cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure of human O -GlcNAc transferase and its complex with a peptide substrate

The essential mammalian enzyme O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine transferase (O-GlcNAc transferase, here OGT) couples metabolic status to the regulation of a wide variety of cellular signalling pathways by acting as a nutrient sensor. OGT catalyses the transfer of N-acetylglucosamine from UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) to serines and threonines of cytoplasmic, nuclear and mitochondrial proteins, including numerous transcription factors, tumour suppressors, kinases, phosphatases and histone-modifying proteins. Aberrant glycosylation by OGT has been linked to insulin resistance, diabetic complications, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's. Despite the importance of OGT, the details of how it recognizes and glycosylates its protein substrates are largely unknown. We report here two crystal structures of human OGT, as a binary complex with UDP (2.8 A resolution) and as a ternary complex with UDP and a peptide substrate (1.95 A). The structures provide clues to the enzyme mechanism, show how OGT recognizes target peptide sequences, and reveal the fold of the unique domain between the two halves of the catalytic region. This information will accelerate the rational design of biological experiments to investigate OGT's functions; it will also help the design of inhibitors for use as cellular probes and help to assess its potential as a therapeutic target.
On the Character and Consequences of Large Impacts in the Late Stage of Terrestrial Planet Formation

Abstract We perform three-dimensional N-body integrations of the final stages of terrestrial planet formation. We report the results of 10 simulations beginning with 22–50 initial planetary embryos spanning the range 0.5–1.5 AU, each with an initial mass of 0.04–0.13M⊕. Collisions are treated as inelastic mergers. We follow the evolution of each system for 2×108 years at which time a few terrestrial type planets remain. On average, our simulations produced two planets larger than 0.5M⊕ in the terrestrial region (1 simulation with one m≥0.5M⊕ planet, 8 simulations with two m≥0.5M⊕ planets, and 1 simulation with three m≥0.5M⊕ planets). These Earth-like planets have eccentricities and orbital spacing considerably larger than the terrestrial planets of comparable mass (e.g., Earth and Venus). We also examine the angular momentum contributions of each collision to the final spin angular momentum of a planet, with an emphasis on the type of impact which is believed to have triggered the formation of the Earth's Moon. There was an average of two impacts per simulation that contributed more angular momentum to a planet than is currently present in the Earth/Moon system. We determine the spin angular momentum states of the growing planets by summing the contributions from each collisional encounter. Our results show that the spin angular momentum states of the final planets are generally the result of contributions made by the last few large impacts. Our results suggest that the current angular momentum of the Earth/Moon system may be the result of more than one large impact rather than a single impact. Further, upon suffering their first collision, the planetary embryos in our simulations are spinning rapidly throughout the final accretion of the planets, suggesting the proto-Earth may have been rotating rapidly prior to the Moon-forming impact event.
Tugging at the Heartstrings [AP-S Turnstile]

Each year, there are some 80,000 American patients with heart failure [1], who need either a heart transplant or a ventricular assist device (VAD). Since fewer than 2,500 heart transplants [2] are performed every year because of a shortage of donors and high costs associated with transplant surgeries, there is a pressing need for improved VADs. When the first-generation implantable VADs were approved [1] by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994, the expectation was that they would keep the patient alive for a few months while a suitable donor was found. With better VAD technologies, patients with these heart pumps can now survive for five or more years [1]. Former Vice President Dick Cheney is one of these VAD recipients.
Distribution of Total Soluble Solids, Ascorbic Acid, Total Acid, and Bromelin Activity in The Fruit of the Natal Pineapple (Ananas Comosus L. MERR.).

Natal pineapples in the mature green stage of maturity were shipped by railway express from Miami, Florida to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The fruits were ripened at room temperature (25 to 30? C) before sampling. Pineapples were peeled, cored, and then cut into three transverse sections, i.e., top, middle, and bottom. Methods employed for extraction of juice and determination of total soluble solids, total and ascorbic acids were identical with those described elsewhere (7). Bromelin activity was estimated by a method which has been recommended by Balls and Hoover for quantitative 532
Search tactics of desert lizards: how polarized are they?

