cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SAHA is neuroprotective in in vitro and in situ models of retinitis pigmentosa.

Purpose Recent reports linking HDAC6 to mitochondrial turnover and neurodegeneration led us to hypothesize that an inhibitor such as Vorinostat (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, SAHA) may reduce mitochondrial damage found in retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a progressive neurodegenerative disease of the eye. Here we tested the efficacy of SAHA for its ability to protect photoreceptors in in-vitro and in-situ models of RP. As the stressor, we focused on calcium overload. Calcium is one of the main drivers of cell death, and is associated with rod loss in the rd1 mouse retina, which harbors a mutation in the Pde6b gene similar to that found in human patients suffering from autosomal recessive RP. Method Murine photoreceptor cell line (661W) were exposed to agents that led to calcium stress. Cell survival and redox capacity were measured using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, real-time changes in cellular metabolism were assessed using the Seahorse Biosciences XF24 analyzer, and mitochondrial fission-fusion using imaging. In-situ, neuroprotection was assessed in RPE/retina organ cultures of the rd1 mouse. SAHA effects on cell survival were compared in 661W cells with those of the specific HDAC6 inhibitor tubastatin A, and those on protein acetylation by Western blotting. Results In stressed 661W cells, SAHA was found to increase cell survival that was associated with improved mitochondrial respiration and reduced mitochondrial fission. The protective effects of SAHA were also observed on photoreceptor cell survival in whole retinal organ explants of the rd1 mouse. Even though tubastatin A was ineffective in increasing cell survival in 661W cells, HDAC6 activity was confirmed in 661W cells after SAHA treatment with protein acetylation specific for HDAC6, defined by an increase in tubulin, but not histone acetylation. Conclusions SAHA was found to protect mitochondria from damage, and concomitantly reduced photoreceptor cell death in cell and organ cultures. The lack of activity of tubastatin A suggests that there must be an additional mechanism of action involved in the protective mechanism of SAHA that is responsible for its neuroprotection. Overall, SAHA may be a useful treatment for the prevention of photoreceptor degeneration associated with human RP. The results are discussed in the context of the effects of inhibitors that target different classes and members of the HDAC family and their effects on rod versus cone survival.
Report on a food animal case

The cow was presented to KSU Department of Food Animal Medical, anorectic, having a brownish colored diarrhea and depressed for the last two days. She calved last night (Aug. 26) at midnight and has a mild degree of mastitis in her right rear quarter which she has had in two previous lactations (increased thickening of tissue). The newborn calf is healthy and doing fine. She is one of the highest producing cows at the dairy barn.
Anti-tumor activity of docetaxel is enhanced by dietary genistein in an experimental bone metastasis model of prostate cancer

5116 Bone metastasis is very common in advanced prostate cancer. For chemotherapy, docetaxel combined with other chemotherapeutic agents has shown improved clinical response in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. However, the combination treatment contributes to added toxicity. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an optimized and mechanism-based combination therapy for prostate cancer. Genistein, derived primarily from soy products, has been found to inhibit cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo without toxicity. We have previously reported that dietary genistein inhibits prostate cancer bone metastasis in a SCID-hu (SCID-human) model. In this study, we investigated whether dietary genistein could potentiate the anti-tumor activity of docetaxel in a SCID-hu model. PC-3 prostate cancer cells were injected into human bone fragments previously implanted in SCID mice (SCID-hu model). The mice were divided into four groups: control, genistein, docetaxel, and genistein plus docetaxel treatment groups. In the genistein and genistein plus docetaxel groups, the mice were fed a genistein-containing diet (1 g/kg) beginning on the day of intraosseous tumor cell injection. The mice in docetaxel and genistein plus docetaxel groups received a total of 3 doses of docetaxel (5 mg/kg, iv) in 6 days as soon as the majority of the bone implants began to enlarge as determined by caliper measurements (24th day after cancer cell injection) showing tumor growth. The volume of the bone tumor in each group was determined by twice weekly caliper measurements. Microarray analysis was conducted to determine the gene expression profiles altered by genistein or docetaxel in genistein treated bone metastatic PC-3 cells and docetaxel treated PC-3 cells. Real-time RT-PCR, Western Blot analysis, cDNA transfection, and siRNA analysis were conducted to confirm microarray data. We found that genistein significantly inhibited PC-3 bone tumor growth (control group: 1930 mm3; genistein group: 1490 mm3; p
Monte-Carlo Simulation of Ultrasonic Grain Noise

