cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In AML, Cbl Serves as Nexus for Signaling from Flt3, and Is Required for Coupling JNK1 in a Pathway of Survival and Proliferation Involving c-jun/AP-1.

Here we demonstrate by immunoprecipitation and immunoblot, cbl is among the most heavily tyrosine phosphorylated adaptor proteins in primary AML blasts with Flt3 signaling, in the context of either mutation or overexpression/autocrine mechanisms. The human leukemic cell lines MV-4-11 and THP-1 model primary AML blasts in terms of Flt3 signaling by these respective criteria and demonstrate identical coupling between Flt3 and p85, the PI-3-kinase adaptor, by coimmunoprecipitation/blot experiments. Although cbl has no direct binding site on Flt3, it binds tightly to p85 SH2 by virtue of its tyrosine phosphorylation, also demonstrated by co-IP in cell lines and primary cells. Tyrosine phosphorylated cbl is a docking site for CrkII/L SH2’s and this provides a branch point for signals from Flt3 to PI-3-kinase or JNK, respectively, because CrkII(L) is known to bind JNK1 through SH3: polyproline interaction to serve as scaffolding; and interaction of JNK1 and CrkII/L was also observed by co-IP. In a survey of primary AML cases (n=33) there was a strict relationship between expression levels of (active) Flt3 and phospho-c-jun as readout for JNK activity level (p=0.001, r=0.54). To demonstrate the functional relevance of these interactions, siRNA knockdown of components was pursued in the cell lines and in primary AML blasts. JNK1 knockdown, and, to a much lesser degree, JNK2 knockdown, led to loss of phospho-c-jun expression in MV-4-11 and THP-1. Indeed, Flt3 signaling is required for JNK signaling because knockdown of Flt3 led to total loss of p-jun and c-jun expression in MV-4-11 and patient blast. By contrast, cbl knockdown led to selective loss of JNK signaling to p-jun without significantly affecting Flt3 or its downstream activating phosphorylation of AKT. Thus, despite binding by cbl to p85, cbl is not required for PI-3-kinase signaling because of redundancy supplied by the p85-Flt3 interaction. Further, by use of LY294002 to inhibit PI-3-kinase, PI-3-kinase is also not required for JNK signaling. However, selective inhibition of JNK signaling by the small molecule approach in these cell lines and in primary AML blasts leads to loss of proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and synergistic killing with daunorubicin. These observations form the platform for a phase I trial of JNK inhibition in refractory, multidrug-resistant, and Flt3-driven AML.
Fine-Scale Modeling of Individual Exposures to Ambient PM2.5, EC, NOx, and CO for the Coronary Artery Disease and Environmental Exposure (CADEE) Study

Air pollution epidemiological studies often use outdoor concentrations from central-site monitors as exposure surrogates, which can induce measurement error. The goal of this study was to improve exposure assessments of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5), elemental carbon (EC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon monoxide (CO) for a repeated measurements study with 15 individuals with coronary artery disease in central North Carolina called the Coronary Artery Disease and Environmental Exposure (CADEE) Study. We developed a fine-scale exposure modeling approach to determine five tiers of individual-level exposure metrics for PM2.5, EC, NOx, CO using outdoor concentrations, on-road vehicle emissions, weather, home building characteristics, time-locations, and time-activities. We linked an urban-scale air quality model, residential air exchange rate model, building infiltration model, global positioning system (GPS)-based microenvironment model, and accelerometer-based inhaled ventilation model to determine residential outdoor concentrations (Cout_home, Tier 1), residential indoor concentrations (Cin_home, Tier 2), personal outdoor concentrations (Cout_personal, Tier 3), exposures (E, Tier 4), and inhaled doses (D, Tier 5). We applied the fine-scale exposure model to determine daily 24-h average PM2.5, EC, NOx, CO exposure metrics (Tiers 1-5) for 720 participant-days across the 25 months of CADEE. Daily modeled metrics showed considerable temporal and home-to-home variability of Cout_home and Cin_home (Tiers 1-2) and person-to-person variability of Cout_personal, E, and D (Tiers 3-5). Our study demonstrates the ability to apply an urban-scale air quality model with an individual-level exposure model to determine multiple tiers of exposure metrics for an epidemiological study, in support of improving health risk assessments.
Public service motivation and government officials’ willingness to learn in public sector benchmarking process

Benchmarking between local governments has become an important topic in public administration. In benchmarking practice, local government officials play important roles in deciding what they learn,...
THE DEADLY VAPE: THC-VAPING RELATED TORSADE DE POINTES

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) results in a combination of catecholamine release, shortening of action potentials, and increased vagal tone. Moreover, the modality of smoking (dabbing versus e-cigarettes) may contribute to the risk of ventricular arrhythmia. A 19- year old female with a family history
Image restoration of high-energy X-ray radiography with a scintillator blur model

