cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The extent of amino-terminal heterogeneity in rabbit fast skeletal muscle troponin T.

The extent and nature of fast troponin T (TnT) heterogeneity has been assessed in rabbit skeletal muscle. Previous studies identified two major fast TnT species (TnT1f and TnT2f), in the fast white muscle erector spinae, differing in theirN-terminal cyanogen bromide (CNBr) fragments. Here a monoclonal antibody that recognizes a conserved region of TnT was used to characterize two additional TnT species (TnT3f and TnT4f) in the epaxial and limb musculature and a minor species (TnTcf) in craniofacial muscles. A combination of CNBr peptide mapping, immunoblotting and specific labelling of theN-terminus shows that these TnT species also differ in theirN-terminal region. This observation is consistent with cDNA studies that predicted theN-terminal region is hypervariable. One additional species, a variant of TnT2f present in the tongue, was identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The limited number of TnT variants indicates that the full potential for heterogeneity inferred from the cDNA studies is not realized. This conclusion is supported by immunoblot analysis with a monoclonal antibody that recognizes an epitope in the hypervariableN-terminal region which is present in all variants of TnT1f and TnT2f but absent from the lower molecular weight species TnT3f and TnT4f.
Mean crustal velocity: a critical parameter for interpreting crustal structure and crustal growth

Abstract Mean crustal velocity is a critical parameter for genesis of continental crystalline crust because it is a function of mean crustal composition and therefore may be used to resolve continental crustal growth in space and time. Although the best values of mean crustal velocity are determined from wide-angle reflection measurements, most studied here necessarily come from vertical averages in crustal refraction determinations. The mode of 158 values of mean crustal velocity is 6.3 km/s, a velocity which corresponds to a mean crustal composition of granodiorite to felsic quartz diorite; Archean crust may be slightly more mafic. Mean crustal velocities range from 5.8 to 7.0 km/s. The lowest values invariably are found in thermally disturbed rift zones and the highest values correspond to velocities in gabbro. Velocities in island arcs may be as low as 6.0 km/s but are typically 6.5–6.9 km/s which corresponds to andesitic composition; estimates of island arc composition are andesitic. If values of mean crustal velocity are not biased, this observation suggests that continental crust did not grow simply by addition of island arc material. Possibilities are that crust formed from fusion of island arcs and was later changed to more felsic composition by addition of material from the mantle or that the late Archean episode of major crustal growth did not involve processes similar to younger island arcs. Some crustal blocks might be changed in composition and thickness by such processes as underplating, interthrusting, necking and sub-crustal erosion. Specially designed experiments are suggested to determine this parameter so critical for understanding genesis of continental crust.
P4-394: Lack of evidence for the efficacy of memantine in mild Alzheimer's disease and modest effects in moderate Alzheimer's disease

is over 6,600 men in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico in collaboration with the NCI-sponsored prostate prevention study. The accuracy of the primary, brief memory screening tool is critical for identifying possible incident cases of dementia, and triggers a second-level mental status exam that can trigger a medical evaluation for AD. Objectives: (1) Provide validation results for screening tools from a prevention trial. (2) Compare results of the Memory Impairment Screen (MIS) to expanded measures of memory. Methods: PREADVISE participants are screened annually with the Memory Impairment Screen (MIS). A Normal Aging (NAG) validation sub-sample is given an expanded battery annually that includes CERAD measures supplemented with tests (e.g., NYU paragraph recall, phonemic fluency, clock drawing). The current analysis evaluates the correspondence between MIS performance and memory scores from 410 men (mean: age 70.6 5.6; education 15.6 2.3; 10% African-American). Results: MIS performance for 84.4% of the sample was 7 or 8 (8 max), while 5.4% scored in the low normal range (5 or 6) and 10.2% scored at or below the cutoff of 4. Age, but not education differed between the 3 MIS groups. ANCOVA’s (age covariate) revealed group differences for multiple expanded memory measures. A follow-up multiple linear regression model shows a statistically significant prediction of MIS scores by measures of recognition errors (false positives) plus category fluency (R 0.59) and delayed recall (10-item word list; NYU paragraph; R 0.10). Conclusions: These data suggest that the 3-minute MIS has utility as a screening tool for prevention trials based on its association with other episodic memory tests. Sensitivity and specificity will be ascertained as more incident AD cases are identified. Further, as PREADVISE progresses, these validation methods can also indicate if the MIS could be improved through the addition of other cognitive components, providing an effective tool for AD detection in general clinical settings.
TGF-β promotes proliferation of thyroid epithelial cells in IFN-γ(-/-) mice by down-regulation of p21 and p27 via AKT pathway.

