cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Left Atrial Diastolic Dysfunction And Pulmonary Venous Hypertension In Atrial Fibrillation: Clinical, Hemodynamic And Echocardiographic Characteristics.

BACKGROUND Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction has been well described; diastolic abnormalities of the LA are less frequently recognized and poorly understood. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical, hemodynamic and echocardiographic features of left atrial (LA) diastolic dysfunction. METHODS Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), severe LA enlargement, and pulmonary venous hypertension (PVH, Group 1) were compared to patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), normal LA size and sinus rhythm (Group 2). All underwent right heart catheterization and transthoracic echo to evaluate hemodynamics and LA function. Mitral regurgitation was evaluated by transesophageal echocardiography. LA diastolic function was measured by comparing filling fraction, pulmonary venous flow and compliance. RESULTS Right atrial, pulmonary artery systolic and mean pressures were similar. Mean wedge pressure were increased in Group 1, 20.8±2.6 versus 9.7±2.8 mm of Hg (p<0.0001). The most striking hemodynamic difference was large V wave in Group 1 without significant mitral regurgitation. LA filling fraction was abnormal in Group 1, 11.4%±8.5 compared to Group 2, 111.5%±44 (p<0.0001). LA compliance was 0.39±0.27 ml/m2/mmHg in Group 1 versus 6.8±4.54 ml/m2/mmHg in Group 2 (p=0.001). There was a strong negative correlation between the V wave and LA filling fraction (r= 0.756, p<0.001). The ratio of the height of the transmitral E wave divided by the S/D ratio (the LA diastolic dysfunction index) correlated very strongly with the V wave (r=0.907, p<0.001). CONCLUSION LA diastolic dysfunction is present in some patients with long standing AF and PVH. LA diastolic dysfunction, in addition to left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, may contribute to the syndrome of heart failure with preserved left ventricular systolic function.
CD4 signaling and Pneumocystis clearance: a critical role of IL-21R and STAT3 for effector function (MPF2P.745)

Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunist infection that is a significant cause of disease in immunocompromised patients. Patients whose blood CD4 counts drop below 200 cell/μl due to HIV infection or immunosuppressive therapies are at high risk of developing Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). However, the exact role of CD4 cells and the specific effector subtype that is required for clearance has yet to be determined. We investigated this question with several cytokine and STAT knock out mice using both in vivo infection as well as the assessment of effector CD4+ T-cell function by adoptive transfer into Pneumocystis infected Rag1-/- mice. We observe that classical Th1, Th2, Th17, and Tfh cell effector functions are dispensable for organism clearance. However we found an essential role for both IL21 receptor signaling on CD4 cells as well as CD4+ T-cell intrinsic STAT3 activation are required for clearance. These data are consistent with the recent identification of human IL21R deficiency and susceptibility to PJP. We are currently examining potential novel downstream mechanisms that may mediate immunity against Pneumocystis pneumonia in this context.
Indexacao, politica de taxa cambial e efeitos da realimentacao inflacionaria na america latina

This paper examines inflationary adjustment processes in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay with time-varying estimation techniques to determine the relationship between inflationary inertia or feedback effects from past to current inflation and the degree of indexation of wages and exchange rates to past inflation rates. Thc results show that reductions iii the degree of exchange rate linkage to past inflation have not been particularly helpful in larger or relatively more diversified economies (such as Argentina, Brasil, or Chile), while reductions in wage linkages to past inflation rates have had strong but short-lived effects.
Re-imagining the Philosophy of Decolonization

Focusing on the search for a philosophy of decolonization, the chapter identifies negritude’s racialization of the African self as a chief paradigm in opposition to which various African schools have defined themselves. In their attempts to deracialize the African person, the schools have emphasized either universalism or cultural particularism, correctly arguing that racialization is debilitating. However, negritude’s opponents were less able to explain how, once the racial component is removed, African identity could survive in a world increasingly dominated by the global economic and cultural powers of the West. Kebede contends that the path of decolonization lies in integrating and moving beyond negritude in the direction of temporalization, the very one thematized in the Bergsonian notion of duration. The notion restores continuity, and so allows us to think the recurrence of the particular within the universal. The outcome is the centering of the African self and the projection of a path of modernization and exchange with the West in Africa’s own terms.
Water absorption capacity of soil-incorporated plant leaves can affect N2O emissions and soil inorganic N concentrations