Abstract The patterns of foraging movements of the teiid species Cnemidophorus tigris (western whiptail) and four iguanid species, Gambelia wislizeni (leopard lizard), Uta stansburiana (side-blotched lizard), Phrynosoma platyrhinos (desert horned lizard), and Callisaurus draconoides (zebra-tailed lizard), were investigated between 1978 and 1981. Rates and frequencies of movement while foraging, based on more than 44 000 minutes of observation of over 500 different lizards, were analysed with respect to temporal variation on yearly, seasonal and daily time scales and compared to expectations froma dichotomous view of foraging modes. The notion of polarized foragiing tactics among lizards was partially supported. Among the iguanid species, only Gambelia exhibited rates of foraging movements that were not always significantly less than those of the active forager, Cnemidophorus . Nevertheless, the analyses also revealed temporal variation in the search tactics of iguanid species. Gambelia exhibited a seasonal decline in foraging movements during three out of four years. Phrynosoma, Callisaurus and Uta all exhibited seasonal declines in their foraging movements in some years, but not in others. The foraging movements of all iguanid species increased during the early-season of 1978, corresponding to a marked increase in late winter/early spring rainfall that year. Uta showed diurnal shifts in foraging movements during most years. Such diurnal variation was also apparent in Callisaurus in some years. Despite consistent differences between Cnemidophorus and most iguanid species, the presence of temporal variability in foraging movements of iguanid lizards indicates a capacity for shifts in tactics in these species. Thus, this variability more realistically reflects a continuum of foraging tactics than it does dichotomous strategies.
Immunosuppression-state-of-the-art: anything new in the pipeline?

Purpose of reviewCardiac transplantation has been the therapy for advanced heart failure that is associated with the best and most durable outcomes. This has been a result of improvements in immunosuppression, specifically the widespread adoption of more potent immunosuppressive agents such as tacro
Phenytoin preferentially suppresses epileptiform activity in the superficial cortical layers of the cat

Abstract Clinically, phenytoin is thought to be useful in controlling seizure activity by preventing it's spread from the focus to neighboring tissue. Experimentally, it has been suggested that phenytoin's principal action is on longer polysynaptic pathways with primary foci affected less than surrounding tissue. In this study, we present data confirming these basic experimental conclusions in foci induced in striate neocortical layer 4 of the cat. By using discrete penicillin microinjections strategically placed into this most penicillin-sensitive neocortical layer and recording simultaneously from several layers, we have been able to expand upon these conclusions by identifying this differential action at the interlaminar level. Epileptiform activity recorded from superficial laminae bordering layer 4, and into which layer 4's primary projections terminate, is suppressed preferentially by phenytoin. These superficial layers are also those that project into neighboring areas of the cat visual cortex. It would appear, then, that phenytoin begins protecting the cortex from seizure spread at the first synaptic termination into which this layer 4 primary focus projects. A discussion of the basic mechanisms of action that may be responsible for these results is also presented.
Panama and the United States: The Forced Alliance

This work examines how relations between Panama and the United States have always pivoted on the issue of transportation across the country's narrow isthmus and delves into the future of those relations now that Panama controls the canal. Historically, Panamanians aspired to have their country become a crossroads of the world, while Americans sought to tame a vast territory and protect their trade and influence around the globe. This work explores the implications of Panama's newly acquired opportunities and how events since the 1989 US invasion have provided a rich environment for the emergence of new parties, a new generation of politicians, and more democratic business procedures. Panama is now able to re-create its own nationhood relatively free from outside pressures. Drawing on a wide array of sources, this work considers the full range of factors - political, social, strategic, diplomatic, economic, intellectual - that have bound the two countries together.
Immunological reactivity in dermatophytosis

SUMMARY Patients with Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. rubrum infections were compared in terms of cutaneous responses and in vitro lymphocyte reactivity to trichophytin and other antigens. Twelve out of fourteen T. mentagrophytes patients exhibited delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity to trichophytin. Most T. rubrum patients (thirty-seven out of forty-nine) lacked delayed reactions to trichophytin specifically, but these patients frequently manifested immediate weal reactions to this antigen. Positive lymphocyte responses correlated with the presence of delayed but not immediate cutaneous reactions. Serum from chronic T. rubrum patients failed to inhibit lymphocyte responses. Possible mechanisms for selective anergy in chronic T. rubrum patients are discussed.
Microdischarge devices with a nanoporous Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ dielectric: operation in Ne and air

Nanoporous alumina, grown by wet chemical processing on aluminum foil, has been found to be a superior dielectric for microdischarge devices. Devices in which both the Al anode and cathode are encapsulated with this dielectric, and the microcavities are cylindrical with a diameter of 100-300 /spl mu/m, operate stably in 700 torr of Ne and one atmosphere of air.
Themes, doctrine, and pedagogy in the 2013-2014 National Health Law Moot Court Competition problem.

Vaccination and anti-vaccine sentiment give a moot court problem writer quite the bountiful harvest. As a subset of public health, the topic fills domestic national policy and debates about how to ...
Localization of the Alpha 3 (V) Chain of Type V Collagen in Human Skin

Serum from goats immunized with human type V collagen chains that were cut out of polyacrylamide gels contained an antibody that recognized only type V collagen in an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay and did not label laminin, fibronectin, or types I and IV collagen. Western blot analysis of the antibody showed that its determinant was the alpha 3 (V) chain of type V collagen. Indirect immunofluorescent staining of intact human skin with the antibody produced staining of the dermal blood vessels but not of the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ). In contrast, both the dermal blood vessels and the DEJ were labeled by the antibody if the skin substrate was first split through the lamina lucida region of the DEJ by incubation in 1 M NaCl solution. Indirect immunoelectron microscopy confirmed the staining pattern found by immunofluorescence and defined the ultrastructural localization of type V collagen in skin. Type V collagen is localized within the DEJ to the lamina lucida region and polar aspects of the basal cell keratinocyte plasma membrane.
In Her Own Right by Elisabeth Griffith. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984, 268 pp., hardcover.

