thermophoretic protection for EUV masks under model conditions. In these experiments, wafers are exposed to monodisperse polystyrene latex (PSL) spheres under carefully controlled experimental conditions. Robust thermophoretic protection is observed over a wide range of argon gas pressures (50-1600 mTorr or 6.66-213 Pa), particle sizes (65-300 nm), and temperature gradients (2-15 K/cm).
Diffusion-controlled reactions in metabolizing systems.

Abstract The Smoluchowski theory of diffusion-controlled reactions is applied to metabolizing systems. The following model is considered: A stationary spherical particle, surrounded by a reaction surface, is imbedded in a metabolizing system of infinite radius. Throughout the system reactant molecules are being produced autocatalytically. Reaction is said to occur when the diffusing molecules reach the reaction surface. Expressions are obtained for the concentration of the reactant molecules throughout the system and at the reaction surface, and the rate of reaction at the surface. The use of this approach in the study of lag phenomena in bacterial growth processes is discussed.
NMR Confirmation for Formation of [B12H12]2- Complexes during Hydrogen Desorption from Metal Borohydrides

^(11)B NMR spectroscopy has been employed to identify the reaction intermediates and products formed in the amorphous phase during the thermal hydrogen desorption of metal tetrahydroborates (borohydrides) LiBH_4, Mg(BH_4)_2, LiSc(BH_4)_4, and the mixed Ca(AlH_4)_(2-)LiBH_4 system. The ^(11)B magic angle spinning (MAS) and cross polarization magic angle spinning (CPMAS) spectral features of the amorphous intermediate species closely coincide with those of a model compound, closo-borane K2B_(12)H_(12) that contains the [B_(12)H_(12)]^(2-) anion. The presence of [B_(12)H_(12)]^(2-) in the partially decomposed borohydrides was further confirmed by high-resolution solution ^(11)B and ^1H NMR spectra after dissolution of the intermediate desorption powders in water. The formation of the closo-borane structure is observed as a major intermediate species in all of the metal borohydride systems we have examined.
Tissue Kallikrein-binding Protein Reduces Blood Pressure in Transgenic Mice

The kallikrein-kinin system participates in blood pressure regulation. One of the kallikrein-kinin system components, kallikrein-binding protein, binds to tissue kallikrein and inhibits its activity in vitro. To investigate potential roles of rat kallikrein-binding protein (RKBP) in vivo, we have developed transgenic mice that express an RKBP gene under the control of the mouse metallothionein metal-responsive promoter. Expression of the transgene, RKBP, was detected in the liver, kidney, lung, heart, pancreas, salivary glands, spleen, brain, testis, and adrenal gland at the mRNA and protein levels. Systolic blood pressures of homozygous transgenic mice were 88.5 +/- 0.8 mm Hg (mean +/- S.E., n = 19, P < 0.001) for one line and 88.8 +/- 1.6 mm Hg (mean +/- S.E., n = 19, P < 0.001) for another, as compared with 100.5 +/- 0.8 mm Hg (mean +/- S.E., n = 18) for control mice. Direct blood pressure measurements of these transgenic mice through an arterial cannula showed similar reductions of blood pressure. Intravenous injection of purified RKBP into mice via a catheter produced a dose-dependent reduction of the mean arterial blood pressure. Our findings suggest that RKBP may function as a vasodilator in vivo, independent of regulating the activity of tissue kallikrein.
An RNAi-Based Approach Identifies Molecules Required for Glutamatergic and GABAergic Synapse Development

We report the results of a genetic screen to identify molecules important for synapse formation and/or maintenance. siRNAs were used to decrease the expression of candidate genes in neurons, and synapse development was assessed. We surveyed 22 cadherin family members and demonstrated distinct roles for cadherin-11 and cadherin-13 in synapse development. Our screen also revealed roles for the class 4 Semaphorins Sema4B and Sema4D in the development of glutamatergic and/or GABAergic synapses. We found that Sema4D affects the formation of GABAergic, but not glutamatergic, synapses. Our screen also identified the activity-regulated small GTPase Rem2 as a regulator of synapse development. A known calcium channel modulator, Rem2 may function as part of a homeostatic mechanism that controls synapse number. These experiments establish the feasibility of RNAi screens to characterize the mechanisms that control mammalian neuronal development and to identify components of the genetic program that regulate synapse formation and/or maintenance.
Is too much neurohormonal blockade harmful

