cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infrastructure Condition Assessment, Deterioration Modeling, and Maintenance Decision Making: Methodological Advances and Practical Considerations

Infrastructure systems have long been recognized as a fundamental foundation of societal and economic functions such as communication, energy distribution, transportation, wastewater collection, and water supply. These infrastructure systems are both geographically extensive and long-lived. Providing and managing the physical infrastructure over spatially extensive areas and long time spans is costly. The spatial and temporal extensiveness of infrastructure systems also impose a high degree of uncertainty, which complicates the planning for future infrastructure provision, as well as for maintenance, repair, and reconstruction of existing systems. High costs, tight budgets, and previous decisions that were based on erroneous predictions of infrastructure performance seem to be resulting in serious consequences. The National Council on Public Works Improvement concluded in its 1988 report Fragile foundations: A report on America’s public works, that “the quality of America’s infrastructure is barely adequate to fulfill current requirements, and insufficient to meet the demands of future economic growth and development.” Similar and even more serious shortfalls in infrastructure systems around the world were highlighted by the World Bank in World development report 1994: Infrastructure for development Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K., 1994 . Over the past two decades, serious effort has been directed at improving and managing infrastructure systems. In particular, the academic community has focused on methods for better inspection, condition assessment, deterioration forecasting, and maintenance decision-making. However, as noted in a June 22, 1987 letter to the above named council by George Latimer, former mayor of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, the infrastructure problem is “much more likely to be solved—eventually—through deliberate remedial steps rather than through a fast, dramatic ‘conversion’ of practices and attitudes.” Indeed, while the complexities that infrastructure systems entail call for more research, transferring new methods into practice appears equally critical in achieving measurable success. As several of the papers published in this special issue attest, researchers are becoming increasingly
Psilocybin-Induced Deficits in Automatic and Controlled Inhibition are Attenuated by Ketanserin in Healthy Human Volunteers

The serotonin-2A receptor (5-HT2AR) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and related inhibitory gating and behavioral inhibition deficits of schizophrenia patients. The hallucinogen psilocybin disrupts automatic forms of sensorimotor gating and response inhibition in humans, but it is unclear so far whether the 5-HT2AR or 5-HT1AR agonist properties of its bioactive metabolite psilocin account for these effects. Thus, we investigated whether psilocybin-induced deficits in automatic and controlled inhibition in healthy humans could be attenuated by the 5-HT2A/2CR antagonist ketanserin. A total of 16 healthy participants received placebo, ketanserin (40 mg p.o.), psilocybin (260 μg/kg p.o.), or psilocybin plus ketanserin in a double-blind, randomized, and counterbalanced order. Sensorimotor gating was measured by prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response. The effects on psychopathological core dimensions and behavioral inhibition were assessed by the altered states of consciousness questionnaire (5D-ASC), and the Color-Word Stroop Test. Psilocybin decreased PPI at short lead intervals (30 ms), increased all 5D-ASC scores, and selectively increased errors in the interference condition of the Stroop Test. Stroop interference and Stroop effect of the response latencies were increased under psilocybin as well. Psilocybin-induced alterations were attenuated by ketanserin pretreatment, whereas ketanserin alone had no significant effects. These findings suggest that the disrupting effects of psilocybin on automatic and controlled inhibition processes are attributable to 5-HT2AR stimulation. Sensorimotor gating and attentional control deficits of schizophrenia patients might be due to changes within the 5-HT2AR system.
A K-band SiGe BiCMOS fully integrated up-conversion mixer

The design of a fully integrated 0.18-μm SiGe BiCMOS up-conversion mixer in K-band is presented. The mixer consists of a single-ended-to-differential active balun, double-balanced Gilber mixer cell, differential amplifier and band pass filter. The input active balun is used to facilitate on-wafer characterization from a single-ended IF signal. With an LO power of -2 dBm, the mixer exhibits a conversion gain of 25.7 dB, 1-dB input power of -23 dBm, 1-dB output power of 1.36 dBm, and maximum output power of 2.7 dBm at 24.5 GHz, while consuming a DC current of 40 mA from a supply voltage of 1.8V. Design procedure, parameter trade-off, simulation, and layout issues of the mixer are discussed.
Stabilization of the atlantoaxial complex via C-1 lateral mass and C-2 pedicle screw fixation in a multicenter clinical experience in 102 patients: modification of the Harms and Goel techniques

Object Stabilization of the atlantoaxial complex has proven to be very challenging. Because of the high mobility of the C1–2 motion segment, fusion rates at this level have been substantially lower than those at the subaxial spine. The set of potential surgical interventions is limited by the anatomy of this region. In 2001 Jurgen Harms described a novel technique for individual fixation of the C-1 lateral mass and the C-2 pedicle by using polyaxial screws and rods. This method has been shown to confer excellent stability in biomechanical studies. Cadaveric and radiographic analyses have indicated that it is safe with respect to osseous and vascular anatomy. Clinical outcome studies and fusion rates have been limited to small case series thus far. The authors reviewed the multicenter experience with 102 patients undergoing C1–2 fusion via the polyaxial screw/rod technique. They also describe a modification to the Harms technique. Methods One hundred two patients (60 female and 42 male) with an average age...
Bimodal Analysis Reveals a General Scaling Law Governing Nondirected and Chemotactic Cell Motility

