2,989 research outputs found
The North Carolina Dairy Youth Foundation: A Model for Developing External Funding for Youth Programs
The North Carolina Dairy Youth Foundation is a remarkable success story that can serve as a model for other states to use to develop external funding for youth programs. This foundation has been described as the greatest thing to happen to the dairy youth program in North Carolina. It continues to grow and ensures that funding will be available for the dairy youth program in the future. The article describes how this foundation was formed and how it operates to provide significant funding support for the dairy youth program in North Carolina
Replication Cycle and Molecular Biology of the West Nile Virus
West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the genus Flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae. Flaviviruses replicate in the cytoplasm of infected cells and modify the host cell environment. Although much has been learned about virion structure and virion-endosomal membrane fusion, the cell receptor(s) used have not been definitively identified and little is known about the early stages of the virus replication cycle. Members of the genus Flavivirus differ from members of the two other genera of the family by the lack of a genomic internal ribosomal entry sequence and the creation of invaginations in the ER membrane rather than double-membrane vesicles that are used as the sites of exponential genome synthesis. The WNV genome 3\u27 and 5\u27 sequences that form the long distance RNA-RNA interaction required for minus strand initiation have been identified and contact sites on the 5\u27 RNA stem loop for NS5 have been mapped. Structures obtained for many of the viral proteins have provided information relevant to their functions. Viral nonstructural protein interactions are complex and some may occur only in infected cells. Although interactions between many cellular proteins and virus components have been identified, the functions of most of these interactions have not been delineated
Observation of hydrogen and helium ions during a period of rising solar activity
Latitudinal variations in H and He ion distribution in upper ionosphere observed by OGO 2 and 4 satellites during rising solar activit
Hormones and breast and endometrial cancers: preventive strategies and future research.
A number of hormonal approaches for prevention of endometrial and breast cancers have been proposed. Because of the hormonal responsiveness of both tumors, much attention has focused on effects of exogenous hormone use. Although estrogens in hormone replacement therapy increase the risk of endometrial cancer, the disease is substantially reduced by long-term use of oral contraceptives. The issues with breast cancer are more complex, mainly because of a variety of unresolved effects. Long-term estrogen use is associated with some increase in breast cancer risk, and certain patterns of oral contraceptives appear to predispose to early-onset disease. With respect to estrogens, preventive approaches for both tumors would include use for as limited periods of time as possible. Addition of a progestin appears to lower estrogen-associated endometrial disease, but its effect on breast cancer risk remains less clear. Additional studies on effects of detailed usage parameters should provide useful insights into etiologic mechanisms. Other preventive approaches for endometrial cancer that may work through hormonal mechanisms include staying thin, being physically active, and maintaining a vegetarian diet. Breast cancer risk may possibly be reduced by extended periods of breastfeeding, restriction of intake of alcoholic beverages, remaining thin later in life, and being physically active. Additional research is needed to clarify the biologic mechanisms of these associations. The bridging of epidemiology with the biologic sciences should clarify many unresolved issues and lead to better preventive approaches
Direct measurements of helium and hydrogen ion concentration and total ion density to an altitude of 940 kilometers
Measurement of ion concentration and total ion density in exosphere using mass spectrometer and electrostatic prob
A theoretical model of the ionosphere dynamics with interhemispheric coupling
Dynamic model for ionospheric plasma with interhemispheric couplin
Comparative analysis of vertebrate EIF2AK2 (PKR) genes and assignment of the equine gene to ECA15q24-q25 and the bovine gene to BTA11q12-q15
The structures of the canine, rabbit, bovine and equine EIF2AK2 genes were determined. Each of these genes has a 5\u27 non-coding exon as well as 15 coding exons. All of the canine, bovine and equine EIF2AK2 introns have consensus donor and acceptor splice sites. In the equine EIF2AK2 gene, a unique single nucleotide polymorphism that encoded a Tyr329Cys substitution was detected. Regulatory elements predicted in the promoter region were conserved in ungulates, primates, rodents, Afrotheria (elephant) and Insectifora (shrew). Western clawed frog and fugu EIF2AK2 gene sequences were detected in the USCS Genome Browser and compared to those of other vertebrate EIF2AK2 genes. A comparison of EIF2AK2 protein domains in vertebrates indicates that the kinase catalytic domains were evolutionarily more conserved than the nucleic acid-binding motifs. Nucleotide substitution rates were uniform among the vertebrate sequences with the exception of the zebrafish and goldfish EIF2AK2 genes, which showed substitution rates about 20% higher than those of other vertebrates. FISH was used to physically assign the horse and cattle genes to chromosome locations, ECA15q24-q25 and BTA11q12-15, respectively. Comparative mapping data confirmed conservation of synteny between ungulates, humans and rodents
Inexpensive and Portable System for Dexterous High-Density Myoelectric Control of Multiarticulate Prostheses
Multiarticulate bionic arms are now capable of mimicking the endogenous
movements of the human hand. 3D-printing has reduced the cost of prosthetic
hands themselves, but there is currently no low-cost alternative to dexterous
electromyographic (EMG) control systems. To address this need, we developed an
inexpensive (~$675) and portable EMG control system by integrating low-cost
microcontrollers with an EMG acquisition device. We validated signal
acquisition by comparing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of our system with
that of a high-end research-grade system. We also demonstrate the ability to
use the low-cost control system for proportional and independent control of
various prosthetic hands in real-time. We found that the SNR of the low-cost
control system was statistically no worse than 44% of the SNR of a
research-grade control system. The RMSEs of predicted hand movements (from a
modified Kalman filter) were typically a few percent better than, and not more
than 6% worse than, RMSEs of a research-grade system for up to six degrees of
freedom when only relatively few (six) EMG electrodes were used. However, RMSEs
were generally higher than RMSEs of research-grade systems that utilize
considerably more (32) EMG electrodes, guiding future work towards increasing
electrode count. Successful instantiation of this low-cost control system
constitutes an important step towards the commercialization and wide-spread
availability of dexterous bionic hands.Comment: IEEE EMBC 202
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