A number of neurohormones and cytokines are activated in heart failure and their activity is related to the progression of heart failure. Inhibiting the deleterious effects of the activated sympathetic and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone systems with b-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and aldosterone blockers has been remarkably successful in improving the survival of patients with heart failure. However, inhibition of the other neurohormones and cytokines has not provided the expected incremental benefit, and in some cases has been deleterious, suggesting a ceiling effect of further neurohormonal blockade. This article reviews some of these studies and analyzes the possible causes of these observations.
Automated Neutral Region selection using superpixels

This work presents an automated approach utilizing superpixel segmentation for detecting spectrally Neutral Regions (NR) in hyperspectral images. NRs are often used in planetary geology as spectral divisors to Regions of Interest (ROI), both to enhance key mineralogical signatures and correct for systematic errors such as residual atmospheric distortion. We compare automated NR selections to handpicked examples with mineralogical summary products used in analysis of data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). We also present a new summary product to quantify the level of atmospheric distortion in a CRISM spectrum. We find that the automated algorithm matches manual NR detection with regards to mineral spectral contrast and outperforms manual selection for reducing atmospheric distortion.
The problem of denizenship: a non-domination framework

The status of being a non-citizen or ‘denizen’ has been described as second-class citizenship. But many instances of denizenship are not morally troubling, e.g. highly skilled temporary workers. This paper examines the conditions under which denizenship is problematic by developing a framework for addressing the problem of denizenship, structured around the republican ideal of non-domination. Denizens are subject to the coercive power of the state like citizens, but lack many of the accountability mechanisms citizens enjoy. Whether this matters, I argue, depends on their exit costs of leaving the state of denizenship: either by leaving the country or by acquiring citizenship. This model could inform policies in three areas: improving the accountability of countries to their non-citizen population, empowering denizens in private relationships and reducing arbitrariness in citizenship acquisition. Although republicanism provides the conceptual architecture for this study, the concept of ‘exit costs’ has wid...
Dining in the City: Server Behaviors, Time Preferences, and the Effect of Urbanization in Restaurants

In this research the authors examine the importance of server behaviors and time expectations of restaurant patrons through analysis of consumer preferences in an urban and less urbanized market. R...
TIAs and the pathology of cerebral ischemia

The term “transient ischemic attack,” or TIA, refers to a clinically detectable event that is neurologically transient. Implicit in the definition is the assumption that the underlying cerebrovascular occlusion is also transient, i.e., that there is an arterial occlusion responsible for the symptoms, the obstruction is relieved and, through the restitution of flow, there is no residual injury but rather a complete recovery from neurologic symptoms. This sequence presumes that any neuron injury is short-lived and that there is no detectable evidence of sustained injury. An alternative to this accepted view of TIA is the hypothesis that, in the setting of transient ischemia, there is residual and permanent injury to neurons and their supporting cells (e.g., glia, astrocytes, microvessels) that remains clinically silent. This section of the supplement examines the evidence supporting the view that the pathologic accompaniment of TIA is a permanent type of neuron injury. I focus on two questions drawn from experimental data: (a) whether a vascular lesion, in this particular case, a carotid artery lesion, can continuously produce local arterial occlusion with downstream embolization into the cerebral microvasculature, and (b) whether experimental transient occlusions of the microvasculature affect neuron integrity of the ischemic territory and whether that impact of emboli produces permanent injury (table). View this table: Table Evidence for permanent neuron injury after transient arterial occlusion The usually rapid resolution of neurologic symptoms that typifies the course of TIA has led to the suggestion that the neuron and cell dysfunctions underlying the symptoms are transient. This hypothesis is based on a scenario involving an evanescent flow impediment in the affected territory in which local flow is rapidly restored. The evidence for this sequence is sparse. However, because angiographically detected obstructions of short duration have been documented in ischemic stroke patients and in experimental animal models, such a sequence …
Receding window observer and dynamic feedback control of discrete infinite dimensional systems

