cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neural and Super-Turing Computing

``Neural computing'' is a research field based on perceiving the human brain as an information system. This system reads its input continuously via the different senses, encodes data into various biophysical variables such as membrane potentials or neural firing rates, stores information using different kinds of memories (e.g., short-term memory, long-term memory, associative memory), performs some operations called ``computation'', and outputs onto various channels, including motor control commands, decisions, thoughts, and feelings. We show a natural model of neural computing that gives rise to hyper-computation. Rigorous mathematical analysis is applied, explicating our model's exact computational power and how it changes with the change of parameters. Our analog neural network allows for supra-Turing power while keeping track of computational constraints, and thus embeds a possible answer to the superiority of the biological intelligence within the framework of classical computer science. We further propose it as standard in the field of analog computation, functioning in a role similar to that of the universal Turing machine in digital computation. In particular an analog of the Church-Turing thesis of digital computation is stated where the neural network takes place of the Turing machine.
Environmental Control of Glycogen and Lipid Content of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Nitrogen-limited cultures of the R1Rv strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis accumulate both glycogen and lipid as endogenous reserves. The carbon source in the medium regulates the extent of the storage material accumulation.
In vitro ovulation from adult hamster ovary

The purpose of the study was to achieve in vitro ovulation in order to acquire corpora lutea in vitro at "time zero" of their formation. Such in vitro corpora lutea would later be the subject of studies on maintenance and lysis of corpora lutea in vitro. Ovaries from adult hamsters, explained into chemically defined medium between 23:00 hours on the day of proestrus and 01:00 hours on the day of estrus, were examined in the culture medium at 10:00 hours on the day of estrus i.e., after 9 to 12 hours of incubation. Ovulated follicles (young corpora lutea) of differing stages of corpus luteum formation were observed in some of the explants, but not at all. Almost all ovulated ova, surrounded by their cumuli oophori, remained adherent to the area of rupture when the incubation was ended. In vitro ovulation occurs in chemically defined medium without added hormones. It is possible to obtain corpora lutea in vitro at "time zero" of their formation.
Redistributive Goals versus Distributive Politics: Social Equity Limits in Environmental and Appropriate Technology Movements*

Contrary to conventional social problems models that depict environmental problems as arising from either “sin” or “error,” such problems are rooted in the modern treadmill of production. Following the classification of Theodore Lowi, recent environmental movement organizations appear to have emphasized a social redistributive rhetoric (sin), but have engaged in practices of distributive politics (error). As a result, even with the advent of the “radical” appropriate technology movement in the mid 1970s, the central issues relate to the forces of production, with far less attention given to the social relations of modern production. The explanation for this disparity lies partly in the substantial decline of a participatory base for social movement organizations in the 1970s. Hence the advent of appriate technology movement organizations has raised competition for limited membership pools, inducing older organizations to become more diffuse in their ideologies in order to maintain and/or attract constituents. Second, the social context makes successful redistributive policies less likely, encouraging movement organizations to find successes in more decentralized distributive negotiations.
Retinal Development , edited by E. Sernagor, S. Eglen, W. Harris, and R. Wong

Retinal Development , edited by E. Sernagor, S. Eglen, W. Harris, and R. Wong. 2006. New York: Cambridge University Press. Fairly regularly some member of my lab, finding a new feature of retinal circuitry, wonders aloud if it might “somehow relate to development.” I always reply, “We don't study development.” This partly reflects my curmudgeonly insistence that we stay focused on explaining function in the adult. But even if the discovery did relate to development, the connection would be too difficult to find—because the large territory has lacked any useful guide. Next time, however, I will hand over my copy of Retinal Development and reply more kindly, “Check it out.”
Primary Thoracic Hemangiopericytoma— A Case Report

Primary vascular tumors of the thorax are rare, often presenting with simi lar radiologic and histologic characteristics. The angiographic, histologic, and ultrastructural data on a patient with a hemangiopericytoma arising in the pos terior mediastinum are presented.
Daily oxygen uptake rhythms in male boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) of the ebony strain fed cotton squares (buds)

Abstract 1. 1. Oxygen uptake was measured 8 times a day in 2–20-day old male and female boll weevils of the ebony strain. 2. 2. The insects were held under a 16 hr photophase or under continuous light. 3. 3. Time-of-day for low points and peaks of O 2 uptake were established. 4. 4. O 2 uptake was depressed when the light regime was switched from 16:8 L-D to continuous light. 5. 5. Presumptive evidence was obtained for the existence of an internal daily rhythm.
On the efficiency of maximum-flow algorithms on networks with small integer capacities

The performance of maximum-flow algoirthms that work in phases is studied as a function of the maximum arc capacity,C, of the network and a quantity we call thetotal potential, P, of the network, which is related to the average amount of flow that can be sent through a node. Extending results by Even and Tarjan, we derive a tightO(min{C1/3¦V¦2/3,P1/2, ¦V¦}) upper bound on the number of phases. AnO(min{P log¦V¦,C¦V¦3/2, ¦V¦2¦E¦}) upper bound is derived on the total length of the augmenting paths used by Dinic's algorithm. The latter quantity is useful in estimating the performance of Dinic's method on certain inputs. Our results show that on a natural class of networks, the performance of Dinic's algorithm is significantly better than would be apparent from a bound based on ¦V¦ and ¦E¦ alone. We present an application of our bounds to the maximum subgraph density problem.
Point by Point Examination of the equilibrium gated radionuclide left ventricular time activity curve; validation by biplane angiography.