Abstract Soil incorporation of aboveground plant residues contributes to enhancement of soil sustainability in agricultural systems with cover crops. However, incorporated plant fragments can affect N2O emissions by acting as micro-scale hotspots of N2O production. We hypothesize that water retention capacity of the incorporated plant material and soil pore-size distribution (PSD) are among the factors influencing the magnitude of N2O emissions from the soil subjected to aboveground plant residue additions. To test this hypothesis we compared CO2 and N2O emissions from two soil materials with contrasting PSD incubated with leaves from two legume species similar in their C and N contents, but differing in physical characteristics of their leaves, i.e., crimson and red clovers. In order to separate the effect of biochemical differences between the two species from the differences in the physical characteristics of their leaves we considered three leaf treatments: (i) intact leaves, (ii) ground leaf material aggregated to resemble the size of the intact leaves, and (iii) ground leaf material uniformly mixed with the soil. The latter two treatments minimized the physical differences between the leaves of the two species. Intact leaves of crimson clover retained more water than the red clover leaves. At the studied 50% of water filled pore space settings, both species retained more water when incubated in the soil material with prevalence of large (>30 μm) pores than in the soil material with prevalence of small ( 30 μm) pores.
Callimachus’ Taxonomy of Men (Iamb 2.10-13)

This study argues that Callimachus’ treatment of his ‘animal-voiced’ contemporaries at the conclusion of the fable in Iamb 2 reflects zoological and physiognomic practices so as to represent the poetic narrator as a taxonomist of men. Elsewhere the classification of men as if they were flora or fauna appears, like fable itself, in distinctly moral and ethical contexts, as, for example, in Theophrastus’ Characters . Callimachus’ formulation of his narrator as a taxonomist who classifies ‘species’ of men based upon their literary ‘voices’ thus plays with modes of invective new to iambos while uniting moral criticism with literary polemic.
Optimal control and other complex systems paradigms in the context of turbulent flows

Complex systems are high dimensional, nonlinear systems far from equilibrium. Turbulent fluids can therefore be considered as a typical example for complex systems. In these lectures, we present new principles and methodologies of complex systems research, that may help to understand and control the dynamics of turbulent flows. The dynamics of a high dimensional complex system can in many cases be estimated from simple models such as coupled maps dynamics, low dimensional systems of ODEs, singular motions, or genetic algorithms. The reduction of dimensionality means that a few order parameters govern the dynamics of the complex system.
A two-stage strategy for solving the connection subgraph problem

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix CHAPTER 1. Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 Motivations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 Research Problem and Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.2.1 Issues in Finding an Appropriate Goodness Function . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.2.2 Issues in Graph Computation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1.3 Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.4 Thesis Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CHAPTER 2. Review of Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2.1 Random Walk on Graphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2.1.1 Random Walk Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2.1.2 Electric Current Based Measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2.2 Measures of Importance or Relative Importance on the Graphs . . . . . . . . . 9 2.2.1 Social Network Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2.2.2 Link Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2.3 Connection Subgraph and its Recent Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.3.1 Candidate Subgraph Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.3.2 Recent Studies Related to Connection Subgraph . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Factors associated with the likelihood of fall-related injury among people with lower limb loss.

