cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reconciling Scattered Images Managing Disparate Organizational Expressions and Impressions

Any organizational environment is filled with many different types of organizational images, some sent by a focal organization, some sent by outside arbiters, and others formed by interested stakeholders. As organizations attempt to communicate directly to segmented audiences by using tailored images, they also indirectly, and sometimes unwittingly, create a broader array of images of themselves. The resulting spectrum of images cumulates into a scattered images problem. That is, the many sent images (expressions) and received images (impressions) constitute a collection of potentially disparate organizational images that need to be reconciled. The authors explore this increasingly troublesome scattered images problem; the authors also propose a taxonomy of images and discuss their underlying sources of variation. Finally, the authors discuss why and how some organizations are able to mitigate the scattered images problem, arguing that organizational complexity, visibility, and image equivocality will inf...
Immunization of HIV-Infected Adults With a Three-Dose Series of Inactivated Mycobacterium vaccae

Abstract Heat-killed Mycobacterium vaccae vaccine was administered in a 3-dose schedule to 12 HIV-infected adults with CD4 cell counts ~ 300/mm3• Local and systemic side effects were monitored. Delayed-type hypersensitivity to purified protein derivative and Mycobacterium avium sensitin was measured at baseline and after the final dose. Antibody to aralipoarabinomannin, man-lipoarabinomannin, and a short-term culture filtrate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were also measured. Lymphocyte proliferation responses to M avium sensitin and M vaccae sonicate were determined. Vaccine site induration was maximal at 2 days (median, 6 mm) and no systemic side effects were noted. Purified protein derivative skin test conversions did not occur. Changes in CD4 counts and HIV viral load were not significant. Three (27%) of 11 subjects who completed the trial showed either M avium skin test (n = 1) or short-term culture filtrate antibody (n = 2) responses. A threedose schedule of M vaccae vaccine is safe and well tolerated in adults with early HIV infection and produces detectable immunologic responses in a subset of these SUbjects.
Changes in the COP Trajectory After Use of a CAD and FEA Designed Orthotic

Following Ponseti casting, a new modality has been successfully developed to prevent clubfoot from recurrence in ambulating children. The new modality utilizes a non-traditional approach in the design and construction of customized dynamic pedorthtoses [1]. This approach implements dynamic plantar pressure data, as well as computer aided design (CAD) and finite element analysis (FEA).Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Leukocyte function in granuloma annulare

SUMMARY Leukocytes from patients with granuloma annulare were studied in vitro in order to detect functional abnormalities. Random migration and chemotaxis of both polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes were similar in patients and controls. Preincubation of normal cells with patients' plasma did not enhance or inhibit locomotion. Phagocytosis and oxidative burst as reflected by chemiluminescence were also normal. Peripheral blood lymphocytes incorporated uridine normally with and without stimulation by the non-specific mitogen phytohacmagglutinin. These studies suggest that peripheral blood leukocyte function in patients with granuloma annulare is normal, but do not exclude a functional abnormality in tissue.
An Alternative Strategy for Adaptation in Bacterial Behavior

In sensory systems, adaptation to incoming stimuli allows the receptor to compare the present state with the recent past and prepare the cells to respond to future changes. This record, or memory, is continually reset to optimize detection of small changes in the organism's environment. A graphic
Is Immigration a Racial Issue? Anglo Attitudes on Immigration Policies in a Border County*

Objective. This study assesses the association between Anglo aversion to Latinos, physical proximity to Latinos, and contact with ethnic minorities, with expressed preferences for immigration policies. Methods. Data were drawn from a telephone survey of San Diego County, California, residents (N=549 Anglos) using random-digit-dial procedures during 2005–2006 that was conducted by closely supervised professional interviewers. Descriptive reports, tau-b correlations, and multivariate logistic regressions were used for analysis. Results. Aversion to Latinos, as indicated by an adaptation of the Bogardus social distance scale, was related to more restrictionist attitudes about legal and Mexican immigration. Associations increased when respondents were primed to consider Mexican immigration, although aversion to Latinos was not related to attitudes about amnesty for undocumented persons. Contrary to some previous findings, proximity to Latino populations increased opposition to legal immigration and amnesty. Reported minority contact had minimal impact but increased support for amnesty. Conclusions. Attitudes about immigration may be motivated more by racial resentments than other considerations. Future research should identify racial factors that influence Anglo policy positions beyond the classic Anglo/African division that has dominated this research arena.
Relating State-Based and Process-Based Concurrency through Linear Logic

