cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biosensor-based identification and characterization of three distinct calmodulin-binding domains in the human angiotensin II receptor type 1A (LB569)

The angiotensin II receptor type 1A (AT1R) is responsible for many effects of angiotensin II (AngII). Calmodulin (CaM) is essential for many cell functions due to its interactions with many protein...
Exploiting Manual Indexing to Improve Collection Selection and Retrieval Effectiveness

Vocabulary incompatibilities arise when the terms used to index a document collection are largely unknown, or at least not well-known to the users who eventually search the collection. No matter how comprehensive or well-structured the indexing vocabulary, it is of little use if it is not used effectively in query formulation. This paper demonstrates that techniques for mapping user queries into the controlled indexing vocabulary have the potential to radically improve document retrieval performance. We also show how the use of controlled indexing vocabulary can be employed to achieve performance gains for collection selection. Finally, we demonstrate the potential benefit of combining these two techniques in an interactive retrieval environment. Given a user query, our evaluation approach simulates the human user's choice of terms for query augmentation given a list of controlled vocabulary terms suggested by a system. This strategy lets us evaluate interactive strategies without the need for human subjects.
Effects of Protein Deficiency, Pair-Feeding, or Diet Supplementation on Maternal, Fetal and Placental Growth in Rats

The effects of feeding, throughout gestation, a diet deficient in protein, of pair-feeding, and of supplementing the deficient diet late in gestation on maternal body weight and weights of the products of conception were investigated in the rat. Protein deprivation resulted in net loss of maternal body weight, smaller and thinner placentas with decreased DNA content and placental labyrinth size, reduced uterine tissue weight, and smaller fetuses with retarded bone development. Pair-feeding caused a less severe reduction in maternal, uterine, placental, and fetal weights. Placentas from pair-fed dams had normal cell numbers with reduced cell size. Diet supplementation late in gestation resulted in increased net and total maternal body weight and uterine, placental, and fetal fetal weights, and an apparent partial recovery in fetal bone development. Placental cell size also increased significantly. The results suggest that placental and uterine development in protein-deficient dams is not the limiting factor in fetal development. Availability of protein may be the primary limiting factor, and energy deficit may play a secondary role.
Model pyroxenes II: Structural variation as a function of tetrahedral rotation

Model pyroxenes with regular tetrahedral and M1 octahedral coordination polyhedra have been derived. The M2 polyhedron is not constrained to be regular. These models are parameterized in terms of the O3-O3-O3 angle, θ, and the model O atom radius, r . Crystallographic parameters such as interatomic distances, unit cell volume, and packing distortion are determined as a function of the O3-O3-O3 angle. Results are compared with observed pyroxenes, providing insight into which interatomic interactions are important in determining pyroxene topology and behavior. Temperature is shown to favor polyhedral regularity in orthopyroxene and protopyroxene. Compression and expansion strain ellipsoids for observed and model pyroxenes are compared, demonstrating that a combination of tetrahedral rotation and isotropic compression approximately reproduces the compression ellipsoids of pyroxenes, but not the expansion ellipsoids.
Lot-to-order matching for a semiconductor assembly and test facility

This paper is motivated by the problem of assigning semiconductor fabrication wafer lots to customer orders of various sizes. The goal of this research is to develop a method for deciding, on a given day, which orders to fill and the assignment of available lots to orders. This decision should be made in order to effectively utilize the capacity of the assembly/test facility, to minimize excess product that must be sent to a storage facility, and to maximize on-time delivery of customer orders. This problem can be formulated as an integer program with a nonlinear objective and nonlinear constraints. Because of the complexity of this formulation we decompose the problem into two integer linear programs and solve them in sequence by heuristic methods. The performance of the heuristic is analyzed using a representative data set. Based on this analysis, it is shown that our greedy heuristic performs significantly better than current practice.
A model for circadian clocks.

An extension of an earlier model simulating the effects of light on the drosophila eclosion rhythm is presented. The effects of variable light intensity are described. This allows not only the simulation of certain experiments not covered by the earlier model, but also it permits an extension of the model to other organisms. By changing only its sensitivity to light the model simulates the phase response curves of certain mammals as well as Aschoff’srule.
Effect of Color on Developmental Picture-Vocabulary Naming of 4-, 6-, and 8-Year-Old Children

This study examined the effect of color on the naming process in children for pictures of increasing vocabulary difficulty levels. Picture-naming reaction times and accuracy rates were measured for...
Extending the Hours of Operation of Alcohol Serving Establishments An Assessment of an Innovative Strategy to Reduce the Problems Arising From the After-Hours Consumption of Alcohol

On May 11, 2009, the City of San Marcos, Texas adopted an ordinance that allowed local bars to extend their hours of operation from midnight until 2 a.m. The objective of this initiative, which went into effect on June 4, 2009, was to minimize the problems that arise from the consumption of alcohol. The present investigation uses interrupted time series autoregressive integrated moving average [ARIMA]) modeling techniques to analyze weekly data to assess the impact of the ordinance, along with a limited increase in patrol strength in the downtown district, on the number of calls for service involving verbal disturbances, physical disturbances, public intoxication, and driving under the influence of alcohol. Overall, the interrupted time series analyses indicate that neither the city council’s nor the police department’s strategies for mitigating some of the negative consequences of the consumption of alcoholic beverages in bars and taverns were successful. The implications of these findings for lessening ...
Prescribed fire and cutting as tools for reducing woody plant succession in a created salt marsh