People with lower limb loss that live in the community fall at a rate that exceeds that of other vulnerable populations such as hospitalized elderly people. Past research in a small single state study has identified factors associated with fall-related injury. The purpose of this study was to use a larger multistate sample of people with lower limb loss living in community settings to evaluate factors associated with fall-related injury in a multivariable model. This retrospective cohort study included community-dwelling people with lower limb loss participating in wellness-walking programs in 6 states within the United States. Fall-related injury was considered injury sustained during a fall to the ground that required medical care. Pearson’s Chi-squared test and student’s t-test were used for descriptive statistics. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals from multivariable logistic regression modelling were used to estimate the likelihood of fall-related injuries. Of the 303 subjects recruited, 257 (84.8%) were included in the analyses. Overall, 45 subjects (17.5%) reported at least a single fall-related injury. Most subjects reported two or more falls within the previous 12 months (N = 161, 63.1%), were male (N = 177, 68.9%), and were White (N = 212, 83.8%). Most falls were associated with gait (44.5%), activities of daily living (ADL, 15.7%), or ramps and/or stairs (12%). The likelihood of fall-related injury was elevated among females versus males (OR = 2.90, 95% CI 1.35, 6.24), people of non-White versus White race (OR = 4.79, 95% CI 1.06, 21.76), people with vascular amputations due to peripheral artery disease or diabetes versus non-vascular amputations (OR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.04, 4.73) and people with transtibial versus transfemoral amputations (OR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.01, 4.89). Results of this study show that the likelihood of fall-related injury was significantly higher among women, non-White race, people with vascular and transtibial amputations. The results from this study were largely consistent with results from the prior multivariable fall-related injury model. The results highlight the association of female sex, non-White race, vascular and transtibial amputations with the likelihood of fall-related injury. Future studies may use the study findings to develop educational fall prevention programs for women, minorities, and people with vascular etiology and transtibial amputations.
The Innate Immune Sensor Sting Promotes CD8+ T Cell-Mediated Gvhd after Preclinical Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (aHSCTs). Pre-HSCT conditioning typically consists of irradiation and drug administration resulting in the death of rapidly dividing cells. Damage to host tissues initiates a cytokine storm, promoting activation and expansion of donor anti-host alloreactive T cells. Cell death following conditioning has promoted the hypothesis that sensors of cytoplasmic DNA damage in GVHD target tissues contribute to cytokine production. We identified a role for Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING), an innate immune sensor, in GVHD using pre-clinical MHC-matched (MUD) aHSCT models. Here, we show that the STING pathway promotes CD8+ T cell-mediated GVHD after MHC matched and MHC-mismatched aHSCT. To assess a role for STING after MHC-matched aHSCT, we transplanted C3H.SW BM + unfractionated T cells into irradiated B6-WT or STING−/− recipients. STING−/− recipients developed reduced weight loss, GVHD scores and skin pathology 6 wks post-HSCT. Chimeric studies demonstrated that the absence of STING in non-hematopoietic cells was responsible for the amelioration of GVHD. Therefore, to test STING signaling in non-hematopoietic intestinal cells, we generated intestinal organoid cultures which upregulated IFNβ, TNFα, IL-6, CXCL10 and MHC class I mRNA 6 hrs after stimulation with the highly specific STING agonist DMXAA, supporting the notion that STING can contribute to GI inflammation in vivo (Fig. 1A). To evaluate the potential impact of STING in the clinical setting, we examined MHC-matched recipients homozygous for a human allele associated with diminished STING activity and found STINGHAQ/HAQ mice exhibited diminished GVHD vs WT. Since MHC-matched GVHD is primarily mediated by CD8+ T cells, we next asked if CD4+ T cells were dispensable for the reduction of GVHD in STING−/− recipients. Indeed, GVHD was reduced in STING−/− recipients after transplant of C3H.SW BM and CD8+ T cells (Fig. 1B,C). Notably, STING deficiency was recently reported to worsen GVHD after MHC-mismatched aHSCT (Fischer J, et al, Sci. Transl. Med. 2017). Since CD4+ T cells are dominant during MHC-mismatched GVHD, we transplanted BALB/c BM + CD8+ T cells into B6-WT and STING−/− mice. Again, STING−/- recipients developed lower GVHD clinical scores, reduced skin pathology and had lower frequencies of activated T cells 8 wks post-HSCT vs WT, supporting a role for STING in the promotion of CD8+ T cell-mediated GVHD – consistent with this pathways upregulation of MHC class I (Fig. 1D,E). In total, these studies demonstrate that STING plays an important role in regulating aHSCT and promotes CD8+ T cell-mediated GVHD regardless of the genetic disparity between donor and recipient. The findings support the notion that this pathway may provide a target for new strategies to ameliorate GVHD.
Floating Languages: Loh’s Breaking the Tongue and the Consequences of Historical Fiction

Historical fiction—particularly that written by and/or featuring people of color—has become a popular genre approached uncritically by its readers. Covering the fall of British Malaya in WWII, Vyvyane Loh’s Breaking the Tongue challenges traditional views of historical fiction. By focusing on historical revisionism, reliability, and language, this article argues that Loh confronts reader’s expectations of escapism, accuracy, and authority in the genre. In doing so, Loh asks readers to formulate a new reading practice that hinges on careful cross-cultural interaction. The novel highlights multiple perspectives to show how all history has elements of fiction, and vice versa.
The Paleoecological and Environmental Significance Of Trace Fossils

Trace fossils have great paleoecologic utility because they are (1) widespread in space and time, (2) found in place, and (3) largely the record of animal behavior and response, making them ideal indicators of environmental conditions.
Bar-expressing peppermint (Mentha × Piperita L. var. Black Mitcham) plants are highly resistant to the glufosinate herbicide Liberty

Weed control is a substantial economic input for production of mint oils, the most commercially important of which are obtained from peppermint. The objective of this research is to obtain peppermint plants resistant to the broad-spectrum herbicide glufosinate, which can be used for development of economically efficacious weed control strategies and, perhaps, serve as a paradigm in perennial crops. The bar gene, which encodes phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) which inactivates glufosinate-ammonium or phosphinothricin (PPT), was constructed into Agrobacterium tumefaciens binary vectors under the nopaline synthase (NOS) or a chimeric promoter containing a trimer of the OCS-upstream-activating sequence (UAS) to a MAS promoter/activator region[(OCS)3MAS]. A total of 142 independent transgenic peppermint (cv. Black Mitcham) plants were obtained (107 and 35 were obtained with pGPTV (and pCAS1) and pATC940 vectors, respectively) and evaluated for herbicide resistance in the greenhouse after foliar application of glufosinate herbicide Liberty as the commercial product. All transgenic plants exhibited substantially less herbicide symptom development than non-transgenic Black Mitcham or untransformed tissue cultured-derived plants, albeit variation for herbicide resistance occurred amongst the transformed lines. Plants from 35 of the 142 lines were selected at random and all were PCR-positive for the presence of bar. Five lines, that were least affected, exhibited no injury symptoms to Liberty concentrations that are 4 times the standard level for control of weeds in peppermint fields. The most resistant transgenic plants had the greatest steady-state PAT mRNA levels and PAT activities. No experimental difference in herbicide resistance was evident between plant populations obtained with pGPTV (pCAS1)-bar or pATC940-bar vector. However, 4 of 35 lines transformed with (ocs)3MAS-bar exhibited maximal resistance while only 1 of 107 NOS-bar lines has comparable resistance. These herbicide resistant peppermint plants will facilitate development of post-emergent herbicide control strategies that use newer generation herbicides, like glufosinate, which have reduced environmental and product residual because of metabolism by microbes and the transgenic plants.
The Black Travel Movement: A Catalyst for Social Change:

In response to the underrepresentation of Black people in the travel sphere, Black travelers have created their presence in the market – authentically representing and providing opportunities for B...
Will College Promise Programs Improve or Reduce Equity? Understanding the Contextual Conditions That Influence Program Implementation.

Although “free tuition” programs are politically popular, some worry that these programs will exacerbate inequity. Scholars note that program outcomes depend on implementation, but few have probed the contextual conditions that contribute to differences in implementation or the consequences of implementation for equity. To address this knowledge gap, we draw on conceptual models of implementation fidelity and case studies of last-dollar, free tuition programs at four community colleges. The consequences of an implemented program for equity depend on program content and coverage and are moderated by programmatic and organizational conditions. For the studied programs, implemented content includes the financial award and non-financial academic supports. Coverage is determined by eligibility requirements. Program content and coverage are moderated by programmatic characteristics, including program goals and placement in the organizational structure, program staffing, and recruitment strategies. Organizational conditions, including sources and availability of funding, availability of synergistic programs, capacity for data collection and evaluation, and perceptions of the community college also moderate implementation. The results inform understanding of how to implement programs at community colleges that increase equity in particular contexts.
A low-cost approach to identify hazard curvature for local road networks using open-source data

Abstract Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States. Curvature in local roadways has been identified as one of the most significant factors that lead to fatal crashes. Given the large number of local roads and their relatively low traffic volume - compared with interstates or freeways - most local roads may not receive priorities in the first phase of highway upgrades, and critical locations, e.g., sharp curves (vertical and/or horizontal), in the network may be a deadly threat for both advanced autonomous vehicles and conventional vehicles. Furthermore, identifying local roadway curvatures presents various obstacles, such as high budgets and lack of survey data. To fill this gap, this study offers a low-cost approach to constructing three-dimensional geometric profiles for local roads in a relatively large study area using open-source data. Given these profiles, critical road segments, including extreme horizontal and vertical curves and their combinations, can be identified. This study re-classifies the local road segments into 20 sub-categories based on the calculated vertical grades and curve radii and incorporates those segments into a zero-inflated native binomial model for crash occurrence. Model results showed that grades or curves were associated with decreased crash frequency compared with straight and flat roads. However, segments with larger horizontal curve radii and low grades were found to be associated with increased crash frequency. Further implications are discussed in the paper.
Giving birth in America, 1988.

Advances in medical science have improved the prospects for pregnant women to deliver safely and for childless women to become pregnant. However the picture is not as positive as it may seem. The liability crisis that is driving many obstetricians out of practice is likely to persist limiting womens access to obstetric care. Reliance on cesarean delivery has risen to unacceptable levels in part as a result of excessive use of electronic fetal monitoring. Pregnancy complications prematurity perinatal morbidity and mortality continue to be serious problems. US perinatal mortality data do not compare favorably with those of many other developed nations and the rate of prematurity will probably exceed the 1990 target of 5% set by the US government. Prematurity and pregnancy complications are rooted in the associated social factors of poverty welfare dependence and limited education and they will not be eliminated until those problems are eased. There also is little hope that obstetric outcomes can be improved without reducing the extent of smoking drug use and alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Infertility also can be caused or worsened by social factors that defy easy resolution. For the next 20 years dealing with these societal problems should be a top priority. (authors)
Effect of reactor turbulence on the binding-protein-mediated aspartate transport system in thin wastewater biofilms.

This research documents an effect of reactor turbulence on the ability of gram-negative wastewater biofilm bacteria to actively transport l-aspartate via a binding-protein-mediated transport system. Biofilms which were not preadapted to turbulence and which possessed two separate and distinct aspartate transport systems (systems 1 and 2) were subjected to a turbulent flow condition in a hydrodynamically defined closed-loop reactor system. A shear stress treatment of 3.1 N · m−2 for 10 min at a turbulent Reynolds number (Re = 11,297) inactivated the low-affinity, high-capacity binding-protein-mediated transport system (system 2) and resolved the high-affinity, low-capacity membrane-bound proton symport system (system 1). The Kt and Vmax values for the resolved system were statistically similar to Kt and Vmax values for system 1 when system 2 was inactivated either by osmotic shock or arsenate, two treatments which are known to inactivate binding-protein-mediated transport systems. We hypothesize that shear stress disrupts system 2 by deforming the outer membranes of the firmly adhered gram-negative bacteria.
On counterfactual computation