(1986). In Her Own Right by Elisabeth Griffith. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984, 268 pp., hardcover. The Educational Forum: Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 205-207.
Structural Similarities between Hemoglobins A and F

A striking similarity has been found between the composition of peptides obtained from tryptic digestion of normal adult hemoglobin (hemoglobin A) and fetal hemoglobin (hemoglobin F).
Factor comparison of two Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory short forms

Abstract A sample of 315 valid Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) protocols were selected from inpatient files and scored for both the MMPI-168 and Faschingbauer Abbreviated MMPI short forms. Each short form was then factor-analyzed by a principal axis strategy with varimax rotation. The six factors extracted from each short form were then compared as to their similarity by use of the s index. This procedure showed five of the six factors in each short form as having a significant relationship of the pattern of salient variables they had in common with the complimentary factors of the other form. These data suggest that both short forms, though based on different construction methodologies, share the same underlying personality attributes. Future research is suggested to replicate these results and extend them to the full MMPI.
Knowledge-Based Approach to Facilitate Engineering Design

A knowledge-based approach is presented to facilitate the engineering design process relating to spacecraft. The degree of collaboration across temporal and spatial boundaries plays a major role in determining the aggregate time and cost involved in each instance of spacecraft design. A major aspect of such collaboration is the issue of communications: the ability to capture the detailed needs of every stakeholder in the process, as well as rationale for the major design decisions. The approach described provides a framework for facilitating the decision making process in engineering design, by eliciting and capturing the goals and requirements of every stakeholder in the design process through utility and expense functions. An interactive system has been designed that incorporates a four-faceted knowledge-based framework of knowledge acquisition, knowledge discovery, knowledge management, and knowledge dissemination. We describe the combination of the multi-attribute interview software tool MIST and Space Systems Policy Architecture and Research Consortium (SSPARCy) paradigms to develop an evolving knowledge repository that enables one to perform crucial applications whose success is today contingent on geographical proximity. The proposed knowledge-based approach can be readily adopted to facilitate other applications that involve sustained collaboration across geographic and corporate boundaries.
Training, Quality Assurance, and Assessment of Medical Record Abstraction in a Multisite Study

Clinical studies using medical record review should include careful training and quality assurance methods to enhance the reliability and validity of data obtained from the records. Because of time and budget constraints, comprehensive assessments of data quality and reliability, including masking of medical record abstractors, are not always possible. This paper describes the abstractor training and quality control methods and results of a masked medical record review study. The medical record review study was carried out within a larger multisite study of the effectiveness of screening mammography in preventing breast cancer mortality with an observation period within 1983 and 1993, with mortality follow-up through 1998. An eight-step program was developed to train medical record abstractors and monitor the quality of their work. A key follow-up component to the training protocol was a 5% reabstraction of medical records (n = 160), masked and reviewed by a second abstractor. High agreement was found between initial (unmasked) abstractors and masked abstractors for all key exposure variables (kappa ranged from 0.76 to 0.91), with no evidence of biased directionality by unmasked reviewers. Rigorous ongoing training programs for medical record abstractors provide assurance of good quality control in large multisite studies. Additionally, a masking study with a subsample of subjects may be a feasible and cost-effective alternative to the time- and cost-intensive methodological approach of masking all medical records.
A Brief History of Microscopy

All kinds of microscopy have a common beginning in mankind’s intellectual goal to see better. Visible light was the first medium, and visibility was limited to the unaided eye until the first century a.d., when Seneca discovered(1) that by looking through a clear spherical flask filled with clear water “letters however small and dim are comparatively large and distinct.”(2) This idea led to simple magnifiers, whether a single large lens to accommodate both eyes together or two lenses of a smaller diameter to accommodate each eye separately.
Hyperosmolar Solution Effects in Guinea Pig Airways. I. Mechanical Responses to Relative Changes in Osmolarity

