cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Imaging of the shoulder

Summary Diagnosis of lameness associated with the shoulder region requires a careful clinical examination, the use of specifically placed intra-articular analgesia and a combination of some common imaging techniques to accurately define the source of pain. Most equine practices performing lameness examinations in the horse have the radiographic and ultrasonographic equipment necessary to accurately image the shoulder. This article presents a description of the unique anatomy of the shoulder and the specific application of radiographic and ultrasonographic techniques to provide a complete set of diagnostic images of the shoulder region. A brief discussion of nuclear scintigraphy of this region is also included.
Clutch size as an optimal foraging problem for insects

Many insects oviposit on food patches (e. g., hosts) that represent a finite resource. Competition for food may occur among the developing progeny with the effect of reducing their survivorship, size, and/or some other aspect of fitness. Here a simple, but general, equation is given that captures tures some of the possible relationships between the number of progeny on a host and their fitness. This in turn specifies the clutch size that maximizes the fitness of a female ovipositing on a single host (the “Lack” clutch size). The equation is then used in an optimal foraging type model to specify optimal clutch sizes when a female searches for and oviposits on a series of hosts. The model makes three general predictions: (1) for a constant host size (or value), optimal clutch size varies directly with the inter-host search time, (2) for a constant search time, optimal clutch size varies directly with host value, and, (3) females should never lay more than the Lack clutch size. The model is then extended to include optimal clutch size in superparasitism.
Relative Importance of Domain Knowledge and Overall Aptitude on Acquisition of Domain-Related Information

Two experiments investigated whether domain-specific expertise could compensate for low overall aptitude on certain domain-related cognitive processing tasks. It was hypothesized that the performance of low-aptitude individuals on a task requiring them to acquire new information in a domain would be a function of domain expertise rather than overall aptitude level. In Experiment 1, two low-aptitude groups, one with high domain knowledge and one with low domain knowledge, were presented with a baseball passage. On both recall and recognition tests, performance was a function of level of expertise in the domain. In Experiment 2, both level of baseball knowledge and overall aptitude were varied in a factorial design. Again, performance was a function of baseball knowledge rather than aptitude level. Low-aptitude/high-knowledge participants recalled more information than high-aptitude/low-knowledge participants. In addition, the performance of the low-aptitude/high-knowledge group was similar to the high-apti...
Safe alternative transgastric peritoneal access in humans: NOTES

Background Diagnostic transgastric endoscopic peritoneoscopy has been used to evaluate the abdomen. We present our experience with transgastric endoscopic peritoneoscopy (TEP) to access the peritoneum, direct trocar placement, and perform adhesiolysis without laparoscopic visualization in patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Methods Forty patients participated. There are 2 arms to the study. The initial 20 patients underwent pre-insufflation of the abdomen prior to TEP. The second 20 had no pre-insufflation. Ten patients in each arm had no surgical history. The other 10 had previous intra-abdominal procedures. TEP was performed through a gastrotomy created without laparoscopic visualization. Adhesions were visualized and taken down endoscopically prior to trocar placement. Diagnostic findings, operative times, and clinical course were recorded. Results Average TEP time was 19 min. Three patients had limited visualization due to intra-abdominal adhesions (2) and omental fat (1). Three of the 20 without and 17 of 20 with a history of intra-abdominal surgery had adhesions visualized endoscopically. Endoscopic adhesiolysis was performed in 1 and 4 patients in these groups respectively. Six occult umbilical hernias, 1 inguinal hernia, and 1 hiatal hernia were noted on endoscopic exploration. There were no complications related to intubation of the stomach, accessing the peritoneum, or endoscopic exploration. Conclusion TEP is a safe and accurate means to access the peritoneum, visualize the abdominal wall, perform adhesiolysis, and direct trocar placement without laparoscopic guidance. Safe and reliable gastric closure remains the sole limitation to its clinical use outside of a protocol necessitating a gastrotomy.
Dr. teacher or comforter?: medical consultation in a Zairian pediatrics clinic.

An analytic description of the inpatient consultation in a pediatrics teaching clinic in an urban hospital in Zaire is presented. Participant observation revealed that in order to practice biomedicine in Zaire, the physicians establish a working, clinical model which takes into account particular aspects of the social, cultural and material environment. The hospital room changes from classroom, to examination room, to social/convalescent room as the definition of the situation shifts along with the role shifts of the actors. Contrasting health and illness expectations of the medical personnel and the parents, as well as French and vernacular language switching, emphasize the distinction among definitions of the situation and corresponding role behavior.
Grain boundary order-disorder transitions

The conditions for grain boundary (GB) structural transitions are determined from a diffuse interface model that incorporates structural disorder and crystallographic orientation. A graphical construction and numerical calculations illustrate the existence of a first-order GB order–disorder transition below the bulk melting point. When thermodynamic conditions permit their existence, disordered GB structures tend to be stable at higher temperatures and are perfectly wet by liquid at the melting point, while ordered grain boundaries are meta-stable against preferential melting. We calculate GB phase diagrams which are analogous to those for liquid–vapor phase transitions.
Fusion of locomotor maneuvers, and improving sensory capabilities, give rise to the flexible homing strikes of juvenile zebrafish.

