cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PMR studies of organic solvent denatured transfer RNA.

Abstract Unfractionated transfer RNA from yeast, E. coli B and rat liver denature in dimethylsulfoxide to flexible macromolecules which display proton magnetic resonance spectra resolvable into individual nucleoside classes. Potentially this method provides a means of obtaining information regarding the role of modified nucleosides in tRNA structure.
What is causing excessive daytime sleepiness? Evaluation to distinguish sleep deprivation from sleep disorders.

PREVIEWMany people have a temporary spell, often in early afternoon, when they feel drowsy. This passing desire for a quick nap is completely different from excessive daytime sleepiness, which is a much more significant problem. Considering the potentially dire personal and economic consequences of falling asleep unintentionally or at inappropriate times, excessive daytime sleepiness must be taken very seriously. A thorough evaluation, as described by Dr Mahowald, virtually always leads to a specific underlying cause, allowing effective treatment recommendations.
Control configuration selection for economic model predictive control

Economic model predictive control (EMPC) is a control scheme that dictates a potentially dynamic operating policy to optimize the process economics. The objective function used in the EMPC may be a general nonlinear function that describes the process/system economics. Since this function is not derived on the basis of classical control considerations only (e.g., stabilization, tracking, and optimal control action calculation), selecting the appropriate control configuration and quantifying the influence of a given input on an economic cost is an important task for the proper design of an EMPC scheme. Owing to these considerations, we propose to utilize the relative degree of the economic cost function with respect to an input to identify and select inputs with the most influence on the economic cost function to be assigned to EMPC. Other considerations for input selection for EMPC are also discussed and the presented control configuration selection for EMPC method is demonstrated using a chemical process example.
Enterobacter sakazakii brain abscess in the neonate: the importance of neuroradiologic imaging.

Background. Enterobacter sakazakii is a rare but important cause of life-threatening neonatal sepsis and meningitis complicated by the development of brain abscess.¶Objective. Given the neurotropic qualities of this organism, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial as a poor prognosis follows brain abscess formation.¶Materials and methods. Cross-sectional imaging (CT and MRI) play an important role in the diagnostic work-up.¶Conclusion. A biopsy-proven case of E. sakazakii brain abscess, which was diagnosed on MR images, is presented, and the importance of prompt radiologic imaging of the central nervous system in the work-up of patients with this life-threatening disease is discussed.
Photochemical redox reactivity in cobalt(II) complexes

Abstract The photochemical reactivity of the complexes CoCl 2− 4 , Co(Me 6 [14]dieneN 4 ) 2+ and Co(tet a) 2+ was investigated by continuous and flash photolysis. Intermediates, characterized as Cl − 2 and a cobalt(I) complex, CoCl 2− 3 , were generated in a photoredox reaction of CoCl 2− 4 . The photoinduced solvolysis of the marocyclic ligand was the only reaction mode observed with Co[Me 6 [14]dieneN 3 ] 2+, , while Co(tet a) 2+ was photoinert. The possible nature of the reactive charge transfer excited states is discussed.
Effect of Free Fatty Acids on Protein Binding of Antimicrobial Agents

The effect of free fatty acids (FFAs) on the binding of antibiotics to human serum proteins was studied by addition of palmitic acid to albumin solutions and normal pooled serum. FFA reduced the binding of dicloxacillin, cefamandole, and sulfamethoxazole at molar ratios of FFA to albumin of greater than 2.0. In contrast, FFA enhanced the binding of benzylpenicillin, cephalothin, and cefoxitin at physiologic molar ratios of FFA to albumin. Elevated levels of FFAs induced in vivo by heparin produced similar results with dicloxacillin and benzylpenicillin. Addition of FFA to serum, but not to albumin, reduced the binding of clindamycin and trimethoprim. That the binding of these drugs was much lower in albumin than in serum suggested the presence in serum of another antibiotic-binding protein and that FFAs can modulate binding to this protein. Binding of chloramphenicol was unaffected by FFAs. The possible clinical significance of the changes in protein binding due to FFAs is discussed.
Polyphosphate kinase 2: a novel determinant of stress responses and pathogenesis in Campylobacter jejuni.

BACKGROUND: Inorganic polyphosphate (poly P) plays an important role in stress tolerance and virulence in many bacteria. PPK1 is the principal enzyme involved in poly P synthesis, while PPK2 uses poly P to generate GTP, a signaling molecule that serves as an alternative energy source and a precursor for various physiological processes. Campylobacter jejuni, an important cause of foodborne gastroenteritis in humans, possesses homologs of both ppk1 and ppk2. ppk1 has been previously shown to impact the pathobiology of C. jejuni. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the deletion of ppk2 in C. jejuni resulted in a significant decrease in poly P-dependent GTP synthesis, while displaying an increased intracellular ATP:GTP ratio. The Deltappk2 mutant exhibited a significant survival defect under osmotic, nutrient, aerobic, and antimicrobial stresses and displayed an enhanced ability to form static biofilms. However, the Deltappk2 mutant was not defective in poly P and ppGpp synthesis suggesting that PPK2-mediated stress tolerance is not ppGpp-mediated. Importantly, the Deltappk2 mutant was significantly attenuated in invasion and intracellular survival within human intestinal epithelial cells as well as in chicken colonization. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Taken together, we have highlighted the role of PPK2 as a novel pathogenicity determinant that is critical for C. jejuni survival, adaptation, and persistence in the host environments. PPK2 is absent in humans and animals; therefore, can serve as a novel target for therapeutic intervention of C. jejuni infections.
Superoleophobic and Conductive Carbon Nanofiber/Fluoropolymer Composite Films

