cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metabolism of Vertebrate Amino Sugars with N-Glycolyl Groups ELUCIDATING THE INTRACELLULAR FATE OF THE NON-HUMAN SIALIC ACID N-GLYCOLYLNEURAMINIC ACID

The two major mammalian sialic acids are N-acetylneuraminic acid and N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc). The only known biosynthetic pathway generating Neu5Gc is the conversion of CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid into CMP-Neu5Gc, which is catalyzed by the CMP-Neu5Ac hydroxylase enzyme. Given the irreversible nature of this reaction, there must be pathways for elimination or degradation of Neu5Gc, which would allow animal cells to adjust Neu5Gc levels to their needs. Although humans are incapable of synthesizing Neu5Gc due to an inactivated CMAH gene, exogenous Neu5Gc from dietary sources can be metabolically incorporated into tissues in the face of an anti-Neu5Gc antibody response. However, the metabolic turnover of Neu5Gc, which apparently prevents human cells from continued accumulation of this immunoreactive sialic acid, has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we show that pre-loaded Neu5Gc is eliminated from human cells over time, and we propose a conceivable Neu5Gc-degrading pathway based on the well studied metabolism of N-acetylhexosamines. We demonstrate that murine tissue cytosolic extracts harbor the enzymatic machinery to sequentially convert Neu5Gc into N-glycolylmannosamine, N-glycolylglucosamine, and N-glycolylglucosamine 6-phosphate, whereupon irreversible de-N-glycolylation of the latter results in the ubiquitous metabolites glycolate and glucosamine 6-phosphate. We substantiate this finding by demonstrating activity of recombinant human enzymes in vitro and by studying the fate of radiolabeled pathway intermediates in cultured human cells, suggesting that this pathway likely occurs in vivo. Finally, we demonstrate that the proposed degradative pathway is partially reversible, showing that N-glycolylmannosamine and N-glycolylglucosamine (but not glycolate) can serve as precursors for biosynthesis of endogenous Neu5Gc.
A method to remove environmental inhibitors prior to the detection of waterborne enteric viruses by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction

A method was developed to remove environmental inhibitors from sample concentrates prior to detection of human enteric viruses using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Environmental inhibitors, concentrated along with viruses during water sample processing, are removed by the method through a series of steps that includes dialysis, solvent extraction, ultrafiltration and glass purification. The method was tested by spiking sodium phosphate with poliovirus type 1 with or without humic or fulvic acids and then measuring virus recovery by plaque assay and RT-PCR. Results of the study indicated that (i) 90% of the spiked virus could be recovered from samples at the end of the ultrafiltration step, (ii) virus was detected in the final eluate of samples containing as much as 0.5 mg of humic acid or 5.0 mg of fulvic acid, and (iii) as little as 0.06 plaque forming units (PFU) was detectable per RT-PCR reaction. These results indicate that the described purification method along with RT-PCR is a feasible approach for detecting waterborne human enteric viruses in the presence of interfering substances.
Biography: Hattie Alexander, MD: Pioneer researcher

Abstract Hattie Alexander, MD, was a foremost research pioneer in the battle against meningitis caused by Hemophilus influenzae type b and the first woman to serve as president of the American Pediatric Society. She contributed more to medical science than most people realize. Dr Alexander's early significant accomplishment in infectious diseases was producing in 1938 an anti-influenzae rabbit serum that was the first effective treatment of meningitis caused by H influenzae type B. Before her discovery, the disease had been nearly 100 percent fatal; that figure dropped to 20 percent with the introduction of the antiserum. Subsequently, she and her colleague, Dr Grace Leidy, began to work on DNA studies and showed that DNA genetically controls the disease-producing traits of H influenzae. Their findings were the first research evidence that control of inheritance by DNA is not limited to pneumococci. Related studies enabled them to identify the etiology of streptomycin-resistant H influenzae. Later, Alexander turned her attention from bacterial inheritance to viral inheritance, notably with poliomyelitis virus. She found that ribonucleic acid (RNA) of the polio virus can infect human cells after it has been experimentally separated from the virus' protein shell. Alexander died on June 24, 1968 after a mercifully brief terminal illness atttributed to metastases. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company
Does the binding of clusters of basic residues to acidic lipids induce domain formation in membranes

Several proteins that are important components of the calcium/phospholipid second messenger system (e.g. phospholipase C, protein kinase C, myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) and pp 60src) contain clusters of basic residues that can interact with acidic lipids on the cytoplasmic surface of plasma membranes. We have studied the membrane binding of MARCKS and pp 60src, peptides that mimic the basic regions of these proteins, and simple model peptides. Specifically, we determined how the binding of these model peptides depends on (1) the number of basic residues in the peptide (2) the fraction of acidic lipids in the membrane (3) the ionic strength of the solution (4) the chemical nature of the basic residues (Arg versus Lys) and the acidic phospholipids [phosphatidylglycerol (PG) versus phosphatidylserine (PS)] (5) the pressure and (6) the temperature. The results are consistent with a simple theoretical model: each basic residue in a peptide binds independently to an acidic lipid with a...
Performance enhancement of various real-time image processing techniques via speculative execution