Cell motility is a fundamental process with relevance to embryonic development, immune response, and metastasis. Cells move either spontaneously, in a nondirected fashion, or in response to chemotactic signals, in a directed fashion. Even though they are often studied separately, both forms of motility share many complex processes at the molecular and subcellular scale, e.g., orchestrated cytoskeletal rearrangements and polarization. In addition, at the cellular level both types of motility include persistent runs interspersed with reorientation pauses. Because there is a great range of variability in motility among different cell types, a key challenge in the field is to integrate these multiscale processes into a coherent framework. We analyzed the motility of Dictyostelium cells with bimodal analysis, a method that compares time spent in persistent versus reorientation mode. Unexpectedly, we found that reorientation time is coupled with persistent time in an inverse correlation and, surprisingly, the inverse correlation holds for both nondirected and chemotactic motility, so that the full range of Dictyostelium motility can be described by a single scaling relationship. Additionally, we found an identical scaling relationship for three human cell lines, indicating that the coupling of reorientation and persistence holds across species and making it possible to describe the complexity of cell motility in a surprisingly general and simple manner. With this new perspective, we analyzed the motility of Dictyostelium mutants, and found four in which the coupling between two modes was altered. Our results point to a fundamental underlying principle, described by a simple scaling law, unifying mechanisms of eukaryotic cell motility at several scales.
Building spatiotemporal anatomical models using joint 4-D segmentation, registration, and subject-specific atlas estimation

Longitudinal analysis of anatomical changes is a vital component in many personalized-medicine applications for predicting disease onset, determining growth/atrophy patterns, evaluating disease progression, and monitoring recovery. Estimating anatomical changes in longitudinal studies, especially through magnetic resonance (MR) images, is challenging because of temporal variability in shape (e.g. from growth/atrophy) and appearance (e.g. due to imaging parameters and tissue properties affecting intensity contrast, or from scanner calibration). This paper proposes a novel mathematical framework for constructing subject-specific longitudinal anatomical models. The proposed method solves a generalized problem of joint segmentation, registration, and subject-specific atlas building, which involves not just two images, but an entire longitudinal image sequence. The proposed framework describes a novel approach that integrates fundamental principles that underpin methods for image segmentation, image registration, and atlas construction. This paper presents evaluation on simulated longitudinal data and on clinical longitudinal brain MRI data. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework effectively integrates information from 4-D spatiotemporal data to generate spatiotemporal models that allow analysis of anatomical changes over time.
A DYNAMIC FRACTURE ANALYSIS OF CRACK CURVING AND BRANCHING

Presentation d'un critere de courbure de fissure fonde sur sa stabilite directionnelle, et d'un critere de ramification necessitant un facteur dynamique d'intensite de contrainte de ramification et le critere de courbure. Utilisation de ces 2 criteres pour predire les courbures et ramifications de fissure dans l'acier et l'aluminium dans des conditions d'eclatement de tubes
Effect of intake flow on ambient turbulence

A small streamlined axisymmetric intake is placed at various locations on the axis of a large axisymmetric turbulent jet. The ratio of the mean velocity in the intake to that of the ambient fluid is varied from zero to thirteen. The effective diameter d* of the intake is determined by its physical size and the range of influence of the intake flow on the ambient jet fluid. Intensities of the components of turbulent velocity are measured in the ambient fluid and in and around the intake. In most cases the intake faced the jet. The ambient turbulence may be idealized as three mutually orthogonal linear vortex filaments of circular cross section and diameter S which is indicative of the scale of energy containing eddies. The vortex filaments deform as the flow is drawn into the intake. In the case d*<S, only parts of vortex filaments of size d* enter the intake. The two effects are used to calculate the intensities of the components of turbulent velocity as a function of d*/S and ratios of mean velocity and density in the intake to their respective values in the ambient fluid. The results agree with experiments within wide ranges of the parameters.
The stresses of an upper convected Maxwell fluid in a Newtonian velocity field near a re-entrant corner

Abstract We investigate the stresses of an upper convected Maxwell fluid in the neighborhood of a re-entrant 270° corner. It is assumed (incorrectly, of course) that the velocity field is Newtonian. Both asymptotic analysis and numerical solutions are presented. It is found that, for a fixed angle, the stresses behave approximately as r −0.74 , which contrasts with a behavior as r −0.91 at the walls (the latter is simply the square of the Newtonian shear rate at the wall, where the flow is viscometric). The analysis shows that there are boundary layers near the walls, in which there is a transition from the viscometric behavior at the wall to a core region which the behavior is dominated by the convected derivative in the constitutive equation. Moreover, our computations show large spurious stresses downstream resulting from numerical errors.
Hot Plasma and Black Hole Binaries in Starburst Galaxy M82

