cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biologic Materials for Pelvic Floor Reconstruction

The use of biologic grafts in the surgical treatment of pelvic prolapse repair has been an intriguing prospect for several years. These tissues have been thought to potentially combine favorable attributes of both autologous and synthetic tissues. These tissues are harvested and undergo complex decellularization, dehydration, terminal sterilization, and possibly cross-linking. It is these steps that determine the graft’s eventual biocompatibility and potential for remodeling. A PubMed literature search has revealed a number of studies evaluating cadaveric allografts and bovine and porcine xenografts in repairs of the anterior, posterior, and apical compartments. While the study quality varies significantly, overall, there is little compelling evidence to unequivocally support the use of a biologic tissue in any compartment. Furthermore, an analysis of postoperative complications reveals a similarity in graft-related complication profiles between some biologic grafts and synthetic meshes.
Therapeutic apheresis for babesiosis

Infection with the tick-borne protozoa Babesia is becoming more common. Babesiosis is usually successfully treated with antibiotics but, in some cases, apheresis may also be indicated. We report two patients with babesiosis and hemolysis treated by apheresis and antibiotics. One case had traditional indications for red blood cell (RBC) exchange, and a second patient was treated with RBC exchange, and plasmapheresis for hemolysis, probably secondary to Babesia parasitemia. Case 1 involved a 44-year-old man with chronic relapsing pancreatitis who had become infected with Babesia from a unit of RBCs transfused during surgery. At 5 weeks after surgery, fever and severe hemolysis developed, along with a hemoglobin of 69 g/L; 30% of his RBCs were found to be infected with Babesia. This patient had several postoperative complications; the babesiosis was treated with clindamycin, quinine, and three RBC exchanges. Parasitemia fell to less then 1% of RBCs, but the patient died of pancreatitis. Case 2 was a 47-year-old man with a renal transplant who had been receiving immunosuppressive therapy for 8 years. He had a history of tick bites, fever, and hemolytic anemia. Analysis of a peripheral blood smear detected Babesia. He was initially treated with antibiotic therapy and two RBC exchanges. Hemolysis improved transiently but worsening parasitemia developed later, as well as an IgG RBC autoantibody. He was then treated by plasmapheresis and RBC exchange. Although his condition improved, he had a third hemolytic episode, which was treated with plasmapheresis and RBC exchange before the parasitemia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia disappeared. In conclusion, immunosuppressed or severely ill people who become infected with Babesia may benefit from RBC exchange or plasmapheresis, or both.
Enforcement of Data-Plane Policies in Next-Generation Networks

Modern networks not only forward traffic, but also perform a variety of processing operations on packets (e.g., content inspection, transcoding, QoS scheduling). Such data plane operations cannot be easily coordinated in the current Internet architectures since there is no explicit policy support for packet processing services. As more diverse systems and protocols are deployed in the next-generation Internet, this problem becomes increasingly challenging. In our work, we propose a novel policy enforcement system for data-path functions in the next-generation Internet. Using a formalism to represent policies and automated planning tools, connection request can be adapted to meet the policy requirement of the domains they traverse. We present the theoretical foundations of this approach as well as a prototype implementation based on our network service architecture. Our results show that this approach is an effective solution to enforcing policies relating to the date plane of networks.
Cosmic-Ray Modulation by Solar Wind

This chapter focuses on cosmic-ray modulation by solar wind. The hydrodynamic outflow of gas from the Sun as observed by Biermann results in a reduction of the cosmic-ray intensity in the inner solar system during the years of solar activity. The Forbush-type decrease, which is a local geocentric phenomenon, is the result of disordering of the outer geomagnetic field by the outflowing gas from the Sun. It was recently shown that the hydrodynamic flow of gas outward in all directions from the Sun stretches out the magnetic lines of force of the solar magnetic fields, and leads to an essentially radial magnetic field in the inner solar system. The high velocity and low density of this outward streaming gas, the solar wind, leads to anisotropic thermal motions as a consequence of the anisotropic expansion.
AC inductance measurements of high-temperature superconductor thin films in DC magnetic fields

Abstract An AC inductance technique combined with a variable DC magnetic field has been used to measure at 77 K the flux exclusion properties of thin films of the high-temperature superconductors YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x and Tl 2 Ba 2 CaCu 2 O 8 , prepared by coevaporation, in situ off-axis sputtering, or laser ablation. These results are compared to those for single crystal YBa 2 CaCu 3 O 7− x . A decrease in flux exclusion with applied DC field is seen for all samples, most strongly for Tl 2 Ba 2 CaCu 2 O 8 films. The change in flux exclusion with magnetic field varies widely for YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x samples, with some laser-ablated films showing less change in flux exclusion with magnetic field than single crystal YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x . These results are interpreted in terms of magnetic field penetration through crystalline structures and grain boundaries in these materials.
Response of segmented-stiffness composite cylinders to axial end shortening