In real-time image processing, an application must satisfy a set of timing constraints while ensuring the semantic correctness of the system. Because of the natural structure of digital data, pure data and task parallelism have been used extensively in real-time image processing to accelerate the handling time of image data. These types of parallelism are based on splitting the execution load performed by a single processor across multiple nodes. However, execution of all parallel threads is mandatory for correctness of the algorithm. On the other hand, speculative execution is an optimistic execution of part(s) of the program based on assumptions on program control flow or variable values. Rollback may be required if the assumptions turn out to be invalid. Speculative execution can enhance average, and sometimes worst-case, execution time. In this paper, we target various image processing techniques to investigate applicability of speculative execution. We identify opportunities for safe and profitable speculative execution in image compression, edge detection, morphological filters, and blob recognition.
Modernity, Subjectivity, and Law: Reflections on Marianne Constable's The Law of the Other

Marianne Constable has written a fascinating and provocative book about what has been lost with the rise of legal positivism. It is a theme she explores ingeniously-not by approaching the subject of legal positivism head on, but by coming at it through the little known, and no longer used, practice of the mixed jury. In pre-modem England, a mixed jury was invoked in cases when two communities, and two senses of justice, were at issue. Constable uses this history to reveal a different way of thinking about law and justice. The demise of the mixed jury and the history of that demise offered by legal positivists further illustrates the nature of a positivist system of law. The Law of the Other asks that we think about our place within the modem social order.
Lineage-tracing methods and the kidney

The kidney is a complex organ with over 30 different cell types, and understanding the lineage relationships between these cells is challenging. During nephrogenesis, a central question is how the coordinated morphogenesis, growth, and differentiation of distinct cell types leads to development of a functional organ. In mature kidney, understanding cell division and fate during injury, regeneration and aging are critical topics for understanding disease. Genetic lineage tracing offers a powerful tool to decipher cellular hierarchies in both development and disease because it allows the progeny of a single cell, or group of cells, to be tracked unambiguously. Recent advances in this field include the use of inducible recombinases, multicolor reporters, and mosaic analysis. In this review, we discuss lineage-tracing methods focusing on the mouse model system and consider the impact of these methods on our understanding of kidney biology and prospects for future application.
The stereoscopic (cyclopean) motion aftereffect is dependent upon the temporal frequency of adapting motion.

Abstract This study investigated whether the stereoscopic (cyclopean) motion aftereffect (induced by adaptation to moving binocular disparity information) is dependent upon the temporal frequency or speed of adapting motion. The stereoscopic stimuli were gratings created from disparity embedded in a dynamic random-dot stereogram. Across different combinations of stereoscopic spatial frequency, temporal frequency and speed of adapting motion, the duration of the aftereffect was dependent upon temporal frequency (maximal aftereffect=1–2 cyc s −1 ). These results support the idea that stereoscopic motion is processed by a cortical mechanism that computes cyclopean motion energy.
Water Wave Mechanics for Engineers and Scientists

This book is intended as a text for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in the physical ocean sciences and engineering. It is also offered as a reference for practicing engineers. A definite need exists for texts in water wave mechanics that bring under one cover all the important theories for both regular (periodic) wave forms and irregular (spectral) waves. This book definitely satisfies this need.
Analysis of Coral Mucus as an Improved Medium for Detection of Enteric Microbes and for Determining Patterns of Sewage Contamination in Reef Environments

Traditional fecal indicator bacteria are often subject to a high degree of die-off and dilution in tropical marine waters, particularly in offshore areas such as coral reefs. Furthermore, these microbes are often not associated with human waste, and their presence may not be indicative of health risk. To address the offshore extent of wastewater contamination in the Florida Keys reef tract, we assayed coral surfaces for the presence of human-specific enteric viruses. The overlying water column and surface mucopolysaccharide (mucus) layers from scleractinian corals were sampled from three stations along a nearshore-to-offshore transect beginning at Long Key in the middle Florida Keys, USA. Samples were assayed for standard bacterial water quality indicators (fecal coliform bacteria and enterococci) and for human enteroviruses by direct reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The concentration of the bacterial indicators was greatest at the nearshore station in both the water column and corals, and decreased with distance from shore; no indicator bacteria were detected at the offshore station. Whereas human enteroviruses were not detected in any of the water column samples, they were detected in 50â€“80% of coral mucus samples at each station. These data provide evidence that human sewage is impacting the reef tract up to ~6.5 km from shore in the middle Florida Keys and that coral mucus is an efficient trap for viral markers associated with anthropogenic pollution.
Computerized Monitoring and Analysis of Radiology Report Turnaround Times