In ultrasonic inspections for small or subtle defects in metals, defect signals may be obscured by grain noise echoes which arise from the scattering of sound by the microstructure of the metal. Models for predicting microstructural noise levels are consequently essential for accurately assessing the reliability of the ultrasonic inspections. Existing noise models, like the independent scatterer model (ISM) [1], are capable of predicting only average noise characteristics, such as the root-mean-square (rms) noise level. Average noise levels, although useful, are not sufficient for assessing detection reliability. One needs to know the manner in which noise signals are distributed about their average level. The expected peak noise level, for example, effects the rate of “false calls”, in which noise signals are mistaken for echoes from critical defects. In this work, we present a Monte-Carlo method for simulating time-domain noise signals observed in pulse/echo immersion inspections of metal components. The method predicts simulated time-domain noise signals, and hence can be used to determine both average and peak noise levels. We assume that the backscattered noise is dominated by the single- scattering of the incident beam by individual metal grains. The metal volume is represented as an ensemble of spherical, single-crystal grains whose centers and orientations are randomly chosen. Grain radii are determined by the nearest-neighbor distances and volume conservation. The backscattered voltage signal from each grain is calculated by treating the grain as an anisotropic scatterer in the homogeneous average medium formed by the other grains. Backscattered signals from all grains are summed to determine the total noise signal.
Anti-viral responses to diabetogenic viruses are mediated by superoxide production (BA12P.107)

Viral infections may directly trigger the onset of Type 1 diabetes (T1D) by β-cell lysis and/or indirectly via pro-inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) by islet-infiltrating leukocytes. We recently demonstrated a crucial role for NADPH oxidase (NOX)-dependent superoxide production in T1D, as NOX-deficient Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD. Ncf1 m1J ) mice were resistant to autoimmune diabetes, which was partly mediated by diminished pro-inflammatory cytokine and Type I interferon synthesis via dampened macrophage-derived Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling in response to poly(I:C), a viral RNA mimic. Therefore, we hypothesized that ROS deficiency would diminish anti-viral pro-inflammatory responses and inhibit T1D in response to viral triggers. To define the interplay between redox status and anti-viral responses, we performed infections with Coxsackie B4 (CB4) virus a putative diabetogenic enterovirus associated with T1D induction in both humans and rodents. In the absence of superoxide, NOD. Ncf1 m1J macrophages exhibited a 2-fold decrease in TNF-α and IFN-α upon infection due to dampened TLR3 and RIG-I signaling. Corroborating the in vitro results, CB4 infection of NOD. Ncf1 m1J mice elicited a 2-fold decrease in TNF-α and IL-1β by pancreas-infiltrating macrophages in contrast to NOD. Future studies will determine if oxidative stress can influence anti-viral responses and uncover novel insights into T1D pathogenesis in response to diabetogenic viruses.
Ultrasonic surgical aspirator-assisted phonosurgery: a novel technique for laryngeal cartilage dissection.

INTRODUCTION Type I laryngoplasty has become the most dependable procedure for the management of anterior and midglottic incompetence since its classification by Isshiki in 1974. Many procedure variations have emerged, including the development of numerous techniques, implants, and prefabricated systems increasing the utilization of medialization laryngoplasty. Sharp dissection of the cartilage window becomes difficult with calcified thyroid cartilages, often encountered in older men. The surgical drill with a small cutting or diamond burr is used adjunctively to overcome this frequent anatomic variant. Halum et al. first described ultrasonic surgical system thyroplasty window creation in cadavers. The Sonopet ultrasonic surgical aspirator—developed by Synergetics USA, Inc. (O’Fallon, MO) and distributed by Stryker, Inc. (Kalamazoo, MI)—consists of a main control unit (Fig. 1), handpiece, ultrasonic tip, and foot control. This device produces ultrasonic vibrations that selectively grade rigid structures such as cartilage and bone while sparing adjacent soft tissue. The handpiece provides concurrent irrigation and suction (Fig. 2) while a piezoelectric element vibrates the tip at 25 kHz. The ultrasonic vibration moves in two planes, creating longitudinal and torsional forces without grabbing or kicking typical of rotary drill motion. This motion emulsifies tissue without excess heat production and requires minimal downward pressure. This ultrasonic surgical aspirator, initially created for neurosurgical applications, is now being used by a broader group of surgical subspecialties such as plastic surgery, ophthalmology, and oralmaxillofacial surgery. We now describe the first invivo series of the ultrasonic surgical aspirator for laryngeal framework surgery.
The mechanical behaviour of high-impact polystyrene under pressure

High-impact polystyrene [HIPS], a two-phase polymeric system, has been investigated studying the pressure dependence of stress-elongation behaviour in tension over the range from atmospheric pressure to 4 kbar at room temperature and constant strain-rate. A comparative study of polystyrene [PS] was also undertaken. HIPS sealed from the environment exhibited ductile behaviour at all pressures. Surprisingly, specimens exposed to silicone oil environment exhibited two transitions as the applied hydrostatic pressure was raised: a ductile-to-brittle followed by a brittle-to-ductile transition. Stress-whitening was suppressed at relatively low pressures. The dilational requirement for profuse crazing was restrained by the combined effect of fluid under pressure resulting in the suppression of the energy absorption mechanism.
Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia

It has been long recognized that the period of the heart, that is, the interval between two heartbeats, changes in rhythm with respiration. Change in heart periods that is synchronous with respiration is called respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). In a healthy person, the heart speeds up during inspiration and slows down during expiration. RSA is perhaps one of the more widely investigated phenomenon in the field of integrative physiology. The objective in this chapter is to introduce the reader to RSA, and it is organized to address the following issues: What is RSA? What are the prominent empirical features of RSA? What are the issues related to measurement of RSA? And, what causes RSA? There is considerable evidence that suggests that RSA is a result of autonomic neural activity. Quantified RSA is simple to measure, yet a powerful index that provides an insight about autonomic nervous activity that governs cardiac function. Given the widely hypothesized dominant role of neural function in cardiac health, this index, identified many centuries ago, continues to be the focus of modern scientific exploration. Keywords: heart rate variability; respiration; autonomic nervous system
Uncertainty in Model Climate Sensitivity Traced to Representations of Cumulus Precipitation Microphysics

AbstractUncertainty in equilibrium climate sensitivity impedes accurate climate projections. While the intermodel spread is known to arise primarily from differences in cloud feedback, the exact processes responsible for the spread remain unclear. To help identify some key sources of uncertainty, the authors use a developmental version of the next-generation Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory global climate model (GCM) to construct a tightly controlled set of GCMs where only the formulation of convective precipitation is changed. The different models provide simulation of present-day climatology of comparable quality compared to the model ensemble from phase 5 of CMIP (CMIP5). The authors demonstrate that model estimates of climate sensitivity can be strongly affected by the manner through which cumulus cloud condensate is converted into precipitation in a model’s convection parameterization, processes that are only crudely accounted for in GCMs. In particular, two commonly used methods for converting ...
Localization and identification of visual landmarks

This project focused on designing and evaluating methods for reading barcodes on visual landmarks. Such landmarks have many applications, including visual tracking, servo-ing, and mobile robot navigation. Our goal was to improve a preliminary version of the barcode reader developed the previous summer in the Middlebury Robotics and Vision Lab.
Polymerase chain reaction amplification of naphthalene-catabolic and 16S rRNA gene sequences from indigenous sediment bacteria.

We report the amplification of bacterial genes from uninoculated surface and subsurface sediments by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR amplification of indigenous bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA genes was unsuccessful when subsurface sediment containing approximately 10(7) cells.g-1 was added directly to a PCR mixture. However, when 10 mg of sediment was inoculated with approximately 10(5) cells of Pseudomonas putida G7, the nahAc naphthalene dioxygenase gene characteristic of the P. putida G7 NAH7 plasmid was detected by PCR amplification. Southern blotting of the PCR amplification product improved sensitivity to 10(3) to 10(4) cells from samples inoculated with P. putida G7, but controls with no sediment added showed that the PCR was partially inhibited by the sediments. Lysozyme-sodium dodecyl sulfate-freeze-thaw DNA extraction was combined with gel electrophoretic partial purification in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone to render DNA from indigenous bacteria in surface or subsurface sediment samples amplifiable by PCR using eubacterial 16S ribosomal DNA primers. The nahAc gene could also be amplified from indigenous bacteria by using nahAc-specific primers when PCR conditions were modified by increasing Taq and primer concentrations. Restriction digests of the nahAc amplification products from surface and subsurface sediments revealed polymorphism relative to P. putida G7. The procedures for DNA extraction, purification, and PCR amplification described here demonstrate that the PCR is a potentially useful tool in studies of function- and taxon-specific DNA from indigenous microbial communities in sediment and groundwater environments.
Tissue-specific regulation of basic fibroblast growth factor mRNA levels by diabetes.

Because basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is recognized as an angiogenic factor and diabetes is characterized by multiple vascular complications, including diabetic microangiopathy, we examined the regulation of tissue bFGF mRNA levels by diabetes. Diabetes was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by injection of 125 mg/kg body wt i.v. streptozocin (STZ), with intensive insulin therapy initiated in half of the diabetic rats. Rats were killed 96 h postinjection of STZ. Tissue bFGF and insulinlike growth factor I (IGF-I) mRNA levels were measured simultaneously with a solution hybridization–RNase protection assay. bFGF mRNA levels increased from 1.7- to 2.7-fold in eye, heart, lung, and brain from diabetic compared with buffer-injected control rats. In skeletal muscle, bFGF mRNA levels decreased to 23% of control levels, whereas bFGF mRNA levels were unchanged in kidneys from diabetic versus control rats. Changes in tissue bFGF mRNA levels were partially reversed by insulin treatment in all tissues. In contrast, IGF-I mRNA levels were significantly decreased from 15 to 50% of control levels in all tissues studied except those in brain, which decreased to only 85% of control levels. These data demonstrate that bFGF mRNA levels are altered by diabetes in a tissue-specific fashion and are consistent with the hypothesis that increased production of bFGF may contribute to the development of diabetic microangiopathy in some tissues.
Colloidal Metal−Insulator−Metal Ensemble Chemiresistor Sensor

A colloidal metal−insulator−metal ensemble chemiresistor sensor based on a monolayer stabilized metal nanocluster transducer film is described. In the example presented, the thin transducer film is composed of 2-nm gold clusters encapsulated by octanethiol monolayers and is deposited on an interdigital microelectrode. Responses to organic vapor exposures are large (resistance changes up to 2-fold or more), fast (90% response in less than 1 s), reversible, and selective. Chemiresistor sorption isotherms for toluene, tetrachloroethylene, 1-propanol, and water vapors are nonlinear and illustrate the high sensitivity and selectivity (ppm detection for toluene and tetrachloroethylene; negligible response for 1-propanol and water).
Imagined verbal transformations as a function of age and verbal intelligence

