cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Local winter deer density: Effects of forest structure and snow in a managed forest landscape

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are a ‘keystone herbivore’ with the potential to cause tree regeneration failure and greatly affect vegetation dynamics, stand structure and ecological function of forests across eastern North America. In northern mixed conifer-hardwood forests, local winter-time deer populations are dependent on habitat characterized by patterns of forest cover that provide shelter from snow and cold temperatures (lowland conifer stands) in close proximity to winter food (deciduous hardwood stands). Stand structure may also influence winter spatial deer distribution. Consequently, modification of forest cover patterns and stand structure by timber harvesting will affect local spatial deer distributions, with potential ecological and economic consequences. Here, we ask if forest cover pattern and stand structure, and their interactions with snow depth, can explain winter deer density in the managed forests of the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA. For each local winter deer density estimate (from fecal pellet counts) we calculate stand-level characteristics for surrounding ‘landscapes of influence’ of radius 200 m. For these data, and modeled snow depth estimates, we use multivariate techniques to produce predictive models and to identify the most important factors driving local deer densities across our 400,000 ha study area. Distance to the nearest conifer stand consistently explains the most variance in univariate regression models. Deer densities are highest near lowland conifer stands in areas where mean hardwood tree diameter-at-breast-height is low. Multiple regression models including these factors explain 22% of variance in deer density and have up to a 65% chance of correctly ranking a site’s deer density (relative to other sites within our study area). We use model ensembles to produce maps of estimated deer density (and associated uncertainty) for a subset of our study area and show how managers might use these maps to aid co-management of deer and forest regeneration. Our results highlight the importance of local and regional factors (forest cover-type pattern, stand structure, climate) on winter white-tailed deer density in managed hardwood-conifer forests. Use of these results, and the simulation model being developed, will help identify management practices that can decrease deer impacts and ensure the ecological and economic sustainability of forests in which deer browse is proving problematic for tree regeneration.
Encapsulation of BSA using a modified W/O/O emulsion solvent removal method

A systematic investigation of protein encapsulation in polylactic-co-glycolic-acid (PLGA) was carried out using the formation of a w/o/o emulsion followed by solvent removal. Various factors were studied, including composition of the suspension medium and the relative amounts of aqueous phase containing protein to polymer solution. High yields of microsphere fabrication were achieved by using silicon oil containing methylene chloride as a suspension medium instead of pure silicon oil, with minimal loss of polymer and protein drug (<2%). The amount of aqueous phase influenced the process and successful encapsulation was obtained if the volume ratios of aqueous phase to polymer solution were less than 5% (v/v) at a wide range of polymer concentration (2-15% g ml-1). Protein encapsulation by this w/o/o emulsion and solvent removal method has a high yield of microsphere fabrication and protein encapsulation (98%). In addition, it provides an easy way to control the release rate of protein encapsulated in microspheres by modulating their porosity in fabrication process.
Genetic modifiers of the severity of sickle cell anemia identified through a genome‐wide association study

We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to discover single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the severity of sickle cell anemia in 1,265 patients with either “severe” or “mild” disease based on a network model of disease severity. We analyzed data using single SNP analysis and a novel SNP set enrichment analysis (SSEA) developed to discover clusters of associated SNPs. Single SNP analysis discovered 40 SNPs that were strongly associated with sickle cell severity (odds for association >1,000); of the 32 that we could analyze in an independent set of 163 patients, five replicated, eight showed consistent effects although failed to reach statistical significance, whereas 19 did not show any convincing association. Among the replicated associations are SNPs in KCNK6 a K+ channel gene. SSEA identified 27 genes with a strong enrichment of significant SNPs (P < 10−6); 20 were replicated with varying degrees of confidence. Among the novel findings identified by SSEA is the telomere length regulator gene TNKS. These studies are the first to use GWAS to understand the genetic diversity that accounts the phenotypic heterogeneity sickle cell anemia as estimated by an integrated model of severity. Additional validation, resequencing, and functional studies to understand the biology and reveal mechanisms by which candidate genes might have their effects are the future goals of this work. Am. J. Hematol., 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Flat optics: Controlling wavefronts with optical antenna metasurfaces

Conventional optical components rely on the propagation effect to control the phase and polarization of light beams. One can instead exploit abrupt phase and polarization changes associated with scattered light from optical resonators to control light propagation. In this talk, we discuss the optical responses of anisotropic plasmonic antennas and a new class of planar optical components (“metasurfaces”) based on arrays of these antennas. To demonstrate the versatility of metasurfaces, we show the design and experimental realization of a number of flat optical components: (a) metasurfaces with a constant interfacial phase gradient that deflect light into arbitrary directions; (b) metasurfaces with spiral phase distributions that create optical vortex beams of well-defined orbital angular momentum; (c) planar lenses and axicons that generate spherical wavefronts and non-diffracting Bessel beams, respectively; and (d) metasurfaces with anisotropic optical responses that create light beams of arbitrary polarization over a wide wavelength range.
Scavenger receptors in neurobiology and neuropathology: their role on microglia and other cells of the nervous system.

