cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of Tcf4 residues involved in high-affinity beta-catenin binding.

The N-termini of members of the T-cell factor (Tcf) and lymphocyte-enhancement factor (Lef) protein families bind to beta-catenin, forming bipartite transcription factors which regulate expression of genes involved in organismal development and the growth of normal and malignant colon epithelium. Elevated levels of Tcf4:beta-catenin are found in colon tumor cells with mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene. The elevated levels of Tcf4:beta-catenin result in increased transcription of genes, including c-myc, important for the growth of these tumor cells. Here we analyze the interaction between beta-catenin and Tcf4 and show that the N-terminal 53 amino acids of Tcf4 bind with high affinity to beta-catenin. We show that this high-affinity interaction involves multiple contact points including Tcf4 Asp-16, which is essential for beta-catenin binding. In addition to Tcf/Lef family members, beta-catenin binds to APC and cadherins. We found that the binding of beta-catenin to Tcf4, APC, or E-cadherin was mutually exclusive. These results are discussed with regard to how beta-catenin interacts with its binding partners and to the potential for identifying specific, small molecule inhibitors of these interactions.
Medullary serotonergic system Organization, effects, and clinical correlations

Medullary neurons synthesizing serotonin (5-HT) encompass several groups projecting to the spinal cord and brainstem. The medullary serotonergic groups include the nucleus raphe magnus (RMg), which projects primarily to the spinal and trigeminal dorsal horn, and the nucleus raphe obscurus (ROb) and raphe pallidus (RPa), which project to motor and autonomic nuclei of the spinal cord and medulla. Other serotonergic groups in the ventrolateral medullary reticular formation contribute bulbospinal and propriospinal projections to the spinal cord and brainstem. Serotonin exerts complex effects on its targets via several subtypes of 5-HT receptors. Medullary serotonergic neurons exert a major modulatory influence on nociceptive processing, motoneuron excitability, respiratory control, and autonomic function, particularly thermoregulatory sympathetic responses to cold. Not surprisingly, these neurons have been implicated in the pathophysiology of pain, spasticity, and respiratory failure potentially related to sudden death.
Effect of secondary basis-set superposition error upon calculated vibrational intensities

Abstract The calculated dipole moment and polarizability of a molecule are affected by the position of the ghost orbitais of its partner subunit within a molecular complex. The IR and Raman intensities, evaluated in terms of the derivatives of these properties with respect to an intermolecular motion, are hence subject to a secondary basis-set superposition error (BSSE), here calculated for (HF) 2 with a variety of basis sets. Whereas the IR intensity is only slightly affected, the BSSE introduces enormous errors into the Raman intensities. These errors can be reduced if two sets of polarization functions are included in the basis set.
Testing dynamic segregation of self-consolidating concrete

Abstract Segregation is a common problem in self-consolidating concrete, which often uses a high dosage of high-range water-reducing admixture to achieve high flow and passing ability. Dynamic segregation, when the aggregate lags behind in flowing concrete, may be distinguished from static segregation, when the aggregate sinks in concrete at rest. In this study, a flow trough was developed to measure dynamic segregation. The trough was found to provide a promising method for measuring this behavior. Static and dynamic segregation were not always found to occur simultaneously, and the slump flow test was not always sufficient to detect dynamic segregation, especially over a long travel distance. A simple procedure was proposed to set the maximum flowing distance based on mix proportions and the flow trough results.
Longitudinal data analysis with non-ignorable missing data.

A common problem in the longitudinal data analysis is the missing data problem. Two types of missing patterns are generally considered in statistical literature: monotone and non-monotone missing data. Nonmonotone missing data occur when study participants intermittently miss scheduled visits, while monotone missing data can be from discontinued participation, loss to follow-up, and mortality. Although many novel statistical approaches have been developed to handle missing data in recent years, few methods are available to provide inferences to handle both types of missing data simultaneously. In this article, a latent random effects model is proposed to analyze longitudinal outcomes with both monotone and non-monotone missingness in the context of missing not at random. Another significant contribution of this article is to propose a new computational algorithm for latent random effects models. To reduce the computational burden of high-dimensional integration problem in latent random effects models, we ...
How useful is landslide hazard information? Lessons learned in the San Francisco Bay region

Landslides, worldwide and in the United States, are arguably the most costly natural hazard. Substantial landslide information is available, but much of it remains underutilized, as a disconnect exists among geologists, decision makers, and the public. The lack of a national landslide insurance policy exacerbates this situation and promotes litigation as the principal recourse for recouping landslide-damage losses. The U.S. Geological Survey's landslide investigation in the San Francisco Bay region of California provides a context for making suggestions on how Earth science information could be used more effectively.
Notes on four major paradigms in Chinese-language film studies

ABSTRACTThis article examines four major critical paradigms in contemporary Chinese- language cinema studies. It traces the genesis, characteristics, strengths and limitations of each of these theoretical models. Moreover, the author proposes a definition of Sinophone that includes rather than excludes mainland China.
Effect of Amine Modification on the Properties of Zirconium-Carboxylic Acid Based Materials and Their Applications as NO2 Adsorbents at Ambient Conditions