At five days post-fertilization and 4 mm in length, zebrafish larvae are successful predators of mobile prey items. The tracking and capturing of 200 µm long Paramecia requires efficient sensorimotor transformations and precise neural controls that activate axial musculature for orientation and propulsion, while coordinating jaw muscle activity to engulf them. Using high-speed imaging, we report striking changes across ontogeny in the kinematics, structure and efficacy of zebrafish feeding episodes. Most notably, the discrete tracking maneuvers used by larval fish (turns, forward swims) become fused with prey capture swims to form the continuous, fluid homing strikes of juvenile and adult zebrafish. Across this same developmental time frame, the duration of feeding episodes become much shorter, with strikes occurring at broader angles and from much greater distances than seen with larval zebrafish. Moreover, juveniles use a surprisingly diverse array of motor patterns that constitute a flexible predatory strategy. This enhances the ability of zebrafish to capture more mobile prey items such as Artemia. Visually-guided tracking is complemented by the mechanosensory lateral line system. Neomycin ablation of lateral line hair cells reduced the accuracy of strikes and overall feeding rates, especially when neomycin-treated larvae and juveniles were placed in the dark. Darkness by itself reduced the distance from which strikes were launched, as visualized by infrared imaging. Rapid growth and changing morphology, including ossification of skeletal elements and differentiation of control musculature, present challenges for sustaining and enhancing predatory capabilities. The concurrent expansion of the cerebellum and subpallium (an ancestral basal ganglia) may contribute to the emergence of juvenile homing strikes, whose ontogeny possibly mirrors a phylogenetic expansion of motor capabilities.
Incidence of additional treatments in women treated with MR-guided focused US for symptomatic uterine fibroids: review of 138 patients with an average follow-up of 2.8 years.

Purpose: To assess long-term outcomes of magnetic resonance (MR)–guided focused ultrasound (US) treatments of uterine fibroids. Materials and Methods: A retrospective follow-up of 138 patients treated at a single institution between March 2005 and November 2011 was conducted. The patients were not part of a clinical study and were followed through retrospective review of their medical records and telephone interviews to assess additional treatments for fibroid-related symptoms. Survival methods, including Cox proportional hazards models, were used to assess the association between incidence of additional treatments and patient data obtained during screening before treatment. Results: The average length of follow-up was 2.8 years (range, 1–7.2 y). The cumulative incidence of additional treatments at 36 months and 48 months after MR-guided focused US was 19% and 23%, respectively. Women who did not need additional treatment were older than women who did (46.3 y 5.6 vs 43.0 y 5.8; P ¼ .006; hazard ratio, 0.855; 95% confidence interval, 0.789–0.925). Additionally, women with heterogeneous or bright fibroids on T2-weighted MR imaging were more likely to require additional treatment compared with women with homogeneously dark fibroids (hazard ratio, 5.185 or 5.937, respectively; 95% confidence interval, 1.845–14.569 or 1.401–25.166, respectively). Physician predictions of treatment success, recorded during the screening process, had significant predictive value (P ¼ .018). Conclusions: The long-term rates of additional interventions after MR-guided focused US of symptomatic uterine fibroids were found to be comparable with other uterine-sparing procedures, such as uterine artery embolization or myomectomy. Older patient age and homogeneously dark fibroids were associated with fewer additional treatments. Physician assessment of treatment success was found to be a valuable tool in patient screening.
An Efficient Context-Specific Pure Overlay Space for Context Dissemination in Ambient Networks

Ambient Networks enable co-operation between heterogeneous networks, on demand, in order to provide ubiquitous connectivity to end-users. Incorporating contexts for such networking systems in a loosely coupled fashion, though challenging, yields futuristic results. ContextWare is a model for context processing which acquires and distributes context data among interested context entities. In this paper, we initiate an implementation of ContextWare by proposing an architecture to construct and maintain a novel Pure Overlay Space with the help of a Context Dissemination Processor. It is necessary for this space/ layer to be novel and efficient for effectual dissemination of context information to enable context dissemination, and hence context-based applications, in ambient networks. For this purpose, we tend towards a context-specific overlay infrastructure for virtual interaction between context sources and requestors. Alongside the high-level discussion, this conceptualization paper is complemented with implementation details and preliminary results of a simulation study.
Spinal cord glioneuronal tumor with "rosetted" neuropil islands and meningeal dissemination: a case report.

