cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxidation of sulfur dioxide by ozone in highly dispersed water droplets

The oxidation of S(IV) by ozone in aqueous solution has been studied in highly dispersed droplets in a laboratory could chamber at 20°C. Urban air was used. Ozone concentrations ranged from 15 to 120 ppb, orders of magnitude lower than most previous works. Rate constants were derived from differential product determination, rather than from rates of decay of bulk reactants. Comparison of the results obtained here with those from previous work indicates that the reaction rate is indeed first order with respect to ozone. The second-order reaction rate constants found in this work lay between, or close to, other recent results, and could be represented by:k=1.23×104 [H+]−0.51 M−1 s−1.
Deficient Innate Immunity, Thymopoiesis, and Gene Expression Response to Radiation in Survivors of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract Background : Survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are at an increased risk of developing secondary malignant neoplasms. Radiation and chemotherapy can cause mutations and cytogenetic abnormalities and induce genomic instability. Host immunity and appropriate DNA damage responses are critical inhibitors of carcinogenesis. Therefore, we sought to determine the long-term effects of ALL treatment on immune function and response to DNA damage. Methods : Comparative studies on 14 survivors in first complete remission and 16 siblings were conducted. Results : In comparison to siblings on the cells that were involved in adaptive immunity, the patients had either higher numbers (CD19+ B cells and CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells) or similar numbers (αβT cells and CD45RO+/RA− memory T cells) in the blood. In contrast, patients had lower numbers of all lymphocyte subsets involved in innate immunity (γδT cells and all NK subsets, including KIR2DL1+ cells, KIR2DL2/L3+ cells, and CD16+ cells), and lower natural cytotoxicity against K562 leukemia cells. Thymopoiesis was lower in patients, as demonstrated by less CD45RO−/RA+ naive T cell and less SjTREC levels in the blood, whereas the Vβ spectratype complexity score was similar. Array of gene expression response to low-dose radiation showed that about 70% of the probesets had a reduced response in patients. One of these genes, SCHIP-1, was also among the top-ranked single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) during the whole-genome scanning by SNP microarray analysis. Conclusion : ALL survivors were deficient in innate immunity, thymopoiesis, and DNA damage responses to radiation. These defects may contribute to their increased likelihood of second malignancy.
Molecular Motion and Performance Enhancement of BORAZAN Fluorescent Dyes

The preparation of three 2,6-dipyrazolyl-4-X-anilines, H(pz2AnX) (X = p-CF3, Cl, tBu) using CuI-catalyzed amination is described. Subsequent reactions of H(pz2AnX) with triphenylboron proceeds with benzene elimination to give the corresponding Ph2B(pz2AnX) compounds in high yields. The Ph2B(pz2AnX) are more highly emissive in the solid state than the previously reported BORAZAN fluorophores, Ph2B(pzAnX), their monopyrazolyl counterparts. As with the Ph2B(pzAnX), the color of emission in Ph2B(pz2AnX) can be tuned simply by varying the para-aniline substituent where the emission of Ph2B(pz2AnX) is red-shifted relative to the corresponding Ph2B(pzAnX) derivatives. The electronic properties were studied by cyclic voltammetry and electronic absorption/emission spectroscopy as well as by density functional calculations (B3LYP/6-31G*). The di-pyrazolyl derivatives exhibit greater stability toward solvolysis and higher photoluminescent quantum yields (despite the red-shift in emission) compared to their monopyrazolyl counterparts presumably due to kinetic stabilization of the chromophore imparted by the second pyrazolyl ligand. For Ph2B(pz2AnX), evidence for intramolecular motion of the diphenylboryl moiety traversing both pyrazolyl groups was detected by variable temperature 1H NMR spectroscopy. The rate increases with increasing electron-donor abilities of the para-aniline substituent.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Chemical and toxicological properties of emissions from CNG transit buses equipped with three-way catalysts compared to lean-burn engines and oxidation catalyst technologies

Abstract Chemical and toxicological properties of emissions from compressed natural gas (CNG) fueled transit buses with stoichiometric combustion engines and three-way catalyst (TWC) exhaust control systems were measured using a chassis dynamometer testing facility and compared to the data from earlier CNG engine and exhaust control technologies. Gaseous and particulate matter emissions from buses with stoichiometric engines and TWC were significantly lower than the emissions from buses with lean-burn engines. Carbonyls and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from buses with stoichiometric engines and TWC were lower by more than 99% compared to buses with lean-burn engines. Elemental and organic carbons (EC and OC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and trace elements from buses with stoichiometric engines and TWC were effectively controlled and significantly lower than the emissions from buses with lean-burn engines. Potential mutagenicity measured using a microsuspension modification of the Salmonella/microsome assay was lower by more than 99% for buses with stoichiometric engines and TWC, compared to buses with lean-burn engines and OxC.
Alterations in macrophage G proteins are associated with endotoxin tolerance

