cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endogenously produced adenosine regulates articular cartilage matrix homeostasis: enzymatic depletion of adenosine stimulates matrix degradation.

Abstract Objective : Enhanced extracellular levels of adenosine have been shown to inhibit experimentally induced cartilage degradation. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of adenosine and A 2 adenosine receptors in regulating cartilage homeostasis in the absence of inflammatory stimuli. Methods : Cartilage explants were exposed to adenosine deaminase (ADA) to deplete extracellular adenosine, and conditioned medium was collected for evaluation of glycosaminoglycan (GAG), prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ), nitric oxide (NO), and matrix metalloproteinases-3 and -13 (MMP-3, MMP-13) levels. In a second set of experiments, cartilage incubated with ADA was simultaneously exposed to the adenosine kinase inhibitor 5′-iodotubercidin (ITU) to inhibit adenosine breakdown, or to the A 2A adenosine receptor agonist N 6 -[2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-ethyl]adenosine (DPMA). Finally, explants were incubated with the adenosine receptor antagonists ZM241385, CGS15943, theophylline or caffeine to block normal receptor activation by endogenous adenosine. Results : Exposure to ADA induced a concentration-dependent increase in GAG release and production of total MMP-3, MMP-13, PGE 2 , and NO. Both ITU and DPMA inhibited the ADA-mediated increases in GAG release and PGE 2 , and NO production, but only ITU inhibited MMP-13 release. Exposure to ZM 241385 increased GAG, MMP-3 and MMP-13 release. Additionally, CGS 15943 increased MMP-3 production while theophylline increased GAG, PGE 2 , and NO release. Conclusions : Endogenous adenosine levels appear to regulate cartilage matrix homeostasis even in the absence of inflammation. Regulation occurs, at least in part, through activation of cell surface receptors. This study suggests that autocrine and paracrine responses to adenosine release are important for maintenance of healthy articular cartilage.
Unknown Output Values of Faulty Circuits and Output Response Compaction

When using output response compaction it is necessary to address the fact that circuits may produce unknown output values. Methods to address this issue ensure that the output response compactor would produce a unique fault-free signature that can be used for fault detection. This paper considers the unknown output values that are produced by faulty circuits. If a faulty circuit produces an unknown value when the output value of the fault-free circuit is known, the unknown faulty output value may affect the computation of a signature. The faulty signature may not be unique, and it may not always be different from a fault-free signature. The ability to verify that the fault will be detected based on its signature is thus lost. Without limiting the discussion to a particular output response compactor, the paper studies the prevalence of such faults in benchmark circuits, the prevalence of unknown faulty output values for which the corresponding fault-free values are known, and the effects of addressing this issue.
Immunoaffinity trapping of urinary human chorionic gonadotropin and its high-performance liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric confirmation

A method has been developed for confirmation of the glycopeptide human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine. A solid-phase immunoaffinity trapping technique utilizing a monoclonal antibody recognizing both intact hCG and free hCG β-subunits was developed for the extraction of hCG from urine. Recovery of hCG from a urine matrix was essentially quantitative. The hCG was quantitatively eluted with 6 M guanidine hydrochloride, reductively alkylated with vinylpyridine, and subjected to tryptic digestion. The tryptic digest was analysed by HPLC-MS. Ions from three tryptic fragments were monitored with selected ion monitoring to provide specific detection of hCG. The signal observed for a concentration of 25 mIU/ml of hCG could be clearly distinguished from background with a signal-to-noise ratio of 12:1.
Comparison of infrared spectroscopic and fluorescence depolarization assays for fetal lung maturity.

Abstract Objective: Infrared spectroscopic analysis of amniotic fluid was recently shown to be a potential useful method for the determination of fetal lung maturity. Those studies used thin-layer chromatography as a reference method for the calibration of the infrared-based technique. However, thin-layer chromatography is compromised by large intra-assay and interlaboratory coefficients of variation. Therefore in this study we have used a reference method that is based on fluorescence depolarization, the TDx FLM II assay, to verify the sensitivity and precision of infrared spectroscopy for assessment of fetal lung maturity status. Study Design: Samples of amniotic fluid were obtained by amniocentesis from 101 patients between the 24th and 40th weeks of pregnancy. Small volumes (35 μL) of amniotic fluid specimens were dried, and the infrared spectra were measured with a commercial infrared spectrometer. The fetal lung surfactant/albumin ratio was determined separately for each specimen with the TDx FLM II assay. The proposed infrared method was then calibrated and tested with a partial least-squares regression analysis to quantitatively correlate the infrared spectra with the surfactant/albumin ratios provided by the TDx FLM II assays. Results: A total of 144 training spectra were used to build the partial least-squares calibration model. The correlation coefficient for the training set was excellent ( r = 0.92), with an SE between infrared-predicted and reference surfactant/albumin ratios of 17 mg/g. The model was then validated on a set of 69 test spectra and yielded an SE of 14 mg/g ( r = 0.86). The final partial least-squares model included the 900- to 1500-cm –1 and 2800- to 3200-cm –1 spectral ranges and 6 partial least-squares factors. Conclusion: Because the infrared-based fetal lung maturity measurements correlated well with assays from both of the current standard clinical techniques (thin-layer chromatography and fluorescence depolarization) and the procedure is less labor and training intensive, we concluded that infrared spectroscopy has the potential to emerge as the method of choice for prediction of fetal lung maturity from amniotic fluid analysis. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;183:181-7.)
Three different strains of heat-killed group B β-hemolytic streptococcus cause different pulmonary and systemic hemodynamic responses in conscious neonatal lambs