Examination of the time course of left ventricular ejection has been found useful in several clinical applications. Equilibrium gated radionuclide angiography provides non-invasive means to obtain the ventricular ejection curve. To evaluate the accuracy of the equilibrium gated radionuclide left ventricular volume curve we compared equilibrium gated radionuclide data with biplane cine-angiography in 16 patients examining each set of data on a point by point basis. The cine-angiographic data consisted of 60 frame per second biplane cineangiograms and the radionuclide data consisted of 28 points spanning the cardiac cycle. All data was normalized for the patient's heart rate and stroke volume. The equilibrium gated radionuclide angiographic data accurately reproduced the contrast angiographic data at each point on the curve. This result justifies using the equilibrium gated radionuclide time activity curve to evaluate parameters such as early systolic ejection rates or rates of maximum ventricular ejection.
Meiotic versus Mitotic Recombination: Two Different Routes for Double-Strand Break Repair: The different functions of meiotic versus mitotic DSB repair are reflected in different pathway usage and different outcomes

Studies in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have validated the major features of the double-strand break repair (DSBR) model as an accurate representation of the pathway through which meiotic crossovers (COs) are produced. This success has led to this model being invoked to explain double-strand break (DSB) repair in other contexts. However, most non-crossover (NCO) recombinants generated during S. cerevisiae meiosis do not arise via a DSBR pathway. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that DSBR is a minor pathway for recombinational repair of DSBs that occur in mitotically-proliferating cells and that the synthesis-dependent strand annealing (SDSA) model appears to describe mitotic DSB repair more accurately. Fundamental dissimilarities between meiotic and mitotic recombination are not unexpected, since meiotic recombination serves a very different purpose (accurate chromosome segregation, which requires COs) than mitotic recombination (repair of DNA damage, which typically generates NCOs).
Crystal structure of Turkey egg-white lysozyme: Results of the molecular replacement method at 5 Å resolution

Abstract Turkey egg-white lysozyme differs from hen egg-white lysozyme in its primary structure in 7 of the 129 residues. We have determined the rotational and translational parameters relating the known co-ordinates of hen egg-white lysozyme molecule to the turkey lysozyme. The rotational parameters were determined using the rotation function, the translational parameters were determined by placing the properly rotated molecule systematically at all positions within the unit cell and searching for those positions producing few intermolecular contacts between the α-carbon atoms of one molecule and all its neighbors. These parameters were refined by minimizing the conventional R factor between observed and calculated structure amplitudes. The final rotational and translational parameters give an R value of 46.7% for reflections with d spacings between 6 A and 12 A and have 7 intermolecular contacts closer than 5 A between the a carbon atoms of one molecule and all its neighbors. An electron density map has been calculated at 5 A resolution; the packing of the molecules in this form appears to present the entire length of the active cleft in the vicinity of the crystallographic 6-fold axis and does not appear to be blocked by neighboring molecules.
Reconstruction of irregularly sampled interferograms in Fourier transform spectrometry with unknown sampling locations

We propose an algorithm for reconstructing nonuniformly sampled interferograms when sampling locations are unknown. An optimization problem with multiple objective and constraint functions is designed based on the spatial and spectral characteristics of the data measurement. This problem is solved using an evolutionary approach, in which potential solutions are competing to be the fittest individual in a simulated natural environment.
The molecular mechanisms of regulatory T cell immunosuppression.

Fifty years ago Jacques Miller devised a technique to thymectomize neonatal mice to explore the hypothesis that the thymus played a role in the development of immunity. He found that if thymectomized by day 3 postpartum, the mice would develop normally for the first month, but thereafter they underwent a runting syndrome similar to that observed during Graft vs. Host Disease (GvHD) (Miller, 1962). During the second month of life the mice would lose weight and suffer from a dermatitis and generalized lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly followed by premature death. A more detailed examination of the immune system revealed that early after thymectomy the mice were lymphopenic and immunocompromized, unable to reject allogeneic or even xenogeneic skin grafts, and incapable of generating antibodies to routine antigens. Miller correctly interpreted his findings as evidence that the thymus appeared to be critical in the first few weeks of life for the development of a mature functional immune system, but he did not speculate on the cause of the later enigmatic development of lymphoproliferation and apparent autoimmunity.
Analysis of Film Cooling and Full-Coverage Film Cooling of Gas Turbine Blades

