cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular cloning and expression analysis of human and mouse homologs of a new transcriptional regulator as a candidate tumor suppresor gene

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of human and mouse homologs of a new transcriptional regulator as a candidate tumor suppresor gene
Adaptive Protection System for Microgrids: Protection practices of a functional microgrid system.

Distributed energy resources (DERs) offer on-site generation at consumption points, which are expected to change the conventional concept of central power generation. DER integration reduces transmission losses and enhances the operation reliability of distribution systems. However, distribution systems are traditionally designed as passive networks in which large DER penetrations representing bidirectional power flows and topology-dependent fault currents could affect protection devices, cause danger to the maintenance personnel, and result in uncontrollable under-/overvoltage and frequency. IEEE Standard 1547 requires DER units to stop energizing the distribution system when the system is de-energized due to faults.
ECONOMIC IMPACT ON DECISION MAKING

Circumcision in the patient population is not frequently performed for religious reasons. Its routine performance is discouraged as being medically unnecessary by written and verbal material provided to the mothers after delivery. Prior to September 1 1982 routine circumcision was provided without cost for medically indigent and public assistant patients at our facility. From that time until January 15 1983 a co-payment of $75.00 was required. After that time the original policy was re-established. No statistically significant effect was noted on the decision of parents to have their infant undergo this procedure in Hispanic (33/237, 13.6%) or Asian populations (11/84, 13.1%). However, the white population produced a significant decrease in incidence during the period of co-payment (37/56 v. 19/57 v. 53/72: x2 = 21.1, p<.001). Approximately half of the parents were dissuaded by the financial requirements. Of these, few obtained circumcisions subsequently. Requiring co-payments for this elective procedure may produce a decrease in over $6 million of medical expenses in California state.
Modeling of hybrid amplifier and resonator configurations for high-brightness semiconductor lasers

We describe the motivation, design principles, and operating characteristics of broad-area semiconductor lasers with lateral mode control provided by a variety of hybrid resonator and amplifier configurations.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Regulation of the β2-adrenergic receptor and its mRNA in the rat ventral prostate by testosterone

Abstract To investigate the regulation of β 2 AR expression in rat ventral prostate the effects of castration and testosterone replacement on the β 2 AR were studied by ligand binding and Northern blot analysis. Orchidectomy depressed β 2 AR number by 50% within 4 days and testosterone administration to 4-day castrates produced a rapid and complete recovery of β 2 AR number within 24 h. In contrast to receptor number, β 2 AR mRNA levels did not change relative to total RNA following castration. However, during the testosterone replacement period β 2 AR mRNA levels rose transiently, reaching a maximum (3.5-fold) between 8 and 12 h, and this increase in mRNA preceded the recovery in β 2 AR number in the membrane. Regulation of β 2 AR gene expression by testosterone in the ventral prostate is thus complex and probably involves both transcriptional and post-transcriptional components.
Human homologues of a Borrelia T cell epitope associated with antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis

Abstract Antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis, which may result from infection-induced autoimmunity, is associated with HLA-DR molecules that bind an epitope of Borrelia burgdorferi ( Bb ) outer-surface protein A (OspA 165–173 ) and with T cell reactivity with this epitope. One potential mechanism to explain these associations is molecular mimicry between OspA 165–173 and a self-peptide. Here, we searched the published human genome for peptides with sequence homology with OspA 165–173 . The two peptides identified with the greatest sequence homology with the OspA epitope were MAWD-BP 276–288 , which had identity at eight of the nine core amino acid residues, and T-span7 58–70 , which had identity at six residues. MAWD-BP mRNA was expressed by synoviocytes, while T-span7 mRNA was not. However, neither peptide bound all of the HLA-DR molecules associated with antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis. Among 11 patients, 9 had T cell reactivity with OspA 161–170 , 6 had responses to MAWD-BP 276–288 , and 3 had reactivity with T-span7 58–70 , but reactivity with the self-peptides was lower than that induced by the spirochetal epitope. Thus, there remains an association between OspA 165–173 and antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis, and infection-induced autoimmunity is an attractive hypothesis to explain this outcome. However, molecular mimicry due to sequence homology between OspA 165–173 and a human peptide seems unlikely to be the critical mechanism.
Climate Change in Western US Deserts: Potential for Increased Wildfire and Invasive Annual Grasses