Abstract A solution-based, large-area coating procedure is developed to produce conductive polymer composite films consisting of hollow-core carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and a fluoroacrylic co-polymer available as a water-based dispersion. CNFs (100 nm dia., length ∼130 μm) were dispersed by sonication in a formic acid/acetone co-solvent system, which enabled colloidal stability and direct blending of the CNFs and aqueous fluoroacrylic dispersions in the absence of surfactants. The dispersions were sprayed on smooth and microtextured surfaces, thus forming conformal coatings after drying. Nanostructured composite films of different degrees of oil and water repellency were fabricated by varying the concentration of CNFs. The effect of substrate texture and CNF content on oil/water repellency was studied. Water and oil static contact angles (CAs) ranged from 98° to 164° and from 61° to 164°, respectively. Some coatings with the highest water/oil CAs displayed self-cleaning behavior (droplet roll-off angles
Modeled contributions of three types of diazotrophs to nitrogen fixation at Station ALOHA

A diagnostic model based on biomass and growth was used to assess the relative contributions of filamentous nonheterocystous Trichodesmium and unicellular cyanobacteria, termed Groups A and B, to nitrogen fixation at the North Pacific Station ALOHA over a 2-year period. Average (and 95% confidence interval, CI) annual rates of modeled monthly values for Trichodesmium, Group B and Group A were 92 (52), 14 (4) and 12 (8) mmol N per m(2) per year, respectively. The fractional contribution to modeled instantaneous nitrogen fixation by each diazotroph fluctuated on interannual, seasonal and shorter time scales. Trichodesmium fixed substantially more nitrogen in year 1 (162) than year 2 (12). Group B fixed almost two times more nitrogen in year 1 (17) than year 2 (9). In contrast, Group A fixed two times more nitrogen in year 2 (16) than year 1 (8). When including uncertainties in our estimates using the bootstrap approach, the range of unicellular nitrogen fixation extended from 10% to 68% of the total annual rate of nitrogen fixation for all three diazotrophs. Furthermore, on a seasonal basis, the model demonstrated that unicellular diazotrophs fixed the majority (51%-97%) of nitrogen during winter and spring, whereas Trichodesmium dominated nitrogen fixation during summer and autumn (60%-96%). Sensitivity of the modeled rates to some parameters suggests that this unique attempt to quantify relative rates of nitrogen fixation by different diazotrophs may need to be reevaluated as additional information on cell size, variability in biomass and C:N, and growth characteristics of the different cyanobacterial diazotrophs become available.
Characterization of a sphingomyelinase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract Sphingomyelinases (SMase), which hydrolyze sphingolipids to yield ceramide, participate in signal transduction pathways in mammalian cells. Although yeast express many homologs of mammalian signaling proteins, SMase activity had not been previously demonstrated in yeast. In this study, we used anin vitroassay to characterize yeast SMase activity. Activity was detected in yeast membranes at both acid and neutral pH. The enzyme exhibited a requirement for magnesium or manganese, and was sensitive to detergents. The pIof the enzyme was approximately 5.9. SMase was separable from phospholipase D (PLD) activity, and was expressed at normal levels in yeast lacking expression of PLD1. While sphingosine and phytosphingosine inhibited growth, other sphingolipid metabolites had no effect on yeast growth. Intact yeast generate ceramide from exogenous sphingomyelin. These studies demonstrate that yeast express a membrane-localized neutral SMase activity.
Renal vein thrombosis following puerperal ovarian vein thrombophlebitis

A case of renal vein thrombosis following puerperal ovarian vein thrombophlebitis is reported. We review the syndrome of puerperal ovarian vein thrombophlebitis and emphasize the potential for renal vein and vena caval involvement. The utility of computed tomographic scanning for diagnostic confirmation of this postpartum complication is described.
Leontief Substitution Systems and Matroid Complexes