This paper reports on efforts to reduce woody successional growth by the native shrub Iva frutescens L. in a created salt marsh by using prescribed fire and cutting. Experimental treatments included a winter burn, cutting plants at ground level, and a combination burn-and-cut treatment, with replicate plots of each. Iva frutescens proved to be extremely hardy, with zero mortality following the cutting, burning, or combination treatment; similar levels of regrowth were observed for all treatments. Individual shrub response, however, was found to be related to initial plant size, ground water level and salinity, and two fire characteristics (total heating >60°C and total heat index >60°C). Fire severity, sediment nutrient concentrations, and other abiotic factors had no observable effects.
Assimilation of HF Radar-Derived Radials and Total Currents in the Monterey Bay Area

Abstract Impact of HF radar surface-current assimilation on ocean circulation model predictions in the Monterey Bay area is studied and evaluated during the time frame of the Autonomous Ocean Sampling Network (AOSN-II) experiment (August–September 2003). In the first instance, a previously described method for assimilation of surface current data is applied to 33-h low-pass-filtered data and a non-tidal version of the circulation model. It is demonstrated that assimilation of surface velocity data significantly improves the surface and subsurface correlation of model currents with moored current observations. These results from the AOSN-II period illustrate that surface-current assimilation is beneficial even in cases for which very high-resolution (3 km) atmospheric forcing is utilized. The assimilation approach is also tested with hourly, unfiltered, CODAR-type HF radar-derived surface currents within a model configuration that includes tidal forcing. It is shown, that assimilation of unfiltered (with tides) surface-current observations into the model with tides improves the sub-tidal model predictions to the level comparable with the assimilation of filtered data into the non-tidal model, which is significant with respect to options for designing real-time nowcast and forecast systems. Finally, the approach is extended and evaluated for the direct assimilation of HF radar-derived radial velocity components. The model runs that included assimilation of radials from at least two HF radar sites show better correlations with observations than the non-assimilative run, especially those runs that included radials from the Santa Cruz site. Directions of radials for that site coincide with the directions of dominant southward flow during upwelling events and the northward flow during relaxation events. Direct assimilation of radial currents extends the range of influence of the data into regions covered by only one HF radar site.
Glucose Biosensor Using Glucose Oxidase and Electrospun Mn2O3‐Ag Nanofibers

The highly porous Mn2O3-Ag nanofibers were fabricated by a facile two-step procedure (electrospinning and calcination). The structure and composition of the Mn2O3-Ag nanofibers were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, EDX and SAED. The as-prepared Mn2O3-Ag nanofibers were then employed as the immobilization matrix for glucose oxidase (GOD) to construct an amperometric glucose biosensor. The biosensor shows fast response to glucose, high sensitivity (40.60 µA mM−1 cm−2), low detection limit (1.73 µM at S/N=3), low Km,app value and excellent selectivity. These results indicate that the novel Mn2O3-Ag nanfibers-GOD composite has great potential application in oxygen-reduction based glucose biosensing.
A host mutation affecting the synthesis of late proteins during infection of Bacillus subtilis by bacteriophage SP82.

Abstract We describe a temperature-sensitive mutation of Bacillus subtilis which appears to affect a host function necessary for late protein synthesis during infection by bacteriophage SP82. When cells carrying this mutation are infected by SP82 at the restrictive temperature, synthesis of the late proteins responsible for serum-blocking power and lytic activity is inhibited, while relatively normal synthesis of an early enzyme continues, even at late times.
DENSIMETRIC DETERMINATION OF EQUILIBRIUM BINDING OF SUCROSE OCTASULFATE WITH BASIC FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) strongly bind to heparin and are thereby stabilized against deactivation and proteolytic cleavage. Sucrose octasulfate (SOS), which has a chemical structure resembling the repeating unit of heparin, has also been shown to enhance stability of basic FGF against thermal denaturation and to induce a small conformational change. We have examined SOS binding to bFGF using equilibrium dialysis. The difference in SOS concentration across the dialysis membrane was measured using a precision density meter, since the density of SOS differs greatly from that of water. With care, this densimetric technique can measure binding with a precision of +/- 0.1 mol/mol using about 2 mg/ml of protein. These results show that the binding saturates at 2 mol of SOS per mole of bFGF as the SOS concentration increases to 3.6 mM or higher. The effect of SOS on the thermal stability of bFGF was examined using denaturation at a constant heating rate, by both turbidity and differential scanning calorimetry. Since the thermal denaturation is irreversible, the temperature where aggregation abruptly increases was taken to indicate the onset of denaturation. This temperature increased by approximately 12 degrees C as the SOS concentration increased from 0.018 to 3.6 mM and remained constant above 3.6 mM, consistent with our binding data if the binding is specific to the native state.
Effect of melatonin on thermal selection by Crotaphytus collaris (Squamata: Iguanidae)