The purpose of the present study was to investigate age and verbal IQ as factors influencing frequency of imagined verbal transformations (VTs). Words, sentences, and nonwords were presented repeatedly to children (ages 8–13) and young adults (ages 18–21), and the subjects reported experiences of hearing VTs. More VTs occurred for young adults than for children, and only for young adults was VT frequency directly related to verbal intelligence. For the children, VT frequency was inversely related to verbal IQ.
There is no optimal routing policy for the torus

method used to select a specific output channel for a message from among a number of acceptable output channels. An optimal routing policy is a policy that maximizes the probability of a message reaching its destination without delays. Optimal routing policies have been proposed for several regular networks, including the mesh and the hypercube. An open problem in interconnection network research has been the identification of an optimal routing policy for the torus. In this paper, we show that there is no optimal routing policy for the torus. Our result is demonstrated by presenting a detailed example in which the best choice of output channel is dependent on the probability of each channel being available. This result settles, in the negative, a conjecture by Wu concerning an optimal routing policy for the torus.
Quality Improvement in Pediatric Emergency Department Asthma Care

Asthma is the most common chronic illness during childhood and significantly impacts all aspects of the health care system. Disconnects between the different facets of the health care system exist, leading to less than optimal quality of care. Improving the quality of care received by patients with asthma requires an understanding that systems-based changes are needed. Quality improvement efforts in pediatric asthma care delivery are described in 2 case examples: one involving hospital-wide metered dose inhaler use with phase out of nebulized mask treatment therapy and the second involving emergency department educational strategies.
Quality Control of Integral Membrane Proteins by Assembly-Dependent Membrane Integration

Cell-surface multiprotein complexes are synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where they undergo cotranslational membrane integration and assembly. The quality control mechanisms that oversee these processes remain poorly understood. We show that less hydrophobic transmembrane (TM) regions derived from several single-pass TM proteins can enter the ER lumen completely. Once mislocalized, they are recognized by the Hsp70 chaperone BiP. In a detailed analysis for one of these proteins, the αβT cell receptor (αβTCR), we show that unassembled ER-lumenal subunits are rapidly degraded, whereas specific subunit interactions en route to the native receptor promote membrane integration of the less hydrophobic TM segments, thereby stabilizing the protein. For the TCR α chain, both complete ER import and subunit assembly depend on the same pivotal residue in its TM region. Thus, membrane integration linked to protein assembly allows cellular quality control of membrane proteins and connects the lumenal ER chaperone machinery to membrane protein biogenesis.
SU-GG-I-108: Reduce Artifacts for Helical 4D CT Image

Purpose Four dimensional CT (4D CT) provides a way to reduce positional uncertainties caused by respiratory motion. Due to the inconsistencies of patient breathing, images from different periods may be misaligned and the acquired 3D data may not represent the real anatomy. We propose a method to reduce the artifacts present in helical 4D CTimages.Method and Material 4D‐CT data are formed by temporal concatenation of 3D phase‐specific datasets, with artifacts occurring between adjacent stacks acquired from successive respiratory periods. Our general approach to removing these artifacts is to find a surface in one stack and computing the corresponding surface in the next stack, then align the two surfaces by deformation. The proposed method includes five steps: (1) Initial non‐rigid registration using a B‐Spline registration technique; (2) Searching a surface in the first stack with the graph search method; (3) Finding the surface flow in the second stack with the graph cut method; (4) Propagation the flow to the rest of the second stack by solving a Laplace equation; (5) Warping the stacks with linear interpolation to produce the artifact‐reduced image. Ground truth was established and the method tested with five 3D CTimagedata sets with seven landmarks in each. The results on clinical 4D CTimages are compared to commercial software and judged by the medical observers. Results The landmarks distances errors from ground truth were reduced by 42% from 2.7 mm to 1.5 mm by the proposed method. All observers identified fewer artifacts in the images created with the proposed method. Conclusion The proposed method provides a way to reduce the magnitude of artifacts directly from the reconstructed images.
Atomistic simulations of solid-phase epitaxial growth in silicon

High-quality semiconductor crystals can be produced by solid-phase epitaxial growth at the amorphous-crystal interface. Despite extensive experimental studies, the microscopic mechanisms that lead to crystallization are not known. Molecular-dynamics simulations of a Si(001) amorphous-crystal interface, using an accurate empirical interatomic potential, give an activation energy (for $Tg950\mathrm{K})$ and a shape for the activated state that are in reasonable agreement with experimental measurements. Analysis of the simulations reveals complex microscopic mechanisms involving one or several consecutive atomic rearrangement steps; the unanticipated level of complexity casts doubt on the common viewpoint of a unique mechanism.
Differential regulation of telomerase activity and TERT expression during brain development in mice