Abstract Previous studies have suggested that endotoxin tolerance induces macrophage desensitization to endotoxin through altered guanine nucleotide regulatory (G) protein function. In the present study the binding characteristics of the nonhydrolyzable GTP analogue GTPγ[35S] to macrophage membranes from endotoxin tolerant and control rats were determined. Membranes were prepared from peritoneal macrophages harvested from rats 72 h after two sequential daily doses of vehicle or Salmonella enteritidis endotoxin (100 μg/kg on day 1 and 500 μg/kg on day 2). GTPγ[35S] bound to a single class of sites that were saturable and displaceable in control and endotoxin tolerant macrophage membranes. The maximum specific binding of GTPγ[35S] was significantly (P
Biosynthesis of thyrotropin-releasing hormone in organ cultures of the guinea pig median eminence.

Guinea pig median eminence tissue was put into organ culture for periods up to 13 days. The cultured tissue was examined in 3 ways at various ages: a) morphologically, by transmission electron microscopy and light microscopic autoradiography; b) biochemically, by determination of the ability of the cultures to accumulate [3H\Lproline and to incorporate this isotope into [3H\-TRH; and c) by bioassay, in which the content of TRH in tissue and culture medium was determined by the ability of extracts of both to release radioimmunoassayable TSH from rat hemi-pituitaries incubated in vitro. It was found that the cultures exhibited a high degree of preservation of ependymal cell morphology and a sustained ability to accumulate [3H\L-proline over the entire 13-day time course. Neuronal elements showed a progressive degeneration with time in culture, and the ability of the cultures to produce [3H\ TRH was lost concomitantly with the loss in neuronal integrity. (Endocrinology 97: 908, 1975)
Taste bud morphology in the fetal and neonatal dog

Abstract Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to examine tongues of beagle puppies at 38, 47, and 54 days of gestation (term=63 days) and at postnatal ages ranging from birth to adulthood, to follow the time course of morphological maturation of the papillae and taste buds. Fungiform and circumvallate papillae were present on the 38th fetal day, although taste buds were not observed until the 47th fetal day. Large multipored buds and increasing taste bud numbers were noted from 47 days of gestation until birth. Keratinization of tongue epithelium, development of submucosal glands, deepening of the circumvallate trenches, and further increase in taste bud numbers occurred after birth. Anatomical findings indicate that the puppy's peripheral gustatory system is functional at birth but has not yet reached adult form. The presence of mature taste buds in the fetal dog suggests that it may be responsive to chemical stimuli at, or before birth.
Between Center and Periphery: The Yahad in Context

Scholars have long equated the Yahad with the inhabitants at Qumran, thereby establishing an unwieldy two-community model of those behind The Rule of the Community (S) and others of the Damascus Document (D), or Qumranite, bounded, and peripheral versus integrated and “normal.” Yet this two-fold paradigm does not account for both the shared and divergent material between S and D, and other Rule material now available. This article offers a new socio-anthropological model for understanding sectarian community formation, one that accounts for a dynamic relationship between both the Jewish codifying center at Jerusalem and the sectarian movement at large, as well as on a micro-level within the Yahad itself. For as the Yahad created its own, new authoritative center at Qumran, it generated new, divergent traditions, but ones which never developed in isolation. This “radial-dialogic” model of development proposes that communities, and their traditions, diversified in continuing conversation with their authoritative center(s).
Defining the roots of cementum formation.

Significant progress has been seen in research aimed at regeneration of the disease-damaged periodontium. Our own strategy has been to approach periodontal tissue development (i.e. root, cementum, per
Individual-level sterility: A new method of estimation with application to sub-saharan Africa

This paper extends work on measures of population proportions sterile to propose a new estimator of an individual woman's age at sterility and consequently her sterility status at given ages. Accuracy and reliability, examined in a simulation study, appear satisfactory. From World Fertility Survey data for five African countries, the proportions sterile by age estimated by the individual measure and by the population estimator are almost identical. Cameroon and Kenya show substantial variation in prevalence and incidence of sterility across ethnic groups and by number of marriages. Unexpectedly, the evidence suggests that sterility increased from 1960 on in Kenya and remained unchanged in Cameroon.
Synthesis and Purification of Silicon Carbide Powders for Crystal Growth

Silicon carbide powders were prepared in a vacuum induction melting furnace (VIM). Silica and silicon were used as sources of silicon, and graphite powder was used a source of carbon. Pressures of 0.1 and 0.01 atm were selected as the operation conditions, and different silicon carbide powders were prepared. Free carbon and remnant silica were removed by high-temperature baking in air and acid leaching. Low-pressure powders show better crystallinity; moreover, free carbon and silica were rarely found in the product after baking and leaching. The low-pressure grains were prismatic whereas the high-pressure grains were porous. This shows that pressure is a critical parameter in silicon carbide formation, and low-pressure makes the low-temperature synthesis of silicon carbide feasible. Glow discharge mass spectra were used to analyze the impurity content in silicon carbide powders. After baking and leaching, the purity is increased from 3N5 (99.95 wt.%) to 4N5 (99.995 wt.%). Further purification procedures will be combined to meet the quality requirements for crystal growth.
An old method facing a new challenge: re-visiting housekeeping proteins as internal reference control for neuroscience research