A pre-Leontief substitution system is a linear system Ax = b, x > 0, where b is a nonnegative vector and A is a matrix containing at most one positive element in each column. We investigate the face structure of nondegenerate Leontief substitution systems by looking at the corresponding dual simplicial complex. A characterization of the face structure is given for the bounded case called a totally pre-Leontief substitution system by Dantzig and Veinott, and it is shown that the dual complex always comprises the independent sets of a matroid. Conversely, a characterization is given for the class of matroids whose independent sets form the dual complex to a polyhedron, and it is shown that this polyhedron can always be chosen to be a not necessarily bounded Leontief substitution system. The number of such matroids is also given as functions of the rank and the cardinality of the base set. and the number of nondegenerate totally pre-Leontief substitution systems is given as functions of the number of equalities and the number of variables.
Executive Function as a Moderator of Emotion Regulation in Late-Life Depression

neurological condition on QOL (Pearson Correlation 0.295; Spearman correlation 0.323). Patients with evidence of PBA symptoms (CNS-LS 13) were more likely than those without PBA symptoms CNS-LS <13 to be taking antidepressants (SSRIs 36.0% vs. 26.2%; P < 0.0001; TCAs 26.8% vs. 11.2%; P < 0.0001) or antipsychotics (6.2% vs. 2.8%; P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The prevalence estimates of PBA symptoms from PRISM suggest a greater need for research and education regarding PBA detection methods in at risk elderly individuals. Higher CNS-LS scores (a measure of frequency and severity of PBA symptoms that was validated in patients with ALS and MS) were associated with greater impact on QOL and greater likelihood of antidepressant or antipsychotic use. Further research should be conducted to better understand the relationship between PBA and use of antidepressant medications.
Protein phosphatase type 1 catalytic subunit forms nondissociable dimers.

Protein phosphatase type 1 is the major enzyme in skeletal muscle and liver for the dephosphorylation of Ser(P) and Thr(P) phosphoproteins. The cDNA for the catalytic subunit encodes a polypeptide of Mr 35,400 kDa, consistent with the Mr of 36,000–38,000 of the active protein purified in various laboratories. However, several investigators have found a Mr 70,000 protein for phosphatase type 1. In this report proteins of Mr 38,000 and 70,000 were resolved by Mono Q chromatography after extensive copurification from rabbit skeletal muscle. Antibodies affinity-purified against a type 1 phosphatase catalytic fragment reacted with both proteins in Western immunoblotting. Fractions from each peak were cleaved with cyanogen bromide and the major peptides were the same size by electrophoresis in gradient polyacrylamide gels. Cyanogen bromide peptides of the individual bands also were mapped by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The purified Mr 38,000 and 70,000 proteins had identical HPLC peptide maps and also gave the same amino acid compositions after acid hydrolysis. Purified Mr 38,000 phosphatase catalytic subunit spontaneously formed a Mr 70,000 dimer that resisted usual dissociation conditions, i.e., boiling dodecyl sulfate plus 2-mercaptoethanol, but could be cleaved to about half size by various proteases, indicating that monomers were bound together near their amino or carboxy termini. Physiological changes in protein phosphatase type 1 are reflected in the amount of nondissociable dimers detected in tissue extracts.
Satellite-measured temporal variability of the Columbia River plume

Abstract Six years (1998–2003) of SeaWiFS multispectral satellite data are used to document the seasonal and interannual variability of the Columbia River plume on the North American west coast. A supervised classification scheme using 5 channels of normalized water-leaving radiance (nLw at 412, 443, 490, 510 and 555 nm), with training pixels adjusted temporally to optimize the signature of plume core characteristics, quantifies the climatological seasonal location of 4 spectrally defined classes of surface water and provides estimates of variability in position as a probability. Winter plume orientation was northward and close to the shore, with infrequent adjustments to the south. Summer plume orientation was offshore and to the south, dissociated from the coast, with more frequent (> 20%) occurrences of plume water and peripheral plume water (> 50%) to the north. An effective characterization of interannual variability in plume dynamics is provided by time series of temporally averaged nLw at 555 nm, used as an estimate of suspended particulate material. Monthly means during maxima and minima in annual river discharge show the plume to be weakest both in spatial extent as well as absolute nLw values in 2001, a year of minimum river discharge. Time series of both (a) nLw 555 values at the river mouth and (b) Mode 2 of an empirical orthogonal function decomposition of the 6-year nLw 555 time series variance that isolates winter patterns are strongly correlated with river discharge. Interannual differences in monthly mean wind forcing are evident as changes in plume position during the winter, but at the 8-day and longer time scales examined here, summer interannual differences are dominated by differences in discharge volume.
Structure and function of the healthy pre-adolescent pediatric gut microbiome

The gut microbiome influences myriad host functions, including nutrient acquisition, immune modulation, brain development, and behavior. Although human gut microbiota are recognized to change as we age, information regarding the structure and function of the gut microbiome during childhood is limited. Using 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we characterized the structure, function, and variation of the healthy pediatric gut microbiome in a cohort of school-aged, pre-adolescent children (ages 7–12 years). We compared the healthy pediatric gut microbiome with that of healthy adults previously recruited from the same region (Houston, TX, USA). Although healthy children and adults harbored similar numbers of taxa and functional genes, their composition and functional potential differed significantly. Children were enriched in Bifidobacterium spp., Faecalibacterium spp., and members of the Lachnospiraceae, while adults harbored greater abundances of Bacteroides spp. From a functional perspective, significant differences were detected with respect to the relative abundances of genes involved in vitamin synthesis, amino acid degradation, oxidative phosphorylation, and triggering mucosal inflammation. Children’s gut communities were enriched in functions which may support ongoing development, while adult communities were enriched in functions associated with inflammation, obesity, and increased risk of adiposity. Previous studies suggest that the human gut microbiome is relatively stable and adult-like after the first 1 to 3 years of life. Our results suggest that the healthy pediatric gut microbiome harbors compositional and functional qualities that differ from those of healthy adults and that the gut microbiome may undergo a more prolonged development than previously suspected.
Telechelic sulfate ionomers. I. Preparation and solution and thermal properties