Film cooling has become a standard method for the protection of the skin of gas turbine blades against the influence of the hot gas stream. The cooling air is usually injected into the boundary layer covering the skin through one or two rows of holes. A calculation method to predict heat transfer to the skin of a film cooled wall based on two parameters—the film effectiveness and a heat transfer coefficient defined with the adiabatic wall temperature—has been widely accepted. More recently, those sections of a turbine blade skin requiring intensive cooling are covered over its entire area with holes through which cooling air is ejected. A different method to predict the temperature of this section by this “full coverage film cooling” has been proposed which is based on two different parameters θ and K. The air used for the cooling of the perforated section of the skin also provides protection to a solid section located downstream in the normal film cooling process. The two methods are reviewed, and it is discussed under what conditions and in which way results obtained with one method can be transformed to the parameters used in the other one. Published data [8, 9] are used to calculate film cooling effectiveness values and Stanton numbers based on the adiabatic wall temperature for a perforated wall and a solid surface downstream of 11 rows of holes with coolant injection. The results demonstrate the advantage of this method which has been shown in previous experiments with ejection through one or two rows of holes, for film cooling of a solid surface. For full-coverage film cooling, there is still the advantage that a heat transfer coefficient defined with the adiabatic wall temperature is independent of temperature difference within the restrictions imposed by the superposition model.
Administration of Work-Study Programs in Dairy Manufacturing

Abstract Work-study programs at South Dakota State University during the academic year include part-time work in the university dairy processing plant, in research laboratories, and at the dairy research farm. Summer work experience is gained in dairy processing plants in several states. Students can receive 3 h of academic credit for summer experience and up to 12 credits during a semester. A 10-page guide is provided for employers of workstudy students, and a 4-page mimeograph package outlines responsibilities of the student to the employer. Students write reports of their job experiences. A faculty advisor counsels these students and makes on-site visits during the summer work period.
A guide to sensitivity analysis of quantitative models of gene expression dynamics.

We provide a guide to performing a sensitivity analysis (SA) of quantitative models of gene expression dynamics appropriate to the levels of uncertainty in the model: spanning cases where parameters are relatively well-constrained to cases where they are poorly constrained. In the well-constrained case, we present methods to perform “local” SA (LSA), which considers small perturbations for a single set of model parameter values. In the poorly-constrained case, we present methods to perform “global” SA (GSA) as a means to evaluate the sensitivity of a model over large regions of parameter space. We apply these methods to quantitative models of increasing complexity. The models we consider are simple logistic growth, negative feedback in a mRNA–protein model, and two models of decision making within bacteriophage λ. We discuss the best practices for how SA can be utilized in an iterative fashion to advance biological understanding.
Minimal regular polygons serving as universal covers in R 2

A universal cover is a set K with the property that each set of unit diameter is a subset of a congruent copy of K. It is shown that the smallest regular n-gon, for fixed n ≥ 4, which serves as an universal cover in R2 is the smallest regular n-gon covering a Reuleaux triangle of unit width.
A note on the relocation of marsh debris during a storm surge

The effect of a low level hurricane (11 July, 1979) on the transport and relocation of marsh debris (dead plant material) was evaluated. Aerial photographs and ground truth data indicated that debris (wrack) was distributed on the marsh along areas of taller plant growth. The mean density of the resultant wrack was 2·19 kg m−2. Approximately 226×103kg of unattached dead plant material was removed from the marsh and 7·7×103 redeposited as wrack. Little or no standing dead plant material was removed. Approximately 218×103 kg of dead plant material was removed from the 96 ha study area and transported from the marsh system.
Direct and indirect detection of liquid chromatography by infrared thermal lens spectrometry

Abstract A novel, sensitive and universal detector for liquid chromatography has been developed. This detector is based on the measurement of infrared absorption of effluents by the thermal lens effect. In this instrument, the chromatographic effluent was excited by infrared radiation derived from a solid-state tunable F-center laser. The heat generated as a consequence of the sample absorption of the infrared radiation was measured by a He-Ne monitoring laser whose beam was collinearly overlapped with the excitation infrared beam in the sample. The technique is universal because it can be used for the detection of compounds which have absorption in the infrared region (by direct detection) as well as non-absorbing compounds (by indirect detection). The sensitivity of the technique is directly proportional to the excitation laser power, and with the used of laser power of only 4.5 mW, the technique is at least ten times more sensitive than corresponding absorption detectors. A detection limit of picograms was achieved for phenol and its chloro substituents.
HPV Infection-Associated Cancers: Next-Generation Technology for Diagnosis and Treatment