Abstract Zirconium–carboxylic ligand-based porous materials modified with –NH2 groups originated either from melamine or urea were synthesized. The samples were used as adsorbents of NO2 from either dry or moist air. The surface features were analyzed using SEM, XRD, nitrogen sorption, thermal analysis and FT-IR. The incorporation of urea, which is a planar molecule, results in a highly porous crystalline materials. Melamine, a triazine compound, on the other hand obstructs the nucleation and growth of the crystals due to its interaction with metallic centers and carboxylic ligands and leads to amorphous materials with low porosity. Water enhances the NO2 adsorption process. Introducing Lewis basic sites by the incorporation of –NH2 groups promotes chemical reactions on the surface. The amine (NH2) or the carbonyl (C O) groups in urea directly interact with NO2 molecules in both moist and dry conditions, which leads to the formation of surface bound nitrates. In the case of melamine modified materials the hydrolysis of the terminal secondary –NH2 creates oxygen rich functional groups that cause the formation of surface bound nitrate species.
Cycloalkene Ozonolysis: Collisionally Mediated Mechanistic Branching

Master equation calculations on a computational potential energy surface reveal that collisional stabilization at atmospheric pressure becomes important in the gas-phase ozonolysis of endocyclic alkenes for a carbon number between 8 and 15. Because the reaction products from endocyclic ozonolysis are tethered, this system is ideal for consideration of collisional energy transfer, as chemical activation is confined to a single reaction product. Collisional stabilization of the Criegee intermediate precedes collisional stabilization of the primary ozonide by roughly an order of magnitude in pressure. The stabilization of the Criegee intermediate leads to a dramatic transformation in the dominant oxidation pathway from a radical-forming process at low carbon number to a secondary ozonide-forming process at high carbon number. Secondary ozonide formation is important even for syn-isomer Criegee intermediates, contrary to previous speculation. We use substituted cyclohexenes as analogues for atmospherically important mono- and sesquiterpenes, which are major precursors for secondary organic aerosol formation in the atmosphere. Combining these calculations with literature experimental data, we conclude that the transformation from chemically activated to collisionally stabilized behavior most probably occurs between the mono- and sesquiterpenes, thus causing dramatically different atmospheric behavior.
Studies on the Experimental Production and Prevention of Bloat in Cattle. I. Influence of Intrarumen Administration of Fresh Eggwhite on Production of Bloat

Summary Studies using five head of cattle show that intrarumen introduction of fresh eggwhite produces moderate bloat in cattle given ground, dehydrated alfalfa, either by oral feeding or by placing it directly into the rumen. In eight of 12 instances in which the dehydrated alfalfa was fed preceding intrarumen administration of eggwhite, the ruminal pressure exceeded 15 mm. Hg above atmospheric pressure, as measured with a tympanometer. Such bloat results from the formation of a stable foam within the rumen, which reduces the frequency of eructation for the first 90 minutes following administration of the eggwhite. It is suggested that water-soluble plant protein may be an important factor in the etiology of bloat on legumes.
Why does head form change in children of immigrants? A reappraisal.

Objectives: We test two specific hypotheses that explain the cranial changes Boas observed in Hebrews and Sicilians, namely that Hebrew change results from abandoning cradling of infants in America, while in Sicilians it results from impaired growth in America. Methods: Boas's (1928) data were used to test these hypotheses. The role of cradling in cranial shape was examined by comparing cranial indices of U.S.-born and foreign children between 1.5 and 5 years of age. Age changes in cranial index of Hebrew and Sicilian children ages five to eighteen were examined to demonstrate differing patterns of age changes, which could be explained by environmental differences. Statistical methods employed were t-tests, least squares, and loess regression. Results: The difference between American and foreign-born Hebrew children arose prior to five years of age, after which it remained constant. American and foreign-born Sicilians, on the other hand, had similar cranial indices at age five, and diverged during the growing years, primarily because American-born children did not exhibit the reduction in cranial index with age seen in the other groups. Conclusions: The results support the two hypotheses tested. Change in Hebrew cranial indices resulted from abandoning the practice of cradling infants in America. U.S.-born Sicilian children experienced an environment worse than the one in Europe, and consequently experienced impaired growth. We conclude that the changes Boas observed resulted from specific behavioral and economic conditions unique to each group, rather than a homogeneous American environment. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 22:702-707, 2010. © 2010Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Symptomatic isolated carotid sinus hypersensitivity: natural history and results of treatment with anticholinergic drugs or pacemaker