In the guinea pig isolated perfused trachea contracted with serosal methacholine (MCh), increasing the osmolarity of the mucosal bathing solution elicits relaxation of smooth muscle mediated by epithelium-derived relaxing factor (EpDRF). The present study was undertaken to determine whether a specific modality of the hyperosmolar stimulus induced the relaxation response. Mucosal hyperosmolar challenge with d-mannitol, N- methyl-d-glucamine (NMDG)-chloride, NMDG-gluconate (NMDG-Glu), or urea elicited relaxation with equal potency. In contrast, hyperosmolar solutions at the serosal surface induced diverse, osmolyte-specific responses. In tracheae contracted with MCh, abrupt replacement of the mucosal modified Krebs-Henseleit solution (MKHS) with isosmolar osmolyte solutions to stimulate cell shrinkage elicited five discrete response patterns related to the membrane permeance of the solute, but increasing the osmolarity of the isosmolar solution via the further addition of the same solute always induced relaxation. Similarly, perfusion of the lumen with water induced a transient contraction, but subsequent addition of MKHS, or isosmolar d-mannitol, urea, NMDG-Glu, NaCl, or KCl induced relaxation. Subsequent hyperosmolar addition of the same osmolyte-evoked relaxation. Compatible osmolytes had no effect on smooth muscle tone and did not affect responses to hyperosmolar challenge. The results suggest that the airway epithelium acts as an osmolarity sensor, which communicates with airway smooth muscle through EpDRF. The mechanical responses of the smooth muscle resulting from changes in the osmotic environment are associated with discrete modalities of the osmolar stimulus, including membrane reflection of the particles, incremental change in osmolarity and directionality, but not cell shrinkage.
Influence of Extraterrestrial Radiation on Radiation Portal Monitors

Cosmic radiation and solar flares can be a major source of background radiation at the Earth's surface. This paper examines the relationship between extraterrestrial radiation and the detectable background in radiation portal monitors used for homeland security applications. Background radiation data from 13 radiation portal monitor facilities are examined and compared against external sources of data related to extraterrestrial radiation, including measurements at neutron monitors located at 53 cosmic-ray observatories around the Earth, four polar orbiting satellites, three geostationary satellites, ground-based geomagnetic field data from observatories around the Earth, a solar magnetic index, solar radio flux data, and sunspot activity data. 45 months (January 2003 through September 2006) of data are used in this study, which include the latter part of Solar Cycle 23 as solar activity was on the decline. The analysis shows a significant relationship between some extraterrestrial radiation and the background detected in the radiation portal monitors. A demonstrable decline is shown in the average gamma ray and neutron background at the radiation portal monitors as solar activity declined over the period of the study.
Multistandard RoF bus for in-building networks

This paper presents an optical bus architecture for multistandard communications which is competitive in cost and performance as regards typical star architecture. A point-to-point optical link is characterized by means of noise figure measurements before providing link budget calculations for the bus architecture. It is demonstrated that more than 10 m radio coverage per room can be obtained for cellular and wireless connectivity for up to 20 access points under the condition of optimizing laser modulation operating conditions. These performances are sufficient for in-building distribution and can be extended to an hybrid star-bus network topology, suitable for large building network infrastructure.
Neurofilaments at a glance.

Neurofilaments (NFs) are intermediate filaments with a diameter of 10 nm, similar to that of neurons. Although they are present in perikarya and dendrites, neurofilaments are particularly abundant in axons, where they are essential for the radial growth of axons during development, the maintenance
Balloon angioplasty with secondary stenting for chronically occluded abdominal aorta in a high-risk patient.

A 64-year-old man with history of hypertension, coronary artery disease with coronary bypass was referred to our institution for further evaluation of disabling claudication. Previous history was significant for acute limb ischaemia mandating an emergent thromboembolectomy of his aortoiliac vessels. However, his symptoms persisted and he was subsequently referred to us for further management. Ankle brachial index (ABI) was 0.51 on right lower extremity (RLE) and 0.48 on the left lower extremity (LLE). With exercise, the ABI worsened to 0.28 on the RLE and 0.43 on the LLE. Further workup with CT angiography revealed a totally occluded abdominal aorta in the infrarenal segment just distal to inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and extending to common iliac arteries bilaterally (figure 1A). The external iliac arteries (EIA) were patent but severely diseased in their proximal segments. The common femoral arteries (CFA) were patent with moderate disease on the right and minimal disease on the left. After a well-informed discussion with the patient, we planned for an abdominal aortography and intervention on the occluded vascular segments. …
The Context of Oral and Written Language: A Framework for Mode and Medium Switching.

