cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of B cell responses in allergy by histamine receptors

Histamine is a bioactive amine stored in mast cells and basophils and released upon antigen-specific IgE-dependent activation, mediating responses during allergic reactivity, including vasodilation, smooth muscle constriction and inflammatory cell recruitment. These are regulated through four receptors (H1R-H4R) that are differentially expressed on various cell types. Despite this, increasing evidence suggests that histamine can be produced during the priming phase of allergen responses, with H4R on dendritic cells being important for initiating Type 2 immunity. Here, we sought to determine the roles of these receptors in supporting antigen-specific B cell responses. Interestingly, our data demonstrates that both murine and human B cells only expressed H1R and H2R; these also showed differential expression levels on specific B cell subsets and upon activation. Using an Ovalbumin-alum (OVA-alum) model of allergic immunization, mice lacking H2R produced significantly lower levels of OVA-IgE, whereas mice lacking H1R were unaffected. Surprisingly, absence of both H1R and H2R (H1R/H2R DKO) exhibited undetectable levels of OVA-IgE. This was not due to T cell-intrinsic influences since restimulation of splenocytes from immunized H1R/H2R DKO mice showed that Th2 cytokine production was unaltered compared to WT. Instead, in vitro stimulation of B220+ B cells by αCD40 and IL-4 yielded significantly lower IgE production from H1R/H2R DKO mice than WT and defines a key requirement for these receptors in permitting B cells from generating IgE antibodies. Our data establishes a novel requirement for histamine, a molecule typically considered in regulating allergic responses, in supporting the generation of allergic sensitivity.
Perceived control and frailty: The role of affect and perceived health

Mechanisms underlying prospective associations of perceived control with frailty and other health outcomes are not well understood. In the present study we used 3 waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 2,127) to test potential psychological and biological pathways linking perceived control with frailty over an 8-year period, and whether 4-year change in control predicts frailty independent of initial control. Lower odds of increasing frailty were associated with higher initial levels of perceived control (odds ratio [OR] = .74, p < .001, 95% confidence interval [CI] [.65, .83]) and a more positive change in perceived control (OR = .82, p = .006, 95% CI [.73, .92]), independent of the personality traits neuroticism and conscientiousness. In cross-lagged mediation models, the association of initial perceived control with frailty was partially mediated by positive affect, negative affect, and self-rated health, but not C-reactive protein or allostatic load. Associations of perceived control with positive and negative affect were bidirectional, with mediation in both directions. Initial frailty status was not related to 4-year change in perceived control. Perceived control may affect frailty risk through influences on affective states as well as perceived health. Findings also extend evidence that changes in perceived control may be prognostic of future health outcomes in older adults. (PsycINFO Database Record
Electrically-triggered micro-explosion in a graphene/SiO 2 /Si structure

Electrically-triggered micro-explosions in a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure can fragment/atomize analytes placed on it, offering an interesting application potential for chip-scale implementation of atomic emission spectroscopy (AES). We have investigated the mechanisms of micro-explosions occurring in a graphene/SiO2/Si (GOS) structure under a high-field pulsed voltage drive. Micro-explosions are found to occur more readily in inversion bias than in accumulation bias. Explosion damages in inversion-biased GOS differ significantly between n-Si and p-Si substrate cases: a highly localized, circular, protruding cone-shape melt of Si for the n-Si GOS case, whereas shallow, irregular, laterally-propagating trenches in SiO2/Si for the p-Si GOS case. These differing damage morphologies are explained by different carrier-multiplication processes: in the n-Si case, impact ionization propagates from SiO2 to Si, causing highly-localized melt explosions of Si in the depletion region, whereas in the p-Si case, from SiO2 towards graphene electrode, resulting in laterally wide-spread micro-explosions. These findings are expected to help optimize the GOS-based atomizer structure for low voltage, small-volume analyte, high sensitivity chip-scale emission spectroscopy.
Laboratory Tests for Diagnosis of Chronic Periprosthetic Joint Infection Can Help Predict Outcomes of Two-Stage Exchange.