A computerized Radiology Management System was used to monitor the turnaround time of radiology reports in a large university hospital. The time from patient entry into the department until the printing and distribution of the final examination report was monitored periodically for two-week time intervals. Total turnaround time was divided into four separate components. Analysis of the data enabled us to assess individual and departmental performance and thereby improve important patient service functions.
Clinical pharmacology and efficacy of inhaled iloprost for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension

Similar to other prostanoids, iloprost is a potent vasodilator with considerable antiproliferative and anti-thrombotic properties, although the relevance of its ability to affect platelet aggregation in this subset of patients is unrecognized. The pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a multifactorial and complex process secondary to an innate deficiency of substances that induce vasodilation and an overproduction of substances producing vasoconstriction. The production of endothelial vasoactive mediators such as nitric oxide, prostacyclin, endothelin-1, thromboxane and serotonin affect the growth of smooth muscle cells, which facilitate the development of structural remodeling changes that are characteristic of PAH. There have been remarkable advances in understanding the pathologic processes that are responsible for increasing pulmonary vascular resistance and that result in elevated pulmonary artery pressures in order to reverse and prevent progression of the disease process. The goals of treatment in these patients are to alleviate the patients' symptoms, to improve functional capacity and to prevent the progression of the disease. The prostacyclin analogs, such as iloprost, have given hope to these patients who struggle under the burdens of this complex disease.
Efficient infection of monkey cells with SV40 DNA. II. Use of low-molecular-weight DEAE-dextran for large-scale experiments

Abstract With standard protocols for DNA infection, only a small percentage (about 4%) of monkey cells exposed to purified DNA of simian virus 40 (SV40) displays cytopathic effect or expresses viral T antigen. We have recently reported (Sompayrac and Danna, 1981) that by extending the time of exposure of BSC-1 cells to DNA in the presence of low concentrations of diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-dextran, we can infect up to 50% of the cells. Because our protocol was devised for DEAE-dextran of mol. wt. 2 × 10 6 , which is no longer commercially available, we have tested a low-molecular-weight polymer (mol. wt. 0.5 × 10 6 ) that can be purchased. Use of this reagent in our protocol resulted in marginally higher levels of infection than we found with the high-molecular-weight polymer. However, slightly more DNA (about 1.5 times as much) was needed to achieve saturation. With both reagents, the percentage of cells infected was proportional to time of exposure. Therefore, low-molecular-weight DEAE-dextran should be useful for large-scale DNA infections.
Developmental Comparisons in Language Acquisition

The last decade has seen a rise in acquisition research focusing on developmental comparisons, including comparisons between child and adult second language (L2) learners (e.g., Schwartz 2004; Unsw...
NIELSEN EQUIVALENCE CLASSES OF FREE ABELIANIZED EXTENSIONS OF GROUPS

Let Open image in new window be a presentation of a group G. We obtain information about the Nielsen equivalence classes of Fn/R′ in terms of the group K1(ℤG) that arises in algebraic K-theory. We deduce some results about Nielsen equivalence classes and T-systems of polycyclic groups.
Behavioral formulations of verbal behavior in psychotherapy

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to integrate existing behavioral formulations of verbal behavior in psychotherapy. The role of verbal behavior in psychotherapy has been explained by behavioral theorists utilizing the principles of learning. This is in contrast to psychodynamic theorists' views of verbal behavior as a symbol. Skinner's definition of verbal behavior is integral to many behavioral formulations of verbal behavior in psychotherapy. Behavioral theorists emphasize developing verbal behavior, which serves important discriminative functions. Verbal behavior is also viewed as being shaped according to a verbal operant conditioning model. Many verbal behaviors are partially controlled by avoidance of aversive stimuli and must be extinguished during therapy. Attributional theory has a contribution to make to the behavioral formulation of verbal behavior in psychotherapy.
The Relationship of Moral Judgment and Ego Development to Political-Social Values in Black College Students

An investigation was made of interrelationships among ego development, moral judgment, self-concept, and political- social values within a Black College-age population. Two alternative models were structured of possible interrelation ships based on the literature generated by the research groups of Lawrence Kohlberg and Jane Loevinger. Data gathered on 193 college students were probed by regression analyses. The results failed to validate either of the two proposed models, but they did indicate that moral judgment has a greater causal influence that did ego development. The discussion explores factors that might account for our failure to obtain a more complex pattern of relationships among these variables.
Feedback Assisted Experimental Studies of Zonal-Flow Saturation and Scalings

The unique complementary roles of ion acoustic damping and zonal-flow (ZF) shearing in the saturation of ion temperature gradient modes (ITG) has been experimentally demonstrated using stabilizing and destabilizing feedback techniques. This was done in the context of experimental studies of ZF scalings over a wide parameter range. Furthermore, the scaling of ZF amplitude with that of ITG via increasing ITG drive through increasing ion temperature gradient via rf heating reveals an expected monotonic behavior.
Attribution biases and associations between conflict strategies and competence outcomes