This article demonstrates that our descriptions of orality and literacy – from the traditional dichotomy to the more recent continuum – are inadequate, largely because they are grounded in the Western positivist tradition and use as their typical texts casual conversation and academic writing. The introduction of a new medium of communication, the computer, into the workplace clearly demonstrates that medium of communication is itself a linguistic choice, depending on the context of situation. The article presents a case study identifying those aspects of the context of situation that affect both choice of mode/medium and mode/medium-switching. The article then proposes a framework that expands on previous work that has sought to describe the dimensions involved in the choice of language (e.g., Halliday 1973; Hymes 1972; Jakobson 1960). This framework suggests an integrated approach for examining oral and written language, an approach grounded in the view that literacy and orality are social practices whose forms and functions vary for different social groups. (Literacy, dimensions of sociolinguistics, discourse)
Decreased Range of Motion After Total Knee Arthroplasty Is Predicted by the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia

Abstract Background Range of motion (ROM) is important for functional outcome after total knee arthroplasty (TKA); however, some patients hesitate to maximize their ROM postoperatively. The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) measures patients' fear of movement. The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine whether TSK scores correlated with decreased ROM after primary TKA. A secondary purpose was to determine whether biofeedback could increase ROM after TKA. Methods Patients were recruited from the senior author's practice between June 2011 and March 2013. A clinical photograph was taken of each patient's knee in maximum passive flexion in the operating room immediately following closure. Patients were randomized to the control or photograph group before incision. A linear mixed model was implemented to determine whether the TSK score and viewing the photo correlated to ROM. Results Seventy-nine patients were analyzed for correlation between the TSK score and the knee ROM. Sixty patients were analyzed for correlation between viewing the clinical photograph and the knee ROM. The linear mixed model demonstrated a significant negative correlation between the TSK score and both active (β = −0.47, P P Conclusion The TSK was developed as a tool to identify patients at risk for maladaptive responses to painful stimuli. Our data suggest that the TSK may help arthroplasty surgeons identify patients at risk for decreased ROM after TKA. Showing patients a clinical photograph failed to increase ROM after TKA.
Fecal transplantation does not transfer either susceptibility or resistance to food borne listeriosis in C57BL/6 and BALB/c/By mice

The composition of the intestinal microbiota has wide reaching effects on the health of an individual, including the development of protective innate immune responses. In this report, a fecal transplantation approach was used to determine whether resistance to food borne listeriosis was dependent on the murine gut microbiota. Transplantation of BALB/c/By feces did not increase the susceptibility of C57BL/6 mice to Listeria monocytogenes infection. Likewise, transplantation of C57BL/6 fecal matter did not enhance the resistance of BALB/c/By mice. Thus, intestinal microbiota composition is not a key factor that confers either susceptibility or resistance to food borne listeriosis in mice.
Costs of second-generation antihistamines in the treatment of allergic rhinitis: US perspective

ABSTRACTObjective: To review the pharmacoeconomic literature evaluating use of antihistamines in treating allergic rhinitis (AR) in the US.Methods: Three independent reviewers conducted a comprehensive search of the current literature with PubMed. They identified articles describing original research comprising US cost analyses or pharmacoeconomic evaluations that reported both costs and consequences of using second-generation anthistamines (SGAs), first-generation antihistamines (FGAs), or both for the treatment of patients with AR. The search was limited to studies performed in humans and published in English between 1998 and 2008.Results: Five of 200 articles met the inclusion criteria and examined costs associated primarily with chlorpheniramine, diphenhydramine, cetirizine, and fexofenadine. The first two studies retrospectively analyzed a claims database and concluded that fexofenadine was associated with slightly lower overall costs than loratadine and cetirizine. A third study compared total healt...
Localization, expression, evolutionary conservation, and structure of the 30,000 dalton actin bundling protein of Dictyostelium discoideum

The Dictyostelium discoideum 30,000 dalton actin-binding protein is an actin cross-linking protein that organizes formation of parallel bundles of actin filaments in vitro, and is present in filopodia in living cells. This protein binds calcium directly and exhibits a decreased affinity for actin filaments in the presence of micromolar calcium. In this work, the existence of antigenic homologs of the 30,000 dalton protein in Physarum polycephalum, Schistosoma mansoni, Chara carolina, and Drosophila melanogaster is detected by use of affinity purified antibody and electrophoretic blotting methods. The expression of this protein during development of Dictyostelium is also analyzed, revealing a progressive 3-fold decrease in the level of this protein in amoebae between the vegetative and slug stages. A highly ordered structure of bundles of actin and the 30,000 dalton protein formed in vitro is inferred from the presence of transverse striations on the bundles with a minor periodicity at 11.4 nm and a major periodicity at 33.9 nm. Finally, we propose a working model of the interaction of this actin cross-linking protein with actin filaments to form bundles.
A canonical neural circuit for cortical nonlinear operations