IFN-γ−/− NOD.H-2h4 mice develop an autoimmune disease characterized by hyperplasia and proliferation of thyroid epithelial cells (TEC H/P). Proliferating TECs produce TGF-β, and IFN-γ inhibits TEC H/P. In the present study, cultured TECs were used to directly determine the mechanisms by which these cytokines act on TECs to result in proliferation or inhibition of proliferation. With TECs from IFN-γ−/− NOD.H-2h4 mice or mice expressing the dominant negative TGF-β type II receptor on TECs, TGF-β was shown to promote TEC proliferation and IFN-γ was shown to inhibit TEC proliferation in vitro. TGF-β may promote TEC proliferation by down-regulating antiproliferative molecules p21 and p27, whereas IFN-γ may inhibit proliferation by up-regulating antiproliferative molecules p18 and p21 and down-regulating the pro-proliferative molecule cyclin D. Inhibition of AKT abolished the effect of TGF-β on p21 and p27, resulting in similar proliferation of TGF-β-treated and control TECs. Increased expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), TGF-β, and p-AKT and decreased expression of p21 and p27 by proliferating TECs correlated with the proliferative state of TEC H/P. Taken together, the results suggest that TGF-β promotes TEC proliferation by down-regulating p21 and p27 via the AKT pathway in IFN-γ−/− NOD.H-2h4 mice, which may have significant implications for development of effective therapeutic strategies targeting the TGF-β and AKT pathways for treatment of hyperplasia and/or neoplasia.
Sporadic increases in lunar atmospheric helium detected by LAMP

Abstract We report on a multi-year dataset of daily averaged observations of He in the lunar atmosphere by the LAMP UV spectrograph on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). We examine data obtained from the start of the LRO orbital tour in September 2009 to March 2013. We find that the maximum He number density occurs about two hours after local midnight, which is consistent with earlier measurements by the Apollo ALSEP LACE mass spectrometer. However, our measured maximum He density is 2–3 times lower than that of LACE. We also observed several instances where the surface He number density rapidly increased to higher than normal values and then declined for several days. We term these events “He flares”. We examined several plausible causes of these events, and found two plausible mechanisms that could be responsible for generating them. One is that the He may be generated by strong, coincident bursts of α particles in the solar wind. To do so, we compare our observations with solar wind α particle observations by ARTEMIS (Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun). Another plausible cause we discuss is that the He in the flares may be released from the Moon itself via moonquakes. Determining which is actually the cause requires further work and new measurements.
The loss leader is a turkey: Targeted discounts from multi-product competitors

Abstract I show that multi-product firms can compete for their more profitable customers by setting lower margins on goods that are purchased primarily by them, effectively offering them discounts without offering these discounts to less profitable customers. This suggests a theory of multi-product pricing in which a good's profit margin is inversely related to the profitability of the customers who purchase it. This theory i) provides one explanation for firms offering lower prices to larger customers, and ii) suggests that loss leader pricing may allow firms to compete more vigorously for more profitable customers. This can explain why stores sell turkeys as loss leaders at Thanksgiving, but may not discount flowers on Mother's Day, or candy on Valentines Day.
Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of the Aztecs/A Nahuatl-English Dictionary and Concordance to the Cantares Mexicanos

Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of the Aztecs. John Bierhorst. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1985. Xiv. 559 pp. $48.50 (Cloth). ISBN 0-8047- 1182-8 . Nahuatl-English Dictionary and Concordance to the Cantares Mexicanos. John Bierhorst Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1985. 760 pp. $69.50 (Cloth) ISBN 0-8047-1183-6
Short Gamma-Ray Bursts and Mergers of Compact Objects: Observational Constraints

Gamma-ray burst (GRB) data accumulated over the years have shown that the distribution of their time duration is bimodal. While there is some evidence that long bursts are associated with star-forming regions, nothing is known regarding the class of short bursts. Their very short timescales are hard to explain with the collapse of a massive star but would be naturally produced by the merger of two compact objects, such as two neutron stars (NS-NS), or a neutron star and a black hole (NS-BH). As for the case of long bursts, afterglow obervations for short bursts should help reveal their origin. By using updated population synthesis code calculations, we simulate a cosmological population of merging NS-NS and NS-BH and compute the distribution of their galactic offsets, the density distribution of their environment, and, if indeed associated with GRBs, their expected afterglow characteristics.
Comparison of Sequence Differences in a Variable 23S rRNA Domain among Sets of Cryptic Species of Ciliated Protozoa

Studies were undertaken to discover the relative molecular distances separating some familiar forms of ciliated protozoa, and the genetic species they include. Sequences of 190 bases of the D2 domain of the large ribosomal nucleic acid molecule were obtained by polymerase chain reaction from protists of three distinctive groups of ciliated protozoa-Colpoda, Paramecium and Tetrahymena. Evolutionary trees were constructed for each set of sequences using the PHYLOGEN 1.0 string programs. All three groups of ciliates manifested large molecular diversity among strains difficult or impossible to distinguish morphologically. The largest single evolutionary distance within a group was the 75 differences separating Tetrahymena paravorax from the other tetrahymenids. The largest mean distance for a group was the 21.2 for the colpodids. In all the protist groups the large molecular diversity is obscured by morphological conservatism associated with constraints of ancient designs. The molecular diversity within morphotypes argues for long evolutionary coexistence of species differentiated from each other in significant physiological, ecological, or nutritional ways.
The Constitution in Congress: The Federalist Period, 1789-1801

This is an examination of the US constitution, providing an analysis from a legal perspective of the first six congresses constituting the federalist period. The book aims to establish that the Constitution was forged, not in the courts, but in the legislative and executive branches of government. The first half of the book is devoted to the work of the First Congress, which was virtually a continuation of the Constitutional Convention, setting up the executive cabinet departments, the judiciary, a taxation system, and a host of other institutions. The second part of the book examines the Second to the Sixth Congresses, where partisan battles arose over such controversial initiatives as the Alien and Sedition Acts.
The Limits of Science in Communication Disorders.