Abstract 1. 1. Lizards were acclimated to a diel cycle of 15°–30°C and an LD 12:12 photoperiod, injected with melatonin (1 μg/g) or a saline control, and placed in an experimental thermal gradient (5°-50°C) for 3 days. 2. 2. The effect of melatonin on body temperature ( T b ) differed depending on the time of day and the day temperatures were recorded. 3. 3. Experimentals chose higher mean T b 'S in photophase and lower mean T b 'S in scotophase than controls and selected higher mean T b 'S on days 1 and 2, but lower mean T b 's on day 3. 4. 4. Control and experimental lizards had significant day to day changes in thermal selection and experienced significant changes in thermal selection with time of day.
AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH PHONOLOGY

AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH PHONOLOGY. April McMahon. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Pp. x + 148. $24.95 paper.Unlike many other introductory textbooks that focus specifically on English phonology (Carr, 1999; Giegerich, 1992; Roach, 2000), McMahon's text does not begin with the mechanics of how English vowels and consonants are produced but rather focuses first on the heart of phonology: the phoneme. Although the book is slim, it adequately covers the same topics that comparable books cover, and McMahon's strength comes from apt metaphors and clear explanations that help the reader comprehend difficult concepts.
The rituals of public meetings

Public meetings are often referred to as “rituals” to denote a largely symbolic activity with little concrete meaning. This essay explores how public meeting rituals may produce very real impacts on participants and pragmatic outcomes. Whereas tangible outputs of rituals are not always evident, ritual theory suggests that participants can derive latent meaning and significant comfort from their application. Although rituals serve to reify certain norms or control behaviors, they may also reaffirm civic values and encourage group cohesion. A deeper appreciation of public meeting rituals will enable participants and officials to respond more effectively to restructured or nontraditional formats as well as better deal with the challenges of maintaining participation when rituals lose their meaning.
HIGH REMISSION-INDUCTION RATE IN ACUTE MYELOID LEUKÆMIA

28 adult patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (A.M.L.) received T.A.D., a high-dose sequential chemotherapeutic remission-induction regimen consisting of 7-day courses of cytosine arabinoside, 6-thioguanine, and daunorubicin. Overall response-rate was 82%. 22 patients (79%) achieved complete remission, and 1 had a partial remission. Median remission duration was 280 days and median survival 375 days. 10 patients remain in remission. These induction results are superior to those reported in most studies and indicate that disease remission can be achieved in a high proportion of patients with A.M.L. treated with an intensive multi-agent chemotherapeutic regimen, provided support facilities are adequate.
Determination of Surface Fluxes from the Surface Radiative Temperature

Abstract This study examines the bulk aerodynamic method for estimating surface fluxes of heat and moisture using the surface radiative temperature. The surface rediative temperature is often the only available surface temperature from field measurements. Models typically predict heat fluxes from the surface radiative temperature computed from the surface energy balance. In this study, the corresponding radiometric exchange coefficient and radiometric roughness height are computed from tower- and low-level aircraft data taken during four different field programs. The data analysis shows that the radiometric exchange coefficient does not increase with increasing instability. This is because the radiometric exchange coefficient must compensate for the large vertical temperature difference resulting from use of the surface radiative temperature. The data analysis and scaling arguments indicate that the radiometric exchange coefficient for heat in the bulk aerodynamic formulation is closely related to θ*/Δθ f...
Finding schedule-sensitive branches

This paper presents an automated, precise technique, TAME, for identifying schedule-sensitive branches (SSBs) in concurrent programs, i.e., branches whose decision may vary depending on the actual scheduling of concurrent threads. The technique consists of 1) tracing events at fine-grained level; 2) deriving the constraints for each branch; and 3) invoking an SMT solver to find possible SSB, by trying to solve the negated branch condition. To handle the infeasibly huge number of computations that would be generated by the fine-grained tracing, TAME leverages concolic execution and implements several sound approximations to delimit the number of traces to analyse, yet without sacrificing precision. In addition, TAME implements a novel distributed trace partition approach distributing the analysis into smaller chunks. Evaluation on both popular benchmarks and real applications shows that TAME is effective in finding SSBs and has good scalability. TAME found a total of 34 SSBs, among which 17 are related to concurrency errors, and 9 are ad hoc synchronizations.
Large Eddy Simulation of Leading Edge Film Cooling: Part II — Heat Transfer and Effect of Blowing Ratio

Detailed investigation of film cooling for a cylindrical leading edge is carried out using Large Eddy Simulation (LES). Part-II of the paper focuses on the effect of coolant to mainstream blowing ratio on flow features and consequently on the adiabatic effectiveness and heat transfer ratio. With the advantage of obtaining unique, accurate and dynamic results from LES, the influential coherent structures in the flow are identified. Describing the mechanism of jet – mainstream interaction, it is shown that as the blowing ratio increases, a more turbulent shear layer and stronger mainstream entrainment occur. The combined effect, leads to a lower adiabatic effectiveness and higher heat transfer coefficient. Surface distribution and span-averaged profiles are shown for both adiabatic effectiveness and heat transfer (presented by Frossling number). Results are in good agreement with the experimental data of Ekkad et al. [12].Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Microbial cometabolism of sucralose, a chlorinated disaccharide, in environmental samples