This paper has the purpose of reviewing some of the established relationships between logic and concurrency, and of exploring new ones. Concurrent and distributed systems are notoriously hard to get right. Therefore, following an approach that has proved highly beneficial for sequential programs, much effort has been invested in tracing the foundations of concurrency in logic. The starting points of such investigations have been various idealized languages of concurrent and distributed programming, in particular the well-established state-transformation model inspired to Petri nets and multiset rewriting, and the prolific process-based models such as the @p-calculus and other process algebras. In nearly all cases, the target of these investigations has been linear logic, a formal language that supports a view of formulas as consumable resources. In the first part of this paper, we review some of these interpretations of concurrent languages into linear logic. In the second part of the paper, we propose a completely new approach to understanding concurrent and distributed programming as a manifestation of logic, which yields a language that merges those two main paradigms of concurrency. Specifically, we present a new semantics for multiset rewriting founded on an alternative view of linear logic. The resulting interpretation is extended with a majority of linear connectives into the language of @w-multisets. This interpretation drops the distinction between multiset elements and rewrite rules, and considerably enriches the expressive power of standard multiset rewriting with embedded rules, choice, replication, and more. Derivations are now primarily viewed as open objects, and are closed only to examine intermediate rewriting states. The resulting language can also be interpreted as a process algebra. For example, a simple translation maps process constructors of the asynchronous @p-calculus to rewrite operators, while the structural equivalence corresponds directly to logically-motivated structural properties of @w-multisets (with one exception).
Diamond nucleation by hydrogenation of the edges of graphitic precursors

HOW diamond films grow by chemical vapour deposition is now fairly well understood1,2, but the mechanism by which the diamond phase first nucleates is still unclear. Evidence is accumulating that atomic hydrogen, known to be important in diamond growth1,2, also plays an important role in nucleation3,4. The nature of the carbon precursor to diamond has been much debated2–9; although there is some evidence that graphite is formed before diamond nucleation2,5,6 and that diamond grows epitaxially on the graphite edges7, others have suggested10,11 that graphite formation is detrimental to diamond nucleation. Here we present calculations that suggest that diamond films can nucleate by the initial condensation of graphite and subsequent hydrogenation of the {1¯100} prism planes along the edges of the graphite particles. If nucleation really does occur in this manner, the understanding that our model provides should assist in the development of methods for growing large diamond single crystals (now limited in part by secondary nucleation of independent crystals) and highly oriented epitaxial diamond films.
Modulated reasoning for Mamdani fuzzy systems: singleton fuzzification

A Modulated-Reasoning fuzzy rule operator is one involving a product of Logical-Reasoning and Mamdani fuzzy rule operators, in which each operator is raised to a power and the sum of the powers equals one. In this paper we establish which of 30 possible Modulated-Reasoning fuzzy rule operators lead to fired-rule output fuzzy sets (or a property of such a set) for a fuzzy logic system (FLS) that can be expressed as closed form mathematical expressions that are (piecewise-) differentiable with respect to membership function (MF) parameters, since such operators could then be used in the back-propagation design of a FLS. We do this for singleton fuzzification and two kinds of defuzzifiers, combined-centroid and property-centroid. We show that Modulated Reasoning is practical for singleton fuzzification, but if Gaussian (or any other exponential) MFs are used there is no difference between it and Mamdani Reasoning.
Prostate cancer and health-related quality of life: A review of the literature

With the established effectiveness of diverse treatments for prostate cancer, identification of the physical and psychosocial consequences of the disease and various treatments becomes critical. We review the literature on the effects of prostate cancer and its treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Studies show that prostate cancer and its treatment affect both disease-specific HRQoL (i.e. urinary, sexual, and bowel function) as well as general HRQoL (i.e. energy/vitality, performance in physical and social roles). Yet, these effects appear to differ across stage of disease and type of treatment. We outline evidence from three sources: (1) studies that compare men with the disease with an age-matched sample of men without the disease, (2) studies that assess men with the disease across time, and (3) cross-sectional studies that highlight predictors of HRQoL. Future research directions are discussed.
Yield analysis of 2D hexagonal VLSI/WSI arrays

This paper proposes techniques for determining the yield of redundant 2D hexagonal VLSI and WSI arrays. Such arrays are very useful in parallel processing, distributed processing and systolic array applications. Redundancy is implemented at the interstitial spaces of the array structure and reconfiguration is performed locally in order to keep the interconnections short and simple. The first reconfiguration strategy models spare assignment process as discrete parameter Markov-chain with a one-step stochastic transitional probability matrix. The second technique assumes that each hexagonal cell is independent and uses locally interconnected spare processor at interstitial spaces for reconfiguration. The effect on yield and chip-area utilization factor is derived for 50% and 100% redundancy. >
Autonomous planning under uncertainty: reset-identification strategies

The author investigates the problem of planning state-identification strategies. These strategies help an agent to reduce its uncertainty about the state of the environment through active exploration of the environment. Specifically, the author emphasizes the gathering of information from the environment where the agent utilizes the (entropic) actions of its control operations to provide maximum information gain. An interesting class of state-identification strategies is the class of those that use no sensing capabilities, i.e. sensorless strategies. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of such strategies are presented. These conditions are exploited to develop an algorithm for planning sensorless state-identification strategies. >
A graph-based formulation for computational characterization of bulk heterojunction morphology