Abstract Composite fuselage structures that utilize different laminates in the crown, sides and keel may be part of future aircraft designs. Here exact, approximate and finite element solutions for the geometrically linear response to axial end shortening of cylinders constructed in this segmented fashion are investigated. It is concluded that circumferential displacements are the feature that distinguishes these designs from more conventional single-laminate designs. Additionally, it is the difference in effective laminate Poisson's ratios from one segment to the next, as opposed to the difference in effective laminate extensional or shear moduli, that is responsible for the circumferential displacement. However, for short cylinders ( L R = 2) with clamped boundaries, the circumferential displacement is greatly suppressed relative to the case of longer cylinders ( L R = 20) , while the radial displacement is not as dramatically influenced by length. This trait can be traced to the wavelengths that govern circumferential and radial responses, and can be interpreted as the Saint-Venant effect for circumferential displacement having a different characteristic length than the Saint-Venant effect for radial displacement.
Energy expenditure index of walking for normal children and for children with cerebral palsy

Energy expenditure indices (EEI) based on oxygen uptake and heart rate were used to compare the economy of walking at various speeds by normal and cerebral-palsied children. At low walking speeds, EEI values were high, indicating poor economy. At higher speeds the EEI values decreased until a range of maximum economy was reached. For normal children who were capable of walking beyond this range at higher speeds, the EEI increased again. This pattern was noted for both oxygen-uptake and heart-rate indices. Mean EEI values based on oxygen uptake and heart rate for normal children were significantly lower and occurred at faster walking speeds than values for children with cerebral palsy. EEI based on either oxygen uptake or heart rate can be used clinically to provide objective information to help evaluate the influence on gait function of surgical intervention, ambulatory aids or orthotics.
CdS aerogels: Effect of concentration and primary particle size on surface area and opto-electronic properties

Porous aerogels of CdS that exhibit quantum confined optical properties have been prepared by supercritical drying of wet CdS gels prepared by oxidative stripping of nanoparticle capping groups. The water-to-surfactant ratio (W) employed in the preparation of the nanoparticles is found to have a large impact on the surface areas of resultant aerogels, with W=5 samples producing mesoporous samples with the highest surface areas and cumulative pore volumes. In contrast, the concentration of the CdS sol employed in the gelation has only a small effect on the porosity characteristics, but a large impact on the apparent crystallite and chromophore sizes in as-prepared aerogels. Higher concentrations of the sol result in larger crystallite sizes and lower degrees of quantum confinement, as evidenced by a red shift in the absorbance spectra.
Empirical Collectivism in Denmark

Denmark is a very small country; it counts for naught in the balance of world power politics. Yet, as seen in their Scandinavian complex, the Danes have, over a period of about seventy-five years, devised an empirical economic system, socialistic in many of its aims, but with a broad co-operative base. Danish history has also shown the gradual rise of leftist opinion which goes far to explain the power of Social Democracy in Denmark today. This development further illustrates the growing identification in the modern society of political and economic factors of human endeavor. The Danes are approaching, through the evolutionary process, a type of socialized society; they are engaged in what may definitely be called an experiment in eclectic or progressive collectivism. Fortunately, Danish democracy is not legalistic and is not hampered by "ancestor-worship" or awesome political tradition. This has meant that social change has encountered few obstacles when the welfare of the mass group and of the individual in modern society have been at stake. While it is true that Denmark is a small, homogeneous country whose activities could rarely be successfully duplicated in heterogeneous states with more variegated problems, she still provides the world with a classic illustration of what progress might be obtained. From the melange of alleged panaceas, the world today confronts at least three alternatives: the "free-enterprise" state, the socialistcommunist state, and the co-operative commonwealth. The "freeenterprise" state constantly faces the menace of an utter domination of society by capital and the development of a policing agency ta keep the populace in check; the socialist-communist state means that one policy will inevitably hold sway and that human variety will be forcefully compressed into the confines of a single pattern; the cooperative commonwealth may mean the best possible combination of freedom and solidarity, allowing a maximum amount of liberty for the individual and yet enabling him to cope with the complex problems of modern society.'
Differential effects of inhaled toluene on locomotor activity in adolescent and adult rats.

Abstract Inhalant abuse is a world-wide public health concern among adolescents. Most preclinical studies have assessed inhalant effects in adult animals leaving unclear how behavioral effects differ in younger animals. We exposed adolescent (postnatal day [PN] 28) and adult (PN90) male rats to toluene using 1 of 3 exposure patterns. These patterns modeled those reported in toluene abuse in teens and varied concentration, number and length of exposures, as well as the inter-exposure interval. Animals were exposed repeatedly over 12 days to toluene concentrations of 0, 8000 or 16,000 parts per million (ppm). Locomotor activity was quantified during toluene exposures and for 30 min following completion of the final daily toluene exposure. For each exposure pattern, there were significant toluene concentration-related increases and decreases in locomotor activity compared to the 0-ppm “air” controls at both ages. These changes depended upon when activity was measured — during or following exposure. Compared to adults, adolescents displayed greater locomotor activity on the first day and generally greater increases in activity over days than adults during toluene exposure. Adults displayed greater locomotor activity than adolescents in the “recovery” period following exposure on the first and subsequent days. Age group differences were clearest following the pattern of paced, brief (5-min) repeated binge exposures. The results suggest that locomotor behavior in rats during and following inhalation of high concentrations of toluene depends on age and the pattern of exposure. The results are consistent with dose-dependent shifts in sensitivity and sensitization or tolerance to repeated toluene in the adolescent animals compared to the adult animals. Alternate interpretations are possible and our interpretation is limited by the range of very high concentrations of toluene used. The results imply that both pharmacological and psychosocial factors contribute to the teen prevalence of inhalant abuse.
The catalytically competent coordination environment of the active site metal ion of liver alcohol dehydrogenase