Science is a powerful tool when it addresses the kinds of questions it was designed to answer, but there are also important questions in communication disorders that fall outside the limits of science. Three such areas are discussed: Questions concerning social and personal values, questions that call for logical rather than scientific endeavors, and questions that should not be posed because we already know the answers and would not be influenced by contrary findings.
Gene discovery in the horned beetle Onthophagus taurus

Horned beetles, in particular in the genus Onthophagus, are important models for studies on sexual selection, biological radiations, the origin of novel traits, developmental plasticity, biocontrol, conservation, and forensic biology. Despite their growing prominence as models for studying both basic and applied questions in biology, little genomic or transcriptomic data are available for this genus. We used massively parallel pyrosequencing (Roche 454-FLX platform) to produce a comprehensive EST dataset for the horned beetle Onthophagus taurus. To maximize sequence diversity, we pooled RNA extracted from a normalized library encompassing diverse developmental stages and both sexes. We used 454 pyrosequencing to sequence ESTs from all post-embryonic stages of O. taurus. Approximately 1.36 million reads assembled into 50,080 non-redundant sequences encompassing a total of 26.5 Mbp. The non-redundant sequences match over half of the genes in Tribolium castaneum, the most closely related species with a sequenced genome. Analyses of Gene Ontology annotations and biochemical pathways indicate that the O. taurus sequences reflect a wide and representative sampling of biological functions and biochemical processes. An analysis of sequence polymorphisms revealed that SNP frequency was negatively related to overall expression level and the number of tissue types in which a given gene is expressed. The most variable genes were enriched for a limited number of GO annotations whereas the least variable genes were enriched for a wide range of GO terms directly related to fitness. This study provides the first large-scale EST database for horned beetles, a much-needed resource for advancing the study of these organisms. Furthermore, we identified instances of gene duplications and alternative splicing, useful for future study of gene regulation, and a large number of SNP markers that could be used in population-genetic studies of O. taurus and possibly other horned beetles.
The Quantum Theory of the Equation of State

It is shown that the quantum theory analogue to the quantity ${e}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{\ensuremath{\epsilon}\mathrm{pot}}{\mathrm{kT}}}$ giving the distribution in coordinates of systems at temperature $T$ can be easily set up. Similarly in quantum theory the computation of the free energy can be reduced to the integration of such a function over the coordinates, as in classical theory. The result is applied to a qualitative discussion of the equation of state of an imperfect gas, showing that He and ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ may be expected to show quantum effects in their equations of state, but hardly any other gases.
Effect of human recombinant tumor necrosis factor on the growth of different human and mouse long-term hematopoietic cell lines.

Previous studies have demonstrated that one of the most salient features of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is its ability to induce tumor necrosis in vivo, and the specificity of its cytotoxic/cytostatic activity for tumor cells has been demonstrated in in vitro studies in which this lymphokine has been shown to kill cultured cells of malignant lines and to have no effect on cells of normal diploid lines. Studies described herein defined the effect of highly purified human recombinant TNF on cells of 34 different human and murine hematopoietic cell lines, particularly human leukemic T and B cells of long-term lymphoblastoid cultures. Results of these studies demonstrated that TNF at concentrations of 3,600 U/mI had no significant effect on the growth of these cells as defined by cytotoxicity, measured with the use of the trypan blue dye-exclusion assay and as defined by cytostasis, assayed by the enumeration of cells and the uptake of [3H]-thymidine and -uridine. In contrast, positive control cultures of TNFsensitive cells from a murine tumor (L-M/clone L-929, connective tissue) displayed at 50% (LD50) reduction in growth by TNF at 5 U/mI. Likewise, human tumors ( MCF-7, breast, and HT-29, colon) were also highly sensitive (LDso <100 U/mI). These studies demonstrate that T and B cells of lymphoblastoid lines as well as cells of other hematopoietic lines display little or no sensitivity to TNF.
Electric vehicle DC charger integrated within a photovoltaic power system