A few distinct cortical operations have been postulated over the past few years, suggested by experimental data on nonlinear neural response across different areas in the cortex. Among these, the energy model proposes the summation of quadrature pairs following a squaring nonlinearity in order to explain phase invariance of complex V1 cells. The divisive normalization model assumes a gain-controlling, divisive inhibition to explain sigmoid-like response profiles within a pool of neurons. A gaussian-like operation hypothesizes a bell-shaped response tuned to a specific, optimal pattern of activation of the presynaptic inputs. A max-like operation assumes the selection and transmission of the most active response among a set of neural inputs. We propose that these distinct neural operations can be computed by the same canonical circuitry, involving divisive normalization and polynomial nonlinearities, for different parameter values within the circuit. Hence, this canonical circuit may provide a unifying framework for several circuit models, such as the divisive normalization and the energy models. As a case in point, we consider a feedforward hierarchical model of the ventral pathway of the primate visual cortex, which is built on a combination of the gaussian-like and max-like operations. We show that when the two operations are approximated by the circuit proposed here, the model is capable of generating selective and invariant neural responses and performing object recognition, in good agreement with neurophysiological data.
Intraguild predation of parasitoids by Solenopsis invicta : a non-disruptive interaction

The outcome of intraguild predation among natural enemies can have significant ramifications for herbivore suppression and biological control. Manipulating habitat complexity may alter the strength of intraguild predation, since changes in habitat complexity are often associated with concomitant changes in natural enemy abundance. Using a combination of greenhouse and field experiments, we determined if asymmetric intraguild predation by a pervasive generalist predator, the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), disrupts important parasitoids in a collard, Brassica oleracea L. (Brassicaceae), agroecosystem. The effect of habitat complexity on this interaction was assessed by conducting field experiments in a simple, collard monocrop and a more complex, collard-white clover intercrop. Neither the density of adult parasitoids nor the percentage parasitism of caterpillars was affected when S. invicta abundance was manipulated. Solenopsis invicta reduced the survival of the diamondback moth larvae, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) by 26% and 42% in greenhouse and field experiments, respectively, but there was no preference of S. invicta for parasitized or unparasitized caterpillars. An increase in habitat complexity significantly affected the abundance of both S. invicta and parasitoids, but had no overall effect on their interaction. The results of this study suggest that although S. invicta is an intraguild predator of parasitoids because it preys upon parasitized caterpillars, the action of S. invicta may not compromise overall biological control. This study’s findings are important, because they suggest that the presence and conservation of multiple natural enemies may result in sustained pest suppression in agroecosystems, even complex systems containing many species of natural enemies including strong intraguild predators such as S. invicta .
Transforming legacy network systems for use in the Army Future Force

This paper proposes a method to integrate legacy networks into the overall Army Future Force (FF) network in a useful manner. A serious technical challenge presented by such coexistence of next-generation and legacy networks is the ability to provide sufficient end-to-end quality-of-service (QoS) performance. Providing end-to-end QoS is challenging when one or more subnetworks involved in the end-to-end communication was not intended to provide QoS. Another technical challenge lies in effectively managing legacy networks. Typically, legacy networks are highly reliant on static planning, and were not designed to provide a dynamic network management capability. This paper addresses a variety of technical issues associated with the integration of legacy network systems into the Army FF, focusing primarily on QoS and network management. This paper then presents concepts that address these issues using the advanced extremely high frequency (AEHF) satellite system as a case study.
Multifactor-Dimensionality Reduction Reveals High-Order Interactions among Estrogen-Metabolism Genes in Sporadic Breast Cancer

One of the greatest challenges facing human geneticists is the identification and characterization of susceptibility genes for common complex multifactorial human diseases. This challenge is partly due to the limitations of parametric-statistical methods for detection of gene effects that are dependent solely or partially on interactions with other genes and with environmental exposures. We introduce multifactor-dimensionality reduction (MDR) as a method for reducing the dimensionality of multilocus information, to improve the identification of polymorphism combinations associated with disease risk. The MDR method is nonparametric (i.e., no hypothesis about the value of a statistical parameter is made), is model-free (i.e., it assumes no particular inheritance model), and is directly applicable to case-control and discordant-sib-pair studies. Using simulated case-control data, we demonstrate that MDR has reasonable power to identify interactions among two or more loci in relatively small samples. When it was applied to a sporadic breast cancer case-control data set, in the absence of any statistically significant independent main effects, MDR identified a statistically significant high-order interaction among four polymorphisms from three different estrogen-metabolism genes. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a four-locus interaction associated with a common complex multifactorial disease.
Micromachined Polymeric Devices for Applications in Targeted Drug Delivery

Advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have allowed the microfabrication of polymeric substrates and the development of a novel class of controlled delivery devices. In contrast to the traditional microsphere delivery vehicle, microfabricated devices may be specifically designed flat and thin to maximize contact area with the intestinal lining. This flat design may also minimize the side areas that are exposed to constant flow. The devices can be microfabricated to incorporate single or multiple drug reservoirs to provide unidirectional release for any number of drugs/biomolecules of interest. Furthermore, specific areas of the device can be targeted for surface modification. These specifically tailored three-dimensional physical and chemical features, together, provide a micromachined vehicle with the capacity to target cells, promote unidirectional controlled release, and enhance permeation across the intestinal epithelial barrier (Figure 1).
Queuing with adaptive modulation and coding over wireless links: cross-Layer analysis and design