High-resolution x-ray observations of the prototype starburst galaxy Messier 82 (M82) obtained with the advanced CCD (charge-coupled device) imaging spectrometer on board the Chandra X-ray Observatory provide a detailed view of hot plasma and energetic processes. Plasma with temperature of about 40,000,000 kelvin fills the inner 1 kiloparsec, which is much hotter than the 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 kelvin interstellar medium component in the Milky Way Galaxy. Produced by many supernova explosions, this central region is overpressurized and drives M82's prominent galactic wind into the intergalactic medium. We also resolved about 20 compact x-ray sources, many of which could be high-mass x-ray binary star systems containing black holes.
Restoring perennial warm-season grasses as a means of reversing mesophication of oak woodlands in northern Mississippi

Fire suppression has removed an important ecological force previously responsible for shaping many plant communities throughout the world. Upland areas of north-central Mississippi that have been protected from fire are now closed-canopy forests including species known to be uncommon as bearing/witness trees in upland portions of the landscape (historically off-site species) and sparse ground cover vegetation. Anecdotal evidence suggests that warm-season grasses were prevalent in the understory of these communities, which could have provided more consistent fuel. We corroborate the historic presence of these grasses by looking at their natural co-occurrence with oak regeneration (a requisite of self-replacing stands of oaks found historically). Restoration of these communities has typically focused on burning and off-site tree thinning. Utilizing a restoration experiment implementing these treatments, we found significantly reduced understory leaf litter in treatment areas. To test which variables associated with restoration treatments were most important for the survival of these grasses, we measured the effect of leaf litter removal and its interaction with environmental conditions on the survival of transplanted shoots. Survival of little bluestem increased with decreasing canopy density and decreasing leaf litter. Leaf-litter removal did not increase survival, nor did it interact with either pre-treatment leaf litter depth or canopy density. These results show that little bluestem benefits from conditions expected historically: increased light and possibly fire.
“Novel” perspectives on probation: Fiction as sociology

If poets are the world's unacknowledged legislators, as Percy Bysshe Shelley suggested, perhaps novelists are its unrecognized sociologists. For those interested in issues of crime and criminal justice, there is no shortage of fictional material. Novels treating these issues are common, particularly those featuring police or courtroom dramas (Newman, 1990). As Posner (1988) suggested, writers are drawn to the topics of crime and justice, to "cops and robbers," for theme and setting because of the conflict and drama inherent in these topics. Furthermore, popular culture-television shows, movies, the press, as well as fiction is replete with treatment of these topics, as even a casual review of television programming, newsstands, and book racks would reveal. Works dealing with correctional themes have not been as commonplace. Stories set in prison or community corrections settings are rare, perhaps because it is what gets people behind bars that drives successful plots, not what later becomes of them. In a marked departure, two novels were published in 1991 that featured probation officers as protagonists: Elmore Leonard's Maximum Bob and Peter Blauner's Slow Motion Riot. Both were popular successes and one (Blauner's) won the Edgar Award for "Best First Novel" by a mystery writer. As someone who divides his time between working in corrections and teaching about it, this publishing anomaly raised interesting questions for me. What usc to the study of crime and the practice of corrections-might be made of these works? Could they serve purposes beyond entertainment
Contrasting static-to-kinetic friction transitions on layers of an autophobically dewetted polymer film using Fourier-analyzed shear modulation force microscopy

Fourier analysis of oscillating forces at a laterally modulated tip provides new insight into static-to-kinetic friction transitions on ultrathin polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films. In addition to contrast in sliding friction, layers of autophobically dewetted PVA films exhibit remarkable contrast in the transition from static to kinetic friction as derived from spatially resolved Fourier analysis. These differences relate to strong adsorption of first layer to mica substrate and concomitant conformational arrest, as compared to bulk-like behavior in the second layer. The third Fourier harmonic is found to be a sensitive gauge to variable degrees of sliding as a function of both lateral drive amplitude (0.25–25 nm) and normal load (tensile to compressive). For a 2.5-nm drive on PVA, it is discovered that a largely static contact at compressive loads becomes a largely sliding contact at tensile loads. This finding has implications for the analysis of shear modulation force microscopy of polymers in the context of contact mechanics models, and for studies under variable sample compliance as a function of temperature or plasticizer absorption.
Science and the practice of cardiovascular medicine in the geriatric population.