Mitigation of the variability in output power of renewable generators such as solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is a growing concern as these generators reach higher penetrations on electric grids. This paper presents a system where a bidirectional, highly efficient, DC-DC electric vehicle (EV) charger is placed between the high-voltage DC bus of a PV system and the EV battery. In addition to providing fast charging for the EV battery from PV or from the grid, the charger is capable of diverting fast changes in PV power output to the battery, thereby reducing the rate of change of inverter output power to a level below the ramp rate of existing grid resources. The paper addresses sizing of the charger and energy storage based on the PV system rating, the desired maximum ramp rate, and site insolation characteristics. Analysis suggests that small amounts of energy storage can accomplish large reductions in output power ramp rate. Experimental results are shown for a 10 kW, 98% efficient DC-DC charger based on bidirectional four-phase zero-voltage-switching converter.
A 0.1°/HR bias drift electronically matched tuning fork microgyroscope

This paper presents an architecture that utilizes the often ignored residual quadrature error in a gyroscope to achieve and maintain perfect mode-matching, i.e., ~ 0 Hz split between the drive and sense mode frequencies, as well as electronically control the sensor bandwidth. A 6 mW, 3 V CMOS ASIC and control algorithm have been interfaced with a 60 mum thick mode-matched tuning fork gyroscope (M2-TFG) to implement an angular rate sensor with bias drift as low as 0.15deg/radichr and angle random walk (ARW) of 0.003deg/radichr - the lowest recorded to date for a silicon MEMS gyro. The maximum scale factor of the gyroscope is 88 m V/deg/s and the microsystem bandwidth can be configured between 1 to 10 Hz.
Spike Firing Pattern of Output Neurons of the Limulus Circadian Clock

The lateral eyes of the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) show a daily rhythm in visual sensitivity that is mediated by efferent nerve signals from a circadian clock in the crab's brain. How these signals communicate circadian messages is not known for this or other animals. Here the authors describe in quantitative detail the spike firing pattern of clock output neurons in living horseshoe crabs and discuss its possible significance to clock organization and function. Efferent fiber spike trains were recorded extracellularly for several hours to days, and in some cases, the electroretinogram was simultaneously acquired to monitor eye sensitivity. Statistical features of single- and multifiber recordings were characterized via interval distribution, serial correlation, and power spectral analysis. The authors report that efferent feedback to the eyes has several scales of temporal structure, consisting of multicellular bursts of spikes that group into clusters and packets of clusters that repeat throughout the night and disappear during the day. Except near dusk and dawn, the bursts occur every 1 to 2 sec in clusters of 10 to 30 bursts separated by a minute or two of silence. Within a burst, each output neuron typically fires a single spike with a preferred order, and intervals between bursts and clusters are positively correlated in length. The authors also report that efferent activity is strongly modulated by light at night and that just a brief flash has lasting impact on clock output. The multilayered firing pattern is likely important for driving circadian rhythms in the eye and other target organs.
Ultimate performance of polarizers for visible light

Polarizers with transmittances of 35 to 45% are common (Nicol prisms, dichroic polarizers); with non-reflecting coatings, such polarizers can be made with transmittances approaching 50%. Beam-splitting polarizers can be made with transmittances approaching 100%, but these polarizers are not “spathic”: The geometry of the emergent beam is quite different from the geometry of the entering beam.In this paper it is shown that a spathic polarizer with a transmittance of 100% is impossible; such a polarizer would violate the laws of thermodynamics. It is shown how one can construct in principle a spathic polarizer with a transmittance of about 89%, the exact figure depending on the brightness and wavelength of the light. It is further shown that as far as thermodynamic limitations alone are concerned, a spathic polarizer having a transmittance of about 99% is possible.The quantitative results are based on Planck’s thermodynamic theory of heat radiation.
Optimal monetary policies and policy interdependence in the world economy

The literature on strategic policy interactions has focused on the implications of alternative strategic policy interactions, cooperative versus noncooperative, for equilibrium macroeconomic policies given the state of the world economy. This paper asks how changes in world economic conditions alter equilibrium policies given the nature of policy interdependence among nations. The paper considers a world economy comprised of two countries operating under a system of flexible exchange rates. Both governments act noncooperatively and choose the rate of growth of their money supply so as to maximize the utility of their country’s residents given the rate of growth of the other country’s money supply. The resulting Nash equilibrium rates of growth of the home and foreign money supplies are determined and the dependence of international differences in money growth and inflation rates on international differences in technology. (JEL E52, E60, F41, F42). The international transmission of monetary and fiscal policies has been studied a great deal by economists. However, policy interdependence, how one country’s policies depend on the policies enacted by other countries, has only recently begun to be explored. Hamada’s (1976) paper was one of the first major contributions in this regard. Hamada considered a world economy comprised of n countries operating under a fixed exchange rate system in which policymakers set domestic credit growth so as to maximize an objective function depending on inflation and the rate of accumulation of international reserves. Using this framework Hamada demonstrated that, in equilibrium, optimal domestic credit policies are generally not Pareto efficient when they are chosen noncooperatively but are Pareto efficient when they are set cooperatively. In subsequent work, Hamada (1979, 1985) has elaborated on this and various other aspects of cooperative and noncooperative monetary policies under both fixed and flexible exchange rates. Many others have followed Hamada’s lead by comparing the properties of cooperative and noncooperative monetary policies. Eichengreen (1985) for instance, considers discount rates as the instrument of monetary policy and examines issues of leadership and cooperation during the interwar years under the gold standard. Oudiz and Sachs (1985) have used simulation methods to
Development of the Optimality Index as a new approach to evaluating outcomes of maternity care