A discrete-time infinite-dimensional system is considered. The receding window filtering idea is introduced to reconstruct the state of the system asymptotically from incomplete measurements. This observer is used in the stabilizing dynamic feedback control of the system. Robustness properties of such dynamic controllers are derived. >
Hex1: a new human Rad2 nuclease family member with homology to yeast exonuclease 1

Nucleolytic processing of chromosomal DNA is required in operations such as DNA repair, recombination and replication. We have identified a human gene, named HEX1 forhumanexonuclease 1, by searching the EST database for cDNAs that encode a homolog to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae EXO1 gene product. Based on its homology to this and other DNA repair proteins of the Rad2 family, most notably Schizosaccharomyces pombe exonuclease 1 (Exo1), Hex1 presumably functions as a nuclease in aspects of recombination or mismatch repair. Similar to the yeast proteins, recombinant Hex1 exhibits a 5'-->3' exonuclease activity. Northern blot analysis revealed that HEX1 expression is highest in fetal liver and adult bone marrow, suggesting that the encoded protein may operate prominently in processes specific to hemopoietic stem cell development. HEX1 gene equivalents were found in all vertebrates examined. The human gene includes 14 exons and 13 introns that span approximately 42 kb of genomic DNA and maps to the chromosomal position 1q42-43, a region lost in some cases of acute leukemia and in several solid tumors.
Transfer Function Analysis of a Flexible Toroidal Structure

This paper is concerned with the modeling of a flexible toroidal structure for attitude and structural control studies. A two-dimensiona l elastic system, consisting of a flexible toroid and a pretensioned membrane, is analyzed in terms of the transfer function from a control torque input to the collocated sensor output. The critical tension for out-of-plane buckling is also determined. The models considered in the paper are simple enough to treat analytically, yet complicated enough to demonstrate the dynamical characteristics of future space structures with a toroidal configuration. It is shown that for such structures, the coupling between two elastic systems results in a transfer function expressed as a combination of an infinite product expansion and an infinite partial fraction expansion. Such a representation should be useful in future studies in reduced-order modeling of flexible toroidal structures.
Hidden variables and the two theorems of John Bell

Although skeptical of the prohibitive power of no-hidden-variables theorems, John Bell was himself responsible for the two most important ones. I describe some recent versions of the lesser known of the two (familiar to experts as the "Kochen-Specker theorem") which have transparently simple proofs. One of the new versions can be converted without additional analysis into a powerful form of the very much better known "Bell's Theorem," thereby clarifying the conceptual link between these two results of Bell.
Optimal multiple surfaces searching for video/image resizing - a graph-theoretic approach

Content-aware video/image resizing is of increasing relevance to allow high-quality image and video resizing to be displayed on devices with different resolution. In this paper, we present a novel algorithm to find multiple 3-D surfaces simultaneously with globally optimal solution for video/image resizing. Our algorithm is based on graph theory and it first analyzes the video/image data to define the energy value for each voxel. Then, a 4-D graph is constructed and the costs are assigned according to the energy values. Finally, multiple 3-D surfaces are detected by a global optimization process which can be solved via s-t graph cuts. By removing or inserting these multiple 3-D surfaces, content-aware video/image resizing is achieved. We also have proved that our algorithm can find the globally optimal solution for crossing surfaces problem, in which several surfaces can cross each other. The proposed method is demonstrated on a variety of video/image data and compared to the state of the art in video/image resizing.
Oral Mucositis-Related Oropharyngeal Pain and Correlative Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Expression in Adult Oncology Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Abstract Background: Oral mucositis is the most common sequela of conditioning chemotherapy (CT) for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and is the principal cause of most of the associated pain. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a key pathogenic component of oral mucositis. Objectives: The primary purpose of this study was to describe oral mucositis-related oropharyngeal pain in the setting of HSCT. A secondary purpose was to assess the effectiveness of molecular biology methods for measuring TNF-α concentrations in plasma, saliva, and buccal epithelial cells in patients with oral mucositis undergoing HSCT. Methods: This descriptive, correlative study recruited subjects aged ≥ 18 years who were scheduled to receive HSCT with CT. Subjects assessed their pain at baseline and 9 days (±24 hours) after CT using a pain visual analog scale (VAS) from 0=no pain to 10=worst possible pain, as well as word descriptors of sensory and affective pain. The extent and severity of oral mucositis were evaluated using the Oral Mucositis Assessment Scale. Saliva and blood samples and buccal brush biopsies were obtained at the same time points. Salivary and plasma TNF-**α concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction testing was used to measure buccal TNF-α gene expression. To determine the optimal method of RNA isolation, samples were extracted using 3 different methods: TRIzol, RNeasy, and RLT/TRIzol. Results: Twenty-five adult men and women (mean age, 46 years; age range, 32-68 years; 64% white) underwent HSCT with CT. Significant differences from baseline to day 9 were observed in the severity of oral mucositis ( P P P P P P 3) while receiving opioids. Fourteen subjects had measurable increases in buccal TNF-α RNA expression at day 9 ( P = 0.027 vs baseline), as measured using the TRIzol method, which was found to be the best method for measuring this variable. TNF-α RNA content in buccal samples was significantly associated with the worst intensity of oral pain with swallowing (partial R 2 = 0.19; P Conclusions: Despite the use of opioids, oropharyngeal pain remained a treatment challenge in approximately one third of these subjects after CT with HSCT. The sensitive assay used to measure TNF-α gene expression in buccal cells may be useful in investigating molecular events in oral mucositis-related pain, as well as in evaluating the therapeutic response to investigational agents.
Reactions of unconverted isocyanate in molded RIM parts and their implications to outgassing

