cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MicroRNAs in Brain Metastases: Potential Role as Diagnostics and Therapeutics

Brain metastases remain a daunting adversary that negatively impact patient survival. Metastatic brain tumors affect up to 45% of all cancer patients with systemic cancer and account for ~20% of all cancer-related deaths. A complex network of non-coding RNA molecules, microRNAs (miRNAs), regulate tumor metastasis. The brain micro-environment modulates metastatic tumor growth; however, defining the precise genetic events that promote metastasis in the brain niche represents an important, unresolved problem. Understanding these events will reveal disease-based targets and offer effective strategies to treat brain metastases. Effective therapeutic strategies based upon the biology of brain metastases represent an urgent, unmet need with immediate potential for clinical impact. Studies have demonstrated the ability of miRNAs to distinguish normal from cancerous cells, primary from secondary brain tumors, and correctly categorize metastatic brain tumor tissue of origin based solely on miRNA profiles. Interestingly, manipulation of miRNAs has proven effective in cancer treatment. With the promise of reduced toxicity, increased efficacy and individually directed personalized anti-cancer therapy, using miRNA in the treatment of metastatic brain tumors may prove very useful and improve patient outcome. In this review, we focus on the potential of miRNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for the treatment of metastatic brain lesions.
Non-nitrogenous ninhydrin-positive compounds in ion-exchange chromatography identification of levulinic in hydrolyzed plant fractions☆

Abstract Ion-exchange chromatography of acid hydrolyzed kidney bean seed fractions revealed two major non-nitrogenous ninhydrin-positive peaks. The larger of the two was isolated and characterized as levulinic acid. Its sensitivity to the ninhydrin reagent at 570 mμ is approximately 1 100 that of leucine while its 570:440 mμ absorption ratio resembles that of some imino acids. Behavior on the ion-exchange column was noted for the isomeric angelicalactones, acetyllevulinic acid, levulinamide, γ-chlorovalerolactone, 2-ketogluconic acid, 5-ketogluconic acid and 2-ketoglutaric acid. Each gave a low order ninhydrin-positive reaction.
Hopping‐to‐band transitions in disordered electronic systems

We investigate the effect polaron formation has on the transport of an electron among a band of tight binding sites interacting with a thermal bath of phonons. At T=0 we show that interactions with phonons stabilize Anderson localized states by the formation of self‐trapped species. A localization criterion is then derived which defines the strength of the transfer matrix element needed for given values of the site energy disorder and the phonon coupling to destroy the stability of the self‐trapped states. The Anderson upper limit criterion is recovered in the limit that the phonon coupling vanishes. The conductivity is then calculated as a function of the site energy disorder W using small polaron theory. A hopping‐to‐band transition is shown to exist for small values of W at a temperature ∼1/9 θD (the Debye temperature). Thermally activated Arrenhius behavior and variable range hopping obtain in the hopping regime. The conductivity in the metallic or low temperature regime vanishes as W−1. The relation ...
THE TOXICITY OF STREPTOLYSIN O FOR BEATING MAMMALIAN HEART CELLS IN TISSUE CULTURE

Pulsating mammalian myocardial cells were found to be highly susceptible in tissue culture to rapid destruction by streptolysin O. Cessation of beating occurred almost immediately, followed within minutes by multiple cell membrane bleb formation. Parallel with these changes, the cytoplasm became intensely granular and the nuclear membrane apparently thickened when viewed by phase microscopy. At the ultrastructural level, the cell membrane blebs were found to contain relatively small numbers of granular fragments. The endoplasmic reticulum of damaged heart cells was quite swollen, and its contents were considerably condensed. The myofibers were not strikingly altered, but cytoplasmic and mitochondria vacuoles were rather abundant. Cardiac endothelial, kidney epithelial, and fibroblast cells were also susceptible to lysis by this toxin, but the reactions occurred more slowly or bleb formation was less evident. An antiserotonin drug known to be protective against streptolysin-O in vivo (UML-491), did not protect against killing of cardiac cells at the tissue culture level. Serotonin could not be detected in the culture fluid after lysis of cardiac cells by streptolysin O.
Recovery of Chinese Hamster Cells from Ultra-violet Irradiation Damage

SummaryThe results of this investigation indicate that a Chinese hamster cell-line (CHO) is capable of recovery from u.v. irradiation. Another Chinese hamster cell-line (B-14FAF28), which was found to be more sensitive to U.V.L., is not capable of recovery. A comparison of cells in G1 phase and S phase revealed that cells in S phase recover, whereas those in G1 phase do not. It appears, therefore, that recovery between fractionated doses of U.V.L. is dependent on cell-line and cell-age, which suggests that the recovery process is genetically controlled and qualitatively and quantitatively different from recovery following ionizing radiation.
Non-planar device architecture for 15nm node: FinFET or trigate?