The study of specific target protein expression is often performed by western blotting, a commonly used method to measure the protein expression in neuroscience research by specific antibodies. Housekeeping proteins are used as an internal control for protein loading as well as reference in the western blotting analysis. This practice is based on the belief that such housekeeping genes are considered to be ubiquitously and constitutively expressed in every tissue and produce the minimal essential transcripts necessary for normal cellular function. The most commonly used housekeeping proteins are β-actin, β-tubulin, and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). However, recent studies have shown significant variation in some housekeeping genes both at the mRNA and protein levels in various neuropathological events, such as spinal cord injury and Alzheimer's diseases. Changes of housekeeping genes are also induced by non-neuronal diseases in various tissues. Therefore, these discoveries raise a potential concern regarding whether using a housekeeping protein as an internal standard for target protein analysis is an appropriate practice. This minireview will focus on (I) the effects of neuronal and non-neuronal diseases, experimental condition, and tissue-specific roles on alteration of housekeeping genes, and (II) alternative internal standards for gene and protein expression analysis.
Quaternary forms of classical muscarinic antagonists distinguish subpopulations of muscarinic receptors: Correlation with gallamine-defined subpopulations

Abstract Atropine and scopolamine inhibit the binding of [ 3 H] quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) to muscarinic receptors of rat forebrain in a manner that suggests homogeneity of the binding sites. Under the same conditions, the inhibition by N-methyl-atropine (NMA) and N-methylscopolamine (NMS) of the binding of [ 3 H]QNB is consistent with the presence of subpopulations of receptors that differ greatly in affinities toward these quaternary ligands. The subpopulations that are defined according to the affinities of NMA and NMS correlate very well with those that are defined by the use of gallamine. It is suggested that the heterogeneity in the binding of NMS explains some of the anomalous interactions between NMS and gallamine that have been reported previously.
Enhancement of Rolandic mu-rhythm by pattern vision

Abstract In 61 patients with evidence of Rolandic mu-rhythm, a pattern vision test was performed (presentation of pictures). While scanning eye movements were elicited by this test, the mu-rhythm was enhanced in 33 patients (54%) and remained essentially unchanged in the remaining 28 patients (46%). No attenuation or suppression of the Rolandic mu-rhythm was noted. These findings are discussed in view of the mu-rhythm-blocking-response to motor activity in general. No explanation can be offered for the persistence and enhancement of mu-rhythm during scanning eye movements.
OPTIMAL ROUTING OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IN STOCHASTIC, TIME-VARYING TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS

The selection of routes in a network along which to transport hazardous materials is explored, taking into consideration several key factors pertaining to the length of time of the transport and the risk of population exposure in the event of an incident. That travel time and risk measures are not constant over time and at best can be known with uncertainty is explicitly recognized in the routing decisions. Existing approaches typically assume static conditions, possibly resulting in inefficient route selection and unnecessary risk exposure. Several procedures for determining superior paths for the transport of hazardous materials in stochastic, time-varying networks are presented. These procedures and their extensions are illustrated systematically for an example application using the Texas highway network. The application illustrates the tradeoffs between the information obtained in the solution and computational efficiency, and highlights the benefits of incorporating these procedures in a decision-sup...
Schistosoma mansoni: reduction in clinical manifestations and in worm burdens conferred by serum and transfer factor from immune or normal rhesus monkeys.

Abstract Although delayed hypersensitivity to Schistosoma mansoni was conferred on rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) by means of dialyzable transfer factor prepared from peripheral leukocytes or lymph node cells of infected immune donors, when such animals were challenged with 1000 cercariae of S. mansoni they developed worm burdens similar to those of nontreated controls. However, recipients of transfer factor that, in addition, received hyperimmune serum showed minimal clinical symptoms and significantly reduced worm burdens after subsequent infection with S. mansoni irrespective of whether the donors used for the transfer factor were immune or uninfected. A significant but lower degree of protection was conferred by combinations of either S. mansoni transfer factor or normal transfer factor and normal serum. Neither transfer factor nor hyperimmune serum alone conferred protection to recipients. Susceptibility to infection was assessed by observing the signs of the disease, determining the worm burdens by perfusion 10 weeks after exposure, and by observing the appearance of the intestine at autopsy. The animals which received transfer factor and immune serum were protected against clinical disease. Good correlation between worm burdens and severity of disease was observed.
Emerging issues of procurement management: a review and prospect

Increasingly, procurement management is becoming a strategic priority of firms for their sustainable competitive advantage in turbulent times. In today’s dynamic market environment, procurement is positioned as a critical integrative business process and its focus has been extended from short term cost minimisation to long term value creation and delivery. In this paper, we examine a major procurement literature and present a framework that suggests evolving patterns of strategic procurement practices of firms. This review of articles published in major journals about procurement management shows that procurement literature has evolved from specialised functional orientation to more integrative and strategic approaches. This article provides summaries of the procurement literature in terms of its key dimensions and emerging patterns. Future research issues are discussed.
Courage: A neglected virtue in the patient–physician relationship.