A convenient, cheap, and reliable method was developed and evaluated to measure the extent of conversion and subsequent water/diisocyanate reaction kinetics for injection molded (RIM) parts using cryogenic grinding and conventional Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy. The reliability of the method was independently confirmed by using in-mold fiber-optic FTIR and attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (Priester, private communication, The Dow Chemical Company 1994). The reaction of isocyanate with water produces carbamic acid, which is believed to immediately decompose to carbon dioxide (CO2) and amine, leading to outgassing during the paint cure. Given previous measurements of effective diffusion coefficients of water and CO2, if the molded RIM parts are stored under typical humid conditions for hours, most of the CO2 should form as a product of isocyanate/water reaction and diffuse out of the part. However, our results indicate that relatively little CO2 evolution occurs during ambient storage for up to 6 h, and significant evolution occurs for long times during subsequent high temperature post cure. Therefore, in contrast to the earlier expectations, the outgassing phenomenon seems to be due to carbamic acids that decompose slowly at ambient conditions and become unstable at higher temperatures. Therefore, to assure minimum outgassing in this RIM system one must (1) operate the post cure oven at higher temperatures than the paint baking oven, or (2) keep parts in ambient storage at least for 24 h to allow slow decomposition of carbamic acids, or (3) transfer them to the post cure oven immediately after removal from the mold, thereby preventing possible water/diisocyanate reactions.
Singapore-style press control? Not in Fiji

Constraints imposed on the press in Fiji under the 2010 Media Decree have been compared with the system of press control in Singapore. The two systems are, however, quite different. The type of hegemonic control that has been achieved in Singapore is unlikely to be replicated in Fiji. The press in Singapore was brought to heel over a period of decades through regulation, including licensing, and legal intimidation in a sophisticated system that utilizes corporate control to ensure that journalists exercise self-censorship. A military dictatorship in place in Fiji since 2006 instead criminalized journalism ethics in the Media Decree and has engaged in repression and censorship of journalists. Fiji’s press system, and the regime’s attempts to control it, were the subject of intense scrutiny in advance of elections planned for September 2014.
Efficient removal of impulse noise from digital images

A new impulse noise removal technique is presented to restore digital images corrupted by impulse noise. The algorithm is based on fuzzy impulse detection technique, which can remove impulse noise efficiently from highly corrupted images while preserving image details. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed technique performs significantly better than many existing state-of-the-art algorithms. Due to its low complexity, the proposed algorithm is very suitable for hardware implementation. Therefore, it can be used to remove impulse noise in many consumer electronics products such as digital cameras and digital television (DTV) for its performance and simplicity.
Decay Accelerating Factor Can Control T Cell Differentiation into IFN-γ-Producing Effector Cells via Regulating Local C5a-Induced IL-12 Production