Because syncope may occur intermittently in patients with carotid sinus hypersensitivity, a knowledge of its natural history is needed as a basis for interpreting the usefulness of therapy. Fifty-six consecutive patients are described (47 men and 9 women; mean age 61 years) with carotid sinus hypersensitivity and syncope in whom 24 hour ambulatory monitoring and intracardiac electrophysiologic study revealed no other cause for the syncope. The mean duration of symptoms was 44 months (range 1 to 480) and the mean number of episodes was 4.0 (range 1 to 20). During a follow-up period of 6 to 120 months (median 40), syncope recurred in 3 of 13 patients who received no treatment, in 2 of 23 patients who received a pacemaker and in 4 of 20 patients who received anticholinergic drugs (incidences corrected for totals available at follow-up: 27, 9 and 22%, respectively). Two-thirds of the patients receiving no treatment were asymptomatic compared with all nine of the patients with syncope and a pure cardioinhibitory response to carotid sinus massage who received an atrioventricular (AV) sequential pacemaker. Although pacing was effective in abolishing syncope, its use should be reserved for recurrent episodes because of the high rate of spontaneous remission of symptoms.
Dietary sulfur amino acid effects on fasting plasma cysteine/cystine redox potential in humans

Abstract Objective Oxidation of plasma cysteine/cystine (Cys/CySS) redox potential (EhCySS) has been associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease in humans. Cys and CySS are derived from dietary sulfur amino acids (SAA), but the specific effects of SAA depletion and repletion on Cys/CySS redox indices are unknown. The present study examined the effect of dietary SAA intake level on free Cys, free CySS, and EhCySS in human plasma under fasting conditions. Methods Healthy individuals aged 18–36 y (n = 13) were equilibrated to foods providing the RDA for SAA and then fed chemically defined diets without SAA (0 mg·kg–1·d–1; n = 13) followed by SAA at levels approximating the mean (56 mg·kg–1·d–1; n = 8) or 99th percentile (117 mg·kg–1·d–1; n = 5) intake levels of Americans. Fasting plasma samples were collected daily during 4-d study periods and analyzed for free Cys, free CySS, and the EhCySS. Results The SAA-free diet significantly (P Conclusions These results show that free Cys and Cys/CySS redox potential (EhCySS) in fasting plasma are affected by dietary SAA intake level in humans. Significant changes occur slowly over 4 d with insufficient SAA intake, but rapidly (after 1 d) with repletion.
Reduction of trace but not delay eyeblink conditioning in panic disorder.

Objective: Individuals with panic disorder perceive panic attacks as unpredictable. Because predictability is fundamental to Pavlovian conditioning, failure to predict panic attacks could be due to a basic deficit in conditioning. The present study examined trace eyeblink conditioning in order to test the hypothesis that individuals with panic disorder are impaired in associative learning tasks that depend on declarative memory. Method: Delay and trace eyeblink conditioning were tested in separate experimental sessions in 19 individuals meeting DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder and 19 sex- and age-matched healthy comparison subjects. In the delay paradigm, a mild puff was delivered to the eye at the end of a 500-msec tone; in the trace paradigm, the puff was delivered after a 700-msec empty “trace” interval that followed the end of the tone. Results: Patients and comparison subjects showed similar rates of conditioned responses in the delay paradigm, but patients showed reduced rates of conditioned respo...
SEQUENCE MOTIFS OF HUMAN HER-2 PROTOONCOGENE IMPORTANT FOR PEPTIDE BINDING TO HLA-A2

Tumor progression and metastasis are often associated with overexpression of specific cellular proteins. In 1991, we introduced a hypothesis that epitopes of nonmutated overexpressed proteins can be targets of a specific cellular immune response against tumor mediated by T cells (Mol Carcinogen 6: 77-81, 1992) and that, when T cell epitopes are present, distinction between tumor immunity/autoimmunity and unresponsiveness can be predicated on the protein concentration as a limiting factor of epitope supply. In support of this hypothesis, we demonstrated that CTL from patients with ovarian tumors which overexpress HER-2 proto-oncogene can recognize both autologous tumor and synthetic analogs of a specific epitope from HER-2, which was identified based on the convergence of all criteria for selection of HLA-A2 associated epitopes recognized by T cells. In this study, we identified all epitopes in HER-2 containing nonapeptides with HLA-A2 anchors. Of these, analysis of potential amphiphilic sites identified both sequences and specific mutations that positively affected the reactivity of conformationally dependent HLA-A2 specific mAb which served as an indication of HER-2 peptide binding. We also report the in vitro induction of cellular responses to these peptides by PBMC from healthy HLA-A2+ volunteers as an indication of their ability to stimulate/ restimulate pre-existing T cell responses to HER-2. The peptides induced proliferative responses in one of four donors tested and CTL responses (one of three peptides tested in two of three donors). This strategy may allow selection of immunogenic HER-2 peptides and elucidation of mechanisms operating in induction of tolerance to defined epitopes on self-proteins.
Pseudo-wavelet analysis of turbulence patterns in three vegetation layers