Scavenger receptor class A (SR-A, CD204), scavenger receptor-BI (SR-BI), and CD36 are cell surface proteins that mediate cell adhesion to, and endocytosis of, various native and pathologically modified substances, and participate in intracellular signaling, lipid metabolism, and host defense against bacterial pathogens. Microglia, Mato cells, astrocytes, cerebral microvascular endothelial cells, cerebral arterial smooth muscle cells, and retinal pigment epithelial cells express one or more of these SR. Expression of SR-A and SR-BI by microglia is developmentally regulated. Neonatal microglia express SR-A and SR-BI, while microglia in normal mouse and human adult brain express neither. Astrocytes in adult brain express SR-BI. In Alzheimer's disease, microglial expression of SR-A is increased. Such findings, and evidence that SR-A and SR-BI mediate adhesion and endocytosis of fibrillar beta-amyloid by microglia and astrocytes, respectively, and that SR-A, SR-BI, and CD36 participate in secretion of reactive oxygen species by microglia, suggest roles for these receptors in homeostasis and neuropathology.
Attentional control during the transient updating of cue information

The goal of the present study was to investigate the neural correlates of top-down control of switching behavior in humans and to contrast them to those observed during switching behavior guided by bottom-up mechanisms. In the main experimental condition (color-cue), which was guided by top-down control, a central cue indicated the color of a peripheral grating on which the subject performed an orientation judgment. For switch trials, the color of the cue on the current trial was different from the color on the previous trial. For non-switch trials, the color of the cue on the current trial was the same as the color in the preceding trial. During a control condition (pop-out), which was guided by bottom-up saliency, the target grating was defined by color contrast; again both switch and non-switch trials occurred. We observed stronger evoked responses during the color-cue task relative to the pop-out task in the inferior parietal lobule (IPL), frontal eye field (FEF), middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). The contrast of switch vs. non-switch trials revealed activations in regions that were engaged when there was a change in the identity of the target. Collectively, switch trials evoked stronger responses relative to non-switch trials in fronto-parietal regions that appeared to be left lateralized, including left intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and left MFG/IFG. Task by trial type interactions (switch>non-switch during color-cue relative to pop-out) were observed in several fronto-parietal regions, including IPS, FEF, MFG and IFG, in addition to regions in visual cortex. Our findings suggest that, within the fronto-parietal attentional network, the IPS and MFG/IFG appear to be most heavily involved in attentive cue updating. Furthermore, several visual regions engaged by oriented gratings were strongly affected by cue updating, raising the possibility that they were the recipient of top-down signals that were generated when cue information was updated.
Effects of an Argon Laser on the Crystalline Properties and Rate of Dissolution in Acid of Tooth Enamel in the Presence of Sodium Fluoride

Upon exposure to laser radiation, enamel powder mixed with NaF underwent an increase in crystallite size and/or perfection with a significant uptake of fluoride. Incisor teeth lased in the presence of NaF released significantly less calcium and phosphorus into sodium acetate (pH 4.0) compared with unlased controls, suggesting a possible role for the laser in caries prevention.
Initial altitude of the micrometeor phenomenon: Comparison between Arecibo radar observations and theory

[1] We present calculations of the altitude at which the micrometeor phenomenon begins, that is, the point where the interaction between micrometeoroids and the Earth's atmosphere becomes important. At these altitudes, physical processes such as light emission, heating, electron production, etc., begin to occur. The calculations are performed using four very different initial height models including (1) solving the full integration of the single-body meteor equations, (2) using a balance between the loss of momentum and the component of the acceleration due to gravity along the meteor trajectory, (3) using a solution that emanates from a “linearized” form of the meteor energy equation but without including either atmosphere or meteoroid radiation emission effects, and finally (4) utilizing a solution of the meteor energy equation that is specifically approximated for small particles. We compare our evaluated theoretical results with direct micrometeor observations detected using the 430 MHz Arecibo Observatory (AO) radar system. The goal of these calculations is to provide reliable initial conditions in order to completely model the AO micrometeor observations, most of which have nearly constant decelerations. The nature of this study, although performed with already existing theoretical formulations, is of unprecedented value because it is the first study where these models are directly compared against very highly resolved micrometeor velocity and altitude distributions that are derived directly from the radar observations. We found that the meteor energy equation approximated for small particles agrees very well with the radar observations, in particular for meteor melting temperatures of the order of 2100 K and entry angles lower than 30° with respect to the radar beam normal direction. Unfortunately, from this model the composition characteristics of the particles detected by the AO radar cannot conclusively be drawn. However, comparison with the calculation of the penetration height of meteoroids reported by ReVelle (2005a) suggests that chondritic material seem to be the best candidate to explain the observed penetration of these particles in the mesosphere. Calculation of the light emission and electron density production of the meteor are also presented and discussed.
Contextual factors related to the drinking behaviors of American business and professional women