Disease caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) remains common, despite preventive vaccines and screening strategies. Globally, HPVs cause one third of infection-associated cancers. The indolent clinical course of the precursor intraepithelial lesions provides an opportunity to understand immunologic obstacles posed by the microenvironment of incipient disease, and how they might be overcome. Results from recent therapeutic HPV vaccine clinical trials suggest that relevant immune responses may be sequestered at the lesion site and are difficult to detect in the circulation. In this Cancer Immunology at the Crossroads article, we outline the current understanding of the risk, diagnosis, and treatment of HPV infection-associated cancers and suggest that quantitative tissue-based endpoints should be included whenever possible in the evaluation of immune-based therapies.
URETHROPLASTY IN PATIENTS OLDER THAN 65 YEARS: INDICATIONS, RESULTS, OUTCOMES AND SUGGESTED TREATMENT MODIFICATIONS

ABSTRACTPurpose: Despite an aging population, the results of urethroplasty in elderly patients have not been extensively reported. We performed a multi-institutional review of urethroplasty results...
The Struggle for México's First Gay-Straight Alliance: Como una Novela Real

ABSTRACT In 2004, a group of high school students at a private American school in Mexico City started the first gay-straight alliance in Mexico. A small group of conservative parents and a Mormon principal organized in opposition. This paper details the students' struggle to keep their club and offers lessons learned about student activism, school change, and personal growth.
Group II metabotropic glutamate receptor modulation of excitatory transmission in rat subthalamic nucleus.

Patch pipettes were used to record currents in whole-cell configuration to study the effects of group II metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) stimulation on synaptic transmission in slices of rat subthalamic nucleus. Evoked glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were reversibly reduced by the selective group II mGluR agonist (2’S,2’R,3’R)-2-(2’,3’-dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine (DCG IV) in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 of 0.19 ± 0.05 µm. DCG IV (1 µm) had no effect on inhibitory postsynaptic currents mediated by GABA. DCG IV-induced inhibition of EPSCs was reversed by the selective group II mGluR antagonist LY 341495 (100 nm) and mimicked by another selective group II agonist (2S,1’S,2’S)-2-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine (l-CCG-I). Inhibition of EPSC amplitude by DCG IV and l-CCG-I was associated with an increase in the paired-pulse ratio of EPSCs. The protein kinase C (PKC) activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (2 µm) reduced the inhibitory effect of DCG IV on EPSCs. However, the response to DCG IV was not affected by the protein kinase A (PKA) activator forskolin (20 µm), by the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor MDL 12230A (20 µm), or by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor Ro 20–1724 (50 µm). DCG IV-induced inhibition of EPSCs was reduced by the non-selective protein kinase inhibitors H-7 (100 µm), H-8 (50 µm) and HA-1004 (100 µm). These results suggest that group II mGluR stimulation acts presynaptically to inhibit glutamate release by a PKC-dependent mechanism in the subthalamic nucleus.
Why two are not always better than one: effects of the non-integrated execution of related syntactic and morphological rules

This paper discusses the interaction of rules concerning verb placement and verbal conjugation in the acquisition of German as a foreign language. Using constrained written tasks, it is shown that (1) accuracy in verbal conjugation varies by word-order environment (SV(X), XVS, or SXV) and (2) accuracy in verbal conjugation improves in tasks which focus solely on conjugation, while accuracy in verb placement does not improve in tasks which focus solely on verb placement. The findings are interpreted from the perspective of cognitive learning theory and contrasted with the tenet that rule interaction is a characteristic of the effects of Universal Grammar parametric trigger-mechanisms only. Furthermore, the formulation of expectations with regard to acquisitional progress on the basis of linguistic paradigms is challenged.
Multisite research: a systems approach.

Multisite research is becoming increasingly common because of the need for an adequate sample size and for generalizability of results beyond a single facility. Collaboration in a research project poses unique challenges due to the number of persons and facilities involved. The use of a systems approach to structure the research process in a study of pain in children with leukemia is described, using the principles to structure, conduct, and conclude the multisite project.
In vivo 31P NMR spectroscopic changes during liver regeneration.

Abstract Liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy involves rapid cell division 24 to 72 hr postresection. This cell division would necessarily involve changes in intracellular energy stores and cell membrane phospholipid precursors. In tumor models 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been shown to identify intracellular substrate changes associated with cell growth. The ability to monitor early changes in adenosine triphosphate (ATP), inorganic orthophosphate (Pi), phosphomonoesters (PME), or phosphodiesters (PDE) after liver resection could indicate the intracellular changes necessary for hepatocellular regeneration. In vivo, 31P NMR scans of the liver were performed in both normal rats and in rats at 24, 48, 72, and 120 hr after 70% hepatectomy. At 48 hr, total ATP fell to 18.9% (P
Length and statistical weight of bubbles in DNA melting.

