cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental Origins of Pregnancy Loss in the Adult Female Common Marmoset Monkey (Callithrix jacchus)

Background The impact of the intrauterine environment on the developmental programming of adult female reproductive success is still poorly understood and potentially underestimated. Litter size variation in a nonhuman primate, the common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus), allows us to model the effects of varying intrauterine environments (e.g. nutrient restriction, exposure to male womb-mates) on the risk of losing fetuses in adulthood. Our previous work has characterized the fetuses of triplet pregnancies as experiencing intrauterine nutritional restriction. Methodology/Principal Findings We used over a decade of demographic data from the Southwest National Primate Research Center common marmoset colony. We evaluated differences between twin and triplet females in the number of pregnancies they produce and the proportion of those pregnancies that ended in fetal loss. We found that triplet females produced the same number of total offspring as twin females, but lost offspring during pregnancy at a significantly higher rate than did twins (38% vs. 13%, p = 0.02). Regardless of their own birth weight or the sex ratio of the litter the experienced as fetuses, triplet females lost more fetuses than did twins. Females with a male littermate experienced a significant increase in the proportion of stillbirths. Conclusions/Significance These striking findings anchor pregnancy loss in the mother’s own fetal environment and development, underscoring a "Womb to Womb" view of the lifecourse and the intergenerational consequences of development. This has important translational implications for understanding the large proportion of human stillbirths that are unexplained. Our findings provide strong evidence that a full understanding of mammalian life history and reproductive biology requires a developmental foundation.
CO adsorption and oxidation on oxygen precovered Cu(110) at 150 K: reactivity of two types of adsorbed atomic oxygen determined by scanning tunneling microscopy

Abstract Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to investigate the reaction of carbon monoxide with atomic oxygen on Cu(110) in the steady state at 150 K. Oxygen dosed at 150 K reacts with copper atoms on the terraces to form CuO pseudomolecules 2–7 units long, in contrast to oxygen dosed at 300 K which forms long CuO chains in an islanded p(2 × 1) structure. Adsorbed CO forms regularly spaced stripes on the clean surface regions along the (110) direction between the p(2 × 1) oxide islands, perpendicular to the CuO chains in the coadsorbed p(2 × 1) oxygen islands. When dosed onto an oxygen precovered surface at 150 K, CO does not react with either p(2 × 1) oxygen or the pseudomolecules, presumably because both forms of oxygen are too strongly chemisorbed. However when the surface, partially covered with p(2 × 1) oxide and coadsorbed CO, is exposed to oxygen, the CO (a) reacts to form CO 2 . More weakly bound atomic oxygen that is a precursor to chemisorbed oxygen in the form of either the pseudomolecules or the p(2 × 1) oxide appears to be more reactive with CO than chemisorbed oxygen.
Association between Trunk Flexion and Physical Activity in Patient Care Unit Workers

The purpose of this pilot study was to characterize the direct measure of physical activity levels and the trunk posture (as a proxy for physical load) among a convenience sample of 49 Patient Care Unit workers (nurses and patient care assistants) for a single work shift. We tested the hypotheses that Patient Care Unit (PCU) worker’s increased trunk posture is associated with their direct measure of physical activity levels during one work-shift. To assess the physical activity and physical load component all participants wore an accelerometer and an inclinometer respectively. A correlation analysis was performed to assess the association between parameters of physical activity (minutes in sedentary activity, minutes in lifestyle activity, minutes in light activity and minutes in moderate activity) with parameters of physical load (number of forward trunk bends to 20° per shift, number of forward trunk bends to 45° per shift). Workers were recruited from two hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts. Eleven part...
Quantum ergodicity of random orthonormal bases of spaces of high dimension.

We consider a sequence ![Graphic][1] of finite-dimensional Hilbert spaces of dimensions ![Graphic][2] . Motivating examples are eigenspaces, or spaces of quasi-modes, for a Laplace or Schrodinger operator on a compact Riemannian manifold. The set of Hermitian orthonormal bases of ![Graphic][3] may be identified with U ( d N ), and a random orthonormal basis of ![Graphic][4] is a choice of a random sequence U N ∈ U ( d N ) from the product of normalized Haar measures. We prove that if ![Graphic][5] and if ![Graphic][6] tends to a unique limit state ω ( A ), then almost surely an orthonormal basis is quantum ergodic with limit state ω ( A ). This generalizes an earlier result of the author in the case where ![Graphic][7] is the space of spherical harmonics on S 2. In particular, it holds on the flat torus ![Graphic][8] if d ≥5 and shows that a highly localized orthonormal basis can be synthesized from quantum ergodic ones and vice versa in relatively small dimensions. [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif [2]: /embed/inline-graphic-2.gif [3]: /embed/inline-graphic-3.gif [4]: /embed/inline-graphic-4.gif [5]: /embed/inline-graphic-5.gif [6]: /embed/inline-graphic-6.gif [7]: /embed/inline-graphic-7.gif [8]: /embed/inline-graphic-8.gif
Corepressors TLE1 and TLE3 Interact with HESX1 and PROP1