Abstract The coordination environment of the active site metal ion of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase is investigated by EPR and steady-state kinetic methods with use of the native (ZnLADH) and the active site specific Co2+-reconstituted enzyme (COLADH) described by Zeppezauer and coworkers [1]. The pH dependence of kinetic parameters for the oxidation of benzylalcohol reveals two ionizations (pK1∼6.7; pK2∼ 10.6) that govern kcat and belong to the ternary enzyme-NAD+-alcohol complex and two ionizations (pK'1∼ 7.5; pK'2∼ 8.9) that govern kcat/Km and belong to the binary enzyme-NAD+ complex. Only pK2 and PK'2 are substantially influenced by metal substitution. Comparable results are observed for the oxidation of isopropanol. We attribute these ionizations to metal-bound water that occur separately at the ternary and binary complex level in the course of alcohol oxidation. In parallel studies from this laboratory [2, 3], we have demonstrated that the magnitude of the zero-field splitting (ZFS) on the high-spin Co2+ ion falls into three ranges according to coordination number: 0–13 cm−1 for tetracoordinate; 20–60 cm−1 for penta-coordinate; and 90–310 cm−1 for hexa-coordinate environments. We have determined the ZFS energy (2D) of the Co2+ ion in a variety of binary and ternary complexes of CoLADH to assign the coordinates number of the active site metal ion. The results are 9.3 cm−1 (CoLADH); 3.1 cm−1 (CoLADH-CF3CH2OH); 13 cm−1 (CoLADHNADH.N,N-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde); and 8.3 cm−1 (CoLADH-tetrahydroNADH), indicative of tetracoordinate sites, while the ZFS constants of the CoLADH-NADH, CoLADH-NADH-benzylalcohol, CoLADH-NADH-CF3CH2OH, and CoLADH-NAD+CF3CH2OH complexes are >20 cm−1, indicative of pentacoordinate environments. The results taken together indicate that the active site metal ion is pentacoordinate in catalytically component reaction intermediates and is ligated by a neutral water molecule in the physiologically active ternary enzymeNAD+alcohol complex. We suggest that the neutral metal-bound water molecule serves as the base catalyst for abstraction of the proton from the alcoholic hydroxyl group of the substrate. We present a mechanism for the catalytic action of LADH consistent with these observations and indicate how the metal-bound water molecule may modulate the Lewis acid reactivity of the active site metal to control the catalytic action of LADH. (Supported by NIH grant GM 21900).
Individual and Sex Differences in the Consequences of Victimization: Moderation by Approach and Avoidance Motivation.

Peer victimization is a known risk factor for various forms of maladjustment; however, the specific type of maladjustment may depend on individual differences in youth. This 2-wave longitudinal study examined the hypothesis that social approach-avoidance motivation, together with sex, would moderate the contribution of 3rd-grade victimization to 4th-grade maladjustment. Children (N = 574, M age = 8.94, SD = 0.37) reported on their victimization exposure, social approach-avoidance motivation, and depressive symptoms. Teachers reported on students' victimization exposure and aggressive behavior. Victimization predicted aggressive behavior only in boys with moderate to high approach motivation; victimization predicted depressive symptoms only in girls with moderate to high avoidance motivation. This research elucidates the diverse consequences associated with peer victimization and informs efforts to address these consequences in a targeted manner.
Reflex regulation of hormonal responses during pregnancy.

SUMMARY 1. During pregnancy in most species, the resting levels of plasma angiotensin II, plasma ACTH (corticotropin) are increased. The concentration of vasopressin is also increased relatively to the osmolality in rats and in humans. 2. In the pregnant state mean arterial pressure is decreased, despite an increase in blood volume. Vasopressin and ACTH responses to hypotension are altered in pregnant ewes; the relationship between mean arterial pressure and vasopressin or ACTH response is shifted to the left, consistent with a change in set-point for regulation of mean arterial pressure. The vasopressin and cortisol responses to hypotensive haemorrhage are also altered in the pregnant dog; in this case the slope of the relation between mean arterial pressure and hormone response is decreased. 3. The decrease in hormone responses to hypotension is stimulus-specific; ACTH responses to hypoglycaemia are increased in the pregnant ewe and AVP responses to hyperosmolality are not altered in the pregnant ewe. 4. The heart rate responses to hypotension are also decreased in pregnant ewes, consistent with the observation that baro-reflex responses are decreased in the pregnant rat. 5. The data suggest that a change in regulation of arterial pressure alters the hormonal responses to hypotension in the pregnant state.
Tuning PEG-DA hydrogel properties via solvent-induced phase separation (SIPS)

Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-DA) hydrogels are widely utilized to probe cell-material interactions and ultimately for a material-guided approach to tissue regeneration. In this study, PEG-DA hydrogels were fabricated via solvent-induced phase separation (SIPS) to obtain hydrogels with a broader range of tunable physical properties including morphology (e.g. porosity), swelling and modulus (G′). In contrast to conventional PEG-DA hydrogels prepared from an aqueous precursor solution, the reported SIPS protocol utilized a dichloromethane (DCM) precursor solution which was sequentially photopolymerized, dried and hydrated. Physical properties were further tailored by varying the PEG-DA wt% concentration (5 wt%–25 wt%) and Mn (3.4k and 6k g mol−1). SIPS produced PEG-DA hydrogels with a macroporous morphology as well as increased G′ values versus the corresponding conventional PEG-DA hydrogels. Notably, since the total swelling was not significantly changed versus the corresponding conventional PEG-DA hydrogels, pairs or series of hydrogels represent scaffolds in which morphology and hydration or G′ and hydration are uncoupled. In addition, PEG-DA hydrogels prepared via SIPS exhibited enhanced degradation rates.
NEUTRON-DIFFRACTION STUDY OF THE MAGNETIC BEHAVIOR OF GADOLINIUM.

Neutron diffraction measurements were made on a single crystal of gadolinium at sample temperatures from 10 to 350\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to investigate the possible occurrence of a spiral spin structure. The measurements show that Gd is a normal ferromagnet with a rather complex temperature dependence of the spontaneous moment alignment. Between ${T}_{C}=294$ and 232\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K the moment is parallel to the $c$ axis; below 232\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K it moves away from the $c$ axis to a maximum deviation of about 65\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} near 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and then back to within 32\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} of the $c$ axis at low temperatures.
Nucleic acid testing for viral burden and viral genotyping

Abstract Background Molecular diagnostics plays an important role in the diagnosis and clinical management of a wide array of infectious diseases. Methods Advances in molecular technology and methods of detecting nucleic acid sequences have revolutionized the field of virology. These developments are reflected by the rapid diagnosis and monitoring of viral agents as well as assessment of clinical disease associated with viral infections. In addition to many commercially available molecular based assays, many laboratories offer in-house developed assays for a variety of viral targets. The introduction of real-time PCR technology has made a large impact on virology testing. Conclusions The role of real-time PCR for the diagnosis of viral infections is enhanced by the accuracy, rapidity and ability to quantitate viral target sequences.
OKT4 monoclonal antibody-induced activation of an autoreactive T-cell clone.

Abstract We report the presence of a CD4-mediated T-cell activation pathway on an autoreactive CD3 + WT31 + CD4 + CD8 − T-cell clone, designated 2F9, isolated from the peripheral blood of a patient with ovarian adenocarcinoma. The OKT4 mab modulated the CD4 antigen independently of the CD3 antigen or the αβ T-cell receptor. OKT4 mab immobilized on plastic or soluble OKT4 mab in the presence of feeder PBMC induced proliferation and IL-2 production by cells of the 2F9 clone. Mixtures of the OKT4 mab and the OKT3 or anti-WT31 mabs induced additive proliferative responses and IL-2 production. The OKT4 mab synergized with recombinant IL-2 in inducing proliferative responses. These results suggest the presence of a CD4-mediated activation pathway on 2F9 cells.
Abstract 5509: Evidence of T lymphocyte activation following sipuleucel-T treatment