We present measurements of the length of the bubble versus temperature in the melting transition of DNA oligomers. The sequences are clamped at the ends of GC pairs (strong binding), and have AT rich (weaker binding) middle regions of variable length B relative to the molecule size. We use a quenching technique to trap intermediate states. We find that the average relative bubble size grows from zero for increasing temperature, but reaches a plateau at a length of order B, producing a discontinuous transition with finite bubble size. The statistical weight of the bubble states decreases as B is reduced, the transition becoming more cooperative.
The Deleterious Role of Tachycardia in Mitral Stenosis

Eleven patients with mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation were studied during artificially induced tachycardia to determine the influence of rapid ventricular rates on hemodynamic variables. Significant elevation of pulmonary artery pressure occurred, but no increase in calculated pulmonary arterial resistance was found. Pulmonary arterial wedge pressures rose in each patient with an average increase of 7 mm Hg. Cardiac output fell at the fastest rate in each patient. These changes from rapid ventricular rates appear to account for the functional deterioration often encountered in patients with mitral stenosis with the advent of atrial fibrillation.
Prospects for WSI: a manufacturing perspective

A manufacturing cost model that describes the relationships among characteristics of modern manufacturing processes, investment costs to achieve these characteristics, and basic IC parameters, including both die size and minimum feature size, is used to explain major trends in the past 20 yr of microelectronics. Results from this model indicate that it is not possible to continue progress in microelectronics through minimizing feature size, that the drive toward larger dies will gain momentum and lead gradually toward wafer-scale integration (WSI), and that manufacturing costs will keep WSI from becoming practical in the immediate future. Active-substrate flip-chip multichip modules (MCMs) are presented as an alternative that may provide both the performance gain and cost efficiency required. >
Electron microscopic alterations of submaxillary gland produced by isoproterenol.

Electron microscopic alterations of submaxillary gland of rat were studied 1–24 hours after a single dose of isoproterenol. This sympathomimetic amine stimulates excretion of saliva as well as DNA synthetic and mitotic activity of acinar cells and in chronic experiment produces hypertrophy and hyperplasia of salivary glands. Within 4 hours and following a complete depletion of secretory material, the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus became markedly hypertrophied and ribosomes and polysomes increased in number. Nuclei were swollen and rounded with prominent, enlarged nucleoli. The prominent nucleolus-associated chromatin penetrated into the nucleolus, which revealed well developed nucleolonema. Nuclear and nucleolar dense particles increased significantly. The secretory material was restored in 12–18 hours, and acinar cell structure returned to a resting stage in 24 hours. Actinomycin D given simultaneously with isoproterenol modified the structural response of the gland and produced highly condensed nucleoli. Attempt was made to correlate the morphologic alterations with the physiological and biochemical information available.
Time-dependent weak values and their intrinsic phases of evolution

The equation of motion for a time-dependent weak value of a quantum-mechanical observable is known to contain a complex valued energy factor (the weak energy of evolution) that is defined by the dynamics of the pre-selected and post-selected states which specify the observable's weak value. In this paper, the mechanism responsible for the creation of this energy is identified and it is shown that the cumulative effect over time of this energy is manifested as dynamical phases and pure geometric phases (the intrinsic phases of evolution) which govern the evolution of the weak value during its measurement process. These phases are simply related to a Pancharatnam phase and Fubini–Study metric distance defined by the Hilbert space evolution of the associated pre-selected and post-selected states. A characterization of time-dependent weak value evolution as Pancharatnam phase angle rotations and Fubini–Study distance scalings of a vector in the Argand plane is discussed as an application of this relationship. The theory of weak values is also reviewed and simple 'gedanken experiments' are used to illustrate both the time-independent and the time-dependent versions of the theory. It is noted that the direct experimental observation of the weak energy of evolution would strongly support the time-symmetric paradigm of quantum mechanics and it is suggested that weak value equations of motion represent a new category of nonlocal equations of motion.
Herbal medicine use by adolescents in the U.S.: preliminary data and feasibility of online survey methods

Purpose: Alternative therapies and herbal remedies are increasingly recognized as having therapeutic value, and as many as 42% of adults have reported using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). We explored use of the Internet as a potential mode for efficiently surveying a representative population-based sample of US adolescents. Methods: Harris Interactive, a market research and consulting firm, fielded a question about herbal medicine use. Adolescents from their online panel, limited to ages 13–18, were asked, “Have you ever taken any of the following?” for a list of common herbal and CAM products. The list included herbal or green tea, zinc, echinacea or echinacea/goldenseal, ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, soy supplements, weight loss supplements such as Metabolife, St. John’s wort, Omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil, creatine, ginger supplements, valerian, ephedra or Ma huang, and feverfew. Responses were weighted and chi-square analyses were performed to test for significant differences in prevalence trends by age, gender and region. Results: 520 adolescents ages 13–18 completed the online survey. Of these, 285 were female and 226 were age 13–15; 133 lived in the East, 134 in the South, 161 in the Midwest, and 92 in the West. Weighted analyses showed that 41% had taken at least one of the herbal or CAM products listed. Adolescents 16–18 years old were more likely to have tried herbal medicine than 13–15 year olds (48% vs. 33%, p .0017). Use was highest in the West (62%), and lowest in the South (30%), compared to the East (41%) and Mid-West (39%, overall p .0006). Males were more likely to have taken ginkgo (19% vs. 8%, p .001), or St. John’s wort (12% vs. 6%, p .035), than females. Females were more likely to have used herbal/green tea (25% vs. 17%, p .001), and weight loss supplements (15% vs. 5%, p .001). Conclusions: Use of alternative therapies is common among adolescents. Herbal medicine use by adolescents increases with age, is more common in the West, and varies by the product. Surveying American adolescents’ use of herbal medicine is feasible using online sampling. Unweighted demographics showed good representation by gender, age, and region, increasing the ability of weighted data to accurately represent the US population of online adolescents. Further external validity checks are underway, and will help clarify the clinical significance and generalizability of these findings.
The wavelength dependence of ultraviolet inactivation of host capacity in a mammalian cell-virus system.