Background Although 2-stage exchange arthroplasty is the most effective treatment among available strategies for managing chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), rates of its success vary greatly. The purpose of our study was to examine whether objective measurements collected at the time of the diagnosis of PJI could be used to identify patients at risk of failure of 2-stage exchange. Methods We identified 205 patients across 4 institutions who underwent 2-stage exchange arthroplasty for the treatment of PJI following total hip or total knee arthroplasty. Demographic, surgical, and laboratory data were obtained for each patient from their medical chart. Laboratory values included serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level, synovial fluid white blood-cell (WBC) count and neutrophil percentage, synovial fluid and/or tissue culture, and Gram stain. Patients who underwent revision surgery for recurrent infection were considered to have failed the 2-stage procedure. Demographic, surgical, and laboratory variables were compared between the 2 groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to determine threshold cutoffs for significant laboratory values. Risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results Overall, 2-stage exchange was unsuccessful for 27.3% of the patients. Preoperative serum ESR (p = 0.035) and synovial fluid WBC count (p = 0.008) and neutrophil percentage (p = 0.041) were greater in patients with recurrent infection. ROC curve analysis revealed a threshold of >60,000 cells/μL for synovial fluid WBC count, >92% for synovial fluid WBC neutrophil percentage, and >99 mm/hr for serum ESR. Failure of 2-stage exchange was 2.5 times more likely for patients with an elevated preoperative synovial fluid WBC count, 2.0 times more likely for those with an elevated preoperative synovial fluid WBC neutrophil percentage, and 1.8 times more likely for those with an elevated preoperative serum ESR. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that a greater number of patients in whom 2-stage exchange arthroplasty ultimately failed had a preoperative synovial fluid WBC count of >60,000 cells/μL, a synovial fluid WBC neutrophil percentage of >92%, or a serum ESR of >99 mm/hr. Patients with elevated laboratory values had 1.8 to 2.5 times the risk of treatment failure. These data can serve as a clinical guideline to identify patients most at risk for failure of 2-stage exchange. Level of evidence Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
"Doctor, I have a Sulfa Allergy": Clarifying the Myths of Cross-Reactivity.

Our purpose is to present an evidence-based approach, directed primarily towards eye-care specialists, clarifying whether certain drugs should or should not be used in patients with sulfonamide allergy. We conducted a literature search using PubMed to identify the risk of ophthalmic-specific drugs in patients with a self-reported sulfonamide allergy. MeSH key words included “sulfonamide” and “hypersensitivity”. Articles specifically geared towards ophthalmic diseases were sought. The evidence illustrates that individuals with sulfonamide allergy are intrinsically predisposed to higher rates of allergic reaction that is not specific towards sulfonamide non-antimicrobials or sulfur-based medications. We provide a simplified algorithm using the 2017 Clinical Guide to Ophthalmic Drugs to help busy eye care clinicians determine whether a certain common ophthalmic medication is safe or unsafe to prescribe in a patient with a “sulfa allergy”.
Molecular cloning of a rhodopsin gene from salamander rods

PURPOSE: Salamander photoreceptor cells have been used widely as models in vision research. However, the salamander opsin genes had not been cloned. The purpose of this study was to clone a salamander rhodopsin and to determine its primary structure and cell type-specific expression. METHODS: Using salamander retina RNA as a template and Xenopus rhodopsin-specific oligonucleotides as primers, reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to amplify and clone a rhodopsin cDNA fragment. This fragment was used as a probe to isolate a full-length cDNA of the rhodopsin from a cDNA library of salamander retina. The dideoxynucleotide chain termination method was used to determine the nucleotide sequence. Single rod and cone cells were isolated by micromanipulation, and the absorbance spectra of the rod outer segments were measured with a photon-counting microspectrophotometer. Individual rod and cone cells were lysed for RT-PCR and Southern blot analysis to detect cell-specific expression of this gene. RESULTS: A 1.2 kb rhodopsin cDNA containing the full-length coding region of rhodopsin has been cloned and sequenced from the larval tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum. This cDNA encodes 354 amino acids that, by hydropathy profile, could form seven transmembrane domains characteristic of other rhodopsins. Sequence identity was found with other amphibian rhodopsins at the nucleic acid (82% to 83%) and the amino acid (88% to 89%) levels. Key amino acids critical for structure and function of rhodopsin have been retained. The mRNA of this rhodopsin was identified in red rod cells (lambda max 506 nm). No expression of the gene was detected in cone cells. CONCLUSIONS: The cloned rhodopsin is a newly isolated member of the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily. This protein is expressed in rods but not in cones.
Stress Wave and Phase Transformation Propagation at the Atomistic Scale in NiTi Shape Memory Alloys Subjected to Shock Loadings

A unique property of Nickel–Titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloys is their ability to dissipate the shock loading energy by two complementary mechanisms: (a) through deformation-induced phase transformations caused by the structural vibrations, and (b) through the phase transformations caused by the stress wave propagation in the material. Despite extensive research work on the former mechanism, the latter one is still highly unknown, particularly at the atomistic scale. In this paper, the phase transformation, and consequently the energy dissipation, caused by the propagation of stress waves in single-crystal and polycrystalline NiTi alloys under shock wave loadings are investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) method. The nanostructure and dynamic response of the material, when subjected to a shock loading, are studied at the atomistic level. The effects of various nanoscale properties, including the orientation of lattice with respect to the shock loading direction, average grain size, and the effect of grain boundaries on the stress wave propagation, phase transformation propagation, and the energy dissipation in polycrystalline NiTi alloys are studied.
Formalization Integrated Development Environments: The Current Landscape

Development Environments (F-IDEs) for specification and programming languages. Specifically we summarize the toolchains for some well-known languages in this category, and conclude with a summary of RESOLVESTUDIO, an F-IDE for the RESOLVE language.
How Research Informs Educational Technology Decision-Making in Higher Education: The Role of External Research versus Internal Research.