The classification of aging is variable. Often, age 65 years is used as a cutpoint, as that is the beginning age for Medicare health insurance coverage in the U.S. Others often use age 75 as the beginning of old age, and 85 years as characteristic of very old age. Perhaps a reasonable approach to old age is the comment by Pascal that “old age is just a time that is farther from the beginning and nearer to the end.” Nonetheless, contemporary aging is a social phenomenon without historical precedent. Physicians and scientists have an inadequate information base to guide the care of the oldest old. Government and social institutions lack the knowledge as to how to respond to the burgeoning health needs of the oldest old; and information is lacking about the health care values of our oldest old citizens to guide their cardiovascular care. The contemporary U.S. population older than age 65 accounts for more than 85% of all cardiovascular disease deaths, 65% of cardiovascular disease hospitalizations, 62% of myocardial infarction hospitalizations, and 77% of heart failure hospitalizations. [2,3]
All-optical clock recovery for both RZ and NRZ data

An all-optical clock recovery scheme for both the nonreturn-to-zero and the return-to-zero formats has been proposed and successfully demonstrated. Clock extraction, enhancement, and clock-to-data suppression were realized by a semiconductor optical amplifier and a fiber Bragg grating. Clock recovery was achieved using a two-section gain-coupled distributed-feedback laser. The scheme has large dynamic range of input power for both formats.
p‐version least squares finite element formulation for two‐dimensional, incompressible fluid flow

A p-version least squares finite element formulation for non-linear problems is applied to the problem of steady, two-dimensional, incompressible fluid flow. The Navier-Stokes equations are cast as a set of first-order equations involving viscous stresses as auxiliary variables. Both the primary and auxiliary variables are interpolated using equal-order C0 continuity, p-version hierarchical approximation functions. The least squares functional (or error functional) is constructed using the system of coupled first-order non-linear partial differential equations without linearization, approximations or assumptions. The minimization of this least squares error functional results in finding a solution vector {δ} for which the partial derivative of the error functional (integrated sum of squares of the errors resulting from individual equations for the entire discretization) with respect to the nodal degrees of freedom {δ} becomes zero. This is accomplished by using Newton's method with a line search. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the convergence characteristics and accuracy of the method.
Modeling robust asynchronous communication protocols with finite-state machines

A.V. Aho et al. (Comput. Math. Applic., vol.8, p.205-14, 1982) used communicating finite-state machines to model synchronous protocols for reliable communication across unreliable channels. Their ideas are extended to modeling asynchronous protocols for communication across unreliable channels using finite-state machines communicating via an unreliable shared memory. Lower bounds on the size of machines and the number of symbols in the transmission alphabet required to achieve reliable communication are established. Two types of finite-state machines and two fault models for the shared memory are considered. In each case it is shown that there are robust protocols for deletion and insertion errors. It is also shown that there are no robust protocols for mutation errors. In contrast, in the synchronous case, robust protocols exist for all of these types of errors. >
Human Mycoplasmal Infections: Serologic Observations

Three species of mycoplasmas have been implicated in human disease. Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which causes upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, and other complications, is an uncommon isolate from the ororespiratory tract except during outbreaks of disease. Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum are the two principal species of genital mycoplasmas. These are responsible for some cases of urogenital infections, and more recent studies show that they are associated with perinatal disorders. Glycolipid antigens of M. pneumoniae dominated serologic studies of mycoplasmas until recently, when protein antigens were isolated. The latter isolations, the production of monoclonal antibodies to attachment proteins, and the demonstration of antibodies to these proteins will make it possible to identify specific pathogenic components involved in infection due to M. pneumoniae and will permit evaluation of the relative roles of the glycolipid and protein antigens. Serologic studies of the genital mycoplasmas have demonstrated seven serotypes of M. hominis and at least 16 serotypes of U. urealyticum, the latter falling into two large serogroups. Type-specific tissue invasion with genital mycoplasmas has been demonstrated, particularly in relation to perinatal morbidity. Surface antigens of genital mycoplasmas are in the early stages of definition and purification. Present data indicate that there are specific protein antigens, but other possible antigenic forms may exist.
International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. XCVII. G Protein–Coupled Estrogen Receptor and Its Pharmacologic Modulators

Estrogens are critical mediators of multiple and diverse physiologic effects throughout the body in both sexes, including the reproductive, cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous, and immune systems. As such, alterations in estrogen function play important roles in many diseases and pathophysiological conditions (including cancer), exemplified by the lower prevalence of many diseases in premenopausal women. Estrogens mediate their effects through multiple cellular receptors, including the nuclear receptor family (ERα and ERβ) and the G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) family (GPR30/G protein–coupled estrogen receptor [GPER]). Although both receptor families can initiate rapid cell signaling and transcriptional regulation, the nuclear receptors are traditionally associated with regulating gene expression, whereas GPCRs are recognized as mediating rapid cellular signaling. Estrogen-activated pathways are not only the target of multiple therapeutic agents (e.g., tamoxifen, fulvestrant, raloxifene, and aromatase inhibitors) but are also affected by a plethora of phyto- and xeno-estrogens (e.g., genistein, coumestrol, bisphenol A, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). Because of the existence of multiple estrogen receptors with overlapping ligand specificities, expression patterns, and signaling pathways, the roles of the individual receptors with respect to the diverse array of endogenous and exogenous ligands have been challenging to ascertain. The identification of GPER-selective ligands however has led to a much greater understanding of the roles of this receptor in normal physiology and disease as well as its interactions with the classic estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ and their signaling pathways. In this review, we describe the history and characterization of GPER over the past 15 years focusing on the pharmacology of steroidal and nonsteroidal compounds that have been employed to unravel the biology of this most recently recognized estrogen receptor.
A Study of Social Status Differentiation in the Classroom Behavior of Nineteen Third Grade Teachers