During the rapid mineralization in soil of sucralose (4-chloro-4-deoxy-α,D-galactopyranosyl-1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-β,D-fructofuranoside), a metabolic product was formed that appears to be the corresponding unsaturated aldehyde. During the slow and incomplete mineralization of sucralose in lake water, which was not increased by the addition of nitrogen and phosphorus, the same compound was produced. That product was further metabolized by microorganisms in lake water and soil. Mineralization was also slow in sewage under aerobic conditions, but organic products were not detected. Little or no CO2 was formed from the disaccharide in flooded soil or anaerobic sewage. Bacteria in culture did not use sucralose as a carbon source but did convert it to the presumed unsaturated aldehyde, 1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-D-fructose and possibly the uronic acid of sucralose. Sucralose carbon was not incorporated into cells of two sucralose-metabolizing bacteria or the microbial biomass of sewage or lake water. The chlorinated disaccharide was slowly metabolized by a galactose oxidase preparation. It is concluded that the chlorinated sugar is acted on microbiologically by cometabolism.
Design and Synthesis of a New Class of Membrane Permeable Triazaborolopyridinium Fluorescent Probes

A new class of fluorescent triazaborolopyridinium compounds was synthesized from hydrazones of 2-hydrazinylpyridine (HPY) and evaluated as potential dyes for live-cell imaging applications. The HPY dyes are small, their absorption/emission properties are tunable through variation of pyridyl or hydrazone substituents, and they offer favorable photophysical characteristics featuring large Stokes shifts and general insensitivity to solvent or pH. The stability, neutral charge, cell membrane permeability, and favorable relative influences on the water solubility of HPY conjugates are complementary to existing fluorescent dyes and offer advantages for the development of receptor-targeted small-molecule probes. This potential was assessed through the development of a new class of cysteine-derived HPY-conjugate imaging agents for the kinesin spindle protein (KSP) that is expressed in the cytoplasm during mitosis and is a promising chemotherapeutic target. Conjugates possessing the neutral HPY or charged Alexa Fluor dyes that function as potent, selective allosteric inhibitors of the KSP motor were compared using biochemical and cell-based phenotypic assays and live-cell imaging. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the HPY dye moiety as a component of probes for an intracellular protein target and highlight the importance of dye structure in determining the pathway of cell entry and the overall performance of small-molecule conjugates as imaging agents.
Interleukin-22: a sheep in wolf's clothing

Interleukin-22, a component of the immune system most studied for its role in autoimmunity, has a more beneficial side. Two studies show how this cytokine fights off microbes in the mucosa of the lung and gut (pages 275–281 and 282–289).
Factors Affecting the Agrobacterium-Mediated Transient Transformation of the Wetland Monocot, Typha latifolia

An Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system, using transient transformation assays, was used to evaluate conditions influencing transformation for the wetland monocot Typha latifolia. These studies were aimed at the long-term objective of evaluating candidate genes for phytoremediation. The binary plasmid vector pCAMBIA1301/EHA105, containing the β-glucuronidase coding sequence, was used in combination with factors known to affect transformation. These included callus age at the time of cocultivation with Agrobacterium tumefaciens, type and concentration of auxin for explant growth, light or dark culture environment, the presence or absence of acetosyringone (AS), explant type, explant wounding and the number of days used for cocultivation. The number of days needed for the first detection of transient expression of the β-glucuronidase gene was also examined. Three days of Agrobacterium cocultivation of 50-day-old seedling-derived calluses, grown on 20.7 µM (5 mg l−1) picloram supplemented medium, in the dark, resulted in higher levels of transient β-glucuronidase expression than were seen in calluses cultured on 4.5 or 22.6 µM (1 or 5 mg l−1) 2,4-dichlorphenoxyacetic acid containing media. The addition of 100 µM acetosyringone significantly enhanced transient β-glucuronidase activity. Wounding of explants, by cutting into two or three pieces, 3 days before cocultivation, increased expression of β-glucuronidase only in calluses cultured under light conditions. Transient β-glucuronidase expression was observed as early as 24 h after cocultivation and increased as the days post cultivation increased. The developed transient system will be used for stable transformation of Typha species.
2008 DMEF Customer Lifetime Value Modeling (Task 2)

Abstract We describe our approach for predicting individual donor's total gift amount over a two-year target period. We divide the donors into 8 segments; for each segment, we fit a logit model for predicting the probability of giving, and a log-linear model for predicting the amount of gifts conditional on a donor giving. We found that recency, frequency, and first gift amount are good predictors of the probability of giving, while time-weighted total gift amount in the past years is a good predictor for future gift amount.
Use of the argon laser to close filtering bleb leaks

We attempted to seal 15 consecutive filtering bleb leaks in 11 patients using argon laser energy. Eight leaks were at the conjunctival-corneal interface associated with a fornix-based flap, 4 leaks resulted from suture scissoring of the conjunctiva, and 3 leaks were button-holes in the conjunctiva. Thirteen leaks occurred within 2 weeks after filtering surgery, while 2 were of late onset. Argon laser parameters used were a 500-microns spot size, 0.1-s time interval, and between 500 and 1800 mW of power. Thirteen leaks were sealed after one or two laser sessions, while 2 leaks required other treatment modalities. Complications included conjunctival fenestration and transient corneal stromal opacities. This study suggests that the argon laser can be used to seal filtering bleb leaks in many patients following filtering surgery.
Inhibition of Sindbis virus replication in Aedes albopictus cells by virazole (ribavirin) and its reversal by actinomycin: a correction.