In this paper we pursue two targets. First, showing that counterfactual computation can be rigorously formalised as a quantum computation. Second, presenting a new counterfactual protocol which improve previous protocols. Counterfactual computation makes use of quantum mechanics’ peculiarities to infer the outcome of a quantum computation without running that computation. In this paper, we first cast the definition of counterfactual protocol in the quantum programming language qGCL, thereby showing that counterfactual computation is an example of quantum computation. Next, we formalise in qGCL a probabilistic extension of counterfactual protocol for decision problems (whose result is either 0 or 1). If p$_{G}^{r}$denotes for protocol G the probability of obtaining result r “for free” (i.e. without running the quantum computer), then we show that for any probabilistic protocol p$_{G}^{\rm 0}$+ p$_{G}^{\rm 1}$≤ 1 (as for non-probabilistic protocols). Finally, we present a probabilistic protocol K which satisfies p$_{K}^{\rm 0}$+p$_{K}^{\rm 1}$=1, thus being optimal. Furthermore, the result is attained with a single insertion of the quantum computer, while it has been shown that a non-probabilistic protocol would obtain the result only in the limit (i.e. with an infinite number of insertions).
Evaluating serum anti-cyclin B1 antibodies as a biomarker for prevalent, early lung cancer in a population at high-risk for lung cancer

4549 Purpose: The primary aims of this study are to assess serum cyclin B1 antibody titers as effective diagnostic or screening tools for the identification of prevalent, early lung cancer cases within a population at-risk for lung cancer using a case-control study design. Background: Detecting lung cancer early creates the opportunity for more successful treatment outcomes. In order to identify early stage lung cancer, screening of at-risk populations may need to be implemented. The immune system is capable of responding to tumor antigens arising from altered host factors and may provide an early readout for the presence of cancer. Antibodies to the tumor antigen cyclin B1 are present in lung cancer patients. Unscheduled overexpression of this cell cycle regulator occurs early in tumorigenesis and might be detected by the immune system long before clinical diagnosis of cancer. Serum cyclin B1 antibody titer screening would be safe and likely acceptable to subjects/patients if antibody titers prove to be a sufficiently sensitive and specific biomarker of prevalent lung cancer. Methods: Antibodies recognizing cyclin B1 were measured using semi-automated ELISAs in sera samples from subjects with and without computed tomography- (CT-) detectable lung cancer enrolled in the Pittsburgh Lung Screening Study (PLuSS), a longitudinal study of long-term smokers over age 50. Total anti-cyclin B1 serum antibody titers and isotype-specific anti-cyclin B1 antibody titers were assessed for 37 PLuSS lung cancer cancers and 74 matched PLuSS control subject. Association of presence of anti-cyclin B1 antibody with cancer case status was evaluated using STATA V.9 conditional logistic regression analysis. Results: Total and isotype-specific anti-cyclin B1 antibodies were present in a small subset of cases and at-risk subjects without CT-detectable lung cancer. These positive outliers will be of special interest as the cohort is followed prospectively, as anti-cyclin B1 antibody levels may be of prognostic importance regarding disease outcomes for cases and future disease occurrence for at-risk controls. For prevalent CT-detectable cancer versus age-matched at-risk controls, presence of anti-cyclin B1 antibodies was not significantly associated with cancer case status. These findings differ from previous reports and may be a result of using lung cancer cases that were identified through a concerted screening effort rather than presenting as symptomatic lung cancer.
Effects of fat sources on high fat induced changes in inflammation and lipid metabolism in juvenile pigs (822.3)

Effects of fat sources on high fat induced changes in inflammation and lipid metabolism in juvenile pigs Saebyeol Jang1, Aleksey Molokin1, Joseph F. Urban, Jr. 1, Gloria Solano-Aguilar1: 1USDA, ARS...
Purification and Characterization of Acid Phosphatase V from Aspergillus nidulans

Acid phosphatase V of Aspergillus nidulans was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and ion-exchange chromatography. The enzyme demonstrated a charge microheterogeneity on starch and acrylamide gel electrophoresis, but proved to be homogeneous on ultracentrifugation and gel filtration. Phosphatase V was found to be a classic acid orthophosphoric monoester phosphohydrolase, and it cleaved p-nitrophenylphosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, and uridine-5'-monophosphate at maximal rates. It was inhibited by fluoride, borate, and molybdate ions, and demonstrated end-product inhibition by inorganic phosphate. Metallic ions or cofactors were not required for activity. The molecular weight was estimated to be 100,000, the S(20,w) was calculated to be 4.1, and the pH optimum was found to be 6.1.
Induction of α-Synuclein Aggregation by Intracellular Nitrative Insult