ABSTRACT: Although group Bβ -hemolytic streptococcus (GBS) causes pathologic hemodynamic alterations in both human neonates and neonatal animal models of sepsis, little is known about strain-dependent differences in hemodynamic responses to GBS. This study compared pulmonary and systemic hemodynamic dose-response profiles in conscious neonatal lambs with three different strains of heat-killed GBS originally isolated from infected human neonates (group 1: serotype Ib, early-onset sepsis; group 2: serotype Ib, necrotizing enterocolitis; and group 3: serotype III, meningitis). Regression models of hemodynamic responses were characterized after lambs were injected with heat-killed GBS (dose range 0.1-6.0 × 109 colonyforming units, i.v.). All three GBS strains caused dosedependent increases in mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary and systemic vascular resistances and decreases in cardiac output and heart rate. The GBS strain used in group 1 caused a greater effect on mean pulmonary arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance than those used in groups 2 and 3 and was the only strain to cause an increase in mean systemic arterial pressure. The GBS strains used in groups 1 and 2 had a greater effect on pulmonary vascular resistance than that used in group 3. No group differences were observed in cardiac output and heart rate responses, which were, however, influenced by age, gender, and duration of postoperative recovery of the lambs. No attenuation or augmentation of hemodynamic effect was observed after sequential doses of 109 colonyforming units of GBS given in a single day. This study demonstrates strain-dependent quantitative differences in pulmonary vascular response and qualitative differences in systemic vascular response to heat-killed GBS.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators

Abstract In the quest to save lives, a greater number of ICDs are implanted each year. These ICDs with pacing capabilities offer a successful therapeutic intervention to a devastating problem. Patients who have these devices will appear in operating rooms around the country. Manage these patients like all other patients who have heart disease, before turning attention to the ICD. Programming the device to “off” should suffice in protecting patients from ill-timed defibrillatory shocks. Placing the magnet over the generator and holding it in that location also will inhibit the ICD. Use external pads to defibrillate patients who experience intraoperative ventricular arrhythmias. Interrogate and reprogram the ICD immediately after surgery. As expected, it is not anesthesia, per se, that harms the patient. It is the underlying heart disease.
Reward Expectations Lead to Smoking Uptake among Depressed Adolescents

Abstract Aims While the comorbidity between adolescent depression and smoking has been well documented, less is known about why smoking is disproportionately higher among depressed adolescents. Emerging research suggests that reward-related mechanisms may be important to consider. This study sought to determine whether adolescents with higher depression symptoms have greater smoking reward expectations, which in turn, influence smoking progression. Participants The sample was composed of 1393 adolescents participating in a longitudinal survey study of adolescent health behaviors. Design and Measurements In this prospective cohort study, variables were measured via self-report every six months from age 14 to age 17 resulting in six waves of data. Findings Parallel processes latent growth curve modeling indicated that higher depression symptoms across mid to late adolescence predicted a 17% increase in smoking reward expectations ( β = 3.50, z = 2.85, p = 0.004), which in turn predicted a 23% increase in the odds of smoking progression ( β = 0.206, z = 3.29, p = 0.001). The indirect effect was significant with delta method ( β indirect = 0.72, z = 3.09, p = 0.002; 95% CI = 0.26, 1.18) and bootstrap ( β indirect = 0.72, z = 2.10, p = 0.03; 95% CI = 0.05, 1.39) standard errors. Conclusions The study provides novel evidence that expectations of smoking reward facilitate smoking uptake among depressed adolescents. Smoking reward expectations may identify depressed adolescents at risk of smoking. Addressing alternative ways to meet the reward expectations rather than smoking may be an important component to consider in the preventing smoking and promoting smoking cessation among adolescents with elevated depression symptoms.
Sialic acid masked membrane antigens of clonal functional glial cells.