Research use in educational decision-making has been encouraged and well documented at the K-12 education level in the United States but not in higher education, or more specifically for educational technology. We conducted a qualitative study to investigate the role of research in decisions about acquiring and using educational technology for teaching and learning in higher education. Results from 45 interviews of decision-makers in higher education show that they engage in different types of research activities throughout the decision-making process, but that in most cases the research is lacking in methodological rigor. Externally-produced, scientifically-rigorous research was mentioned in less than 20% of interviews. Decision-makers often conduct their own internal investigations on educational technology products and strategies producing locally-relevant, but usually less-than rigorous, evidence to inform decisions about continuing use of the technology or scaling up.
Ponatinib treatment promotes arterial thrombosis and hyperactive platelets.

Key Points Ponatinib therapy heightens arterial thrombosis and platelet reactivity. Concurrent pioglitazone treatment reverses heightened thrombosis risk and platelet reactivity induced by ponatinib.
Genetic and Biochemical Analysis of CodY-Mediated Cell Aggregation in Staphylococcus aureus Reveals an Interaction between Extracellular DNA and Polysaccharide in the Extracellular Matrix.

ABSTRACT The global regulator CodY links nutrient availability to the regulation of virulence factor gene expression in Staphylococcus aureus, including many genes whose products affect biofilm formation. Antithetical phenotypes of both biofilm deficiency and accumulation have been reported for codY-null mutants; thus, the role of CodY in biofilm development remains unclear. codY mutant cells of a strain producing a robust biofilm elaborate proaggregation surface-associated features not present on codY mutant cells that do not produce a robust biofilm. Biochemical analysis of the clinical isolate SA564, which aggregates when deficient for CodY, revealed that these features are sensitive to nuclease treatment and are resistant to protease exposure. Genetic analyses revealed that disrupting lgt (the diacylglycerol transferase gene) in codY mutant cells severely weakened aggregation, indicating a role for lipoproteins in the attachment of the biofilm matrix to the cell surface. An additional and critical role of IcaB in producing functional poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PIA) polysaccharide in extracellular DNA (eDNA)-dependent biofilm formation was shown. Moreover, overproducing PIA is sufficient to promote aggregation in a DNA-dependent manner regardless of source of nucleic acids. Taken together, our results point to PIA synthesis as the primary determinant of biofilm formation when CodY activity is reduced and suggest a modified electrostatic net model for matrix attachment whereby PIA associates with eDNA, which interacts with the cell surface via covalently attached membrane lipoproteins. This work counters the prevailing view that polysaccharide- and eDNA/protein-based biofilms are mutually exclusive. Rather, we demonstrate that eDNA and PIA can work synergistically to form a biofilm. IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureus remains a global health concern and exemplifies the ability of an opportunistic pathogen to adapt and persist within multiple environments, including host tissue. Not only does biofilm contribute to persistence and immune evasion in the host environment, it also may aid in the transition to invasive disease. Thus, understanding how biofilms form is critical for developing strategies for dispersing biofilms and improving biofilm disease-related outcomes. Using biochemical, genetic, and cell biology approaches, we reveal a synergistic interaction between PIA and eDNA that promotes cell aggregation and biofilm formation in a CodY-dependent manner in S. aureus. We also reveal that envelope-associated lipoproteins mediate attachment of the biofilm matrix to the cell surface.
El proceso de planiﬁcación del desarrollo rural

Andalusia has a rich and varied experience in the application of rural development as proposed by the EU. The most recent Andalusian rural strategy for 2007–2013 offers a new experience in participative strategic planning. The main aim of this article is to show the methodology applied to develop this strategy. Our research can be divided into three parts. First of all, there is a presentation of the situation and the brief evolution of rural development. Secondly, the methodology used in the development is thoroughly described. To study this main issue in our research, it was necessary to design a complex process for the strategic formulation as the integration of partial strategic plans was required at different levels to reach the regional plan. Finally, conclusions are drawn and we also present ideas obtained from the analysis that could serve as good examples for other regions in similar situations.
Sub-Doppler Cooling and Compressed Trapping of YO Molecules at μ K Temperatures

Complex molecular structure demands customized solutions to laser cooling by extending its general set of principles and practices. Compared with other laser-cooled molecules, yttrium monoxide (YO) exhibits a large electron-nucleus interaction, resulting in a dominant hyperfine interaction over the electron spin-rotation coupling. The YO ground state is thus comprised of two manifolds of closely spaced states, with one of them possessing a negligible Lande g factor. This unique energy level structure favors dual-frequency dc magneto-optical trapping (MOT) and gray molasses cooling (GMC). We report exceptionally robust cooling of YO at 4 μK over a wide range of laser intensity, detunings (one- and two-photon), and magnetic field. The magnetic insensitivity enables the spatial compression of the molecular cloud by alternating GMC and MOT under the continuous operation of the quadrupole magnetic field. A combination of these techniques produces a laser-cooled molecular sample with the highest phase space density in free space.
Design and Simulation of an S-Band Relativistic Inverted Magnetron