New telechelic ionomers with zinc and sodium sulfate salt terminal groups on hydrogenated polybutadiene (HPB) backbones (I) were prepared from hydroxyl-terminated hydrogenated polybutadiene (HTHPB) of three different molecular weights (1350, 2100, and 3200 g/mol). Quantitative acid-base titration, elemental analysis, and NMR spectroscopy were used to verify the structure, and further characterization included differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and solution viscometry. The DSC results indicated that the ionomers are free of impurities within the limit of the resolution of the method. Glass transition temperatures determined by DSC indicated that the elevation in glass transition temperature by ionic crosslinking was most strongly dependent on the molecular weight of the backbone of the telechelic ionomer. The solution viscometry results showed that the sulfation reaction did not cause either covalent crosslinking or chain scission. Furthermore, the solubility characteristics of the sulfate-terminated hydrogenated polybutadiene (STHPB) oligomers were shifted towards a preference for polar solvents by the presence of salt groups. The lower molecular weight ionomers of the series showed polyelectrolyte-like extension at very dilute concentrations in polar solvents. The onset of polymer gelation in hexane was observed for the ionomers which had the highest molecular weight backbones.
When Love Is Blind Maintaining Idealized Images of One's Spouse

Three studies investigated the degree and maintenance of idealized images in the marriage relationship. The first study provided strong evidence that one's image of one's spouse is highly idealized vis-a-vis relevant comparison persons. Studies two and three provided evidence that idealization is maintained through a pattern of biased causal attributions, such that one's spouse is credited with responsibility for good behaviors whereas bad behaviors are regarded as situationally caused. The role that idealization serves in perpetuating marital constructions of reality (Berger & Kellner, 1964) is discussed.
Isotropic Clamped-Free Thin Annular Circular Plate Subjected to a Concentrated Load

The problem of an isotropic annular plate clamped along one edge and free at the other and subjected to a concentrated load is solved by a series approximation. The continuity conditions of deflection, slope, shear and radial moments at the radius of load application are satisfied. Variations of deflection coefficient, radial moment coefficients and shear coefficients with radius and angle are presented.
Mary Astell's Serious Proposal: Mind, Method, and Custom

In general outline, Astell's A Serious Proposal to the Ladies is well understood. In Part I, Astell argues that women are educable, and she proposes the construction of a women's academy. In Part II, she proposes a method for the improvement of the mind. In this article, I reconstruct and contextualize Astell's arguments and proposals within her theory of mind and her account of the skeptical predicament that she sees as being endemic among women. I argue that Astell's two proposals are best understood as strategies that, when employed, will allow women to critique prejudice and custom.
Rural households’ decision-making in fuelwood collection. A case study of natural forest margins in the tropics

Households located in peripheral villages of the natural forests are heavily dependent on fuelwood for their primary energy source. Due to excessive use, the productivity of the remaining forests is at a critical stage. The study’s main objective was to assess the household decision-making behavior in fuelwood extraction from natural forests. Households’ decision-making behavior was tested using social, economic and physical factors. Five forest reserves were selected for the study where fuelwood dependency is pronounced. The study findings showed factors such as off-farm income, wealth, diversification index, agricultural efficiency and male–female ratio had negative and significant effects on fuelwood dependency. Income diversification, creating off-farm employment, augmenting household wealth and farming efficiency may be viable options for minimizing fuelwood dependency.
Renal cell carcinoma recurrence after nephrectomy for localized disease: predicting survival from time of recurrence.

Purpose Prognostic factors for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are well established. However, the risk profile is unknown for patients with recurrent RCC after a nephrectomy for localized disease. Patients and Methods From January 1989 to July 2005, we identified patients with localized RCC treated by nephrectomy who subsequently developed recurrent disease. We applied a validated prognostic scoring system previously developed for patients with metastatic RCC. Each patient was given a total risk score of 0 to 5, with one point for each of five prognostic variables (recurrence 10 mg/dL, hemoglobin 1.5× upper limit of normal, and Karnofsky performance status < 80%). Patients were categorized into low- (score = 0), intermediate- (score = 1 to 2), and high-risk subgroups (score = 3 to 5). Results Our final cohort included 118 patients, with a median survival time of 21 months from the time of re...
Resolution of prominent crustal scatterers near the Noress small-aperture array

