Mast cell activation is not required for induction of airway hyperresponsiveness by ozone in mice

Exposure to ambient ozone (O3) is associated with increased exacerbations of asthma. We sought to determine whether mast cell degranulation is induced by in vivo exposure to O3 in mice and whether mast cells play an essential role in the development of pulmonary pathophysiological alterations induced by O3. For this we exposed mast cell-deficient WBB6F1-kitW/kitW-v (kitW/kitW-v) mice and the congenic normal WBB6F1 (+/+) mice to air or to 1 or 3 parts/million O3 for 4 h and studied them at different intervals from 4 to 72 h later. We found evidence of O3-induced cutaneous, as well as bronchial, mast cell degranulation. Polymorphonuclear cell influx into the pulmonary parenchyma was observed after exposure to 1 part/milllion O3 only in mice that possessed mast cells. Airway hyperresponsiveness to intravenous methacholine measured in vivo under pentobarbital anesthesia was observed in both kitW/kitW-v and +/+ mice after exposure to O3. Thus, although mast cells are activated in vivo by O3 and participate in O3-induced polymorphonuclear cell infiltration into the pulmonary parenchyma, they do not participate detectably in the development of O3-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in mice.     

Mapping forest alliances and associations using fuzzy systems and nearest neighbor classifiers

The study and management of biological communities depends on systems of classification and mapping for the organization and communication of resource information. Recent advances in remote sensing technology may enable the mapping of forest plant associations using image classification techniques. But few areas outside Europe have alliances and associations described in detail sufficient to support remote sensing-based modeling. Northwestern Montana has one of the few completed plant association classifications in the United States compliant with the recently established National Vegetation Classification system. This project examined the feasibility of mapping forest plant associations using Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus data and advanced remote sensing technology and image classification techniques.Suitable reference data were selected from an extensive regional database of plot records. Fifteen percent of the plot samples were reserved for validation of map products, the remainder of plots designated as training data for map modeling. Key differentiae for image classification were identified from a suite of spectral and biophysical variables. Fuzzy rules were formulated for partitioning physiognomic classes in the upper levels of our image classification hierarchy. Nearest neighbor classifiers were developed for classification of lower levels (alliances and associations), where spectral and biophysical contrasts are less distinct.Maps were produced to reflect nine forest alliances and 24 associations across the study area. Error matrices were constructed for each map based on stratified random selections of map validation samples. Accuracy for the alliance map was estimated at 60%. Association classifiers provide between 54 and 86% accuracy within their respective alliances. Alternative techniques are proposed for aggregating classes and enhancing decision tree classifiers to model alliances and associations for interior forest types.     

Deploying a Rural Wireless Telemedicine System: Experiences in Sustainability

A novel ICT project in rural India uses long-distance Wi-Fi networking to enable high-quality videoconferencing between eye hospitals and remote village clinics. The project highlights the importance of sustainability as a first-class goal for systems research.     

802.11n家庭无线视频传输市场起飞，揭密幕后硅PA技术

2010年802．11n家庭无线视频传输市场终于起飞,幕后的基于硅技术的大功率WLAN PA功不可没,它解决了无线视频传输中如何在峰值RF功率下保持PA性能的关键技术难题。     

Cooking rate, pH and final endpoint temperature effects on color and cook loss of a lean ground beef model system

To assess the effects of pH, heating rate and endpoint temperature on instrumental and visual color of ground beef, pH was adjusted to 5.2–6.4, samples were heated at 0.7°C or 3°C/min to 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 or 80°C in a water bath. Cooking rate had no effect on cook loss, instrumental or visual color. Regression equations for linear, quadratic and/or cubic effects of pH and/or endpoint temperature were significant for most color indices. Amount of variance explained by the model and R² was increased by adding the calculated percentages of metmyoglobin and/or deoxymyoglobin to the regression models. The predicted sensory brownness score (0=very pink, 7.5=intermediate pink/brown, 15=intense brown) for samples with pH 5.75 cooked to 70°C was 9.75. Samples with a pH of 5.5 achieved this brownness score at 67°C. Samples with a pH of 5.2 achieved this brownness at 58°C.     

Eyewitness Identification Accuracy and Response Latency: The Unruly 10-12-Second Rule.

Data are reported from 3,213 research eyewitnesses confirming that accurate eyewitness identifications from lineups are made faster than are inaccurate identifications. However, consistent with predictions from the recognition and search literatures, the authors did not find support for the "10-12-s rule" in which lineup identifications faster than 10-12 s maximally discriminate between accurate and inaccurate identifications (D. Dunning & S. Perretta, 2002). Instead, the time frame that proved most discriminating was highly variable across experiments, ranging from 5 s to 29 s, and the maximally discriminating time was often unimpressive in its ability to sort accurate from inaccurate identifications. The authors suggest several factors that are likely to moderate the 10-12-s rule. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identification of glycoprotein 330 as an endocytic receptor for apolipoprotein J/clusterin

Glycoprotein 330 (gp330) is a member of a family of endocytic receptors related to the low density lipoprotein receptor. gp330 has previously been shown to bind a number of ligands in common with its family member, the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP). To identify ligands specific for gp330 and relevant to its localization on epithelia such as in the mammary gland, gp330-Sepharose affinity chromatography was performed. As a result, a 70-kDa protein was selected from human milk and identified by protein sequencing to be apolipoprotein J/clusterin (apoJ). Solid-phase binding assays confirmed that gp330 bound to apoJ with high affinity (Kd = 14.2 nM). Similarly, gp330 bound to apoJ transferred to nitrocellulose after SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. LRP, however, showed no binding to apoJ in either type of assay. The binding of gp330 to apoJ could be competitively inhibited with excess apoJ as well as with the gp330 ligands apolipoprotein E, lipoprotein lipase, and the receptor-associated protein, a 39-kDa protein that acts to antagonize binding of all known ligands for gp330 and LRP. Several cultured cell lines that express gp330 and ones that do not express the receptor were examined for their ability to bind and internalize 125I-apoJ. Only cells that expressed gp330 endocytosed and degraded radiolabeled apoJ. Furthermore, F9 cells treated with retinoic acid and dibutyryl cyclic AMP to increase expression levels of gp330 displayed an increased capacity to internalize and degrade apoJ. Cellular internalization and degradation of radiolabeled apoJ could be inhibited with unlabeled apoJ, receptor-associated protein, and gp330 antibodies. The results indicate that gp330 but not LRP can bind to apoJ in vitro and that gp330 expressed by cells can mediate apoJ endocytosis leading to lysosomal degradation.     

Quality changes in beef complexus, serratus ventralis, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and longissimus dorsi muscles enhanced prior to aging

ABSTRACT:  Beef complexus (chuck), serratus ventralis (chuck), vastus lateralis (round), vatsus medialis (round), and longissimus dorsi (loin) muscles were enhanced (0.3% salt, 0.4% phosphate), vacuum packaged, and aged for 7 or 14 d. Enhancement increased positive sensory attributes (tenderness, juiciness, beef flavor, saltiness) and decreased negative attributes (off-flavors) of all muscles but had greater effects on some than on others. It increased the oily mouthfeel (10%) and saltiness (40%) and decreased the L * value and chroma of the complexus (chuck). It increased tenderness, juiciness, and beef flavor and decreased off-flavors, visual red and brown colors, shear value, and cook loss of the serratus ventrali (chuck) , vastus lateralis (round), vastus medialis (round), and longissiumus dorsi (loin). Aging slightly decreased rancid and liver off-flavor scores, visual brown color, and shear value and increased the hue angle and L * and b * values.