American women in business and professional occupations (n = 453) completed a survey that included questions on alcohol use, drinking context, and work and other activities. Spouses' and best friends' consumption and subjects' frequency in drinking settings correlated with their consumption and negative consequences of alcohol use. Multiple regression analyses indicated that predictor variables for consumption were frequency in drinking settings, a measure of three personal motives for drinking, age, and number of organization memberships. Predictor variables for negative consequences were subject's consumption, spouse's drinking, frequency in drinking settings, and age. The results suggest that social context may be important in understanding women's drinking. Variables directly related to drinking, such as time spent in drinking situations, are correlated with increased drinking, while other contextual variables, such as membership in organizations, may play a preventive role. Language: en
The solution structure of Bacillus anthracis dihydrofolate reductase yields insight into the analysis of structure-activity relationships for novel inhibitors.

There is a significant need for new therapeutics to treat infections caused by the biodefense agent Bacillus anthracis. In pursuit of drug discovery against this organism, we have developed novel propargyl-linked inhibitors that target the essential enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) from B. anthracis. Previously, we reported an initial series of these inhibitors and a high-resolution crystal structure of the ternary complex of the enzyme bound to its cofactor and one of the most potent inhibitors, UCP120B [Beierlein, J., Frey, K., Bolstad, D., Pelphrey, P., Joska, T., Smith, A., Priestley, N., Wright, D., and Anderson, A. (2008) J. Med. Chem. 51, 7532−7540]. Herein, we describe a three-dimensional solution structure of the ternary complex as determined by NMR. A comparison of this solution structure to the crystal structure reveals a general conservation of the DHFR fold and cofactor interactions as well as differences in the location of an active site helix and specific ligand interactions. In additi...
Identification and measurement of testosterone in the sulfate fraction of plasma of normal subjects and patients with gonadal and adrenal disorders

Abstract Testosterone was identified in the sulfate fraction (TS) prepared from human plasma, and a method was devised for its measurement. The plasma concentration of TS in normal subjects was 108 ± 49 mμg/100 ml in nine males and 18 ± 7.5 in four females. Some of the low values obtained in females might be of doubtful significance. In patients with testicular feminization, adrenal tumors, and masculinizing ovarian disorders, the TS concentration in plasma from spermatic, adrenal and ovarian veins, respectively, suggested that TS is secreted by the testes, adrenal tumor and ovaries of these subjects.
Phosphorylation of G Protein–Coupled Receptor Kinase 2–Interacting Protein 1 Tyrosine 392 Is Required for Phospholipase C-γ Activation and Podosome Formation in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Objective— Podosomes, which are actin-rich structures, contribute to cell motility, matrix remodeling, and tissue remodeling. We have shown that G protein–coupled receptor kinase 2–interacting protein 1 (GIT1) colocalizes with podosomes and is important in podosome formation in endothelial cells. Src stimulates GIT1 tyrosine phosphorylation, which is critical for phospholipase C-γ (PLCγ) activation. In this study, we identified specific GIT1 tyrosines required for PLCγ activation and podosome formation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Methods and Results— We used phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBU) to induce podosomes in A7r5 VSMC. GIT1 colocalized with podosomes and GIT1 knockdown using short interfering RNA significantly reduced podosome formation. PDBU stimulated GIT1 tyrosine phosphorylation. GIT1 tyrosine phosphorylation was dramatically decreased in SYF−/− cells, and it was also reduced by pretreatment with the protein kinase C (PKC) and Src inhibitors, suggesting that GIT1 phosphorylation was dependent on PKC and Src. By mutation analysis of multiple tyrosines, we found that PDBU specifically increased GIT1-Y392 phosphorylation. Overexpression of GIT1 (Y392F) but not of GIT1 (Y321F) decreased PDBU-mediated PLCγ activation and podosome formation without effect on extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 activation. Additionally, we provide evidence that GIT1 knockout VSMC have markedly fewer podosomes on PDBU treatment compared with wild-type VSMC. These data show that GIT1 is a key regulator of podosome formation in VSMC. Conclusion— In conclusion, our data suggest that GIT1-Y392 phosphorylation is critical for PDBU-induced podosome formation by regulating PLCγ activation. We propose that specific signaling modules are assembled in a GIT1 phosphotyrosine-dependent manner as exemplified by PLCγ activation versus extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 activation.
THE FREQUENCY OF SISTER CHROMATID EXCHANGES FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO VARYING DOSES OF H3-THYMIDINE OR X-RAYS.