A high-power relativistic inverted magnetron oscillator (IMO) operating in the S-band is designed and numerically simulated using the massively parallel electromagnetic particle-in-cell code [improved concurrent electromagnetic particle-in-cell code (ICEPIC)]. This inverted magnetron is designed for optimum operation at ~2.5 GHz for magnetic fields ranging from 0.09 to 0.15 T and voltages extending from ~190 to 360 kV. Simulations in the above mentioned voltage/magnetic field range predict a device capable of operating in a single dominant $\pi $ mode with little to no mode competition, fast startup times, and high output power exceeding 500 MW in many cases sampled. This design eliminates a common source of energy loss in standard relativistic magnetrons and downstream end-loss current. The IMO also eliminates the need for extended waveguide structures and combiners common for magnetrons that require radial RF extraction. This is done by radiating RF energy axially through the use of a dual-ring radiator. The dual-ring radiator excites the TM01 mode in a single downstream waveguide that maybe then directed toward an antenna. The S-band IMO-simulated RF output power efficiencies are typically near 15% with RF output power ranging from 250 MW to ~1 GW at the highest voltages sampled. ICEPIC models show key segments of the design that may undergo excessive electromagnetic field stress during saturation. Such stress may ultimately lead to plasma formation and performance degradation; however, this may be mitigated via alternate materials, voltage derating, and further design refinement. In the simulation, the S-band IMO exhibits stable, robust, and reliable performance in the desired mode over a range of voltages and magnetic fields.
Testing children’s knowledge of generic null pronouns

In this paper, I discuss an experiment conducted with children acquiring Brazilian Portuguese (BP) as their native language. The experiment was designed to test if Brazilian children understand that the null subject in impersonal structures has the generic reading in BP instead of the referential one. The experiment consisted of a Truth-Value Judgement Task (TVJT). The results show that children as young as 4 years of age understand the null subject in impersonals as generic. Based on a study showing that a 2-year-old child acquiring Estonian already produces null impersonals (TORN-LEESIK; VIJA, 2012), it is possible that children acquiring BP correctly assign the generic reading to a null pronoun in impersonal constructions before the age of 4. I propose that this knowledge could be tested in children younger than 4 using the Intermodal Preferential-Looking (IPL) paradigm (GOLINKOFF et al .,1987; NAIGLES; TOVAR, 2012), a method more suitable than the TVJT to test children that are very young. --- Original in English.
Multiple Temporal and Semantic Processes During Verbal Fluency Tasks in English-Russian Bilinguals

Category fluency test (CFT) performance is sensitive to cognitive processes of executive control and memory storage and access, and widely used to measure cognitive performance especially in early Alzheimer’s Disease. Analytical variables have included the number of items named, and various methods to identify and quantify clusters of semantically related words and cluster switches. Also encoded in the response sequence are temporal patterns as shown by “bursts” of responses and pauses between items, that have not been received attention in determining cluster characteristics. We studied a group of 51 adult Russian-English bilinguals and compared CFT responses based on two clustering methodologies: the semantic-based method (SEM) and a novel method based on the time interval between words (TEMP) with 8 different intercall time thresholds from 0.25 sec-15 sec. Each participant performed the task in both languages. Total number of words and cluster count was greater in Russian than English for both scoring methods, but cluster size did not differ between languages. We also studied stochastic modeling characteristics based on detrending of the “exponential exhaustion” effect seen with CFT, with most notable that total recall capacity (N¥) was greater in Russian than English (P
Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Common Small Ruminant Parasites

External parasites of small ruminants include lice, keds and mange mites. They cause pruritus, fleece damage, and in some instances blood loss anemia. The most important internal parasite of sheep and goats is Haemonchus, a blood sucking strongyle that can kill animals on contaminated pasture in a matter of weeks. Overuse of dewormers has caused the development of parasite resistance, and currently recommended programs emphasize selective treatment and eventual culling of animals that show severe clinical signs. Untreated animals are left in the herd to provide unselected parasites in refugia. Other strongyle species contribute to production loss by causing weight loss and diarrhea. Tapeworms are of minimal clinical importance but, regionally, liver flukes cause ill thrift or death. Fencing off ponds and stream is often more effective than deworming for fluke control. In regions where whitetail deer abound on pastures, the meningeal worm Parelaphostrongylus tenuis causes neurologic disease and sporadic losses of small ruminants and guard llamas.
Inkjet-Based 3D Printing: From Quantum Dots to Steel Tools

Inkjet-based additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are highly versatile among manufacturing processes due to their ability to shape any material in powder or ink form. The two inkjet-based AM technologies are binder jetting and material jetting, and as each of their names suggest, the former uses inkjet to deposit binder into the actual build material and the latter uses inkjet to deposit the actual build material. With each of these technologies comes unique opportunities in the form of embedding functional components within the build, creating material gradients within parts by selectively layering feedstocks, shaping non-weldable materials, and creating low-cost tooling with conformal cooling channels. Dr. Amy Elliott at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has explored a variety of materials and approaches with inkjet-based manufacturing technologies, focusing on industry-relevant applications such as injection molding tooling and mining drills.
Research and Documentation in the 21st Century: Oral History and Genealogy of the Yuan Shikai Family