This study investigates the extent to which actor‐partner points of view influence the outcomes of conflict messages on perceptions of communicator appropriateness, effectiveness, and global competence. Actors perceived themselves as more competent and appropriate than partners judged them. Correlation analyses revealed that actor‐partner perceptual associations generally were strongest for distributive behaviors (i.e., anger, criticism, sarcasm), then avoidance, and then integration. Regression analyses indicated that the partner's perceptions of the actor's competence were affected more than were actor's self‐rated competence by conflict strategies. Both actor and partner judgments of global competence, general appropriateness, and effectiveness were primarily predicted by integration, and then by distributive behaviors; while specific appropriateness judgments were primarily predicted by distributive behaviors. The findings generally support the attributional approach used to explain actor‐observer jud...
Experimental and computational investigation of the dynamic behavior of Al–Cu–Li alloys

Abstract A dislocation-density based crystalline plasticity formulation, finite-element techniques, rational crystallographic orientation relations and a new fracture methodology were used to predict the failure modes associated with the high strain rate behavior of high strength Al–Cu–Li alloys. Widely used aluminum alloy 2195 (AA2195) was taken as the representative of Al–Cu–Li alloys. Experimental characterization using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were performed to gain insights on microstructural behavior. The alloy aggregate was modeled with representative microstructures that included precipitates, dispersed particles, and different grain boundary (GB) distributions. The new fracture methodology, based on overlapping elements and phantom nodes, was used with a fracture criteria specialized for fracture on different cleavage planes to investigate dynamic crack nucleation and growth. The compressive behavior of AA2195 under high strain rate loading was compared with that of Al–Cu alloy 2139 to further understand the behavior of the AA2195 with the more ductile AA2139. The predictions quantify how local microstructural effects, due to precipitates and dispersed particles, have a dominant effect on crack initiation and growth.
Diamond sensor arrays for neutron detection: Preamplifier signal dependence on sensor array configuration

Abstract Experimental verification of simulated results of series and parallel diamond detector arrays is reported. Eight commercially available electronic grade single crystal CVD diamond plates were used in series and parallel array configurations and were characterized through alpha particle and neutron exposures. It was found that a series array of diamond detectors is inherently limited due to the impedances of the diamond plates. Plutonium–beryllium neutron exposures were conducted with each of these diamond plates and on a parallel array of all eight diamond plates. It was found that the detection efficiency scaled linearly with the number of plates and that the pulse height from the preamplifier was not affected by the parallel array configuration. However, the additional capacitance introduced to the charge sensitive preamplifier indicates that there is a limitation to the total size that can be realized with a parallel diamond sensor array before significant signal degradation occurs.
Numerical Analysis of Fluid Flow in an Internal Turbine Blade Cooling Passage

The need to develop ultra-high efficiency turbines demands the exploration of methods which will improve the thermal efficiency and the specific thrust of the engine. One means of achieving these goals is to increase the turbine inlet temperature. In order to accomplish this, further advances in turbine blade cooling technology will have to be realized. A technique which has only recently been used in the analysis of turbine blade cooling is computational fluid dynamics. The purpose of this paper is to present a numerical study of the flowfield inside of the internal cooling passage of a radial turbine blade. The passage is modeled as two-dimensional and non-rotating. The flowfield solutions are obtained using a pseudo-compressible formulation of the Navier-Stokes equations. The spatial discretization is performed using a symmetric second-order accurate TVD (Total Variational Diminishing) scheme. Calculations are performed on a multi-block-structured grid. Turbulence is modeled using a modified κ-ω model. In the absence of experimental data, results appear to be realistic based on common experiences with fluid mechanics.© 1995 ASME
Morphine-enhanced apoptosis in selective brain regions of neonatal rats.

Abstract Prolonged neonatal opioid exposure has been associated with: antinociceptive tolerance, long-term neurodevelopmental delay, cognitive, and motor impairment. Morphine has also been shown to induce apoptotic cell death in vitro studies, but its in vivo effect in developing rat brain is unknown. Thus, we hypothesized that prolongued morphine administration in neonatal rats in a model of antinociceptive tolerance and dependence is associated with increased neuroapoptosis. We analyzed neonatal rats from the following groups (1) naive group (n = 6); (2) control group (normal saline (NS), n = 5), and (3) morphine group (n = 8). Morphine sulfate or equal volume of NS was injected subcutaneously twice daily for 6½ days starting on postnatal day (PD) 1. Development of antinociceptive tolerance was previously confirmed by Hot Plate test on the 7th day. Evidence of neuronal and glial apoptosis was determined by cleaved caspase-3 immunofluorescence combined with specific markers. At PD7, morphine administration after 6½ days significantly increased the density of apoptotic cells in the cortex and amygdala, but not in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, or periaqueductal gray. Apoptotic cells exhibited morphology analogous to neurons. Irrespective of the treatment, only a very few individual microglia but not astrocytes were caspase-3 positive. In summary, repeated morphine administration in neonatal rats (PD1–7) is associated with increased supraspinal apoptosis in distinct anatomical regions known to be important for sensory (cortex) and emotional memory processing (amygdala). Brain regions important for learning (hippocampus), and autonomic and nociceptive processing (hypothalamus and periaqueductal gray) were not affected. Lack of widespread glial apoptosis or robust glial activation following repeated morphine administration suggests that glia might not be affected by chronic morphine at this early age. Future studies should investigate long-term behavioral sequelae of demonstrated enhanced apoptosis associated with prolonged morphine administration in a neonatal rat model.
Protein structure perturbations on chromatographic surfaces