Evaluating perinatal outcomes within a framework of normalcy is a new focus of measurement. As maternal and child health clinicians and researchers look to evaluate care practices that are both of high quality and cost‐effective, it is important to have measurement tools that assess differences among all women giving birth. The Optimality Index‐US shifts the focus from rare adverse events to evidence‐based optimal events. This article describes the continuing development of the index and discusses clinical implications for obstetric nurse clinicians. JOGNN, 35, 770‐778; 2006. DOI: 10.1111/J.1552‐6909.2006.00105.x
Learning Word Vectors for Sentiment Analysis

Unsupervised vector-based approaches to semantics can model rich lexical meanings, but they largely fail to capture sentiment information that is central to many word meanings and important for a wide range of NLP tasks. We present a model that uses a mix of unsupervised and supervised techniques to learn word vectors capturing semantic term--document information as well as rich sentiment content. The proposed model can leverage both continuous and multi-dimensional sentiment information as well as non-sentiment annotations. We instantiate the model to utilize the document-level sentiment polarity annotations present in many online documents (e.g. star ratings). We evaluate the model using small, widely used sentiment and subjectivity corpora and find it out-performs several previously introduced methods for sentiment classification. We also introduce a large dataset of movie reviews to serve as a more robust benchmark for work in this area.
Fluid flow control with transformation media.

We introduce a new concept for the manipulation of fluid flow around three-dimensional bodies. Inspired by transformation optics, the concept is based on a mathematical idea of coordinate transformations and physically implemented with anisotropic porous media permeable to the flow of fluids. In two situations—for an impermeable object placed either in a free-flowing fluid or in a fluid-filled porous medium—we show that the object can be coated with an inhomogeneous, anisotropic permeable medium, such as to preserve the flow that would have existed in the absence of the object. The proposed fluid flow cloak eliminates downstream wake and compensates viscous drag, hinting at the possibility of novel propulsion techniques.
Thin-Layer Chromatography of Some Inorganic Complexes Using Microcrystalline Cellulose as the Separation Medium

Abstract Microcrystalline cellulose as an adsorbent in inorganic thin-layer chromatography has been successfully applied to the separation of several cobalt complexes in a variety of solvent systems. The analogy between paper, ion-exchange, and silica-gel chromatographic separations is discussed.
Identification of OppA2 Linear Epitopes as Serodiagnostic Markers for Lyme Disease

Laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease is based on the serological detection of antibodies against the etiologic agent Borrelia burgdorferi. Current diagnostics are insensitive at detecting early infection, when treatment is most effective. This deficiency results from the limited number of B. burgdorferi antigens expressed in early infection and the use of an insensitive two-tier paradigm, put in place to deal with insufficient specificity associated with the use of whole-protein antigens and/or bacterial lysates as serodiagnostic targets. Whole-protein antigens contain epitopes that are unique to B. burgdorferi as well as cross-reactive epitopes found in other bacteria. One method for overcoming the limitations imposed by cross-reactive epitopes is the use of short peptides containing epitopes unique to B. burgdorferi as antigen targets. This eliminates nonspecific epitopes. Using overlapping peptide libraries, we performed epitope mapping of linear epitopes in oligopeptide permease A2 (OppA2), a member of the oligopeptide permease (Opp) family of peptide transporters, expressed during early B. burgdorferi infection. We identified 9 epitopes, synthesized peptides containing these epitopes, and screened those using panels of blood from patients with early Lyme disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or syphilis or from healthy individuals. Two of the peptides, OppA2 (191-225) (amino acids comprising the peptide are shown in parentheses) and OppA2 (381-400), are highly conserved among the three major pathogenic Borrelia species responsible for most Lyme disease cases in North America and Europe. They detected antibodies in Lyme disease patient sera with sufficient sensitivity and specificity to indicate that they could have value in a serological assay for Lyme disease.
MicroRNAs: a potential interface between the circadian clock and human health

The biochemical activity of a stunning diversity of cell types and organ systems is shaped by a 24-hour (circadian) clock. This rhythmic drive to a good deal of the transcriptome (up to 15% of all coding genes) imparts circadian modulation over a wide range of physiological and behavioral processes (from cell division to cognition). Further, dysregulation of the clock has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a large and diverse array of disorders, such as hypertension, cancer and depression. Indeed, the possibility of utilizing therapeutic approaches that target clock physiology (that is, chronotherapy) has gained broad interest. However, a deeper understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms that modulate the clock, and give rise to organ-specific clock transcriptomes, will be required to fully realize the power of chronotherapies. Recently, microRNAs have emerged as significant players in circadian clock timing, thus raising the possibility that clock-controlled microRNAs could contribute to disorders of the human circadian timing system. Here, we highlight recent work revealing a key role for microRNAs in clock physiology, and discuss potential approaches to unlocking their utility as effectors of circadian physiology and pathophysiology.
Working memory networks for learning temporal order with application to three-dimensional visual object recognition

Working memory neural networks, called Sustained Temporal Order REcurrent (STORE) models, encode the invariant temporal order of sequential events in short-term memory (STM). Inputs to the networks...
Vitreous cytology in asteroid hyalosis and observations on interpretation of cytologic findings in specimens of the posterior (vitreous) compartment of the eye.