In the Chinese hamster cell line CHEF-125, sister chromatid exchanges occurred at a rate of a little higher than one per three chromosomes for each cell cycle. The exchanges were detectable by labeling with H3-thymidine and autoradiographic analyses of chromosomes at the second and subsequent metaphases after labeling had occurred. To test the hypothesis that sister chromatid exchanges are caused by radiation, cells were incubated in media with different amounts of H3-thymidine. No statistically significant change in the exchange rate was detected over 100-fold range of variation in the amount of incorporated H3-thymidine (determined by grain counts of autoradiographs). We have concluded that sister chromatid exchanges are not caused by tritium radiation and therefore are spontaneous events. Cultures were also irradiated with acute doses of x-rays up to 200 r and scored for sister chromatid exchanges. Between zero and 50 r there was a statistically significant increase in the rate of exchanges. This is interpreted as evidence that x-rays can induce some exchanges, although the majority of these events are probably spontaneous.
Reassociation of dissociated structural protein with ribosomal particles of an extremely halophilic bacterium.

Ribosomes of Halobacterium cutirubrum are stable in 4 M -KC1-0·1 M -MgCl 2 -0·01 M -tris. By centrifuging them out of this medium and resuspending them in 0sd005 M -tris-MgCl 2 -KCl, these ribosomes were dissociated into soluble structural protein and RNA-rieh particles. The reassociation of this dissociated protein with the RNA-rich particles was examined on raising the concentration of salt to the original high level. Chemical analyses showed that, on the average, reassociation did not compensate for the loss of protein due to dissociation. This was confirmed by gradient centrifugation in CsCl. Although the extent of dissociation and reassociation was variable, the reconstituted particles in every case sedimented at rates identical, within experimental error, to those of the normal 70 s, 52 s and 31 s ribosomal particles. However, the relative proportions of the three classes of sedimenting particle were changed by dissociation and reconstitution; after extensive dissociation, the reconstitution of 52 s particles was hindered more than reconstitution of 31 s. Without reassociated protein, RNA-rich particles precipitated at high salt concentrations. It is possible that reassociation of ribosomal protein occurs mainly at the peripheries of the RNA-rich particles. The configuration of the ribosomal RNA in the various ribonucleoprotein particles studied appears to be determined by their ionic environment rather than by the associated protein.
Recognizable inherited syndrome of progressive central nervous system degeneration and generalized intracranial calcification with overlapping phenotype of the syndrome of Aicardi and Goutières.

Five boys and two girls from a large consanguineous British Muslim family of Pakistani origin are described. All presented from infancy to early childhood with progressive moderate to severe developmental delay, postnatal microcephaly, spastic quadriplegia, refractory seizures, and visual handicap. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis was present in three children. Neuroimaging with computerized tomography on three boys and a girl showed generalized cortical atrophy, dilatation of the lateral, third, and fourth ventricles, widening of the surface CSF spaces, hypoplasia of the posterior fossa structures, and multiple and solitary calcifications in the cerebral cortex and punctate calcifications involving basal ganglia, cerebellum, and the Sylvian fissure. Histopathological examination of the brain from three boys and one girl confirmed generalized cortical and cerebellar atrophy with widespread calcifications within the cortical grey and white matter, the basal ganglia, the cerebellum, and in some areas along the capillaries. Investigations excluded a possible nongenetic cause. Parental consanguinity favor autosomal recessive inheritance. This appears to be a recognizable syndrome overlapping the syndrome of Aicardi and Goutieres (MIM 225750).
The Role of Therapy Dogs in Speed and Accuracy to Complete Motor Skills Tasks for Preschool Children

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the presence of a therapy dog would affect the performance of a set of gross motor skills tasks for a mixed group of language-impaired and typical...
Testing equality of variances of correlated variates with incomplete data on both responses

SUMMARY Testing the hypothesis of equality of the variances is considered when samnpling froin a bivariate normal distribution with means [k, and (Z2, variances (X and uJ, and correlation coefficient p, where some observations on either of the variables are missing. The null distributions of the proposed statistics are obtained in terms of well-known distributions. The empirical powers of the statistics are computed for different values of (X2/(2 and p, and are compared with those obtained from a statistic based on complete observations.
25-Gb/s 6.5-pJ/bit 90-nm CMOS-Driven Multimode Optical Link

We report an 850-nm, vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL)-based optical link that achieves new benchmarks in speed and power efficiency. The laser diode driver and receiver ICs are fabricated in standard 90-nm bulk CMOS, and the gallium arsenide optoelectronic devices are commercial components. An operation at a bit-error rate less than 10-12 at 25 Gb/s is achieved, representing the highest speed reported to date for a CMOS-based full optical link. At 22 Gb/s, the link power efficiency is 3.8 pJ/bit and improves further at lower data rates, attaining a minimum of 2.6 pJ/bit at 15 Gb/s. The efficiency numbers reported here, which include a complete accounting of the power dissipation of all the components, are the best reported for any optical interconnect in any technology. This work demonstrates the scalability of VCSEL-based links in both efficiency and speed to meet the demanding requirements of next-generation exa-scale computing and large data center systems.
Analysis of Slope-Matching Methods for Aquifer Parameter Determination