To improve the efficiency of organic solar cells, it is essential to understand the role of morphology and to tailor fabrication process to get desired morphologies. In this context, a comprehensive set of computational tools to quantify and classify the 2D/3D heterogeneous internal structure of thin films is invaluable. We present a graph-based framework to efficiently compute a broad suite of physically meaningful morphology descriptors. These morphology descriptors are further classified according to the physical subprocesses within OSCs – photon absorption, exciton diffusion, charge separation, and charge transport. This approach is motivated by the equivalence between a discretized 2D/3D morphology and a labeled, weighted, undirected graph. We utilize this approach to pose six key questions related to structure characterization. These questions are the basis for a comprehensive suite of morphology descriptors. To advocate the appropriateness of the formulated suite, we correlate these morphology descriptors with analysis using a excitonicdrift–diffusion-based device model. A very high correlation between the fast graph-based approach and computationally intensive full scale analysis illustrates the potential of our formulation to rapidly characterize a large set of morphologies. Finally, our approach is showcased by characterizing the effect of thermal annealing on time-evolution of a model thin film morphology.
Insider Threat Detection Using Graph-Based Approaches

Protecting our nation's cyber infrastructure and securing sensitive information are critical challenges for homeland security and require the research, development and deployment of new technologies that can be transitioned into the field for combating cyber security risks. Particular areas of concern are the deliberate and intended actions associated with malicious exploitation, theft or destruction of data, or the compromise of networks, communications or other IT resources, of which the most harmful and difficult to detect threats are those propagated by an insider. However, current efforts to identify unauthorized access to information, such as what is found in document control and management systems, are limited in scope and capabilities. In order to address this issue, this effort involves performing further research and development on the existing graph-based anomaly detection (GBAD) system. GBAD discovers anomalous instances of structural patterns in data that represent entities, relationships and actions. Input to GBAD is a labeled graph in which entities are represented by labeled vertices and relationships or actions are represented by labeled edges between entities. Using the minimum description length (MDL) principle to identify the normative pattern that minimizes the number of bits needed to describe the input graph after being compressed by the pattern, GBAD implements algorithms for identifying the three possible changes to a graph: modifications, insertions and deletions. Each algorithm discovers those substructures that match the closest to the normative pattern without matching exactly.
The Role of Museums in the Trade of Black Market Cultural Heritage Property

Due to tax benefits enjoyed by museums, these institutions should be required to follow more stringent standards and to complete thorough provenance research prior to purchasing new acquisitions. The most recent revision of acquisition standards by the Association of Art Museum Directors was heightened, however the guidelines are still not demanding enough.During the past decade acquisition standards have become a major issue, as unethical museum practices have drawn attention and protest from the art community. With the public trial of the Getty Museum's former curator, Marion True, the public has become aware of irresponsible acquisitions made by museums. In 2011, cultural heritage academics were outraged over the ownership dispute of the Ka Nefer Nefer funerary mask which was unearthed in Egypt in 1953 and then went missing in the 1960s. The mask reappeared in the St. Louis Art Museum in 1998, and the museum refused to return the artifact to Egypt. The case is currently in federal court, but has drawn attention to a number of museum purchases made from antiquities dealers with criminal or suspect records. (The St. Louis Art Museum purchased the mask from a gallery whose owners have been convicted for numerous art crimes.) Then in July 2012, an antiquities dealer from India was arrested for selling black market sacred Hindu antiquities to major museums worldwide. During this time of political upheaval, with so many cultural artifacts illegally exiting the Middle East, Northern Africa, the market is full of looted antiquities. With heightened due diligence standards, museums must avoid the purchase of illegally-excavated items. Acquiring this type of property fuels the black market for art, a market with ties to international terrorism. Museums have fiduciary duties to the public and ethical duties to protect art in their care.
Variable speed control of wind turbines using nonlinear and adaptive algorithms

Abstract Automatic control represents one of the most important factors responsible for the efficiency and reliability of wind power conversion systems. Thus far, only a few isolated applications of conventional control to wind power systems have appeared in the literature. To make wind power generation truly cost-effective and reliable, advanced control techniques are imperative. In this paper we develop a control scheme for wind turbine using nonlinear and adaptive control theory. Based on both mechanical and electrical dynamics, nonlinear and adaptive control algorithms are derived to on-line adjust the excitation winding voltage of the generator. This method is shown to be able to achieve smooth and asymptotic rotor speed tracking, as justified by both analysis and computer simulation.
Global action selection for illumination invariant color modeling

A major challenge in the path of widespread use of mobile robots is the ability to function autonomously, learning useful features from the environment and using them to adapt to environmental changes. We propose an algorithm for mobile robots equipped with color cameras that allows for smooth operation under illumination changes. The robot uses image statistics and the environmental structure to autonomously detect and adapt to both major and minor illumination changes. Furthermore, the robot autonomously plans an action sequence that maximizes color learning opportunities while minimizing localization errors. Our approach is fully implemented and tested on the Sony AIBO robots.
Ventricular Arrhythmias after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