Ramp patterns in scalar traces such as temperature are the signature of coherent structures. A pseudo-wavelet analysis technique was developed in which ideal saw-tooth patterns of varying size were used as basis functions and fitted to temperature and velocity data. Data recorded from three very different vegetation stands were examined in this study. It was found that the most probable structure duration for the forest canopy was in the range 35-40 s, for the orchard canopy it was 20-25 s and for the maize it was 15-20 s. When expressed in non-dimensional form, the structure duration probability distribution for the maize canopy was about a decade larger than for the forest canopy, with the orchard canopy intermediate. The mean eddy duration versus wind shear relation falls on a narrow band for all three canopies, indicating that wind shear at the canopy top is the determining factor for the scale of the coherent eddies. The inverse of duration and intermittency of coherent structures exhibits a tendency of independence from wind shear at higher wind shear values. Coherent structures transport heat in a more efficient way than do smaller scale, less coherent motions. In all the canopies, the heat flux fractions associated with coherent structures are at least 10% higher than the corresponding time fraction.
Experimental Investigation of Wicking Flow Through a Porous Medium as a Validation Approach for Numerical Simulations

Wicking flow through a porous medium with nearly-spherical interconnected pores was investigated experimentally for validation of numerical simulations of multiphase flow through a porous structure. The experimental setup was designed to eliminate the effects of pressure gradient and gravity. The porous structure is a commercial graphite foam (PocoFoam® with an average pore size of 400 μm and porosity of 75%) and the penetrating liquid is cyclohexane. The penetration of the liquid into the foam sample is unidirectional. The liquid originates from a side reservoir toward an empty reservoir on the opposite side, with the porous sample between the reservoirs. The level of the liquid was kept constant on the fluid source side of the sample, i.e. in the reservoir full of liquid. Since the top side of the experimental setup is exposed to the ambient, there is no pressure gradient effect. Thus, penetration of the liquid occurs only as a result of interfacial effects (i.e. surface tension and contact angle) while pressure gradient and gravity play negligible roles. The instantaneous liquid penetration length (i.e. the average position of liquid interface) versus time was measured experimentally using video frame analysis of the tests recorded with a digital camera aligned with the experimental setup and observing from the top. The experiments were repeated several times to ensure their repeatability and the variations of the liquid interface position were obtained at different time instants. The results exhibit agreement with the theoretical Washburn equation for the liquid penetration length for horizontal wicking along cylindrical capillaries. Moreover, the possible causes of deviations from the Washburn equation were studied. Furthermore, the experimental results are in good agreement with numerical results of the liquid penetration through a series of pores. The numerical analysis was performed for a two-dimensional model that is based on the geometric features of the graphite foam sample and using the multiphase Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) method.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
A model for lot sizing and sequencing in process industries

Abstract Scheduling in process industries is exceedingly challenging, due to the high capital intensity, relatively long and sequence-dependent setup times, and extremely limited capacity resources that are found in these industries. As a result, it is important to simultaneously consider lot sizing and sequencing factors in the development of a production schedule. This paper presents a mixed integer linear programming model for scheduling production in process industries that embodies the economic trade-offs encompassed in three avenues of research: capacitated lot sizing, flowshop scheduling and sequencing with sequence-dependent setup times. The model is used to schedule production Tor a problem representative of those found in the food processing industry. The corresponding schedule is then compared with approaches that consider lot sizing and sequencing as independent decisions and it is shown that decomposing the scheduling problem into smaller subproblems can result in the generation of infeasible...
Ultraviolet laser ablation and etching of polymethyl methacrylate sensitized with an organic dopant

Although polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is essentially transparent to light of 308 or 351 nm, it can be made sensitive to photoablation and etching by excimer laser pulses (20 ns half-width) of those wavelengths by the introduction of an organic dopant. The dopant (trade name=Tinuvin*) is actually a quencher of the first electronic excited state of PMMA and is therefore used commercially to stabilize the polymer against photodegradation. Laser etching of Tinuvin-doped PMMA can be shown to be a photochemical process in which the Tinuvin decomposes by the absorption of two or more photons and causes the ablation of the surrounding polymer.*[2-(2′-hydroxy-3′,5′-diisopentyl-phenyl) benzotriazole].
Selective upregulation of endothelin converting enzyme-1a in the human failing heart