Assuming there are always sufficient data waiting to be transmitted, adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) schemes at the physical layer have been traditionally designed separately from higher layers. However, this assumption is not always valid when queuing effects are taken into account at the data link layer. In this paper, we analyze the joint effects of finite-length queuing and AMC for transmissions over wireless links. We present a general analytical procedure, and derive the packet loss rate, the average throughput, and the average spectral efficiency (ASE) of AMC. Guided by our performance analysis, we introduce a cross-layer design, which optimizes the target packet error rate of AMC at the physical layer, to minimize thpacket loss rate and maximize the average throughput, when combined with a finite-length queue at the data link layer. Numerical results illustrate the dependence of system performance on various parameters, and quantify the performance gain due to cross-layer optimization. Our focus is on the single user case, but we also discuss briefly possible applications to multiuser scenarios.
Soft errors in advanced semiconductor devices-part I: the three radiation sources

In this review paper, we summarize the key distinguishing characteristics and sources of the three primary radiation mechanisms responsible for inducing soft errors in semiconductor devices and discuss methods useful for reducing the impact of the effects in final packaged parts.
Reduction in SGLT1 mRNA Expression in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus Improves the Counterregulatory Responses to Hypoglycemia in Recurrently Hypoglycemic and Diabetic Rats

The objective of this study was to determine whether the sodium-glucose transporter SGLT1 in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) plays a role in glucose sensing and in regulating the counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia, and if so, whether knockdown of in the VMH can improve counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia in diabetic rats or rats exposed to recurrent bouts of hypoglycemia (RH). Normal Sprague-Dawley rats as well as RH or streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats received bilateral VMH microinjections of an adenoassociated viral vector containing either the SGLT1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) or a scrambled RNA sequence. Subsequently, these rats underwent a hypoglycemic clamp to assess hormone responses. In a subgroup of rats, glucose kinetics was determined using tritiated glucose. The shRNA reduced VMH SGLT1 expression by 53% in nondiabetic rats, and this augmented glucagon and epinephrine responses and hepatic glucose production during hypoglycemia. Similarly, SGLT1 knockdown improved the glucagon and epinephrine responses in RH rats and restored the impaired epinephrine response to hypoglycemia in STZ-diabetic animals. These findings suggest that SGLT1 in the VMH plays a significant role in the detection and activation of counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia. Inhibition of SGLT1 may offer a potential therapeutic target to diminish the risk of hypoglycemia in diabetes.
Blood use strategies in urologic surgery.

The treatment of acute blood loss anemia associated with major urologic surgery continues to be a widely discussed issue both anecdotally and in published reports. The wide regional and local variations currently applied have been documented. These differences are set on the stage of recent medical and surgical advances that are redefining the current standard of care. Avoidance of excessive blood loss remains the most cost-effective technique available for decreasing the risks associated with blood product use. However, despite advances in surgical technique, the disease extent, the vascularity, or a restrictive anatomy can lead to large blood losses in any major urologic procedure. Some operations are associated with considerable expected blood loss. This report presents current blood management strategies available to the urologic surgeon. A balance must be maintained between the avoidance of unnecessary administration of blood and maintenance of adequate tissue oxygen delivery.
A comparison of correlational methods.

Abstract Attempts were made to determine if the use of rho, interval ranks, poly-nominal, or multiple correlation were more effective than the product-moment correlation technique in selected situations. Data used were 27 physical performance measures obtained from 76 male university subjects. Results indicated that the use of rho and interval ranks was less effective than the product-moment technique. Curvilinear correlation techniques, rather than the product-moment r, should be used in some instances. Multiple correlation does not seem to be a great improvement over the product-moment correlation technique.
The Deductibility Of Work-Related Higher Education Costs: The Saga Continues

Whether a taxpayer’s work-related higher education costs are deductible under IRC (Internal Revenue Code) Section 162 is an issue highly dependent upon facts and circumstances. The regulations pursuant to IRC Section 162 and the emergence of case law on this topic constitute important elements to consider in making this determination.
3.12 Acyloin Coupling Reactions

The α-hydroxy ketone group, or acyloin, is prevalent in natural products and pharmaceuticals, and the development of efficient methods to install this functional group remains an important synthetic challenge. As a result, several distinct methods for the synthesis of α-hydroxy ketones have been developed. This chapter presents a review of approaches toward this structural motif in which the acyloin is derived from the coupling of two carbonyl units to form a new carbon–carbon σ-bond. This definition encompasses the traditional acyloin condensation, involving the reductive coupling of two aliphatic esters, and recent catalytic approaches that invoke acyl anion intermediates (umpolung reactivity).
Distribution of βR, αR and αW Fibers in Turkey Muscles