Anthropogenic climate change is hypothesized to modify the spread of invasive annual grasses across the deserts of the western United States. The influence of climate change on future invasions depends on both climate suitability that defines a potential species range and the mechanisms that facilitate invasions and contractions. A suite of downscaled climate projections for the mid–21st century was used to examine changes in physically based mechanisms, including critical physiological temperature thresholds, the timing and availability of moisture, and the potential for large wildfires. Results suggest widespread changes in 1) the length of the freeze-free season that may favor cold-intolerant annual grasses, 2) changes in the frequency of wet winters that may alter the potential for establishment of invasive annual grasses, and 3) an earlier onset of fire season and a lengthening of the window during which conditions are conducive to fire ignition and growth furthering the fire-invasive feedback loop. We propose that a coupled approach combining bioclimatic envelope modeling with mechanistic modeling targeted to a given species can help land managers identify locations and species that pose the highest level of overall risk of conversion associated with the multiple stressors of climate change.
Coexistence of long-range magnetic order and superconductivity: An overview of ternary rare earth compounds☆

Abstract The competition between superconductivity and long-range magnetic order in ternary rare earth-transition metal compounds occasionally manifests itself in a low temperature state of coexistent superconductivity and antiferro-magnetic order. The purpose of this paper is to tabulate and then to analyze collectively the relatively small group of ternary compounds for which this state of coexistence is observed.
WEIGHING THE OPTIONS: ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT OF PAUL TREK’S FISHMAN AS A VEHICLE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION

AbstractAs the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington DC celebrates its thirtieth year, it has inaugurated a museum-wide project designed to re-present the depth and range of the permanent collection. Included in this project is an installation devoted to the ethical and practical considerations that conservators must bear in mind in preserving modern and contemporary works of art. The installation features Fishman (1968), a life-size cast in latex by the artist Paul Thek, that has begun to degrade rapidly. Fishman was chosen as the centerpiece of the exhibition because it embodies many of the concerns conservators face in the treatment of modern and contemporary art: inherent vice, limited treatment options, evaluation of the artist’s intent, technical examination, and maintaining a balance between the added value of age and the original aesthetic. This paper discusses the technical and art historical analysis of Fishman to determine materials, construction, degradation, and possible restora...
Embolization in the Head and Neck

In this article, we review current practices in therapeutic embolization of the head and neck. Major applications including vascular malformations, highly vascular tumors, trauma, and other sources of hemorrhage are discussed. We emphasize the importance of a thorough knowledge of head and neck vascular anatomy, especially of potential connections to critical territories not intended for embolization. The choice of embolic agent and its effect on safety and efficacy of treatment are presented.
Boundary Detection in Multidimensions

The development of image processing algorithms for time-varying imagery and computerized tomography data calls for generalization of the concepts of adjacency, connectivity, boundary, etc., to three and four-dimensional discrete spaces. This paper defines these basic concepts in unified terminology and presents algorithms for a boundary detection task in multidimensional space. The performance of these algorithms is discussed with respect to theoretical maximum complexity, and is illustrated with simulated computerized tomography data.
Multiple Equilibrium Droplet Shapes and Design Criterion for Rough Hydrophobic Surfaces

The apparent contact angle on a rough surface is usually modeled by either Cassie's or Wenzel's theory. We show, on the basis of experimental evidence, that there can be two contact angles on the same rough surface, depending on how a drop is formed. A transition can occur between the different states by an external disturbance. This paper compares the theoretical prediction with matching experiments. This leads to the establishment of a design criterion for a robust hydrophobic rough surface on which the apparent contact angle will not change as a result of an external disturbance.
Calculation of plasma bicarbonate concentration versus measurement of serum CO2 content. pK´ revisited

(1995). Calculation of plasma bicarbonate concentration versus measurement of serum CO2 content. pK´ revisited. Clinical Intensive Care: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 15-20.
Crack Growth in Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V with Real-Time and Accelerated Flight-by-Flight Loading

Crack growth in Ti-8Al-1Mo-1V was measured and calculated for real-time and accelerated simulations of supersonic airplane loading and heating. Crack-growth rates calculated on the assumption that an entire flight could be represented by a single cycle predicted the experimental rates poorly. Calculated crack-growth rates were slower than the experimental rates for all tests with flight-by-flight loading. For room-temperature accelerated tests, the calculated rates agreed well with the experimental rates; but the calculations became progressively less accurate for progressively more complex test conditions (tests that included elevated temperature). Calculations of crack growth using the crack-closure concept can probably be improved through study of crack-opening stresses using finite-element models that account for variable-amplitude loading, residual stresses, and temperature effects. The calculations of crack growth could also be improved through detailed studies of material properties and interactions among stress, temperature, and time as appropriate for the real-time operating conditions of a supersonic transport airplane.
A Matrix Converter Ride-Through Configuration Using Input Filter Capacitors as an Energy Exchange Mechanism