Abstract The antibiotic actinomycin interferes with the antiviral action of ribavirin in Sindbis virus-infected Aedes albopictus mosquito cells. In the absence of actinomycin, ribavirin inhibits viral nucleic acid synthesis whether assayed by infectivity, incorporation of [ 3 H]uridine, or ethidium bromide staining.
Abnormal growth factor modulation of β1‐integrin‐mediated adhesion in chronic myelogenous leukaemia haematopoietic progenitors

Abnormal progenitor circulation and extramedullary haematopoiesis are characteristic features of chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML). Growth factor (GF) and beta1-integrin interactions play an important role in regulation of progenitor trafficking to and from the marrow space. CML progenitors demonstrate abnormal beta1-integrin-mediated adhesion to fibronectin (FN). In the present study we investigated whether GF modulation of beta1-integrin-mediated adhesion and migration was altered in CML progenitors. Culture with low concentrations of GF enhanced normal progenitor adhesion to FN compared with no GF, but failed to enhance CML progenitor adhesion to FN. Similarly, high concentrations of selected GF rapidly enhanced beta1-integrin-mediated adhesion of normal progenitors to FN through a phosphotidylinositol-3 (PI-3) kinase-dependent mechanism, but failed to increase CML progenitor adhesion. Exposure to a BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor restored GF modulation of CML progenitor adhesion. CML colony-forming cells (CFC) demonstrated increased migration across FN-coated transwells compared with normal CFC in the absence of GF. The addition of stem cell factor resulted in enhanced migration of CML and normal CFC on FN. In conclusion, GF stimulation failed to enhance integrin-mediated adhesion but enhanced migration in CML progenitors on FN. BCR-ABL induced abnormalities in GF-integrin interactions could contribute to abnormal circulation and microenvironmental localization of CML progenitors.
Diagnostic accuracy of physician and self-referred patients for thoracic outlet syndrome is excellent.

Background The purpose of this study was to categorize patients referred to a specialized thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) practice to determine the diagnostic accuracy of those who are physician and self-referred. Methods Demographic and clinical data on all patients who were referred for TOS between 2006 and 2010 were retrospectively reviewed from a prospectively maintained institutional review board–approved database and patient records. Results Between 2006 and 2010, 621 patients were referred for TOS (433 women and 188 men; mean age 39 years [range 10–87]). Five hundred seventy-one patients (92%) were diagnosed with TOS, with 421 (74%) neurogenic, 126 (22%) venous, and 24 (4%) arterial TOS cases. Of the 525 physician referrals, 478 (91%) had TOS, and of the 93 self-referrals, 90 (97%) had TOS. The 421 patients with neurogenic TOS (NTOS, 304 women and 117 men) had symptoms on average for 56 months (range 1–516). Two hundred seventy-one patients (64%) were initially treated with TOS-specific physical therapy (PT), and 100 (37%) improved. One hundred seventy-eight patients (42%) underwent a lidocaine block, and 145 patients (81%) had a positive block. Seventy-four patients (18%) underwent Botox injections 44 (60%) of which were positive and the average number of Botox injections was 1.3. One hundred forty patients (33%) underwent transaxillary first rib resection and scalenectomy (FRRS), and 128 patients (91%) improved. Of patients undergoing FRRS, 92 (66%) had a lidocaine block, 82 (89%) of which were positive. Of patients with a positive lidocaine block, 74 (90%) improved after FRRS. Of patients undergoing FRRS, 31 (22%) underwent Botox injections, 15 (48%) of which were positive. Of patients with a positive Botox block, 14 (93%) improved after FRRS. Average length of time between initial visit and operation was 6.4 months (range 2 weeks to 34 months), and average follow-up time was 13 months (range 1 week to 49 months). Conclusions 1) Both referring physicians and patients are very accurate in their preliminary diagnosis of TOS (neurogenic, venous, or arterial TOS). 2) In a specialized TOS practice, two-thirds of patients are sent to TOS-specific PT and one-third improve from this treatment alone. 3) One-third of patients referred for NTOS eventually undergo FRRS with a 91% success rate.
Phagosome Extrusion and Host-Cell Survival after Cryptococcus neoformans Phagocytosis by Macrophages