Distinctive glioneuronal tumors arising within the cerebrum and displaying neuropil-like islands and tumor cells immunoreactive for neuronal and glial antigens have recently been described. We report a similar tumor in the cervico-thoracic region of the spinal cord in a 44-year-old woman that recurred 1 year later with dissemination to the lumbar dura and cauda equina. The tumor was composed of “rosetted” neuropil islands displaying immunoreactivity for synaptophysin, whereas the intervening tumor cells were more fibrillar and immunoreactive for GFAP. The tumor cell nuclei immediately surrounding these neuropil islands were immunoreactive to the newly characterized neuronal marker, anti-Hu. While several cases of neurocytomas have been described in the spinal cord, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of a glioneuronal tumor with “rosetted” neuropil islands to be reported in the spinal cord.
HARVEST: A generalized animal population growth simulation

We present a general purpose discrete-event, stochastic simulation model (HARVEST) which can be used to model the population growth of a wide variety of animal species. A complete example is given with valida tion, to show how it can be used for managing the Eastern wild turkey. The structure of the simulation system (micro Passim) is described, and the implementa tion of the model is discussed as an example of how the process-interaction simulation protocol may be used to represent a complex natural system. The model is designed to be used by state and federal wildlife agencies for exploration of the effects of potential hunting regulations on actual populations of game species.
Improving optical character recognition accuracy using adaptive image restoration

A technique that can improve the optical character rec- ognition (OCR) accuracy of text images is presented. By using the output from an OCR system and a distorted text image, this tech- nique trains an adaptive restoration filter and then applies the filter to the distorted text that the OCR system could not recognize. The restored text image is then reprocessed by the OCR system, and the restored characters are recognized with a higher accuracy than the distorted text. A series of experiments were performed to deter- mine a feasible adaptive restoration filter architecture, to establish this technique's ability to restore uniformly distorted text, and to demonstrate this technique's ability to improve the OCR accuracy of real world text documents. The results of these experiments show that this technique can improve both pixel and OCR accuracy of distorted text images. © 1996 SPIE and IS&T.
Hadamard codes of m not equal to 2n in phase-code multiplexed holographic memories

Recently the authors of this paper dealt with computergenerated holograms (CGHs) for the optical inspection of the surface roughness and waviness of relatively smooth surface roughness standards.1 The idea was to exploit two separate sensors to provide information on one hand about the surface roughness by measuring the contrast parameter as defined in Ref. 1, and on the other hand to inspect the surface curvature. Later, we improved the operational function of the surface sensor.
Kinetics of direct fermentation of agricultural commodities to L(+) lactic acid by Rhizopus oryzae

The kinetics of fermenting barley, cassava, corn, oats, and rice directly to L(+) lactic acid byRhizopus oryzae NRRL 395 were determined. The rates of carbohydrate consumption and L(+) lactic acid production were found to be influenced by the type of substrate, the substrate concentration, the fermentation temperature, and the presence of a neutralizing agent.
Beyond two-phase locking

Many database systems maintain the consistency of the data by using a locking protocol to restrict access to data items. It has been previously shown that if no information is known about the method of accessing items in the database, then the two-phase protocol is optimal. However, the use of structural information about the database allows development of non-two-phase protocols, called graph protocols, that can potentially increase efficiency. Yannakakis developed a general class of protocols that included many of the graph protocols. Graph protocols either are only usable in certain types of databases or can incur the performance liability of cascading rollback. In this paper, it is demonstrated that if the system has a priori information as to which data items will be locked first by various transactions, a new graph protocol that is outside the previous classes of graph protocols and is applicable to arbitrarily structured databases can be constructed. This new protocol avoids cascading rollback and its accompanying performance degradation, and extends the class of serializable sequences allowed by non-two-phase protocols. This is the first protocol shown to be always as effective as the two-phase protocol, and it can be more effective for certain types of database systems.
Moyamoya: Another multiple sclerosis mimic

A broad range of disorders have been recognized to share clinical and radiographic features with multiple sclerosis and are frequently mistaken with this diagnosis. Several of these disorders are vascular disorders, including atherosclerotic and inflammatory diseases affecting small and medium sized vessels, cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), and migraine variants. We describe 2 patients with moyamoya syndrome who presented with paroxysmal symptoms, physical findings and MRI abnormalities that were mistaken for multiple sclerosis. Therefore, moyamoya must be added to the list of disorders in the differential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
Membrane bound cytochrome P-450 determines the optimal temperatures of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and cytochrome P-450-linked monooxygenase reactions in rat and trout hepatic microsomes.