Telomerase is an enzyme activity consisting of a reverse transcriptase called TERT and an RNA component that adds repeats of a DNA sequence (TTAGGG) to the ends of chromosomes, thereby preventing their shortening. Associations between telomerase activity and proliferation and differentiation of neural tumor cells and neural stem cells have been reported, but the role of telomerase in brain development is unknown. We now report analyses of telomerase activity, TERT mRNA levels and levels of mRNAs encoding the telomere-associated proteins TRF1 and TRF2 in three different brain regions (brainstem, hippocampus and cerebral cortex) and the eye of mice at increasing developmental time points. Telomerase activity is high in the brain at embryonic day 13 (E13), declines markedly between E13 and E18, remains at a low level until postnatal day 3 (P3) and becomes undetectable by P10. Surprisingly, the temporal pattern of change in telomerase activity is not paralleled by a decrease in levels of TERT mRNA that remain elevated from E13 to P5 (with fluctuations during this time window that vary among brain regions), and then decrease to a lower level that is maintained into adulthood. TRF1 and TRF2 mRNA levels are relatively constant throughout brain development. Our data are consistent with a role for telomerase activity in proliferation of neural progenitor cells, and further suggest that TERT may play roles in neuronal differentiation and survival. The dissociation between TERT expression and telomerase activity is a novel finding that suggests biological functions for TERT in addition to telomere maintenance. J. Neurosci. Res. 64:252-260, 2001. Published 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Breaking the Fourth Wall of Electronic Crime: Blame It on the Thespians

Actors and electronic criminals are both in the business of perception management and social engineering, and they have similar motives as well: getting their audiences to suspend disbelief.
Inhibition of brain hexokinase by a multisubstrate analog results from binding to a discrete regulatory site.

P1-(adenosine-5′)-P3-(glucose-6)-triphosphate (Ap3glucose) is a linear uncompetitive inhibitor vs glucose and a linear mixed inhibitor vs ATP of brain hexokinase, an inhibition pattern inconsistent with binding of Ap3glucose to the catalytic site when either the rapid equilibrium random or ordered sequential mechanism, which have been proposed for this enzyme, is considered. It is concluded that inhibition results from binding to a discrete regulatory site. The apparent ability of the regulatory site to accomodate both hexose and nucleotide moieties is consistent with suggestions by previous investigators that the regulatory site on mammalian hexokinases may have evolved from what was originally a catalytic site.
Intrauterine Inhibition of Prostaglandin Transporter Protein Blocks Release of Luteolytic PGF2alpha Pulses Without Suppressing Endometrial Expression of Estradiol or Oxytocin Receptor in Ruminants

In ruminants, prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2alpha) is synthesized and released in a pulsatile pattern from the endometria luminal epithelial (LE) cells during the process of luteolysis. Prostaglandin transporter (PGT) is a 12-transmembrane solute carrier organic anion transporter protein that facilitates transport of PGF2alpha. The present study determined the effects of inhibition of PGT protein on pulsatile release of luteolytic PGF2alpha and the underlined cell-signaling mechanisms. The results indicate that intrauterine inhibition of the PGT protein inhibits the pulsatile release of PGF2alpha from the endometrium and maintains a functional corpus luteum. Surprisingly, inhibition of PGT-mediated luteolytic pulses is not associated with spatial regulation of estrogen and oxytocin receptors in the LE of the endometrium and is also not accompanied by decreased biosynthesis of PGF2alpha or increased catabolism of PGF2alpha by the endometrium. Importantly, PGT inhibitor increases expression of pERK1/2 proteins in the LE of the endometrium. Knock down of ERK1/2 genes in LE cells reverses the inhibitory effects of PGT inhibitor on release of PGF2alpha. In conclusion, intrauterine inhibition of PGT inhibits the pulsatile release of PGF2alpha from the endometrium without modulating spatial expressions of estrogen and oxytocin receptor proteins and metabolism of PGF2alpha at the time of luteolysis. Activation of ERK1/2 pathways and interactions between ERK1/2 and PGT protein appear to be important cell-signaling mechanisms that control PGT-mediated efflux transport function. PGT emerges as an important final component in the luteolytic machinery that controls the release of luteolytic pulses of PGF2alpha from the endometrium in sheep. endometrium, luteolysis, PGF2a, prostaglandin transporter, ruminants
Somatic gene therapy for human disease: a problem of eugenics?

Abstract Somatic gene replacement may soon be investigated for the treatment of genetic diseases. Is gene therapy a method of reversing the disease process, analogous to surgical or pharmacological intervention, or does it threaten to bring a re-emergence of eugenics?
Synthesis and properties of fish protein-based hydrogel

The novel use of fish protein (FP) in the manufacture of a superabsorbent hydrogel was investigated. Following the introduction of a large number of hydrophilic groups into fish protein by modification with ethylenediaminetetraacetic dianhydride (EDTAD), proteins were cross-linked by sulfhydryl-disulfide interchange reaction between the endogenous sulfhydryl groups and disulfide bonds to produce an insoluble gel structure. The water uptake of 76% EDTAD-modified FP hydrogel was 540 g water/g dry gel at 214 × g, and it depended on pH and ionic strength of the solution. The structural changes in proteins consequent to modification were also investigated. EDTAD-FP hydrogels had increased rigidity after glutaraldehyde treatment but displayed diminished water uptake characteristics.
Multifaceted Science in Environmental Cooperation