Various methods for numerical determination of aquifer transmissivity and storage coefficients from a single observation well data have recently been proposed. Most of these methods involve reading the slope values from a table or providing an initial estimate for iterative solution. A different formulation of the slope-matching technique has been suggested in the field of petroleum engineering which obtains the parameter values without using any tables or iterative procedures. In this study we adopt a similar approach and compare the prediction of various techniques. The modification of the approach to include cases with time-varying parameters is examined. Numerical experiments are performed first on synthetic data to ascertain the relative accuracy of different slope evaluation techniques. It is shown that the slope of the drawdown with respect to the logarithm of time results in the most accurate prediction of aquifer parameters. The inaccuracy involved in application of the slope-matching methods to cases involving time-varying parameters is analyzed. The methods are then applied to some field data and the results are compared with published data. AH the methods are found to work reasonably well for the field application.
Observations on a Faculty Development Program Based on Practice-Centered Inquiry.

Although reports of recent action research projects have been appearing with increasing frequency, to date these have focused on elementary and secondary settings. The program described below was an attempt to explore the usefulness of action research (called practice-centered inquiry in this program)1 for the improvement of teaching in a higher education setting. Like our staff development colleagues in elementary and secondary education, we found that the ideas expressed in the action research literature resonated with many of our understandings about teaching and research. We were also particularly intrigued by the possibility of simultaneously achieving richer teacher understandings, improvements in practice, and the enrichment of educational theory. This report discusses how we conceptualized the program, how it progressed, how faculty used inquiry through the program, and what effects the program had.
Transient PPI responsive esophageal eosinophilia may be a clinical sub-phenotype of pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) both cause esophageal eosinophilia. Reports show that esophageal eosinophilia meeting criteria for EoE may respond to acid suppression mono-therapy. Consensus guidelines have termed this entity “PPI-responsive esophageal eosinophilia” (PPIRee) and recommend a trial with proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) prior to a definitive EoE diagnosis. The mechanisms of PPIRee and whether this represents a sub-phenotype of GERD, a sub-phenotype of EoE, or its own distinct entity remain unclear. A database search revealed children who had an initial histologic response to PPI monotherapy but had recurrence of esophageal eosinophilia and symptoms despite continued PPI therapy. In order to understand the patterns of esophageal inflammatory cells during PPI therapy we performed quantitative immunohistochemistry for mast cells, CD1a positive antigen presenting cells, and CD45RO memory T cells. Four pediatric patients (mean age 9.5 years) had a mean peak eosinophil count of 52 eos/hpf which initially resolved completely during PPI mono-therapy. However, despite continued PPI therapy, endoscopic abnormalities and pan-esophageal eosinophilia recurred (mean peak eosinophil count of 64 eos/hpf). There was no seasonal variation or lack of PPI adherence that explained the return of eosinopihlia. Similar to eosinophilia, mastocytosis and CD45RO cells were transiently decreased during PPI therapy. PPIs appear to be capable of transiently resolving multiple inflammatory cell subsets including eosinophils, mast cells, and CD45RO cells. Our data suggest that patients with PPIRee should have continued monitoring for EoE during PPI monotherapy. The numbers of patients in whom PPIRee is a transient phenomenon and whether PPIRee represents a sub-phenotype of EoE in children merits further investigation.
MYCORRHIZAS IN GRASSLANDS: INTERACTIONS OF UNGULATES, FUNGI AND DROUGHT

Summary Fumigated and non-fumigated plots were planted with several species of either mycorrhizal or non-mycorrhizal grasses. These plots were either inside or outside enclosures which allowed grazing by native North American ungulates and longhorn cattle. The morphology and growth of plants as well as the level of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) development were followed over one growing season during which growing season precipitation was 50 % of the normal level. Grazing was the most important treatment effect, greatly reducing plant size and relative growth rates. Mycorrhizal colonization had no effect upon plant, growth rates or size. Even in grazed plots where nutrient content and soil moisture were higher, no mycorrhizal effect on plant growth was observed. Grazing did not influence VAM colonization, although grazed plants which were growing in non-fumigated soil had significantly lower colonization levels than any other treatment.
The “syncytial tissue triad”: a model for understanding how gap junctions participate in the local control of penile erection

Recent findings from both clinical and experimental studies document the importance of syncytial relaxation and contraction of corporal smooth muscle to penile erection and detumescence, respectively. However, the mechanism(s) permitting coordinated response generation among the vast array of largely inexcitable corporal smooth muscle cells is unclear. In this report the compelling evidence for a major role of intercellular communication through gap junctions to erectile function is reviewed. Moreover, a novel concept is advanced to explain more fully the putative mechanistic basis for integrative erectile tissue biology. Specifically, the presence of gap junctions; in concert with the autonomic nervous system and myogenic intracellular signal transduction mechanisms, is postulated to form a “syncytial tissue triad” that is largely responsible for the local modulation of corporal smooth muscle tone. It is reasonable to assume that the existence of this “syncytial tissue triad” confers a plasticity, adaptability, and flexibility to erectile function that may well account for the observed diversity of mechanisms known to regulate penile erection as well as the multifaceted etiology of erectile dysfunction.
Neutralization epitope of varicella zoster virus on native viral glycoprotein gp118 (VZV glycoprotein gplll)