We have evaluated FinFET and Trigate performance under 15nm node ground rules. Trigate needs to maintain a high aspect ratio in order to achieve a comparable electrostatic performance of FinFET at tight FP, which makes it a fin-geometry instead of channel doping-controlled device. Trigate has less C gs penalty compared to FinFET due to the additional current conduction at the top surface. The advantage of less parasitic capacitance will be reduced by other effects, such as parasitic resistance.
Relaxation of potassium chloride-induced contractions by amlodipine and its interaction with the 1,4-dihydropyridine-binding site in pig coronary artery.

Abstract Amlodipine is a light-insensitive and water soluble 1,4-dlhydropyridine with prolonged vasodilatory action and plasma half-life. To determine whether the vasodlatory action of amlodipine is due to inhibition of voltage-dependent Ca 2+ influx through the calcium channel, its effects on KCl-induced contraction of pig coronary artery rings and its interaction with the 1,4-dhydropyridine binding site in isolated sarvolemmal membranes were studied. The contractile function of artery rings was studied in an organ bath system, and the interaction with the 1,4-dihydropyridine binding site was studied in isolated sarcolemmal membranes of pig coronary artery using [ 3 H](+)PN200-110 as a radloligand. Amlodpine, (+)PN200-110 and (−)PN200-110 inhibited KCl-lnduced contractions of arterial rings in a dose-dependent manner. The half-maximal inhibition (IC 50 ) was observed at 0.46 ± 0.02, 36 ± 8 and 55 ± 9 nM of (+)PN200-110, (−)PN200-110 and amlodipine, respectively. [ 3 H](+)PN200-110 was found to bind to isolated sarcolemmal membranes with high affinity (K D = 0.04 nM, B max = 312 inholes/mg protein) and stereospecifically, (+)PN200-110 (K i = 0.05 nM) having about 130-fold higher affinity than (−)PN200-110 (K i = 6.61 nM). Amlodipine also Inhibited [ 3 H](+)PN200-110 binding with high affinity (K i = 4.41 nM). The inhibition was characterized by an increase in K D of binding of ( 3 Hl(+)PN200-110 with very little effect on B max The order of relative potency of inhibition of KCl-lnduced contraction was almost identical to the order of relative affinity for the 1,4-dhydropyridine binding site, as indicated by K i . Thus, the data indicate that the vasodilatory action of amiodpine on pig coronary artery is probably due to its binding to the 1,4-dihydropyridne binding site in the voltage-dependent calcium channel and the resulting inhibition of Ca 2+ Influx in vascular smooth muscle.
Chemoprevention in head and neck cancer: Basic science and clinical application

The concept of field cancerization and the multistep carcinogenesis theory are the premises on which the development of chemoprevention efforts has been based. The first concept underlies the fact that patients who have been cured of a cancer in the aerodigestive tract are still at risk of developing additional primary tumors in the same field, and the multistep carcinogenesis theory implies that the conceivable arrest of one of the steps by chemoprevention might be enough to impede the development of cancer. These is ongoing research for development of new candidate-chemopreventive substances in most areas of oncology. Most of the clinical experience in chemoprevention of head and neck cancer is based on the use of retinoids. Retinoids in high doses have demonstrated activity in treating oral premalignant lesions (OPLs) but with frequent side effects and early relapse after cessation of therapy. Subsequent trials showed better tolerability of retinoids in lower doses. Ongoing trials are currently evaluating whether chemoprevention over 3 years might have longer-lasting effect both on OPLs and in the prevention of second primary tumors.
Bacillus thuringiensis as a Feed Additive to Control Dipterous Pests of Cattle

Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis Berliner fed to livestock is reported to inhibit larval development of the house fly, Musca domestica L., in feces. Briggs (1960) observed reductions in fly development in feces of chickens fed B. thuringiensis spore preparations. Similar results were reported by Dunn (1960) for cattle, Harvey and Brethour (1960) for chickens and cattle, and Borgathi and Guyer (1963) for Japanese quail. The microbial materials reported used in these tests variously contained soluble metabolites, and spores and/or crystals, from either laboratory or commercially cultured B. thuringiensis . It was of interest to us to compare the effectiveness of available commercial preparations of B. thuringiensis as feed additives for cattle for controlling house flies and 2 other livestock pests, the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), and the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.). The materials tested were supplied by the manufacturers and are: (1) Bakthane L-69, Rohm and Haas Co.; (2) Biotrol B.T.B. 5% dust, no. 7001–047, Nutrilite Products, Inc.; and (3) S2-97, Bioferm Corp.
Identifying dispersed epigenomic domains from ChIP-Seq data