Pituitary hormone deficiency causes short stature in one in 4000 children born and can be caused by mutations in transcription factor genes, including HESX1, PROP1, and POU1F1. HESX1 interacts with a member of the groucho-related gene family, TLE1, through an engrailed homology domain and represses PROP1 activity. Mice with Prop1 deficiency exhibit failed differentiation of the POU1F1 lineage, resulting in lack of TSH, GH, and prolactin. In addition, these mutants exhibit profound pituitary dysmorphology and excess Hesx1 and Tle3 expression. The ability of HESX1 to interact with TLE3 has not been explored previously. We tested the ability of TLE3 to enhance HESX1-mediated repression of PROP1 in cell culture. Both TLE3 and TLE1 repress PROP1 in conjunction with HESX1 with similar efficiencies. TLE1 and TLE3 can each repress PROP1 in the absence of HESX1 via a protein-protein interaction. We tested the functional consequences of ectopic TLE3 and HESX1 expression in transgenic mice by driving constitutive expression in pituitary thyrotrophs and gonadotrophs. Terminal differentiation of these cells was suppressed by HESX1 alone and by TLE3 and HESX1 together but not by TLE3 alone. In summary, we present evidence that HESX1 is a strong repressor that can be augmented by the corepressors TLE1 and TLE3. Our in vitro studies suggest that TLE1 and TLE3 might also play roles independent of HESX1 by interacting with other transcription factors like PROP1.
Sm-Nd age of the Stillwater complex and the mantle evolution curve for neodymium

An internal isochron determined for a gabbro from the Stillwater complex by the Sm-Nd method yields a precise age of 2701 ± 8 Myr and initial ^(143)Nd/^(144)Nd = 0.508248 ± 12. The initial is close to the CHUR evolution curve but clearly displaced below it by ϵ_(Nd) = −2.8 ± 0.2. A spectrum of total rocks in the Stillwater complex ranging from anorthosite to pyroxenite were found to lie on the same isochron to within experimental error indicating the same age and initial. These data demonstrate that some ancient mantle-derived rocks have initial ^(143)Nd/^(144)Nd which deviate substantially from the CHUR evolution curve at the time of their formation. This implies that there was early layering in the mantle with substantial REE fractionation (~6–12% Nd/Sm enrichment) or that the Stillwater complex was highly contaminated with REE from much older continental crust during emplacement. The results show the necessity of high-precision ages and initial ^(143)Nd/^(144)Nd values in order to properly describe REE fractionation in the mantle. While the Sm-Nd age results show no indication of any irregularities, we have confirmed that the Rb-Sr data for the Stillwater are highly disturbed. This comparison indicates that the Sm-Nd parent-daughter system may be much less susceptible to element redistribution during metamorphism, therefore permitting wide application of this technique to rocks of complex histories.
CA 27-29 in Patients with Breast Cancer with Pulmonary Fibrosis

Cancer antigen (CA) 27-29, which is expressed on most carcinoma cells, is a soluble form of glycoprotein MUC1. It is overexpressed in tumors involving glandular epithelial cells, such as breast tumors. Measurement of CA 27-29 has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for monitoring disease activity in patients with breast cancer. Although serial determination of tumor markers after primary treatment for breast cancer can preclinically detect recurrent/metastatic disease with lead times of approximately 2-9 months, the clinical value of this lead time remains to be determined. False-positive results might be observed in certain patients with no evidence of malignant disease, such as benign breast disease, ovarian cysts, and liver disease. Herein, we report a series of 4 patients with breast cancer (2 patients with interstitial lung fibrosis and 2 patients with nonspecific fibrotic lung changes) who have persistent elevation in CA 27.29 (normal, < 38 U/mL).
An interactive multi-objective optimization framework for groundwater inverse modeling

Abstract The groundwater inverse problem of estimating heterogeneous groundwater model parameters (hydraulic conductivity in this case) given measurements of aquifer response (such as hydraulic heads) is known to be an ill-posed problem, with multiple parameter values giving similar fits to the aquifer response measurements. This problem is further exacerbated due to the lack of extensive data, typical of most real-world problems. In such cases, it is desirable to incorporate expert knowledge in the estimation process to generate more reasonable estimates. This work presents a novel interactive framework, called the ‘Interactive Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm’ (IMOGA), to solve the groundwater inverse problem considering different sources of quantitative data as well as qualitative expert knowledge about the site. The IMOGA is unique in that it looks at groundwater model calibration as a multi-objective problem consisting of quantitative objectives – calibration error and regularization – and a ‘qualitative’ objective based on the preference of the geological expert for different spatial characteristics of the conductivity field. All these objectives are then included within a multi-objective genetic algorithm to find multiple solutions that represent the best combination of all quantitative and qualitative objectives. A hypothetical aquifer case-study (based on the test case presented by Freyberg [Freyberg DL. An exercise in ground-water model calibration and prediction. Ground Water 1988;26(3)], for which the ‘true’ parameter values are known, is used as a test case to demonstrate the applicability of this method. It is shown that using automated calibration techniques without using expert interaction leads to parameter values that are not consistent with site-knowledge. Adding expert interaction is shown to not only improve the plausibility of the estimated conductivity fields but also the predictive accuracy of the calibrated model.
Poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based protein preconcentration using a nanogap generated by junction gap breakdown.