BACKGROUND Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have been used as a bridge to cardiac transplantation and as destination therapy in patients with advanced heart failure. The period after LVAD support is associated with ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) despite ventricular unloading and such VAs can have a detrimental effect on survival. Despite the increasing use of LVAD, little is known regarding post-LVAD VAs at the molecular level and in vivo. METHODS Forty-two patients who received LVAD over a 24-month period were evaluated and grouped on the basis of the presence or absence of VAs during LVAD support. We completed a comparative microarray analyses between six patients who developed ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) after LVAD support and six patients who did not develop VAs after LVAD. RESULTS VAs occurred in 15 patients (35.7%) during LVAD support at a median post-LVAD day of 25.2. VAs were strongly associated with nonusage of a beta-blocker post-LVAD (odds ratio of 7.04, P-value = 0.001). Analysis of a subset of patients who had VT or VF after LVAD placement showed a decrease in the expression of connexin 43 (0.48 +/- 0.07), Na+/K+-ATPase (0.60 +/- 0.05), and voltage-gated K+ channel Kv4.3 (0.42 +/- 0.04), and an increase in Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (2.2 +/- 0.4) and the structural genes: Titin (2.1 +/- 0.2), laminin (1.7 +/- 0.4), calsequestrin (1.8 +/- 0.5), skeletal muscle isoform of troponin T (5.1 +/- 0.9), and skeletal muscle isoform of troponin I (3.9 +/- 0.7). CONCLUSION After LVAD, the increased risk of VAs is strongly associated with nonusage of beta-blocker postoperatively.
Perceived quality of radiographic images after rapid processing of D- and F-speed direct-exposure intraoral x-ray films.

Abstract Objective We sought to compare the densitometric properties and perceived image quality of InSight (F-speed) and Ultra-Speed (D-speed) film radiographs processed with rapid chemistry. The effects of density, contrast, and film speed on perceived image quality were also studied. Study design Images were made of a human cadaver phantom with exposures to achieve background densities approximating 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0. Films were processed in a radiographic darkroom by using Insta-Neg and Insta-Fix rapid chemistry as the manufacturer had recommended. Five endodontic residents independently analyzed images of varying density, speed, and contrast that were presented in a randomized manner. They were required to evaluate the perceived image quality of 5 specifically designated areas on the film, using a labeled photograph as a guide. These areas included root canal obturation, periodontal ligament space, dentinoenamel junction, and crestal bone height. In addition, they were also asked to assess the overall perceived image quality. Statistical analysis consisted of ordinal regression and 2-factor analysis of variance. Results No statistically significant differences were proved between F- and D-speed radiographs within the same density group. Higher density and higher contrast resulted in a statistically significant positive impact (P Conclusions InSight (F-speed film) can be used with rapid chemistry to ensure less radiation exposure to patients than is necessary with D-speed film. The observers participating in this study preferred radiographs from the 3.0 background density group to those from the 2.0 and 1.5 density groups.
E-044 The Penumbra 5MAX, 4MAX and 3MAX Reperfusion Catheters in Treatment of Acute Ischaemic Stroke: Initial Clinical Experience

Introduction/Purpose The new material composition and larger, tapered lumen in the distal end of the novel Penumbra MAX System reperfusion catheters are designed to enhance aspiration efficiency with improved trackability. Reported herein are results from a retrospective multicentre study with the Penumbra System 5MAX, 4MAX and 3MAX reperfusion catheters in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke secondary to large vessel occlusion. Materials and Methods A retrospective case-review of 19 consecutive acute ischaemic stroke cases treated with the Penumbra System either as a standalone device or in combination: 5MAX (n=8), 4MAX (n=6) and 3MAX (n=8), from July 2012 through December 2012 was undertaken. Clinical experience at 3 institutions was collected and reported in the first six months after device release. Occlusions were located in the MCA M1and M2 (n=11), ICA and ICA/MCA (n=6), and vertebrobasilar arteries (n=2). Results Eighteen of 19 cases (94.7%) were successfully recanalised to TICI 2 and 3 using the Penumbra MAX System. Complete revascularisation to TICI 3 was achieved in 16 of 19 (84%). The mean patient age was 70.3 ± 13.9 years; the median NIHSS score at presentation was 19 (15 to 29). All patients presented with TICI scores of 0 or 1. At discharge, the median NIHSS score was 14 (1 to 29). One death due to cardiac arrest occurred at 15 days post-procedure. In one patient, stroke in a new territory was observed and treated with IA rtPA. One ICH was found in a previously unaffected region, possibly secondary to IV rtPA therapy. Conclusion Early multicentre experience indicates that the 5MAX, 4MAX and 3MAX reperfusion catheters have enhanced aspiration efficiency and trackability. Follow-up studies will be required to verify these findings. Disclosures J. Farkas: None. K. Arcot: None. D. Walzman: None. R. Kumar: None. J. Delbrune: None. N. Papamitsakis: None. Y. Margulis: None. S. Dash: None. K. Levin: None. S. Azhar: None.
Inhibitors of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Modulate Mitosis and Gene Expression in Pancreatic Cancer Cells:

The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor captopril inhibits mitosis in several cell types that contain ACE and renin activity. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of the ACE inhibitors captopril and CGS 13945 (10{sup {minus}8} to 10{sup {minus}2}M) on proliferation and gene expression in hamster pancreatic duct carcinoma cells in culture. These cells lack renin and ACE activity. Both ACE inhibitors produced a dose-dependent reduction in tumor cell proliferation within 24 hr. Captopril at a concentration of 0.36 mM and CGS 13945 at 150 {mu}M decreased cellular growth rate to approximately half that of the control. Neither drug influenced the viability or the cell cycle distribution of the tumor cells. Slot blot analysis of mRNA for four genes, proliferation associated cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), K-ras, protein kinase C-{Beta} (PKC-{Beta}) and carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) was performed. Both ACE inhibitors increased K-ras expression by a factor of 2, and had no effect on CA II mRNA levels. Captopril also lowered PCNA by 40% and CGS 13945 lowered PKC-{Beta} gene expression to 30% of the control level. The data demonstrate that ACE inhibitors exhibit antimitotic activity and differential gene modulation in hamster pancreatic duct carcinoma cells. The absence of reninmore » and ACE activity in these cells suggests that the antimitotic action of captopril and CGS 13945 is independent of renin-angiotensin regulation. The growth inhibition may occur through downregulation of growth-related gene expression. 27 refs., 5 figs.« less
Comparison of angioscopy and angiography for monitoring infrainguinal bypass vein grafts: Results of a prospective randomized trial

Abstract Purpose: This study was designed to determine whether, in primary infrainguinal bypass grafts in which only saphenous vein is used as the graft conduit, routine monitoring with intraoperative angioscopy can improve early graft patency as compared with standard monitoring with intraoperative completion angiography; and to delineate the advantages and disadvantages of these two modalities and their respective roles for the routine monitoring of the infrainguinal bypass graft. Methods: A total of 293 patients undergoing primary saphenous vein infrainguinal bypass grafting were prospectively randomized and monitored with either completion angioscopy or completion angiography. Clinical parameters, indications for operation, graft anatomy, and configuration were evenly matched in both groups. Forty-three bypasses were excluded from the study after randomization, including 12 veins randomized to angiogram, deemed inferior, and prepared with angioscopy. Results: In the 250 bypass grafts (angioscopy 128, angiography 122) there were 39 interventions (conduit, 29; anastomosis, 8; distal artery, 2), 32 with angioscopy and 7 with angiography ( p p = 0.11 by one-sided hypothesis test). Conclusion: Although no statistical improvement in the proportions of failures in primary saphenous vein bypass grafts routinely monitored with completion angioscopy rather than the standard completion angiogram was demonstrated, the study delineates a trend that favors completion angioscopy for routine vein graft monitoring and demonstrates the advantages of angioscopy in preparing the optimal vein conduit. (J VASC SURG 1993;17:382-98.)
9/11 in the Curriculum: A Retrospective

This article uses a curricular analysis study to examine how the events of 9/11 and their aftermath are presented to secondary students in supplemental curriculum and social studies textbooks publi...
Estimation of contact forces in an inverted pendulum robot

In this paper a method for force estimation on inverted pendulum type balancing platforms is presented and examined. Inverted pendulum systems are sensitive to small external forces because they are being balanced about an unstable position of zero force. The perturbations that result from external forces cause noticeable changes to the system state variables and it is these changes that are used to estimate the force. We present a dynamic model for the inverted pendulum and then examine several methods for estimating an external force. Use of the open loop plant parameters offers the best method for estimating the net torques acting on the system. A significant outcome is that estimation can be performed using only the system mass properties along with the inertial and displacement sensors that are required for balancing and this estimate is more accurate than a comparable drive system in a statically stable robot. Thus improved one axis force estimation may be accomplished using the same sensors that are used to stabilize the platform.
Identification of MicroRNAs and Other Small RNAs from the Adult Newt Eye

Purpose: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are capable of controlling gene expression by targeting complimentary sequences in many mRNAs. Thus, a small number of miRNAs are capable of regulating expression of many different genes. miRNAs have been found in all animals from Drosophila to human and they are highly conserved. This work was undertaken in order to identify such RNAs in the newt eye. Methods: Cloning of these RNAs was attempted after isolating and fractionating total RNA from the adult newt eye. A gel slice ranging from about 15 to30 nucleotides in length was cut and the extracted RNA was cloned after several processes involving reverse transcription and linker addition. For expression analysis and verification during the process of lens regeneration we used as a probe mir-124a. Results: Several microRNAs, piRNAs and other small RNAS were identified. Some of them have eye specific gene targets in other species, but for many a function in the eye remains to be attributed. Expression of miR-124a showed an interesting regulation in the lens regeneration-competent dorsal iris. Conclusions: The cloned miRNAs and other small RNAs are the first to be reported for this animal and might bear significance in regulating processes that are unique to the newt eye, i.e., regeneration of the lens and retina.
Structural Analyses of a Malate Dehydrogenase with a Variable Active Site