Decades of research on environmental regimes have led to a consensus that science matters in setting the stage for international cooperation to address such problems (see, for example, Litfin 1994; Andresen et al. 2000; Miller and Edwards 2001; Parson 2003). Radoslav Dimitrov points out in Science and International Environmental Policy, however, that this consensus is underspecified. Most important, it does not tell us which aspects of science underpin successful international environmental cooperation. In his attempt to fill this gap, Dimitrov does some things particularly well. He does not, for example, make the mistake-common in the vast majority of studies in the field-of explaining cooperation by only looking at situations in which international agreements have been successfully created. Focusing solely on successful agreements is problematic methodologically. Even if we determine that successful regimes have certain characteristics in common, the conclusions are meaningless if unsuccessful regimes also share those characteristics. Dimitrov, however, examines cases in which international agreements have been created (addressing ozone depletion and acid rain) and those in which they have not (forests and coral reefs). Indeed, his definition of nonregimes is usefully flexible. Repeated international negotiations have failed to create meaningful international action with respect to international forest issues, but no real attempt at international cooperation has been launched with respect to the issue of coral reefs. The primary advantage of Dimitrov's work is his attempt to disaggregate the characteristics of scientific knowledge that may matter to international environmental action. He focuses on three specific dimensions of the information that is available. The first is the extent or magnitude of the environmental problem itself. The second is how much we know about the causes of the problem. Finally, he examines the level of scientific understanding about the negative cross-border consequences of the problem in question. Because these three factors vary across the four cases he examines, the cases allow Dimitrov to make observations about the conditions of scientific knowledge that correlate with international cooperation. Two of Dimitrov's conclusions are reassuring. First, he concludes that we do not need certainty about the full extent or magnitude of an environmental problem to take international action. In the case of ozone depletion, the extent of damage to the ozone layer was not clearly understood at the time of the first important negotiations to decrease the use of ozone depleting substances. This lack of certainty did not prevent substantive action. Second, we do not even need full information about the causes of environmental problems in order to allow international cooperation. In addressing the problem of acid rain in Europe, scientists understood some of the causes, but their understanding was not as strong as it could have been. Likewise, the uncertainty about the extent of ozone depletion was compounded by
Fighting the good cause: meaning, purpose, difference, and choice

Concepts of cause, choice, and information are closely related. A cause is a choice that can be held responsible. It is a difference that makes a difference. Information about past causes and their effects is a valuable commodity because it can be used to guide future choices. Information about criteria of choice is generated by choosing a subset from an ensemble for ‘reasons’ and has meaning for an interpreter when it is used to achieve an end. Natural selection evolves interpreters with ends. Surviving genes embody a textual record of past choices that had favorable outcomes. Consultation of these archives guides current choices. Purposive choice is well-informed difference making.
A PIC18 robot-centered microcontroller systems laboratory

A required junior-level introductory course in microcomputer systems for electrical engineering majors was the basis of a three-year project to enhance student abilities to design microcontroller-based systems. A new PIC18-based circuit board was developed by the authors to serve both as an evaluation board and as a robot controller. A series of five laboratories were developed using the new circuit board, named Trogdor, as an evaluation or test board. The initial series of laboratories had microcontroller interfacing and programming learning objectives related to developing student abilities in assembly language programming, higher-level language embedded systems programming, sensor interfacing, analog-to-digital conversion, and motor control. Following the lab series, this same board was plugged into a low-cost commercially available robot, and served as the robot's controller for a project to design a robot that would autonomously solve an unknown maze. Students were provided with a robot that had working sensors of two different types, and were encouraged to independently add new sensors and adapt the kit while developing their own solutions.
Inherited mutations impair responses to environmental carcinogens: Cancer prevention in mutation carriers

Some environmental carcinogens may be responsible for a modest increase in the numbers of cancers after years of exposure. Economic or political factors weigh against widespread bans of carcinogens. However, lists of chemicals and agents that cause cancer assume that everyone is equally susceptible to their carcinogenic effects.Hereditary cancer gene mutations can target specific tissues if they are exposed to a carcinogen and the hereditary deficit impairs normal protective responses. Mutation carriers should then have higher risks for specific cancers caused by specific carcinogens.For example, it can be predicted that BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers should be highly susceptible to the carcinogen formaldehyde. High formaldehyde levels can overwhelm normal enzyme detoxification systems or detoxification genes may be inadequate or missing. Formaldehyde that is not detoxified causes strands of DNA to cross-link to each other and to nearby proteins. Carriers of mutations in BRCA1/2 dependent pathways are deficient in the ability to undo these cross-links.Human myeloid leukemias are linked to formaldehyde. Inherited biallelic BRCA2 gene defects and other defects in BRCA1/2 mediated pathways dramatically increase risks for myeloid leukemia, even among infants. In 12 of 15 studies, heterozygous BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations increase risks for myeloid leukemias. Moreover, chromosome arms lost in hereditary breast cancers encode enzymes essential for formaldehyde metabolism. BRCA1/2 mutation carriers may reduce their very high cancer risks by lowering their exposure to formaldehyde.Cancers associated with many other hereditary gene deficits can also be stimulated by distinct environmental hazards. Widespread education could prevent or delay some cancers in mutation carriers.
Approximate Transient Analysis of Some Queuing Systems