Introduction: Sipuleucel-T is an autologous cellular immunotherapy FDA approved for men with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Previous clinical data from Phase 3 clinical trials demonstrated T lymphocyte activation occurred in response to culture with the immunizing antigen, PA2024, in vitro, and was maintained in vivo after infusion with sipuleucel-T. Data from a current clinical study (ProACT) examined the activation profile of T lymphocytes and the production of cytokines associated with activated T lymphocytes during the preparation of sipuleucel-T. Materials and Methods: Sipuleucel-T is manufactured from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated every two weeks by leukapheresis. The PBMCs are cultured for a defined period with the PA2024 antigen, which is composed of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) fused to granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), washed, and then infused into the patient as sipuleucel-T, with each patient receiving three infusions. T lymphocyte activation markers, CD134 (OX 40), CD137 (4-1BB), CD278 (ICOS), and CD279 (PD-1) were measured before and after culture at weeks 0 (infusion1), 2 (infusion 2) and 4 (infusion 3) using multi-color flow cytometry. Cytokines, including IFNγ, IL-4, IL-5, IL-2, and IP-10, were measured in the culture medium at each of the three treatments using the MSD cytokine detection system. Summary: In both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets, we observed increases in the percent of CD134+ and CD137+ cells, but minimal change in CD278+ population, following culture with PA2024 at each infusion of sipuleucel-T. The percent of CD8+CD279+ T lymphocytes increased slightly following culture at each infusion of sipuleucel-T; CD4+CD279+ T lymphocytes increased minimally after the first infusion, but decreased thereafter. Additionally, cytokines associated with T lymphocyte activation, such as IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IFNγ, and IP-10, were detected during culture with PA2024, with the greatest increase between the first and second infusion.Conclusions: Collectively, these data demonstrate T lymphocyte activation is a consequence of ex vivo culture with PA2024 and subsequent infusion of sipuleucel-T. The combined T lymphocyte activation and cytokine profile suggest the first infusion of sipuleucel-T primes the immune system in vivo, while the subsequent infusions boost the immune system. Furthermore, during the course of treatment with sipuleucel-T, the upregulation of activation markers demonstrate the functional differentiation of T lymphocytes for facilitating antibody production (OX 40 expression) and enhancement of costimulatory interactions with peripheral monocytes (4-1BB expression). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5509. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-5509
DC-DC power converter with a modified control scheme to improve load transient response

A modified control scheme is presented in this paper to improve the load transient response of DC-DC power converter by utilizing a previously proposed auxiliary circuit which is capable of operating in both boost mode to discharge the output capacitor during load step down transient, and in buck mode to charge the output capacitor during load step up transient. The proposed modified control scheme for the auxiliary circuit is based on the output voltage peak detection, preset thresholds and zero crossing time information. This scheme achieves significant improvement in load transient response while eliminating the controller performance sensitivity to component values tolerances and complex calculations that could result in undesired transient response. A simulation model is built in MATLAB®/SIMULINK® software package to validate the functionalities and advantages of the proposed control scheme.
Computer Technology-Cognitive Psychology Interface and Science Performance Assessment.

The emerging interface between computer technology and cognitive psychology for performance assessment in science education is explored. Cognitive theories of learning offer promises to transform computer technology from a test administration tool into a process assessment tool, and computer technology offers a medium for studying the cognitive processes of learning. Interface theories and interface technologies are briefly discussed. The technology-psychology interface may be a base for building an alternative assessment technology. Some prototype projects in this line of inquiry are presented. As in any other novel approaches to testing, there are several questions that need to be answered in establishing the role of the technology-psychology interface in performance assessment.
Flame penetration and burn testing of fire blanket materials

Materials were evaluated in laboratory tests for a fire blocking blanket to protect stores of U.S. Army munitions from burning material and hot fragments. The objective of testing was to evaluate and rank materials' ability to resist the penetration of flame and heat and to limit flame spread. Materials in all tests were subjected to an oxyacetylene torch with temperatures in excess of 3000°C. Inorganic fiber-based fabric, insulation and blankets evaluated in flame penetration tests were rated by their time to limit backside temperature rise to 100°C above ambient and 500°C for a given material areal mass. Carbon fiber fabric performed the best of the fabrics tested. Silica aerogel insulation was the top performing insulation material group. The blanket with carbon fiber sandwiching silica aerogel insulation performed best. Horizontal and vertical flame burn tests were conducted on several candidate blanket cover materials. Fabrics coated with polyvinyl chloride, polytetrafluoroethylene and silicone rubber coatings were all found to be immediately self-extinguishing when the flame was removed. Burn damage was confined locally to the heated zone beneath and around the lit torch tip's flame. All flames were immediately self-extinguishing beyond those regions, with zero flame-out times recorded. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nonlinear dimensionality reduction for kinematic cartography with an application toward robotic locomotion

Planning robot motions often requires a notion of the “distance” between configurations or the “length” of a trajectory connecting them in the configuration space. If these quantities are defined so as to correspond to the effort required to change configurations, then they would likely differ from the Euclidean distance or arclength in the system’s configuration parameters, distorting the visual representation of the relative costs of executing the motions. This problem is fundamentally similar to that of producing map projections with minimal distortion in cartography. A separate problem is that of nonlinear dimensionality reduction (NLDR), which, given a set of data, projects it into a lower-dimensional space while seeking to retain the geometric relationship between data points. In this paper, we show that NLDR can be applied to the kinematic cartography problem, allowing us to generate system parameterizations in which distance and arclength correspond to the effort of motion.
Genetic and Biochemical Dissection of a HisKA Domain Identifies Residues Required Exclusively for Kinase and Phosphatase Activities