Amide I band Raman spectroscopy was used to quantify the secondary structure contents of proteins adsorbed on ion-exchange and reversed-phase materials. Neither ribonuclease A, a rigid protein, nor α-lactalbumin, a flexible protein, exhibited any significant secondary structural change on adsorption to an agarose-based cation-exchange support. On reversed-phase supports, however, lysozyme demonstrated a significant perturbation in secondary structure in the adsorbed state as compared to its structure in solution. For a constant concentration of adsorbed protein, the perturbed structure of adsorbed lysozyme was relatively insensitive to mobile phase conditions. However, the extent of structural change decreased as the concentration of adsorbed protein decreased. In agreement with the Raman spectroscopic characterization, reversed-phase linear gradient elution of lysozyme produced two peaks: a weakly binding peak corresponding to the native state and a strongly binding peak corresponding to the denatured state. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the utility of the Raman spectroscopic technique for in-situ characterization of protein secondary structures and their use in the molecular-level interpretation of protein retention behavior.
Annual changes in sea ice and phytoplankton in polynyas of the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica

Abstract Two coastal polynyas in the Amundsen Sea (Amundsen Polynya and Pine Island Polynya) were studied as part of the DynaLiFe project because of their unusually high rates of biological production and close association with melting ice shelves. In this component of the study, satellite imagery of ocean color (using Reprocessing R2009.1) and passive microwave sea ice distributions were used to characterize interannual changes in polynya dynamics and phytoplankton bloom development between 1997 and 2010. Interannual differences in sea ice cover were large in both polynyas, but especially so in the smaller Pine Island Polynya, and were related to synoptic scale wind patterns rather than climate state (ENSO or SAM). Open water season lasted 10 days longer in the Amundsen Polynya (132 days) than in the Pine Island Polynya (122 days). The phytoplankton bloom in the Amundsen Polynya lasted approximately two weeks longer and was 30% more productive per unit area than the bloom in the Pine Island Polynya. Because Pine Island Polynya was lower in both mean open water area and annual net primary production (NPP) per unit area, total annual NPP averaged over the 13-year time series was only 60% of that in the Amundsen Polynya (1.96 and 3.26 Tg C yr−1, respectively). Given the high interannual variability and the short time series duration, we did not observe a secular trend in primary production or any relationship with climate indices such as the Southern Annular Mode. However, with increased iron addition from melting ice shelves into the surface waters of the polynyas, we expect that primary production could be enhanced in the future.
The Clinical Determination of Mitral Insufficiency when Associated with Mitral Stenosis

A review of 200 consecutive operated cases of pure mitral stenosis and 47 consecutive operated cases of mitral stenosis with an associated mitral insufficiency indicates that careful evaluation of the history, auscultatory findings, electrocardiogram and fluoroscopy permits a correct diagnosis of associated insufficiency in a majority of instances. History and auscultation remain the internists' most valuable tools despite a large array of as yet incompletely evaluated mechanical measures.
A macaque remembers pictures briefly viewed six months earlier.

While there are several studies documenting the enduring nature of memory for acquired discriminatory ‘habits’ or ‘skills’ in animals, comparable data on memory for visual scenes, i.e., ‘events’, are essentially non-existent, and difficult to obtain even in man. An opportunity to assay this question in macaques arose in the early stages of training an animal on a running recognition task. It had previously been trained on trial-unique delayed matching to sample, and its past experience with this visual material was precisely known. When some of these images which had not been seen by the monkey for at least 6 months were intermingled with comparable material during its training on the running recognition task, with a high degree of statistical reliability (P < 0.005) it distinguished about one-third of the earlier images, many of which had been seen for a total of only 30 s or less. A medical student, who had previously trained the animals and had had more exposure to the material than did this macaque, and certainly had more precise instruction on how to perform, recognized two-thirds of these same images, also after a hiatus of 6 months. It thus appears likely that the permanence of mnemonic storage for briefly encountered scenes is comparable for the central visual systems of macaque and man.
Evaluation of alkene isomerization as a trigger for enediyne activation