Antisera have been prepared to clonal cultured rat astrocytic cells (C6 cells) and clonal human astrocytic cells (CHB4 cells). When cultured glial cells are grown in the presence of neuraminidase the serological activity of the cell membrane with homologous antiserum is increased extensively. A similar activation of serological activity can be effected by incubating washed harvested cells with this enzyme. Membrane bound N-acetyl-neuraminic acid is extensively reduced by either incubation. The activity responsible for promoting the enhanced serological activity co-chromatographs and co-electrophoreses with neuraminidase. Proteolytic digestion, unlike neuraminidase treatment, was unable to enhance the serological activity of cultured glial cells.
A two-temperature technique for PECVD deposition of silicon dioxide

A new technique has been developed and analyzed for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) silicon dioxide films, First, a thin cap layer is deposited at a low temperature and the film is subjected to an in-situ hydrogen plasma treatment. Then, the temperature is raised to the final value and the deposition continued to the desired thickness. It is shown that interrupting the deposition for in-situ sample treatment can be used to lower the interface trap density. Several variations are examined, and it is seen that a thin cap layer is best, along with a higher initial temperature. A variety of hydrogen treatments are shown to effectively reduce the trap density from that of a standard one-temperature deposition. The midgap trap densities obtained are among the best achieved with a direct PECVD system. >
Home brewing and serious leisure: exploring the motivation to engage and the resultant satisfaction derived through participation

The study examines what motivates an individual to engage in a serious leisure activity and the depth of the satisfaction derived through participation. The study examines the topic through the lens of home craft beer brewers filtered through Stebbins’ serious leisure construct (1982). The data were collected through a yearlong immersion with a local brewing club chapter, extensive in-depth interviews with two key informants, and a survey instrument (n = 4207) that collected both quantitative and qualitative data. The results elaborate on Stebbins’ construct and provide deep description of the fulfilment and resonance that participation in and commitment to a serious leisure activity provides. The respondent data were coded into five broad themes: restoration, intellectual absorption, social, creative outlet, and self-actualization. These findings provide tangible support to Stebbins’ assertion that individuals can find fulfilment, purpose, and deep meaning to what may otherwise be a life devoid of meaning.
Poisson group testing: A probabilistic model for nonadaptive streaming boolean compressed sensing

We introduce a novel probabilistic group testing framework, termed Poisson group testing, in which the number of defectives follows a right-truncated Poisson distribution. The Poisson model applies to a number of biological testing scenarios, where the subjects are assumed to be ordered based on their arrival times and where the probability of being defective decreases with time. Our main result is an information-theoretic upper bound on the minimum number of tests required to achieve an average probability of detection error asymptotically converging to zero.
Sunflower Head Residue Pectin Extraction as Affected by Physical Conditions

Effects of extraction pH, temperature, and time on yield and quality of pectin from sunflower heads (Interstate cultivar) were investigated. The low-methoxyl pectin was extracted, using 0.75% sodium hexametaphosphate at pH 3, 4, and 5 and at 75, 85, and 95 o C for 20, 40, and 60 min, respectively. Yield, molecular mass, and firmness of jellies of the pectins were determined. Three-way statistical analysis on yield, molecular mass and gel firmness showed strong interactions among pH, temperature and time. Highest yields were obtained at pH 5, 95 o C for 20 min and pH 4, 85 o C for 40 min. Pectin extracted for 40 min at pH 3 and 4 and at 85 o C and 75 o C, respectively, had the highest molecular mass. Gel firmness of sunflower pectin prepared at pH 5.4 was higher than that of a commercial citrus pectin
Response patterning during stimulus generalization in the rat.

Abstract Nine rats were trained to bar press in the presence of a clicking sound of 6.67 cps (SD) for 1-min variable-interval food reinforcement randomly alternated with a clicking sound of 20 cps (SΔ) signifying extinction. After a criterion of 90% of total responses in the presence of the SD was obtained, a generalization test was administered, including values of 6.67, 10.00, 13.33, and 20.00 cps, with responses in the presence of the SD continuing to be reinforced during testing. The test yielded a gradient of response strength with rate highest in the presence of the SD and decreasing with increasing distance from this value. An interresponse time (IRT) analysis of responding during generalization testing revealed no systematic differences in modal IRT category or in median IRT to the different test stimuli. Mean IRT was lowest in the presence of the SD and increased systematically with increasing distance from this value, supporting the hypothesis that the generalization gradient of response rate is primarily the result of an increasing proportion of “long” IRT responses to stimuli increasingly distant from the SD.
Debris and Shrapnel Mitigation Procedure for NIF Experiments

All experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) will produce debris and shrapnel from vaporized, melted, or fragmented target/diagnostics components. For some experiments mitigation is needed to reduce the impact of debris and shrapnel on optics and diagnostics. The final optics, e.g., wedge focus lens, are protected by two layers of debris shields. There are 192 relatively thin (1-3 mm) disposable debris shields (DDS's) located in front of an equal number of thicker (10 mm) main debris shields (MDS's). The rate of deposition of debris on DDS's affects their replacement rate and hence has an impact on operations. Shrapnel (molten and solid) can have an impact on both types of debris shields. There is a benefit to better understanding these impacts and appropriate mitigation. Our experiments on the Omega laser showed that shrapnel from Ta pinhole foils could be redirected by tilting the foils. Other mitigation steps include changing location or material of the component identified as the shrapnel source. Decisions on the best method to reduce the impact of debris and shrapnel are based on results from a number of advanced simulation codes. These codes are validated by a series of dedicated experiments. One of the 3D codes, NIF's ALE-AMR, is being developed with the primary focus being a predictive capability for debris/shrapnel generation. Target experiments are planned next year on NIF using 96 beams. Evaluations of debris and shrapnel for hohlraum and capsule campaigns are presented.
Uptake and elimination of 14 C-aldrin and 14 C-dieldrin by the ostracod Chlamydotheca arcuata (Sars).