Cytologic methods have been used in the pathologic investigation of the posterior (vitreous) compartment of the eye in specimens obtained by fine-needle aspiration, as well as by surgical procedures. The vitreous body, which is in a semiliquid gel state, lends itself to pathologic investigation by cytologic methods. We report on a case of reparative eye surgery for complications of previous cataract extraction; vitrectomy was performed for vitreous opacities, which, by cytologic examination, were diagnostic of asteroid hyalosis, a relatively uncommon condition affecting the elderly. The cytologic findings diagnostic of this disease are described. Observations are made on the cytologic findings commonly encountered in specimens obtained from the posterior (vitreous) compartment of the eye.
Dialectics of Race and Nationality: Contradictions and Philadelphia Working‐Class Youth

This article explores the concept of dialectical contradictions as it relates to individual understandings of intergroup relations in the United States. The ways that working-class white youth and adults combine contradictory experience and ideology in their behavior and belief systems regarding foreign-born residents and people of color are detailed. By describing conflict and cooperation among youth from different races and nationalities, the discussion shows the relationship between the concept of dialectics and race relations as they are played out in day-to-day interactions in a Philadelphia neighborhood and Polish nationalities parish school.
Proteomic analysis yields an unexpected trans-acting point in control of the human sympathochromaffin phenotype.

Background— The secretory protein chromogranin A (CHGA) plays a necessary role in formation of catecholamine storage vesicles and gives rise to a catecholamine release–inhibitory fragment. Because genetic variation in the proximal human CHGA promoter predicts autonomic function and blood pressure, we explored how a common genetic variant alters transcription of the gene. Methods and Results— Bioinformatic analysis suggested that the common G−462A promoter variant (rs9658634) may disrupt as many as 3 transcriptional control motifs: LEF1, COUP-TF, and PPARγ-RXRα. During electrophoretic mobility shifts, chromaffin cell nuclear proteins bound specifically to the A (though not G) allele of CHGA promoter G−462A. On oligonucleotide affinity chromatography followed by electrospray ionization followed by 2-dimensional (tandem) mass spectrometry analysis of A allele eluates, the transcription factor LEF1 (lymphoid enhancer-binding factor-1) was identified. Interaction of LEF1 with the A allele at G−462A was confirmed by supershift. On cotransfection, LEF1 discriminated between the allelic variants, especially in chromaffin cells. Allele specificity of trans -activation by LEF1 was transferable to an isolated G−462A element fused to a heterologous (SV40) promoter. Because β-catenin (CTNNB1) can heterodimerize with LEF1, we tested the effect of cotransfection of this factor and again found A allele–specific perturbation of CHGA transcription. Conclusions— Common genetic variation within the human CHGA promoter alters the interaction of specific factors in trans with the promoter, with LEF1 identified by proteomic analysis and confirmed by supershift. Coexpression experiments show functional effects of LEF1 and CTNNB1 on CHGA promoter. The findings document a novel role for components of the immune and WNT pathways in control of human sympathochromaffin phenotypes.
Design and characterization of an economical (192)Ir hemi-brain small animal irradiator.

AbstractPurpose: To describe the design and dosimetric characterization of a simple and economical small animal irradiator.Materials and methods: A high dose rate (HDR) 192Ir brachytherapy source from a commercially available afterloader was used with a 1.3 cm thick tungsten collimator to provide sharp beam penumbra suitable for hemi-brain irradiation of mice. The unit was equipped with continuous gas anesthesia to allow robust animal immobilization. Dosimetric characterization of the device was performed with Gafchromic film measurements.Results: The tungsten collimator provided a sharp penumbra suitable for hemi-brain irradiation, and dose rates on the order of 200 cGy/minute were achieved. The sharpness of the penumbra attainable with this device compares favorably to those measured experimentally for 6 MV photons, and 6 and 20 MeV electron beams from a linear accelerator, and was comparable to those measured for a 300 kVp orthovoltage beam and a Monte Carlo simulated 90 MeV proton beam.Conclusions: Du...
Using Simulation Training to Improve Culturally Responsive Child Welfare Practice