The oral histories and genealogies have long been used by historians, archaeologists, sociologists, ethnologists, and demographers in their investigation of past human behavior on social and historical evidences relating to a lineage organization or a clan. Chinese genealogical records has been used for thousands of years to record the genealogical history of a family, including a family's origin, its subordinate lines, names and ages of the members, records of marriages, births and deaths, merits and deeds, and in early days brief biographical information of solely the male family members. This paper will examine the history of Chinese names and the genealogical records for jiapu. It details the significance of Chinese names and introduces the types of Chinese names and their meanings, followed by the history and development of surnames, clan names, and generation names. The highlight of paper includes the oral history and genealogy of the Xiangcheng 項城 Yuan family tracing to the lineage of Yuan Shikai, the first President of the Republic of China. In this genealogical study, the author examines the genealogical chart of the Yuan family on iron plate (Yuan Shi Tie Pai Jiapu 袁氏鐵牌家 譜) and the stone tablet in the Yuan Family Chapel (Yuan Shi Jia Miao Bei 袁氏家廟碑) based on their value, functions, and importance. The Yuan genealogy was identified as a source for the study of Chinese genealogies in relation to the Chinese polygamy, family structure, demography, economic conditions, generational orders, and social and political studies. The paper ends with the library documentation, preservation, and research in the 21 st century focusing on the importance of Chinese family history and genealogical research for jiapu 家谱. A selected bibliography about the Yuan Shikai family is included at the end for further readings. Highlights
Circular dichroism studies of chymotrypsin and its derivatives. Correlation of changes in dichroic bands with deacylation.

Abstract The kinetics of the deacylation of trimethylacetyl chymotrypsin were followed by direct observation of changes in the circular dichroism spectrum of the enzymic protein itself. These changes result either from an alteration of the protein conformation or from direct perturbation of aromatic or cystinyl residues in the active site of the enzyme.
Osteochondroma of the mandibular coronoid process. Report of a case.

Abstract The seventeenth reported osteochondroma of the mandibular coronoid process was treated by wide surgical excision. Etiologic considerations, diagnostic parameters, and surgical management of this lesion are reviewed. The potential malignant transformation to chondrosarcoma requires an early, accurate diagnosis and a definitive therapeutic course.
VHDL descriptions of adaptive sample rate notch filters

Adaptive sample rate filtering has been shown to be an efficient and effective method of removing narrowband interference from broadband communication signals. A VHDL description of the algorithm is proposed. VHDL descriptions of algorithms can be more intuitive to the designer than schematic capture programs and with high level synthesis tools, the transition to circuit-level design is facilitated. VHDL makes testing multiple architectures easier and one can readily retarget different technologies. A comparison between the adaptive sample rate technique and the traditional method of adaptation in which filter coefficients are adapted provides a measure of the advantages of the adaptive sample rate technique.
β-Adrenergic blockers.

KEY POINTS AND PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS: • β-Blockers are appropriate treatment for patients with hypertension and those who have concomitant ischemic heart disease, heart failure, obstructive cardiomyopathy, or certain arrhythmias. • β-Blockers can be used in combination with other antihypertensive drugs to achieve maximal blood pressure control. Labetalol can be used in hypertensive emergencies and urgencies. • β-Blockers may be useful in patients having hyperkinetic circulation (palpitations, tachycardia, hypertension, and anxiety), migraine headache, and essential tremor. • β-Blockers are highly heterogeneous with respect to various pharmacologic effects: degree of intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, membrane-stabilizing activity, β(1) selectivity, α(1) -adrenergic-blocking effect, tissue solubility, routes of systemic elimination, potencies and duration of action, and specific effects may be important in the selection of a drug for clinical use. • β-Blocker usage to reduce perioperative ischemia and cardiovascular complications may not benefit as many patients as was once hoped and may actually cause harm in some individuals. Currently the best evidence supports β-blocker use in two patient groups: patients undergoing vascular surgery with known ischemic heart disease or multiple risk factors for it and for patients already receiving β-blockers for known cardiovascular conditions.
Cartography with accelerators: Locating fermions in extra dimensions at future lepton colliders

In the model of Arkani-Hamed and Schmaltz the various chiral fermions of the standard model are localized at different points on a thick wall which forms an extra dimension. Such a scenario provides a way of understanding the absence of proton decay and the fermion mass hierarchy in models with extra dimensions. In this paper we explore the capability of future lepton colliders to determine the location of these fermions in the extra dimension through precision measurements of conventional scattering processes both below and on top of the lowest lying Kaluza-Klein gauge boson resonance. We show that for some classes of models the locations of these fermions can be very precisely determined while in others only their relative positions can be well measured.
Acyl Coenzyme A-binding Protein Augments Bid-induced Mitochondrial Damage and Cell Death by Activating μ-Calpain