Abstract High-energy X-ray radiographic image restoration is performed using a simulated radiation point spread function and an experimentally derived optical point spread function. It is shown that a robust method for removal of thick monolithic scintillator blur can be determined through independent examination of the blur components. We show that the scintillator blur for a 20 MeV end-point X-ray beam and 20 mm thick LYSO scintillator contributes significantly to the system blur. It is also shown that the optical scatter in the monolithic crystal degrades the low-frequency response of the system. The use of a simulated point spread function for image restoration using deconvolution provides a simple method for image restoration, thereby enhancing feature identification and areal density reconstruction.
A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate a Community-Based Healthy Eating and Nutrition Label Interpretation Intervention Among Latinx Immigrant Mothers and Their Daughters

We evaluated outcomes from a healthy eating/nutrition label interpretation intervention among Latinx immigrant mothers and their daughters, aged 9–12 years, in Alabama. Between May 2013–October 2017, this cluster randomized controlled trial assigned 299 mother-daughter dyads to either a healthy eating (intervention) or HPV vaccination (control) study arm. Participants attended four group sessions delivered in Spanish by Lay Health Educators covering portion sizes, healthy eating/cooking strategies, and nutrition label reading/interpretation. An individual session in participants’ homes reviewed pantries and developed healthy eating plans. Identical interviewer-administered surveys were completed at baseline and 7-month follow-up by both study arms. Retention rate at follow-up was 93.4% in intervention arm (92.6% in control arm). Positive changes in healthy eating behaviors and proficiency in nutrition label interpretation were assessed. Adjusting for marital status, employment status, and health insurance coverage status, when compared to controls, mothers in the intervention arm had greater odds of increasing daily fruit and vegetable consumption (OR 3.66, 95% CI 2.14–6.27, p < 0.001), decreasing weekly fried food intake (OR 4.3, 95% CI 2.3–8.04, p < 0.001), decreasing daily sweetened beverages (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.22–3.52, p < 0.01), increasing frequency of reading nutrition labels (OR 12.58, 95% CI 6.81–23.22, p < 0.001), and correctly interpreting nutrition labels (OR 4.45, 95% CI 2.64–7.48, p < 0.001). Significant positive changes in targeted behaviors were not observed among daughters. A community-based, culturally relevant intervention that includes nutrition label interpretation can positively influence eating habits among Latinx immigrant mothers.
The Geometry of M-Branes Wrapping Special Lagrangian Cycles

We characterize the geometry produced by M5-branes wrapping a Special Lagrangian 3-cycle in a Calabi-Yau 3-fold. The presence of the brane replaces the the Calabi-Yau by a real manifold with an almost complex structure. We show that, in this classification, a distinguished (1,1) form as well as a globally defined (3,0) form play an important role. The requirements of supersymmetry preservation impose constraints on these structures which can be used to classify the background.
Application of least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression for the histopathological comparison of chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis and hyperplastic actinic keratosis.

Background The distinction between chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis (CNH) and hyperplastic actinic keratosis (HAK) on the ear can pose a diagnostic challenge. We aimed to identify histopathological characteristics that could distinguish between CNH and HAK on routine sections using penalized least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression analysis. Methods Cases of CNH (n = 80) and HAK (n = 28) were analyzed for selected histopathological characteristics. Fisher's exact test and LASSO regression were performed. Results In univariate analyses, the following were significantly associated with CNH: ulceration, acanthosis, granular layer in the majority of the lesion, hypergranulosis at the periphery of the lesion, hyperkeratosis at the periphery of the lesion, hyperparakeratosis at the periphery of the lesion, fibrosis, increased blood vessels, vertically oriented blood vessels, and fibrin. A LASSO model excluding atypia found that fibrin, fibrosis, presence of granular layer, ulceration, and vertically oriented blood vessels were most predictive of CNH. Keratinized strap cells were not a significant predictor. Conclusion We have identified features that may aid in differentiating these entities and demonstrated that a LASSO regression model can identify predictors that may improve diagnostic accuracy. Our results indicate that the highest diagnostic accuracy in this dilemma is dependent on obtaining biopsy specimens with visible dermis.
How well can we separate genetics from the environment

A simulation study demonstrates a better method for separating genetic effects from environmental effects in genome-wide association studies, but there is still some way to go before this becomes a "solved" problem.
How a picture becomes a word: individual differences in the development of language-mediated visual search

Over the course of our lifetimes, we accumulate extensive experience associating the things that we see with the words we have learned to describe them. As a result, adults engaged in a visual search task will often look at items with labels that share phonological features with the target object, demonstrating that language can become activated even in non-linguistic contexts. This highly interactive cognitive system is the culmination of our linguistic and visual experiences—and yet, our understanding of how the relationship between language and vision develops remains limited. The present study explores the developmental trajectory of language-mediated visual search by examining whether children can be distracted by linguistic competitors during a non-linguistic visual search task. Though less robust compared to what has been previously observed with adults, we find evidence of phonological competition in children as young as 8 years old. Furthermore, the extent of language activation is predicted by individual differences in linguistic, visual, and domain-general cognitive abilities, with the greatest phonological competition observed among children with strong language abilities combined with weaker visual memory and inhibitory control. We propose that linguistic expertise is fundamental to the development of language-mediated visual search, but that the rate and degree of automatic language activation depends on interactions among a broader network of cognitive abilities.
An Exploratory Study of Demographics and Outcomes for Patients Seen by Specialist Palliative Care Social Work in the Inpatient Setting at an Academic Medical Center.