Simple and efficient sample concentration tools are the key to the application of proteomics in a biological system. In this paper, we developed a method to realize a nanofluidic preconcentrator on a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based microfluidic channel. The originality of our preconcentration device is the simple nanogap formation using the junction gap breakdown phenomenon between two PDMS microchannels, without using any photolithography and etching techniques. From the dc current measurement, we confirm that the nanogap formed between two microchannel junctions with approximately 80 nm depth. Using this device, we achieve the concentration volume of β-phycoerythrin protein as high as 70 pL, which is 120-fold larger than that from our previous reports, with a concentration factor as high as 104 within 1 h. Also we show the availability of protein preconcentration under several different buffers (phosphate, acetate) at several different pH values (pH 5 to pH 9).
Prognostic factors for thyroid carcinoma : A population-based study of 15,698 cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and end Results (SEER) program 1973-1991

BACKGROUND A number of prognostic factors for thyroid carcinoma have been identified, including sociodemographic characteristics, such as age and gender, and tumor characteristics, such as histology and stage. The relative importance of these factors as independent predictors of survival for patients with papillary, follicular, anaplastic, and medullary thyroid carcinoma has been extensively studied but remains uncertain. METHODS The authors used data collected by the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute between 1973 and 1991 to investigate prognostic factors for each of the major histologic types of thyroid carcinoma in a population-based patient series and to assess the effect of these factors as predictors of survival. RESULTS Both tumor and sociodemographic characteristics were independently associated with survival. Patients with papillary carcinoma had the highest 10-year relative survival (0.98), followed by those with follicular carcinoma (0.92) and medullary carcinoma (0.80). Anaplastic tumors had the lowest 10-year relative survival (0.13). Stage at diagnosis and differentiation status were strong independent prognostic factors for each histologic type. Advanced stage at diagnosis was a stronger prognostic factor for medullary carcinoma than for other histologic types. Increasing age was associated with lower relative survival for each histologic type. Gender, marital status, and ethnicity were significant, but weaker, predictors of survival. CONCLUSIONS Survival varied markedly among patients with different histologic types of thyroid carcinoma. Stage at diagnosis and tumor differentiation were important prognostic factors for each histologic type. Age at diagnosis was a stronger predictor of survival for patients with follicular and medullary carcinoma than for patients with papillary carcinoma. Cancer 1997; 79:564-73. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
Three-dimensional structure of ATP:corrinoid adenosyltransferase from Salmonella typhimurium in its free state, complexed with MgATP, or complexed with hydroxycobalamin and MgATP.

I nSalmonella typhimurium, formation of the cobalt-carbon bond in the biosynthetic pathway for adenosylcobalamin is catalyzed by the product of the cobA gene which encodes a protein of 196 amino acid residues. This enzyme is an ATP:co(I)rrinoid adenosyltransferase which transfers an adenosyl moiety from MgATP to a broad range of co(I)rrinoid substrates that are believed to include cobinamide, its precursor cobyric acid and probably others as yet unidentified, and hydroxocobalamin. Three X-ray structures of CobA are reported here: its substrate-free form, a complex of CobA with MgATP, and a ternary complex of CobA with MgATP and hydroxycobalamin to 2.1, 1.8, and 2.1 A resolution, respectively. These structures show that the enzyme is a homodimer. In the apo structure, the polypeptide chain extends from Arg 28 to Lys 181 and consists of an R/‚ structure built from a six-stranded parallel ‚-sheet with strand order 324516. The topology of this fold is very similar to that seen in RecA protein, helicase domain, F1ATPase, and adenosylcobinamide kinase/adenosylcobinamide guanylyltransferase where a P-loop is located at the end of the first strand. Strikingly, the nucleotide in the MgATP ‚CobA complex binds to the P-loop of CobA in the opposite orientation compared to all the other nucleotide hydrolases. That is, the A-phosphate binds at the location normally occupied by the R-phosphate. The unusual orientation of the nucleotide arises because this enzyme transfers an adenosyl group rather than the A-phosphate. In the ternary complex, the binding site for hydroxycobalamin is located in a shallow bowl-shaped depression at the C-terminal end of the ‚-sheet of one subunit; however, the active site is capped by the N-terminal helix from the symmetry-related subunit that now extends from Gln 7 to Ala 24 . The lower ligand of cobalamin is well-ordered and interacts mostly with the N-terminal helix of the symmetry-related subunit. Interestingly, there are few interactions between the protein and the polar side chains of the corrin ring which accounts for the broad specificity of this enzyme. The corrin ring is oriented such that the cobalt atom is located 6.1 A from C5 ' of the ribose and is beyond the range of nucleophilic attack. This suggests that a conformational change occurs in the ternary complex when Co(III) is reduced to Co(I).
Optical phonons in GaN/AlN quantum dots: leaky modes

Surface polar vibrations of a GaN quantum dot in AlN matrix are analyzed in the framework of the macroscopic dielectric continuum model. The conditions are found for existence of surface modes on a quantum dot of oblate spheroidal form. These conditions determine continuum frequency regions rather than quantized frequencies. The found modes are peculiar leaky states. They can provide effective energy relaxation of the confined electrons.
Agonist-Specific Regulation of δ-Opioid Receptor Trafficking by G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase and β-Arrestin