A novel ride-through approach for matrix converters in adjustable speed drives is presented. The input capacitors are utilized to transfer energy from the spinning inertia of the motor to support the motor flux during grid fault events. The addition of three bidirection switches is required to isolate the input filter capacitors from the collapsed grid voltages. The addition of input switches, a ride-through vector control strategy, and post fault reconnection logic are shown to enable ride-through of many cycle faults without the use of an additional energy storage device. In this paper, the control and reconnect strategies are discussed followed by simulations of the system and the presentation of experimental results. Through a short review of power quality assessments, it is shown that these improvements allow matrix converter-based adjustable speed drives to operate in a majority of real world fault situations.
Secretion of Thyrotropin with Reduced Concanavalin-A-Binding Activity in Patients with Severe Nonthyroid Illness

Patients with nonthyroid illness (NTI) often have reduced serum T3, free T3) T4, and free T4 concentrations. Paradoxically, serum TSH is usually in the normal range. The data suggest a diagnosis of hypothalamic hypothyroidism, in which TSH may have reduced biological activity because TRH, which is necessary for key steps in the glycosylation of TSH, is deficient. To study the glycosylation of TSH in patients with NTI, we measured the serum TSH concentration in 36 such patients hospitalized on our intensive care units and compared the results with those from a group of 18 normal subjects. Serum TSH was measured in 2 assays: 1) a sensitive TSH RIA of unextracted serum (TSH-RIA) and 2) a RIA of serum TSH after its extraction with Concanavalin-A (Con-A), a lectin which binds glycoproteins containing mannose residues in their oligosaccharide side-chains (TSH-Con-A). The ratio of TSH-Con-A to TSH-RIA was significantly reduced in the NTI patients [0.61 ± 0.03 (±se) vs. 0.89 ± 0.05 in the normal subjects] due to ...
Polarized neutron reflectometry

Abstract Polarized neutron reflectometry is a powerful technique for studying the microscopic magnetic structures in thin films and multilayers. The corresponding analysis of spin-dependent reflectivity data is discussed and illustrated with a number of specific examples. The measurement of the precession of the neutron moment within a nonmagnetic medium, but in the presence of an applied field, as a means of determining the nuclear density profile is also considered.
Pricing futures on geometric indexes: A discrete time approach

Several futures contracts are written against an underlying asset that is a geometric, rather than arithmetic, index. These contracts include: the US Dollar Index futures, the CRB-17 futures, and the Value Line geometric index futures. Due to the geometric averaging, the standard cost-of-carry futures pricing formula is improper for pricing these futures contracts. We assume that asset prices are lognormally distributed, and capital markets are complete. Using the concepts of equivalent martingale measure and the risk-neutral valuation relationships in conjunction with discrete time methodology, we derive closed-form pricing formulas for these contracts. Our pricing formulas are consistent with the ones obtained via a continuous time paradigm.
Developing the next generation of diverse and healthier maize cultivars tolerant to climate changes

Maize (Zea mays L.) average yields per hectare have significantly increased in the past 80 years. However, the variability of these yields across years has also significantly increased in the past 40 years making newer and genetically narrow-based hybrids, on average, less stable and more susceptible to climate changes. The objective of this research was to develop new sources of short-season inbred lines carrying unique alleles to grow maize hybrids under challenging environments. The North Dakota State University (NDSU) maize germplasm enhancement program has recently developed 10 new and unique exotic short-season populations partially derived from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Saint Croix, and the USA. These germplasm sources were created recombining top early-generation NDSU EarlyGEM lines that were extensively tested in hybrid trials for general combining ability of several traits. Results have shown that germplasm carrying unique alleles can break environmental margins for maize production. Unfortunately, maize breeding programs tend to be located in ideal crop production areas instead of exploiting marginal environments for the development of more stable products. The NDSU EarlyGEM program is a successful example of tropical and late-temperate maize germplasm adaptation into short-season environments in order to increase the genetic diversity on farms. However, public sector applied maize breeding programs continue to disappear across the USA and abroad because of changes in research emphasis. Long-term germplasm adaptation and improvement programs carrying unique alleles will be essential in the development of the next generation of healthier cultivars tolerant to climate changes.
Codification of Wind pressure coefficients for sawtooth roofs

Abstract Codified pressure coefficients for sawtooth roofs are proposed for use in wind standards and codes of practice. Design pressures are based on boundary layer wind tunnel data obtained using an open country exposure. Local and area-averaged pressure coefficients were measured on models with one, two and four spans and a roof angle of 15 degrees. The proposed design pressure coefficients are expected to be applicale for a range of roof angles from 10 to 30 degrees. In most regions of the roof, critical values of mean and peak suction obtained with the double-span and multi-span models were similar in magnitude to dat obtained with the single-span (mono-sloped roof) model. However, suctions measured near the roof edge in the trough of the double-span and multi-span models were more than 50% larger than corresponding data obtained with the single-span model. A similar trend was also found for positive pressures. Local peak pressure coefficients obtained in the present study are compared with design values specified in the Australian Standard AS 1170.2 (1989). Peak suctions and positive pressures obtained for particular wind directions were generally larger than the values given in AS 1170.2.
The effects of leader peptide sequence and length on attenuation control of the trp operon of E.coli