Abstract The contribution that the virtues can make to the moral life in general and to the moral community constituted in the patient-physician relationship more specifically is gaining increased scholarly attention. This paper explores the meaning and relevance of the virtue of courage for patients and physicians. Courage is presented as a virtue for physicians in addition to the excellences of competence and compassion and a virtue for patients in addition to the excellences of compliance and gratitude. In agreement with Alasdair MacIntyre, courage is held to be necessary, at times, to our expression of care and concern for one another. The patient-physician relationship is shown to be a context in which care and concern is expressed, a context in which courage can be a relevant virtue. Certain conditions are listed as necessary to courage: freedom, fear, risk, uncertainty, an endangered good and a morally worthy end. Equivalents to these necessary conditions are discussed and held to be potentially present in patient-physician encounters. Physicians are pictured as a ‘sustaining presence’ who have duties toward patients of ‘encouragement’ that can be fulfilled in ways relative to the requirements of each circumstance. Patients are held to have a duty to learn about the nature of human existence and to develop the character necessary to its negotiation. Patients and physicians can be agents of courage who come together in a context of care and concern where certain goods are preserved even, at times, in the midst of loss. Thus, courage is presented as a relevant and important moral virtue for the patient-physician relationship in which those qualities that define who we are as a moral community are expressed and sustained.
Human and murine dystrophin mRNA transcripts are differentially expressed during skeletal muscle, heart, and brain development

Dystrophin transcripts were shown to be alternatively spliced in a pattern characteristic of both tissue type and developmental stage. Multiple novel spliced forms of dystrophin mRNA were identified in murine brain tissue, skeletal and cardiac muscle, diaphragm, and human cardiac Purkinje fibers. The transcript diversity was greatest in adult, non-skeletal muscle tissues. Sequence analysis revealed that four tandem exons of the murine gene are differentially spliced in at least 11 separate patterns to generate distinct isoforms. Two of these forms were observed in all tissues examined, while several others were uniquely observed in cardiac muscle and brain. Cardiac Purkinje fibers express an isoform primarily observed in brain tissue. Several spliced transcripts were observed only in postnatal development. Differential utilization of a fifth exon results in two mRNA splice forms that encode separate embryonic and adult C-termini of dystrophin. Comparison of murine with human dystrophin mRNAs showed that similar isoform expression patterns exist across species. These observations suggest that functionally distinct isoforms of the dystrophin protein are expressed in separate tissues and at different stages of development. These isoforms may be of significance in understanding the various tissue-specific effects produced by dystrophin gene mutations in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy patients.
Creativity: An essential component for effective leadership in today's schools

This study was designed to determine the presence of passion for work, independence, goal setting, originality, flexibility, wide range of interests, intelligence, and motivation as indicators of leadership. The population of the study consisted of four effective principals from Southwestern school districts who achieved a score of 4.0 on the National Association for Secondary School Principals Assessment Center. The major focus was to determine if those principals, perceived as effective, do engage in creative behavior. Data were compiled and analyzed for frequency of creative behavior using a multi‐method analysis. The sources of information were principals’ questionnaire and an in‐depth interview. The results of the study are organized by the following two research questions: To what extent are perceived uses of specific traits of creativity exhibited by effective principals in conducting their professional responsibilities? and How often do successful principals self report on the variables passion fo...
Primary amyloidosis presenting as "sicca complex" and severe intrahepatic cholestasis.

An elderly man presented with the “sicca complex” of dry eyes with xerostomia and severe intrahepatic cholestasis simulating bile duct obstruction. No evidence of an underlying connective tissue disorder, chronic illness, scurvy or myeloma was found. Postmortem examination disclosed generalized amyloidosis with extensive involvement of the salivary glands and liver. This unusual combination of rare manifestations of primary amyloidosis once again emphasizes the multiple clinical guises of the disease.
Factors associated with receptivity to deep brain stimulation surgery among essential tremor cases.