A newly recognized link between the complement system and adaptive immunity is that decay accelerating factor (DAF), a cell surface C3/C5 convertase regulator, exerts control over T cell responses. Extending these results, we show that cultures of Marilyn TCR-transgenic T cells stimulated with DAF-deficient (Daf1−/−) APCs produce significantly more IL-12, C5a, and IFN-γ compared with cultures containing wild-type APCs. DAF-regulated IL-12 production and subsequent T cell differentiation into IFN-γ-producing effectors was prevented by the deficiency of either C3 or C5a receptor (C5aR) in the APC, demonstrating a link between DAF, local complement activation, IL-12, and T cell-produced IFN-γ. Bone marrow chimera experiments verified that bone marrow cell-expressed C5aR is required for optimal differentiation into IFN-γ-producing effector T cells. Overall, our results indicate that APC-expressed DAF regulates local production/activation of C5a following cognate T cell/APC interactions. Through binding to its receptor on APCs the C5a up-regulates IL-12 production, this in turn, contributes to directing T cell differentiation toward an IFN-γ-producing phenotype. The findings have implications for design of therapies aimed at altering pathologic T cell immunity.
Treatment of bronchial airway obstruction using a rotating tip microdebrider: a case report

Central airway obstruction is a common complication of lung cancer. The microdebrider is a new device available for treatment of central airway obstruction. We report a case a 59-yr-old male with T3N2M1 non-small cell lung cancer with malignant distal left mainstem obstruction treated successfully with a novel elongated rotating tip microdebrider via rigid bronchoscopy with sufficient length to reach distal bronchial lesions. The microdebrider is an excellent addition to the spectrum of interventions available for the management of central airway obstruction with advantages including accuracy and immediate removal of debris without a need for separate suctioning or limitation in oxygenation.
Densification of the packing structure under vibrations

Two packing structures with the maximum packing densities of 0.64 and 0.74 for the amorphous state and crystalline state, respectively, were numerically reproduced in the packing densification of equal spheres subjected to onedimensional and three-dimensional vibrations using the discrete element method (DEM), and the results were physically validated. These two packing structures were analyzed in terms of coordination number (CN), radial distribution function (RDF), angular distribution function (ADF), and pore size distribution (Voronoi/Delaunay tessellation). It is shown that CN distributions have the peak values of 7 and 12 for the amorphous state and crystalline state, respectively. RDF and ADF distributions show isolated peaks and orientation preferences for the crystalline state, indicating the long range and angle correlation among particles commonly observed in the crystalline state. Voronoi/Delaunay tessellation also shows smaller and narrower pore size distribution for the crystalline state.
Dietary fish oil or lofrin, a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, decrease the growth-suppressing effects of coccidiosis in broiler chicks

Broiler chicks were fed a diet containing 4% of either corn oil or fish oil from 3 to 14 d of age. From Days 15 to 23, half of the chicks in each dietary treatment were fed Lofrin (an experimental 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor) at 33 micrograms/kg feed. The remaining chicks within each dietary treatment were the untreated controls. At 24 d of age, half of the chicks within each diet-Lofrin treatment group were each infected with 4.6 x 10(4) sporulated Eimeria tenella oocysts, resulting in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion efficiency were determined throughout the study. At 27 d of age, blood, liver, and ceca were sampled. Plasma tumor necrosis factor and hemopexin, hepatic fatty acid composition, and cecal inflammatory cell infiltration were determined. Liver fatty acid composition tended to reflect that of the diet. Chicks fed fish oil had livers that were enriched in (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) at the expense of (n-6) PUFA. Chicks fed fish oil gained body weight more rapidly than those fed corn oil. Infection of chicks with Eimeria decreased body weight gain of chicks fed corn oil, but not of chicks fed fish oil. The addition of Lofrin to the corn oil diets abrogated the growth-suppressing effects of infection, although there was no Lofrin effect among chicks fed fish oil. There was a diet by Lofrin interaction in which Lofrin treatment of birds fed corn oil decreased feed consumption and increased feed conversion efficiency, but had no effect on chicks fed diets containing fish oil. Plasma hemopexin was greater, but tumor necrosis factor was lower, in chicks fed fish oil than in chicks fed corn oil. Eimeria infection significantly increased cecal inflammatory cell infiltration across all dietary treatments. There were no clear relationships between growth rate or efficiency and the severity of the inflammatory response to Eimeria infection, as indicated by hemopexin levels and cecal inflammatory scores. These results indicate that Lofrin or fish oil, both of which modify eicosanoid metabolism, attenuate the growth-depressing effects of an Eimeria tenella infection.
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Studies on Hydrogenase-1 (HYD1) Purified from a Mutant Strain (AP6) ofEscherichia coliEnhanced in HYD1