We have examined the effects of changing the length and codon content of the trp leader peptide coding region on expression of the trp operon of Escherichia coli, it had previously been shown that coupling of transcription and translation in the trp leader region is essential for both basal level control and tryptophan starvation control of transcription attenuation in this operon. We have found that increasing the length of the leader peptide coding region by 55 codons allowed normal basal level control and normal tryptophan starvation control. As expected, the presence of a nonsense codon early in the leader peptide coding region decreased basal expression and eliminated starvation control. Introducing tandem rare codons had no effect on basal level expression, but eliminated the tryptophan starvation response. Frameshifting at tandem rare codons was tested as the most likely explanation for loss of the tryptophan starvation response, but the results were inconclusive.
IgG subclass deficiency

The different biological properties of human IgG subclasses make each subclass unique in its functional role in either resistance to infection, autoimmune diseases or allergy. Not only are there marked differences in the relative concentrations of IgG subclasses in serum (IgG1 > IgG2 > IgG3/IgG4) but the distribution of the antibody responses in the 4 subclasses of IgG can vary markedly depending on the nature of the antigen, the type of infection, the degree of antigen exposure, the immunization regimens, the age of individual, the immune disorder and the allotype of the individual. Measurement of the IgG subclass distribution of antibodies can be informative in identifying an immunological deficiency, evaluating the production of host protective antibodies, and assessing pathophysiology. Determination of IgG subclass concentrations is essential in the diagnosis of immunodeficiencies. However, there is still uncertainty about the accuracy of measurements in relation to standards, monoclonal antibodies and assay types. For the paediatric population, a sensitive assay, such as an enzyme linked immunoabsorbent assay, is essential. A standardised definition of IgG subclass deficiency is yet to be accepted; however, values substantially below the 5th percentile for a normal healthy population of appropriate age measured by a defined assay system may be indicative of significant abnormality. There is emerging evidence that some subclass deficiencies are associated with increased susceptibility to infection. Such IgG subclass deficiencies may be amenable to treatment with intravenous gammaglobulin preparations, but further carefully designed and controlled studies are needed to ascertain treatment efficacy.
The critical importance of stimulus intensity in intraoperative monitoring for partial dorsal rhizotomy

During partial lumbosacral dorsal rhizotomy (PDR), intraoperative dorsal rootlet stimulation (drs) evokes motor responses, presumed to be reflexes, which are used to select rootlets for section. However, dr stimuli may also costimulate ventral root (vr) and evoke an M rather than a reflex response, the two being distinguishable only by comparison of response latencies after drs at two separate sites. In 15 consecutive spastic cerebral palsy patients undergoing PDR, we asked whether reflex and M responses were distinguishable on the basis of stimulus intensity (SI). For soleus H reflexes evoked by percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, the SI for reflex afferents was usually subthreshold for exciting motor fibers. Similarly, for nerve roots, reflexes were evoked by drs at SIs generally less than that for M responses evoked by vr stimulation (vrs). In contrast, M responses evoked by drs required SIs that were on average 20 times greater. Finally, costimulation of contralateral vr after ipsilateral vrs occurred at SIs shown to evoke M responses after drs. We conclude that: (1) reflex and M responses evoked by drs are distinguishable on the basis of the required SI; and (2) drs employing SIs greater than required for vrs evokes M rather than reflex responses due to costimulation of ipsilateral and contralateral vr.
Cross-coupled charge-transfer sense amplifier

A double cross-coupled MOS charge-transfer sense amplifier for application to dynamic one-device cell memory arrays will be presented. Sensitivity is better than 1OmV.
New Frequency-Modulation Method for Measuring Ultrasonic Absorption in Liquids

IN this method the frequency of a radio-frequency oscillator is modulated by a sinusoidal audio-frequency voltage, and the resultant radio-frequency voltage is applied to a transmitting quartz transducer as in the accompanying diagram. After passing through the liquid, the ultrasonic energy is received by a second transducer, and the voltage produced is passed through a variable attenuator to a frequency-changer valve. At the same time, the audio-frequency voltage is passed through a variable-phase shift network and used for modulating the frequency of a second radio-frequency oscillator at a different radio-frequency. The output from this oscillator is also fed into the frequency-changer valve. The output from the frequency-changer valve passes through an amplifier sharply tuned to the difference-frequency of the two inputs and is measured by a valve voltmeter.
Role of host susceptibility to toxicity and cancer caused by pesticides: cytochromes P450.