AbstractOpioid receptors mediate multiple biological functions through their interaction with endogenous opioid peptides as well as opioid alkaloids including morphine and etorphine. Previously we have reported that the ability of distinct opioid agonists to differentially regulate μ-opioid receptor (μOR) responsiveness is related to their ability to promote G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK)-dependent phosphorylation of the receptor (1). In the present study, we further examined the role of GRK and β-arrestin in agonist-specific regulation of the δ-opioid receptor (δOR). While both etorphine and morphine effectively activate the δOR, only etorphine triggers robust δOR phosphorylation followed by plasma membrane translocation of β-arrestin and receptor internalization. In contrast, morphine is unable to either elicit δOR phosphorylation or stimulate β-arrestin translocation, correlating with its inability to cause δOR internalization. Unlike for the μOR, overexpression of GRK2 results in neither the ...
A copy number variation in human NCF1 and its pseudogenes.

Neutrophil cytosolic factor-1 (NCF1) is a component of NADPH oxidase. The NCF1 gene colocalizes with two pseudogenes (NCF1B and NCF1C). These two pseudogenes have a GT deletion in exon 2, resulting in a frameshift and an early stop codon. Here, we report a copy number variation (CNV) of the NCF1 pseudogenes and their alternative spliced expressions. We examined three normal populations (86 individuals). We observed the 2:2:2 pattern (NCF1B:NCF1:NCF1C) in only 26 individuals. On average, each African- American has 1.4 ± 0.8 (Mean ± SD) copies of NCF1B and 2.3 ± 0.6 copies of NCF1C; each Caucasian has 1.8 ± 0.7 copies of NCF1B and 1.9 ± 0.4 copies of NCF1C; and each Mexican has 1.6 ± 0.6 copies of NCF1B and 1.0 ± 0.4 copies of NCF1C. Mexicans have significantly less NCF1C copies than African-Americans (p = 6e-15) and Caucasians (p = 3e-11). Mendelian transmission of this CNV was observed in two CEPH pedigrees. Moreover, we cloned two alternative spliced transcripts generated from these two pseudogenes that adopt alternative exon-2 instead of their defective exon 2. The NCF1 pseudogene expression responded robustly to PMA induction during macrophage differentiation. NCF1B decreased from 32.9% to 8.3% in the cDNA pool transcribed from 3 gene copies. NCF1Ψs also displayed distinct expression patterns in different human tissues. Our results suggest that these two pseudogenes may adopt an alternative exon-2 in different tissues and in response to external stimuli. The GT deletion is insufficient to define them as functionless pseudogenes; this CNV may have biological relevance.
Myocardial Smad4 Is Essential for Cardiogenesis in Mouse Embryos

Congenital heart diseases are the most commonly observed human birth defects and are the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Accumulating evidence indicates that transforming growth factor-beta/bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathways play critical roles during cardiogenesis. Smad4 encodes the only common Smad protein in mammals, which is a critical nuclear mediator of transforming growth factor-beta/bone morphogenetic protein signaling. The aim of this work was to investigate the roles of Smad4 during heart development. To overcome the early embryonic lethality of Smad4(-/-) mice, we specifically disrupted Smad4 in the myocardium using a Cre/loxP system. We show that myocardial-specific inactivation of Smad4 caused heart failure and embryonic lethality at midgestation. Histological analysis revealed that mutant mice displayed a hypocellular myocardial wall defect, which is likely the primary cause for heart failure. Both decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis contributed to the myocardial wall defect in mutant mice. Data presented in this article contradict a previous report showing that Smad4 is dispensable for heart development. Our further molecular characterization showed that expression of Nmyc and its downstream targets, including cyclin D1, cyclin D2, and Id2, were downregulated in mutant embryos. Reporter analysis indicated that the transcriptional activity of the 351-bp Nmyc promoter can be positively regulated by bone morphogenetic protein stimulation and negatively regulated by transforming growth factor-beta stimulation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that the Nmyc promoter can form a complex with Smad4, suggesting that Nmyc is a direct downstream target of Smad4. In conclusion, this study provides the first mouse model showing that Smad4 plays essential roles during cardiogenesis.
Woman's Place: A Critical Review of Anthropological Theory

Primitive societies and barbarous societies and the historical societies of Europe and the East exhibit almost every conceivable variety of institutions, but in all of them, regardless of the form of social structure, men are always in the ascendancy, and this is perhaps the more evident the higher the civilization … so far as I can see, it is a plain matter of fact that it is so. Feminists have indeed said that this is because women have always been denied the opportunity of taking the lead; but we would still have to ask how it is that they have allowed the opportunity to be denied them …
The role of angry rumination and distraction in blood pressure recovery from emotional arousal.