Abstract Hydrogenase-1 (HYD1), overexpressed by twofold, has been purified to homogeneity and to a high specific activity from a mutant strain (AP6) of Escherichia coli which lacks hydrogenase-2. Plasma emission spectroscopy indicated that 0.93 atom of nickel and 11.4 iron atoms were present in HYD1. EPR studies on the as isolated HYD1 detected a complex 3Fe-4S signal and a Ni(III) species. Reduction with hydrogen gas caused disappearance of both the 3Fe–4S cluster and initial Ni(III) signals. At the same time the EPR signature (small g=2.19 signal) of the activated hydrogenase appeared. The detection of a 4Fe–4S cluster signal was noted. Reduction of HYD1 with sodium dithionite caused all nickel signals to disappear. The 4Fe–4S complex intensity was slightly increased. The EPR responses in the three oxidation-reduction states are consistent with other known (NiFe)-hydrogenases.
Use of proportional tubes in a muon polarimeter

A prototype muon polarimeter was built to study the feasibility of measuring the positive muon polarization in the decay K/sub L/ to mu /sup +/ mu /sup -/. The system consisted of alternating layers of extruded-aluminum gas proportional tubes and polarization-retaining absorber plates of either aluminum or marble. Longitudinally polarized positive muons from the stopped muon channel at LAMPF were stopped in the absorber plates where they precessed in a field of 60 G. Decay times were recorded in 100-ns first-in-first-out memories for all wires hit during a 12.8- mu s period centered about the muon stop trigger. The performance of the system was studied for different beam rates and absorber thicknesses. The value of imposing time and spatial cuts on track data to enhance the precession signal was also investigated. The study suggests that the goal of measuring the polarization with a sensitivity of 15% is obtainable. >
The No Core Shell Model

As has been discussed in the introduction, the No-Core Shell Model (NCSM), is one of the recently developed ab-initio many-body techniques, for solving bound state properties of light nuclei (\(A \le 20)\)[1, 2, 3].
Lumican Regulates Collagen Fibril Assembly: Skin Fragility and Corneal Opacity in the Absence of Lumican

Lumican, a prototypic leucine-rich proteoglycan with keratan sulfate side chains, is a major component of the cornea, dermal, and muscle connective tissues. Mice homozygous for a null mutation in lumican display skin laxity and fragility resembling certain types of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. In addition, the mutant mice develop bilateral corneal opacification. The underlying connective tissue defect in the homozygous mutants is deregulated growth of collagen fibrils with a significant proportion of abnormally thick collagen fibrils in the skin and cornea as indicated by transmission electron microscopy. A highly organized and regularly spaced collagen fibril matrix typical of the normal cornea is also missing in these mutant mice. This study establishes a crucial role for lumican in the regulation of collagen assembly into fibrils in various connective tissues. Most importantly, these results provide a definitive link between a necessity for lumican in the development of a highly organized collagenous matrix and corneal transparency.
Motion compensation in redundant wavelet domain

This paper proposed a high performance video coding system in redundant wavelet domain. The redundant wavelet transform (RDWT) provides an overcomplete set of coefficients to overcome the conventional wavelet transform shift invariant problem. The RDWT retains all the phase information of wavelet transform and provides multiple prediction possibilities in motion estimation and motion compensation (ME/MC) in wavelet domain. The paper presents a new adaptive partitioning scheme and decision criteria that utilizes more effectively the motion content of a frame in terms of the various block sizes.
Photochemical conversion of sugar dimethylthio-carbamates into deoxy sugars☆☆☆