Abstract Context Specialist palliative care social work (PCSW) across a four-team palliative care (PC) service in the inpatient setting at a tertiary academic medical center. Objectives to describe the population of patients seen by inpatient PCSW, quantification of the involvement of PCSW in PC consultations, as well as comparisons of patient characteristics for those seen by PCSW and the overall population seen by the PC team. Methods Retrospective chart review of patients admitted to a tertiary academic medical center between January, 1 2015 and October 31, 2019 who received a PC consult. Results Over the study period, PCSW saw 2,381 out of the 4907 patients seen by the palliative care teams for a PCSW penetration rate of 52% with an 83% increase in the percent of consults seen by PCSW and a 133% increase in PCSW staffing over the study period. Compared to all PC consults, when PCSW was involved in the case, the LOS is longer (average 15.6d vs. 14.4d; P = 0.0062); goals of care are more likely to be addressed (90.7% vs. 87.4%, P = 0.004); dyspnea was more likely to improve (43.3% vs. 31.9%, P = 0.018) and pain was less likely to improve (28.2% vs. 49.4%, P Conclusion Involvement of PCSW increased dramatically over the study period. Compared to the rest of the PC team, when PCSW was involved, length of stay was longer, whole-person care components were more likely to be addressed, dyspnea was significantly improved, and pain was significantly worse when compared to those consults not seen by PCSW. Other symptoms such as nausea and anxiety as well as discharge characteristics such as death or hospice discharge were not significantly different with involvement of PCSW.
Anesthetic Considerations in Candidates for Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (LVRS)

Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is an option for carefully selected patients with severe, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) where damaged, unhealthy lung is resected to improve the mechanical function of the remaining healthy lung. The patients most likely to benefit from this surgery are those with upper lobe-predominant emphysema and a low baseline exercise capacity. It is important for the anesthesia provider to have a complete understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of severe lung disease in order to safely navigate the patient through the perioperative period. Furthermore, close collaboration with the surgeon, an effective analgesic plan, proper hemodynamic monitoring, and the ability to troubleshoot the potential intraoperative complications are essential for a successful outcome.
Realistic Hamiltonians for No-Core Moment Method Studies

Motivated by the need to test the adequacy of realistic nucleon-nucleon potentials for yielding the dynamics of many-nucleon systems we develop effective Iiamiltonians for large-space moment method studies. These Hamiltonians consist of the relative kinetic energy operator and an exact Brueckner G-matrix acting between all pairs of nucleons in the nucleus. That is, there is no core and the nuclear properties are obtained through moment methods as a function of the size of the model space. The primary initial emphasis is to obtain the binding energy and comparisons are made with results of the coupled-cluster or exp(s) calculations. We find a systematic but slow decrease in the importance of three and higher body effective forces as the model space is increased. The results with the Reid soft core interaction for the binding energy of 160 appear to be converging close to the exp(s) results. Further tests of the moment methods themselves are indicated as well as the desirability of increasing still further the model space for the no-core studies.
Ontogenetic Development of Histamine H1- Receptor Binding in Rat Brain

: Histamine H1- receptors labeled with [3H]mepyramine in rat brain show an age-dependent development. [3H]Mepyramine receptor density and histidine decarboxylase activity in whole rat brain reach adult levels at 25–30 days after birth and they attain 50% of adult level at day 10 and 17, respectively. The apparently later development of histidine decarboxylase activity in whole rat brain is partly accounted for by a biphasic developmental increase of this enzymatic activity in cerebral cortex. For all other brain regions examined, the development of histamine H1- receptors parallels that of histidine decarboxylase. The increase in [3H]mepyramine binding can be accounted for by an absolute increase in the numbers of the receptor sites, with no change in affinity. Subcellular fractionation studies indicate that histamine H1- receptors are predominantly associated with synaptosomal fractions derived from both newborn and adult rat.
Many heads are better than one: jointly removing bias from multiple MRIs using nonparametric maximum likelihood

The correction of multiplicative bias in magnetic resonance images is an important problem in medical image processing, especially as a preprocessing step for quantitative measurements and other numerical procedures. Most previous approaches have used a maximum likelihood method to increase the probability of the pixels in a single image by adaptively estimating a correction to the unknown image bias field. The pixel probabilities are defined either in terms of a pre-existing tissue model, or nonparametrically in terms of the image’s own pixel values. In both cases, the specific location of a pixel in the image does not influence the probability calculation. Our approach, similar to methods of joint registration, simultaneously eliminates the bias from a set of images of the same anatomy, but from different patients. We use the statistics from the same location across different patients’ images, rather than within an image, to eliminate bias fields from all of the images simultaneously. Evaluating the likelihood of a particular voxel in one patient’s scan with respect to voxels in the same location in a set of other patients’ scans disambiguates effects that might be due to either bias fields or anatomy. We present a variety of “two-dimensional” experimental results (working with one image from each patient) showing how our method overcomes serious problems experienced by other methods. We also present preliminary results on full three-dimensional volume correction across patients.
Di­bromo(N,N,N′,N′-tetra­methyl­ethane-1,2-di­amine)­zinc(II)