Motivation: Post-translational modifications to histones have several well known associations with regulation of gene expression. While some modifications appear concentrated narrowly, covering promoters or enhancers, others are dispersed as epigenomic domains. These domains mark contiguous regions sharing an epigenomic property, such as actively transcribed or poised genes, or heterochromatically silenced regions. While high-throughput methods like ChIP-Seq have led to a flood of high-quality data about these epigenomic domains, there remain important analysis problems that are not adequately solved by current analysis tools. Results: We present the RSEG method for identifying epigenomic domains from ChIP-Seq data for histone modifications. In contrast with other methods emphasizing the locations of ‘peaks’ in read density profiles, our method identifies the boundaries of domains. RSEG is also able to incorporate a control sample and find genomic regions with differential histone modifications between two samples. Availability: RSEG, including source code and documentation, is freely available at http://smithlab.cmb.usc.edu/histone/rseg/. Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Profiles of the Gifted and Talented

After several years of observations, interviews, and reviews of literature, the authors have developed six profiles of gifted and talented children and youth. These profiles help educators and pare...
Las múltiples faces del travesti: la dispersión del sujeto en los espacios transculturales de la narrativa neobarroca de Severo Sarduy

Una relectura de la novela Cobra de Severo Sarduy muestra fenomenos posmodernos que aplican a la literatura latinoamericana actual. La combinacion de motivos de ambiguedad sexual (travestismo, androginia) con experimentacion y exuberancia, presenta una novela neobarroca. El desplazamiento de referentes estables de sexo, nacion y cultura en los personajes y espacios narrativos problematiza el sentido univoco de la identidad. Incorporando el travestismo, la narrativa neobarroca de Sarduy deconstruye las categorias fijas de la identidad (sexo, nacion, Latinoamerica, Occidente y Oriente). Al habitar un espacio imaginario fluido, transexual y transcultural, los sujetos ambisexuales transgreden el patron heterosexual americano y atenuan las distinciones entre la masculinidad y la feminidad, como entre lo occidental y lo oriental. En el contexto de los estudios culturales, este analisis posibilita formular una teoria de identidad transitiva, basada en la movilidad de referentes. Tambien es posible aplicarlo al examen de la narrativa de otros autores hispanoamericanos recientes.
A Primer: Staffing the ICU for Performance

In this 2-part article, we hope to join the reader in the broader discussion over ICU staffing. From the perspective of the clinician, we provide references to central concepts and landmark studies identifying organizational elements linked to patient outcomes. From the perspective of the unit management, we provide access to the literature on clinician interaction and organizational ethics. From the human resources (HR) literature, we provide relevant principles, standard practices, and concerns that should alert clinicians to seek HR and risk management consultation. In Part 1, we introduce many of the concepts relevant to staffing, hiring, and orienting teams toward performance. In Part 2, we explore management and business models as well as unit operations in relation to staff interests and concerns. The primer encourages managers and directors as well as clinicians and support staff to take a mindful stroll through each others’ concerns and published literature.
When should species richness be energy limited, and how would we know?

Energetic constraints are fundamental to ecology and evolution, and empirical relationships between species richness and estimates of available energy have led some to suggest that richness is energetically constrained. However, the mechanism linking energy with richness is rarely specified and predictions of secondary patterns consistent with energy-constrained richness are lacking. Here we lay out the necessary and sufficient assumptions of a causal relationship linking energy gradients to richness gradients. We then describe an eco-evolutionary simulation model that combines spatially-explicit diversification with trait evolution, resource availability, and assemblage-level carrying capacities. Our model identified patterns in richness and phylogenetic structure expected when a spatial gradient in energy availability determines the number of individuals supported in a given area. A comparison to patterns under alternative scenarios, in which fundamental assumptions behind energetic explanations were violated, revealed patterns that are useful for evaluating the importance of energetic constraints in empirical systems. We find that clades arising at the low-energy end of a gradient provide the most powerful inferences regarding whether assumptions are met, and use rockfish (Sebastes) from the northeastern Pacific to show how empirical data can be coupled with model predictions to evaluate the role of energetic constraints in generating observed richness gradients.
Electric field modulation of galvanomagnetic properties of mesoscopic graphite.

Electric field effect devices based on mesoscopic graphite are fabricated for galvanomagnetic measurements. Strong modulation of magnetoresistance and Hall resistance as a function of the gate voltage is observed as the sample thickness approaches the screening length. Electric field dependent Landau level formation is detected from Shubnikov--de Haas oscillations. The effective mass of electron and hole carriers has been measured from the temperature dependent behavior of these oscillations.
Experimental investigations of feedback circuits for suppressing resistive wall modes

Feedback circuits have been designed and tested which reduce the component of a fluctuating magnetic field normal to a square coil. These circuits, when placed in an array covering a toroidal plasma, may be a practical alternative to a perfectly conducting shell for stabilizing resistive wall modes. >
Role of H2-calponin in Regulating Macrophage Motility and Phagocytosis