Summary The hepatic monooxygenase systems largely responsible for the biotransformation of drugs and other xenobiotics are comprised of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and multiple forms of cytochrome P-450. Optimal temperatures for these systems in the trout and rat are 26° and 37°, respectively. Purified trout and rat reductases are optimally functional at 26° and 37°, respectively, when added to trout and rat microsomes. However, rat reductase was shown to function optimally at 26° when added to trout microsomes and trout reductase functioned optimally at 37° when added to rat microsomes. Corresponding shifts in optimal temperatures of cytochrome P-450-linked O-deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin occurred when these reductases were added to rat or trout microsomes. It is proposed that the phospholipid annulus surrounding the active site of membrane-bound cytochrome P-450 determines the optimal temperature of cytochrome P-450 systems.
Investigations of the rheological behavior of rubber-carbon black compounds over a wide range of stresses including very low stresses

Abstract The rheological properties of gum and carbon black compounds of an ethylene-propylene terpolymer elastomer at 20, 30, 40, and 50 vol.% carbon loadings have been investigated over a very wide range of stresses and shear rates. This was accomplished using (1) a constant shear stress creep instrument, (2) a rotational rheometer and (3) a capillary extrusion rheometer at higher shear rates. The stresses used in the studies included magnitudes leading to shear flow and stresses below the yield value, where rubber compounds exhibit only finite deformation. Much attention was given to measurements of creep and strain recovery at low stresses. The magnitudes of yield stresses obtained from these low stress and recovery experiments are significantly lower than those obtained using standard extrapolation to zero shear rate of higher stresses from rotational and capillary instruments.
Pesticide Drift III. Drift Reduction with Spray Thickeners

Spray thickeners and a fluorescent dye were added to aerial applications of methoxychlor made to a 10-acre plot of alfalfa. Dacagin® at 0.8%, blackstrap molasses at 24–25%, and Cab-O-Sil® at 3.5% were each compared with an unthickened control emulsion, and all three resulted in an apparent reduction in drift. Based on cost, molasses would be the most economical additive. Using a fluorescent dye as an indicator was a much faster method for measuring deposits than gas chromatography.
Fish pasteurellosis of cultured striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in coastal Alabama

Abstract The first reported epizootic of fish pasteurellosis caused by the bacterium Pasteurella piscicida in a cultured population of fish in the United States is described. The epizootic occurred in populations of striped bass ( Morone saxatilis ) cultured in earthen, brackish-water ponds at the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center, Gulf Shores, AL. Losses of approximately 49 000 fingerlings (80% of the existing stock) occurred over a 3-week period. Oxytetracycline was administered via the feed within 48 h of the onset of mortality. Oxytetracycline residues in tissues of fish sampled during the treatment period were quantitated by a fluorometric method. The isolated bacterium was characterized biochemically and serologically. The sensitivity of the bacterium to various antibiotics was determined, and the minimum inhibitory concentration of oxytetracycline was determined to be 0.25 ppm. The salient histopathological features of the disease in striped bass are described.
Sex, cells and signals in the developing brain.

Abstract Sex Begins in the Womb. Held at Crowne Plaza Cabana, Palo Alto, CA, USA, on 1 March 2002.
Recollection of past Weather by the Elderly in Terre Haute, Indiana

(1975). Recollection of past Weather by the Elderly in Terre Haute, Indiana. Weatherwise: Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 161-171.
Method of nitrogen application for muskmelons 1

Abstract Muskmelons (Cucumis melo L.) were transplanted through clear plastic mulch on May 22, 1981, with 45, 90, 135, or 180 kg N/ha applied either preplant broadcast incorporated or injected through the trickle system. Seventy percent of the N rate was injected by flowering (June 23) and the remaining 30% from June 23 to July 27, just prior to first harvest. Muskmelon petiole NO3‐N concentration increased linearly with increasing N rates on all sampling dates for both application treatments. Trickle injected N resulted in a significantly higher plant N03‐N petiole concentration on June 22. Later in the season, July 13 and August 3, there were no petiole NO3‐N concentration differences between the application methods. Marketable early and total yields were not affected by the N rate or application method; but the broadcast method, as compared with trickle injection, increased total fruit per plant by 12%. Soluble: solids and fruit size were not affected by the Nirate on application method; but the broadc...
A DETERMINATION OF THE SCOPE OF NUTRITION SERVICES PROVIDED BY FOODSERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: A NATIONWIDE STUDY1

With increasing demands on colleges/universities to provide nutrition services to meet student needs, the purpose of this research was to determine nutrition services provided by foodsservice departments at universities. This study surveyed 599 college/university members of The National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) to determine nutrition services provided. The instrument consisted of questions concerning respondent background, college/university characteristics, and scope of nutrition services provided. A total of 228 instruments were returned (response rate=38%). Most respondents were foodservice directors/assistant directors (70%) with >8 years in their present position (51%) at colleges/universities with enrollments > 10,000 students (53%). Respondents typically supervised > 16 FTE's (76%) in facilities managed in-house (84%), through a contract company (20%) or through privatization (10%). Nutrition services provided included: healthy eating information (87%), weight management (74%), nutrition counseling for athletes (63%), and medically prescribed diets (60%). Few universities reported nutrition counseling for pregnancy (16%), the physically challenged (18%), or nutrition support (enteral/parenteral) (14%). Two percent of respondents reported charging fees for nutrition services. Annual revenue from fees ranged from 20,000 (25%). Only 12% of respondents indicated nutrition counseling services available via Internet. In summary, while colleges/universities may offer nutrition services, most appear ill-prepared to provide sufficient nutritional services. By offering a variety of services on college campus, foodservice departments can enhance present and future nutrition services.
Oxygen-Dependent Differentiation of Human Keratinocytes