(1954). A Study of Social Status Differentiation in the Classroom Behavior of Nineteen Third Grade Teachers. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 269-292.
Determination of Allelic Expression of H19 in Pre- and Peri-Implantation Mouse Embryos

H19 is a maternally expressed, imprinted, noncoding RNA with tumor-suppressor activity. During mouse preimplantation development, H19 is primarily expressed in the trophectoderm cells. The purpose of this project was to determine allelic expression of H19 in pre- and peri-implantation mouse embryos. We were further interested in determining if loss of imprinted H19 expression during blastocyst development occurred as a result of superovulation and/or culture. Our last goal was to ascertain if differential H19 allelic expression occurred between the inner cell mass (ICM)-containing half and the primary trophoblast giant cell (PTGC)-containing half of the embryo. C57BL/6J((Cast-7))xC57BL/6J F1 embryos were collected from the uterus at 84, 96, and 108 h following natural ovulation or superovulation. In vitro-cultured F1 embryos were harvested from the oviduct at the 2-cell stage and cultured in KSOM + aa supplemented with amino acids or Whitten media and collected at the above-mentioned times. Allele-specific H19 expression in single embryos was determined by qRT-PCR followed by fluorescence resonance electron transfer or RT-PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (RFLP-PAGE). Peri-implantation embryos were microdissected into two sections, one containing the ICM and the other containing the PTGC. TaqMan probes for Dek, Pou5f1, Itga7, H19, and Igf2 were used to ascertain gene expression enrichment in each section. Allele-specific H19 expression in embryo sections was determined by RFLP-PAGE. We found that as embryos advance through preimplantation development they start expressing H19 in a biallelic manner and this phenomenon was observed in the cultured and the in vivo-developed embryos. The PTGC-containing half of the embryo had greater expression of H19 when compared to the ICM-containing half of the embryo, as determined by qRT-PCR. In conclusion, loss of imprinting of H19 occurs in the PTGC-containing section of peri-implantation mouse embryos. We speculate that this is part of a physiologic event at the time of implantation in the mouse.
MicroRNA-140 and the silencing of osteoarthritis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important modulators in development, tissue homeostasis, and diseases. In this issue of Genes & Development, Miyaki and colleagues (pp. 1173–1185) report that miR-140 is involved in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis by regulating, at least in part, ADAMTS5. Moreover, mice lacking miR-140 are dwarf as a consequence of impaired chondrocyte proliferation. This study is the first in vivo demonstration that miR-140 has a critical and nonredundant role in cartilage development and homeostasis.
Cardiac Tumors and Masses

Cardiac masses may present themselves upon investigation of cardiovascular symptoms, systemic manifestations, or incidentally upon screening. The differential diagnosis, workup, and subsequent management are heavily dependent upon the presenting clinical setting and the individual patient. In the broadest terms, a mass may be a benign or malignant tumor, a degenerative or infectious process, a normal but prominent structure, or even merely an imaging artifact that has been misinterpreted.
Structure of Met‐enkephalin in explicit aqueous solution using replica exchange molecular dynamics

Replica exchange molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Met-enkephalin in explicit solvent reveal helical and nonhelical structures. Four predominant structures of Met-enkephalin are sampled with comparable probabilities (two helical and two nonhelical). The energy barriers between these configurations are low, suggesting that Met-enkephalin switches easily between configurations. This is consistent with the requirement that Met-enkephalin be sufficiently flexible to bind to several different receptors. Replica exchange simulations of 32 ns are shown to sample approximately five times more configurational space than constant temperature MD simulations of the same duration. The energy landscape for the replica exchange simulation is presented. A detailed study of replica trajectories demonstrates that the significant increases in temperature provided by the replica exchange technique enable transitions from nonhelical to helical structures that would otherwise be prevented by kinetic trapping. Met-enkephalin (Type Entrez Proteins; Value A61445; Service Entrez Proteins) Proteins 2002;46:225–234. Published 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Construction of an Enterococcus faecalis Tn917-Mediated-Gene-Disruption Library Offers Insight into Tn917 Insertion Patterns