The actin cytoskeleton plays a major role in cell motility that is essential for the function of phagocytes. Calponin is an actin-associated regulatory protein. Here we report the finding of significant levels of the h2 isoform of calponin in peripheral blood cells of myeloid lineage. To study the functional significance, h2-calponin gene (Cnn2) interrupted mice were constructed. Germ line transmission of the Cnn2-flox-neo allele was obtained in chimeras from two independent clones of targeted embryonic stem cells. The insertion of the neoR cassette into intron 2 of the Cnn2 gene resulted in a significant knockdown of h2-calponin expression. Removing the frt-flanked neoR cassette by FLP1 recombinase rescued the knockdown effect. Cre recombinase-induced deletion of the loxP-flanked exon 2 eliminated the expression of h2-calponin protein. H2-calponin-free mice showed reduced numbers of peripheral blood neutrophils and monocytes. H2-calponin-free macrophages demonstrated a higher rate of proliferation and faster migration than that of h2-calponin-positive cells, consistent with a faster diapedesis of peripheral monocytes and neutrophils. H2-calponin-free macrophages showed reduced spreading in adhesion culture together with decreased tropomyosin in the actin cytoskeleton. The lack of h2-calponin also significantly increased macrophage phagocytotic activity, suggesting a novel mechanism to regulate phagocyte functions.
Myocardial Dysfunction Following Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Recovery Patterns, Predictors of Inotropic Need, Theoretical Concepts of Inotropic Administration

Clinical myocardial dysfunction following cardiopulmonary bypass commonly occurs in patients with good preoperative ventricular function. Following separation from cardiopulmonary bypass, ventricular function improves initially, but then begins to worsen and reaches a nadir between 4 and 6 hours after surgery with full recovery occurring around 24 hours postoperatively. However, in patients with preoperative ventricular dysfunction, the depression of ventricular function is more severe and recovery is longer. Despite this high frequency of myocardial dysfunction, many patients do well without requiring pharmacologic intervention after cardiopulmonary bypass to augment contractility and peripheral perfusion. Factors that may predict the need for inotropic support in patients following cardiopulmonary bypass include low ejection fraction, older age, cardiac enlargement, female sex, the length of cardiopulmonary bypass and the duration of aortic cross-clamping. The patient with preoperative ventricular dysfunction has many of these preoperative and intraoperative predictors for inotropic support. The pharmacologic regimen to support the myocardium during the recovery period following cardiopulmonary bypass must take into consideration the pathophysiologic processes of chronic congestive heart failure and reperfusion injury. Reduction of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels is a fundamental problem in congestive heart failure and results from either down-regulation of beta-receptors or a defect in the G-regulatory proteins controlling adenylyl cyclase production. This diminishes the effectiveness of agents dependent on cAMP to produce an inotropic response. However, amplification of the reduced cAMP produced by beta-agonists may occur in association with the inhibition of cAMP breakdown resulting from phosphodiesterase inhibitors. All inotropic agents are usually effective in reversing the reperfusion-induced stunned myocardium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
CYCLIC NUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHODIESTERASE ACTIVITY OF HUMAN NORMAL AND CARCINOMATOUS LUNG TISSUE

Abstract The activity of the phosphodiesterase enzyme(s) responsible for the degradation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (CA.M.P.) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (CG.M.P.( in human normal and carcinomatous lung tissue has been investigated. Enzyme activities were 3—5 times greater in normal than in carcinomatous lung. This is compatible with the known higher concentrations of these cyclic nucleotides in normal tissues. It is suggested that cancer chemotherapy designed to block the phosphodiesterase activity, and thus promote accretion of CA.M.P. and CG.M.P., may provide a means of normalising cancerous tissue. Both phosphodiesterase activities in both types of tissue were inhibited by methylxanthines at 10 -3 mol/l, but some enzyme potentiation was observed at lower concentration.
Development of the teneral adult Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae): time to initiate and completely bore out of maple wood.

Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) is an introduced invasive pest with the po- tential to devastate hardwood forests in North America. Using artiÞcial pupal chambers, we docu- mented the time required by teneral adults at three temperatures (20, 25, and 30C), 60 Ð 80% RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h to initiate boring after eclosion and subsequently bore completely through a 7-mm (range, 3Ð11 mm) layer of Norway maple wood (Acer platanoides L.). In total, 218 laboratory-reared pupae from the Chicago, IL, or Inner Mongolia, China, populations were used in the study. Females (1.54 0.03 g) weighed signiÞcantly more than males (1.12 0.03 g), but the average weights of the beetles emerging in each temperature did not differ. Adult weight was positively correlated with exit hole diameter (diameter (mm) 2.2* weight (g) 7.9). The rate at which beetles bored through the wood (136, 178, and 168 mm 3 /d at 20, 25 and 30C, respectively) signiÞcantly differed between temperatures but did not differ with beetle weight. Temperature had a signiÞcant effect on the time it took adults to initiate boring (7, 5, an d4da t 20, 25, and 30C, respectively) and subsequently to complete boring to emerge (5, 4, an d4da t 20, 25, and 30C, respectively). This suggests that beetles require more than a week to progress from eclosion to emergence in wood, even at summer temperatures. This information on A. glabripennis basic biology is critical for developing phenology models that are used to time exclusion and eradication methodologies.
Superoxide anion release from inducible nitric oxide synthase