Abstract Protected sugar derivatives having one free hydroxyl group may be deoxygenated at the alcoholic position by ultraviolet irradiation of the corresponding dimethylthiocarbamic esters: a concomitant process leads also to the original alcohol. Thus, on photolysis, the 6-dimethylthiocarbamate ( 1 ) or 1,2:3,4-di- O -isopropylidene-α- D -galactopyranose ( 3 ) gives 6-deoxy- 1,2:3,4-di- O -isopropylidene-α- D -galactopyranose ( 2 ) together with 3 . Likewise, the 4-dimethylthiocarbamate ( 6 ) of 1,6-anhydro-2.3- O -isopropylidene-β- D -mannopyranose ( 8 ) gives a mixture of the 4-deoxy derivative 7 and the alcohol 8 . 3-Deoxy-1,2:5,6-di- O -isopropylidene-α- D - ribo -hexofuranose ( 10 ) was obtained by irradiation of 3- O -(dimethylthiocarbamoyl)-1,2:5,6-di- O -isopropylidene-α- D -glucofuranose ( 9 ), and was accompanied by 1,2:5,6-di- O -isopropylidene-α- D -glucofuranose ( 11 ). The 3-deoxy-3-iodo analog ( 14 ) of 11 underwent conversion into 10 by photolysis, and the deoxy sugar 10 was also prepared from 3,3'-dithiobis(1,2:5,6-di- O -isopropylidene-α- D --glucofuranose) ( 12 ) by the action of Raney nickel. Photolysis of the 2-dimethylthiocarbamate ( 16 ) of methyl 3,4- O -isopropylidene-β- L -arabinopyranoside ( 18 ) gave the 2-deoxy derivative ( 17 ), together with the parent alcohol 18 , and the same pair of products was obtained by the action of tributylstannane on the 2-(methylthio)thiocarbonyl derivative ( 19 ) of 18 , although the dimethylthiocarbamate 16 was unreactive toward tributylstannane.
Zebrafish as a Model for Methylmercury Neurotoxicity

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a useful species for studying early development. As such, zebrafish also become a useful model for evaluating the neurotoxic effects of developmental exposures to methylmercury (MeHg). In this paper, two neurobehavioral networks are examined as examples of MeHg toxicity: sensorimotor and learning. These neural networks represent basic processes by which zebrafish perceive, organize, and recall information. While the study of MeHg neurotoxicity in zebrafish is still in its infancy, those neurobehavioral data collected to date parallel those of mammalian models, as well as other fish species. Thus, it is likely that the mechanisms of toxicity observed in those species will be found to exist in zebrafish as well. Additionally, this chapter identifies future research areas, including alterations in neurotransmitter dynamics and receptor function, the nature of interference with selenoenzyme synthesis, and epigenetic effects of developmental exposures.
Effects of Repeated Administration of Antidepressants on Serotonin Uptake Sites Measured Using [3H]Cyanoimipramine Autoradiography

ABSTRACT The antidepressants protriptyline, phenelzine, citalopram, sertraline and mianserin were administered to rats for 14 to 21 days, and their effects on serotonin uptake sites were measured using [3H]cyanoimipramine autoradiography. A few regionally specific alterations in the number of binding sites were seen for some of the drugs. However these effects were small and were not common for the different drugs. We conclude that no consistent regulatory effects associated with serotonin uptake are produced by antidepressant drugs.
Comparison of Selected Zirconium and Hafnium Amine Bis(phenolate) Catalysts for 1-Hexene Polymerization

The kinetics of 1-hexene polymerization using a family of three zirconium and hafnium amine bis-phenolate catalysts, M[t-Bu-ONXO]Bn2 (where M = Zr (a) or Hf (b), and X = THF (1), pyridine (2), or NMe2 (3)), have been investigated to uncover the mechanistic effect of varying the metal center M. A model-based approach using a diverse set of data including monomer consumption, evolution of molecular weight, and end-group analysis was employed to determine each of the reaction-specific rate constants involved in a given polymerization process. This study builds upon the mechanism of polymerization for 1a–3a, which has been previously reported by applying the same methodology to the hafnium containing analogues, 1b–3b. It has been observed that each elementary step-specific rate constant that involves the insertion of a monomer is reduced by an order of magnitude. As previously reported for catalysts 1a–3a, a quantitative structure–activity relationship was uncovered between the logarithm of the monomer-indepe...
Emphasizing Non-Obvious Hazards Using Multi-Frame Pictorials and Color on Allocation of Blame