Abstract Background A sizable proportion of essential tremor (ET) patients suffer from medically-refractory ET. Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is a safe and highly effective treatment, it may be under-utilized. We are unaware of studies that assess ET patients’ attitudes toward DBS surgery and the factors that motivate them toward or away from such surgery. Methods ET cases, enrolled in an ongoing clinical–pathological study, underwent an in-person evaluation. They were asked “What is the likelihood that you would allow yourself to have DBS surgery?”, thus rating their ‘surgical receptivity’ from 0 to 100. Results One-third (47/146, 32.2%) of ET cases reported that they would consider DBS surgery. In univariate analyses, younger age ( p = 0.017), self-reported embarrassment ( p = 0.001), more depressive symptoms ( p = 0.008), more dysthymia ( p = 0.029), higher total tremor score (marginal p = 0.13) and lower burden of medical comorbidity (marginal p = 0.16) were associated with greater surgical receptivity. In multivariate logistic regression models, only self-reported embarrassment ( p = 0.006) and, marginally, younger age ( p = 0.059) were independently associated with surgical receptivity. Conclusions We identified a number of factors that were associated with increased receptivity to DBS surgery. Interestingly, psychosocial variables (dysthymia, depressive symptoms, self-reported embarrassment) featured prominently among these factors; indeed, self-reported embarrassment was the most robust factor. Tremor severity, though associated in univariate analyses with increased surgical receptivity, was not as robust of a predictor as was self-reported embarrassment. Future studies, which are community-based as well as those which also assess the patient’s level of understanding about DBS will further add to the literature on this topic.
Cholecystokinin Knockout Mice Are Resistant to High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity

Background & Aims Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a satiation peptide released during meals in response to lipid intake; it regulates pancreatic digestive enzymes that are required for absorption of nutrients. We proposed that mice with a disruption in the CCK gene (CCK knockout [CCK-KO] mice) that were fed a diet of 20% butter fat would have altered fat metabolism. Methods We used quantitative magnetic resonance imaging to determine body composition and monitored food intake of CCK-KO mice using an automated measurement system. Intestinal fat absorption and energy expenditure were determined using a noninvasive assessment of intestinal fat absorption and an open circuit calorimeter, respectively. Results After consuming a high-fat diet for 10 weeks, CCK-KO mice had reduced body weight gain and body fat mass and enlarged adipocytes, despite the same level of food intake as wild-type mice. CCK-KO mice also had defects in fat absorption, especially of long-chain saturated fatty acids, but pancreatic triglyceride lipase did not appear to have a role in the fat malabsorption. Energy expenditure was higher in CCK-KO than wild-type mice, and CCK-KO mice had greater oxidation of carbohydrates while on the high-fat diet. Plasma leptin levels in the CCK-KO mice fed the high-fat diet were markedly lower than in wild-type mice, although levels of insulin, gastric-inhibitory polypeptide, and glucagon-like peptide-1 were normal. Conclusions CCK is involved in regulating the metabolic rate and is important for lipid absorption and control of body weight in mice placed on a high-fat diet.
Novel mutation among two sisters with 17β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 deficiency

The clinical presentations of 17β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17β-HSD3) deficiency, 5α-reductase type 2 deficiency, and complete androgen insensitivity syndrome can be similar. However, those with 17β-HSD3 deficiency and 5α-reductase type 2 deficiency will develop virilization and should undergo gonadectomy after genetic testing before the age of puberty if reared in the female sex. Two sisters were initially diagnosed with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome as young children after testes were discovered during hernia surgery. Virilization occurred in both sisters during puberty, and a diagnosis of 17β-HSD3 deficiency was suspected. Confirmatory diagnosis through gene sequencing identified a heterozygous mutation for both a known splicing mutation and a previously unreported amplification mutation of the HSD17B3 gene.
Goodness-of-fit tests for models of latency and choice

Abstract A goodness-of-fit test based on the maximum likelihood criterion is derived for use in evaluating models of choice reaction time that predict choice probabilities and means and variances of latency. Special cases of the test involving models that predict only one or two of these statistics are considered and shown to be asymptotically identical to the traditional goodness-of-fit tests appropriate for these special cases.
Penetrating Particles in Extensive Cosmic-Ray Air Showers

The number of penetrating particles in extensive air showers has been determined as a function of range of the particles and size of the showers at 3260-m elevation. A measurement with the same apparatus has been made at 260-m elevation, in order to show the altitude variation. It is found that the showers at 3260 m contain many photons and electrons which can be detected under absorbers up to 7-inches lead. The particles penetrating more than this thickness have a very small absorption coefficient in iron, and decrease in density slowly as they traverse the atmosphere. Hence they are thought to be primarily $\ensuremath{\mu}$-mesons.
Tyrosine phosphorylation and proteolysis: Pervanadate-induced, metalloprotease-dependent cleavage of the ErbB-4 receptor and amphiregulin