The structure of the title compound, [ZnBr2(C6H16N2)], which is interesting from the metal coordination point of view, was determined by direct methods on 15672 observed reflections with Mo Kα radiation. The asymmetric unit contains two mol­ecules on general positions.
A preprocessing architecture for resolution enhancement in high speed analog-to-digital converters

High performance analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) employ a parallel configuration of analog folding circuits to symmetrically fold the input signal prior to quantization by high speed comparators (analog preprocessing). A new preprocessing approach is identified. It can be easily incorporated into the established techniques to provide an enhanced resolution capability. The approach is based on preprocessing the analog signal with a symmetrical number system (SNS). The SNS preprocessing is used to decompose the analog amplitude analyzer operation into a number of suboperations (moduli) which are of smaller computational complexity. Each suboperation symmetrically folds the analog signal with folding period equal to the moduli. A much higher resolution is achieved after the N different SNS moduli are used, and the results of these low precision sub-operations are recombined. The SNS framework can extend the resolution capabilities of these ADC architectures without a loss in high-speed performance. Circuit designs and simulations are demonstrated to verify the performance of the SNS concept. >
Ultrafast optical switch properties of single-wall carbon nanotube polymer composites at 1.55 /spl mu/m

Summary form only given. Ultrafast all-optical switches are crucial components for future high-bit-rate time-division-multiplexing optical communication systems or free-space optical-digital computing systems. So far, many types of ultrafast all-optical switches have been studied and demonstrated using optical nonlinearities in optical fibers and semiconductor materials. Here we report that single-walled carbon nanotube polyvinyl alcohol (SWCN-PVOH) polymer composites not only have a high third-order nonlinear polarizability but also have an optical decay time of less than 1 ps. Our SWCN-PVOH film sample was approximately 64 /spl mu/m thickness with a concentration of carbon nanotubes calculated to be /spl sim/0.4 wt.%. Time-resolved pump-probe experiments were used to demonstrate the switching properties of SWCN-PVOH composites. To determine the physical process of the decay time we have also performed an experiment with 10 /spl mu/J/cm/sup 2/ 0.78 /spl mu/m pump and 1.55 /spl mu/m probe.
Tunnel Junctions for Computer Applications

The main focus of this NATO Advanced Study Institute is on large scale applications of superconductivity. Frequently, as here, this means applications involving high power levels and large size. In computer applications of superconductivity, just the opposite is true. One is interested in low power and compact structures. Large scale enters only from the point of view of the number of units.
The Magnetic Structure of Plages

Every sunspot group is surrounded by regions of weaker magnetic field; traditionally those parts which appear in emission in resonance lines are called plages. There is a more extensive region of enhanced magnetic field which is not bright because the magnetic field is horizontal; this region is easily discernible by dark horizontal fibrils in Hα and is included in our discussion. The plage includes most of the magnetic field in an active center and is the locus of most of the flares.
Environmentally friendlier organic transformations on mineral supports under non-traditional conditions

Synthetic organic reactions performed under non-traditional conditions are gaining popularity, primarily to circumvent growing environmental concerns. A solvent-free approach that involves microwave (MW) exposure of neat reactants (undiluted) catalyzed by the surfaces of less expensive and recyclable mineral supports, such as alumina, silica, clay, or ‘doped’ surfaces, is described which is applicable to a wide range of deprotection, condensation, cyclization, rearrangement, oxidation, and reduction reactions, including rapid one-pot assembly of heterocyclic compounds from in situ-generated reactive intermediates. The strategy is adaptable to multi-component reactions for rapid assembly of a library of compounds. The application of microwaves and ultrasound as successful alternative energy sources is described for the selective epoxidation of alkenes and α,β-unsaturated ketones over hydrotalcites as catalysts. The ability of “green” solvents such as supercritical (sc) CO2 to dissolve many reactive gases like H2 and O2, and also a variety of organic compounds, can be exploited to facilitate many important industrial transformations in this medium, wherein the improved reactant solubility and minimized interphase mass-transfer limitations lead to enhanced reaction rates and unusual product selectivity. Consequently, the use of sc-CO2 as an attractive medium for the selective hydrogenation of maleic anhydride and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, such as cinnamaldehyde, over supported metallic catalysts (Pd/Al2O3) is illustrated. Furthermore, recent developments in the areas of microwave or ultrasound-expedited reactions, and the use of supercritical CO2 in organic transformations are also reviewed. The salient eco-friendly features of these processes, namely the selectivity, the ease of experimental manipulation, and the enhanced reaction rates, are highlighted. Use of the above non-traditional methods promises to overcome many of the difficulties associated with conventional reactions and offers both process and environmental advantages in many cases.
The effects of short-term SO2 fumigation on photosynthesis and respiration in soybean Glycine max