This study examined allocations of blame for injuries sustained from the consumption of a product with a non-obvious hazard. Participants were given product-use scenarios that described a girl whose age was manipulated to be from 18 months to 16 years and who suffered serious brain damage after choking on a marshmallow made available to her by her mother. Supplementary information intended to be either positive or detrimental to the manufacturer and its safety practices was either present or absent from the scenario. When present and positive, the manufacturer put a warning on the product about the non-obvious hazard. The warning was manipulated by having color or not and a multi-frame or single-frame pictorial. Results replicated findings reported initially by Kalsher et al. (1999). When supplementary information was positive or not provided, participants directed more blame toward the parents of the young victim and less to the manufacturer. The opposite pattern was shown when negative supplementary inf...
Scanning electron microscopy of ticks for systematic studies: structure of Haller's organ in eight species of the subgenus Sternalixodes of the genus Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae).

Haller's organs of eight of nine known species of the subgenus Sternalixodes of the genus Ixodes were studied with scanning electron microscopy. The morphology of the organ is remarkably uniform throughout the subgenus. The major differences are in the prominence of the tarsal hump and the steepness of the tarsal hump walls. Comparisons are made with a similar study done previously on the subgenus Multidentatus . Results of this study support the validity of the subgenus Sternalixodes .
LOCAL FLORAS: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Summary The first serious flora written in America (Thomas Walter's Flora Caroliniana, 1788) was essentially a local flora, written by a plantation owner. Many subsequent early botanists were diverted away from local floras by the need of a general work (Thomas Nuttall, Amos Eaton, John Torrey, Asa Gray), but important local ones were also written (W. P. C. Barton, Jacob Bigelow, William Darlington). A majority of early botanists were Doctors of Medicine; smaller numbers were teachers, or belonged to other professions (e.g. Stephen Elliott, banker). Tabulation of state and local floras listed in Jackson's Guide to the Literature of Botany (1881) and Blake and Atwood's Geographical Guide to Floras of the World, Part, I (1942), and of works published since the 1939 closing date for entries in the latter, shows that more and better ones are being produced in mid 20th Century than ever before in American history, but coverage of the country is still very incomplete and uneven. Despite current dominance of non-floristic approaches to systematics, of other fields than systematics within botany, and of physical sciences over botany itself, the immediate future is likely to see continuation of the trend to more and better floras. The possible future history of local floras will end only if the entire human race is transported into outer space. General cultural conditions, economic factors, and world political problems will be important influences, but the surprising vigor of the anima naturaliter botanica in the face of difficulties in recent decades augurs very well for its future.
Multistage Fieldwork and Analytical Techniques

In an effort to operationalize recent advances in archaeological theory and technique, this paper presents a systematic organizational strategy for field investigations and artifact analysis. Four general principles are suggested that lead to productive archaeological research designs: the explicit combination of inductive and deductive reasoning, the utilization of programmatic and analytical feedback, the employment of probability sampling in a multistage framework, and the formulation of analytical techniques appropriate to assumptions underlying the research and to the hypotheses being tested. These principles and associated statistical methods are discussed as they have been applied to the investigation and analysis of the material from the eighth millennium early farming village of Cayonu in southeastern Turkey.
Qatari students’ pre-college experience with information literacy

Purpose – There’s little information available on Qatari students’ experience with information literacy. What little information does exists draws from outdated surveys and assumptions about the current population. The purpose of this paper is to describe how data collected from first-semester Qatari students who enrolled in a semester-long information literacy course at Carnegie Mellon University helped update perceptions of this population, drove changes made to content and instructional delivery, and enabled a reflective process for teaching and learning. Design/methodology/approach – Pre- and post-surveys completed by students explore Qatari students’ pre-college experience with information literacy concepts, using libraries, and writing. They also compare the students’ attitude toward information literacy before and after taking the course. Qatari students’ data were extracted from the overall student population to focus on this population and analyzed descriptively based on cumulative responses. The...