Oxygen is an essential micronutrient. Unlike many internal tissues, human epidermis obtains much of its oxygen supply from the atmosphere (21% oxygen), and it ordinarily experiences higher oxygen levels than internal tissues (estimated≈5%). To test whether epidermal cell growth and differentiation depend upon this higher oxygen level, keratinocyte cultures were studied at 21, 5, and 2% oxygen concentrations. Compared to 21% oxygen, culture in 5% had little effect on growth but led to profound suppression of the differentiation program as assessed by expression of differentiation markers and formation of squames in the superficial layers. Culture in 2% oxygen reduced the growth rate as well as stratification and differentiation. In low-oxygen conditions, the cells exhibited increased colony-forming ability, consistent with a lower proportion of differentiated cells, and increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and cyclooxygenase-2. Growth in 21% oxygen led to higher levels of glutathione and expression of oxidant-responsive genes. Electrophoretic mobility supershift assay using an involucrin activator protein 1 (AP1) response element sequence revealed altered binding by proteins of the Jun and Fos families in nuclear extracts. The present data thus demonstrate oxygen-dependent differentiation in human keratinocytes, to which altered utilization of AP1 transcriptional response elements may contribute.
No good evidence for a strong association between dental disease and coronary heart disease

Objective To provide a systematic overview of the evidence available from prospective epidemiological studies of coronary heart disease (CHD) and Helicobacter pylori, dental disease, Chlamydia pneumoniae or cytomegalovirus. Data sources Computer-assisted searches, scanning of relevant reference lists, hand-searching of cardiology, epidemiology and other relevant journals, and discussions with relevant authors. Study selection Prospective studies published before 1999 in any language that reported on the correlation between CHD and the presence of H. pylori, C. pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus or dental infection. Results Five prospective dental studies were identified involving 2369 cases, a weighted mean age of 55 and a weighted mean follow-up of 12 years. All but one study adjusted for smoking and standard risk factors but only three adjusted for social class. There was no significant heterogeneity between the five. The combined risk ratio for CHD was found to be 1.24 (95%CI, 1.10–1.38). Conclusions Published prospective studies provide no good evidence to support the existence of strong epidemiological associations between CHD and H. pylori, dental disease, C. pneumoniae or cytomegalovirus. Because the available evidence is still sparse, further studies are needed.
Preliminary experiments on the application of zonal ultracentrifugation to studies of pesticide distribution in subcellular components of mammalian tissues.

Abstract Differential and zonal ultracentrifugations were used in preliminary studies of the distribution of cholinergic carbamate insecticides in subcellular regions of rat brain and liver. Following acute intoxication with carbonyl- 14 C labeled Banol, radioactivity was observed to be present in various subcellular fractions. Radiometric and enzymic assay of microsomal subunits indicated that an esterase enzyme and carbamate migrated with the solubilized endoplasmic reticulum. The zonal ultracentrifuge proved valuable in separating and isolating large quantities of biological material and should continue to be useful in studies of distribution of pesticide residues in animal (and possibly plant) tissues.
Frequency domain imaging of absorbers obscured by scattering.

Abstract Multiple pixel, frequency domain measurements of phase shift, θ, and modulation, m , in a phantom containing an absorber obscured by a relatively non-absorbing scattering solution are presented in combination with a theory of photon migration imaging. Results employing a single point source show that two dimensional θ measurements made in the presence (θ presence ) and in the absence (θ absence ) of an absorber can be used to create Δθ images. Δθ (θ absence −θ presence ) images can be used to detect as well as locate the three dimensional position of the absorber. Images of m presence measured in the presence of the absorber normalized by m absence also provided detection and two dimensional location of its position. Images of % m presence / m absence at higher modulation frequencies provided greater resolution as predicted by photon migration theory. Neither θ nor m images alone could be used to detect or locate the presence of the absorber.
Acid-induced changes in thermal stability and fusion activity of influenza hemagglutinin

The conformational and thermal stability of full-length hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza virus (strain X31) has been investigated using a combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), analytical ultracentrifugation, fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy as a function of pH. HA sediments as a rosette comprised of 5-6 trimers (31-35 S) over the pH range of 7.4-5.4. The DSC profile of HA in the native state at pH 7.4 is characterized by a single cooperative endotherm with a transition temperature (Tm) of 66 degrees C and unfolding enthalpy (DeltaH(cal)) of 800 kcal x (mol of trimer)(-1). Upon acidification to pH 5.4, there is a significant decrease in the transition temperature (from 66 to 45 degrees C), unfolding enthalpy [from 800 to 260 kcal x (mol of trimer)(-1)], and DeltaH(cal)/DeltaH(vH) ratio (from 3.0 to approximately 1.3). Whereas the far- and near-UV ellipticities are maintained over this pH range, there is an acid-induced increase in surface hydrophobicity and decrease in intrinsic tryptophanyl fluorescence. The major contribution to the DSC endotherm arises from unfolding HA1 domains. The relationship between acid-induced changes in thermal stability and the fusion activity of HA has been examined by evaluating the kinetics and extent of fusion of influenza virus with erythrocytes over the temperature and pH range of the DSC measurements. Surprisingly, X31 influenza virus retains its fusion activity at acidic pH and temperatures significantly below the unfolding transition of HA. This finding is consistent with the notion that the fusion activity of influenza virus may involve structural changes of only a small fraction of HA molecules.
Bruno H. Zimm (1920–2005)