Abstract The effects of short-term SO 2 fumigation on photosynthesis (2% and 20% O 2 ) and dark respiration (20% O 2 ) in soybean plants Glycine max (L.) Merr. strain T219 were investigated in two separate studies. For plants not pre-treated with SO 2 , net photosynthesis decreased by as much as 45% over a 2-h period in the presence of 0.50 or 0.75 ppm SO 2 . In comparison, the rates for plants exposed to 0.25 ppm SO 2 for 2h were not significantly different from those of control plants. A greater variance in photosynthetic response was observed in plants treated with 0.50 or 0.75 ppm SO 2 . This variance increased with the duration of exposure. In a second study, soybean plants pre-treated with 0.50 ppm SO 2 for 8 h were found to have higher rates of photosynthesis in 20% O 2 than plants pre-treated with 0.25 ppm SO 2 for 16h or untreated plants. The increase in photosynthetic rate due to SO 2 treatment was observed in both the light green and dark green plants of this strain. In some cases, higher rates of photosynthesis were observed in plants displaying foliar injury (necrotic flecks or bifacial chlorosis) following SO 2 treatment. Sulphur dioxide treatment had no apparent effect on the rate of photosynthesis in 2% O 2 , which was increased in both treated and untreated plants by 17–37% over the rate of photosynthesis in 20% O 2 . The rate of dark respiration was not significantly different between treated and untreated plants.
Slip at a uniformly porous boundary : effect on fluid flow and mass transfer

An approximate solution to the 2-D Navier-Stokes equations for steady, isothermal, incompressible, laminar flow in a channel bounded by one porous wall subject to uniform suction is derived. The solution is valid for small values of the Reynolds number based on the suction velocity and channel height. Solute transport is considered numerically by decoupling the equations representing momentum and mass transfer. The effect of fluid slip at the porous boundary on the axial and transverse components of fluid velocity, axial pressure drop and mass transfer is investigated.
Production of Pu245 and Am245 by neutron irradiation of Pu244

Abstract Pu 245 and Am 245 were prepared by neutron irradiation of Pu 244 . The beta-decay half-lives of Pu 245 and Am 245 were found to be 10·1 ± 0·5 hours and 119 ± 1 minutes, respectively. The beta-decay energy of Am 245 was found to be 0·86 MeV by absorption methods, and γ-rays of 260, 121, and 70 keV ∗ were resolved with a sodium iodide crystal spectrometer. The thermal neutron capture cross-section of Pu 244 was determined to be 1·4 barns.
Acute myeloid leukaemia in children

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is characterized by a block in differentiation and an unregulated proliferation of myeloid progenitor cells. While the cause of AML in children is unknown, risk factors that have been identified include exposure to toxins such as ethanol, pesticides and dietary topoisomerase II inhibitors, prior chemotherapy with alkylating agents or topoisomerase II inhibitors, constitutional disorders such as Down's syndrome and type I neurofibromatosis, and haematopoietic failure syndromes such as Fanconi anaemia and severe congenital neutropenia. With intensified chemotherapy including high-dose Ara-C, followed in many cases by bone marrow transplantation, and with improvements in supportive care, current survival rates approach 50%. Future advances in paediatric AML will include better risk stratification to determine optimal treatment and targeted cytotoxic therapy.
Surface Preparation of Electrodes for Studies of the Electrical Properties of Dielectrics

ONE of the major difficulties in the measurement of conduction currents and of the breakdown strength of homogeneous dielectrics is that of obtaining reproducible results. This communication shows that to obtain such results mechanical polishing of the electrodes is to be preferred to the use of electrolytic polishing. It has already been shown1 that in liquid dielectrics the scatter in breakdown values is smaller for mechanically polished than for electrolytically polished electrodes.
The separation of phenol from dilute, alkaline aqueous solution by solvent extraction, solvent sublation, and foam fractionation

Abstract An experimental investigation is presented of the separation of phenol from aqueous 2.0·10 -4 M solutions over the pH range 7.0–12.3 at an ionic strength of 0.1 M . Extraction with amyl acetate provides 80–95% removal over pH 7.0–10.7, with the removal falling off sharply above pH 11.0. Solvent sublation, with a thin layer of amyl acetate atop the aqueous phase in a cylindrical foam separation column, results in equivalent removals, but about 1 4 of the stoichiometric ( versus phenol) concentration of a quaternary ammonium surfactant is required. The advantages of sublation over extraction are non-equilibrium dissolution of the solvent in the aqueous phase and the use of a phase volume ratio lower than that for extraction. Foam fractionation, with the stoichiometric surfactant concentration, produces 40% removal over pH 10–12, but is strongly influenced by ionic strength. Possible mechanisms for extraction, sublation. and foam fractionation are suggested.
Dye and electrical coupling between cells of the rabbit corneal endothelium.