Abstract Laboratory-reared, insecticide-free fresh-water ostracods, Chlamydotheca arcuata (Sars), were exposed to various concentrations of 14C-aldrin and 14C-dieldrin. Aldrin and dieldrin were accumulated in or by ostracod tissue both with and against concentration gradients from water. The initial rate of aldrin accumulation was approximately twice that of dieldrin, and accumulation of either insecticide was dependent upon the insecticide concentration in water, the duration of exposure, and the activity of the animals. Aldrin was readily metabolized to dieldrin in living ostracods, and small amounts of dieldrin were eliminated. The rate of elimination was in part dependent upon ostracod activity, although some elimination occurred with dead animal tissues. Dieldrin was eliminated more rapidly by dieldrin-exposed ostracods than by aldrin-exposed ostracods.
Maneuver design for multiple aircraft conflict resolution

Today, with air traffic rates in the United States growing by 5% annually, and those across the Pacific Rim by more than 15% annually, the problem which poses the greatest challenge to air transportation in the United States and abroad is the design of a safe and efficient method to automate air traffic control. This paper presents an overview of two methods for conflict-free planning in air traffic control. The first is a kinematic planner based on potential fields for which we prove kinematic safety for two- and three-aircraft maneuvers. The second is a real-time hybrid systems implementation of multiple aircraft conflict resolution. We conclude with a comparison of the two methods with emphasis on computational effort and complexity of analysis.
Vehicle-to-grid power fundamentals: Calculating capacity and net revenue

As the light vehicle fleet moves to electric drive (hybrid, battery, and fuel cell vehicles), an opportunity opens for “vehicle-to-grid” (V2G) power. This article defines the three vehicle types that can produce V2G power, and the power markets they can sell into. V2G only makes sense if the vehicle and power market are matched. For example, V2G appears to be unsuitable for baseload power—the constant round-theclock electricity supply—because baseload power can be provided more cheaply by large generators, as it is today. Rather, V2G’s greatest near-term promise is for quick-response, high-value electric services. These quick-response electric services are purchased to balance constant fluctuations in load and to adapt to unexpected equipment failures; they account for 5–10% of electric cost—$ 12 billion per year in the US. This article develops equations to calculate the capacity for grid power from three types of electric drive vehicles. These equations are applied to evaluate revenue and costs for these vehicles to supply electricity to three electric markets (peak power, spinning reserves, and regulation). The results suggest that the engineering rationale and economic motivation for V2G power are compelling. The societal advantages of developing V2G include an additional revenue stream for cleaner vehicles, increased stability and reliability of the electric grid, lower electric system costs, and eventually, inexpensive storage and backup for renewable electricity. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Novel Spot Tests for Detecting the Presence of Zinc Sulfate in Urine, a Newly Introduced Urinary Adulterant to Invalidate Drugs of Abuse Testing

Objectives: To find a suitable method for detecting zinc sulfate in adulterated urine. Methods: Two rapid spot tests to detect the presence of zinc sulfate in urine were developed. Results: Addition of 3 to 4 drops of 1N sodium hydroxide solution to approximately 1 mL of urine containing zinc sulfate led to the formation of a white precipitate, which was soluble in excess sodium hydroxide. In the second spot test, addition of 3 to 4 drops of 1% sodium chromate solution to 1 mL of urine containing zinc sulfate followed by the addition of 4 to 5 drops of 1N sodium hydroxide led to formation of a yellow precipitate (zinc chromate). Detection limit of these visual spot tests was 10 mg/mL of zinc sulfate in urine. Twenty drug-free urine specimens and urine containing high amounts of sugar or reducing substances were tested with no false-positive spot test results observed. However, if lead is present in high amounts in urine, it may cause false-positive spot test results. When aliquots of urine controls for drugs of abuse testing were supplemented with different amounts of zinc sulfate, false-negative drug test results were observed except for amphetamine. Zinc sulfate also falsely reduced measured urine alcohol level in urine.
Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Latent Protein LANA Interacts with HIF-1α To Upregulate RTA Expression during Hypoxia: Latency Control under Low Oxygen Conditions

Hypoxia can induce lytic replication of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) in primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) cells. However, the molecular mechanism of lytic reactivation of KSHV by hypoxia remains unclear. Here we show that the latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA), which plays a crucial role in modulating viral and cellular gene expression, directly associated with a low oxygen responder, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). LANA enhanced not only the transcriptional activities of HIF-1α but also its mRNA level. Coimmunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence studies documented a physical interaction between LANA and HIF-1α in transiently transfected 293T cells as well as in PEL cell lines during hypoxia. Through sequence analysis, several putative hypoxia response elements (HRE-1 to -6) were identified in the essential lytic gene Rta promoter. Reporter assays showed that HRE-2 (−1130 to −1123) and HRE-5 and HRE-6 (+234 to +241 and +812 to +820, respectively, within the intron sequence) were necessary and sufficient for the LANA-mediated HIF-1α response. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed HIF-1α-dependent binding of a LANA protein complex specifically to the HRE-2, -5, and -6 motifs within the promoter regulatory sequences. This study demonstrates that hypoxia-induced KSHV lytic replication is mediated at least in part through cooperation of HIF-1α with LANA bound to the HRE motifs of the Rta promoter.
Medications and health histories: a survey of 4,365 dental patients