Bruno Zimm, one of the great polymer chemists of the 20th century, has died at the age of 85. Although best known for his work on the physical chemistry of DNA, his far-reaching theoretical and experimental work had enormous implications for protein science, a subject that he increasingly turned to in his later days. It should be remembered, also, that his 1959 paper with J.K. Bragg on the helix-coil transition focused on polypeptides, and his first paper dealing with DNA didn't appear until 1960. He was a long time member of the Protein Society.
A Novel Synaptic Vesicle-Associated Phosphoprotein: SVAPP-120

Generation of antibodies and direct protein sequencing were used to identify and characterize proteins associated with highly purified synaptic vesicles from rat brain. A protein doublet of low abundance of 119 and 124 kDa apparent molecular mass [synaptic vesicle-associated phosphoprotein with a molecular mass of 120 kDa (SVAPP-120)] was identified using polyclonal antibodies. SVAPP-120 was found to copurify with synaptic vesicles and to be enriched in the purified synaptic vesicle fraction to the same extent as synapsin I. Like synapsin I, SVAPP-120 is not an integral membrane protein because it was released from synaptic vesicles by high salt concentrations. This protein was demonstrated to be brain specific, and its distribution in various brain regions paralleled the distribution of synapsin I and synaptophysin. During the postnatal development of the rat cortex and cerebellum, its expression correlated with synaptogenesis. SVAPP-120 was demonstrated to be a phosphoprotein both in vivo and in vitro. It was shown to be phosphorylated on serine and to a lesser extent on threonine residues. These results provide evidence that SVAPP-120 represents a novel synaptic vesicle-associated phosphoprotein. In addition, aldolase, a glycolytic enzyme, and alpha c-adaptin, a clathrin assembly-promoting protein, were identified on purified synaptic vesicles by direct protein sequencing.
Elementary Particles of Modern Physics.

An extensive discussion of elementary particles is presented and a total of 30 particles and antiparticles is given, 7 of which are genuinely stable. The following properties are tabulated for all 30 particles: spin, mass, charge, baryon number, lepton number, strangeness number, mean life, and decay modes. Particles differing only slightly in mass may be attributed to different charge states of the same particle. Each of the properties is studied in detail, and the reasons for the construction of the strangeness number are given. The three types of forces are discussed: strong (nuclear), electromagnetic, and weak. Finally, conservation of parity, charge conjunction, and time reversal are considered. (D. L.C.)
Phorbol esters enhance 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-regulated 25-hydroxyvitamin d-24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1) gene expression through ERK-mediated phosphorylation of specific protein 3 (Sp3) in Caco-2 cells ☆

Abstract Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) increased 1,25(OH)2D3-induced human 25 hydroxyvitamin d -24 hydroxylase (hCYP24A1) gene expression and vitamin D receptor (VDR) binding to the hCYP24A1 promoter. It did not alter transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 6 (TRPV6) expression, VDR binding to the TRPV6 promoter, or VDR binding to a crude chromatin preparation. PMA activated Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinases (ERK) 1/2 and p38 mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) and inhibiting these kinases reduced 1,25(OH)2D3-induced and PMA-enhanced hCYP24A1 promoter activity. Mithramycin A inhibits Specific Protein (Sp) family member binding to DNA and reduced 1,25(OH)2D3-induced and PMA-enhanced hCYP24A1 promoter activity. Sp1 or Sp3 siRNA knockdown reduced 1,25(OH)2D3-regulated hCYP24A1 promoter activity but only Sp3 siRNA reduced PMA-enhanced hCYP24A1 promoter activity. PMA increased MAPK-dependent Sp3 phosphorylation, Sp3–VDR interactions, and Sp3 binding to the hCYP24A1 promoter. These data suggest that MAPK signaling contributes to 1,25(OH)2D3-induced and PMA-enhanced CYP24A1 gene transcription by modulating Sp3 function.
Quantum theory of nonequilibrium processes II. Application to nuclear collisions