The concept of non-conjugated-to-conjugated double bond isomerization as a triggering mechanism for a calicheamicin model was tested. A bicyclo[7.3.1] enediyne framework was prepared with a bridgehead double bond and an acetonyl side chain. Base-promoted exchange failed to produce the conjugated isomer. Computational analysis suggested that additional conjugating groups would favor the isomerization, but experiment proved that not to be correct.
Pathogenesis of postoperative recurrence in Crohn's disease

The majority of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) require surgery during the course of their disease, but such surgery is typically not curative. Although some studies suggest that the disease state is theoretically reset to its earliest phase following surgery, disease phenotype and natural history of CD do not change significantly after surgery, leading to high rates of recurrence. Factors predisposing to this recurrence are not well defined, so there is a need for and a unique opportunity to develop a better understanding of the pathogenesis of recurrent inflammation and associated risk factors after an ileocolic resection. This paper reviews the postoperative disease outcome and evolution based on defining the combination of the patient's microbial flora, environmental exposure history, immune response and genetic make-up.
The complex interplay between semantics and grammar in impression formation

We sought to bridge findings showing that (a) describing a person’s behavior with the perfective verb aspect (did), compared to the imperfective aspect (was doing), increases processing of semantic knowledge unrelated to the target’s action such as stereotypes and (b) an increased recognition of stereotypical thoughts often promotes a judgment correction for the stereotypes. We hypothesized an interplay between grammar (verb conjugation) and semantic information (gender) in impression-formation. Participants read a resume, attributed to a male or female, for a traditionally masculine job. When the resume was written in the imperfective, people rated a male (vs. female) more positively. When the resume was in the perfective, this pattern reversed. Only these latter effects of gender were influenced by cognitive load. Further, people more quickly indicated the applicant’s gender in the perfective condition, suggesting an enhanced focus on gender during processing.
Semaphorin Signaling Unplugged: A Nervy AKAP cAMP(s) Out on Plexin

Semaphorins signal through Plexin receptors to mediate a range of predominantly repulsive effects on axons in the developing nervous system. Semaphorin-directed repulsive turning responses of cultured Xenopus neurons can be converted to attraction by manipulating cyclic nucleotide signaling pathways. cAMP- and cGMP-dependent response conversions are observed for many families of guidance cues, but a direct molecular link between guidance receptors and cyclic nucleotides has remained elusive. Recent findings indicate that the Drosophila A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP) Nervy couples Plexin to PKA to modulate Semaphorin repulsion, suggesting a mechanism for the integration of diverse signaling inputs to the growth cone.
Structure And Dynamics Of Phospholamban In The Context Of SERCA

Sacroplasmic reticulum Ca+2-ATPase (SERCA) plays an essential role in transporting Ca2+ ions from the cytosol to the lumen during contraction of cardiac cells. Phospholamban (PLB) is a membrane-bound peptide involved in SERCA regulation. Unphosphorylated PLB inhibits SERCA while phosphorylation of PLB relieves the inhibitory effect. It has been proposed that phosphorylation of phospholamban causes a structural change in SERCA in a switching mechanism between the two main conformations of SERCA, E2 and E1. Detailed structural information of membrane-bound PLB, especially in the context of SERCA is lacking. Molecular dynamics simulations of PLB with and without SERCA are presented to provide atomistic information about its structure and dynamics as a function of phosphorylation, binding to SERCA, and E2-E1 conformational switch in SERCA.
Neurons that keep a straight face

Recognizing a person we know seems like an unremarkable occurrence within the stream of everyday events. However, the ease with which most of us recognize a familiar face belies the daunting complexity of the underlying computational challenges—challenges that become apparent in the not so rare cases of face-blindness and in attempts to develop computational models that mimic human face recognition performance. Neuroscience has shown, since the discovery of face-selective cells in the early 1970s, that face recognition is a highly evolved ability in primates that relies on very specialized hardware: we now know that millions of face cells exist in the primate brain, that they are specialized for the processing of particular facial dimensions depending on which area they are located in, and that this spatial segregation of function is maintained within a network of highly interconnected face areas. Even some of the algorithms by which face cells detect and analyze faces are becoming clear. How this highly sophisticated face-processing system comes about, and how individual cells acquire their selectivity, is still the matter of much debate, yet it is clear that experience with the visual world, and with faces in particular, must play an important role. In PNAS, McMahon et al. (1) now provide an entirely new perspective on the question of plasticity in face recognition. With a new technical approach that allows for the activity of face cells to be monitored over days, weeks, months, and, in rare cases, even a year, they determined the selectivity of face cells in one part of the brain and found it to be remarkably stable over these long periods of time. This finding comes as a great surprise to a field that has gotten used to the notion of plasticity, and might indicate a hitherto unrealized form of functional specialization within the primate face-recognition system.
Effect of Artificial Light, Temperature, and Humidity on Physiological Response of Dairy Bulls

Abstract Reproductive and physiological responses of 12 mature dairy bulls were measured under varying artificial incandescent illumination, temperature, and humidity conditions. Bulls in Group I were housed in one-half of a large barn (control), and Group II in the remaining half of the barn, with the addition of incandescent light. Bulls in Group III were housed in an environmental control chamber maintained at 64 F, 15 mm Hg vapor pressure (humidity) and controlled incandescent light. Significant differences (P The serum protein-bound iodine level declined slightly during the period with 15 hr of light and was essentially equal during the periods with 14 and 16 hr of light. Bulls exposed to artificial light exhibited a significant (P
Elevated secretion and action of serum parathyroid hormone in young adults consuming high phosphorus, low calcium diets assembled from common foods.