. The ability of UV-irradiated African green monkey kidney cells (CV-1) to support the growth of unirradiated herpes simplex virus type 1 as measured by plaque forming ability has been investigated. The lowering of plaque formation by the virus when the host cell was irradiated was examined at thirteen different wavelengths. An action spectrum for this cellular parameter (capacity) was obtained in the wavelength region of 235–302 nm. This action spectrum points to nucleic acid as the critical target molecule for this effect.
Characterization and NMR Solution Structure of a Novel Cyclic Pentapeptide Inhibitor of Pathogenic Hantaviruses

Hantavirus-induced diseases such as hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome are a global health concern. Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome caused by Sin Nombre virus lacks specific therapy and its high mortality makes Sin Nombre virus a potential bioweapon agent. Sin Nombre virus entry into susceptible cells requires expression of alpha(v)beta(3) integrin. We recently reported the sequence of a cyclic nonapeptide that inhibited Sin Nombre virus entry into Vero E6 cells at a level comparable to ReoPro, a Fab fragment of the anti-beta(3) antibody c7E3. Here, we refine the parental peptide, cyclo-[CPFVKTQLC], using alanine scanning and amino acid deletions, by optimizing for viral inhibition. The IC(50) of the resulting peptide, cyclo-[CPFVC], was 267 microM compared with 263 microM for the parental peptide. The solution structure of cyclo-[CPFVC] was determined by two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, revealing the Phe ring in an extended conformation stacked against the Pro ring and containing a beta-turn encompassing Val-4 through Cys-1. As an initial step in identifying interactions between cyclo-[CPFVC] and its target cellular receptor, the refined peptide structure was docked into the ReoPro binding site of integrin beta(3). This structure will provide the basis for designing more potent peptidomimetic therapeutics to prevent Sin Nombre virus entry and treat hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome.
Thermogenic capacity and enzymatic activities in the winter-acclimatized dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis)

Abstract Summit and standard metabolism of winter-acclimatized dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) in MI average 6.95±0.17(SE) and 1.14±0.06 cm3 O2/min, respectively. Their “wet” thermal conductance at ⩽−9°C is 18.3±0.67 in air and 46.3±1.48 mW/°C in He–O2. Citrate synthase (CS), phosphofructokinase (PFK), and hexokinase (HK) activities in junco pectoralis and mixed leg muscles suggest substantial aerobic and glycolytic capacities. However, relatively low activity of muscular 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase (HD) indicates limited capacity for fatty acid catabolism. CS, PFK, and HD activities in pectoralis exceed those in mixed leg muscles. The reverse is true for HK.
The EPR spectrum of trivalent titanium in orthorhombic symmetry in MgO

Abstract An orthorhombic EPR spectrum is observed in titanium-doped MgO at 20°K and lower temperatures. The effective electronic spin S= 1 2 , and the principal g factors are: gX[110] = 1.8487 ± 0.0007 gY[110] = 1.9464 ± 0.0007 gZ[001] = 1.7670 ± 0.0007. Hyperfine structure due to 47,49Ti is observed with the magnetic field in the z direction; for this direction the hyperfine coupling constant AZ = 12.5 × 10−4 cm−1. The titanium ion is ascribed to the trivalent state; the orthorhombic symmetry is ascribed to association with a positive-ion vacancy in the [110] or [110] direction.
Discretionary and transactional human resource practices and employee outcomes: The role of perceived organizational support