Enhancement of tyrosine phosphorylation in cells by the application of pervanadate, an extremely potent phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, provokes the rapid metalloprotease-dependent cleavage of ErbB-4, a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase. The pervanadate-induced proteolysis occurs in NIH 3T3 cells expressing transfected human ErbB-4 and in several cell lines that express endogenous ErbB-4. One product of this proteolytic event is a membrane-anchored molecule of approximately 80 kDa, which is heavily tyrosine phosphorylated and which possesses tyrosine kinase catalytic activity toward an exogenous substrate in vitro. This response to pervanadate is not dependent on protein kinase C activation, which has previously been demonstrated to also activate ErbB-4 cleavage. Hence, the pervanadate and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced proteolytic cleavage of ErbB-4 seem to proceed by different mechanisms, although both require metalloprotease activity. Moreover, pervanadate activation of ErbB-4 cleavage, but not that of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate , is blocked by the oxygen radical scavenger pyrrolidine dithiocarbomate. A second phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, phenylarsine oxide, also stimulates a similar cleavage of ErbB-4 but, unlike pervanadate, is not sensitive to pyrrolidine dithiocarbomate. Last, pervanadate is shown to stimulate the proteolytic cell surface processing of a second and unrelated transmembrane molecule: the precursor for amphiregulin, an epidermal growth factor-related molecule. Amphiregulin cleavage by pervanadate occurred in the absence of a cytoplasmic domain and tyrosine phosphorylation of this substrate.
The Hug: a new form for communication

Recent advances in telecommunication and wireless networking technology have exploded the possibilities for remote communication between people.We present a product called the Hug as a challenge to familiar telecommunication products. A visionary design born out of research with elders, the Hug addresses a very human need for physical closeness in remote communications. It uses the same network infrastructure as many appliances today, but places a new face on human product interaction.
On the choice between international capital and labor mobility

Abstract This paper examines the choice of international factor mobility. It proves in a two-country, two-factor, one-commodity model that the policy-setter, when it maximizes its own welfare by following the Ramaswami policy of monopsonistic import of its scarce factor, impoverishes the passive country. Furthermore, the paper studies the choice of mobility in a two-commodity model and shows that the optimality of the monopsonistic import policy extends to a situation with trade in goods. Lastly, it addresses the welfare effects in the passive country in the two-commodity model.
Conservation of Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus : delineation of stock structure and distinct population segments

The anadromous Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, a wide-ranging species along the Atlantic Coast of North America, is being considered for federal listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Identification of distinct population segments (DPS) is necessary but problematic for highly vagile species such as Atlantic sturgeon which may spend a high proportion of their lives outside of their natal estuaries. Characterization of genetic differentiation and estimates of gene flow provide a quantitative measure of the number of DPS into which species could be divided over their distribution and the reproductive independence of each unit. We sequenced a portion of the mitochondrial DNA control region to characterize population structure and gene flow across all naturally reproducing populations from which specimens could be obtained. We then considered these genetic data along with ancillary information on life history characteristics, historical fisheries data, and trajectories of abundance to determine the number of DPS into which this species should be divided. Our results suggest that philopatry is high for Atlantic sturgeon and that each U.S. estuary analyzed hosts genetically distinct populations of Atlantic sturgeon. We conclude that at least nine DPS of Atlantic sturgeon exist along the Atlantic Coast of the U.S. In contrast, the Atlantic Sturgeon Status Review Team has proposed a five DPS scheme for this subspecies based largely on results from nuclear DNA microsatellites, but with fewer populations represented and lower samples sizes. These different conclusions illustrate the somewhat arbitrary nature of the DPS concept, at least as applied to Atlantic sturgeon.
A novel feature extraction algorithm for classification of bird flight calls

Acoustic monitoring of birds in the vicinity of wind turbines is becoming an important public policy issue. Acoustic monitoring involves preprocessing, feature extraction and classification. A novel Spectrogram-based Image Frequency Statistics (SIFS) feature extraction algorithm has been developed. Features extracted from proposed algorithms were then combined with various classification algorithms such as k-NN, Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) and Hidden Markov Models (HMM) and Evolutionary Neural Network (ENN). SIFS and MMS algorithms, combined with ENN, provided the most accurate results. Proposed algorithms were tested with real data collected during spring migration around Lake Erie in Ohio.
Biotransformation of chlorinated organic solvents in static microcosms

The presence of trichloromethane and volatile chlorinated ethene compounds in local groundwater, where no use of these compounds could be determined, prompted a search for their source using models of the aquifer in the laboratory. Preliminary work indicated that chloroethene and cis- and trans-1,2-dichloroethene resulted from subsurface transformation of spilled tetra- and trichloroethene, which are commonly used as industrial degreasers. This study was undertaken to determine the interactions and subsurface factors, including the microbiota and commonly used chlorinated organic solvents, which brought about these transformations. Static microcosms containing groundwater and sediments were spiked with four organic solvents (tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and tetrachloromethane) and analyzed by GC at intervals during a 16-week incubation period. Eh and pH were determined concurrently. The environmental conditions within the microcosms, i.e., neutral to acid pH and reductive potential, indicated that reductive dehalogenation was the pathway by which the observed products were formed. An aqueous milieu and the presence of electron donors and microbial mediators are believed to be influential factors. Evidently, one carbon-halogen bond in each of the solvents was ruptured to yield a compound with one fewer chlorine than its precursor. The products of transformations in microcosms were exotic compounds also found in the groundwater. They were formed only in microcosms from which living microorganisms were cultured.
Technology, Unemployment, and Power