We sought to determine if the high phosphorus, moderately low calcium intake typical of U.S. teenagers and young adults alters parathyroid function as it does in experimental animals. Because those animals ultimately developed osteopenia, it has been suggested that low dietary calcium to phosphorus ratios may reduce peak bone mass and increase susceptibility to osteoporotic fracture later in life. However, it is not known whether PTH secretion or action increases in response to commonly consumed phosphorus-rich, calcium-poor foods. We studied the 24-h mineral and hormonal responses of eight men and eight women, aged 18-25 yr, after 8 days of ingesting a control diet that had calcium (820 mg) and phosphorus (930 mg) contents near the recommended daily intakes, and a test diet with calcium and phosphorus contents (1660 mg phosphorus, 420 mg calcium) typical of current intakes. Both diets were made from common grocery store foods. The 24-h mean serum immunoreactive PTH levels increased in men (11%; P less than 0.006) and women (22%; P less than 0.003) during the test diet. In both sexes, the test diet significantly increased serum phosphorus, plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and urinary hydroxyproline and cAMP excretion; in women only it decreased serum ionized and total calcium levels. Thus, short term ingestion of a diet typifying current levels of calcium and phosphorus intake resulted in elevated serum iPTH levels and indexes of PTH action in young adults.
Stationarity and Persistence in the GARCH(1,1) Model

This paper establishes necessary and sufficient conditions for the stationarity and ergodicity of the GARCH(l.l) process. As a special case, it is shown that the IGARCH(1,1) process with no drift converges almost surely to zero, while IGARCH(1,1) with a positive drift is strictly stationary and ergodic. We examine the persistence of shocks to conditional variance in the GARCH(l.l) model, and show that whether these shocks "persist" or not depends crucially on the definition of persistence. We also develop necessary and sufficient conditions for the finiteness of absolute moments of any (including fractional) order.
Characterization of a Series of Self-Assembled Monolayers of Alkylated 1-Thiaoligo(ethylene oxides)4-8 on Gold

Self-assembled monolayers of a series of linear thiols containing a 1-thiaoligo(ethylene oxide) (TOEO) moiety, i.e., HS(EO)xR (where R = C10H21, EO = −CH2CH2O−, and x = 4−8), were prepared on polycrystalline gold and characterized by visible spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry, and surface plasmon resonance. The TOEO segment was found to adopt a 7/2 helical structure oriented normal to the substrate for x = 5−7. Different structures were found for the other compounds in this series. When x = 4, the TOEO segment adopts a predominantly trans-extended conformation, whereas when x = 8, the TOEO appears to be disordered with some helical conformation. Monolayer thicknesses determined by SE are consistent with these structural changes. The significant increase in disorder with extension of the hydrophilic segment by two ethylene oxide units from 6 to 8 is potentially valuable for protein reconstitution in supported hybrid bilayer constructs.
The effect of skeletal maturity on functional healing of the anterior cruciate ligament.

Background: The effects of skeletal maturity on functional ligament healing are unknown. Prior studies have suggested that ligament injuries in skeletally mature animals heal with improved mechanical properties. In this study, we hypothesized that skeletally immature animals have improved functional healing compared with skeletally mature animals.
Signature-Based Detection of Notable Transitions in Numeric Data Streams

A major challenge in large-scale process monitoring is to recognize significant transitions in the process conditions and to distinguish them from random fluctuations that do not produce a notable change in the process dynamics. Such transitions should be recognized at the early stages of their development using a minimal "snapshot" of the observable process log. We developed a novel approach to detect notable transitions based on analysis of coherent behavior of frequency components in the process log (coherency portraits). We have found that notable transitions in the process dynamics are characterized by unique coherency portraits, which are also invariant with respect to random process fluctuations. Our experimental study demonstrates significant efficiency of our approach as compared to traditional change detection techniques.
A NEAR-NEIGHBOUR ALGORITHM FOR METROPOLIS MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS.