Sequencing the insertion sites of 8,865 Tn917 insertions in Enterococcus faecalis strain OG1RF identified a hot spot in the replication terminus region corresponding to 6% of the genome where 65% of the transposons had inserted. In E. faecalis, Tn917 preferentially inserted at a 29-bp consensus sequence centered on TATAA, a 5-bp sequence that is duplicated during insertion. The regional insertion site preference at the chromosome terminus was not observed in another low-G+C gram-positive bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes, although the consensus insertion sequence was the same. The 8,865 Tn917 insertion sites sequenced in E. faecalis corresponded to only ∼610 different open reading frames, far fewer than the predicted number of 2,400, assuming random insertion. There was no significant preference in orientation of the Tn917 insertions with either transcription or replication. Even though OG1RF has a smaller genome than strain V583 (2.8 Mb versus 3.2 Mb), the only E. faecalis strain whose sequence is in the public domain, over 10% of the Tn917 insertions appear to be in a OG1RF-specific sequence, suggesting that there are significant genomic differences among E. faecalis strains.
A simple method for large-scale electrofusion and culture of plant protoplasts

A simple method is described for the electrofusion of plant protoplasts. Protoplasts were aggregated in a radio-frequency field (10 V RMS, 0.5 MHz) for 15-30 s with an inter-electrode distance of J mm. They were then fused with a 300-V DC pulse. The protoplasts were able to divide after this treatment. A trans-ferrable electrode permitted electrofusion of l-ml volumes of culture in standard tissue-culture dishes in about 20 s.
Deuterium oxide stimulates glucose metabolism and inhibits lipolysis in rat epididymal adipose tissue.

Abstract Incubation of segments of rat epididymal adipose tissue in media prepared with deuterium oxide results in increased glucose oxidation, increased lipogenesis, accelerated sugar transport and decreased lipolysis in response to epinephrine or theophylline. In view of the well documented action of heavy water to “stabilize” cytoplasmic microtubules, the foregoing observations are in support of a link between cytoplasmic microtubules and metabolic process in adipose tissue.
Developing Teacher Leaders: Providing Encouragement, Opportunities, and Support:

Teachers' daily contact with students, other teachers, and the instruc tional program places them in a unique position to influence school reform efforts. Principals who are comfortable with teacher leaders can provide the encouragement, opportunities, and support teachers need to become leaders.
Apoptosis of γ/δ T cells in human ehrlichiosis

Expansion of activated T cells expressing the T-cell receptor (TCR) gamma/delta, CD45RO, and HLA-DR antigens is a prominent feature of acute infection with Ehrlichia chaffeensis in humans. The fate of these activated cells and the resolution of the gamma/delta T-cell response with return to the usual alpha/beta T-cell populations in this disease are not clearly understood. At a morphologic level, apoptotic cells are present in the peripheral blood during the acute and resolution phases of the infection. Simple culture of density gradient-separated lymphocytes from the blood of patients with acute ehrlichiosis produced cell death rapidly in the media compared to alpha/beta T cells. This loss of viability after incubation was apparently mediated by apoptosis, based on flow cytometric and morphologic analyses. The results suggest that most primed (CD45RO+) and activated (HLA-DR+) gamma/delta T cells in acute ehrlichiosis might be subject to removal from the body by programmed or apoptotic cell death.
Flow-induced instabilities of shells of revolution with non-zero Gaussian curvatures conveying fluid

Abstract We study flow-induced instabilities of axis-symmetric shells of revolution with an arbitrary meridian and non-zero Gaussian curvatures. We consider a fluid–structure interaction (FSI) model based on an inviscid flow model and a thin shell theory. This FSI model is solved using a method that combines the Galerkin technique with the boundary element method (BEM). The present method is capable of investigating the dynamic behavior of doubly‐curved shells in contact with flow without the need for an analytical solution of the perturbed flow potential. Shells of revolution with different values of non-zero Gaussian curvatures are investigated and their behavior is compared to shells with zero Gaussian curvature. It is found that the added mass natural frequencies of shells of revolution are larger than those of conical shells with the same inlet, outlet and length. Shells of revolution, with both positive and negative Gaussian curvatures, lose their instability by buckling, however, shells with negative Gaussian curvatures buckle at modes similar to those observed in uniform and conical shells, while shells with positive Gaussian curvatures buckle with localized deformations close to the area with higher local flow velocities.
Competent Retail Trainees—Where Are They ?:

Retailers have long complained about their inability to attract and retain employes with executive potenial. Here are some new avenues of approach.
Formation of Lactic Acid in Excised Organs.