Nitric oxide (NO), a gaseous free radical, plays a central regulatory role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes including inflammation and host defense [1]. In biological systems, NO is primarily derived from a cationic amino acid L-arginine and oxygen in a reaction catalyzed by a family of NO synthases (NOS). To date, three NOS isoforms have been identified as neuronal NOS (nNOS, type I), inducible NOS (iNOS, type II), and endothelial NOS (eNOS, type III) [2]. nNOS and eNOS constitutively exist in cells and their activity is mainly regulated by the levels of intracellular free Ca2+. Upon external stimulation, such as from neurotransmitters, elevated cytosolic Ca2+ combines with calmodulin to form the Ca2+/calmodulin complex, which subsequently activates eNOS and nNOS. Recently, it was also shown that phosporylation of serine-threonine or tyrosine residues on eNOS modulates enzyme activity and this does not require increase of cytosolic Ca2+ [3]. NO generated by eNOS and nNOS serves as a signaling molecule participating in various physiological processes ranging from regulation of vascular tone to development of learning and memory. Abnormal NO production in cells and tissues, either too much or too little, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of diseases including stroke, hypertension, atherosclerosis and heart attack [4]. In contrast to the two constitutive NOS isoforms, iNOS is generally not present in quiescent cells. Its expression is often induced by inflammatory substances such as cytokines and microbial endotoxin. Though most of the original studies on iNOS expression were performed in murine macrophages, it is clear now that with proper stimulation iNOS expression can be induced in almost any type of cell and tissue. Calmodulin is also an essential cofactor for the catalytic function of iNOS; however, activation of iNOS does not require elevation of intracellular Ca2+. With a tightly bound calmodulin, iNOS is fully active under basal cytosolic Ca2+ concentration [5]. The quantity of NO production from iNOS is therefore primarily determined by the amounts of enzyme transcripted. iNOS is also a more potent enzyme with higher L-arginine to NO turnover as compared with eNOS or nNOS. The constant catalytic activity along with high output enzymatic efficacy makes iNOS ideal to serve its role in host defense and inflammation.
Minimal-delay decentralized maintenance of processor-group membership in TDMA-bus LAN systems

Decentralized approaches to processor-group maintenance (GMM) are aimed at facilitating every active node in a real-time LAN system to maintain timely and consistent knowledge about the health status of all cooperating nodes and to recognize newly joining nodes. A practical scheme for this decentralized GMM (DGMM) in TDMA (time division multiple access) bus based real-time LAN systems, called here the periodic reception history broadcast (PRHB) scheme, was initially formulated by H. Kopetz et al. (1989) for application environments where the fault frequency is relatively low such that no more than one node fails in any interval of two TDMA cycle duration. The authors develop a major extension of the scheme, PRHB with multiple fault detection (PRHB/MD), which is applicable to environments where the fault frequency is much higher-to be more specific, where up to a half of the nodes map experience faults within any interval of three TDMA cycle duration. The scheme does not impose any limit on the number of transient faults of links that any one node may experience. The scheme yields the minimal detection delay for all major fault types and the delay does not exceed two TDMA cycles for the worst fault type. This detection delay characteristic is a significant improvement over those of previously developed DGMM schemes. >
Cardiogenic oscillation and ventilator autotriggering in brain-dead patients: a case series

Brain death is manifested by a flaccid, areflexic patient on assessment of brain function with fixed and dilated pupils at midpoint, loss of consciousness, no response to stimulation, loss of brainstem reflexes, and apnea. A lesion or clinical state responsible for the loss of consciousness must be found. An integral part of clinical evaluation of brain death is apnea testing, which indicates complete loss of brainstem function and respiratory drive. Ventilator triggering or overbreathing the ventilator's set rate may be considered consistent with intrinsic respiratory drive consequent to residual brainstem function. Ventilator autotriggering, however, may potentially occur in a brain-dead patient as a result of interaction between the hyperdynamic cardiovascular system and compliant lung tissue altering airway pressure and flow patterns. Also, chest wall and precordial movements may mimic intrinsic respiratory drive. Ventilator autotriggering may delay determination of brain death, prolong the intensive care unit experience for patients and their families, increase costs, risk loss of donor organs, and confuse staff and family members. A detailed literature review and 3 cases of cardiogenic ventilator autotriggering are presented as examples of this phenomenon and highlight the value of close multidisciplinary clinical evaluation and examination of ventilator pressure and flow waveforms.
Molecular characterization of catalase from Bordetella pertussis: identification of the katA promoter in an upstream insertion sequence