The corneal endothelium is known to contain gap junctions on its lateral borders. Here we show that the endothelial cells of the rabbit cornea are highly dye coupled. Lucifer Yellow CH introduced into a single cell through either an intracellular glass microelectrode or a patch electrode rapidly spreads into its neighboring cells at room temperature. We have used the analysis of Safranyos and Caveney (JCB 100:736-747, 1985) to place quantitative lower bounds on the effective diffusion coefficient of Lucifer Yellow CH iontophoresed into rabbit corneal endothelial cells. By this analysis, we obtain a value of 5.0 × 10−8 cm2/sec. We also demonstrate that both dye and electrical coupling exists in cell pairs or small clusters of cells enzymatically dissociated from Descemet's membrane.
The effects of varying configuration in the composite task support an attentional account of holistic processing

All faces consist of the same features (eyes, nose, mouth) in the same general configuration (eyes above nose, nose above mouth). Therefore, face recognition requires discriminating between more su...
Ergopeptine Alkaloids in Grazed Tall Fescue

Endophyte (Acremonium cotnophiaJum Morgan-Jones et Gams) -Infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) produces ergopeptiDe alkaloids (EP) that may be associated with fescue toxicosis symptoms in cattle (B03 taurus). A study was conducted during 1983 and 1984 at Watkinsville, GA, to determine the effects of endophyte infection, season, and N fertilization on EP concentration and Steer average daily gain (ADG) in grazed O.7-ha tall fescue paddocks. Treatments included iow (LF) and high (HF) endophyte infectioo frequency lKentucky-31' (KY·31) tall fescue fertilized with 134 or 336 kg N ha I (2x2 factorial) replicated three times. The cuJtivars AU Triumph and Johnstone were also evaluated. Animals were managed using put-and-take grazing system. Ergopeptine alkaloid concentration (ergovaline was 80% of total) was greater in HF KY~ 31 than LF KY·31 in both years. Peak ergovaline concentrations occurred In spring and again in autumn (1984) when concentrations in HF KY·31 approached 1 mk kg-I. Mid·summer concentrations were about one-third the autumn maximum Cor HF and LF KY~31. Nitrogen fertilization had minimal effect on ergovaline concentration in the spring·summer of 1983 but increased concentrations in LF KY-31 in 1984. Ergopeptine alkaloids were not detected in endophyte-free AU Triumph~ and were detected in low amounts « 0.1 mg kg I) in a pre-varietal release of Johnstone containing 7 to 10% endophyte. Increased ergovaline was associated with decreased ADG in the spring·summer of 1983 and 1984; howel'er, there was no sig. nificant association between ergovaline and ADG when the entire (April-December) 1984 growing season was considered, suggesting that ergopeptine alkaloids may operate in conjunction with other environmental and nutritional factors to elicit fescue toxicosis symptoms.
Activation and inhibition of isolation induced inter-male fighting behavior in castrate male CD-1 mice treated with steroidal hormones.

Intermale fighting behavior between castrate male CD-1 mice living in isolation and castrate male CD-1 mice living in groups of 10 was activated by treating the isolated males with either testosterone or testosterone propionate. Fighting behavior was not activated by treating isolated males with androstenedione or dihydrotesterone even though these androgens were active in maintaining seminal vesicle weight at levels equal to, or greater than, those observed in gonadally intact males. Neither fighting behavior nor seminal vesicle weight was stimulated by treatment with progesterone, estradiol benzoate, or estradiol benzoate plus progesterone. Concurrent administration of progesterone inhibited fighting behavior activated by low, but not moderate to high doses of testosterone propionate. These results suggest that the hormone requirements for activation of fighting behavior in the male CD-1 mouse are more restrictive than those for maintenance of peripheral target tissues and that progesterone acts in the brain to competitively inhibit androgen-activated fighting.
Parents Researching and Reclaiming "Parent Involvement": A Critical Ethnographic Story

For the past eight years I have worked with parents in neighborhood schools in a large urban school district, teaching writing workshops and leading community research and evaluation projects. I do this work through a small, university-based program called the Community Writing and Research Project (CWRP). The CWRP partners with schools and community organizations to offer personal narrative writing workshops, publish magazines of participants' writings, organize public readings, and teach participants to become writing workshop teachers. We also provide training and guidance to parents, teachers, staff of community organizations, and other local groups in conducting participatory research. School-based research projects are defined, designed, and carried out by the parents and other neighborhood residents, who are the project researchers or program evaluators.
Longitudinal Effects of Parental Bereavement on Adolescent Developmental Competence