Background: Increased plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) occur with congestive heart failure (CHF), but the components of the enzymatic activation of ET-1 in the myocardium remain to be defined. Accordingly, endothelin converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) activity and expression in normal and failing heart were examined. Methods and Results: Left ventricular (LV) tissue samples were obtained from patients undergoing heart transplantation because of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) and from normal donor hearts. The gene expression of ET-1 precursor and ECE-1a was upregulated 4- and 3-fold, respectively, in the failing heart. ECE-1 activity (fmol/mg protein per hour) was augmented from 2,291 ± 257 in normal tissue samples to 5,507 ± 666 in DCM samples and to 7,435 ± 682 in ICM samples (P < .05). Phosphoramidon and a specific ECE-1 inhibitor, FR901533, inhibited ECE-1 activity by over 90%. However, inhibitors of neutral endopeptidase (thiorphan) and matrix metalloproteases (batimistat) did not affect the conversion of big ET-1 to ET-1. Conclusions: This study showed that the biosynthetic pathway of ET-1 is activated in LV myocardium in the failing heart, and the myocardial processing of big ET-1 is highly specific for ECE-1.
Toxicity of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine to larval zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Abstract Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine, a cyclonitramine commonly known as RDX, is used in the production of military munitions. Contamination of soil, sediment, and ground and surface waters with RDX has been reported in different places around the world. Acute and subacute toxicities of RDX have been relatively well documented in terrestrial vertebrates, but among aquatic vertebrates the information available is limited. The objective of this study was to characterize the acute toxicity of RDX to larval zebrafish. Mortality (LC50) and incidence of vertebral column deformities (EC50) were two of the end points measured in this study. The 96-h LC50 was estimated at 22.98 and 25.64 mg l −1 in two different tests. The estimated no-observed-effective-concentration (NOEC) values of RDX on lethality were 13.27 ± 0.05 and 15.32 ± 0.30 mg l −1 ; and the lowest-observed-effective-concentration (LOEC) values were 16.52 ± 0.05 and 19.09 ± 0.23 mg l −1 in these two tests, respectively. The 96-h EC50 for vertebral deformities on survivors from one of the acute lethality tests was estimated at 20.84 mg l −1 , with NOEC and LOEC of 9.75 ± 0.34 and 12.84 ± 0.34 mg l −1 , respectively. Behavioral aberrations were also noted in this acute toxicity study, including the occurrence of whirling movement and lethargic behavior. The acute effects of RDX on survival, incidence of deformities, and behavior of larval zebrafish occurred at the high end of the most frequently reported concentrations of RDX in aquatic environments. The chronic effects of RDX in aquatic vertebrates need to be determined for an adequate assessment of the ecological risk of environmental RDX.
Environmental exposures and exhaled nitric oxide in children with asthma.

Objective To evaluate the relation of environmental factors with exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) concentrations among asthmatic children. Study design Cross-sectional analysis of 170 tobacco smoke–exposed children, ages 6 to 12 years, who have doctor-diagnosed asthma using measures of FENO, medication use, and exposures to settled indoor allergens and tobacco smoke. Results In multivariable analysis, child’s age, uncarpeted flooring, not owning a cat, higher income, dust mite exposure, and being sensitized to any allergens were associated with higher FENO concentrations. Children who were sensitized to indoor allergens had an adjusted geometric mean FENO of 15.4 ppb (95% CI, 13.1, 18.2) compared with 10 ppb (95% CI, 8.2, 12.2) for unsensitized children. There was no statistically significant association of serum cotinine, hair cotinine, or reported corticosteroid therapy with FENO. Conclusions FENO is higher among children who are sensitized to indoor allergens and exposed to dust mites. The results hold promise for the use of FENO as a tool to manage childhood asthma by using both pharmacologic and environmental treatments.
A Transposon Site Hybridization Screen Identifies galU and wecBC as Important for Survival of Yersinia pestis in Murine Macrophages

Yersinia pestis is able to survive and replicate within murine macrophages. However, the mechanism by which Y. pestis promotes its intracellular survival is not well understood. To identify genes that are important for Y. pestis survival in macrophages, a library comprised of ∼31,500 Y. pestis KIM6+ transposon insertion mutants (input pool) was subjected to negative selection in primary murine macrophages. Genes underrepresented in the output pool of surviving bacteria were identified by transposon site hybridization to DNA oligonucleotide microarrays. The screen identified several genes known to be important for survival of Y. pestis in macrophages, including phoPQ and members of the PhoPQ regulon (e.g., pmrF). In addition, genes predicated to encode a glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (galU), a UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase (wecB) and a UDP-N-acetyl-d-mannosamine dehydrogenase (wecC) were identified in the screen. Viable-count assays demonstrated that a KIM6+ galU mutant and a KIM6+ wecBC mutant were defective for survival in murine macrophages. The galU mutant was studied further because of its strong phenotype. The KIM6+ galU mutant exhibited increased susceptibility to the antimicrobial peptides polymyxin B and cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that the lipooligosaccharide (LOS) of the galU mutant migrated faster than the LOS of the parent KIM6+, suggesting the core was truncated. In addition, the analysis of LOS isolated from the galU mutant by mass spectrometry showed that aminoarabinose modification of lipid A is absent. Therefore, addition of aminoarabinose to lipid A and complete LOS core (galU), as well as enterobacterial common antigen (wecB and wecC), is important for survival of Y. pestis in macrophages.
Antimicrobial efficacy of plant phenolic compounds against Salmonella and Escherichia Coli

Abstract The present study evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy of natural phenolic compounds (PC) extracted from vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices; to inhibit the growth of Gram-negative foodborne bacteria which is defined as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Strains of Escherichia coli and Salmonella species were treated with natural PCs including; chlorogenic acid, curcumin, (−) epicatechin, eugenol, myricetin, quercetin, rutin, thymol, thymoquinone, and xanthohumol. Concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20 ppm of each compound were evaluated by a broth micro-dilution method and the MICs were determined by using optical density after 24 and 60 h of incubation. Structural alterations in treated bacteria were observed via scanning electron microscopy. For E. coli , thymoquinone showed the highest inhibition, followed by rutin, (−) epicatechin and myricetin (MIC Salmonella was most sensitive to (−) epicatechin (MIC This study highlighted the antimicrobial efficacy of some novel PCs which may replace chemical antimicrobials and preservatives in food or pharmaceutical industry to partially or completely inhibit the growth of bacteria.
Evidence for Absorption of Silicon and Aluminum by Hens Fed Sodium Zeolite A