Brain lesions containing filamentous and aggregated α-synuclein are hallmarks of neurodegenerative synucleinopathies. Oxidative stress has been implicated in the formation of these lesions. Using HEK 293 cells stably transfected with wild-type and mutant α-synuclein, we demonstrated that intracellular generation of nitrating agents results in the formation of α-synuclein aggregates. Cells were exposed simultaneously to nitric oxide- and superoxide-generating compounds, and the intracellular formation of peroxynitrite was demonstrated by monitoring the oxidation of dihydrorhodamine 123 and the nitration of α-synuclein. Light microscopy using antibodies against α-synuclein and electron microscopy revealed the presence of perinuclear aggregates under conditions in which peroxynitrite was generated but not when cells were exposed to nitric oxide- or superoxide-generating compounds separately. α-Synuclein aggregates were observed in 20–30% of cells expressing wild-type or A53T mutant α-synuclein and in 5% of cells expressing A30P mutant α-synuclein. No evidence of synuclein aggregation was observed in untransfected cells or cells expressing β-synuclein. In contrast, selective inhibition of the proteasome resulted in the formation of aggregates detected with antibodies to ubiquitin in the majority of the untransfected cells and cells expressing α-synuclein. However, α-synuclein did not colocalize with these aggregates, indicating that inhibition of the proteasome does not promote α-synuclein aggregation. In addition, proteasome inhibition did not alter the steady-state levels of α-synuclein, but addition of the lysosomotropic agent ammonium chloride significantly increased the amount of α-synuclein, indicating that lysosomes are involved in degradation of α-synuclein. Our data indicate that nitrative and oxidative insult may initiate pathogenesis of α-synuclein aggregates.
Analysis, Modeling And Simulation Of Network Traces For Video Transmission Over IP Networks

In the best-effort IP network, quality of service (QoS) cannot be guaranteed, and thus packets could possibly be delayed or lost. Packet delay/loss will inevitably degrade the perceptual quality of real-time multimedia-over-IP service, such as Voice-over-IP (VoIP), Video-on-Demand (VoD), etc. In general, packet loss/delay exhibits temporal dependence. In order to efficiently conduct error recovery/concealment and improve the perceptual quality of the transmitted multimedia contents, packet loss/delay has to be precisely modeled. Different mathematical models, such as Bernoulli Model, Gilbert Model, Extended Gilbert Model, have been proposed to model network trace. However, none of them is able to precisely model the networked multimedia trace like the General Markov Model (GMM), which has rarely been applied in practice due to massive computational resource requirements. With the developments of modern computing hardware and parallel processing algorithms, GMM is becoming computationally feasible. In this paper, in order to obtain network traces for real-time VoD transmission, different connections have been setup to simulate a real VoD system. Data packets have been transmitted between the server and clients under RTP/UDP/IP protocol stack. Different models have been applied to analyze and model the obtained video transmission network traces. Specifically, a 6-state GMM has been applied to analyze the network trace, and the parameterized model has been obtained for further error recover/concealment. Compared to the other models, GMM offers the best modeling precision, in terms of loss-run distribution (LSD) and Forward Error Correction (FEC) performance prediction. The parameterized GMM is very useful to model and analyze network traces and further improve the QoS in multimedia-over-IP based on the modeling and analysis.
Non-Hematopoietic β-Arrestin1 Confers Protection Against Experimental Colitis

β-Arrestins are multifunctional scaffolding proteins that modulate G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-dependent and -independent cell signaling pathways in various types of cells. We recently demonstrated that β-arrestin1 (β-arr1) deficiency strikingly attenuates dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Since DSS-induced colitis is in part dependent on gut epithelial injury, we examined the role of β-arr1 in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) using a colon epithelial cell line, SW480 cells. Surprisingly, we found that knockdown of β-arr1 in SW480 cells enhanced epithelial cell death via a caspase-3-dependent process. To understand the in vivo relevance and potential cell type-specific role of β-arr1 in colitis development, we generated bone marrow chimeras with β-arr1 deficiency in either the hematopoietic or non-hematopoietic compartment. Reconstituted chimeric mice were then subjected to DSS-induced colitis. Similar to our previous findings, β-arr1 deficiency in the hematopoietic compartment protected mice from DSS-induced colitis. However, consistent with the role of β-arr1 in epithelial apoptosis in vitro, non-hematopoietic β-arr1 deficiency led to an exacerbated colitis phenotype. To further understand signaling mechanisms, we examined the effect of β-arr1 on TNF-α-mediated NFκB and MAPK pathways. Our results demonstrate that β-arr1 has a critical role in modulating ERK, JNK and p38 MAPK pathways mediated by TNF-α in IECs. Together, our results show that β-arr1-dependent signaling in hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells differentially regulates colitis pathogenesis and further demonstrates that β-arr1 in epithelial cells inhibits TNF-α-induced cell death pathways.
Lung Nodule Modeling --- A Data-Driven Approach

The success of lung nodule detection depends on the quality of nodule models. This paper presents a novel approach for nodule modeling which is data-driven. Low dose CT (LDCT) scans of clinical chest data are used to create the required statistics for the models based on modern computer vision techniques. The new models characterize the tissue characteristics of typical lung nodules as specified by human experts. These models suit various machine learning approaches for nodule detection including simulated annealing, genetic algorithms, SVM, AdaBoost, and Bayesian methods. The quality of the new nodule models are studied with respect to parametric models, and are tested on clinical data showing significant improvements in sensitivity and specificity.
A gas-phase chemiluminescence-based analyzer for waterborne arsenic.