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of sudden parental bereavement on subsequent attainment of developmental competencies. This longitudinal study reports on 126 youth bereaved by sudden parental death (suicide, accident, or natural death) and 116 demographically similar nonbereaved controls assessed at 9, 21, 33, and 62 months after parental death, and at comparable times in controls. Half were female and 84.7% Caucasian. Youths and care-giving parents were assessed on psychiatric disorders, psychological characteristics, and contextual variables antecedent and subsequent to bereavement. At Month 62, at which time youth on average aged 18.4 years (SD = 3.1), participants were assessed on developmental competence using an adaptation of the Status Questionnaire, peer attachment using the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, and educational aspirations using the Future Expectations Scale. The bereaved and nonbereaved groups were compared using univariate and multivariate statistics, including ...
Steroid Production by the Bovine Testis and Steroid Transfer Across the Pampiniform Plexus

Plasma concentrations of 8 steroids2 were measured in blood from the testicular vein, testicular artery and systemic circulation of standing conscious bulls. Testosterone (including �5 percent dihydrotestosterone) concentration in testicular venous blood was 75 to 575 ng/ml. Concentration of other steroids in venous blood were correlated (r > 0.89) with those of testosterone. Steroid concentrations (ng/ml) in testicular venous blood averaged (N 10-1 2): 5-androstenediol, 14.7; progesterone, 5.7; androstenedione, 6.4; testosterone plus dlihydrotestosterone, 184; 3a-androstanediol, 7.0; 313-androstanediol, 10.4; and estradiol plus estrone, 0.020. Except for androstenedione, the concentration of each steroid was about 2-5X that in rete testis fluid. Based on data from 5 conscious bulls and two bulls anesthesized with halothane and given HCG, testosterone and estrogens were found to be transferred from testicular venous to testicular arterial blood across the pampiniform plexus. Similar transfer of androstenedione and progesterone was not detected. There was more (P<0.01) testosterone in testicular arterial blood than in systemic blood (9.1 vs. 4.8 ng/mI; N = 35), although the mass of steroid transferred represented only 0.8 percent of that in testicular venous plasma. For both testosterone and estrogens, the percentage of steroid transferred across the pampiniform plexus was independent of venous steroid concentration. We postulate that the transfer of estrogens could serve as a short feed-back loop to modulate Leydig cell function. Transfer of testosterone may provide the proximal epididymis with twice the concentration of androgen that is available in systemic blood.
The impact of user research on product design case study: accessibility ecosystem for windows vista

This paper describes the impact of user research on the accessibility features of the Windows Vista operating system. Conducting user research for a complex and widely-used product requires assessing a wide-range of users, experiences, and an ecosystem of PC hardware and software. Our user research for Windows XP gave us a greater understanding of the user's selfperception of their abilities. We also uncovered three pivotal usability issues: awareness, discoverability, and learnability. To address these issues for Windows Vista, we iteratively researched the product while focusing on universal design. The impact of this research resulted in design changes to the following major accessibility areas: an enhanced entry-point, a recommendation process that maps user needs to relevant accessibility components, and enhanced features of Windows Speech Recognition.
Modeling of gaseous adsorption of activated carbon bed by Wheeler–Jonas equation and estimation of breakthrough time using the extended equation

The Wheeler-Jonas equation is an effective function for understanding gaseous adsorption in a compact activated carbon bed. This report presents a summary of the derivation process described by Wheeler et al. and the modification of the equation by Yoon et al. The mathematical properties of the equation are also discussed from the viewpoints of adsorption capacity, breakthrough concentration and time for 50% breakthrough (stoichiometric time). The equation is also useful for estimating the breakthrough time of the carbon bed in gas filters for respirators, and it has been used in many previous studies of breakthrough time simulation. Particularly, the estimation model reported by Wood et al., which makes use of the Wheeler- Jonas equation, the Dubinin-Radushkevich equation and several empirical formulas for constants in the above mentioned equations, can also take into consideration the effects of temperature and relative humidity. We also summarized the components of Wood's estimation model, and investigated the points of relevance in application of the model for actual measurement.
Charge coupled device (CCD) spectroscopy of comets: Tuttle, Stephan-Oterma, Brooks 2, and Bowell

CCD technology allows the acquisition of high quality spectra from faint comets that provide simultaneous spatial and spectral resolution. Most emissions in the spectra thus obtained are due to CN and NH2. The most interesting results for the continuum were displayed at comet Bowell, whose coma is a factor of 10 more extended than the other comets studied. Calculated production rates are presented for NH2 and CN in the cases of the comet Tuttle and Stephan-Oterma, and first-order comparisons are conducted for measured production rates and those of the H2O molecule, which should be the dominant one in comet activity.
Angle of repose: an interdisciplinary lively application project

A mathematician and a geologist team up to write an interesting interdisciplinary statistics application. While primarily focusing on whether piles of debris composed of different grain sizes have different angles of repose, the project quickly blossomed into a lively study of experimental design and sensitivity analysis. The project, as well as its merits, are briefly explained.
Stabilization of mammalian liver branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase by thiamin pyrophosphate

Abstract Thiamin pyrophosphate, CoASH, and NAD + have been shown to reversibly bind to the purified bovine liver mitochondrial branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex. When saturated with thiamin pyrophosphate, the complex was more stable to heat and chymotrypsin inactivation. Under identical saturating conditions a conformational change in the complex was observed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. We postulate that thiamin pyrophosphate can increase the biological half-life of the in vivo , membrane-bound complex through conformational changes induced by the binding of this cofactor.
Spatial and temporal distributions in sandy soils with seepage irrigation: II. Phosphorus and potassium.