Child welfare professionals need to understand the complexities of the factors that influence parenting, values, and worldviews. Being able to work across cultures is critical to assessing safety, obtaining effective services, and creating permanent healthy families for children of color. The purpose of the project was to grapple with the challenge of increasing culturally responsive practice in a context of safety and permanency that is defined by American political and cultural values. The response to this challenge was a competency-based training program designed to enhance the effectiveness of child welfare practice with Latino families. A key feature of the training was a simulation to raise awareness and learning readiness through an experiential approach to learning. The simulation is the first component of a multi-faceted training curriculum aimed at the integration of culturally responsive practices in child welfare practice. The training series was part of a 3-year demonstration project funded b...
Development of new spatially curved frame finite element for crash analysis part 1: Formulation and validation

This paper deals with the development of a new space curved frame finite element to be used for crash analysis (non-linear). The formulation has been validated for problems of large deflection and rotation, and for problems involving initially curved members. Based on the validation performed, it is expected that crash problems may be modeled using a single element per member thus retaining computational efficiency while performing an accurate analysis.
A fault tolerant hierarchical interconnection network and its bandwidth analysis

A number of hierarchical interconnection networks (HINs) has been proposed in the literature which can be used for building large cluster-based multiprocessors. It is very desirable that a HIN must be fault tolerant, because even a single fault in the network can completely disconnect a large number of processors and memory modules from the rest of the system. As a result, the performance of the system will decrease significantly. In this paper, we have proposed a HIN which can work under faulty conditions but with a slight degradation in performance. We have also developed analytical models to determine the performance of the proposed fault tolerant HIN. The analytical models have been validated by simulation models. >
Developmental changes in submucosal nitrergic neurons in the porcine distal colon.

Abstract Background/Purpose As our understanding of the enteric nervous system improves, it becomes clear that it is no longer sufficient to simply determine whether enteric ganglion cells are present but also to determine whether correct number and types of ganglion cells are present. Nitric oxide is recognized as a potent mediator of inhibitory nerves responsible for the relaxation of the smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to determine the normal nitrergic neuronal density and morphology in the submucosal plexus of the porcine distal bowel from fetal life to adulthood. Methods Distal large bowel specimens were obtained from porcine fetuses of gestational age E60 (n = 5), E90 (n = 5), 1-day-old piglets (n = 5), 4-week-old piglets (n = 5), 12-week-old piglets (n = 5), and adult pigs (n = 5). Whole-mount preparations of the submucosal plexus were made and stained with NADPH diaphorase histochemistry. The ganglia density, the number of ganglion cells per ganglia, and nucleus and cytoplasmic area were measured. Results Ganglia density decreased progressively and markedly with age until the adulthood ( P P P Conclusions The quantitative and qualitative morphometric analysis of the colonic submucous plexus shows that significant developmental changes occur during fetal and postnatal life. These findings indicate that the age of the patient is of utmost importance during histopathologic evaluation of enteric nervous system disorders.
Effect of Dosing Vehicle on the Developmental Toxicity of Bromodichloromethane and Carbon Tetrachloride in Rats

Effect of Dosing Vehicle on the Developmental Toxicity of Bro- modichloromethane and Carbon Tetrachloride in Rats. Narotsky, M. G., Pegram, R. A., and Kavlock, R. J. (1997). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 40, 30-36.
Residential location and environmental amenities: a review of the evidence

V. Kerry Smith (1977) Residential location and environmental amenities a review of the evidence, Reg Studies 11, 47–61. The valuation of an improvement in environmental amenities has become an increasingly important problem. One of the most widely accepted methods for evaluating the effects of air quality changes is through estimated property value—air pollution relations. The purpose of this paper is to critically review the empirical evidence on the nature of this association. In addition, the appropriate interpretation of the estimates is considered. It is argued that the usefulness of the property value equations is based on the relative importance of violations of one or more of the assumptions underlying the residential location model which is the theoretical basis for the empirical equations. Before a final verdict on these models can be derived it will be necessary to examine, in detail, the full impact of such failures in the assumptions.
Varicella-Zoster Virus ORF47 Protein Kinase, Which Is Required for Replication in Human T Cells, and ORF66 Protein Kinase, Which Is Expressed during Latency, Are Dispensable for Establishment of Latency

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) results in a lifelong latent infection in human sensory and cranial nerve ganglia after primary infection. VZV open reading frame 47 (ORF47) and ORF66 encode protein kinases that phosphorylate several viral proteins, including VZV glycoprotein gE and ORF32, ORF62, and ORF63 proteins. Here we show that the ORF47 protein kinase also phosphorylates gI. While ORF47 is essential for virus replication in human T cells and skin, we found the gene to be dispensable for establishment of latent infection in dorsal root ganglia of rodents. ORF66 protein is expressed during latency. Rodents infected with VZV unable to express ORF66 developed latent infection at a rate similar to that for the parental virus. ORF63 transcripts, a hallmark of VZV latency, were also detected in similar numbers of animals infected with the ORF47 and ORF66 mutants and with the parental virus. VZV mutants unable to express four of the six genes that do not have herpes simplex virus (HSV) homologs (ORFs 1, 13, 32, 57) were also unimpaired for establishment of latency. While a truncated HSV VP16 mutant was previously reported to be unable to establish latency in a mouse model, we found that VZV with a deletion of ORF10, the homolog of HSV VP16, was dispensable for establishment of latency. Thus, seven genes, including one expressed during latency, are dispensable for establishing latent VZV infection.
Memory Models with Limit Cycles as Attractors