We show a practical sequential injection/zone fluidics-based analyzer that measures waterborne arsenic. The approach is capable of differentiating between inorganic As(III) and As(V). The principle is based on generating AsH3 from the sample in a confined chamber by borohydride reduction at controlled pH, sparging the chamber to drive the AsH3 to a small reflective cell located atop a photomultiplier tube, allowing it to react with ozone generated from ambient air, and measuring the intense chemiluminescence that results. Arsine generation and removal from solution results in isolation from the sample matrix, avoiding the pitfalls encountered in some solution-based analysis techniques. The differential determination of As(III) and As(V) is based on the different pH dependence of the reducibility of these species to AsH3. At pH ≤1, both As(III) and As(V) are quantitatively converted to arsine in the presence of NaBH4. At a pH of 4−5, only As(III) is converted to arsine. In the present form, the limit of de...
The Mammalian Brain rsec6/8 Complex

rsec6 and rsec8 are two components of a 17S complex in mammalian brain that is homologous to the yeast 834 kDa Sec6/8/15 complex which is essential for exocytosis. Purification and partial amino acid sequencing of the mammalian rsec6/8 complex reveals that it is composed of eight novel proteins with a combined molecular weight of 743 kDa. The complex is broadly expressed in brain and displays a plasma membrane localization in nerve terminals. Membrane associated rsec6/8 complex coimmunoprecipitates with syntaxin, a plasma membrane protein critical for neurotransmission. These data suggest a role for the mammalian rsec6/8 complex in neurotransmitter release via interactions with the core vesicle docking and fusion apparatus.
Golfer exposure to chlorpyrifos and carbaryl following application to turfgrass.

Exposure of golfers to pesticides following their application to turfgrass is of concern to regulators, turfgrass professionals, and consumers. Multipathway exposures were evaluated for golfers on turfgrass treated with chlorpyrifos and carbaryl. Air concentrations and transferable foliar residues (TFRs) were measured to assess potential respiratory and dermal exposures, respectively. At the same time, exposure to individuals simulating the play of golf was determined by dosimetry and urinary biomonitoring. Individual golfer exposure was determined in 76 rounds of golf following eight applications of chlorpyrifos and two applications of carbaryl. Estimated exposures to golfers following full course and full rate applications of chlorpyrifos and carbaryl were 19−68 times below current U.S. EPA acute reference dose (Rfd) values, indicating safe exposures under U.S. EPA hazard quotient criteria. Dermal exposure was determined to be the dominant exposure pathway to golfers, accounting for ∼60% of the chlorpyr...
Vitamin C supplementation ameliorates the adverse effects of nicotine on placental hemodynamics and histology in nonhuman primates.

Objective We previously demonstrated that prenatal nicotine exposure decreases neonatal pulmonary function in nonhuman primates, and maternal vitamin C supplementation attenuates these deleterious effects. However, the effect of nicotine on placental perfusion and development is not fully understood. This study utilizes noninvasive imaging techniques and histological analysis in a nonhuman primate model to test the hypothesis that prenatal nicotine exposure adversely effects placental hemodynamics and development but is ameliorated by vitamin C. Study Design Time-mated macaques (n = 27) were divided into 4 treatment groups: control (n = 5), nicotine only (n = 4), vitamin C only (n = 9), and nicotine plus vitamin C (n = 9). Nicotine animals received 2 mg/kg per day of nicotine bitartrate (approximately 0.7 mg/kg per day free nicotine levels in pregnant human smokers) from days 26 to 160 (term, 168 days). Vitamin C groups received ascorbic acid at 50, 100, or 250 mg/kg per day with or without nicotine. All underwent placental dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) at 135–140 days and Doppler ultrasound at 155 days to measure uterine artery and umbilical vein velocimetry and diameter to calculate uterine artery volume blood flow and placental volume blood flow. Animals were delivered by cesarean delivery at 160 days. A novel DCE-MRI protocol was utilized to calculate placental perfusion from maternal spiral arteries. Placental tissue was processed for histopathology. Results Placental volume blood flow was significantly reduced in nicotine-only animals compared with controls and nicotine plus vitamin C groups ( P = .03). Maternal placental blood flow was not different between experimental groups by DCE-MRI, ranging from 0.75 to 1.94 mL/mL per minute ( P = .93). Placental histology showed increased numbers of villous cytotrophoblast cell islands ( P P Conclusion Prenatal nicotine exposure significantly decreased fetal blood supply via reduced placental volume blood flow, which corresponded with placental histological findings previously associated with cigarette smoking. Vitamin C supplementation mitigated the harmful effects of prenatal nicotine exposure on placental hemodynamics and development, suggesting that its use may limit some of the adverse effects associated with smoking during pregnancy.
A huntingtin-associated protein enriched in brain with implications for pathology