Activation of calpain has been shown to occur in some contexts of cell injury and to be essential for loss of cell viability. Part of this may be mediated at the mitochondrial level. It has been demonstrated that calpain activity is necessary for the complete discharge of apoptosis-inducing factor from the mitochondrial intermembrane space and can cause the cleavage of full-length Bid to a more potent truncated form (Polster, B. M., Basanez, G., Etxebarria, A., Hardwick, J. M., and Nicholls, D. G. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 6447-6454). In this study, we identify acyl-CoA-binding protein (ACBP) as playing a critical role in the activation of calpain upon exposure of mitochondria to both full-length Bid and truncated Bid (t-Bid). Suppression of ACBP levels by small interfering RNA inhibited the t-Bid-induced activation of mitochondrial μ-calpain and release of apoptosis-inducing factor from the mitochondrial intermembrane space and the cleavage of full-length Bid to t-Bid. Moreover, ACBP required the presence of the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (for which ACBP is a ligand) to be retained at the mitochondria, to activate μ-calpain, and to amplify Bid-induced mitochondrial damage.
Scalable Fabrication of Self-Aligned Graphene Transistors and Circuits on Glass

Graphene transistors are of considerable interest for radio frequency (rf) applications. High-frequency graphene transistors with the intrinsic cutoff frequency up to 300 GHz have been demonstrated. However, the graphene transistors reported to date only exhibit a limited extrinsic cutoff frequency up to about 10 GHz, and functional graphene circuits demonstrated so far can merely operate in the tens of megahertz regime, far from the potential the graphene transistors could offer. Here we report a scalable approach to fabricate self-aligned graphene transistors with the extrinsic cutoff frequency exceeding 50 GHz and graphene circuits that can operate in the 1–10 GHz regime. The devices are fabricated on a glass substrate through a self-aligned process by using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown graphene and a dielectrophoretic assembled nanowire gate array. The self-aligned process allows the achievement of unprecedented performance in CVD graphene transistors with a highest transconductance of 0.36 m...
Ammonia versus urea-treated silages with varying urea in concentrate.

Abstract In four factorial experiments, 96 lactating Holstein cows averaging 100 days postpartum were fed corn silage (21 to 31% dry matter) ad libitum treated with aqueous ammonia (.3 to .4%) or urea (.5 to .7%). Concentrates fed at 1 kg/3 kg milk contained 0, .7, or 1.4% urea in Experiment 1 and 0 or 1.4% in Experiments 2, 3, and 4. Following 14-day pretreatment, experimental rations were fed for 65 days in Experiment 1 and 84 days in Experiments 2, 3, and 4. Urea in grain and urea in silage depressed intakes of silage and total dry matter. Milk persistencies were lowered only by the diet containing urea in both grain and silage. Bodyweight changes, percent milk fat, and feed efficiencies were not altered significantly by treatments.
Severity of AIDS and the response to EPO in uremia.

Abstract To determine the factors that govern their response to erythropoietin (EPO), we conducted a cross-sectional study of all patients in four outpatient hemodialysis facilities in Brooklyn, NY, who had end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and were receiving recombinant EPO. We also compared the hematocrit and EPO requirements of these patients to those of a control group of hemodialysis patients without HIV infection. We documented known duration of HIV infection, and total CD 4 count was measured once. In both groups, hematocrit was measured weekly for 5 weeks and a mean value calculated for each subject. Transferrin saturation was measured twice and a mean value calculated for each subject. Intensity of hemodialysis was assessed by measuring both percent reduction of urea and serum albumin concentration twice; mean values were calculated for each subject. Twenty-nine (88%) of 33 study subjects had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Mean known duration of HIV infection was 49 ± 32.5 months (median, 48 months), and mean total CD 4 count was 143 ± 152.4 cells/mm 3 (median, 72 cells/mm 3 ). Mean hematocrit in the study subjects was 27.4% ± 4.7% compared with 27.6% ± 3.7% in the controls ( P = 0.69). Mean thrice-weekly EPO dose was higher in the study subjects (90 ± 52 U/kg body weight) than in the controls (62 ± 36 U/Kg body weight) ( P = 0.001). Among the study subjects, hematocrit had direct univariate correlations with serum albumin concentration ( r = 0.43; P = 0.02), transferrin saturation ( r = 0.4; P = 0.03), and percent reduction of urea ( r = 0.4; P = 0.02), but not with total CD 4 count ( r = −0.05; P = 0.8) or known duration of HIV infection ( r = −0.11; P = 0.55). There was an inverse correlation between hematocrit and dose of EPO ( r = −0.5; P = 0.003). Multiple regression analysis showed that transferrin saturation ( P = 0.01) and percent reduction of urea ( P = 0.003) had direct correlations with hematocrit after adjustment for other factors. There was an inverse relationship between hematocrit and dose of EPO ( P = 0.0006). We conclude that in patients with ESRD and HIV infection receiving hemodialysis, the response to EPO (hematocrit) is modulated by the dose of EPO, quantity of hemodialysis, and transferrin saturation, but not by the severity of HIV disease. Hemodialysis patients infected with HIV receive a higher dose of EPO than those without HIV infection.
Self-quenched InGaAs single-photon detector