These experiments were undertaken to determine whether excised tissues would form lactic acid under anaerobic conditions. Paired organs of dogs were studied. One of each pair was rapidly triturated in chilled alcohol to prevent post-mortem glycolysis. The other was triturated in Ringer's or buffered phosphate solution (pH 8) and then incubated at 37.5° C. for 3 to 10 hours to allow for any possible formation of lactic acid. The lactic acid, after extraction and purification by Meyerhof's procedure,1 was determined by the oxidation method, as modified by Friedemann, Cotonio and Shaffer.2In every organ studied (kidney, testis, parotid, submaxillary, thyroid, cerebrum) a definite increase of lactic acid was obtained after incubation, an amount ranging from 1 2/3 to 30 times that originally present.Investigation is now under way to determine the origin of lactic acid so produced.
Warm-Mix Asphalt Moisture Susceptibility Evaluation for Mix Design and Quality Assurance

Guidelines for the evaluation of warm-mix asphalt (WMA) moisture susceptibility, including a flowchart and several thresholds for laboratory tests, were developed in a previous study on the basis of a limited number of WMA mixtures. In this study, 64 WMA mixtures were identified from a literature review and web survey with moisture susceptibility data available from mix design or quality assurance as well as field pavement performance. A desirable correspondence was achieved when the moisture susceptibility laboratory test parameters for those WMA mixtures were compared against the proposed thresholds and their field pavement performance, which showed the effectiveness of the guidelines in identifying moisture-susceptible WMA mixtures. In addition, a laboratory experiment was completed to evaluate the effect of various moisture conditioning protocols and specimen drying methods on moisture susceptibility laboratory test parameters. The 1,000-cycle moisture induced stress tester at 140°F (60°C) and 40 psi ...
Concept acquisition as a function of frequency of occurrence in verbal context

The experiment investigated concept acquisition as a function of number of occurrences of an unknown word in the context of a short story. Each of the nine stories was presented in one of six conditions (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 occurrences of the word) to 120 college students. Five-item multiple-choice tests constructed to test concept acquisition showed adequate reliability, and for each word improvement was significant at the.01 level. Hence the learning of concepts from verbal context can be studied systematically, and the improvement, as in other learning experiments, appears to be a decreasing function of practice.
Abstract 4928: Mechanisms of microglia-stimulated glioma invasion.

The ability of glioma tumor cells to infiltrate the surrounding brain parenchyma makes complete removal of these tumors nearly impossible. We investigated how microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, stimulate glioma cell invasion. Coculture with microglia stimulates the invasion of GL261 glioma cells in-vitro. Pharmacological inhibition of EGFR using Iressa strongly inhibits microglia-stimulated invasion. Furthermore, we demonstrate using novel CSF-1R (c-fms) inhibitors that CSF-1R signaling is also required for microglial enhancement of glioma invasion. GL261 cells were found to constitutively secrete CSF-1, the levels of which are unaffected by EGF stimulation, EGFR inhibition or coculture with microglia. GL261 tumors orthotopically injected into the brains of C57 mice fed with the CSF-1R inhibitor PLX3397 showed a dramatic reduction in microglia/macrophages infiltration compared with tumors from animals fed control chow. Tumors from the PLX3397-fed animals also showed a 50% reduction in invasion into the parenchyma. We discovered that GL261 cell secretion of CSF-1 is involved in upregulating EGFR ligands in microglia including AREG, EREG and TGFA. Microglia isolated from GL261 tumors express AREG mRNA whereas naive microglia from control animals do not. Depletion of AREG from microglia using siRNA interfered with their ability to promote GL261 invasion in vitro. These data indicate that during invasion, glioma and microglia cells signal to each other using EGFR Ligands and CSF-1 similar to what has been observed in breast cancer models. The results of this study indicate the possibility of inhibiting glioblastoma invasion by targeting functions of tumor-associated microglia in addition to glioma cells. Citation Format: Salvatore J. Coniglio, Jeffrey E. Segall. Mechanisms of microglia-stimulated glioma invasion. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4928. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4928
Irradiation-induced erythroleukemia and myelogenous leukemia in the beagle dog: hematology and ultrastructure.

A high incidence of leukemia in adult beagle dogs was induced by continuous whole-body exposure to low doses of 60Co gamma irradiation. At 5, 10, and 17 R per 22-hr exposure day, 20 animals of 53 died of either myelogenous leukemia (15 of 20) or erythroleukemia (5 of 20); the latter occurred only at 5 R/day. Consistent preclinical changes occurred in the peripheral blood, including (1) a partial recovery from an initial severe leukopenia, (2) a prolonged accommodation-to-irradiation phase, and (3) marked oscillations in platelet values in the preleukemic period. In the terminal condition the dogs were severely anemic, thrombocytopenic, and commonly leukopenic. Peripheral blood buffy-coat preparations contained circulating “blast” cells and juvenile forms. Abnormal erythrocyte and platelet morphology was consistently present. The bone marrow was altered most severely; other organs showed variable degrees of leukemic infiltration and proliferation and loss of normal tissue architecture. The marrow was hyperplastic with little or no fat remaining. Differential marrow cell counts showed increased numbers of immature cell forms. Myeloid: erythroid (M:E) ratios ranged from 2.6:1 to 61.5:1 in the granulocytic leukemias, and 0.2:1 to 1:1 in the erythroleukemias. Juvenile leukemic cells (both circulating and tissue forms) displayed a number of distinctive cytologic features, including asynchronous patterns of nuclear–cytoplasmic maturation, increased incidence of nuclear clefts, coalescence of cytoplasmic granules, and bizarre arrangements of endoplasmic reticulum. These experimentally induced canine leukemias have many hematologic and cytologic features in common with both spontaneous and radiation-induced leukemias of man. Thus, they may provide a useful model for the study of human leukemia.
A clear-sky longwave radiation model for remote alpine areas