Business organizations and people are making predictions and investments based on a recognition that smart machines are starting to make dramatic changes in the world of work and will likely make even more dramatic changes in the near future. Some people see this as an opportunity, while others see it as vulnerability, but many people see it as inevitable.
Effect of prolonged dissociation on the subjective measurement of near heterophoria

Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated that vergence adaptation resulting from the prolonged decay of slow fusional vergence may prevent the accurate assessment of oculomotor deviations. Continuing changes in heterophoria have been reported after 27 days of monocular occlusion. However, since most slow fusional vergence will decay within the first few minutes of dissociation, a clinical assessment of both vergence adaptation and heterophoria could be made more rapidly. This report documents two investigations which examined changes in near horizontal heterophoria during 30 min and 180 min of continuous dissociation, respectively. Seven out of the 16 subjects exhibited significant changes in heterophoria during the 30 min dissociation period, with a mean increase in exophoria of 3.4δ. The decay of slow fusional vergence took approximately 25 min to reach completion. Thus in the clinical setting, both the degree of vergence adaptation and a more accurate assessment of heterophoria may be obtained by maintaining dissociation for 25 min. Furthermore, the presence of vergence adaptation can be assessed after just 5 min of dissociation.
Homotrimeric, β-Stranded Viral Adhesins and Tail Proteins

A distinctive subfamily of β-sheet proteins are the parallel β-helices, first identified in the pectate lyases used by Erwinia species to infect plant cells ([31][1], [73][2]). This motif involves the processive folding of the polypeptide chain into an elongated coil or solenoid-shaped structure,
Depletion of peripheral blood T lymphocytes and NK cells during the course of ebola hemorrhagic Fever in cynomolgus macaques.

During the course of an experimentally induced Ebola virus (EBOVA) infection of cynomolgus macaques, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and characterized by multi-color flow cytometry...
What is high risk? Redefining elevated pulmonary vascular resistance index in pediatric heart transplantation

Background Currently, pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI) >6 WU × m 2 (indexed units) is generally considered a contraindication to isolated orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). However, this has been questioned in the literature. Methods A retrospective review was performed on all patients Results Complete data were available for 158 cardiomyopathy patients 9 died in the first 30 days. In patients with PVRI 9 indexed units. Conclusions Using a PVRI >6 as a contraindication to isolated OHT may be too restrictive. Patients with PVRI ≤9 do not appear to be at increased risk of early mortality. In patients with PVRI >9, 30-day survival was 78.9% in this study. This represents a viable alternative to heart–lung transplantation.
Saturn's rings - A survey.

In this review paper we first discuss the dimensions of major ring features and of the disk of the planet. We then summarize the observed photometric parameters, and because frozen H2O appears to be a major ring constituent, we compare the appropriate photometric properties of various forms of snow with those of the ring. We examine several ring models, noting certain characteristics that any model should supply. In our view, a physical means of accounting for the observed ring thickness of about 2 km is a prime requirement. There appears to be one model that presents no clear observational or theoretical inconsistency.
Disgust, scrupulosity and conservative attitudes about sex: Evidence for a mediational model of homophobia

Abstract In the present study, core disgust predicted negative attitudes toward homosexuals even after controlling for contamination fear. The effect of core disgust on negative attitudes toward homosexuals was indirect, partially mediated by conservative sexual attitudes and religiosity. The effects of religious principles on negative attitudes toward homosexuals were indirect, via conservative sexual beliefs. These results establish a link between disgust and negative attitudes towards homosexuals that is not fully accounted for by contamination concerns, but rather is partially accounted for by conservative sexual ideology and religiosity.
Alejo de Venegas's Agonía del Tránsito de la Muerte: A Morisco Treatise on the Art of Dying?

The mostly clandestine nature of Morisco literature both in Spanish and Aljamiado has prompted critics to inquire to what extent and how it was influenced by the canonical literature of the Golden Age. Indeed, there are many interesting examples of how the literary trends of the times influenced the Moriscos. The question of whether Morisco literature influenced the more canonical tradition, on the other hand, is especially interesting if one considers a work such as Agonia del transito de la muerte (1537) by the Toledan Alejo de Venegas (1498/99-1562) as a Morisco text. Alvaro Galmes de Fuentes proposed just such a reading, but I argue that the evidence does not fully support his hypothesis, which must be revised along the lines I propose.
Is computer-generated interactive mathematics homework more effective than traditional instructor-graded homework?