We propose approximations for the time-dependent queue size distribution Pnt and the mean queue size E[Xt] of an M/M/1 queue. With a Laplace transform-generating function technique, the exact analysis involves the complex root u* inside the unit circle of a certain quadratic. The exact value of u* leads to transforms that, when inverted, yield rather complicated expressions for Pnt and E[Xt]. We discuss three iterative procedures that give successive rational approximations for u*. These approximations yield, for the queue size distribution and the mean queue size, approximate transforms that are rational and easier to invert. We obtain sharp bounds for Pnt and E[Xt] for a wide range of parameter values by performing the second iteration and combining the approximate results given by the iterative procedures. The methods can be applied to approximate the behavior of more complicated queues. Applications to the M/M/2 queue and the M/Ep/1 queue are discussed briefly.
Genealogical and cross-genealogical dominance relations in a group of free-ranging rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago

Observations of dominance relations in a large group of rhesus monkeys on Cayo Santiago were carried out over a period of 25 months. Dyadic interactions in which an aggressive gesture in one individual was followed by a submissive gesture in the other were recorded as ‘fights’ and considered reliable indices of dominance. The analysis revealed the following characteristics: (1) Maternal dominance over female offspring; (2) maternal dominance over male offspring up the age six years at which time the son leaves his natal group or remains in the group and rises in rank over his mother; (3) dominance of older brothers over younger male siblings until the age of five years at which time the younger brother rises in rank; (4) rank reversal between sisters when the younger sister reaches the age of three to four years; (5) brother-sister relative rank dependency on age until the male sibling reaches three to four years at which time he rises in rank; (6) linear dominance relations in the crossgenealogical dominance hierarchy; and (7) linear, but unstable, dominance relations in the adult male hierarchy. With few exceptions, the pattern of genealogical, cross-genealogical, and adult male dominance relations in the group under study was consistent with data reported for a small social group (group F) on Cayo Santiago and for Japanese macaques.
Signal transduction in N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine and concanavalin a stimulated human neutrophils : superoxide production without a rise in intracellular free calcium

Changes in intracellular ionized free calcium ([Ca]i), inositol triphosphate (IP3), and sn-1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) were determined in relation to agonist-induced human neutrophil superoxide (O2-) production. With 0.1 microM N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) stimulation, generation of IP3 and a peak rise in [Cai] occurred at 30 sec, preceding maximal O2- production (1.5 min) and the maximal rise in DAG mass (4 min). FMLP-induced O2- production was inhibited by pertussis toxin. In cytochalasin B-primed, concanavalin A (Con A) stimulated neutrophils, a peak rise in [Ca]i but not IP3 proceeded O2- production, and pertussis toxin did not inhibit O2- production. EGTA inhibited the cytochalasin B/fMLP-induced increment in [Ca]i and O2- production by 75% and 50%, respectively, and completely ablated the response to cytochalasin B/Con A, suggesting a role for extracellular as well as intracellular calcium in the respiratory burst. However, three types of experiments indicate that an increase in [Ca]i is neither sufficient nor always required for O2- production. First, treatment with ionomycin resulted in a marked increase in [Ca]i but did not cause O2- production. Second, pertussis toxin inhibited both fMLP-induced IP3 generation and O2- production but did not inhibit the rise in [Ca]i. Third, following neutrophil priming with dioctanoylglycerol (diC8), maximal O2- production occurred in response to 0.015 microM fMLP or Con A without a rise in [Ca]i, and diC8/fMLP-induced O2- production was not inhibited by EGTA. Taken together, these data suggest that 1) an increment in [Ca]i is not strictly essential for neutrophil O2- production, 2) unlike fMLP, Con A-induced O2- production does not proceed through a pathway involving the pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein, and 3) regulation of neutrophil [Ca]i involves mechanisms independent of IP3 concentration.
Annual and Growing Season Temperature Changes in the San Luis Valley, Colorado

Most montane and alpine ecosystem climate change studies have focused on changes in biota; few report temperature changes from several stations. This study reports temperature changes in the San Luis Valley (SLV) based on climate station data from a 113-year period. The SLV is a high sub-alpine desert, and the local community relies heavily upon the local irrigated agriculture for its livelihood. Because of the importance of agriculture to the local community and the effects climate change may have on agriculture, this study investigates differences in annual and growing season temperatures. Data from seven climate stations on the floor of the SLV were obtained from the National Climate Data Center, adjusted for inhomogeneities and reconstructed—where necessary—from 1895 to 2008. Change point analysis was employed to identify distinct periods of different mean temperatures values. Change point analysis identified 1993–1994 as the change point in mean annual temperature. Maximum, minimum, and mean annual temperature for each period, 1895–1993 and 1994–2008, were then compared using a one-tailed General Linear Model to determine the presence of significant increases in mean temperature values, which indicated an approximate increase in annual mean temperature of 1°C and growing season temperature increase of 0.65°C, after 1993. The temperature changes reported here do not correspond to the events related to PDO, ENSO, or NAO. No local land use changes could be attributed to the temperature increases or the latent response to global changes, either. Therefore, since the temperature change occurred 15–20 years after the typically reported 1976 beginning of increases in global mean temperature, we conclude the changes to be an artifact of the local topography and result from global temperature change, similar to the few other high-elevation temperature studies.
USE OF HYBRID ANTIBODY WITH ANTI-γG AND ANTI-FERRITIN SPECIFICITIES IN LOCATING CELL SURFACE ANTIGENS BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