The mechanism of action of zeolite A (ZA) on eggshell quality could be related either to its ion-exchange properties or to individual ZA elements (Al or Si). Two experiments were conducted to determine 1) whether any ZA passes through the digestive system in its original form; and 2) whether any Al and Si absorption occurs. In Experiment 1, unfed hens were intubated with either 0 or 5 g ZA at oviposition. In Experiment 2, fed and unfed hens were intubated at oviposition with 0, 1, or 2 g ZA. At the subsequent oviposition, liver and kidney tissues, excreta, urine, bile, and plasma were collected and analyzed for Al, Si, Na, K, and P. The results indicated that approximately 7% of the intubated ZA passed through the digestive system in its original form (Experiment 1). As the intubated level of ZA increased, excreta Al and Si (P < .0001), urine Si (P < .005), and urine Al (P < .07) also increased (Experiment 2). Aluminum recovery from excreta ranged from 75 to 93% of the quantity intubated in all treatments. Corresponding values of Si from excreta of unfed and fed hens ranged from 76 to 81% and 58 to 60%, respectively. The P content of excreta was not influenced by ZA. However, excreta P was greater (P < .0001) in unfed than in fed hens. Neither plasma electrolytes (Na, K, and P) nor Al or Si levels in either liver or kidney were influenced by ZA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Automation and Process Improvement Enables a Small Team to Operate a Low Thrust Mission in Orbit Around the Asteroid Vesta

NASA's Dawn mission to the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres launched September 27, 2007 and arrived at Vesta in July of 2011. This mission uses ion propulsion to achieve the necessary delta-V to reach and maneuver at Vesta and Ceres. This paper will show how the evolution of ground system automation and process improvement allowed a relatively small engineering team to transition from cruise operations to asteroid operations while maintaining robust processes. The cruise to Vesta phase lasted almost 4 years and consisted of activities that were built with software tools, but each tool was open loop and required engineers to review the output to ensure consistency. Additionally, this same time period was characterized by the evolution from manually retrieved and reviewed data products to automatically generated data products and data value checking. Furthermore, the team originally took about three to four weeks to design and build about four weeks of spacecraft activities, with spacecraft contacts only once a week. Operations around the asteroid Vesta increased the tempo dramatically by transitioning from one contact a week to three or four contacts a week, to fourteen contacts a week (every 12 hours). This was accompanied by a similar increase in activity complexity as well as very fast turn around activity design and build cycles. The design process became more automated and the tools became closed loop, allowing the team to build more activities without sacrificing rigor. Additionally, these activities were dependent on the results of flight system performance, so more automation was added to analyze the flight data and provide results in a timely fashion to feed the design cycle. All of this automation and process improvement enabled up the engineers to focus on other aspects of spacecraft operations, including spacecraft health monitoring and anomaly resolution.
Mucin synthesis and secretion by cultured tracheal cells: effects of collagen gel substratum thickness

We previously demonstrated that human tracheobronchial epithelial (TBE) cells synthesize mucin and form mucous granules in culture when they are maintained on a collagen gel (CG) substratum, but not on a plastic tissue culture surface or a thin collagen-coated surface (Wu et al., Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., 3:467–478; 1990). This observation led us to examine the effects of CG thickness on cell growth and differentiation in primary human/monkey TBE cell cultures. Using the same CG preparation, culture dishes with different thicknesses of CG substratum were prepared. In general, equivalent degrees of cell attachment and proliferation were observed in all cultures maintained on a collagen gel, independent of the thicknesses of CG substratum. However, a greater degree of mucin synthesis and secretion by the cells was observed as the thickness of the CG substratum was increased. Cultures maintained on a thick collagen gel (1 mm) exhibited greater apical membrane complexity, more pseudostratification, and more mucous granules than did cultures maintained on a thin CG substratum. The optimal culture surface for airway mucous cell differentiation contains more than 1-mm thickness of collagen gel substratum.
The Effect of Thyroidectomy on Lactation in the Bovine

Abstract 1.Thyroidectomy performed on cows preceding gestation, during pregnancy, and during lactation caused a complete cessation of lactation in about 180 days. 2.Total milk and fat yield were reduced about 75 per cent. 3.Incomplete removal of thyroid gland produced a temporary decline in milk secretion followed by a gradual return to former levels. 4.Composition of the milk as determined by fat, lactose, nitrogen, and specific gravity analyses was not affected. 5.Milk and fat yields were restored to former levels by oral administration of fresh thyroid. Decreasing response was observed as the lactation period progressed. 6.It is concluded that the reduction of lactation after thyroidectomy is due mainly to thyroid deficiency.
Standing in the Schoolhouse Door: Teacher Perceptions of Mobile Phones in the Classroom