OBJECTIVE Cardiovascular recovery of prestress baseline blood pressure has been implicated as a possible additional determinant of sustained blood pressure elevation. We hypothesize that angry ruminations may slow the recovery process. METHOD A within-subjects design was used in which resting baseline blood pressure and heart rate measurements were assessed on 60 subjects, who then took part in two anger-recall tasks. After each task, subjects sat quietly and alone during a 12-minute recovery period randomized to with or without distractions. During baseline, task, and recovery, blood pressure was continuously monitored; during recovery, subjects reported their thoughts at five fixed intervals. RESULTS Fewer angry thoughts were reported in the distraction condition (17%) compared with no distraction (31%; p = .002); an interaction showed that this effect was largely the result of the two intervals immediately after the anger-recall task. Trait rumination interacted with distraction condition such that high ruminators in the no-distraction condition evidenced the poorest blood pressure recovery, assessed as area under the curve (p = .044 [systolic blood pressure] and p = .046 [diastolic pressure]). CONCLUSIONS People who have a tendency to ruminate about past anger-provoking events may be at greater risk for target organ damage as a result of sustained blood pressure elevations; the effect is exacerbated when distractions are not available to interrupt the ruminative process.
Measurement of Health Care Attitudes In Cystic Fibrosis Patients and Their Parents

Previous research indicates that attitudes about information acquisition, and attitudes about behavioral involvement, moderate important health behaviors. These attitudes may play an important role in the management of cystic fibrosis (CF) because of the crucial role that patient knowledge and self-involvement play in maintaining adequate functioning. However, due to the young age of CF onset, and the necessary involvement of parents in CF patients' care, two preliminary questions require attention. First, can health care attitudes be measured reliably in young samples? Second, are parents' attitudes related to their children's attitudes? In this study we examined the measurement of health care attitudes in CF patients and their parents by administering the Health Opinion Survey. Results indicated that health care attitudes could be measured reliably in parents and teens, but that for younger patients (ages 8 to 12 years), reliability was reduced. Results also indicated that parents' attitudes and patients' attitudes were largely unrelated, suggesting that patients do not automatically adopt the health care attitudes of their parents. By implication, educational interventions targeted at parents may have limited effectiveness for their children.
Interfacing computers to the severely disabled

Results are presented of a study involving the design and testing of specialized interfacing that allows the severely neuromotor disabled person to operate computerized programs such as Lotus 123, Multimate, WordPerfect, and DBASE III. The use of the RPM system and a series of chained windows is discussed. Of particular interest is the development of memory-resident utilities which serve as specialized interfaces, allowing the transfer of data between programs. >
Resolution of a Classical Gravitational Second-Law Paradox

Sheehan and coworkers have claimed [D. P. Sheehan et al., Found. Phys. 30, 1227 (2000); 32, 441 (2002); D. P. Sheehan, in Quantum Limits to the Second Law, AIP Conference Proceedings 643 (American Institute of Physics, Melville, NY, 2002), p. 391] that a dilute gas trapped between an external shell and a gravitator can support a steady state in which energy flux by particles in one direction is balanced by energy flux by radiation in the opposite direction, and in which work can be extracted from an isothermal heat reservoir, thereby violating the second law of thermodynamics. In this paper, we identify a fundamental error in their simulation and analysis of their model system that vitiates their conclusions. We analyze a simpler, exactly soluble, three-dimensional model of a very dilute gas in a gravitational field between two thermal reservoirs, and show that their conclusions are not supported for the simple model. We show that their method of simulation, when applied to either the simple model or their more complex model under simpler conditions where the answers are known, leads to unphysical results. We also show that, when appropriate sampling is done, their model gives results in accord with the second law and detailed balance.
Indium-labeled white blood cells apheresed from donors receiving G-CSF localize to sites of inflammation when infused into allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients

G-CSF administration to normal donors results in granulocyte apheresis yields generally greater than those observed with other neutrophil mobilizing agents. In vitro, neutrophils cultured with G-CSF exhibit prolonged survival; however, the random migration of neutrophils exposed to this agent is inhibited. Although transfused neutrophils mobilized with agents other than G-CSF migrate to sites of inflammation or infection in vivo, this has yet to be demonstrated with infusion of G-CSF-mobilized neutrophils into neutropenic human subjects. Five neutropenic allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients each received a fresh infusion of G-CSF-mobilized indium-labeled irradiated white blood cells (WBC) apheresed from HLA-matched normal donors on day +5 post-transplant. Localization of activity on delayed scintigraphic images of indium-labeled WBC scans to sites of tissue damage (oral/nasopharynx in two patients with mucositis and terminal ileum/cecum in one with diarrhea) occurred, and supports the hypothesis that G-CSF-mobilized HLA-matched donor neutrophils which have been irradiated are functional after infusion into neutropenic recipients.
Role of the ribosomal protein L27 revealed by single‐molecule FRET study

The ribosome is a ribozyme. However, in bacterial ribosomes, the N-terminus of L27 is located within the peptidyl transfer center. The roles of this protein in real time remain unclear. We present single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) studies of tRNA dynamics at the peptidyl transfer center in ribosomes containing either wild type (WT) L27, or L27 mutants with A2H3, A2H3K4 or nine N-terminal residues removed. Removing L27's first three N-terminal residues or mutating a single residue, K4, reduces the formation of a stable peptidyl tRNA after translocation. These results imply that L27 stabilizes the peptidyl tRNA and residue K4 contributes significantly to the stabilization.
Shock-wave equation of state of rhyolite