Summary Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) is an encapsulated yeast that is a facultative intracellular pathogen and a frequent cause of human disease. The interaction of Cn with alveolar macrophages is critical for containing the infection [1, 2], but Cn can also replicate intracellularly and lyse macrophages [3–5]. Cn has a unique intracellular pathogenic strategy that involves cytoplasmic accumulation of polysaccharide-containing vesicles and intracellular replication leading to the formation of spacious phagosomes in which multiple cryptococcal cells are present [3]. The Cn intracellular pathogenic strategy in macrophages and amoebas is similar, leading to the proposal that it originated as a mechanism for survival against phagocytic predators in the environment [6]. Here, we report that under certain conditions, including phagosomal maturation, possible actin depolymerization, and homotypic phagosome fusion, Cn can exit the macrophage host through an extrusion of the phagosome, while both the released pathogen and host remain alive and able to propagate. The phenomenon of "phagosomal extrusion" indicates the existence of a previously unrecognized mechanism whereby a fungal pathogen can escape the intracellular confines of mammalian macrophages to continue propagation and, possibly, dissemination.
Policing Intimate Partner Violence in Rural Areas and Small Towns: Policies, Practices, and Perceptions

The extant literature has given only limited consideration to the adoption of intimate partner violence policies and procedures on the part of police organizations, particularly in rural areas and small towns. Using survey data from police agencies in the southern regions of Illinois, this study found that although policies were nearly universal, specific elements varied. Agencies relied heavily on conferences and other departments in formulating their policies, making less use of recommendations from professional associations or the salient literature. The findings suggest variation in how intimate partner violence is perceived and policed in rural areas and small towns while highlighting some of the challenges agencies encounter in addressing this offense within their jurisdictions.
Fatal injuries in the United States involving respirators, 1984-1995.

There is little published information concerning the epidemiology of fatal injuries involving respiratory protection. We compiled a case series from U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation reports from 1984 through 1995. For the 12-year period there were 41 incidents resulting in 45 deaths due to asphyxiation or chemical poisoning while wearing a respirator. There were 23 deaths related to airline respirators, 17 deaths involving use of negative pressure (air purifying) respirators, and 5 deaths involving self-contained breathing apparatus. Among the 23 deaths involving airline respirators, 15 were associated with compatible connection couplings for breathable air and inert gases. Three workers with beards died who wore tight-fitting respirators in an atmosphere that was immediately dangerous to life and health. Most of the fatalities involved regulatory and procedural violations, and would have been prevented by proper training and compliance with existing regulations. The inform...
Kinetics of Initial Sintering of Vacuum‐Reduced Titanium Dioxide

Abstract : OBSERVATIONS OF SPHERE-TO-PLATE BONDING OF VACUUM-REDUCED, MONOCRYSTALLINE RUTILE WERE CARRIED OUT OVER THE TEMPERATURE RANGE 1200 TO 1275 C. The rate law governing the interfacial growth between sphere and plate indicat d that the predominate mechanism of material transport in this sintering process was volume diffusion. In the light of the reasonably satisfactory agreement between the oxygen self-diffusion coefficients calculated from the pr sent sintering data and those directly observed by Haul and Just utilizing an isotopic exchange technique, it was indicated that oxygen ion diffusion is the ratedetermining step in the sintering experiments described.
Plasma leptin suppression by arginine vasopressin in normal women and men.

Abstract Leptin inhibits appetite by activating several neuroendocrine systems, including the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal cortical (HPA) axis. In turn, elevated glucocorticoids can increase circulating leptin. We therefore measured plasma leptin in 12 normal women and eight normal men administered low-dose physostigmine (PHYSO) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) to stimulate the HPA axis. The subjects underwent four test sessions 5–7 days apart: PHYSO (8 μg/kg IV), AVP (0.08 U/kg IM), PHYSO + AVP, and saline control. Serial blood samples were taken before and after pharmacologic challenge and analyzed for leptin, adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)1–39, cortisol, and AVP. Estradiol and testosterone also were measured at each test session. PHYSO and AVP produced no side effects in about half the subjects and predominantly mild side effects in the other half, with no significant female-male differences. Correlations between side effects (absent or present) after PHYSO or AVP and the corresponding leptin responses were nonsignificant. Baseline plasma leptin concentrations were significantly higher in the women than in the men (p
Action potentials in macrophages derived from human monocytes

The electrical activity of macrophages derived from human blood monocytes was recorded in vitro with intracellular microelectrodes and was analyzed with computer-assisted data acquisition and analysis techniques. In cells impaled 6 to 8 days after the cultures were prepared, the resting potentials reached a maximum value of -72 millivolts. The cells were electrically excitable; spikes exhibited a slow upstroke, a fast downstroke, a discrete threshold, a large overshoot, and a brief undershoot. Repetitive firing was induced by a maintained depolarizing current. A positive relation was observed between transmembrane currents and resting potential. Voltage-current relations were nonrectifying for subthreshold current injections. Since these cells had not been treated with any specific activation factors, the electrical activity recorded is evidence for the presence of voltage-dependent inward and outward currents in the membranes of mature macrophages. The electrical signals generated by these cells may be useful for the assay of sensor and effector functions of macrophages, such as chemotaxis, receptor-ligand interactions, and phagocytosis.
Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) increases natriuretic peptide receptor C (NPR-C) expression in human aortic smooth muscle cells