Utilizing perceived organizational support (POS) as the mechanism linking HR practices to employee behaviors in the workplace, we examine a broad set of HR practices in order to understand the relative importance of each HR practice (i.e., those that explain incremental variance over other practices) in influencing employee behaviors. We differentiate between discretionary and transactional HR practices to test the discretionary investment requisite of POS theory. The results show that of the eight discretionary practices, only participation and decision making directly influenced the extra-role behaviors that employees exhibit, and only training and development directly impacted the customer-oriented behaviors. Furthermore, one of the transactional HR practices was found to have a direct effect on organizational citizenship behavior. Our findings indicate that the performance management process, promotional opportunities, participation, and involvement in decision making affect how employees behave toward the customer and the extra-role behaviors they exhibit. Furthermore, this occurs through the view employees develop of the organization as a place to work. That is, these four HR practices demonstrate to employees that they are valued, and, in turn, this feeling of being appreciated impacts their commitment to delivering high-quality service to the customer and going beyond their job responsibilities. Implications for research and practice are discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
AAV8 capsid variable regions at the two-fold symmetry axis contribute to high liver transduction by mediating nuclear entry and capsid uncoating

Abstract Adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8) is a promising vector for liver-directed gene therapy. Although efficient uncoating of viral capsids has been implicated in AAV8׳s robust liver transduction, much about the biology of AAV8 hepatotropism remains unclear. Our study investigated the structural basis of AAV8 liver transduction efficiency by constructing chimeric vector capsids containing sequences derived from AAV8 and AAV2 – a highly homologous yet poorly hepatotropic serotype. Engineered vectors containing capsid variable regions (VR) VII & IX from AAV8 in an AAV2 backbone mediated near AAV8-like transduction in mouse liver, with higher numbers of chimeric genomes detected in whole liver cells and isolated nuclei. Interestingly, chimeric capsids within liver nuclei also uncoated similarly to AAV8 by 6 weeks after administration, in contrast with AAV2, of which a significantly smaller proportion were uncoated. This study links specific AAV capsid regions to the transduction ability of a clinically relevant AAV serotype.
997-88 Ventricular Remodeling During Pacing Induced Congestive Heart Failure: The Logarithmic Model of Passive Properties is Physiologically and Mathematically Superior to the Exponential Model!

Ventricular remodeling is an important adaptation to both physiologic and pathologic stress and is accompanied by changes in passive myocardial and chamber properties. The analysis of remodeling and its subsequent effect on the dynamics of both systolic and diastolic function, requires the use of an appropriate mathematical characterization. We compared the exponential and logarithmic models in a study of ventricular dilatation following four weeks of rapid ventricular pacing (240/min) in dogs. We start by rejecting the relation, P = AekV, because it does not allow for a positive value of the equilibrium volume, Vo, ie, the volume at zero transmural pressure, and we use: P = P∞[ek(V-Vo)-1], so that stiffness is given by: dP/dV = k(P + P∞). Thus, both k and P∞ (the pressure asymptote) determine chamber stiffness. It is important to note the mathematical limitations of an exponential: because P∞ is small and because the equation is asymptotic to the volume axis, there is a strong tendency to underestimate Vo, often giving negative values when using nonlinear regression analyses. These mathematical and physiological problems are overcome by the logarithmic model: P = –SpIn[(Vm –– V)/(Vm –– Vo)]; dP/dV = Sp/(Vm — V), where Sp is a stiffness parameter in the positive plane, and Vm is the maximum physiologic volume that the ventricle can tolerate. Vo, an important parameter in remodeling, is accurately determined because the equation is not asymptotic to the volume axis. Furthermore, Sp has the units of stress and thus characterizes the myocardium, and, when normalized by the operating volume, Vm –– Vo, the chamber. Sp (mmHg) Vm(ml) Vo(ml) P∞ (mmHg) α(l/ml) C 9 ± 4 80 ± 15 39 ± 11 7 ± 3 0.03 ± 0.01 HF 6 ± 2 159 ± 31 97 ± 15 2 ± 1 0.04 ± 0.02 pg 0.03 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001 NS Thus, in this model of heart failure, chronic depression of contractility requires constant use of the Frank-Starling mechanism to maintain cardiac output, and the ventricle remodels by dilating (both Vm and Vo increased) as well as by increasing compliance (Sp decreased). This growth pattern is adaptive, although it may not allow regression. The exponential model failed to show a change in stiffness. The logarithmic approach is both physiologically and mathematically superior.
Psychiatric effects of long-term home hyperalimentation.

Abstract Ten adult patients with compromised small bowel function and/or nutritional status were maintained on long-term home intravenous hyperalimentation for periods ranging from seven months to four years. They were observed for two years by a psychiatrist and psychiatric nurse, both functioning as members of an ambulatory hyperalimentation clinic team. Overall, patients’ activity levels and work adjustment were good. Their reactions to hyperalimentation included depression, fear and anxiety, difficulty adjusting to the loss of eating, body image distortion, marital stress and sexual difficulties, and ambivalence toward the clinic staff. Suggestions for management and an outline for a semistructured interview for psychological assessment are presented. Several remaining questions, and topics for possible future research, concern the cause of depression associated with TPN, the biologi/cognitive effects of the technique, and the place of psychotropic agents in treatment of TPN patients.
Regulation of sodium transport in erythrocytes.