© 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 19:184–186, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20080
Type of counseling termination and trainee therapist–client agreement about change

Research on client–therapist agreement about change has shown mixed results within an overall pattern of limited agreement. However, relatively little research has been conducted in counseling training clinics. This archival study sheds light on this inconsistency by examining trainee therapist–client agreement on outcome in different types of counseling termination. Treatment gains were found for both counseling completers and dropouts, with findings somewhat favoring the former group. Moderate trainee therapist–client agreement about change was found. Larger agreement was obtained for clients who completed treatment (r =.53) compared to clients who withdrew unilaterally from treatment (r =.30). However, this difference was not statistically significant.
Calcium complexation with a highly calcium selective chelator: crystal structure of ca(CaFBAPTA) ·5H2O

Abstract The structure of the complex of calcium ions with 5,5'-difluoro-1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (FBAPTA) has been determined. The calcium complex, with stoichiometry Ca(CaFBAPTA) · 5H2O crystallizes in a monoclinic space group P21/c with 4 formula units/unit cell with a(A) = 9.767, b(A) = 26.309,c(A) = 11.769; β (deg) = 111.57. The structure may be considered as the calcium salt of a CaFBAPTA2- complex in which the octacoordinate calcium ion is complexed with the two ether oxygen atoms, the two nitrogens, and coordinated in a unidentate manner with the four acetate carboxyl groups. The geometry of the nitrogen atoms is nearly tetrahedral and provides a basis for the interpretation of the optical perturbations which result from calcium complexation with BAPTA type ligands. In addition, it is clear from the distance and relative orientation of the aromatic rings that ring current contributions to the fluorine chemical shifts are of negligible importance, so that such effects cannot be used in the design of NMR active indictators. Although BAPTA and analogs such as PBAPTA and quin2 have found extensive physiological applications as a consequence of the high degree of selectivity for calcium ions over magnesium ions which they exhibit, this is the first reported structural data for any of these complexes.
The effects of gender and leave of absence on attributions for high performance, perceived organizational commitment, and allocation of organizational rewards

The present study examined the effects of gender and type of leave of absence on attributions for high performance, perceptions of organizational commitment, and allocation of organizational rewards. Results of the study, utilizing a predominately white student sample with a mean age of 29 years, indicated that there were no negative effects in terms of perceived organizational commitment or allocation of organizational rewards associated with a leave of absence (medical or parental) of short duration (three months) when taken by a high performing male or female. Causal attributions for performance and perceived level of organizational commitment were, however, related to recommendations of reward allocations. Implications of findings and future research are presented.
Fetal Skeletal Dysplasia: An Approach to Diagnosis with Illustrative Cases

Skeletal dysplasias are a heterogeneous group of conditions associated with various abnormalities of the skeleton. These conditions are caused by widespread disturbance of bone growth, beginning during the early stages of fetal development and evolving throughout life. Despite recent advances in imaging, fetal skeletal dysplasias are difficult to diagnose in utero due to a number of factors, including the large number of skeletal dysplasias and their phenotypic variability with overlapping features, lack of precise molecular diagnosis for many disorders, lack of a systematic approach, the inability of ultrasonography (US) to provide an integrated view, and variability in the time at which findings manifest in some skeletal dysplasias. US of suspected skeletal dysplasia involves systematic imaging of the long bones, thorax, hands and feet, skull, spine, and pelvis. Assessment of the fetus with three-dimensional US has been shown to improve diagnostic accuracy, since additional phenotypic features not detectable at two-dimensional US may be identified. The radiologist plays a major role in making an accurate diagnosis; however, representatives of other disciplines, including clinicians, molecular biologists, and pathologists, can also provide important diagnostic information.
DataFoundry: information management for scientific data

Data warehouses and data marts have been successfully applied to a multitude of commercial business applications. They have proven to be invaluable tools by integrating information from distributed, heterogeneous sources and summarizing this data for use throughout the enterprise. Although the need for information dissemination is as vital in science as in business, working warehouses in this community are scarce because traditional warehousing techniques do not transfer to scientific environments. There are two primary reasons for this difficulty. First, schema integration is more difficult for scientific databases than for business sources because of the complexity of the concepts and the associated relationships. Second, scientific data sources have highly dynamic data representations (schemata). When a data source participating in a warehouse changes its schema, both the mediator transferring data to the warehouse and the warehouse itself need to be updated to reflect these modifications. The cost of repeatedly performing these updates in a traditional warehouse, as is required in a dynamic environment, is prohibitive. The paper discusses these issues within the context of the DataFoundry project, an ongoing research effort at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. DataFoundry utilizes a unique integration strategy to identify corresponding instances while maintaining differences between data from different sources, and a novel architecture and an extensive meta-data infrastructure, which reduce the cost of maintaining a warehouse.
Formulas to determine fabric bending rigidity from simple tests