Abstract Activation of the intracellular cAMP-signaling pathway by either forskolin or the cAMP-mimetic dibutyryl cAMP significantly increased transcript levels of NPR-C in primary cultures of human aortic smooth muscle cells. The time course of the increase was rapid, with significant differences from control occurring within 3 h of treatment and reaching ∼6 times control value after 24 h of exposure to 10 μM forskolin. Expression levels of the natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPR-B), but not the natriruetic peptide receptor A (NPR-A) were also increased by forskolin, rising to a level of ∼2 times control at 96 h. NPR-B transcript levels in the presence of dibutyryl cAMP were unaltered by the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor KT-5720, suggesting a PKA-independent pathway to NPR-B up-regulation. In contrast, KT-5720 reduced NPR-C transcript to a lower level that was not significantly different from control. Partial re-differentiation of AOSMC by culture in growth factor-reduced matrix (Matrigel) did not significantly change NPR-C transcript levels compared with cells grown on plastic, and the dibutyryl cAMP-induced increase in NPR-C (∼eight–nine-fold control value) was retained. The dibutyryl cAMP/forskolin effect on NPR-C transcript was not reproduced by the β2-selective adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (10 μM), but was replicated by incubation with the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine (0.5 mM). Up-regulated NPR-B and NPR-C transcript levels were reflected, respectively, in a two-fold increase in CNP-stimulated cGMP and an increase in 125 I -ANF binding competed by the NPR-C-specific natriuretic peptide, C-ANF(4–23) following a 4-day treatment with 0.125 mM dbcAMP. The present data suggest that elevation of cAMP in human vascular smooth muscle may potentiate the vasoactive effects of natriuretic peptides acting through the NPR-B and NPR-C receptors.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone regulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity in the thyroid.

TSH (1.0 U im) caused a 22-fold increase in thyroidal ornithine decarboxylase activity (ODC) 6 hours after administration in intact rats. Hypophysectomized rats treated with 1 U TSH showed a 5-fold increase in thyroid ODC activity. This stimulation appeared to be specific for TSH since hormones known to induce ODC activity in other target tissues, such as ACTH or LH, showed no significant stimulation. DIBUTYRYL CYCLIC AMP and aminopylline caused a 12-fold increase in ODC activity 5 hours after administration. Prostaglandins have also been implicated in the TSH-induced stimulation of cyclic AMP. Indomethacin (1.0 mg/100 g body wt, ip), an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, was administered 3 hours before TSH with a resulting 30% diminution (P less than .001) in ODC activity compared with the administration of TSH alone. To rule out the possibility that the increase in ODC activity with TSH might be due to increased thyroid hormone secretion, ODC activity was evaluated 6 hours after triiodothyronine administration (60 mug/100 g body wt), and no significant increase in thyroid ODC activity was found. Stimulation of ODC activity was 90% inhibited by the intraperitoneal administration of actinomycin D (80 mug/100 g body wt) or cycloheximide (400 mug/100 g body wt) given simultaneously with TSH. These results indicated that TSH specifically stimulated thyroid ODC activity, which may be important for the growth-promoting action of the hormone on the thyroid gland. This action may be mediated by cAMP and prostaglandins and may require new protein synthesis.
Population patterns through twenty years of oldfield succession

Using 48 permanent, 0.5×2.0 m quadrats, changes in species composition and cover were followed in an oldfield abandoned after plowing in the spring of 1960. Twenty years of data collected since then show the succession to be individualistic, that is, composed of broadly overlapping population curves through time. In general, the population curves exhibit long, persistent tails, indicating that, through this time span, succession is a process in which species that are present for much of the time become dominant at different times. Invasion and extinction are not the major mechanisms of community change. Bi- or multi-modal peaks were discovered in some species, but there is no clear explanation of such patterns yet. Many species which are important later in the sequence invade early. Information on the biologies of representative species from early, middle, and late portions of the sequence are correlated with the population patterns. In particular, the mode of dispersal, life cycle, germination behavior, and assimilation requirements are related to species positions. However, there is need for coordinated, comparative study of species strategies as well as experimental study of species interactions in order to more fully understand the mechanisms of this succession. The patterns discovered in this oldfield are compatible with contemporary concepts of succession as an organism-based phenomenon, in which probabilistic gap creation and filling are critical.
Parametric identification of nonlinear dynamic systems

Abstract A parametric identification technique that exploits nonlinear resonances and comparisons of the behavior of the system to be identified with those of known systems is proposed. The mathematical model is chosen in such a way that its predicted response qualitatively resembles observed responses of the physical system to chosen excitations. Moreover, instead of taking a brute-force approach that requires the simultaneous estimation of all the parameters from a given experiment, we exploit the possible resonances and design experiments, each of which provides accurate estimates of a limited number of these parameters. Typically, these resonances owe their existence to nonlinearities in the governing equations. Experiments are proposed for the estimation of the parameters of two-degree-of-freedom systems with quadratic and cubic nonlinearities.
Frontal cortical projections to the periaqueductal gray in the rat: A retrograde and orthograde horseradish peroxidase study