Significant medical problems and use of drugs as indicated in a survey of denial patients emphasizes the importance of an adequate medical history in establishing an appropriate treatment plan. A survey was conducted to determine what medications dental patients are taking and to compile information from medical histories on the most frequent conditions. The frequency of use of drugs and positive medical findings is reported by group and by age, sex, and race. Use of drugs was found to increase with age; the proportion taking a medication was 1 in 4 for the teenage group, 1 in 3 for young adults, 1 in 2 for patients in their 40s, and 2 in 3 for patients aged 50 and older. Two thirds of all dental patients in the study had a medical history positive for at least one problem, and more than 50% of these patients reported multiple medical problems.
Differential regulation of protein phosphatase-1I by neurabin

Neurabin is a brain-specific actin and protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) binding protein that inhibits the purified catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1(C)). However, endogenous PP-1 exists primarily as multimeric complexes of PP-1(C) bound to various regulatory proteins that determine its activity, substrate specificity, subcellular localization and function. The major form of endogenous PP-1 in brain is protein phosphatase-1(I) (PP-1(I)), a Mg(2+)/ATP-dependent form of PP-1 that consists of PP-1(C), the inhibitor-2 regulatory subunit, an activating protein kinase and other unidentified proteins. We have identified four PP-1(I) holoenzyme fractions (PP-1(IA), PP-1(IB), PP-1(IC), and PP-1(ID)) in freshly harvested pig brain separable by poly-L-lysine chromatography. Purified recombinant neurabin (amino acid residues 1-485) inhibited PP-1(IB) (IC(50)=1.1 microM), PP-1(IC) (IC(50)=0.1 microM), and PP-1(ID) (IC(50)=0.2 microM), but activated PP-1(IA) by up to threefold (EC(50)=40 nM). The PP-1(IA) activation domain was localized to neurabin(1-210). Our results indicate a novel mechanism of PP-1 regulation by neurabin as both an inhibitor and an activator of distinct forms of PP-1(I) in brain.
FETAL INTERVENTION FOR MYELOMENINGOCELE: EFFECT ON POSTNATAL BLADDER FUNCTION

Purpose: Myelomeningocele is the most common congenital malformation of the central nervous system noted on prenatal ultrasound. Due to its significant postnatal sequelae, treatment in utero could potentially have a profound impact on the newborn. Others have reported fetal surgical techniques for in utero repair of myelomeningocele and its potential benefits on motor and neurological function. We report our urodynamic findings in the newborn after in utero repair of spina bifida in an effort to characterize postnatal bladder function.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of the fetal surgery database at University of California San Francisco was performed identifying patients with a diagnosis of myelomeningocele. Prenatal surgical repair of myelomeningocele was considered if a normal karyotype was present, no other significant congenital anomalies were evident and gestational age was less than 24 weeks. The spinal defects were in the lumbar or lumbosacral region. All surgery was performed before ...
New combination therapy improves survival in non-small cell lung cancer

▴ Sandler A, Gray R, Perry MC, et al . Paclitaxel–carboplatin alone or with bevacizumab for non–small-cell lung cancer. N Engl J Med2006;355:2542–50. [OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] The survival rate of patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer remains poor even with chemotherapy. This randomised-controlled trial looks at the effect of monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor (bevacizumab) in the treatment of patients with metastatic non-squamous-cell, non-small-cell-lung cancer. Eight hundred and seventy- eight patients with recurrent or advanced … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DNew%2BEngland%2BJournal%2Bof%2BMedicine%26rft.stitle%253DNEJM%26rft.issn%253D0028-4793%26rft.aulast%253DSandler%26rft.auinit1%253DA.%26rft.volume%253D355%26rft.issue%253D24%26rft.spage%253D2542%26rft.epage%253D2550%26rft.atitle%253DPaclitaxel-Carboplatin%2BAlone%2Bor%2Bwith%2BBevacizumab%2Bfor%2BNon-Small-Cell%2BLung%2BCancer%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1056%252FNEJMoa061884%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F17167137%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1056/NEJMoa061884&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=17167137&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fthoraxjnl%2F62%2F3%2F259.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000242778800006&link_type=ISI
Polymerase IV occupancy at RNA-directed DNA methylation sites requires SHH1

DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that has critical roles in gene silencing, development and genome integrity. In Arabidopsis, DNA methylation is established by DOMAINS REARRANGED METHYLTRANSFERASE 2 (DRM2) and targeted by 24-nucleotide small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) through a pathway termed RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). This pathway requires two plant-specific RNA polymerases: Pol-IV, which functions to initiate siRNA biogenesis, and Pol-V, which functions to generate scaffold transcripts that recruit downstream RdDM factors. To understand the mechanisms controlling Pol-IV targeting we investigated the function of SAWADEE HOMEODOMAIN HOMOLOG 1 (SHH1), a Pol-IV-interacting protein. Here we show that SHH1 acts upstream in the RdDM pathway to enable siRNA production from a large subset of the most active RdDM targets, and that SHH1 is required for Pol-IV occupancy at these same loci. We also show that the SHH1 SAWADEE domain is a novel chromatin-binding module that adopts a unique tandem Tudor-like fold and functions as a dual lysine reader, probing for both unmethylated K4 and methylated K9 modifications on the histone 3 (H3) tail. Finally, we show that key residues within both lysine-binding pockets of SHH1 are required in vivo to maintain siRNA and DNA methylation levels as well as Pol-IV occupancy at RdDM targets, demonstrating a central role for methylated H3K9 binding in SHH1 function and providing the first insights into the mechanism of Pol-IV targeting. Given the parallels between methylation systems in plants and mammals, a further understanding of this early targeting step may aid our ability to control the expression of endogenous and newly introduced genes, which has broad implications for agriculture and gene therapy.
New Class Of Features For Pattern Recognition And Image Analysis

A class of features, called "edge features," has been developed and applied to several problems of practical interest in image processing. These features are derived from a vector-valued function of the image called the "edge spectrum-" The edge spectrum at coordinate (x.,y) of the image describes the distribution of edge directions near (x,y). Several applications of edge features are discussed. One is considered in some detail. This application is to identify friendly aircraft descending for landing on an aircraft carrier. Identification is achieved by measuring wingspan - a good discriminant between the A6, A7, E2C and F.14. aircraft. For this purpose an edge feature was designed for locating the wing tips in the image. Wingspan was converted to physical dimension using range information and the known parameters of the optical system.
Management of Children with Mild, Moderate, and Moderately Severe Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Any degree of hearing loss can have a negative impact on child development. The amount of impact is largely determined by the type, quality, and timeliness of intervention. Early identification and management of hearing loss is essential for minimizing the impact of hearing loss and ensuring that children can reach their cognitive, linguistic, educational, and social potential. Advances in hearing technology and broadening of candidacy for same, have resulted in improved outcomes for many children with hearing loss. Through ongoing hearing monitoring throughout childhood, children with congenital, late-onset, or progressive losses can receive timely management from interprofessional, collaborative teams.
Dimensionality reduction using symbolic regression

In this paper, we propose a symbolic regression approach for data visualization that is suited for classification tasks. Our algorithm seeks a visually and semantically interpretable lower dimensional representation of the given dataset that would increase classifier accuracy as well. This simultaneous identification of easily interpretable dimensionality reduction and improved classification accuracy relieves the user of the burden of experimenting with the many combinations of classification and dimensionality reduction techniques
Biomaterial-Based Modulation of Cancer

Recent progress in our understanding of tumor biology, cell–matrix interactions, and immune response has facilitated the development of innovative biomaterials, therapeutic delivery, and tissue-engineering approaches to modulate cancer. In this chapter, we provide a summary of the recent developments and highlight the unique material-based approaches for tumor vascularization, targeted therapy, organoids for tumor microenvironment, and immunotherapy. We briefly discuss the immune microenvironment and checkpoints and how they play a role in tumor-mediated immune suppression. Finally, we provide an overview of challenges and future direction in biomaterials-based modulation of cancer.
Secondary Alkene Insertion and Precision Chain-Walking: A New Route to Semicrystalline “Polyethylene” from α-Olefins by Combining Two Rare Catalytic Events

While traditional polymerization of linear α-olefins (LAOs) typically provides amorphous, low Tg polymers, chain-straightening polymerization represents a route to semicrystalline materials. A series of α-diimine nickel catalysts were tested for the polymerization of various LAOs. Although known systems yielded amorphous or low-melting polymers, the “sandwich” α-diimines 3–6 yielded semicrystalline “polyethylene” comprised primarily of unbranched repeat units via a combination of uncommon regioselective 2,1-insertion and precision chain-walking events.
Catalysis by Isomeric Forms of Covalently Labeled F1-ATPase

When bovine heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase was labeled with low concentrations of NBD-Cl* in the dark in the presence of ATP at pH 7, the NBD-label was almost exclusively attached to a specific tyrosine residue until about one label is covalently attached per F1 molecule (Ferguson et al., 1975a). Cleavage of the labeled protein, isolation and sequencing of the labeled polypeptide and comparison with the known amino acid sequence of the β subunit of the F1 showed that the NBD-label is initially attached to Tyr-β311 (Runswick and Walker, 1983; Andrews et al., 1984a; Sutton and Ferguson, 1985b). Several challenging questions concerning these observations remain unanswered. First, why does the NBD-label inhibit the ATPase? Is it because Tyr-β311 is at the catalytic site so that the label interferes directly with the catalytic mechanism, or because Tyr-β311 is not at the catalytic site but its labeling triggers a long-range protein conformation change which inactivates the enzyme? Second, inasmuch as there are three intrinsically identical β subunits in each F1 molecule, why does the labeling of one β subunit per f1inactivates the whole enzyme?
Occupying Autism: Rhetoric, Involuntarity, and the Meaning of Autistic Lives