AbstractThis study examines the perceptions of 1,121 teachers in Kentucky and Tennessee to determine their support for the use of mobile phones in the classroom, as well as their perceptions of the mobile phone features that are beneficial for school-related work and the instructional barriers to mobile phone use. The results indicated that slightly more teachers did not support the use of mobile phones in the classroom than those who did support their use, with approximately half as many teachers reporting uncertainty. The teachers perceived access to the Internet, educational apps, the calculator, the calendar, and the ability to play a podcast as the most beneficial features/functions of mobile phones for classroom use. In addition, they identified cheating, access to inappropriate information on the Internet, cyberbullying, and disruptions as the primary barriers to using mobile phones in the classroom.
Inorganic Agricultural Dust Exposure Causes Pneumoconiosis among Farmworkers

Early studies of agricultural respiratory diseases focused on allergic disorders due to organic dust exposure. However, agricultural workers in dry climate regions are exposed to substantial concentrations of inorganic dusts from agricultural soils. Exposures to inorganic dusts are dependent on the specific crop and task, but are commonly several milligrams of respirable dust per cubic millimeter. In vitro toxicity studies show the dust's cytotoxicity to be intermediate between controls and crystalline silica. However, in some assays of reactive oxygen species generation, such as H(2)O(2), hydroxyl radical, and nuclear factor kappaB generation, the agricultural dusts are more potent than silica. A recent study of human lung samples among deceased Latino males characterized the deposition of agricultural dusts in the lung and the pulmonary response to these dusts. Careful histologic analyses in this study demonstrated that farmwork was significantly associated with mineral dust small airways disease and pneumoconiosis (macules and/or nodules). These associations persisted in multivariate analysis. Cigarette smoking was independently associated with these outcomes, but the interaction of mineral dust and smoking was not significant. Limited studies of farmworkers exposed to inorganic dusts show respiratory symptoms and restrictive pulmonary function with exposure. Overall, the evidence supports a causal association of mineral dust exposure and pneumoconiosis. Inorganic mineral dusts should no longer be considered merely a nuisance, but rather a cause of mixed-dust pneumoconiosis. The prevalence and natural history of this disorder are unknown.
Incontinence management scale for elderlyinpatient men

Abstract For many elderly inpatients, urinary incontinence cannot be successfully treated andthe management objective is identifying a suitable method for containment of urine loss. In elderly inpatient men, an external catheter is utilized in many cases for incontinence management. The role of the severity of incontinence and the use of an external catheter was investigated in 66 elderly inpatient men. Quantitative incontinence measurements showed incontinent patients having an external catheter had approximately 6.3 (SD = 2.5) episodes per day compared with 3.2 (SD = 2.0) episodes per day in the noncatheter incontinent patients. The clinical management method used in these patients was associated with the measured severity of icontinence.
Differential Expression of Chitin Synthase (CHS) and Glucan Synthase (FKS) Genes Correlates with the Formation of a Modified, Thinner Cell Wall in in vivo-produced Beauveria bassiana Cells

During infection (in vivo), the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana produces yeast-like cells that are surrounded by modified cell walls. These modifications have been related to the fungus ability to limit recognition by the host defense system. The composition of the in vivo cell wall was analyzed using a combination of cytochemical and molecular techniques. The in vivo cell walls still contained both chitin and 1,3-β-glucan, but they were significantly thinner than in vitro cell walls (50–60 nm versus 100–160 nm, respectively). The difference in cell wall thickness was correlated with transcriptional regulation of cell wall-related genes: quantitative RT-PCR reactions demonstrated that B. bassiana chitin synthase (CHS) and glucan synthase (FKS) genes are down regulated in vivo. These analyses indicate that in vivo-triggered phenotypic modifications, including cell wall adjustments, are controlled by molecular mechanisms that include regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional level.
Transformations for stereoscopic visual simulation

Abstract Stereoscopic display devices are now standard offerings for graphics workstations. These displays find application in medical, scientific, and engineering visualization. Several geometric models can be used to determine the projections for stereoscopic images. In some circumstances, however, the perceived image may be uncomfortable to view, or it may contain undesirable depth distortions. We present a geometric model for stereoscopic viewing that can accurately model most viewing situations. Using this model, the viewer comfortably perceives realistic size and depth relationships among objects in the stereoscopic image. We relate this model to human visual constraints, and develop the geometric transformations required to use this method on graphics workstations.
Hyperphosphatemia associated with cortical hyperostosis and tumoral calcinosis.