Formulas are derived for effective bending rigidity and bending length, based on the deformation of fabric strips in simple tests. The nine types of tests (including some new ones) involve a cantilever, heart loop, hanging pear loop, hanging ring, free fold, clamped fold, standing wrinkle (buckle), hanging wrinkle, and standing ring. No loads are applied and no special equipment is needed. Only the height of the deformed strip needs to be measured, along with the strip’s length, width, and weight. The results can be applied with different lengths of strips and different orientations (e.g., weft, warp, and bias directions). In the analysis, the fabric strip is modeled as an inextensible elastica. Polynomial approximations are developed that give the value of a nondimensional weight parameter (involving the weight, length, width, and bending rigidity) as a function of the height-to-length ratio. The bending rigidity and bending length can then be directly computed.
Low levels of cerebrospinal fluid complement 3 and factor H predict faster cognitive decline in mild cognitive impairment

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the deposition of tau and amyloid in the brain. Although the core cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD biomarkers amyloid β peptide 1–42 (Aβ1–42), total tau (t-tau) and phosphorylated tau 181 (p-tau181) show good diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, additional biomarkers that can aid in preclinical diagnosis or better track disease progression are needed. Activation of the complement system, a pivotal part of inflammation, occurs at very early stages in the AD brain. Therefore, CSF levels of complement proteins that could be linked to cognitive and structural changes in AD may have diagnostic and prognostic value. Using xMAP® technology based assays we measured complement 3 (C3) and factor H (FH) in the CSF of 110 controls (CN), 187 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 92 AD subjects of the AD Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) at baseline. All ADNI participants underwent clinical follow-up at 12 month intervals and MCI subjects had additional visits at 6 and 18 months. The association between CSF biomarkers and different outcome measures were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models (conversion from MCI to AD), logistic regression models (classification of clinical groups) and mixed-effects models adjusted for age, gender, education, t-tau/Aβ1–42 and APOE ϵ4 presence (baseline and longitudinal association between biomarkers and cognitive scores). Although no association was found between the complement proteins and clinical diagnosis or cognitive measures, lower levels of C3 (β = −0.12, p = 0.041) and FH (β = −0.075, p = 0.041) were associated with faster cognitive decline in MCI subjects as measured by the AD Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog) test. Furthermore, lower FH levels were associated with larger lateral ventricular volume (p = 0.024), which is indicative of brain atrophy. Our study confirms a lack of suitability of CSF C3 and FH as diagnostic biomarkers of AD, but points to their modest potential as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cognitively impaired patients.
Comparison of Intracanal EndoSequence Root Repair Material and ProRoot MTA to Induce pH Changes in Simulated Root Resorption Defects over 4 Weeks in Matched Pairs of Human Teeth

Abstract Introduction Intracanal mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) may provide an alternative to calcium hydroxide in the treatment of external inflammatory root resorption. This in vitro study using human matched pairs of teeth compared white ProRoot MTA (WMTA; (Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties, Tulsa, OK) and an alternative material with purportedly improved handling properties, EndoSequence Root Repair Material (ES; Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA), by measuring pH in simulated root surface resorptive defects after intracanal placement. The null hypothesis tested was that there is no difference between WMTA and ES. Methods Bilaterally matched pairs ( n = 24) of extracted, human, single-rooted teeth were instrumented to apical size 50/.06, and root surface cavities were prepared at 5 mm and 2 mm from the apex. Root canals of experimental matched pairs ( n = 20) were filled with WMTA or ES; control pairs ( n = 4) were filled with calcium hydroxide (positive control [POS]) or saline (negative control [NEG]). Teeth were sealed coronally and apically and immersed in saline. The pH in root surface cavities was measured at 20 minutes, 3 hours, 24 hours, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, and 4 weeks. Results The pH at 5 mm when compared with the 2-mm level was significantly higher for the WMTA, ES, and POS groups ( P t tests); therefore, each level was analyzed separately. At both the 2-mm and 5-mm levels, significant pH changes occurred over time in the WMTA, ES (both P P P > .05). There were no differences between WMTA and ES at 20 minutes and 3 hours at both levels or at 24 hours at 5mm. The pH of WMTA was higher than ES by 24 hours at the 2-mm level (8.79 vs 8.56, P t test) and after 1 week at the 5-mm level (8.91 vs 8.05, P P Conclusions In matched pairs of teeth, intracanal placement of WMTA compared with ES resulted in a higher pH in simulated root resorption defects that was time and root level dependent.
At the Intersection of Interpersonal Violence, Masculinity, and Alcohol Use: The Experiences of Heterosexual Male Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

This article examines the relationship between violence, masculinity, and alcohol use among heterosexual, economically disadvantaged, and primarily Black men officially identified as batterers. Violence occurred against intimates and strangers. Alcohol use coupled with violence against intimates and violence against others (e.g., strangers) appeared to be used for masculinity construction. The use of alcohol before and during assaultive behavior combined with the use of violence symbolized dominance and control. This occurred in situations where markers of masculinity were largely absent (e.g., steady employment) in instances of both intimate partner violence and stranger violence.
Cassini Multilayer Insulation Blanket High-Temperature Exposure Tests