We have obtained new shock-wave equation of state (EOS) and release adiabat data for rhyolite. These data are combined with those of Swegle (1989, 1990) to give an experimental Hugoniot which is described by U_s = 2.53(±0.08) + 3.393(±0.37)u_p for u_p < 0.48 km s^(−1), U_s = 3.85(±0.05) + 0.65(±0.03)up for 0.48 ≤ u_p < 2.29 km s^(−1), U_s = 1.52(±0.08) + 1.67(±0.02)u_p for 2.29 ≤ u_p < 4.37 km s^(−1), and U_s = 3.40(±034) + 1.24(±0.06)u_p for u_p ≥ 4.37 km s^(−1), with ρ_0 = 2.357 ± 0.052 Mg m^(−3). We suggest that the Hugoniot data give evidence of three distinct phases—both low- and high-pressure solid phases and, possibly, a dense molten phase. EOS parameters for these phases are ρ_0 = 2.494 ± 0.002 Mg m^(−3), K_(S0) = 37 ± 2 GPa, K′ = 6.27 ± 0.25, and γ = 1.0(V/V_0) for the low-pressure solid phase; ρ_0 = 3.834 ± 0.080 Mg m^(−3), K_(S0) = 128 ± 20 GPa, K′ = 3.7 ± 1.4, and γ = 1.5 ± 0.5 for the solid high-pressure phase; and ρ_0 = 3.71 ± 0.10 Mg m^(−3), K_(S0) = 127 ± 25 GPa, K′ = 2.1 ± 1.0, and γ = 1.5 ± 1.0 for the dense liquid. Transition regions of the Hugoniot cover the ranges of 9–34 GPa for the low-pressure—high-pressure solid transition and 90–120 GPa for the high-pressure solid—liquid transition. Release paths from high-pressure states, calculated from the EOS parameters, suggest that the material remains in the high-pressure solid phase upon release. Release paths from both the high-pressure solid and liquid fall above the Hugoniot until the Hugoniot enters the low-pressure—high-pressure mixed phase region, when the release paths then cross the Hugoniot and fall below it, ending at significantly higher zero-pressure densities than that of the low-pressure phase. The low-pressure release paths fall very close to the Hugoniot. Estimates of residual heat deposition, based on shock-release path hysteresis, range from 20 to 60 per cent of the shock Hugoniot energy.
Classification of schizophrenia patients based on resting-state functional network connectivity

There is a growing interest in automatic classification of mental disorders based on neuroimaging data. Small training data sets (subjects) and very large amount of high dimensional data make it a challenging task to design robust and accurate classifiers for heterogeneous disorders such as schizophrenia. Most previous studies considered structural MRI, diffusion tensor imaging and task-based fMRI for this purpose. However, resting-state data has been rarely used in discrimination of schizophrenia patients from healthy controls. Resting data are of great interest, since they are relatively easy to collect, and not confounded by behavioral performance on a task. Several linear and non-linear classification methods were trained using a training dataset and evaluate with a separate testing dataset. Results show that classification with high accuracy is achievable using simple non-linear discriminative methods such as k-nearest neighbors which is very promising. We compare and report detailed results of each classifier as well as statistical analysis and evaluation of each single feature. To our knowledge our effects represent the first use of resting-state functional network connectivity features to classify schizophrenia.
Molecular Characterization of a Chromosomal Determinant Conferring Resistance to Zinc and Cobalt Ions in Staphylococcus aureus

A DNA fragment conferring resistance to zinc and cobalt ions was isolated from a genomic DNA library of Staphylococcus aureus RN450. The DNA sequence analysis revealed two consecutive open reading frames, designated zntR and zntA . The predicted ZntR and ZntA showed significant homology to members of ArsR and cation diffusion families, respectively. A mutant strain containing the null allele of zntA was more sensitive to zinc and cobalt ions than was the parent strain. The metal-sensitive phenotype of the mutant was complemented by a 2.9-kb DNA fragment containing zntR and zntA . An S. aureus strain harboring multiple copies of zntR and zntA showed an increased resistance to zinc. The resistance to zinc in the wild-type strain was inducible. Transcriptional analysis indicated that zntR and zntA genes were cotranscribed. The zinc uptake studies suggested that the zntA product was involved in the export of zinc ions out of cells.
Interactive visual pattern recognition

Computer Assisted Visual Interactive Recognition (CAVIAR) draws on sequential pattern recognition, image database, expert systems, pen computing, and digital camera technology. It is designed to recognize wildflowers and other families of similar objects more accurately than machine vision and faster than most laypersons. The novelty of the approach is that human perceptual ability is exploited through interaction with the image of the unknown object. The computer remembers the characteristics of all previously seen classes, suggests possible operator actions, and displays confidence scores based on already detected features. In one application, consisting of 80 test images of wildflowers, 10 laypersons averaged 80% recognition accuracy at 12 seconds per flower.
Effects of dietary unsaturated fatty acids on oocyte quality and follicular development in lactating dairy cows in summer