Two-component signal transduction systems, composed of histidine kinases (HK) and response regulators (RR), allow bacteria to respond to diverse environmental stimuli. The HK can control both phosphorylation and subsequent dephosphorylation of its cognate RR. The majority of HKs utilize the HisKA subfamily of dimerization and histidine phosphotransfer (DHp) domains, which contain the phospho-accepting histidine and directly contact the RR. Extensive genetics, biochemistry, and structural biology on several prototypical TCS systems including NtrB-NtrC and EnvZ-OmpR have provided a solid basis for understanding the function of HK–RR signaling. Recently, work on NarX, a HisKA_3 subfamily protein, indicated that two residues in the highly conserved region of the DHp domain are responsible for phosphatase activity. In this study we have carried out both genetic and biochemical analyses on Myxococcus xanthus CrdS, a member of the HisKA subfamily of bacterial HKs. CrdS is required for the regulation of spore formation in response to environmental stress. Following alanine-scanning mutagenesis of the α1 helix of the DHp domain of CrdS, we determined the role for each mutant protein for both kinase and phosphatase activity. Our results indicate that the conserved acidic residue (E372) immediately adjacent to the site of autophosphorylation (H371) is specifically required for kinase activity but not for phosphatase activity. Conversely, we found that the conserved Thr/Asn residue (N375) was required for phosphatase activity but not for kinase activity. We extended our biochemical analyses to two CrdS homologs from M. xanthus, HK1190 and HK4262, as well as Thermotoga maritima HK853. The results were similar for each HisKA family protein where the conserved acidic residue is required for kinase activity while the conserved Thr/Asn residue is required for phosphatase activity. These data are consistent with conserved mechanisms for kinase and phosphatase activities in the broadly occurring HisKA family of sensor kinases in bacteria.
Sensor applications of photosensitive capillary waveguides

We describe a photosensitive capillary waveguide sensor, composed of a capillary structure with a photosensitive cladding ring surrounding the bore. The bore is filled with a fluid having an index of refraction that is sensitive to a measurand of interest, and a grating is inscribed in the cladding ring. We measure the optical interaction between light propagating in the filled capillary waveguide and the grating to determine the parameter of interest. Methods for forming connections between the capillary and single mode optical fiber are also described. We demonstrate the performance of the capillary waveguide as a temperature sensor in which the sensitivity of the Bragg wavelength to temperature is -150 pm/°C. We also describe how to use the capillary waveguide sensor to discriminate between different measurands.
An effective method for finding best entry points in semi-structured documents

Focused structured document retrieval employs the concept of best entry point (BEP), which is intended to provide optimal starting-point from which users can browse to relevant document components [4]. In this paper we describe and evaluate a method for finding BEPs in XML documents. Experiments conducted within the framework of INEX 2006 evaluation campaign on the Wikipedia XML collection [2] shown the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Trichloroethylene degradation by butane-oxidizing bacteria causes a spectrum of toxic effects

The physiological consequences of trichloroethylene (TCE) transformation by three butane oxidizers were examined. Pseudomonas butanovora, Mycobacterium vaccae, and Nocardioides sp. CF8 utilize distinctly different butane monooxygenases (BMOs) to initiate degradation of the recalcitrant TCE molecule. Although the primary toxic event resulting from TCE cometabolism by these three strains was loss of BMO activity, species differences were observed. P. butanovora and Nocardioides sp. CF8 maintained only 4% residual BMO activity following exposure to 165 μM TCE for 90 min and 180 min, respectively. In contrast, M. vaccae maintained 34% residual activity even after exposure to 165 μM TCE for 300 min. Culture viability was reduced 83% in P. butanovora, but was unaffected in the other two species. Transformation of 530 nmol of TCE by P. butanovora (1.0 mg total protein) did not affect the viability of BMO-deficient P. butanovora cells, whereas transformation of 482 nmol of TCE by toluene-grown Burkholderia cepacia G4 caused 87% of BMO-deficient P. butanovora cells to lose viability. Together, these results contrast with those previously reported for other bacteria carrying out TCE cometabolism and demonstrate the range of cellular toxicities associated with TCE cometabolism.
An adaptive architecture for monitoring and failure analysis of high-speed networks

Describes the design of a reconfigurable device using an FPGA (field programmable gate array) whose primary function is high-speed (several Gb/s) network data monitoring and run-time adaptive fault injection and statistics gathering for failure analysis. The device is designed for two types of media: Myrinet SAN and Fibre Channel, and failure analysis can be performed simultaneously over both of these networks. Although the device intercepts and retransmits signals on the network, no impact on the data transfer rate is observed and the latency caused by inserting the device in the network is negligible. The fault injection capabilities are demonstrated on a Myrinet LAN. Fault injection experiments are conducted on data transmitted across the network, including control packets previously inaccessible to software-based techniques.
Nutriogenetics and child development in the 21st century.