The retrograde and orthograde capabilities of the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) technique were used to study the projection from the frontal cortex to the periaqueductal gray (PAG) in the rat. Small pyramidal neurons in layer V of the frontal (MD-dependent) cortex were the primary source of these projections and the system terminated primarily in the lateral PAG. Since the projection is homologous to that in the monkey, the rat may serve as a model for the study of the cortical influence on PAG-mediated behaviours such as analgesia, aversion and reward.
Using light emitting diode arrays as touch-sensitive input and output devices

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) offer long life, low cost, efficiency, brightness, and a full range of colors. Because of these properties, they are widely used for simple displays in electronic devices. A previously characterized, but little known property of LEDs allows them to be used as photo sensors. In this paper, we show how this capability can be used to turn unmodified, off the shelf, LED arrays into touch sensitive input devices (while still remaining capable of producing output). The technique is simple and requires little or no extra hardware - in some cases operating with the same micro-controller based circuitry normally used to produce output, requiring only software changes. We will describe a simple hybrid input/output device prototype implemented with this technique, and discuss the design opportunities that this type of device opens up.
Assessing Breast Self-Examination

Abstract Background . Women practice breast self-examination (BSE) according to their own schedule and skill. This variation in how BSE is performed has complicated the interpretation of studies of BSE efficacy and utilization. Methods . We compared two methods commonly used to assess BSE competency, self-report of practice and ability to detect lumps in a model, among 81 women participating in a controlled toxicity trial of tamoxifen. Subjects were postmenopausal, were under 65 years of age, and had a history of breast cancer within the past 10 years but were currently free of disease. Women were asked to describe their usual BSE practice and were assigned a score (0-10) based on the number of recommended techniques and positions mentioned. Subjects were then instructed to examine a silicone breast model embedded with lumps (HealthEdCo) and to report any abnormalities. Results . Overall proficiency was low by both measures. No significant correlation ( r = 0.16, P = 0.15) was found between the two measures of proficiency. Higher correlations were observed among older women and among those practicing BSE monthly. Conclusions . This study suggests that the two techniques are not comparably evaluating BSE proficiency. Further, both of these methods are likely to be poor measures of true BSE practice.
ENERGY RESERVES AND STORAGE POLYMERS IN INTACT BACTERIA ANALYZED BY METABOLIC CALORIMETRY

Abstract Bacteria grown under nitrogen limitation and excess carbon accumulate energy storage polymers such as PHB, poly β-hydroxybutyrate. On mixing 1 to 2 ml. suspensions of such cells (2–20 mg. of cells) with air but no additional carbon in a calorimeter large heats evolve until cellular internal energy reserves are consumed. Division of the overall heat by the specific heat content of monomer aerobic metabolism - estimated as (−)200 Kcal/mole PHB monomer - gives the apparent weight of energy reserve content of the cells. The calorimetric method is easier to carry out than conventional respirometric or oxygen uptake methods that require tight control of oxygen concentration baselines. In calorimetry any roughly set oxygen concentration suffices if there is an excess of oxygen sufficient to exhaust the storage materials residing in the cells.
Bureaucratic Politics, State Capacity, and Taiwan's Automobile Industrial Policy:

In recent years an increasing number of social scientists have attempted to explain Taiwan's economic success. Relying on neoclassical or modernization theory, many analysts have focused on indigenous factors to explain Taiwan's phenomenal economic and social transformation. Other observers, utilizing the developmental approach or dependency paradigm, have linked Taiwan's development to the structure of the international arena. More specifically, several economists have credibly demonstrated how impediments to economic growth were overcome and major obstacles to economic and social equality were successfully removed over the course of the past several decades (Galenson, 1979; Kuo, 1983; Ranis, 1978; Myers, 1984). Still others have examined the ideological basis informing the proselytizers of Taiwan's "economic miracle" and the political context in which socioeconomic transformation occurred; here the focus has been on the ideology of the technocrats and the state-economy-society relations in which economic development was embedded (Gregor, Chang, and Zimmerman, 1981; Johnson, 1981). Finally, there are those who have conceptualized Taiwan's development in terms of "dependency" and "world system" theories; included in this group are students who have declared Taiwan a paradox or a deviant
Polyclonal anti-propylbenzilylcholine mustard antibodies selectively recognize labeled muscarinic receptors from rabbit brain

Polyclonal antibodies were produced in rabbits to propylbenzilylcholine mustard-bovine serum albumin (PBCM-BSA) conjugates. The antibodies selectively recognized and bound to an apparent single class of sites with high affinity for PBCM. The antibodies also demonstrated high to intermediate affinity for muscarinic ligands which have benzhydryl or dicyclohexane ring structures similar to PBCM. The antibodies had little or no affinity for ligands which lacked the double cyclohexane structure. Antibodies recognized muscarinic receptors specifically labeled with [3H]PBCM, but not unlabeled receptors, on immunoblots. These results suggest that the polyclonal antibodies produced in this study react specifically with the dicyclohexane structure on PBCM and that this antigenic determinant remains available for interaction with the antibodies, even when the ligand is bound to the receptor.