SUMMARY Our goal is to identify prominent scatterers near seismic arrays so that the secondary phases they generate can be anticipated and recognized as being of local, not teleseismic, origin. Toward this end we have developed a technique to scan seismic coda recorded by arrays for phases generated locally by scattering of teleseismic energy from large topographical and crustal heterogeneities. In this paper we test the technique by using the NORESS small-aperture array in southern Norway to image free surface secondary R, sources excited by incoming teleseismic P waves. In essence, our technique suppresses the teleseismic energy and migrates the residual array records to image-coherent local sources. To assess the azimuthal and radial resolution that the NORESS array provides we have analysed point-source synthetics. A preliminary analysis of recorded data provides an initial view of the scatterers in the vicinity of NORESS and identifies limitations of imaging using the full coda of individual events. Single events can be used to image scatterers but more robust images, with higher azimuthal resolution, can be obtained by using a broadly distributed suite of events. Radial resolution of scatterers can be enhanced by deconvolution. A composite image generated by simultaneously considering a suite of 31 deconvolved teleseisms indicates that two secondary R, sources are present at, or near, the free surface near NORESS. One, 27 km to the south-west of the array, appears to be related to dramatic topographic relief at the south-west edge of Lake Mjosa. Another, roughly 10 km to the east of the array is judged by a bootstrapresampling analysis to be only marginally significant. This apparent source does not coincide with obvious topography and is likely buried. Although the time delay that separates the scattered and ‘parent’ phases depends somewhat on the angle of approach of the incoming waves, in general these secondary sources are contributing wave trains to the seismic coda that begin -4 and 11 s, respectively, after the primary onset.
A digital array radar with a hierarchical system architecture

A digital array radar system prototype is presented that makes use of a hierarchical digital backend coupled with highly-integrated, multi-channel RF transceivers. The general benefits of using such a hierarchical architecture are briefly discussed, along with how this prototype is in line with a vision for future radars that fully embrace the concept of low-cost integration in a panelized platform. A target tracking example is given using the prototype that illustrates some specific advantages to using a hierarchical digital backend.
Challenges in MR image acquisition and analysis for probing the human connectome in vivo

One of the basic principles underlying modern neuroscience is that of connectional specificity; that is, neurons in different regions of the brain do not form connections randomly but rather in a manner that facilitates the processing of information among regions with related functions. A full characterization of the connectional specificity of the human brain would require identifying all connections between individual neurons and mapping the trajectories of the axons that connect them. This neuronal connectivity diagram, referred to as the human connectome, is unknown and beyond the reach of current technologies. However, recent advances in diffusion and functional MRI have opened the way to the study of major pathways in the brain, which are formed by bundles of axons running in parallel and terminating in groups of neurons with architectonic and functional homogeneity. These advances have brought us excitingly close to the in vivo, noninvasive mapping of the human connectome at the aggregate level but several technical challenges remain to be addressed.
Multilayer of ring-structured feedback network for production system processing

The ANN (artificial neural network) approach can be applied to problems in artificial intelligence-in particular, to production systems. Among various types of neural networks, the three-layer ring-structured feedback network with three associative memories is considered to suit the problem domain. Characteristics of the production system paradigm are identified, based on which mapping strategies are developed. Two types of representation techniques are studied: local and hierarchical. The local representation can give an O(1) pattern matching time in production systems when an efficient training strategy is used. The hierarchical representation derives features from production systems and constructs a three-dimensional feature space, where a pattern can be uniquely defined by a vector. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed architecture and mapping strategy can be an efficient solution to the production system paradigm. >
Behavior Problems in Children With Diabetes: Disentangling Possible Scoring Confounds on the Child Behavior Checklist

Objective: The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; T. M. Achenbach, 1991), when used to assess the behavior of children with diabetes, may contain confounds because some behavioral items can have a physiologic etiology, and may skew reports of behavioral disturbance. Methods: Two techniques were used to disentangle possible scoring confounds in the behavioral ratings of children with and without diabetes: (1) the Somatic Complaints scale was deleted, or (2) Diabetes Items, identified a priori with 89% agreement by nine medical personnel, were deleted. Results: As expected, with traditionally scored protocols, children with diabetes obtained higher Internalizing and Total Behavior Problem scores than controls. This group difference persisted whether the Somatic Complaints scale or the Diabetes Items were deleted. Conclusions: Compared to controls, children with diabetes obtained mildly elevated scores on six of the eight CBCL scales, regardless of scoring method, suggesting that their mildly elevated behavioral profile is not confounded by physiologic symptomatology.
Th2 Differentiation Is Unaffected by Jagged2 Expression on Dendritic Cells