In this report we evaluate the role of catalase in the survival of Bordetella pertussis within human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). Crude extracts of B. pertussis exhibited a single catalase activity when subjected to non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and assayed for catalase activity. A plasmid containing B. pertussis katA was identified by complementation of UM255, a catalase-deficient strain of Escherichia coli. The nucleotide sequence of katA predicts a 55 kDa protein that shares homology with a class of haem-containing catalases found in both eubacteria and eukaryotes. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence upstream of katA revealed the presence of a copy of IS481, a B. pertussis-specific insertion sequence. The start site of transcription of katA was mapped to a T residue in IS481 by primer extension analysis performed with B. pertussis RNA and a katA-specific primer. A catalase-deficient strain of B. pertussis, DD900, was constructed by gene replacement. DD900 was more sensitive to killing by 1 and 5 mM H2O2 than the parental strain, BP339. However, there was no difference in the ability of DD900 and BP339 to survive for 2 h in human PMNs. This suggests that catalase plays no significant role in the survival of B. pertussis within PMNs.
DNA methylation levels and ethylene production in senescent, suspension-cultured pear fruit cells: Implications for epigenetic control?

Auxin-deprived, senescent, suspension-cultured pear (Pyrus communis cv. Passe Crassane) fruit cells that can be stimulated to produce ethylene were employed in the search for a possible interdependence between DNA methylation levels and ethylene production. Neither short-term stimulation of ethylene production by CuCl 2 , nor longer-term stimulation by auxin, nor the inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis had a significant effect on the cellular level of DNA methylation. However, short-term exposure to S-adenosylhomocysteine enhanced cellular ethylene production and long-term exposure to azacytidine resulted in the reduction of both DNA methylation levels and stress-induced ethylene production. These and other correlative findings, or lack thereof, are discussed in the context of ethylene physiology, DNA methylation/ demethylation, and epigenetic control.
HPLC Analysis of Cabernet Sauvignon and Noble Wine Pigment Fractions

Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon and Vitis rotundifolia cv. Noble wines were made with different skin contact times to investigate the anthocyanin content of fractions isolated from the wines by low pressure column chromatography. The effect of acetaldehyde addition to wine was also investigated. The fractions were analyzed by a modified HPLC procedure using a 3-solvent gradient and a C-18 reverse phase column. Cabernet Sauvignon fractions contained different combinations of antho-cyanins ; Noble wine fractions contained different ratios of five antho-cyanins present in the wines. These differences are hypothesized to influence the long-term stability of the wines.
Complete cDNA and deduced amino acid sequence of the chaperonin containing T-complex polypeptide 1 (CCT) delta subunit from Aedes triseriatus mosquitoes.

The chaperonin containing t-complex polypeptide 1 (CCT) assists in the ATP-dependent folding and assembly of newly translated actin and tubulin in the eukaryotic cytosol. CCT is composed of eight different subunits, each encoded by an independent gene. In this report, we used RT-PCR amplification and 5′- and 3′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) to determine the complete cDNA sequence of the CCT delta subunit from Aedes triseriatus mosquitoes. The CCT5 cDNA is 1936 nucleotides in length and encodes a putative 533 amino acid protein with a calculated molecular mass of 57 179 daltons and pi of 7.15. Hydrophobic residues comprise 39.8% of the amino acid sequence and putative motifs for ATP-binding and ATPase-activity are present. The amino acid sequence displays strong sequence similarity to Dro-sophila melanogaster (92%), human (85%), puffer fish (84%) and mouse (84%) counterparts. CCT8 mRNA was detected in both biosynthetically active (embryo-nating) and dormant (diapausing) Ae. triseriatus embryos by...
Data-gov Wiki: Towards Linking Government Data.

Data.gov is a website that provides US Government data to the general public to ensure better accountability and transparency. Our recent work on the Data-gov Wiki, which attempts to integrate the datasets published at Data.gov into the Linking Open Data (LOD) cloud (yielding "linked government data"), has produced 5 billion triples – covering a range of topics including: government spending, environmental records, and statistics on the cost and usage of public services. In this paper, we investigate the role of Semantic Web technologies in converting, enhancing and using linked government data. In particular, we show how government data can be (i) inter-linked by sharing the same terms and URIs, (ii) linked to existing data sources ranging from the LOD cloud (e.g. DBpedia) to the conventional web (e.g. the New York Times), and (iii) cross-linked by their knowledge provenance (which captures, among other things, derivation and revision histories).
Performance-based design methodology for inundated elevated coastal structures subjected to wave load

Abstract This paper presents the method and results of a numerical study to develop a performance-based design methodology for elevated coastal structures with a focus on bridges. However, the methodology is applicable to other elevated coastal structures. A combined Eulerian–Lagrangian method for fluid–structure interaction was applied in order to compute forces on elevated coastal structures. The numerical results are in good agreement with test results of a large scale bridge section tested previously at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory at Oregon State University. Specifically, a 5-m section of a prototype I-10 bridge section was used to demonstrate the fragility approach for performance-based design using four different levels of elevation. By introducing fragility modeling, a variety of design options can be considered consisting of either raising the elevation of the bridge or strengthening the structure itself in order to obtain the desired probability of failure for a specific intensity of hurricane surge and waves.
Stable, Reproducible, and Externally Synchronizable Regenerative Amplifier for Shaped Optical Pulses for the OMEGA Laser System