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the fiber distribution in several turkey muscles and study the applicability of an improved fiber classification system to this species. The biceps femoris, sartorius, pectoralis, peroneus longus, semitendinosus and gastrocnemius muscles were obtained from adult turkeys and serial sections were histochemically stained for adenosine triphosphatase (acid- and alkali-stable ATPase), succinic dehydrogenase (SDH), glycogen and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. βR fibers (low ATPase) were extremely scarce in the pectoralis, biceps femoris and semitendinosus, although the biceps and semitendinosus displayed numerous (40–70%) red fibers (αR). Muscles which contained significant (βR-fiber populations include the peroneus longus (33%), gastrocnemius (10–75%) and sartorius (33–66%). The lateral biceps femoris is frequently used as a representative red muscle in turkey muscle quality research. The findings of this study indicate that the lateral biceps femoris may be representative of some, but not all, of the red muscles in the turkey. The findings also suggest that two frequently used systems of muscle fiber classification—the “red, intermediate, white” and the “red-slow and white-fast” classifications—do not correctly categorize turkey muscle fibers.
Found in Translation: A Type 1 Diabetes Genetic Risk Score Applied to Clinical Diagnosis

We are entering a new era in which the explosion of genomic and biological information across multiple developmental and metabolic states is poised to transform the practice of medicine (1). It is now possible to center scientific investigation in the key model organism, the human, and to deploy modern technologies to acquire an unprecedented trove of biological data at multiple time points in the life of an individual (2). The genomic revolution illustrates how big data sets can begin to yield biological and clinical insight. Concurrent advances in genotyping and sequencing technologies, in our understanding of human genetic variation, and in the statistical methodologies needed to interpret genetic findings have all led to a meteoric expansion in genetic knowledge (3). Meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and ongoing comprehensive sequencing experiments are yielding a plethora of genetic associations from an agnostic vantage point, which can open unsuspected windows into the pathophysiology of metabolic phenotypes, including type 1 (4) and type 2 (5,6) diabetes. However, whether this emerging body of knowledge will deepen our understanding of health and disease and lead to improved outcomes in public health remains to be seen. A frequent criticism of large-scale genomic studies is that so far they have failed to deliver on the hyped hopes that the human genome would usher in personalized medicine. Given the empirical observation that most genetic effects for complex phenotypes are modest, skeptics rightly argue that their utility for individualized prediction has not been proven, and they jump to conclude that the substantial public investment in resources, effort, and human capital in this line of investigation has been a wash. Geneticists may counter that skeptics seem to ignore how genetic studies have illuminated pathophysiological mechanisms that remained obscure, such as the seminal involvement of neuronal circuits in …
The Use of Insecticide to Determine the Life History of an Aquatic Gnat Chaoborus astictopus

By use of a short residual insecticide, a gap was established in a natural population of gnats. Periodic evaluation of population levels showed evidence that was interpreted to reveal the time of each immature stage, The time found for each stage is as follows: egg, 1 day; first-instar larvae, 5–6 days; second-instar larvae, 5–6 days; third-instar larvae, 10–11 days; fourth-instar larvae, 11–19 days. Observational and literature data show the pupal stage requires about 2–3 days and adult pre-oviposition, 2 days. A total generation requires 36–48 days in summer.
Never having to say you're sorry: An integrated, WWW-based software solution for providing comprehensive access to Journal literature

One of the persistent problems in finding journal literature is that there are so many places to locate such information. UNCG's Jackson Library has simplified the process with Journal Finder, a locally developed software solution that seamlessly integrates electronic journal content, pay-per-view content, local print holdings, unmediated document delivery (fully funded by the Library), and interlibrary loan, for comprehensive, unmediated, one stop shop access to journal articles. Also integrated into this solution are remote authentication options, title-level access to journals wherever possible, and the development of cross-linking between vendored database products for both title-level and even article-level access.
Murogenella Terrophila—A New Dematiaceous Fungus from Soil

In studies on the survival of Histoplasma capsulatum Darling in nonsterile soil, an unusual and interesting fungus was isolated. The fungus produces multiseptate, dark conidia on poorly differentiated conidio? phores, and although similar to several known genera, it has been impossible to place this fungus satisfactorily. The fungus resembles, and is possibly related to, the melanconiaceous genus, Coryneum. Acervuli have never been observed, however, on any of the substrates on which the fungus has been cultured, and it does not seem to us that it is satis? factorily placed in that genus. The fungus is also reminiscent of the dematiaceous genus, Corynespora, which produces distoseptate, murogenous conidia (Luttrell, 1963). They are produced singly, however, whereas in Corynespora they form short chains. Inasmuch as the fungus