The Saturn-bound Cassini spacecraft will be subjected to a high-temperature environment at 0.61 AU. Thermal vacuum tests demonstrated that the hybrid Kapton®-Mylar multilayer insulation lay up can withstand an outer layer temperature of 250°C without incurring any damage, and the all-Kapton layup can withstand 430°C. The latter will be applied to locales of extremely high temperatures, while the former will be applied to more than 85% of the spacecraft's blanketed surfaces. A solar simulator provided a 2.7-sun exposure to the blanket samples; outer layer temperatures of 200°C and 250°C were observed for second surface aluminized Kapton and black Kapton, respectively, which are in line with predictions. The high-temperature exposure tests established that current blanket designs will survive the Cassini mission thermal environments with margins.
COMPARISON OF LIPIDS AND LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE FROM THE BACILLARY AND L FORMS OF PROTEUS P18.

Abstract Nesbitt, J. A., III (The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.), and W. J. Lennarz. Comparison of lipids and lipopolysaccharides from the bacillary and L forms of Proteus P18. J. Bacteriol. 89:1020–1025. 1965.—Comparative studies on the L form of Proteus P18 and the parent bacterium grown in a defined medium showed that the L form contained 1.5 times as much extractable lipid (dry weight) as the bacillary form. The composition of the lipids extractable by chloroform-methanol was quite similar in the two bacterial forms. The occurrence of myristate and β-hydroxymyristate in the bound, nonextractable lipid was found to be a reflection of the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in each organism. The bacillary organism contains three to four times as much LPS as the L form. The LPS isolated from both organisms contains heptose, hexosamine, phosphorus, 3-deoxyoctulosonate, glucose, galactose, and fatty acids.
Using plants for directly powering nanoelectronic circuits

There are varying electrical potentials throughout the structures of vascular plants and their surrounding environments resulting from the transport of charged ions. Nanotechnology allows one to tap into these potentials to create a sustainable power supply which is useable by electronic circuits. We characterized the performance of bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) trees as a power supply and found voltages on the order of hundreds of millivolts. Nanotechnology has enabled the creation of ultralow voltage and ultralow power circuits that can use living trees directly as a power source. We designed and fabricated two low-power integrated circuits (ICs) for remote sensing networks and successfully powered them solely from Acer macrophyllum. The first circuit, built in a 130 nm CMOS process, is a boost converter generating a stable 1.1 V output. It consumes only 10 nanowatts when duty-cycled and it can operate on voltages as low as 20 mV. The second circuit, built in a 90 nm CMOS process, is a 0.045 Hz oscillator consuming only 2.5 nW during constant operation. These two circuits can provide useable voltage, timing signals, and “wake-up” functionality to remote sensor nodes in environmental monitoring.
Immunity and behavior.

There are many interesting questions to be asked about possible connections between the immune system and behavior. In this article 1 will identify the questions as they appear to an immunologist and discuss some of the issues that surround these questions. I hope to indicate why some immunologists have reservations about the importance (not the existence) of the brain-immune system interaction and how future research directions might best be chosen to lessen these reservations. This will not be a comprehensive review (several are available ~-3) but rather a personal view of a popular, fascinating, and fast-developing field. There are two main questions: does the immune system influence the central nervous system and, conversely, does the central nervous system influence immunity? For the purposes of this discussion and in the light of considerable evidence, let us assume that the answer to both these questions is yes. What we really need to ask is which immune or behavioral parameters are affected, at what level the interactions take place, how to measure them, and how important they are.
Hypertension-induced renal fibrosis and spironolactone response vary by rat strain and mineralocorticoid receptor gene expression:

Introduction. Aldosterone promotes renal fibrosis via the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), thus contributing to hypertension-induced nephropathy. We investigated whether MR gene expression influences renal fibrosis and MR antagonist response in a two-kidney, one-clip hypertensive rat model. Materials and methods. Brown Norway (BN), Lewis, and ACI rats were randomised to spironolactone 20 mg/kg/day or water by gavage, starting four weeks after left renal artery clipping. Blood pressure was measured bi-weekly by tail cuff. After eight weeks of treatment, right kidneys were removed and examined for fibrosis and gene expression. Rats of each strain undergoing no intervention served as controls. Results. Blood pressure increased similarly among strains after clipping and was unaffected by spironolactone. Hypertension caused the greatest renal fibrosis in BN rats (p < 0.001 by ANOVA compared to other strains). Real-time PCR analysis showed greater renal collagen type I and MR gene expression in untreated, hypertensive BN rats (both p < 0.05 compared to other strains). Spironolactone attenuated fibrosis, with similar fibrosis among strains of spironolactone-treated rats. Conclusion. Hypertension-induced renal fibrosis was greatest in rats with the highest MR gene expression. Spironolactone abolished inter-strain differences in fibrosis. Our data suggest that MR genotype may influence aldosterone-induced renal damage, and consequently, renal response to aldosterone antagonism.
Differential gene expression in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells surviving allogeneic transplant