A theoretically based model accurtely calculates incoming longwave radiation under clear sky conditions in a remote alpine area. Data requirements are relatively simple and because the model is theoretically based it can be widely applied. The model calculates atmospheric radiation using a form of Brutsaert's method that is adjusted for variations in air pressure and radiation from adjacent slopes. Tests of both point and areal applications indicate that the method gives reliable results. When applied as a segment of an energy balance snowmelt model, the model provides information on energy exchange in an alpine environment and improved snowmelt runoff prediction. Radiation from cloud cover and canopy cover can be more easily isolated by using the model to account for clear sky radiation. It is possible that it can also calibrate atmospheric effects in thermal satellite data, thus enhancing the possibilities for using satellite radiometry in alpine areas.
A Robust and Adaptive Depleted Shutdown Guidance Method of Solid Rocket

In order to solve the problem of depleted shutdown guidance of solid rocket,a robust and adaptive method based on close-loop guidance and zero-range orientation is proposed.Firstly,the close-loop guidance law is designed to converge the required velocity increment quickly.Then,based on the zero-range orientation theory,an energy management arithmetic that is insensitive to the variety of shutdown time and a precise guidance law of terminal velocity correction are developed,which effectively improve the robust,adaptability and accuracy of depleted shutdown guidance under the random perturbation of thrust,fuel consumption and shutdown time.The method proposed extends the engineering application of depleted shut-down explicit guidance.
Management Of Complications Resulting From Laryngeal Cancer Treatment

The most frequently encountered complications in the treatment of laryngeal cancer are discussed. Preoperative and surgical problems and complications encountered secondary to radiation and chemotherapy are included, along with airway obstruction, failure to diagnose, pharyngocutaneous fistula, stomal stenosis, and poor voice and aspiration are among the topics covered.
Myristoyl-CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferases: isoform identification and gene expression in retina.

PURPOSE: The mammalian myristoyl-CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) family consists of Type I and Type II enzymes that typically catalyze the addition of myristic acid (14:0) to the N-terminus of specific proteins using myristoyl-Coenzyme A as a donor. However, the N-terminus of certain proteins in frog and bovine retina are modified with fatty acids other than myristic acid, and this utilization of alternative acyl-CoAs has not been found in any other tissues. This alternative use of acyl groups is known as retina heterogeneous acylation and occurs by an unknown mechanism. Therefore, the focus of this work has been to identify NMT isoforms that may be unique or differentially expressed in bovine retina that may utilize acyl-CoAs in addition to myristoyl-CoA. METHODS: We used cDNA library screening, RT-PCR, and PCR to identify NMTs in bovine retina and liver, then compared these proteins to previously described NMTs by amino acid alignments. We used northern blotting to determine the level of Type I and Type II NMTs in a human multi-tissue blot, in bovine retina, and in bovine liver. Southern blotting was done to determine if one or more genomic copies of Type II NMT are present in the bovine genome. A phylogenetic analysis of NMT isoforms is provided to describe the lineage of NMTs from a variety of species. RESULTS: We identified a Type I NMT in retina that is nearly identical to previously described Type I enzymes, as well as a novel Type II enzyme. We further characterized the retina specificity of the novel enzyme by evaluating which Type II enzymes are present in bovine liver. We find that cow liver contains a Type II NMT identical to the previously described NMT found in human liver, as well as a partial clone that is identical to the novel Type II NMT from retina. NMT Type I and II message expression appears to vary in a panel of tissues, and we suggest that retina expresses at least three NMT isoforms, with the Type I short form and Type II being more abundant than the Type I long form NMT. We also present evidence that there are two copies of Type II NMT in the bovine genome. CONCLUSIONS: Our efforts to find a retina-specific NMT resulted in the identification of a previously unknown Type II NMT, but this enzyme also appears to be expressed in liver. Therefore, we are unable to conclude that heterogeneous acylation occurs by means of an exclusive enzyme capable of efficiently utilizing multiple acyl-CoA substrates solely in retina. Nonetheless, our results lead to an improved understanding of protein acylating enzymes and encourage us to further identify factors that influence tissue-specific expression of each isoform and regulate their enzymatic activity in terms of acyl-CoA selectivity and heterogeneous protein acylation.