Abstract In the high-energy (Elab≥200 MeV/nucl) heavy ion-collisions, the quantum uncertainty of nucleon energies, given by the collision frequency, is of the order of (50–100) MeV. At hundreds MeV/nucl beam energies, the uncertainty is comparable with nucleon energies in the equal ion-velocity frame, indicating a quantum character of the dynamics. The quantum dynamics of a collision process is examined using nonequilibrium Green's function methods. Numerical calculations of collisions in an interpenetrating nuclear matter model, at the energy Elab=400 MeV/nucl, are performed. Comparison of the quantum dynamics, with the classical Markovian dynamics from the Boltzmann equation, reveals effects of the ill-defined nucleon energies in the nucleon momentum distribution. It is shown that the quantum dynamics proceeds twice as slow as Boltzmann dynamics, but the off-shell kinematics compensates for this somewhat.
Forage Mixture Productivity and Botanical Composition in Pastures Grazed by Dairy Cattle

Some producers believe that planting pastures to several forage species benefits sustainability of grazing systems. We conducted a grazing study to determine if forage species diversity in pastures affects herbage productivity and weed invasion. One-hectare pastures were planted to four mixtures in August 2001 and then grazed with lactating dairy cattle during 2002 and 2003. The mixtures were two species [orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.)], three species [orchardgrass, white clover, and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.)], six species {orchardgrass, tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), and chicory], and nine species [the six-species mixture plus white clover, alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.), and bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.)]. When rainfall was plentiful (2003), there were no differences in herbage yield among the mixtures; all averaged 9800 kg ha -1 dry matter. During 2002, which was dry, the two-species mixture produced less herbage than the other mixtures (4800 vs. 7600 kg ha -1 dry matter). The proportion of nonsown species in the sward was lower for the six- and nine-species mixtures than the two-and three-species mixtures, indicating less weed invasion for these complex mixtures. Red clover and chicory proportions decreased by 80% after 2 yr, and orchardgrass dominated in all pastures by May 2004. We conclude that planting a mixture of grasses, legumes, and chicory will benefit herbage production during dry years and will reduce weed invasion for a few years after planting under management similar to ours. Producers would have to reestablish the chicory and legume components relatively frequently to maintain these benefits.
Heritability of Changes in Bone Size and Bone Mass With Age in Premenopausal White Sisters

Femoral neck area expands and BMD decreases in premenopausal women. We used longitu- dinal DXA measurements on 388 premenopausal white sisters to show significant heritability of the rates of change in femoral neck area, BMC, and BMD. Introduction: Bone mass and structure are highly heritable. However, genetic effects on age-related changes in bone mass and structure in adults have been much less studied. Materials and Methods: DXA measurements were made on 388 healthy white premenopausal sisters from 178 families. Rates of change in femoral neck area, BMC, and BMD, as well as body weight, were calculated from two measurements made an average of 5.7 years apart. Mixed models were used to test whether bone changes were related to age or weight change. Variance components models were used to estimate the heritability of the rates of change. A method was proposed to correct for the underestimation of heritabilities caused by measurement errors of the rates of change. Results: Femoral neck area increased with age, whereas BMD decreased. All of the rates of change at the femoral neck were positively correlated with weight change, but the rates of femoral neck changes did not vary with age. Adjusted for weight change, change in femoral neck BMC became negative. Significant heritabilities (0.29-0.36) were detected for changes in femoral neck BMC, BMD, and area adjusted for weight changes. Correction for DXA measurement error in the rate estimates increased the heritability estimates (from 0.29-0.36 range to 0.37-0.64 range). Conclusions: Rates of change are heritable for femoral neck area, BMC, and BMD in premenopausal white
Neuroimmune mechanisms of cytokine-induced depression: Current theories and novel treatment strategies

The relationships between immune and neural function are an increasingly important area of study for neuropsychiatric disorders, in particular depression. This is exemplified by the growing number of publications on cytokines and depression during the last 10 years, as compared to earlier decades. This review summarizes the current theories and novel treatment strategies for depression, with a focus on cytokine-induced depression. Neuroimmune mechanisms are now viewed as central to the development of depressive symptoms and emerging evidence is beginning to identify the neural circuits involved in cytokine-induced depression. The current diagnostic categories for depression, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, however, are not etiologically or biologically derived, and it has been proposed that “depression”, likely reflects multiple pathogeneses leading to varying symptom constellations. As we move toward a better biological understanding of depression-related symptom constellations or syndromes, the term “depression” may prove inadequately broad, and an integration of interdisciplinary literatures will increase in importance. Future research should aim to characterize these depression-related symptom constellations or syndromes better with the goal of optimizing treatment strategies.
The literature and practice of biological control

Biological control (BC) is a cornerstone of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which in turn is an essential element of sustainable agriculture. BC practitioners seek to use natural enemies to control populations of insect, weed, and pathogen pests. This paper describes the problem of agricultural pests and options for dealing with them. It details the science of BC and its practice within the context of IPM with selected examples. Then it reviews the literature of BC, noting important books, databases, and periodicals. Finally, worldwide centers of research and information are described and selected websites noted.
Effect of Surface Charge on the Uptake and Distribution of Gold Nanoparticles in Four Plant Species