The requirement for external quenching circuits adds substantially to the complexity and processing difficulty for InGaAs single-photon detectors, particularly in array configurations. Using bandgap engineering, we have developed InGaAs SPADs with self-quenching and self-recovering capabilities. The quenching process occurs in less than 100 ps, determined by the gain buildup time and the magnitude of device overbias. On the other hand, the recovery time is determined by the carrier escape time over an energy barrier that is typically tens of meVs. The recovery time can range from 1 ns to > 100 ns from the design of device and material structures. The optimal recovery time is a function of dark count rate and afterpulsing rate. Our data show that a recovery time of around 10 ns is near the optimum in most operation conditions. The self-quenched SPADs also show great suppression in excess noise, yielding a very uniform intensity distribution of output response to single photons. This unique property favors resolving photon number in an array device. As in conventional InGaAs SPADs, the single-photon detection efficiency increases with the amount of overbias (bias above breakdown voltage) and so does the dark count rate. A detection efficiency of 13-16% is obtained while still keeping the dark count and afterpulsing rates low. To our knowledge, the self-quenched InGaAs SPAD is the only device in its class to be able to operate under DC bias without gating or external circuits. As a result, the device is particularly suitable for array structures often used in communications, sensing, and imaging.
Sea-land transitions in isopods: pattern of symbiont distribution in two species of intertidal isopods Ligia pallasii and Ligia occidentalis in the Eastern Pacific

Studies of microbial associations of intertidal isopods in the primitive genus Ligia (Oniscidea, Isopoda) can help our understanding of the formation of symbioses during sea-land transitions, as terrestrial Oniscidean isopods have previously been found to house symbionts in their hepatopancreas. Ligia pallasii and Ligia occidentalis co-occur in the high intertidal zone along the Eastern Pacific with a large zone of range overlap and both species showing patchy distributions. In 16S rRNA clone libraries mycoplasma-like bacteria (Firmicutes), related to symbionts described from terrestrial isopods, were the most common bacteria present in both host species. There was greater overall microbial diversity in Ligia pallasii compared with L. occidentalis. Populations of both Ligia species along an extensive area of the eastern Pacific coastline were screened for the presence of mycoplasma-like symbionts with symbiont-specific primers. Symbionts were present in all host populations from both species but not in all individuals. Phylogenetically, symbionts of intertidal isopods cluster together. Host habitat, in addition to host phylogeny appears to influence the phylogenetic relation of symbionts.
The role of the physician in mobile emergency systems

Physician involvement in developing a mobile emergency system should include planning, public education, training of support personnel, staffing of emergency departments and "on-line" supervision of EMTs and paramedic personnel. A qualified emergency physician must be available for radio consultation. The physician must be familiar with community resources cognizant of the paramedics' abilities and problems, and comfortable in the use of communications equipment. The protocols for such communication are discussed and examples of intercommunication between physician and paramedic are furnished.
Glass Ceilings and 100-Hour Couples: What the Opt-Out Phenomenon Can Teach Us About Work and Family, by Karine Moe and Dianna Shandy. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 2010. 215 pp. ISBN-13: 978-0-8203-3404-2 (pbk.). US$19.95.

In 2003, the New York Times Magazine published “The Opt-Out Revolution,” an article by Lisa Belkin based on interviews with a number of highly educated, successful women who had “opted out” of the ...
Scintillation Counters in Rockets and Satellites

The known and conjectured particle populations in space are reviewed. The role of scintillation counters in obtaining the present knowledge and their possible use in extending this knowledge are discussed. The detectors in Satellite 1958 Epsilon (Explorer IV) and an auroral rocket instrumentation are described in detail.
The Impact of a College Course Where Pre-Service Teachers and Peers With Intellectual Disabilities Study Together

In 2006, the authors’ college joined the ranks of those offering programs for young adults with intellectual disabilities on campus. The program includes several inclusive courses in which typical students study together with their peers with intellectual disabilities. This article describes how 12 pre-service teachers who participated in an inclusive liberal learning understood their experience. The analysis of interviews with these pre-service teachers suggests that they emerged from the course with a commitment to the idea that students with intellectual disabilities have a right to a challenging liberal education. Most emerged with a stronger commitment to inclusive teaching practice and felt that the use of small group activities and discussions was the best way to build classroom community, create relationships among participants, and maximize learning. All of the interviewed pre-service teachers considered this course a positive academic experience.
Theoretical neutrino physics

I review the interpretation of the recent beautiful neutrino oscillation data, in particular the major breakthrough in the solar neutrino problem. Then I list the Seven Questions in neutrino physics and how we may address them in the future. In the end I try to put the neutrino masses and mixings in the context of the question of flavor, and conclude. PACS: 14.60.Pq Neutrino mass and mixing
Development of a carbon-coated, central-hinging, bileaflet valve☆