Expression of the Jagged Notch ligands by dendritic cells (DCs) has been suggested to play a role in instructing Th2 responses. Supporting this hypothesis, we found that Jagged2 but not Jagged1 expression, correlates with the ability of DCs to induce Th2 responses. Jagged2 expression is up-regulated in response to the helminth soluble Schistosoma mansoni egg Ag, which conditions DCs to induce Th2 responses, and is markedly down-regulated following exposure to TLR agonists that generally promote Th1 responses. Conversely, Jagged1 expression is markedly induced by TLR ligation. Despite these correlations, suppression of expression of Jagged2 using retrovirally delivered small interfering RNA failed to affect the ability of DCs to induce Th2 cell differentiation either in vitro or in vivo. Moreover, retrovirally induced expression of Jagged2 did not enhance the ability of DCs to induce Th2 cell responses. Our data indicate that Jagged2 expression by DCs is not sufficient or required for Th2 cell differentiation.
The performance of a size-structured stock assessment method in the face of spatial heterogeneity in growth

Monte Carlo simulation is used to assess the performance of a size-structured stock assessment method of the type commonly employed to assess rock lobster populations in Australia and New Zealand. The simulations consider the impact of measurement error and process error in catchability and the length at 50% selectivity, as well as the implications of pooling data across populations that differ in terms of growth rate. The ability to estimate the virgin biomass depends critically on having catch-rate or size-composition data for earliest years of exploitation; in the absence of such data the estimates can be highly biased and imprecise. Several of the reference points commonly reported for assessment purposes (e.g. the biomass at which maximum sustainable yield is achieved) are, however, based on the estimate of the virgin biomass. Estimation performance (bias and precision of estimated quantities) deteriorates with increasing process error. For most of the scenarios examined, the expected benefits of increased precision arising from pooling data across spatial zones are not realized and better performance can be achieved by conducting assessments at the level of population and subsequently aggregating results spatially.
Receptor Polymorphism Restricts Contact-Dependent Growth Inhibition to Members of the Same Species

ABSTRACT Bacteria that express contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) systems outcompete siblings that lack immunity, suggesting that CDI mediates intercellular competition. To further explore the role of CDI in competition, we determined the target cell range of the CDI EC93 system from Escherichia coli EC93. The CdiA EC93 effector protein recognizes the widely conserved BamA protein as a receptor, yet E. coli EC93 does not inhibit other enterobacterial species. The predicted membrane topology of BamA indicates that three of its extracellular loops vary considerably between species, suggesting that loop heterogeneity may control CDI specificity. Consistent with this hypothesis, other enterobacteria are sensitized to CDI EC93 upon the expression of E . coli bamA and E. coli cells become CDI EC93 resistant when bamA is replaced with alleles from other species. Our data indicate that BamA loops 6 and 7 form the CdiA EC93 -binding epitope and their variation between species restricts CDI EC93 target cell selection. Although BamA loops 6 and 7 vary dramatically between species, these regions are identical in hundreds of E. coli strains, suggesting that BamA Ecoli and CdiA EC93 play a role in self-nonself discrimination. IMPORTANCE Contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) systems are widespread among Gram-negative bacteria, enabling them to bind to neighboring bacterial cells and deliver protein toxins that inhibit cell growth. In this study, we tested the role of CDI in interspecies competition using intestinal isolate Escherichia coli EC93 as an inhibitor cell model. Although E. coli EC93 inhibits different E. coli strains, other bacterial species from the intestine are completely resistant to CDI. We show that resistance is due to small variations in the CDI receptor that prevent other species from being recognized as target cells. CDI receptor interactions thus provide a mechanism by which bacteria can distinguish siblings and other close relatives (self) from more distant relatives or other species of bacteria (nonself). Our results provide a possible means by which antimicrobials could be directed to one or only a few related bacterial pathogens by using a specific receptor “zip code.”
A phylogenetic Gibbs sampler that yields centroid solutions for cis-regulatory site prediction

Motivation: Identification of functionally conserved regulatory elements in sequence data from closely related organisms is becoming feasible, due to the rapid growth of public sequence databases. Closely related organisms are most likely to have common regulatory motifs; however, the recent speciation of such organisms results in the high degree of correlation in their genome sequences, confounding the detection of functional elements. Additionally, alignment algorithms that use optimization techniques are limited to the detection of a single alignment that may not be representative. Comparative-genomics studies must be able to address the phylogenetic correlation in the data and efficiently explore the alignment space, in order to make specific and biologically relevant predictions. Results: We describe here a Gibbs sampler that employs a full phylogenetic model and reports an ensemble centroid solution. We describe regulatory motif detection using both simulated and real data, and demonstrate that this approach achieves improved specificity, sensitivity, and positive predictive value over non-phylogenetic algorithms, and over phylogenetic algorithms that report a maximum likelihood solution. Availability: The software is freely available at http://bayesweb.wadsworth.org/gibbs/gibbs.html Contact: William_Thompson_1@brown.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A Meta-analysis of Interventions to Increase Adherence to Medication Regimens for Pediatric Otitis Media and Streptococcal Pharyngitis

Objective The current study quantitatively synthesized the adherence intervention literature for two common acute childhood illnesses and examined the magnitude of change in adherence as indicated by different outcome measures and the relationship between type of intervention and adherence outcome. Methods Meta-analysis was used to synthesize the results of 12 interventions to increase medication adherence in pediatric otitis media and streptococcal pharyngitis. Effect sizes were analyzed using homogeneity tests and an analog to the analysis of variance. Results Combination interventions were more effective than single strategy interventions. However, families receiving educational interventions alone did not demonstrate better adherence than control groups. Indirect measures of adherence showed more change in adherence than direct measures. Conclusions Further work is needed to develop effective interventions for improving adherence for the medication regimens required for short-term illness and for optimizing health outcomes.
The effect of pregnancy and puerperium on the thiamine status of women.