Abstract Malate dehydrogenase specifically oxidizes malate to oxaloacetate. The specificity arises from three arginines in the active site pocket that coordinate the carboxyl groups of the substrate and stabilize the newly forming hydroxyl/keto group during catalysis. Here, the role of Arg-153 in distinguishing substrate specificity is examined by the mutant R153C. The x-ray structure of the NAD binary complex at 2.1 A reveals two sulfate ions bound in the closed form of the active site. The sulfate that occupies the substrate binding site has been translated ∼2 A toward the opening of the active site cavity. Its new location suggests that the low catalytic turnover observed in the R153C mutant may be due to misalignment of the hydroxyl or ketone group of the substrate with the appropriate catalytic residues. In the NAD·pyruvate ternary complex, the monocarboxylic inhibitor is bound in the open conformation of the active site. The pyruvate is coordinated not by the active site arginines, but through weak hydrogen bonds to the amide backbone. Energy minimized molecular models of unnatural analogues of R153C (Wright, S. K., and Viola, R. E. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 31151–31155) reveal that the regenerated amino and amido side chains can form favorable hydrogen-bonding interactions with the substrate, although a return to native enzymatic activity is not observed. The low activity of the modified R153C enzymes suggests that precise positioning of the guanidino side chain is essential for optimal orientation of the substrate.
Genomic mRNA profiling reveals compensatory mechanisms for the requirement of the essential splicing factor U2AF.

The large subunit of the U2 auxiliary factor (U2AF) recognizes the polypyrimidine tract (Py-tract) located adjacent to the 3′ splice site to facilitate U2 snRNP recruitment. While U2AF is considered essential for pre-mRNA splicing, its requirement for splicing on a genome-wide level has not been analyzed. Using Solexa sequencing, we performed mRNA profiling for splicing in the Schizosaccharomyces pombe U2AF59 (prp2.1) temperature-sensitive mutant. Surprisingly, our analysis revealed that introns show a range of splicing defects in the mutant strain. While U2AF59 inactivation (nonpermissive) conditions inhibit splicing of some introns, others are spliced apparently normally. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that U2AF59-insensitive introns have stronger 5′ splice sites and higher A/U content. Most importantly, features that contribute to U2AF59 insensitivity of an intron unexpectedly reside in its 5′-most 30 nucleotides. These include the 5′ splice site, a guanosine at position 7, and the 5′ splice site-to-branch point sequence context. A differential requirement (similar to U2AF59) for introns may also apply to other general splicing factors (e.g., prp10). Our combined results indicate that U2AF insensitivity is a common phenomenon and that varied intron features support the existence of unrecognized aspects of spliceosome assembly.
Distinctive Characteristics of Infections produced by Treponema pertenue in the Rabbit.

From a study of rabbits inoculated intratesticularly with two strains of treponemata derived from patients suffering from clinical yaws, it was found that a characteristic feature of the reaction to the infection was a well marked periorchitis of a granular or finely nodular type with or without a diffuse involvement of the tunic. While lesions of the testicular parenchyma also occurred they were relatively inconspicuous and consisted either of a minor diffuse orchitis which was usually followed by atrophy and fibrosis of the organ, or of small nodules; or there might be a combination of diffuse and nodular lesions. The granular periorchitis could be recognized clinically almost as soon as any change could be detected in the testicle, that is, about 3 weeks after inoculation; in the following month the covering of the testicle became studded with numerous tiny indurated nodules. Subsequently regression and healing took place and in the majority of animals no lesions were found 3 months after inoculation. In some animals residual lesions persisted for as long as 6 months. The granular periorchitis was a practically constant feature of the infection and was unlike any lesion of the tunic observed in experimental syphilis of the rabbit. Treponemata were numerous in the lesions of the tunic and somewhat less so in the testicle itself. Dissemination of organisms to the uninoculated testicle and to the inguinal lymph nodes was demonstrated by animal inoculation although the clinical signs of a metastatic orchitis and periorchitis were slight and a lymph adenitis was an inconstant feature of the infection. Generalized lesions in remote parts of the body, similar to those occurring in experimental syphilis of the rabbit, were not observed.
SOA technical architecture governance - evaluating maturity of standards