Between April 1963 and January 1966, 86 patients at the University of Wisconsin Hospital underwent aortic or mitral valve replacement, or both, with a carbon-coated, central-hinging, bileaflet valve. A 25-year follow-up has been obtained on 43 of these patients discharged with an aortic prosthesis, 13 patients discharged with a mitral prosthesis, and 2 patients discharged with double prostheses. The mean implantation time was 7.2 years, 9.0 years, and 9.5 years, respectively. The longest aortic valve implantation time was 24.2 years in a patient who had her bileaflet valve prophylactically replaced, and the longest mitral implantation time is 24 years in a patient who is doing well with her original prosthesis. We are not aware of any patient among the approximately 700 receiving this valve around the world who has developed fatigue-failure of the silicone-impregnated Teflon fabric leaflet. This valve has demonstrated unexpected durability and has provided some design and biomaterial concepts that are used in a number of current prosthetic valves.
Unexpected dystocia secondary to a fetal sacrococcygeal teratoma: a successful outcome

Sacrococcygeal teratoma is a rare cause of dystocia. With recent advances in perinatal care, particularly the increasing use of maternal ultrasound, it is unlikely that unexpected dystocia secondary to this tumor will be seen by many physicians. Recent reports of this type of dystocia are rare and infant mortality secondary to it is high. However, if and when encountered, such dystocia need not imply a bad prognosis for either mother or infant. This is a report of successful management of one case as well as a presentation of recently reported cases and recommendations for management.
Distortion invariant object recognition by matching hierarchically labeled graphs

A graph-matching process of object recognition is proposed. It is applied to face recognition. Gray-level images are represented by a resolution hierarchy of local Gabor components, which are all scaled and rotated versions of each other. The components centered on one image point form a Gabor jet. A single jet provides a distortion-insensitive local representation of part of an image. Object recognition is achieved by matching image point jets to jets in stored prototype patterns. For a selected image jet the best matches are determined, under a constraint preserving spatial arrangement. The procedure amounts to labeled graph matching, with Gabor jets forming labels to nodes and topology determining links. A contrast-insensitive similarity measure provides for invariance with respect to lighting conditions. The authors have formulated the matching procedure as an optimization task solved by diffusion of match points. This diffusion is controlled by a potential determined by jet similarity and the topology-preserving constraint. The algorithm implements a neural network architecture. >
Remote Sensing of Surface and Cloud Properties in the Arctic from AVHRR Measurements

Abstract Algorithms to retrieve cloud optical depth and effective radius in the Arctic using Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data are developed, using a comprehensive radiative transfer model in which the atmosphere is coupled to the snowpack. For dark surfaces AVHRR channel 1 is used to derive visible cloud optical depth, while for bright surfaces AVHRR channel 2 is used. Independent inference of cloud effective radius from AVHRR channel 3 (3.75 μm) allows for derivation cloud liquid water path (proportional to the product of optical depth and effective radius), which is a fundamental parameter of the climate system. The algorithms are based on the recognition that the reflection function of clouds at a nonabsorbing wavelength (such as AVHRR channel 1) in the solar spectrum is primarily a function of cloud optical thickness, whereas the reflection function at a liquid water absorbing wavelength (such as AVHRR channel 3) is primarily a function of cloud particle size. For water clouds ove...
Representations for the bivariate product limit estimators and the bootstrap versions

Let F(s, t) = P(X > s, Y > t) be the bivariate survival function which is subject to random censoring. Let Fn(s, t) be the bivariate product limit estimator (PL-estimator) by Campbell and Foldes (1982, Proceedings International Colloquium on Non-parametric Statistical Inference, Budapest 1980, North-Holland, Amsterdam). In this paper, it was shown that Fn(s, t) − F(s, t) = n−1 Σi = 1n ζi(s, t) + Rn(s, t), where {ζi(s, t)} is i.i.d. mean zero process and Rn(s, t) is of the order O((n−1log n)34) a.s. uniformly on compact sets. Weak convergence of the process {n−1 Σi = 1n ζi(s, t)} to a two-dimensional-time Gaussian process is shown. The covariance structure of the limiting Gaussian process is also given. Corresponding results are also derived for the bootstrap estimators. The result can be extended to the multivariate cases and are extensions of the univariate case of Lo and Singh (1986, Probab. Theory Relat. Fields, 71, 455–465). The estimator Fn(s, t) is also modified so that the modified estimator is closer to the true survival function than Fn(s, t) in supnorm.
A Partial (and Speculative) Reconstruction of the Biological Basis of Emotionality

It is argued that Mason and Capitanio (2012) are not clear on what would count as a “basic emotion,” and their reconstruction appears more geared toward emotionality in general. Their notion that species-typical outcome is the criterion of basicness requires making speculative assumptions about what is expected and average. Suggestions about an epigenetic approach to social construction of emotionality are also offered.