The article discusses the effectiveness of computer-generated interactive math homework compared with traditional instructor-generated homework. The authors describe a study which attempts to discern the effectiveness of online homework programs such as MyMathLab. The importance of homework to the school learning environment is examined and the use of technology in education is explored. Details about MyMathLab and the College Algebra course used in the study are provided and the results of the study are also analyzed.
An integrated approach for finding overlooked genes in yeast

We report here the discovery of 137 previously unappreciated genes in yeast through a widely applicable and highly scalable approach integrating methods of gene-trapping, microarray-based expression analysis, and genome-wide homology searching. Our approach is a multistep process in which expressed sequences are first trapped using a modified transposon that produces protein fusions to β-galactosidase (β-gal); nonannotated open reading frames (ORFs) translated as β-gal chimeras are selected as a candidate pool of potential genes. To verify expression of these sequences, labeled RNA is hybridized against a microarray of oligonucleotides designed to detect gene transcripts in a strand-specific manner. In complement to this experimental method, novel genes are also identified in silico by homology to previously annotated proteins. As these methods are capable of identifying both short ORFs and antisense ORFs, our approach provides an effective supplement to current gene-finding schemes. In total, the genes discovered using this approach constitute 2% of the yeast genome and represent a wealth of overlooked biology.
Mycobacterium bovis Strain Bacillus Calmette-Guérin-Induced Liver Granulomas Contain a Diverse TCR Repertoire, but a Monoclonal T Cell Population Is Sufficient for Protective Granuloma Formation

Granuloma formation is a form of delayed-type hypersensitivity requiring CD4 + T cells. Granulomas control the growth and dissemination of pathogens, preventing host inflammation from harming surrounding tissues. Using a murine model of Mycobacterium bovis strain bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) infection we studied the extent of T cell heterogeneity present in liver granulomas. We demonstrate that the TCR repertoire of granuloma-infiltrating T cells is very diverse even at the single-granuloma level, suggesting that before granuloma closure, a large number of different T cells are recruited to the lesion. At the same time, the TCR repertoire is selected, because AND TCR transgenic T cells (Vα11/Vβ3 anti-pigeon cytochrome c ) are preferentially excluded from granulomas of BCG-infected AND mice, and cells expressing secondary endemic Vβ-chains are enriched among AND cells homing to granulomas. Next, we addressed whether TCR heterogeneity is required for effective granuloma formation. We infected 5CC7/recombinase-activating gene 2 −/− mice with recombinant BCG that express pigeon cytochrome c peptide in a mycobacterial 19-kDa bacterial surface lipoprotein. A CD4 + T cell with a single specificity in the absence of CD8 + T cells is sufficient to form granulomas and adequately control bacteria. Our study shows that expanded monoclonal T cell populations can be protective in mycobacterial infection.
Fetal inflammatory response is often present at early stages of intra-amniotic infection, and its distribution along cord is variable.

Abstract This study investigates the hypotheses that (1) the fetal inflammatory response to intra-amniotic infection can occur in early stages of maternal inflammatory response and (2) a difference in early cord inflammation exists at different sites in the cord. Placentas accessioned in our department over a 4-year period with a differential in umbilical vessel inflammation between proximal and distal sections were evaluated for cord inflammation using a 0 to 4 graded scale. Cases were also evaluated for acute chorionic vasculitis and extent of maternal inflammatory response. Of 5566 placentas, 1004 (18%) had some degree of cord inflammation; 120 (12%) had a differential in inflammation between the 2 cord sites. Greater cord inflammation was divided almost equally between proximal (59) and distal (61) sections. Twenty-two cases had 1 or both arteries involved in 1 cord section only. The proximal section had the greater degree of inflammation in 21 (95%) of these cases. Early or no maternal inflammatory r...
Intractable anemia among hemodialysis patients: a sign of suboptimal management or a marker of disease?

Background: Most incident hemodialysis (HD) patients who initiate dialysis therapy with anemia usually can achieve a hemoglobin (Hb) level of 11 g/dL or greater (≥110 g/L) within a few months of the initiation of recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) therapy. However, patients unable to achieve this level may be at greater risk for adverse outcomes. Whether intractable anemia is a modifiable problem or a marker for other conditions is unclear. This question was addressed in a cohort of 130,544 incident HD patients from 1996 to 2000 who were administered EPO regularly. Methods: Medicare claims data were used to determine demographic characteristics, comorbidities, hospitalizations, and related events. Patients who did not achieve an Hb level of 11 g/dL or greater (≥110 g/L; n=19,096; 14.6%) during months 4 to 9 after dialysis therapy initiation were compared with those who did. Results: Patients unable to achieve an Hb level of 11 g/dL (110 g/L) were younger and more often of nonwhite race. In addition, these patients had more comorbid conditions; experienced more hospitalizations with longer stays, more infectious hospitalizations, and more catheter insertions; and were administered more blood transfusions. EPO was administered in higher and increasing doses during the years of study among patients with intractable anemia compared with those with an Hb level of 11 g/dL or greater (≥110 g/L), likely denoting increasing attempts to correct anemia over the years. Conclusion: It is apparent that incident HD patients unable to achieve an Hb level of 11 g/dL or greater (≥110 g/L) have a greater disease burden. The independent association of intractable anemia with such future outcomes as cardiovascular events and hospitalizations remains to be determined.