Abstract The oral or intramuscular administration of thiamine to normal subjects causes the percentage excretion of thiamine and pyrimidine in the urine to increase as the dosage is increased on successive days until a peak is reached. Subsequent increases in dosage result in progressively less efficient excretion of thiamine or pyrimidine. This excretion peak has been observed in all sujects studied, whether normal, thiamine deficient or pregnant. The quantity of thiamine required to titrate this peak appears to be proportional to the thiamine status, is high for thiamine deficient persons and for women in advanced pregnancy and puerperium, and is low for those who are not deficient. Thiamine was administered orally and intramuscularly to measure the excretion peaks of sixteen pregnant women. Since approximately three times as much thiamine was needed in titrating the excretion peaks of these subjects during late pregnancy and early puerperium, it is suggested that the requirements for thiamine during pregnancy and lactation are three times those of nonpregnancy.
Response to Increased Rumen Undegradable Protein Intake by Lactating Dairy Cows1

A dataset was constructed from literature published between 1988 and 2000 to determine whether increased intake of rumen undegradable protein (RUP) was related to increased milk and milk component production. The dataset represented 436 treatment means from 77 published reports. Nutrient intakes were calculated using tabular values for nutrient contents of individual feeds. There was no relationship between RUP content of diets and milk production, unless RUP content of feeds was adjusted to reflect differences in DMI. Increased intake of RUP was associated with increased yield of milk, 4% fat-corrected milk (FCM), and energy-corrected milk (ECM). Using new systems to adjust intake of rumen undegradable intake protein for diet and DMI effects resulted in marginal improvement to the relationships when compared with the use of tabular values for the RUP content of feeds. Within the dataset, a 526-g increase in RUP intake at constant DMI was required to produce a 1-kg increase in milk. Further improvement in predicting milk production response to undegradable protein intake will require investigation of other factors such as amino acid flow, specific attributes of feeds, and/or stage of lactation.
Near bottom measurement of wave environment in a tidal current

Passenger ferries running from Woods Hole to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts enter Vineyard Sound at the Woods Hole Harbor entrance and turn from south to east where summer southwesterly winds often set up a short chop. Occasional stronger blows create a swell running across or opposed to the strong tidal current Northeasters are common from October to May and set up a chop and swell at the Martha's Vineyard end of the passage as well as at the turning point off Woods Hole. Directional wave measurements were made for the Woods Hole and Martha's Vineyard Steamship Authority in June and July 2004 to characterize the wave climate for design of a new fast ferry that will serve this route. Heavy boat traffic makes surface buoys at the critical turning region impractical but shallow depths permit a directional wave spectrum to be computed from near bottom measurements of vector velocity and pressure. However the strong tidal currents add a new element to the computational task of projecting near bottom wave velocities back to the surface. In extreme cases, the wave period observed at the bottom may be very long when the waves propagate into the current yet the attenuation relation for waves near the bottom must use the wave period relative to the near surface moving water. This back tracking of current presents a problem that has not been well addressed by existing wave models. In the Vineyard Sound case, shallow depths and unstratified conditions permit a computation of the surface current from the near bottom measurements for this reconstruction.
Vulcanization of Buna-S (GR-S) with Organic Sulfur Compounds. II.

Abstract 1. Buna-S has been vulcanized by a number of organic sulfur compounds, most interesting of which are alkylxanthogen disulfides. 2. The optimum results were obtained with a stock containing 4.00 per of ethylxanthogen disulfide, with either 2.00 per cent of N-cyclohexylbenzothiazyl-2-sulfenamide or 0.50 per cent of tetramethylthiuram disulfide. 3. The effect of small additions of t-butyl-, xylyl-, and p-methylphenylthiols was a pronounced improvement in the flex-cracking resistance of a vulcanizate containing ethylxanthogen disulfide. These observations suggest the industrial application of ethylxanthogen disulfide to alleviate some of the serious deficiencies so characteristic of Buna-S vulcanizates.
Stochastic systems with delay: Perturbation theory for second order statistics

Abstract Within the framework of delay Fokker–Planck equations, a perturbation theoretical method is developed to determine second-order statistical quantities such as autocorrelation functions for stochastic systems with delay. Two variants of the perturbation theoretical approach are presented. The first variant is based on a non-local Fokker–Planck operator. The second variant requires to solve a Fokker–Planck equation with source term. It is shown that the two variants yield consistent results. The perturbation theoretical approaches are applied to study negative autocorrelations that are induced by feedback delays and mediated by the strength of the fluctuating forces that act on the feedback systems.
Hypothalamus and Regulation of Body Temperature.