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) specifies the formation of several glycoproteins, including a 118,000-Da mature structural product (gp118). The biologic and biochemical properties of gp118 were studied after production of murine monoclonal antibodies to both a lowpassage laboratory strain (VZV-32) and an attenuated vaccine strain (VZV-Oka). Structural analyses performed with the three glycosidases endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H (endoglycosidase H), endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase F (endoglycosidase F), and endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase demonstrated that gp118 was predominantly an N-linked complex type glycoprotein built upon a polypeptide backbone of approximately 79,000 Da. Sialic acid residues were present on the mature glycoprotein, but these terminal sugars were absent from the partially glycosylated intermediate forms recovered from monensin-treated infected cultures. Unlike another VZV-specified glycoprotein gp98, no new oligosaccharide moieties were observed on gp118 after addition of tunicamycin to VZV-infected cultures. By plaque reduction assays with a panel of monoclonal antibodies, we defined an epitope on this glycoprotein which elicited a complement-independent neutralizing antibody response of high magnitude. The epitope was highly conserved, since it was present on a laboratory VZV strain, wild type isolates, as well as the attenuated vaccine strain (VZV-Oka). Competitive blocking experiments with the same anti-gp118 monoclonal antibodies indicated that four neutralizing antibodies were directed against similar or identical epitopes whereas one nonneutralizing antibody reacted with a different antigenic site. Thus, this study demonstrates the presence of an immunodominant neutralization epitope on native viral glycoprotein gp118. Under a new consensus nomenclature, this glycoprotein will be designated VZV gpIII.
The transmission of Cowdria ruminantium by Amblyomma tholloni

Abstract Transmission of the rickettsial organisms Cowdria ruminantium (cause of heartwater) by the elephant tick Amblyomma tholloni has been demonstrated. Larvae fed on infected sheep successfully transmitted the disease causing organisms in both the nymphal and adult stages. Nymphs similarly infected transmitted the organisms as adults. Transovarian transmission did not occur. The results are discussed in relation to the epidemiology and control of heartwater in areas infested with A. tholloni.
Be Careful What You Wish For: The Ironic Connection Between the Civil Rights Struggle and Today's Divided America†

The deep political and economic divisions that characterize the contemporary United States have been the subject of much discussion and analysis. However, most of the accounts of these divisions have tended to emphasize relatively recent events or trends, such as the Tea Party movement or the extreme partisanship that has marked the last three presidential administrations (e.g., Obama, George Bush Jr., Clinton). The origins of today's divisions, however, have much older roots. They date to the heyday of the Civil Rights struggle and ironically to the seminal achievements of the movement. More accurately, it is the story of not one, but two parallel movements, the revitalized civil rights movement of the early to mid-1960s and the powerful segregationist countermovement, that quickly developed in response to the African-American freedom struggle. The argument is that over the course of the decade of the 1960s, these two linked struggles decisively altered the partisan geography of the United States, and in the process pushed the national Democratic and Republican parties sharply to the left and right, respectively, undermining the centrist policy convergence of the postwar period and setting the parties on the divisive course they remain on today1.
Report of committee on relation of inch and meter

Those of you who attended the annual meeting of this Section on April 27, 1938, heard a paper entitled “A method for introducing a new standard of length” that was presented by Professor Philip Klssara, calling attention to the Bill then in Congress proposing to redefine the length of the inch. The paper has been published in the “Transactions of the American Geophysical Union“ [19th Annual Meeting, 1938, pp. 94–96]. Its closing paragraph is as follows: “As the American Geophysical Union has as one of its functions the duty of offering advice to the Congress on technical matters, I move, Mr. Chairman, that the Chairman be empowered to appoint a committee to study the matter and to report what recommendations should be made to Congress by the Union.”
On the experimental silicification of microorganisms. III. Implications of the preservation of the green prokaryotic alga prochloron and other coccoids for interpretation of the microbial fossil record

Abstract Evidence for Precambrian fossil eukaryotic microorganisms has been based on: (1) the presence of internal ‘spots’ which have been variously interpreted to be remains of nuclei or pyrenoids of photosynthetic plastids or other organelles; (2) tetrahedral tetrad arrangement of cells; (3) trilete scars interpreted to be indicative of meiotic division: (4) large cell diameters; and (5) putative mitotic cell divisions. These features have been reported in fossils preserved in Precambrian cherts. We have studied modern microbial mats, thought to be analogues of Precambrian fossil communities, and found they may be silicified by laboratory procedures. In microbial mats from Baja California we have found many ‘spot cells’ that we could identify as remains of cyanophytes. We have silicified the newly discovered large prokaryotic coccoid green alga Prochloron and have found that it, like many cyanophytes previously silicified, preserves its structure and maintains its initial dimensions. In laboratory-silicified prokaryotic organisms we have found that all of the above criteria, supposedly characteristic of eukaryotes, can be observed. We conclude that there is no compelling morphological evidence for fossil eukaryotic microbes from Precambrian cherts.
A Comment on “The Consumer Impact of Alternative Allocation Plans: The Case of Gasoline”