1, Ward J, Smith AL. Hemophilus influenzae bacteremia in children with sickle cell disease. J PEDIATR 1976;88:261-2. 2, Powars D, Overturf G, Turner E. Is there an increased risk of Haemophilus influenzae septicemia in children with sickle cell anemia. Pediatrics 1983;71:927-31. 3. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Infectious Disease. Hemophilus type b polysaccharide vaccine. Pediatrics 1985;76:322-4. 4. Center s for Disease Control. Polysaccharide vaccine for prevention of Haemophilus influenzae type b disease. MMWR 1985;34:201-5. 5. Frank AL, Laborka R J, Rao S, et al. Haemophilus influenzae type b immunization of children with sickle cell diseases. Pediatrics 1988;82:571-5. 6. Peltola H, Kayhty H, Virtanen M, Makela PH. Prevention of Hemophilus influenzae type b bacteremia infections with the capsular polysaccharide vaccine. N Engl J Med 1984; 310:1561-6. 7. Insel RA, Anderson PW. Response to oligosaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae b in two patients with IgG2 deficiency unresponsive to capsular polysaccharide vaccine. N Engl J Med 1986;315:499-503. 8. Seppala I J, Routonen N, Sarnesto A, et al. The percentages of six immunoglobulin isotypes in human antibodies to tetanus toxoid: standardization of isotype-specific second antibodies in solid-phase assay. Eur J Immunol 1984;14:86875. 9. Eskola J, Peltota H, Takala AK, et al. Efficacy of Haemophilus type b polysaccharide-diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine in infancy. N Engl J Med 1987;317:717-22. Top FH, Johnson CL, Myers MG, et al. Immunogenicity and safety of Haemophilus influenzae type b oligosaceharide conjugate vaccine (HbOC) in infants and children. Pediatr Res 1988;23:1101. Peltola H, Eskola J, Kayhty H, Makela PH. Immunogenicity of Haemophilus influenzae oligosaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine (HbOC) compared to polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine (PRP-D) in infancy. Presented at the Twentyeighth Interscienee Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapeutics, Oct 23-26, 1988, Los Angeles, Calif. Weinberg GA, Granoff DM. Polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines for the prevention of Haemophilus influenzae type b disease. J PEDIATR 1988;113:621-31. 10.
Otolaryngology: “It’s All Greek to Me”

This study explores the origins and evolution of the specialty name for what is now primarily known in the English-speaking world as otolaryngology–head and neck surgery. This appellation is the longest and least pronounceable of all medical specialties. While it is reasonably well understood among medical professionals, surveys show that only a small fraction of health consumers understand its meaning. The ideal medical specialty name should have a meaning recognizable to a large segment of the public, be easily pronounceable, be reasonably short, and serve to communicate the type of illnesses treated. The cumbersomeness of the specialty name has led to nearly universal use of informal substitutes, which do not covey the scope of contemporary practice (eg, ear, nose, and throat) and to abbreviations (eg, ENT, ORL, OHNS). Based on the commercial experience, it is clear that shorter is better. The authors advocate that dialog be opened, guided by the experience from instances of successful corporate rebran...
Dynamic Simulation as an Approach to Understanding Hurricane Risk Response: Insights from the Stormview Lab

This article investigates the use of dynamic laboratory simulations as a tool for studying decisions to prepare for hurricane threats. A prototype web-based simulation named Stormview is described that allows individuals to experience the approach of a hurricane in a computer-based environment. In Stormview participants can gather storm information through various media, hear the opinions of neighbors, and indicate intentions to take protective action. We illustrate how the ability to exert experimental control over the information viewed by participants can be used to provide insights into decision making that would be difficult to gain from field studies, such as how preparedness decisions are affected by the nature of news coverage of prior storms, how a storm’s movement is depicted in graphics, and the content of word-of-mouth communications. Data from an initial application involving a sample of Florida residents reveal a number of unexpected findings about hurricane risk response. Participants who viewed forecast graphics, which contained track lines depicting the most likely path of the storm, for example, had higher levels of preparation than those who saw graphics that showed only uncertainty cones—even among those living far from the predicted center path. Similarly, the participants who were most likely to express worry about an approaching storm and fastest to undertake preparatory action were those who, ironically, had never experienced one. Finally, external validity is evidenced by a close rank-order correspondence between patterns of information use revealed in the lab and that found in previous cross-sectional field studies.
Patterns of Microbially Driven Carbon Cycling in the Ocean: Links between Extracellular Enzymes and Microbial Communities

Heterotrophic microbial communities play a central role in the marine carbon cycle. They are active in nearly all known environments, from the surface to the deep ocean, in the sediments, and from the equator to the Poles. In order to process complex organic matter, these communities produce extracellular enzymes of the correct structural specificity to hydrolyze substrates to sizes sufficiently small for uptake. Extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis thus initiates heterotrophic carbon cycling. Our knowledge of the enzymatic capabilities of microbial communities in the ocean is still underdeveloped. Recent studies, however, suggest that there may be large-scale patterns of enzymatic function in the ocean, patterns of community function that may be connected to emerging patterns of microbial community composition. Here I review some of these large-scale contrasts in microbial enzyme activities, between high-latitude and temperate surface ocean waters, contrasts between inshore and offshore waters, changes with depth gradients in the ocean, and contrasts between the water column and underlying sediments. These contrasting patterns are set in the context of recent studies of microbial communities and patterns of microbial biogeography. Focusing on microbial community function as well as composition and potential should yield clearer understanding of the factors driving carbon cycling in the ocean.