Abstract A bit map based implementation of a near-neighbour algorithm to speed up Metropolis Monte Carlo simulations is described. Tests of the algorithm on dilute aqueous solutions showed 8%–22% overall reduction of computer time, depending on the system size.
β-d-Glucosidase: multiplicity of activities and significance to enzymic saccharification of cellulose

Abstract Activity measurement of protein components resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis has indicated that the β- d -glucosidase (β- d -glucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.21) system is composed of multiple enzymes, each differing in substrate specificity. The proportions of these enzymes varied in preparations obtained from Aspergillus phoenicis, almond emulsion and Trichoderma reesei. The enzyme component showing the highest cellobiase activity was most useful in improving cellulose saccharification by Trichoderma cellulases. The optimum ratio between filter paper and cellobiase activities, expressed in the appropriate units, was 1.0:0.9. The results indicate that for saccharification purposes, the β- d -glucosidase activity should be measured using cellobiose as a substrate, rather than salicin, esculin or 4-nitrophenyl-β- d -glucopyranoside .
Oral ethanol self-administration in a continuous access situation: relation to food response requirements

Rats (N = 8) were housed (23 hr/day) in a test chamber in which the presentation of food pellets and 10% ethanol were a function of a concurrent fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement. Water was available from a drinking tube. Following a 90-day period with food pellets presented on a fixed-ratio one schedule (FR 1) and ethanol on a FR 4, the FR schedule for food presentation was systematically increased. Daily food intake declined as the FR increased up to FR 64. Decreases in food were accompanied by reduced water consumption and a three-fold increase in ethanol intake. The major increase in ethanol intake was accounted for by an increase in the number of ethanol bouts/day rather than an increase in bout size. The 24-hr cyclic pattern of food, water and ethanol ingestive behaviors found in the 90-day FR 1 period was maintained as the food presentation schedule increased. Food, ethanol, and water intake returned to the pre-FR-manipulation levels with the introduction of the food FR 1 condition. The results were discussed in terms of caloric, fluid, and activity changes resultant from the effects of the FR manipulation. No single factor could account for the increased ethanol consumption. These effects were related to previous work which demonstrates increased ethanol intake when response parameters of concurrent reinforcements are changed.
Pattern-based pre-OPC operation to improve model-based OPC runtime

Full chip model based Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) at advanced nodes involves iteratively modifying the drawn polygon shapes while simulating them through complex optical and resist models. Due to the computational complexity of the models and the large size of VLSI designs, these mask simulations run for very long times. In this study we propose a pattern replacement step to generate a partial mask solution before applying model based OPC correction. Since the pattern replacement step is very fast and model based OPC has to be applied only to a portion of the design, total mask generation runtime is significantly reduced.
Molecular-dynamics simulation for the dynamic-structure factor of commensurate krypton on graphite.

The dynamic structure factor S(q,\ensuremath{\omega}) for a commensurate layer of krypton on a model graphite surface is calculated from molecular-dynamics simulations. The simulations are carried out at a number of temperatures ranging up to 70 K to assess the thermal variation of S(q,\ensuremath{\omega}). These results are compared with a harmonic-lattice-dynamics calculation of the phonon spectra. The multiphonon content of S(q,\ensuremath{\omega}) is shown to be minor at the temperatures considered. The temperature dependence of the zone-center frequency is attributed to thermal averaging of the substrate corrugation. The results are compared with previous studies of this system and with available experimental data.
Guidelines on the Use of Thrombolytic Agents in Stroke

To the Editor. —Various thrombolytic agents are currently being evaluated for efficacy and safety in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. 1-4 At present, their safety and efficacy in treatment of acute stroke are unproven, and recent stroke remains a specific contraindication for the use of thrombolytic agents. 5 If these agents are found to be beneficial for survivors of acute stroke, they may have a narrow therapeutic index. Because thrombolytic agents are available for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, some physicians are using these agents to treat stroke patients who are not participating in approved research protocols. In some instances, the physicians overseeing the treatment have little or no experience in the use of such agents in stroke patients. In our opinion, such practices place stroke patients at undue risk for serious complications related to the administration of these agents. Based on these concerns and the fact that
The CRKL Adaptor Protein Transforms Fibroblasts and Functions in Transformation by the BCR-ABL Oncogene

The CRKL adaptor protein was recently identified as a substrate for the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia, but its function is unknown. Here we report that CRKL is phosphorylated when overexpressed, activates RAS and JUN kinase signaling pathways, and transforms fibroblasts in a RAS-dependent fashion. We examined the potential role of CRKL in BCR-ABL function by deleting the CRKL binding site in BCR-ABL. This mutant BCR-ABL protein shows a 50% reduction in fibroblast transforming activity. The GRB2 adaptor protein has previously been implicated in this pathway, presumably linking BCR-ABL to RAS. To address the relative roles of CRKL and GRB2 in this system, we compared BCR-ABL mutants with defects in binding to one or both adaptors. Whereas each single mutant showed a 2-3-fold loss in transforming activity, the double mutant showed a 15-fold reduction, suggesting that GRB2 and CRKL both contribute to BCR-ABL transformation. These results demonstrate the oncogenic potential of CRKL and provide functional evidence that CRKL plays a role in fibroblast transformation by BCR-ABL in conjunction with other adaptor proteins.