The 20th century witnessed a drop in US infant mortality from approximately 100 to 7.1 per thousand live births, and life expectancy for women increased from 48 to 79 y.1 A new set of health issues arose at the end of the 20th century, as the conquest of specific sanitary and nutritional problems was associated with a shift in age distribution of the US population. In 1900 4% of the population was older than 65 y but in 2000 12% are older than 65 y.1 The earlier concerns with single-factor illnesses became replaced with concerns over multifactoral illnesses that devastated large segments of a mature citizenship: obesity, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, and malignancies. The diet was widely recognized as contributing to all of these diseases. Diagnosis, delayed until the phenotypic expressions of clinical symptoms appeared, proved too late for effective prevention. This shift in focus placed childhood nutritional status at the center of public-health awareness. In this essay, I address two questions: 1. Can the genotypes of adult degenerative disease be recognized in children before phenotypic symptoms are obvious? 2. Do individual variations of nutrient digestion and metabolism justify the creation of a field of nutriogenetics, the 21st-century science of gene–nutrient interactions?
Inverse Semigroups and Locally Compact Groupoids

In this section we give a brief and largely self-contained account of the results on inverse semigroups that will be required in the sequel. The results we need from the algebraic theory of semigroups are well-known, and are contained in the standard textbooks (such as [50, 51, 133, 202]). However, for the convenience of the reader and for the purpose of establishing notation, an account concentrating on what we will need later from that theory is desirable.
X-Ray Diffraction Study of the Reaction of Acidulated Fluoride with Powdered Enamel

SYNOPSIS IN INTERLINGUASTUDIO A DIFFRACTION DE RADIOS X IN LE REACTION DE ACIDULATE FLUORURO CON ADAMANTE PULVERI-SATE.—Le solution acide reageva rapidemente con finmente particularisate adamante, con le formation de grande quantitates de fluoruro de calcium. In le presentia de plus grande particulas de adamante (44 a 250 μ), le formation de fluoruro de calcium esseva multo plus lente e pareva esser auto-limitatori post 2 horas. Un augmento in le crystallinitate esseva observate post 62 horas de tractamento. Un declino in le parametro del axe a indicava que un substitution de iones de fluoruro pro positiones oH habeva occurrite, resultante in le formation de un certe quantitate de fluorapatite.
Notes on Types of Some American Wasps in the Spinola Collection

Abstract New synonymies are: Polybia diguetana du Buysson, 1905, = Polybia plebeja de Saussure, 1867; Polybia laboriosa de Saussure, 1854, and Protopolybia rugulosa Ducke, 1907, = Polistes minutissima Spinola, 1851; Mischocyttarus immarginatus Richards, 1940, = Mischocyttarus rufidens (de Saussure, 1854). Revised synonymies are: Polybia minutissima de Saussure, 1854, and Polybia binominata Schulz, 1906, = Polistes minutissima Spinola, 1851; Protopolybia rugulosa Ducke, 1907, = Polybia laboriosa de Saussure, 1854. A new combination is: Parancistrocerus fasciculatus (de Saussure).
Water Mites in the Diet of Largemouth Bass

ABSTRACT Water mites (Hydracarina) are not consumed by some fish because of their distastefulness or toxicity. We obtained evidence that some individual largemouth bass (Micropterus salrnoides) specifically targeted mites as prey in a small unproductive and unexploited lake in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA. Bass stomachs that contained water mites tended to have high numbers of mites, with up to 780 mites in individual stomachs. Stronger evidence for foraging specialization was provided by repeated examination of stomach contents from recaptured bass; many bass contained water mites more often than would be expected by chance (one-sample t-test [H0=0], t = 3.54, P <0.0001). Also, there was no correlation between bass density and the percentage of bass consuming mites (r = 0.0183) further suggesting that foraging on mites was an individual response rather than a population strategy.
Axisymmetric Aspheric Lens Figuring for the Small Shop

This paper presents a method for predicting wear patterns for aspheric axisymmetric lens figuring employing simple graphic and algebraic computation. It is written for the small shop optician rather than the academician.
Providing ubiquitous gigaband networks in the United States

To secure the benefits essential to U.S. competitiveness and quality of life, we need to devise as a national priority, a path to ubiquitous, symmetric Gigaband realization of a telecommunications infrastructure that is preeminent in the world. The technology prescribes the economics; the economics generate the incentives; the incentives identify the most efficient players. Simultaneously the nation must provide the conditions through which overall goals can be achieved for the good of the many and for its own long-term survival
Effective analgesia using physical interventions for infant immunizations.

BACKGROUND: To measure the analgesic effectiveness of the 5 S’s (swaddling, side/stomach position, shushing, swinging, and sucking) alone and combined with sucrose, during routine immunizations at 2 and 4 months. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with 2- and 4-month-old infants during well-child visits. Patients were assigned into 4 groups (2 × 2) receiving either 2 mL of water or 2 mL of 24% oral sucrose and then either standard-of-care comfort measures by parents or intervention with the 5 S’s immediately postvaccination. The Modified Riley Pain Score was used to score the infants’ pain at 15-second intervals for 2 minutes, then every 30 seconds up to 5 minutes postvaccination. Repeated-measures analysis of variance examined between group differences and within-subject variability of treatment effect on overall pain scores and length of crying. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty infants were enrolled. Results revealed significantly different mean pain scores between study groups with the exception of the 5S’s and 5S’s with sucrose groups. These 2 groups had lower similar mean scores over time, followed by sucrose alone, then control. The same trend was found with the proportion of children crying as with the mean pain score outcome measure. CONCLUSIONS: Physical intervention of the 5 S’s (swaddling, side/stomach position, shushing, swinging, and sucking) provided decreased pain scores on a validated pain scale and decreased crying time among 2- and 4-month-old infants during routine vaccinations. The use of 5S’s did not differ from 5S’s and sucrose.
MMP-1, IL-1beta, and COX-2 mRNA expression is modulated by static load in rabbit flexor tendons.