HUNTINGTON's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neuro-degenerative disorder caused by an expanding polyglutamine repeat in the IT 15 or huntingtin gene1. Although this gene is widely expressed2–9 and is required for normal development10–12, the pathology of HD is restricted to the brain, for reasons that remain poorly understood. The huntingtin gene product is expressed at similar levels in patients and controls, and the genetics of the disorder13,14 suggest that the expansion of the polyglutamine repeat induces a toxic gain of function, perhaps through interactions with other cellular proteins15–18. Here we report the identification of a protein (huntingtin-associated protein (HAP)-l) that binds to huntingtin. This binding is enhanced by an expanded polyglutamine repeat, the length of which is also known to correlate with the age of disease onset19–21. The HAP-1 protein is enriched in the brain, suggesting a possible basis for the selective brain pathology of HD.
The vulnerability of wetlands to climate change: A hydrologic landscape perspective

: The vulnerability of wetlands to changes in climate depends on their position within hydrologic landscapes. Hydrologic landscapes are defined by the flow characteristics of ground water and surface water and by the interaction of atmospheric water, surface water, and ground water for any given locality or region. Six general hydrologic landscapes are defined; mountainous, plateau and high plain, broad basins of interior drainage, riverine, flat coastal, and hummocky glacial and dune. Assessment of these landscapes indicate that the vulnerability of all wetlands to climate change fall between two extremes: those dependent primarily on precipitation for their water supply are highly vulnerable, and those dependent primarily on discharge from regional ground water flow systems are the least vulnerable, because of the great buffering capacity of large ground water flow systems to climate change.
Theda Skocpol and Vanessa Williamson, The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism

(2012). Theda Skocpol and Vanessa Williamson, The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism. Political Theology: Vol. 13, No. 5, pp. 652-655.
Mathematical Model of Temperature-Sensitive Plasmid Replication

Abstract The copy number of a series of plasmids constructed at Odense University is regulated by the λ P R /P RM promoters and the temperature-sensitive cI857 repressor. At low temperatures, these plasmids exhibit the low copy number of the parent plasmid R1 (5-6 per cell). At high temperatures, the plasmids exhibit runaway replication, reaching copy numbers of greater than 1000 per cell. A detailed mathematical model of the temperature-sensitive replication of these plasmids has been developed incorporating three features: replication of the parent plasmid, regulation of the λ P R /P RM promoters by the cI repressor, and thermal denaturation of the cI857 repressor. Models of the first two of these features have been described by others. We revised and extended those models, described the thermal denaturation of the cI857 repressor, and integrated these features to give a comprehensive model of temperature-sensitive plasmid replication. Model predictions were compared to experimental measurements of both steady-state copy numbers as a function of temperature and the change in copy number following temperature shifts up and down. The model accurately describes the qualitative behavior of the system and gives reasonable quantitative results. This is particularly significant since all the parameter values used in this model were determined independently: that is, there was no adjustment of parameter values to match our experimental data. The regulatory system that gives rise to the temperature-sensitive replication of these plasmids is widely used in biotechnology applications, so the elements of the model related to this regulation should be applicable to a wide variety of systems.
Congenital peribronchial myofibroblastic tumor: prenatal imaging clues to differentiate from other fetal chest lesions.

We present a prenatal case of congenital peribronchial myofibroblastic tumor referred as a congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) with hydrops and polyhydramnios at 30 weeks’ gestational age. US and fetal MRI findings did not fit with the referral diagnosis, raising the possibility of intrinsic lung tumor. Fetal hydrops worsened and the baby was successfully delivered by ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) to resection at 31 weeks’ gestational age. To the best of our knowledge, this is a unique case of congenital peribronchial myofibroblastic tumor that underwent comprehensive prenatal evaluation and EXIT procedure with good outcome.
Mothers' Perceptions of Neighborhood Violence and Mother-Reported Monitoring of African American Children: An Examination of the Moderating Role of Perceived Support.

This prospective study examined the association between perceived neighborhood violence and maternal monitoring and the moderating role of 2 sources of social support (coparents and friends/neighbors) among low-income African American single mothers. Mothers' ratings of neighborhood violence were associated with monitoring both concurrently and longitudinally; however, this association was qualified by each source of social support. When neighborhood violence is perceived as being high by mothers, high levels of social support from coparents and from friends and neighbors are associated with more maternal monitoring. The findings point to the importance of understanding the social context in which African American single mothers live when developing and implementing parenting prevention and intervention programs targeting high-risk families.