Fertilizer management, particularly of P and K, on sandy soils is crucial to maximize production and minimize environmental impact in agricultural systems. Experiments were conducted at commercial tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) farms in southwest Florida during the 2006 spring and winter growing seasons to elucidate P and K distributions in tomato beds and to determine leaching potential under seepage irrigation. Most P was found in the top (0-10 cm) and middle (10-20 cm) soil layers at the centerline (plant row) of the soil bed, and P concentration remained relatively constant. Phosphorus in the bottom layer (20-30 cm) and bed shoulder were similar or less than preplant levels, implying that P did not likely move outside the root zone. However, P fractionation and soil P storage capacity (SPSC) of the root zone samples revealed higher risk of P loss when applied P remained more in soil solution. Most K remained in the top layer of the fertilizer band in an order of magnitude higher concentration compared with the rest of the bed, where low and constant amounts of K were found throughout the season. This result indicated that little or no K leached during this study. Seepage irrigation may have limited downward water movement in the bed, thus nutrient leaching, therefore nutrient loss through surface runoffbetween growing seasons could be substantial. Current Best Management Practices (BMP) for tomato fertilization should be monitored and evaluated.
Further Studies of the Oxidative Coupling of Methane to Ethane and Ethylene in a Simulated Countercurrent Moving Bed Chromatographic Reactor

An experimental and mathematical modeling study of a simulated countercurrent moving bed chromatographic reactor for oxidative coupling of methane to ethane and ethylene is reported. The experiments were done in a laboratory-scale three-section simulated moving bed reactor. Operating conditions were deduced from independent experiments in a microcatalytic fixed-bed reactor and from adsorber dynamics studies. With a YBa 2 Zr 3 O 9.5 catalyst and activated charcoal adsorbent, the sum of the ethane and ethylene yields at optimum simulated moving bed operating conditions was 45%. Numerical simulations of the reactor performance were done and compared with experimental results.
Mechanisms of knowledge degradation in a resource management task

Previous research has focused more on learning relative to forgetting despite both being generally recognized as important human performance issues. This research pursued an improved understanding of variables that impact the effectiveness with which humans can retrieve procedural knowledge, such as mathematics or programming. Two studies reviewed yielded varying results in experiments that investigated factors that can inhibit the retrieval of procedural knowledge from memory. To explore theoretical explanations for the opposing results, 32 human participants performed a resource management task in the multi-attribute task battery (MATB) manipulating task strategy and colour symbology. Human performance resulted in significant interference effects for a switch in strategy, but not with a change in the implicit meaning of colours. Therefore, the participants’ sensitivity to the implicit meaning of visual stimuli was not as significant as a more comprehensive change in rule structure associated with proced...
Systematic characterization of protein-DNA interactions

Sequence-specific protein-DNA interactions (PDIs) are critical for regulating many cellular processes, including transcription, DNA replication, repair, and rearrangement. We review recent experimental advances in high-throughput technologies designed to characterize PDIs and discuss recent studies that use these tools, including ChIP-chip/seq, SELEX-based approaches, yeast one-hybrid, bacterial one-hybrid, protein binding microarray, and protein microarray. The results of these studies have challenged some long-standing concepts of PDI and provide valuable insights into the complex transcriptional regulatory networks.
Phenomenon of the Gap in Atrioventricular Conduction in the Human Heart

Gap in atrioventricular conduction in humans by catheter technique for recording electrical activity of His bundle
Cardiovascular Genetic Medicine: The Genetics of Coronary Heart Disease

Advances in genomic technologies have provided researchers with an unprecedented opportunity to identify genes that may contribute to the development of coronary heart disease. The power of these technologies lies in their ability to survey the entire genome in a nonbiased fashion to find genes and gene variants associated with coronary heart disease. This article reviews different genomic approaches for studying coronary heart disease and the clinical implications of using genetic information.
The composition dependence of the cut-off frequencies of ungraded Si1−xGex/Si1−yGey/Si1−xGex HBTs

Abstract This paper presents a theoretical study of the composition dependence of the high frequency figures of merit of n-p-n homogeneous Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (HBTs), based on SiGe alloys. Double heterostructure transistors with the same geometry and dopant profile but with different Ge concentrations in the emitter, base and collector, are compared. The composition dependencies of the emitter-to-collector transit time, the base-resistance collector-capacitance product, the associated unity current gain frequency (fT) and the maximum frequency of oscillation (fmax), are modeled and calculated. The computed results (of our structures and design) show that the composition dependencies of fT and fmax are non-monotonic. As the Ge composition in the emitter and collector layers is increased (and its concentration in the base is kept higher), fT and fmax first decrease, then remain constant and finally increase to attain their highest values.