In this chapter our goal is to design a version of (1.1), specifically a modification of the memory model (3.5), which offers dense storage of limit cycles as attractors.
A lightweight infrastructure for the dynamic creation and configuration of virtual platforms

Virtual prototypes leverage SystemC/TLM for simulating programmable platforms comprising 100s of modules. Their efficient creation and configuration is vital for acceptable turnaround times, e.g., during performance exploration or software development. Therefore, our lightweight infrastructure provides a factory creating designs from abstract descriptions of module instances, properties, and connections. Modules mark properties as creation or runtime parameters. The resulting generic design descriptions are usable by non-experts and enable front-ends. The infrastructure is a small C++ library that can be combined with existing SystemC/TLM models and simulation kernels. An industrial case study of a complex multiprocessor SoC shows a distinct productivity gain.
Clonal plasma cells keep strange company

Multiple myeloma and other clonal plasma cell disorders have long been known to give rise to a diverse set of paraneoplastic phenomena. Some of the paraneoplastic effects are linked to cross-reacti...
Are YFAK-specific TCR retrogenic mice whose splenocytes secrete high levels of IL-10 protected from EAE? (56.9)

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important mediators of a normal immune system response, and the misregulation of Tregs can result in susceptibility to various autoimmune diseases. The random amino acid copolymer YEAK (Copaxone) is widely used in the therapy of human multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as in the amelioration of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the mouse model of MS. Our lab has identified a more effective copolymer, YFAK. Both YEAK and YFAK ameliorate EAE by inducing regulatory T cells that secrete the immunomodulatory cytokine IL-10, which mediates bystander immunosuppression. The precise mechanisms underlying the development, function, and maintenance of regulatory T cells are unknown. Therefore, we have generated a YFAK-induced regulatory T cell line and cloned its specific T cell receptors (TCRs) in order to investigate the role of the TCR in the epigenetic change that leads to selective IL-10 secretion. Retrogenic mice expressing YFAK-specific TCRs have been generated. Splenocytes from these mice secrete high levels of IL-10, indicating that the TCR encodes information for the secretion of this cytokine. In addition, experiments in progress asking whether these TCR retrogenic mice are better protected from EAE will be reported. These studies can inform the exploitation of regulatory T cells in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Physicochemical mechanisms of plasma-liquid interactions within plasma channels in liquid

The goal of this study is to advance the fundamental understanding of the physical and chemical mechanisms by which excited radical species produced by electrical plasmas directly in water, OH radicals especially, induce chemical changes in aqueous organic compounds and to exploit this for the development and optimization of drinking and wastewater plasma-based treatment systems. To achieve this goal, this study measured and correlated the production rate of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) with physicochemical properties of 11 organic compounds. The observed individual correlations between the investigated physicochemical properties and the resulting H2O2 concentrations were used to develop an equation that would allow predicting the measured H2O2 concentration from physicochemical properties of a compound. Results reveal that the production rate of H2O2 directly depends on the surface tension of the solution and compounds' bulk liquid concentration, hydrophobicity (K ow value), and molecular volume. Other properties such as vapor pressure, Henry's constant, enthalpy of vaporization, ionization energy, electron affinity, and molecular dipole moment do not affect the H2O2 chemistry. K ow value and surface tension of the solution determine the compound's concentration at the plasma interface. Once at the interface, the molecular volume determines the rate at which the molecule will react with OH radicals.
Multiple Sclerosis as a Disease of Immune Regulation

ConclusionsMost available evidence suggests that infection with enveloped viruses of the myxo-, paramyxo-, herpes-, and poxvirus families may occasionally induce immunization to neural antigens, myelin antigens in particular, and a consequent encephalomyelitis localized to the white matter. In individuals with a genetically determined abnormality of immune regulation, this process may not be suppressed and may give rise to the recurrent or long-lasting periods of new lesion formation which we call multiple sclerosis. Exacerbations may be provoked by further virus infections or by childbirth. The responsible white matter antigen(s) have not been firmly identified and the immunoregu-latory abnormality is unknown. The character of the lesions appears to be determined by multiple simultaneous immune responses to different antigens and multiple superimposed immunopathologic effects.Much of what is presented in the present review may require revision as the further application of monoclonal antibody techniques ...
Vicarious learning of common and uncommon associations in children

The vicarious acquisition of common and uncommon verbal associations was studied in 347 children. Results indicated that a disposition for uncommon responding could be learned vicariously and was dependent solely on the model’s performance; instructions to the model, as well as the presence or absence of vicarious reinforcement, were insignificant variables. No systematic relationships were found between imitative behavior and scores derived from 3 children’s personality scales.