Recent work1 has shown that the hypothalamus plays an important part in the regulation of body temperature. In the course of a series of investigations2 on the functions of the hypothalamus we have...
Metagenomic Evaluation of the Highly Abundant Human Gut Bacteriophage CrAssphage for Source Tracking of Human Fecal Pollution

Recently, a highly abundant and widespread bacteriophage, named crAssphage, was identified in the human gut. Here, 86 publically available metagenomes were surveyed to determine the presence and abundance of crAssphage in various environments and to identify its utility for source tracking of human fecal pollution. CrAssphage was found to be highly abundant in sewage and biosolids from the United States and Europe and less abundant in sewage from Asia and Africa. CrAssphage was not definitively identified in other samples, including animal fecal material, with the exception of bat guano. Approximately half of mapped reads in the bat guano metagenome clustered to orf00045 in the phage genome, suggesting homology to a closely related phage. These results indicate the potential utility of a crAssphage-based marker for source tracking of human fecal waste and highlight the utility of metagenomic approaches for initial identification and verification of fecal source tracking markers.
Tu1655 Negative Water Pressure Aspiration Technique Improves Cytologic Yield of EUS-FNA

To evaluate diagnostic yield and accuracy of high,moderate and normal negative pressure suction techniques in EUS-FNA www.giejourna Type of negative pressure l.org 0ml (n[34) 5ml (n[37) 10ml (n[78) P value
Nuclear-Pumped Lasers

Nuclear-pumped laser research has been constrained by the available power density from the various “pumping” schemes used. This section looks at the history of nuclear-pumped laser research and describes the 50 or so laser systems which have worked using the nuclear-pumping method. It also addresses the mechanisms for these lasers as well as the current understanding of why these specific laser systems worked.
Study on Soil Properties after Drilling Mud Disposal by Land Treatment

Soil types of Chinese onshore oil fields,their physical and chemical properties and the microbialpopulations in the soils.When the drilling mud is disposed by land treatment,heavy metals and organics in mud will affect the soil properties,such as increase in organic matter content,cation exchange capacity,salinity,and pH,but cause the reduction of soil porosity.On the other hand,the humus produced in the biodegrsdation of organic compounds can improve the soil.Moreover,soil improvement which solves these bad influences will keep land sustainable.In conclusion,land treatment can be feasible in terms of technology,economy and environment.
Consciousness of public relations and communication skills in university students

One of important questions faced by universities is improvement of students’ social adaptation because global financial crisis,shrinking job market and grim employment situation.The science of public relations has a unique educational function.The paper has explored on cultivating the consciousness of public relations,communication skills and comprehensive quality in university students through applying the idea of public relations,analyzing social phenomena and cases,and classroom discussion.
Abstract B01: Improve MEK/ERK targeting in mutant KRAS lung cancer

KRAS activating mutations are detected in 30% Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) cases, and represent the subset of patients with the worst prognosis. Current efforts to develop treatments for this type of lung cancer are partially focused on inhibiting the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling cascade downstream of KRAS. Inhibition of the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway results in death of many mutant KRAS-driven lung cancer cell lines in vitro, and we have previously reported a murine active Kras lung cancer model that showed significant tumor regression upon treatment with the MEK inhibitor, selumetinib, when it was combined with other agents, such as PI3K/mTOR dual inhibitor BEZ235 or the cytotoxic agent docetaxel. The activity of the latter combination was validated in a recent phase II clinical trial in NSCLC patients harboring KRAS mutations. However, the responses were not durable in either human patients or mice, as resistance develop rapidly following chronic MEK inhibition. We have developed two approaches to reduce or delay the emergence of resistant clones. First, we have identified a number of novel treatment strategies that would directly improve the initial efficacy of MEK/ERK inhibition to dramatically enhance the initial response to MEK inhibition. Second, we have designed chemical screening strategies that identify compounds that act against active Kras lung cancer independently from the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. We are using the first approach to delay the development of chronic resistance, while using the second approach to overcome resistance to MEK/ERK inhibition. Citation Format: Zhao Chen, Ellen Weisberg, Katherine Cheng, Andrew L. Kung, James Bradner, James Griffin, Kwok-Kin Wong. Improve MEK/ERK targeting in mutant KRAS lung cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on RAS Oncogenes: From Biology to Therapy; Feb 24-27, 2014; Lake Buena Vista, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2014;12(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B01. doi: 10.1158/1557-3125.RASONC14-B01
Controlled cross circulation for direct-vision intracardiac surgery; correction of ventricular septal defects, atrioventricularis communis, and tetralogy of Fallot.

(1955). Controlled Cross Circulation for Direct-Vision Intracardiac Surgery. Postgraduate Medicine: Vol. 17, No. 5, pp. 388-396.