A flash-lamp-pumped, negative-feedback-controlled, Nd:YLF regenerative amplifier has been developed for amplification of externally synchronizable, temporally shaped laser pulses with 0.2% energy fluctuations and minimum pulse-shape distortions for the OMEGA laser system
Reflections on Cultural Development and Prosperity

Cultural development and prosperity involves many aspects.Effective promotion and implementation of cultural construction must be people-oriented in more civilian perspective and for the basic work."Cultural development and prosperity ",aiming at broad and inclusive,sustainable development and prosperity of culture,is development for the whole society in connotation,rather than an accelerating development objective to laws.The understanding,focusing,and enhancing the comprehensive quality of the citizens is the first priority and orientation of cultural development and prosperity;Hollow thoughts and behaviors should be completely rejected."Blossom of hundreds of flowers "is a cultural element of building prosperity and identity;Established medias and popular science writings should be maintained in cultural construction and development.
Recent Advances in Research on the Ecology of Human Development

It is now more than a decade ago that, being somewhat younger, I presumed to challenge the then-prevailing conventions of my field by describing the developmental research of the day as “the study of the strange behavior of children in strange situations with strange adults for the briefest possible period of time” (Bronfenbrenner, 1974). Instead, I argued (as if it were simply a matter of choice), we should be studying development in its ecological context; that is, in the actual environments in which human beings lived their lives. I then proceeded to outline, in a series of publications, a conceptual framework for analyzing development in context, and to offer concrete examples of how various elements of the schema might be applied both to past studies and to studies yet to come. I also emphasized the scientific and practical benefits of a closer linkage, in both directions, between developmental research and public policy (Bronfenbrenner, 1975, 1977a, 1977b, 1979a, 1979b, 1981).
Bulges: Seen from a Philosophically-Informed Historical Perspective

Most every graduate student in astronomy today knows what the “bulge” of a spiral galaxy is by name and what it looks like. A century ago few professional astronomers knew, or even cared. We trace the early and quite casual usage of the term (and its competitors) and then follow the later and gradually more strict adoption of the term “bulge”, needed to call out a major component of galaxy morphology. In the specific context of the Milky Way “The Galactic Bulge” was a proper name. Only later, as they were seen and measured in other galaxies, were these same structural features to become known generically as “bulges”. That term finally won out over its more unwieldy competitors such as the “amorphous central region”, the “unresolved nuclear region” or the highly ambiguous term “central nucleus”.
A Brief History of the British Economy since 1780

The history of the British economy has drawn the attention of many leading scholars. Interpretations of distinct sub-periods of this history have been extensively debated — for example, the notion of a ‘Great Depression’ versus that of an ‘Edwardian climacteric’ in the late nineteenth century (Richardson, 1965b; Saul, 1969; Matthews et al., 1982) and the role of new industries in the 1930s economic ‘recovery’ (Richardson, 1962; Dowie, 1968). Others have devoted attention to the formidable task of compiling accurate data to facilitate the economic interpretation of British history (for example, Deane and Cole, 1962; Feinstein 1972; Mitchell, 1988).
“But, We Don't Have a Library”: Exploring Approaches to Addressing Branch Campuses’ Library Needs

Librarians at Central Oregon Community College's Barber Library explored how to best serve the needs of three satellite campuses across a large geographic region. While initially intending to start an embedded librarianship program, a pair of surveys showed the relationships and awareness necessary for the foundation of such a program were lacking. Using the information gathered in the surveys, the authors attempted to identify and implement methods for building better relationships and greater library awareness across all campuses.
Biomechanics in Stem Cell Manufacturing

The growing demand for cell-based therapies drives the development of appropriate production-level biomanufacturing systems. Optimized culture conditions within these systems will likely include the relative motion of cells to medium, creating a biomechanical microenvironment that includes shear stress. Stresses such as shear, compression, and tension affect stem cell fate and function. This chapter will address the biomechanical cues in pluripotent stem cell manufacturing. Topics of discussion will include the different types of mechanical forces and the effects on stem cells, the biomechanical environment in scale-up bioreactor systems, and recent findings in pluripotent stem cell expansion and differentiation in stir-based bioreactors.
Distribution of Mean Kinetic Energy Around an Isolated Wind Turbine and a Characteristic Wind Turbine of a Very Large Wind Farm

A detailed control volume analysis of the flow around a wind turbine illustrates the dominant components of the mean kinetic energy budget as well as their corresponding spatial distribution.
Combined Techniques in FAI: Hip Arthroscopy Followed by Mini-Anterior Approach