This paper shows that the conclusions of a paper published in the Journal of Consumer Affairs on consumer preferences among allocation schemes were not valid deductions. It is argued that an adaptation of index numbers of quantity can be used to deduce preferences and an illustrative case is presented for various plans to allocate gasoline.
Beyond (1D p time) dynamics in the microwave ionization of excited atoms: surprises from experiments with collinear static and linearly polarized electric fields

Abstract We begin with a brief review of the ionization of 3D hydrogen atoms with large principal quantum number n0, first by a static electric field Fs and then by linearly polarized (LP) electric field. Near its onset, LP ionization can be understood with (1D + time) theory. Various kinds of resonant phenomena are important. We continue with a brief review of the polarization dependence. When the dynamics is dominated by the main pendulum-like resonance zone, a separation of timescales leads to ionization near onset that is independent of polarization. In other parameter ranges, polarization-dependent effects occur that can be understood only in higher dimensions, minimally (2D + time). Finally, we present preliminary results from new experiments using collinear LP and Fs fields, both of which can be strong. The data show the importance of (a) multiphoton resonances driven between Stark substates of the initial n0 manifold and (b) striking, regular oscillations recorded for fixed microwave parameters as a function of Fs. The mechanisms responsible for (a) are understood. Those responsible for (b) are not, but the oscillations exhibit empirical scaling behavior that will help to unravel the wave packet dynamics.
Loubards: 1980s French-Algerian activism and the conceptual limits of Beur scholarship

Beur literature designates artistic production by the second generation of Algerian immigration to France, gaining attention after the 1983 ‘Marche pour l’egalite et contre le racism’. Since the late 1980s, French and American scholars working with postcolonial and poststructuralist theories have tended to situate Beur literary production vis-a-vis French identity and conceptualise it as a site of social critique. This scholarship sees in Beur literary production an instance of hybridisation and ambivalence, estranging French identity. Useful and necessary as it is, historicising the Beur might require rethinking this approach. Following early activists’ struggles that constituted in part the historic conditions of Beur identity reveals a heterogeneous field of competing identities and political strategies. Activists’ accounts suggest a process of identity centralisation in which Beur identity, as a cultural hybrid, rewrote other more radical positions and rendered them illegible. These struggles, revolvi...
The fate of walker 256 Carcinosarcoma Cells Labeled with Tritiated Cytidine (Cr-5-H3)

Si vollero studiare in vivo le cellule neoplastiche del Walker 256 marcate con Tritium Citidine (CR-5-H3). L'iniezione i.p. di una sola dose di CR-5-H3 risulto dopo un'ora di incubazione in un'adeguata marcatura degli elementi neoplastici. L'immissione nel torrente sanguigno delle cellule marcate, risulto mediante studi autoradiografici, nell'identificazione di quest'ultime nel parenchima polmonare. Il trattamento con CR-5-H3 e stato uniformemente ben tollerato in tutti gli animali studiati. L'innesto di ascite marcata riproduceva in animali integri tumori della struttura di quello del datore.
Traffic Dispatching Algorithm in Three-Stage Switch

One of the challenges in a three-stage switch is how to distribute the traffic between the second stage switches. The dispatching algorithm affects the queue levels in the second stage and has a direct impact on the queueing delay. In this study, a dispatching algorithm called Stage 2 Queue Balancer (S2QB) is proposed. The proposed algorithm distributes flows packet-by-packet between the second stage switches. The results of this study demonstrate that queues in the second stage remain in balance and the delay is minimized. S2QB does not add any overhead.
Fault-Tolerant Soft Starter Control of Induction Motors With Reduced Transient Torque Pulsations

Fault-tolerant operation of induction motors fed by soft starters when experiencing thyristor/silicon-controlled rectifier open-circuit or short-circuit switch fault is presented in this paper. The present low-cost fault mitigation solution can be easily retrofitted, without significant cost increase, into the existing off-the-shelf three-phase soft starters to enhance the reliability and fault-tolerant capability of such soft starter systems. In the event of either thyristor open-circuit or short-circuit switch fault in any one of the phases, the fault-tolerant soft starters are capable of operating in a two-phase control mode using a novel resilient closed-loop control scheme. The performance resulted from the present fault-tolerant soft starter control has demonstrated reduced motor starting transient torque pulsations as well as reduced motor inrush current magnitude. The present fault-tolerant approach is applicable to any soft starters that control small to large integral horsepower induction motors. Simulation results along with supporting experimental results for a 1.492-kW, 460-V, four-pole, three-phase induction motor are presented here to demonstrate the soundness and effectiveness of the present fault-tolerant approach.
Sustainable engineering vertically-integrated project scheme in undergraduate engineering education