Small (6-10 nm) functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) featuring different, well-defined surface charges were used to probe the uptake and distribution of nanomaterials in terrestrial plants, including rice, radish, pumpkin, and perennial ryegrass. Exposure of the AuNPs to plant seedlings under hydroponic conditions for a 5-day period was investigated. Results from these studies indicate that AuNP uptake and distribution depend on both nanoparticle surface charge and plant species. The experiments show that positively charged AuNPs are most readily taken up by plant roots, while negatively charged AuNPs are most efficiently translocated into plant shoots (including stems and leaves) from the roots. Radish and ryegrass roots generally accumulated higher amounts of the AuNPs (14-900 ng/mg) than rice and pumpkin roots (7-59 ng/mg). Each of the AuNPs used in this study were found to accumulate to statistically significant extents in rice shoots (1.1-2.9 ng/mg), while none of the AuNPs accumulated in the shoots of radishes and pumpkins.
An alternate approach to analyzing convergence by Leslie matrices

The process of convergence of a population vector to its stable equivalent under iteration by a Leslie matrix is analyzed. The norm mostly used is an additive norm, called the eigen‐norm. A natural convergence measure S is shown to be monotonic non‐increasing upon matrix iteration. Guaranteed rates of convergence of S for any population are described by functions F and B, and results are obtained for these functions. Analogous measures based upon concepts of spectral decompositions are considered. Corresponding results are presented, and comparisons made between these spectral measures and natural measures from a theoretical approach and from data analyses of samples of modern populations.
Comparison of MCMC Methods for Estimating GARCH Models

This paper reviews several MCMC methods for estimating the class of ARCH models, and compare performances of them. With respect to the mixing, efficiency and computational requirement of the MCMC, this paper found the best method is the tailored approach based on the acceptance-rejection Metropolis-Hastings algorithm.
Self-induced fracture generation in zircon

The mineral zircon has particular geological significance because of its use in the age determination of rocks and as a structural analogue phase for radioactive waste forms. Despite its widespread utility, however, radiation damage of the crystal structure (metamictization) causes a volume expansion of the crystal lattice and the generation of internal stresses which can induce fractures in the crystal. A model has been developed which describes the state of stress in n concentric spherical shells, each of which may have different material properties; the case of a three-shelled composite sphere has been examined explicitly. In combination with fracture mechanics theory, the model predicts that spatially distinct radial and/or concentric fracture sets can be produced, and such fracture patterns accurately describe the distribution and types of self-induced fractures observed in natural zircons. In general, the formation of such microfractures in zircon is a function of the degree of metamictization, shell thickness, and the confining pressure. The model predicts that the maximum depths in the Earth's crust at which radial versus concentric fractures can form in a crystal are different, suggesting that the types of fractures found in a suite of zircons from a particular rock might be potential indicators of the depth of burial. Because metamictization-induced fractures may serve as potential pathways for the rapid leaching of various elements from the zircon crystal, this may also have important implications in interpreting the U/Pb ages of fractured zircons or in evaluating the suitability of related crystalline phases as hosts for nuclear waste.
Recursive phase retrieval using boundary conditions

The phase-retrieval problem for discrete multidimensional fields is investigated. In particular, a recursive procedure is developed for reconstructing a signal from the modulus of its Fourier transform. The information necessary to begin the recursion is the boundary values of the signal. Although it is not always possible to determine these boundary values from Fourier modulus data only, if the sequence has a region of support with a certain geometry then these boundary values can be determined. These geometries represent a generalization of the conditions for off-axis holography.
A review of paradoxical performance effects: Choking under pressure in sports and mental tests

Paradoxical performance effects (‘choking under pressure’) are defined as the occurrence of inferior performance despite striving and incentives for superior performance. Experimental demonstrations of these effects on tasks analogous to athletic performance and the theories that may explain them are reviewed. At present, attentional theories seem to offer the most complete explanation of the processes underlying paradoxical performance effects. In particular, choking may result from distraction or from the interference of self-focused attention with the execution of automatic responses. Experimental findings of paradoxical performance decrements are associated with four pressure variables: audience presence, competition, performance-contingent rewards and punishments, and ego relevance of the task. The mediating factors of task complexity, expectancies, and individual differences are discussed.
Emerging Role of Lipid Droplets in Host/Pathogen Interactions

Lipid droplets (LDs) are highly dynamic cell organelles involved in energy homeostasis and membrane trafficking. Here, we review how select pathogens interact with LDs. Several RNA viruses use host LDs at different steps of their life cycle. Some intracellular bacteria and parasites usurp host LDs or encode their own lipid biosynthesis machinery, thus allowing production of LDs independently of their host. Although many mechanistic details of host/pathogen LD interactions are unknown, a picture emerges in which the unique cellular architecture and energy stored in LDs are important in the replication of diverse pathogens.