Autistic people are hardly described as having the capability to form their own community(s). This obsession with our incapability transcends scholarly discipline—it is routinely portrayed as an inseparable part of autism as a condition. Across scholarly and popular domains, autistic people are portrayed as egocentric, mindblind, and asocial. Using autie-ethnographic analysis, I argue that scholars and lay publics alike represent autism as an involuntary condition. What autistic people consider rhetorical moves—e.g., ticcing, stimming, perseverating—medical practitioners consider involuntary or aberrant behaviors. In this construction, autism represents arhetorical symptoms of a problemed body rather than a valid and underrepresented form of communication.
Leveraging SDN to Improve the Security of DHCP

Current State of the art technologies for detecting and neutralizing rogue DHCP servers are tediously complex and prone to error. Network operators can spend hours (even days) before realizing that a rogue server is affecting their network. Additionally, once network operators suspect that a rogue server is active on their network, even more hours can be spent finding the server's MAC address and preventing it from affecting other clients. Not only are such methods slow to eliminate rogue servers, they are also likely to affect other clients as network operators shutdown services while attempting to locate the server. In this paper, we present Network Flow Guard (NFG), a simple security application that utilizes the software defined networking (SDN) paradigm of programmable networks to detect and disable rogue servers before they are able to affect network clients. Consequently, the key contributions of NFG are its modular approach and its automated detection/prevention of rogue DHCP servers, which is accomplished with little impact to network architecture, protocols, and network operators.
Overwintering of Plum Leaf Scald Bacteria in Infected Trees

Isolation of xylem-limited bacteria (XLB) on CS20 agar medium was used to assess bacterial survival in plum trees. Thirty to forty twigs were randomly sampled monthly from each of the three trees with plum leaf scald from October 1982 to October 1984. From December 1983 to May 1984, 16-24 roots were also sampled from three other trees and plated on CS20BN agar medium. Sap obtained by squeezing each surface-sterilized twig or root with pliers was immediately placed on the surface of CS20 or CS20BN agar. Plates were incubated at 30C and examined weekly with a microscope (50×) for bacterial colonies. Bacteria were isolated each month, except May 1983 and April 1984, from cultivar “Santa Rosa”; each month, except May 1983, February and April 1984, from cultivar “Burbank”; each month from July to December 1983 and August to October 1984 from cultivar “Ozark Premier”. XLB were isolated from root samples of each tree from November 1983 through May 1984. Results demonstrate that XLB can survive through winter at Byron, Georgia, and suggest that the XLB may be transmitted to healthy trees anytime vectors are present.
Investigation of the current state of autochthonous paragonimiasis in Songyang County,Zhejiang Province

Objective To ascertain the prevalence of paragonimiasis and affected populations in Songyang County in order to guide paragonimiasis prevention and control efforts.Methods Three villages of three mountain towns were selected as the survey sites,and 50-100 crabs from each site were examined as the second intermediate host of Paragonimus westermani.Metacercariae in crab muscle were detected by blending and precipitation and metacercariae in the heart were detected by examining the heart.A survey on eating raw crabs was conducted with a randomly selected sample of 100-150 people,and serum samples were collected to test for antibodies against paragonimiasis using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results Metacercariae of both P.westermani and Euparagonimus cenocopiosus were detected in crabs.The bodies of 154 crabs were blended and allowed to precipitate.Metacercariae were detected in muscle at a rate of 57.79% and in 73 hearts at a rate of 57.53%.Serum samples from 379 individuals were tested for antibodies against paragonimiasis;these individuals tested positive at a rate of 4.49%.The survey of 379 people regarding the eating of raw crabs indicated that 35.09% ate raw crabs.Conclusion P.westermani and E.cenocopiosus are both responsible for outbreaks of paragonimiasis in Songyang County.Health education regarding paragonimiasis prevention should be expanded to the population in mountain areas to correct the habit of eating raw or undercooked crabs.
Improved forgery detection with lateral chromatic aberration

In this paper we propose a technique to improve the accuracy of lateral chromatic aberration (LCA) based detection of copy-paste image forgeries. We propose a statistical model of the error between local estimates of LCA displacement vectors and those predicted by a global model. Using this statistical model, we formulate forgery detection as a hypothesis testing problem, and derive the optimal detection statistic for performing LCA-based forgery detection. Through a series of experiments, we demonstrate that our proposed technique outperforms existing approaches for conducting LCA-based forgery detection.
Calcium current regulation of depolarization-evoked calcium transients in beta-cells (HIT-T15)