A proper relationship between the proximal femur and acetabulum is essential for normal hip biomechanics. Subtle anatomic variations on either side of the joint may result in a pathomechanical environment leading to increased pressure on the acetabular labrum and acetabular articular cartilage. This concept of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has been refined by Ganz et al. and is postulated to result in osteoarthritis secondary to repetitive microtrauma to the femoral head–neck junction and/or the acetabular rim complex [1].
Evidence-based African-centered HIV/AIDS prevention interventions: Best practices and opportunities

ABSTRACTAfrican Americans have been disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic and today bear the significant brunt of the health crisis as reflected in their disproportionate representation among the number of persons living with HIV/AIDS, the cumulative numbers of persons who have succumbed to AIDS-related conditions, and those who are newly diagnosed with HIV. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at some point in their lives, an estimated one in 16 African American men and one in 32 African American women will be diagnosed with HIV infection. Despite accounting for a little more than 13% of the U.S. population, African Americans accounted for 43% of all new HIV cases in 2014. This article provides a critical review of evidenced-based, African-centered HIV primary prevention interventions designed to address the cultural realities of African Americans. Following a brief contextualization of the impact of HIV/AIDS among African Americans as a refle...
Employing Expert Opinion and Software Metrics for Reasoning About Software

When comparing software programs based on certain qualities there is usually more than one metric that can be used. Often these metrics may contradict one another or there may be no standard acceptance thresholds. In this work we demonstrate how the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) can be used to mitigate the aforementioned deficiencies in metrics-based software decision making. We illustrate the procedure by incorporating value judgments from a group of experts into an existing metrics data set to rank the design complexity in three imaging software packages. In this case the injection of expert opinion in a formalized framework minimizes the problems associated with conflicting metrics. The contribution of this work is to demonstrate how a combination of expert opinion and tool-collected measures can be used to reason about software programs. The methodology employed can be easily modified to include different metrics, applications and weights, thus providing a practical assessment tool for decision making about software.
Crustal Velocity Variations in Taiwan Revealed by Active-Source Seismic Observations

In this chapter, we use the manually picked first-arrival times from the closely-spaced receivers sub-linearly deployed by the TAIGER project along island-wide transects and the pre-existing stations distributed in northern Taiwan to examine the underlying velocity profiles.
Critique [of Change in American Indian World Views Illustrated by Oral Narratives and Contemporary Poetry by Silvester J. Brito]

Brito9s article draws a necessary contrast between the purpose and function of American Indian chants, and the American Indian9s descent into modern poetry. The latter is an idiom that can only voice anger and frustration: it symbolizes a spirit imprisoned, forced to protest through a borrowed medium because it seems to be the only one that the western mind can understand.
Assessment and classification of singing quality based on audio-visual features

The process of speech production changes between speaking and singing due to excitation, vocal tract articulatory positioning, and cognitive motor planning while singing. Singing does not only deviate from typical spoken speech, but it varies across various styles of singing. This is due to alternative genres of music, singing quality of an individual, as well as different languages and cultures. Because of this variation, it is important to establish a baseline system for differentiating between certain aspects of singing. In this study, we establish a classification system that automatically estimates singing quality of candidates from an American TV singing show based on their singing speech acoustics, lip and eye movements. We employ three classifiers that include: Logistic Regression, Naive Bayes and K-nearest neighbor (k-NN) and compare performance of each using unimodal and multimodal features. We also compare performance based on different modalities (speech, lip, eye structure). The results show that audio content performs the best, with modest gains when lip and eye content are fused. An interesting outcome is that lip and eye content achieve an 82% quality assessment while audio achieves 95%. The ability to assess singing quality from lip and eye content at this level is remarkable.
Using evolutionary genomics, transcriptomics, and systems biology to reveal gene networks underlying fungal development

Abstract Fungal model species have contributed to many aspects of modern biology, from biochemistry and cell biology to molecular genetics. Nevertheless, only a few genes associated with morphological development in fungi have been functionally characterized in terms of their genetic or molecular interactions. Evolutionary developmental biology in fungi faces challenges from a lack of fossil records and unresolved species phylogeny, to homoplasy associated with simple morphology. Traditionally, reductive approaches use genetic screens to reveal phenotypes from a large number of mutants; the efficiency of these approaches relies on profound prior knowledge of the genetics and biology of the designated development trait—knowledge which is often not available for even well-studied fungal model species. Reductive approaches become less efficient for the study of developmental traits that are regulated quantitatively by more than one gene via networks. Recent advances in genome-wide analysis performed in representative multicellular fungal models and non-models have greatly improved upon the traditional reductive approaches in fungal evo-devo research by providing clues for focused knockout strategies. In particular, genome-wide gene expression data across developmental processes of interest in multiple species can expedite the advancement of integrative synthetic and systems biology strategies to reveal regulatory networks underlying fungal development.