Dietary sourcesof fatty acidswere evaluatedfor their influence on oocyte quality and follicular development using 54 lactating cows in summer. Fat supplements were 1) sunflower oil (80% cis 18:1), 2) Ca salt of transoctadecenoicacids(57% trans18:1),3)Casalt ofvegetable oils (30% 18:2), and 4) linseed oil (56% 18:3 and 16% 18:2). Fats were fed at 1.35% of dietary dry matter beginning at 5 wk prior to expected calving date and at 1.5% (oils) and 1.75% (Ca salts) of dietary dry matter for 15 wk after parturition. Four days following a programmedinducedovulation,5transvaginaloocyteaspirations were performed 3 or 4 d apart. Three days after the last aspiration, PGF2α was injected, followed 3 d later by a GnRH injection and a timed artificial insemination (d 0) 16 to 20 h later. For the first 4 aspirations, oocytes grading 1 or 2 were used for in vitro embryo production. Total cell number and the proportion of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)‐positive blastomeres were analyzed at d 8. At the fifth aspiration, the occurrence of metaphase II, group II caspase activity, and TUNEL labeling were determined after oocyte maturation. A total of 1,011 oocytes were collected. The proportion of oocytes with high caspase activity was greater for grade 3 compared with grades 1 and 2 (37.5 vs. 1.54 and 1.61%). Feeding polyunsaturated fatty acids, as compared with monosaturated fatty acids, failed to affect oocyte quality, as demonstrated by subsequent embryo development. Cows fed 18:2- or 18:3-enriched diets had alargerpreovulatoryfollicleatinseminationandsubsequentvolumeofthecorpusluteumcomparedwiththose
Rapidly progressive pulmonary venoocclusive disease in young women taking oral contraceptives

Pulmonary venoocclusive disease (PVOD) is a rare cause of pulmonary hypertension characterized by a progressive clinical course and poor outcomes if not treated by early lung transplantation. The pathogenesis of PVOD remains poorly understood. We report PVOD that developed in 2 young women soon after the initiation of oral contraceptives (OCs). The first patient is a 14-year-old girl, with no medical history, who started taking an OC 3 weeks before the onset of symptoms. The second patient is an 18-year-old girl, diagnosed 2 years previously with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus anticoagulant, who started taking an OC 4 months before the onset of symptoms. Both patients required lung transplantation. Radiographic and histopathologic findings in both patients showed features of PVOD. Only 1 prior patient with PVOD and a handful of unclassified patients with pulmonary hypertension in association with OCs have been documented. The importance of PVOD as the basis of pulmonary hypertension in patients with connective tissue disease has been recently proposed, as well as the role of thrombogenesis, in the development of PVOD. The temporal sequence in these 2 patients suggests the thrombogenic action of OCs may contribute to the development of PVOD, with or without underlying connective tissue disease.
Genetic Variation in Body Temperature and its Response to Short-Term Acute Heat Stress in Broilers

Abstract Genetic variation in body temperature of broilers and its response to short-term acute (43.5 C for 45 min) heat stress was studied. Body temperatures before (T0) and after (T45) heat exposure were recorded and the changes in body temperature (TΔ) were calculated for 5-wk-old chicks from 32 broiler sire families. The T0 data were utilized to rank the families as to their relative body temperature and used to conduct a one-generation divergent family selection program for high basal body temperature (H-BT) and low basal body temperature (L-BT). A control (C) line was established by random selection from the nonselected birds. There was little genetic variation in the base broiler population for body temperature, and one generation of selection for divergence in T0 did not result in differences. There were also no differences among lines in T45. Low realized heritability estimates of .09 and .17 were obtained for T0 in the L-BT and H-BT lines. Phenotypic correlations between body temperature and body weight were very low for all groups. Highly significant negative correlations were observed between T0 and TΔ after heat exposure. The T0 fluctuated during the course of each day and between days. The adjustment of the data to eliminate this variation did not result in increased heritability estimates.
Effect of Environmental Weathering on the Flammability Behavior of Polycarbonate Sheet

Polycarbonate sheet installed as windows in a house in Newton, Massachusetts, was subjected to natural weathering for a period of 12 years. The surface of the sheet turned yellow. The coating material on the surface was peeled off, then the exposed layers of polycarbonate surface carefully removed. The DSC of the exposed surface showed multiple transitions compared to a con trol which showed only one Tg. TGA studies showed early weight loss for the ex posed polycarbonate compared to the control. Flammability studies including Oxygen Index, Radiant Panel, OSU Heat Release Rate Calorimetry and NBS Smoke Chamber showed an increase in the flammability of exposed sheet com pared to a 12 year aged control. Reasons for this increase in flammability are discussed.
Integrating HIV/FP Programs: Opportunities for Strategic Communication

In this chapter we examine basic principles of strategic communication, and their potential application to provider–patient interactions within health care services, specifically related to the integration of HIV testing and counseling services and family planning services. We report overall findings from a study of integrated services in five countries to illustrate missed opportunities for strategic communication, and suggest tactics to employ to improve dialogic communication between providers and their clients. We conclude by recommending elements of an inclusive strategic communication plan that addresses goals and objectives, supportive research, participatory engagement, objectives, linked strategies with articulated tactics and activities, and supports evaluation for periodic adjustment to achieve impact.
Analysis of Age-Structure Models

Begin by developing a mathematical model for the growth of a population. Assume that the population is closed to migration, and that only the females are counted. Males are present for reproductive purposes, but are not specifically taken into consideration. In the case of human and other higher species, this makes sense for two reasons. Females know unequivocally who their offspring are; and (more importantly for the purposes of this model) females have a biologically well-defined beginning and end to their reproductive careers.
Discontinuity in Earnings Distributions: A Theory and Evidence