Hybrid antibody [F(ab')2] with dual specificity for mouse γG and ferritin was prepared from the corresponding rabbit antisera, providing a precise reagent for locating mouse γG on cell surfaces. Viable cells were exposed successively to (a) mouse antibody to a cell surface antigen, (b) the rabbit hybrid antibody, and (c) ferritin, before preparation for electron microscopy. This method of See PDF for Structure. labeling is sensitive and specific and clearly lends itself to the introduction of visual markers other than ferritin. Other advantages are uniformity of labeling, ease of purification of the reagent, and circumvention of the many drawbacks arising from coupling ferritin to antibody chemically.
NG-nitro-L-arginine reverses L-arginine induced changes in morphine antinociception and distribution of morphine in brain regions and spinal cord of the mouse

Abstract Twice daily injections of L -arginine (200 mg/kg, i.p.), a precursor for nitric oxide (NO), for 4 days decreased morphine antinociception in male Swiss–Webster mice. Chronic treatment with L-arginine also produced significant decreases in morphine levels in midbrain, pons and medulla, hippocampus, corpus striatum and spinal cord of mice following an injection of morphine(10 mg/kg, s.c.) in comparison to vehicle-injected mice. N G -nitro-L-arginine(L-NNA), an inhibitor of NO synthase(NOS),(5 mg/kg, i.p.) given prior to each injection of L-arginine reversed the effects of the latter on morphine antinociception and decreases in morphine levels in brain regions and spinal cord. Chronic injections of L-NNA alone did not modify either morphine antinociception or morphine distribution in brain regions and spinal cord of mice. These results suggest that decreases in morphine antinociception by chronic treatment with L-arginine is related to the decreases in the entry of morphine in the central sites. The reversal of L-arginine-induced effects by L-NNA suggests that NO-NOS system may be playing a critical role in the regulation of blood-brain barrier to morphine.
Fanny Kemble: A Performed Life

DEIDRE DAVID Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007 Pp. 376, $39.95 (hbk), ISBN 978 08122 4023 8 The nineteenth century was captivated and obsessed with celebrity actors whose lives w...
The dosimetry of a single "hockey stick" portal for treatment of tumors of the cranio-spinal axis.

Conventional treatment of tumors of the cranio-spinal axis portal usually involves multiple-field, moving junction treatments to avoid overlapping fields over the spinal cord. To avoid these problems, we irradiate the cranio-spinal axis using a single ''hockey stick'' portal and the 25-MV x-ray beam from a Varian Clinac-35/sup X/ linear accelerator. Patients are positioned prone on the floor 229 cm from the radiation source and the collimators are rotated 45/sup 0/ so the maximum diagonal dimension of the field 116 cm at 229 cm is coincident with the cranio-spinal axis. The head is alternately rotated to treat the right-hand side one day and the left-hand side the next day. Thermoluminescent dosimetry in an anatomical phantom reveals that, relative to the 100% dose delivered at 4-cm depth on the central axis of the blocked field, the midline posterior fossa dose is about 100%, with a maximum dose of about 105% to the extreme posterior portion of the skull. The midline neck dose is about 95% and the dose to the inferior portion of the spinal cord is about 105%. The doses to other critical organs are also presented.
Modeling of the effects of crystallographic orientation on electromigration-limited reliability of interconnects with bamboo grain structures

We presented a model for the line-width-dependent grain structure statistics in bamboo interconnects. We then showed, using an electromigration simulation, that grain orientation-dependent interface diffusivities constitute a likely mechanism contributing to the variabilities in lifetimes observed in experiments.
Nonspecific protease and elastase activities in rat leukocytes

Extracts were prepared from rat peritoneal leukocytes obtained 4 h after glycogen injection and assayed for proteolytic enzyme activities against various substrates. The substrates used included acid-denatured bovine hemoglobin, bovine serum albumin, a partially purified preparation of rat pulmonary basement membrane, bovine neck ligament elastin, and an artificial substrate with elastase specificity. A high level of activity was observed when hemoglobin was used as the substrate. The serum albumin and basement membrane preparation were also readily hydrolyzed by the leukocyte extract. In contrast, the native elastin and synthetic elastase substrate were much more resistant. Although the leukocyte extract demonstrated little intrinsic elastase activity, when it was mixed with a commercial hog pancreatic elastase preparation, it greatly potentiated the elastolytic activity, suggesting the activation of a latent enzyme.