Sustainable Engineering has strong potential for hands-on multi-disciplinary project-based learning. In particular, projects within sustainable engineering can readily involve electrical, mechanical, computer, civil, and chemical engineering aspects while still being accessible to undergraduate engineering students. In this paper, we discuss a series of renewable energy and alternative energy storage projects, the structure of the vertically integrated project scheme at Elizabethtown College, and observations and outcomes from four years of the project scheme.
A new generation image processing algorithm might enable Real-Time visualization of 3D Echocardiographic data on a multi-view auto stereoscopic LCD

Visualization of Real-Time 3D Echocardiography (RT3DE) is currently limited by the bi-dimensional nature of conventional monitors. The objective of this study is to implement and evaluate an optimized image-processing algorithm to generate multi-view auto-stereoscopic images. Custom-made software rendered test images (n=5) on a 9-view auto-stereoscopic 3D LCD. We designed and compared two algorithms that used hardware acceleration of graphic adapters. The quality of the final 3D image with the two algorithms was comparable. This study showed that the new-generation algorithm is very efficient in processing complex rendering such as visualization of RT3DE data. This algorithm might be an enabling factor for real-time visualization of RT3DE on multi-view auto stereoscopic display, which might improve clinical imaging in a host of diseases and use of RT3DE in guidance of interventional procedures.
A description of the external and internal quiet daily variation currents at North American locations for a quiet-Sun year

Summary. An order 4, degree 12 spherical harmonic analysis of the smoothed quiet geomagnetic daily variations was used to separate the external and internal geomagnetic Sq field at North American locations for the quiet-Sun year, 1965. These fields were represented by a month-by-month display of equivalent current vortex systems with dominant, pre-noon foci. The focus reached 40° latitude near the June solstice and about 30° latitude near the December solstice. The daily range of Sq current amplitudes was largest in late July to early August and smallest in mid-December. Semi-annual variations of Sq currents dominated only the equatorial region. Daily maxima in mid-latitudes, occurred mostly near local noon in December to February and about 1 hr before noon in June to mid-October. The ratio of external to internal current amplitude vxied from about 1.5 to 1.9 in the middle latitudes with both annual and semiannual changes. An error treatment indicated that the analysis reproduced the form of the surface field with a correlation coefficient of about 0.9 and the amplitudes of the surface field to about 10 per cent of the Sq daily range.
From Sucker to Saint Moralization in Response to Self-Threat

When people's rationality and agency are implicitly called into question by the more expedient behavior of others, they sometimes respond by feeling morally superior; this is referred to as the sucker-to-saint effect. In Experiment 1, participants who completed a tedious task and then saw a confederate quit the same task elevated their own morality over that of the confederate, whereas participants who simply completed the task or simply saw the confederate quit did not. In Experiment 2, this effect was eliminated by having participants contemplate a valued personal quality before encountering the rebellious confederate, a result suggesting a role for self-threat in producing moralization. These studies demonstrate that moral judgments can be more deeply embedded in judges' immediate social contexts–and driven more by motivations to maintain self-image—than is typically appreciated in contemporary moral-psychology research. Rather than uphold abstract principles of justice, moral judgment may sometimes ju...
Screening homeless youth for histories of abuse: Prevalence, enduring effects, and interest in treatment

OBJECTIVES: To identify the incidence of self-reported physical and sexual child abuse among homeless youth, the self-perceived effects of past abuse, and current interest in treatment for past abuse among homeless youth with histories of abuse. METHODS: Homeless and street-involved persons aged 18-23 filled out a questionnaire and participated in a structured assessment of histories of abuse, tobacco use and substance abuse. RESULTS: Sixty-four homeless youth in Salt Lake City, Utah completed the study, 43 males and 21 females. Eighty-four percent screened positive for childhood physical and/or sexual abuse occurring before the age of 18; 42% screened positive for both physical and sexual abuse; 72% reported still being affected by their abuse. Among all abuse victims, 44% were interested in treatment for their abuse history and 62% of homeless youth who reported still being affected by their abuse were interested in treatment. Individuals were more likely to be interested in treatment if they were female, had not completed high school or had been previously asked about family dysfunction. Many victims who declined treatment offered spontaneous insight into their decision. Interest in treatment was similar to interest in treatment for other behaviors such as smoking and substance abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Histories of abuse are common among homeless youth. A majority of those reporting a history of abuse are still affected by their abuse. Interest in treatment for a history of abuse was comparable to interest in treatment for other morbidities in the homeless youth population such as tobacco use and substance abuse. Our finding that homeless youth continue to be impacted by their abuse and are interested in treatment should prompt more screening for histories of abuse. Language: en