Technical standards, when they are successful, provide portability and interoperability between products, create 3rd party markets, enhance competition, lower price and simplify integration. On the other hand, when a standard is adopted that fails, or ju=st fails to catch on, the cost and time for the inevitable reengineering can be devastating for the adopters and cause overall confusion and concern in the marketplace. While this is a problem for all of IT, SOA standards present unique challenges due to their rate of change and the industry-wide drive toward SOA. This paper will present a Standards Maturity Model (SMM) to serve as a guide for evaluating standards, assessing risk, and making plans for adoption. This model embraces the concept that a standard cannot be judged independent of the products supporting it, and the organization that publishes it.
Rotavirus and Cryptosporidium shedding in dairy calf feces and its relationship to colostrum immune transfer

Twenty Holstein calves received 2 L of colostrum twice within 12 h after birth; the first feeding occurred within 2 h of parturition. The increase in adsorption efficiency was related to the gamma globulin provided in the first colostrum feeding. Absorption efficiency ranged from 2.4 to 46.1%. The number of sheddings of rotavirus and Cryptosporidium by the calves during their first 4 wk of life was associated with serum gamma globulin concentration 24 h after birth and absorption efficiency. Absorption efficiency and body weight combined accounted for 60.4% of the variation in the number of sheddings; heavier calves shed more than lighter calves. During the first 4 wk, calves that shed more frequently gained less weight; weight gain was also associated with serum gamma globulin levels 24 h after birth. Colostrum composition varied between quarters of the same cow. Total protein and gamma globulin content of colostrum from the rear quarters was higher than from the front quarters. The association between number of sheddings and absorption efficiency suggest that calves should not be fed colostrum containing less than 9 g/100 ml of total protein.
Regulation of TRPM2 by extra- and intracellular calcium.

TRPM2 is a calcium-permeable nonselective cation channel that is opened by the binding of ADP-ribose (ADPR) to a C-terminal nudix domain. Channel activity is further regulated by several cytosolic factors, including cyclic ADPR (cADPR), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP), Ca 2+ and calmodulin (CaM), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP). In addition, intracellular ions typically used in patch-clamp experiments such as Cs + or Na + can alter ADPR sensitivity and voltage dependence, complicating the evaluation of the roles of the various modulators in a physiological context. We investigated the roles of extra- and intracellular Ca 2+ as well as CaM as modulators of ADPR-induced TRPM2 currents under more physiological conditions, using K + -based internal saline in patch-clamp experiments performed on human TRPM2 expressed in HEK293 cells. Our results show that in the absence of Ca 2+ , both internally and externally, ADPR alone cannot induce cation currents. In the absence of extracellular Ca 2+ , a minimum of 30 nM internal Ca 2+ is required to cause partial TRPM2 activation with ADPR. However, 200 μM external Ca 2+ is as efficient as 1 mM Ca 2+ in TRPM2 activation, indicating an external Ca 2+ binding site important for proper channel function. Ca 2+ facilitates ADPR gating with a half-maximal effective concentration of 50 nM and this is independent of extracellular Ca 2+ . Furthermore, TRPM2 currents inactivate if intracellular Ca 2+ levels fall below 100 nM irrespective of extracellular Ca 2+ . The facilitatory effect of intracellular Ca 2+ is not mimicked by Mg 2+ , Ba 2+ , or Zn 2+ . Only Sr 2+ facilitates TRPM2 as effectively as Ca 2+ , but this is due to Sr 2+ -induced Ca 2+ release from internal stores rather than a direct effect of Sr 2+ itself. Together, these data demonstrate that cytosolic Ca 2+ regulates TRPM2 channel activation. Its facilitatory action likely occurs via CaM, since the addition of 100 μM CaM to the patch pipette significantly enhances ADPR-induced TRPM2 currents at fixed [Ca 2+ ] i and this can be counteracted by calmidazolium. We conclude that ADPR is responsible for TRPM2 gating and Ca 2+ facilitates activation via calmodulin.
Transcription factor Runx2 controls the development and migration of plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) rapidly produce type I interferon (IFN-I) in response to viruses and are essential for antiviral immune responses. Although related to classical DCs (cDCs) in their development and expression profile, pDCs possess many distinct features. Unlike cDCs, pDCs develop in the bone marrow (BM) and emerge into peripheral lymphoid organs and tissues as fully differentiated cells. We now report that pDCs specifically express Runx2, a Runt family transcription factor that is essential for bone development. pDCs in Runx2-deficient mice developed normally in the BM but were greatly reduced in the periphery. The defect was cell-intrinsic and was associated with the retention of mature Ly49Q+ pDCs in the BM. Runx2 was required for the expression of several pDC-enriched genes, including the chemokine receptors Ccr2 and Ccr5. Mature pDCs expressed high levels of Ccr5 at the cell surface, and Ccr5-deficient pDCs in a competitive setting were reduced in the periphery relative to the BM. Thus, Runx2 is required for the emergence of mature BM pDCs into the periphery, in a process that is partially dependent on Ccr5. These results establish Runx2 as a lineage-specific regulator of immune system development.
Provitamin A metabolism and functions in mammalian biology

Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health problem in developing countries. Some studies also implicate a suboptimal vitamin A intake in certain parts of the population of the industrialized world. Provitamin A carotenoids such as β-carotene are the major source for retinoids (vitamin A and its derivatives) in the human diet. However, it is still controversial how much β-carotene intake is required and safe. An important contributor to this uncertainty is the lack of knowledge about the biochemical and molecular basis of β-carotene metabolism. Recently, key players of provitamin A metabolism have been molecularly identified and biochemically characterized. Studies in knockout mouse models showed that intestinal β-carotene absorption and conversion to retinoids is under negative feedback regulation that adapts this process to the actual requirement of vitamin A of the body. These studies also showed that in peripheral tissues a conversion of β-carotene occurs and affects retinoid-dependent physiologic processes. Moreover, these analyses provided a possible explanation for the adverse health effects of carotenoids by showing that a pathologic accumulation of these compounds can induce oxidative stress in mitochondria and cell signaling pathways related to disease. Genetic polymorphisms in identified genes exist in humans and also alter carotenoid homeostasis. Here, the advanced knowledge of β-carotene metabolism is reviewed, which provides a molecular framework for understanding the role of this important micronutrient in health and disease.
Low Overhead Router-Based Congestion Control Techniques to Protect Responsive Traffic

In this paper, we present queue management algorithms with low implementation complexity that can partition the bandwidth of an outgoing link among flows in a high speed packet switch. These algorithms belong to a family of queue management schemes called sending rate estimate based queue management schemes (SREQM), which try to prevent congestion by effectively limiting flows based on their estimated sending rates. We also present techniques based on sampling and Bloom filters to further reduce the implementation overhead. The capability of the algorithms to protect responsive flows from non-responsive flows are confirmed by exhaustive analysis and simulations.
Phosphatidylinositol- 3-kinase inhibitor induces chemosensitivity to a novel derivative of doxorubicin, AD198 chemotherapy in human bladder cancer cells in vitro

Doxorubicin (Dox) is widely used to treat progressed bladder cancer after transurethral resection. The use of Dox-chemotherapy has been limited due to induced drug resistance and cumulative cardiotoxic effects. N-benzyladriamycin-14-valerate (AD198), a novel derivative of Dox, has a potential to become a more effective treatment than Dox by overcoming drug resistance and cardio-toxicity as shown in the rodent model of lymphoma in vivo. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of Dox and AD198 and explore their mechanisms in inhibition on human bladder cancer cells in vitro. We evaluated the effects of Dox and AD198 on cell viability of human transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) cell lines T24 and UMUC3 by MTS assay in vitro. The effects of Dox and AD198 on cell apoptosis were determined by caspase 3/7 assay, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and Western Blotting (WB) analysis. AD198 was more effective than Dox in inhibition of cell viability of T24 and UMUC3 cells in vitro. Both Dox and AD198 significantly increased the generation of ROS and induced apoptosis in caspase-dependent and -independent manner in T24 and UMUC3 cells. AD 198 induced significantly higher production of ROS as compared to Dox in human TCC cells. Dox and AD198 activated the pro-apoptotic p38 MAPK pathway; however, on the other hand also increased phosphorylation of AKT, an anti-apoptotic signaling pathway, in T24 and UMUC3 cells. Combined treatment of PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) with Dox or AD198 inhibited cell viability of T24 and UMUC3 cells more effectively than any of drug treatments alone. These data suggest that AD198 as novel derivative of Dox, could be a used as effective treatment for bladder cancer. Dox and AD198 induced PI3K/AKT signaling pathway that is a one of the indicators of pro-survival and possible drug-resistance mechanisms of chemotherapies in bladder cancer. Combined therapies of Dox or AD198 with inhibitors of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway might lead to more effective treatment outcome for patients diagnosed with bladder cancer based on our in vitro experiments.
A Century Plus of Japanese Exchange-Rate Behavior

Examination of over a century's worth of annual data for Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and France reveals a marked tendency for real exchange rates to return to their (measured) equilibrium values. The hypothesis that exchange-rate-adjusted price levels in these countries are not cointegrated is almost always rejected. Similar unit-root tests much more often than not reject the hypothesis of non-stationary (or non-trend-stationary) of real exchange rates. Analysis of earlier periods of floating yen rates - particularly the latter decades of the nineteenth century - points to an important link between monetary conditions and real exchange rate variability.
Some Projective Techniques Applied to Marketing Research

NE of the difficulties in marketing research is getting an adequate answer from the consumer to "why" questions. A typical procedure is to use an open-end question such as: "Why do you prefer X brand of product?" Answers will usually relate to price, quality, convenience, and other general attributes. The interviewer may follow the question up with requests for further information by using phrases such as: "tell me more" or "what do you mean?" A great deal of the responsibility for the success of this type of interview depends upon the background of the interviewer as well as his skill. Much time in general conversation may be needed to bring the respondent to the subject at hand. Picture Frustration and the Thematic Apperception Test are two projective techniques that may be used for obtaining answers to "why" questions. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss their application to such problems.