Glucose-induced insulin secretion by beta-cells is linked to phasic increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2 + ]i) arising from membrane depolarization. We examined the source of this Ca2 + in cultured beta-cells using rapid dual-wavelength spectroscopy of fura-2 under voltage-clamp conditions. Depolarization of the beta-cell initiated a sustained rise in [Ca2 + ]i that was dependent on the activation of L-type Ca2 + current that exhibited very slow inactivation. Neither release of internally stored Ca2 + nor Na( + )-Ca2 + exchange contributed significantly to this calcium rise, as evidenced by the suppressive effect of rapid application of Cd2 + and the lack of effect of elevations of intracellular Na + concentration. Restoration of control Ca2 + levels was primarily dependent on Ca2 + channel closure, but both a voltage-dependent and voltage-independent Ca2 + efflux system also contributed. Both the fluorescence-based and charge-based estimates of the rise in [Ca2 + ]i were in broad agreement, indicating that Ca current activation was the primary source of the Ca2 + transient. The results suggest that nutrient-induced changes in beta-cell membrane potential tightly regulate [Ca2 + ]i, and thereby insulin release, primarily via alterations in the conductive state of slowly inactivating Ca2 + channels.
Clinical evaluation of vertigo.

SUMMARY In attempting to outline the clinical evaluation of these patients with vertigo we have discussed examples which range in order from benign self-limited disease to those requiring emergency surgery or extensive diagnostic evaluation. We sought also to illustrate how the logic of hypothesis testing is generally employed by clinicians in approaching this or other diagnostic problems. The examples were chosen to illustrate the indications for, as well as the limitations of, the various diagnostic modalities—caloric testing, electronystagmography, audiometric testing, roentgenographic and nuclear medicine procedures—which may be employed by the clinician. Most of the skills discussed in our paper, though traditionally accorded to the fields of neurology and otolaryngology, would seem to be fundamental for any general physician, while the problem of vertigo is an example of how common ambulatory problems may require a knowledgeable approach to sort self-limited from more serious illnesses as well as to utilize procedures with purpose and efficiency.
Collagen types IX and X in the developing chick tibiotarsus: analyses of mRNAs and proteins

To examine the regulation of collagen types IX and X during the hypertrophic phase of endochondral cartilage development, we have employed in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence histochemistry on selected stages of embryonic chick tibiotarsi. The data show that mRNA for type X collagen appears at or about the time that we detect the first appearance of the protein. This result is incompatible with translational regulation, which would require accumulation of the mRNA to occur at an appreciably earlier time. Data on later-stage embryos demonstrate that once hypertrophic chondrocytes initiate synthesis of type X collagen, they sustain high levels of its mRNA during the remainder of the hypertrophic program. This suggests that these cells maintain their integrity until close to the time that they are removed at the advancing marrow cavity. Type X collagen protein in the hypertrophic matrix also extends to the marrow cavity. Type IX collagen is found throughout the hypertrophic matrix, as well as throughout the younger cartilaginous matrices. But the mRNA for this molecule is largely or completely absent from the oldest hypertrophic cells. These data are consistent with a model that we have previously proposed in which newly synthesized type X collagen within the hypertrophic zone can become associated with type II/IX collagen fibrils synthesized and deposited earlier in development (Schmid and Linsenmayer, 1990; Chen et al. 1990).
Evaluation and comparison of satellite-based rainfall products in Burkina Faso, West Africa

The performance of seven operational high-resolution satellite-based rainfall products – Africa Rainfall Estimate Climatology ARC 2.0, Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations CHIRPS, Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks PERSIANN, African Rainfall Estimation RFE 2.0, Tropical Applications of Meteorology using SATellite TAMSAT, African Rainfall Climatology and Time-series TARCAT, and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission TRMM daily and monthly estimates – was investigated for Burkina Faso. These were compared to ground data for 2001–2014 on a point-to-pixel basis at daily to annual time steps. Continuous statistics was used to assess their performance in estimating and reproducing rainfall amounts, and categorical statistics to evaluate rain detection capabilities. The north–south gradient of rainfall was captured by all products, which generally detected heavy rainfall events, but showed low correlation for rainfall amounts. At daily scale they performed poorly. As the time step increased, the performance improved. All except TARCAT provided excellent scores for Bias and Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency coefficients, and overestimated rainfall amounts at the annual scale. RFE performed the best, whereas TARCAT was the weakest. Choice of product depends on the specific application: ARC, RFE, and TARCAT for drought monitoring, and PERSIANN, CHIRPS, and TRMM daily for flood monitoring in Burkina Faso.
Managing Corporate Impacts: Co-Creating Value

Managing Corporate Impacts draws on the insights and experiences of managers from around the world to examine how companies can manage corporate impacts to co-create enduring value for business and society. Corporate impacts - the points at which businesses create or destroy value with others - extend well beyond financial impacts to include the workplace, procurement and delivery of goods and services, and shaping perceptions held about corporate behavior. This book uses simple frameworks to demonstrate why and how today's corporations co-create enduring value with multiple stakeholders simultaneously. By introducing multiplier effects and spillover effects, the frameworks move the attention of management beyond direct impacts to examine indirect impacts that create or destroy value connected to the core of the business. By purposely connecting with stakeholders through information-sharing, and effectively managing myriad impacts along supply and distribution chains, companies are poised to provide solutions and co-create value.