Tendon cells respond to their mechanical environment by synthesizing and degrading the surrounding matrix. This study examined how expression of genes associated with tendon degeneration is affected by static loads. Forty flexor tendons from 10 New Zealand White rabbits were harvested and secured in a tissue loading system. A static load of 0, 2, 4, or 6 MPa was applied to tendons for 20 h. MMP-1, IL-1β, COX-2, GAPDH, and 18s mRNA expression was measured by qRT-PCR. MMP-1 expression in tendons loaded to 6 MPa was significantly increased 259% compared to tendons loaded to 4 MPa. Relative to a 0 MPa load, IL-1β expression was inhibited with load at 4 MPa (48%) while COX-2 expression was increased at 6 MPa (219%). A polynomial regression analysis found a significant positive correlation between creep and expression of MMP-1 (R2 = 0.53, p < 0.001) and IL-1β (R2 = 0.55, p < 0.001). The results of this study indicate that moderate load inhibits IL-1β and high load stimulates COX-2 relative to stress shielding. MMP-1 expression is up-regulated with high loads compared to moderate loads. The correlation between creep and expression suggests that the pathway for MMP-1 and IL-1β expression, leading eventually to tendon degeneration, may be regulated by the biomechanical factor creep.
Domain Requirements of the JIL-1 Tandem Kinase for Histone H3 Serine 10 Phosphorylation and Chromatin Remodeling in Vivo

The JIL-1 kinase localizes to Drosophila polytene chromosome interbands and phosphorylates histone H3 at interphase, counteracting histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation and gene silencing. JIL-1 can be divided into four main domains, including an NH2-terminal domain, two separate kinase domains, and a COOH-terminal domain. In this study, we characterize the domain requirements of the JIL-1 kinase for histone H3 serine 10 (H3S10) phosphorylation and chromatin remodeling in vivo. We show that a JIL-1 construct without the NH2-terminal domain is without H3S10 phosphorylation activity despite the fact that it localizes properly to polytene interband regions and that it contains both kinase domains. JIL-1 is a double kinase, and we demonstrate that both kinase domains of JIL-1 are required to be catalytically active for H3S10 phosphorylation to occur. Furthermore, we provide evidence that JIL-1 is phosphorylated at serine 424 and that this phosphorylation is necessary for JIL-1 H3S10 phosphorylation activity. Thus, these data are compatible with a model where the NH2-terminal domain of JIL-1 is required for chromatin complex interactions that position the kinase domain(s) for catalytic activity in the context of the state of higher order nucleosome packaging and chromatin structure and where catalytic H3S10 phosphorylation activity mediated by the first kinase domain is dependent on autophosphorylation of serine 424 by the second kinase domain. Furthermore, using a lacO repeat tethering system to target mutated JIL-1 constructs with or without catalytic activity, we show that the epigenetic H3S10 phosphorylation mark itself functions as a causative regulator of chromatin structure independently of any structural contributions from the JIL-1 protein.
Gender and the experience of moral distress in critical care nurses

Background:Nursing practice is complex, as nurses are challenged by increasingly intricate moral and ethical judgments. Inadequately studied in underrepresented groups in nursing, moral distress is a serious problem internationally for healthcare professionals with deleterious effects to patients, nurses, and organizations. Moral distress among nurses has been shown to contribute to decreased job satisfaction and increased turnover, withdrawal from patients, physical and psychological symptoms, and intent to leave current position or to leave the profession altogether.Research question:Do significant gender differences exist in the moral distress scores of critical care nurses?Research design:This study utilized a quantitative, descriptive methodology to explore moral distress levels in a sample of critical care nurses to determine whether gender differences exist in their mean moral distress scores.Participants and research context:Participants (n = 31) were critical care nurses from an American Internet...
Linearized Models of Calcium Dynamics: Formal Equivalence to the Cable Equation

The dynamics of calcium and other diffusible second messengers play an important role in intracellular signaling. We show here the conditions under which nonlinear equations governing the diffusion, extrusion, and buffering of calcium can be linearized. Because the resulting partial differential equation is formally identical to the one-dimensional cable equation, quantities analogous to the input resistance, space constant, and time constant--familiar from the study of passive electrical propagation--can be defined. Using simulated calcium dynamics in an infinite cable and in a dendritic spine as examples, we bound the errors due to the linearization, and show that parameter uncertainty is so large that most nonlinearities can usually be ignored: robust phenomena in the nonlinear model are also present in the linear model.