The effectiveness of allogeneic graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) activity in control of acute lymphoblastic leukemia is generally regarded as poor. One possible factor is dynamic adaptation of the leukemia cell to the allogeneic environment. This work tested the hypothesis that the pattern of gene expression in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells in an allogeneic environment would differ from that in a non-allogeneic environment. Expression microarray studies were performed in murine B lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells recovered from mice that had undergone allogeneic MHC-matched but minor histocompatibility antigen mismatched transplants. A limited number of genes were found to be differentially expressed in ALL cells surviving in the allogeneic environment. Functional analysis demonstrated that genes related to immune processes, antigen presentation, ubiquitination and GTPase function were significantly enriched. Several genes with known immune activities potentially relevant to leukemia survival (Ly6a/Sca-1, TRAIL and H2-T23) were examined in independent validation experiments. Increased expression in vivo in allogeneic hosts was observed, and could be mimicked in vitro with soluble supernatants of mixed lymphocyte reactions or interferon-gamma. The changes in gene expression were reversible when the leukemia cells were removed from the allogeneic environment. These findings suggest that acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells respond to cytokines present after allogeneic transplantation and that these changes may reduce the effectiveness of GVL activity.
How local IRBs view central IRBs in the US.

Background: Centralization of IRB reviews have been increasing in the US and elsewhere, but many questions about it remain. In the US, a few centralized IRBs (CIRBs) have been established, but how they do and could operate remain unclear. Methods: I contacted 60 IRBs (every fourth one in the list of the top 240 institutions by NIH funding), and interviewed leaders from 34 (response rate = 55%) and an additional 12 members and administrators. Results: These interviewees had often interacted with CIRBs, but supported local reviews, and offered advantages and disadvantages of each. Interviewees argued that local IRBs can provide “local knowledge” of subjects and PIs, and “curbside consults” with PIs, facilitating mutual trust. PIs may interact more fully and informally, and hence effectively with local IRBs. IRBs also felt additional responsibility to protect “their own” subjects. Respondents mentioned a few advantages of CIRBs (e.g., CIRBs may streamline reviews), though far more rarely and cursorily. Overall, interviewees were wary of CIRBs, which they saw as varying widely in quality, depending on who happened to be members. Both local and centralized IRBs appear to have unintended consequences. For instance, discrepancies arose between IRBs that appeared to reflect differences in institutional culture and history, and personalities of chairs and/or vocal members, more than in local community values per se, and thus do not seem to be the intent of the regulations. While some critics see CIRBs as solutions to many IRB problems, critical tradeoffs and uncertainties emerge. Conclusions: These data have critical implications for future policy and research. Debates need to evolve beyond simply a binary discussion of whether CIRBs should replace local IRBs, to examine how and to what degree different models might operate, and what the relative advantages and disadvantages of each are. While some critics see CIRBs as panaceas, certain problems appear likely to continue. Careful consideration needs to be given to whether the advantages of local IRBs outweigh the problems that result, and whether a system can be developed that provides these benefits, while avoiding the disadvantages of local IRBs.
HepG2 Cells Expressing MicroRNA miR-122 Support the Entire Hepatitis C Virus Life Cycle

The liver-specific microRNA miR-122 is required for efficient hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA replication both in cell culture and in vivo. In addition, nonhepatic cells have been rendered more efficient at supporting this stage of the HCV life cycle by miR-122 expression. This study investigated how miR-122 influences HCV replication in the miR-122-deficient HepG2 cell line. Expression of this microRNA in HepG2 cells permitted efficient HCV RNA replication and infectious virion production. When a missing HCV receptor is also expressed, these cells efficiently support viral entry and thus the entire HCV life cycle.
STEP-SCAN FT-IR PHOTOACOUSTIC (S2 FT-IR PA) SPECTRAL DEPTH PROFILING OF LAYERED MATERIALS

We have demonstrated that step-scan FT-IR photoacoustic spectroscopy (S2 FT-IR PAS) has the advantages of easy extraction of signal phase and of constant probing depth applied to the entire spectrum range. High depth resolution and distinctive discrimination have been achieved by using PA phase information. The PA phase theory for multilayer materials elucidates the qualitative phase analysis rules established earlier with the experimental data and provides very useful instrument-independent phase-difference models. Quantitative determinations of thermal, optical, and geometric parameters of multilayer materials are made possible by applying the phase-difference models to the experimental data of S2 FT-IR PAS.