This paper presents a model of financial reporting in which investors infer both pre-managed earnings and the precision of earnings from reported earnings. Over-reporting earnings has two opposing pricing effects: investors infer higher pre-managed earnings from an inflated positive earnings surprise (i.e., positive effect); however, investors also infer a lower earnings precision, leading to a lower pricing weight placed on the higher surprise (i.e., negative effect). For firms with strongly positively autocorrelated earnings, the trade-off between the two opposing effects creates a pooled report right above the prior mean of the earnings distribution and a no-reporting "hole" right below the prior mean in equilibrium (i.e., an earnings discontinuity consistent with empirical findings). The model also predicts: (1) no earnings discontinuity exists for firms with negatively or weakly positively autocorrelated earnings, and (2) the earnings discontinuity is more pronounced for firms with more positively autocorrelated earnings. The empirical evidence supports the two predictions.
Convective Instabilities in Two Liquid Layers

We perform linear stability calculations for horizontal fluid bilayers, taking into account both buoyancy effects and thermocapillary effects in the presence of a vertical temperature gradient. To help understand the mechanisms driving the instability, we have performed both long-wavelength and short-wavelength analyses. The mechanism for the large wavelength instability is complicated, and the detailed form of the expansion is found to depend on the Crispation and Bond numbers. The system also allows a conventional Rayleigh-Taylor instability if heavier fluid overlies lighter fluid, and the long-wavelength analysis describes this case as well. In addition to the asymptotic analyses for large and small wavelengths, we have performed numerical calculations using materials parameters for a benzene-water system.
Effects of Intergroup Language on Eye-Tracking and Moment-to-Moment Responses in Race-Based Political Messages

This paper presents results from two separate experiments designed to explore the influence of intergroup messages on evaluations of an African American male political candidate. Participants were assigned to one of three experimental groups: one that invoked in-group language, one that invoked out-group language, and a control group. Audio messages were accompanied by a static image, consistent across conditions, that displayed the candidate and an interracial crowd. In one study, participants were instructed to move response dials (calibrated to 101-point scales) fluidly throughout the advertisement to correspond to their feelings about the content while in the other, visual fixations were recorded (for both location and duration). This paper offers a descriptive overview of the results of both studies, and a preview of future analyses and possibilities for additional exploration. These studies explore whether political communications that emphasize inclusive or exclusive group membership influence the way people watch and evaluate their politicians.
Modified Traps Using Blacklight Lamps to Capture Nocturnal Tobacco Insects

Experiments were conducted in Johnston County, North Carolina, during 1965-66 with insect traps using blacklight lamps. Tobacco hornworm moths, Manduea sexta (Johannson), were more responsive to an increase in the number and size of lamps per trap than were moths of the tomato hornworm, Manduca quinquemaculata (Ha-worth), or corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie). The colors red, green, blue, or white, when added to the trap as an additional light source or as a reflecting surface, had no significant effect on captures of the 3 species, except that the addition of a green light significantly increased the capture of tomato hornworm moths above a white light or no additional light.
Research Note: Effect of Beak Trimming on Body Weight and Feed Intake of Egg-Type Pullets Fed Pellets or Mash

Abstract Pelleted and mash feed were provided in each of two trials. In the first trial, it was noted that the pullets did not eat the feed that was offered in pellet form. Type of beak trimming appeared to be involved in lowering feed intake. The second trial demonstrated that pullets with either the top beak or both beaks trimmed (block cut) approximately 2 mm from the nostril when offered pellets or mash did not eat feed in pellet form as readily as that in mash form.
The Etiological Study of an Dengue Fever Outbreak and the Molecular Characterization of the Dengue Virus Isolates in Zhejiang Province

An outbreak of dengue fever occurred in CiXi city of Zhejiang Province during 2004 was induced by an imported case of dengue fever.A total of 113 dengue fever cases were reported.For determining the etiological agent and analyzing the molecular characteristics of the epidemic dengue virus strains,serum IgM and IgG of the suspected dengue fever patients were tested.The serum samples were also inoculated onto the C6/36 and BHK-21 cell cultures for virus isolation.The viral RNAs of the isolated viruses were extracted and followed by RT-PCR to amplify the E and NS1 genes,which were then sequenced,and the phylogenetic trees were constructed.As a result,IgM,IgG and RNA of type Ⅰ dengue virus were detected in serum samples from dengue fever suspected patients.10 strains of type Ⅰ dengue virus were isolated from 18 early serum samples.The identities of amino acids encoded by E gene of ZJ/07/04 strain and by that of the Hawaii strain,Guangdong strain and Thailand strain were 96.3%,98.8% and 99.2% respectively.But the identities of amino acids of E gene of ZJ/07/04 with that of type 2,3,4 dengue viruses were 68.3%,77.5% and 62.8% respectively.The phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that ZJ/07/04 strain had the greatest similarity with the Thailand strain and they both lied in the same branch of the phylogenetic tree.The virological,serological and molecular features all identified that the outbreak of dengue fever in Zhejiang Province during 2004 was caused by type Ⅰ dengue virus which was imported from Thailand.