Abstract The kinetic response of swine erythrocyte (Na + K)-ATPase to Na + concentration was hyperbolic in low KCl (5–25 m m ) but became increasingly sigmoidal ( n = 2.2) as KCl was increased to 150 m m . The addition of 150 m m LiCl did not cause an increase in sigmoidicity although it decreased the apparent affinity for Na + . The dependence of ouabain-inhibited efflux of Na + on internal Na + concentration was measured in intact cells with intracellular cation concentrations altered by incubation in p -ehloromercuriphenyl sulfonate. The response to Na + was sigmoidal ( n = 2.2) in cells containing high K + but hyperbolic in preparations in which most of the intracellular K + was replaced by Li + , even in the presence of 150 m m external KCl. The data are consistent with a model in which internal K + is an allosteric (feedback) inhibitor of Na + efflux and there are three Na + sites which interact cooperatively.
Binary Oscillatory Cross-Flow Electrophoresis: Theory and Experiments

In this article a novel electrophoretic separation technique, Binary Oscillatory Cross-flow Electrophoresis (BOCE), is described. The technique utilizes the interaction of an oscillatory electric field and a transverse oscillatory shear flow to create an active binary filter for the separation of charged protein species. An oscillatory electric field is applied across the narrow gap of a rectangular channel inducing a periodic motion of charged protein species. The amplitude of this motion depends on the dimensionless electrophoretic mobility, α = Eoµ/ωd, where Eo is the amplitude of the electric field oscillations, µ is the dimensional mobility, ω is the angular frequency of oscillation, and d is the channel gap width. An oscillatory shear flow of the form ū = Δxω(β + cos(2ωt)) where β is the fraction of steady flow and Δx is the tidal displacement, is induced along the length of the channel resulting in the separation of species with different mobilities. An analytic model is presented that predicts the induced convective velocity of solute species as a function of α and β in the absence of diffusion. Numerical simulations including diffusion support these predictions, and determine the time history of the concentration profiles in a separation cell and connecting reservoirs. In experiments using a model protein system including bovine serum albumen (BSA) and bovine hemoglobin (BHb), solute throughputs of 37 mg/h of 92% pure BSA have been observed in a small separation cell with a volume of 3 mL. These results are in close agreement with theoretical predictions.
History And Epidemiology Of Hepatitis A Virus

Hepatitis A was clearly recognized as an entity separate from other types of hepatitis during World War II, but only later did studies provide convincing evidence of the prevalence and transmission of hepatitis A virus (HAV). Disease incidence varies over time and geography, with wide differences from country to country and even within cities. Noted recently is a shift in prevalence in cases from childhood to adulthood. Incidence figures are unreliable. Epidemiology of the disease is best defined by measurement of anti-HAV antibodies. HAV is a very stable virus, frequently found in urban sewage. Infections occur early in life when sanitation is poor and living conditions crowded, but improvements in sanitation and hygiene have delayed infection, resulting in increasing numbers of adults susceptible to HAV. Transmission of HAV by blood is rare. High-risk persons include injection drug users, institutionalized persons and their caretakers, and those who travel from low-prevalence to high-prevalence countries.
Oversulfated Chondroitin Sulfate Inhibits the Complement Classical Pathway by Potentiating C1 Inhibitor

Oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS) has become the subject of multidisciplinary investigation as a non-traditional contaminant in the heparin therapeutic preparations that were linked to severe adverse events. In this study, it was found that OSCS inhibited complement fixation on bacteria and bacterial lysis mediated by the complement classical pathway. The inhibition of complement by OSCS is not due to interference with antibody/antigen interaction or due to consumption of C3 associated with FXII-dependent contact system activation. However, OSCS complement inhibition is dependent on C1 inhibitor (C1inh) since the depletion of C1inh from either normal or FXII-deficient complement plasma prevents OSCS inhibition of complement activity. Surface plasmon resonance measurements revealed that immobilized C1inhibitor bound greater than 5-fold more C1s in the presence of OSCS than in presence of heparin. Although heparin can also inhibit complement, OSCS and OSCS contaminated heparin are more potent inhibitors of complement. Furthermore, polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG), an anti-inflammatory veterinary medicine with a similar structure to OSCS, also inhibited complement in the plasma of dogs and farm animals. This study provides a new insight that in addition to the FXII-dependent activation of contact system, oversulfated and polysulfated chondroitin-sulfate can inhibit complement activity by potentiating the classical complement pathway regulator C1inh. This effect on C1inh may play a role in inhibiting inflammation as well as impacting bacterial clearance.
Retinoic acid treatment elevates matrix metalloproteinase‐2 protein and mRNA levels in avian growth plate chondrocyte cultures

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a crucial role in tissue remodeling. In growth plate (GP) cartilage, extensive remodeling occurs at the calcification front. To study the potential involvement of MMPs in retinoic acid (RA) regulation of skeletal development, we studied the effect of all-trans-RA on MMPs levels in mineralizing chicken epiphyseal chondrocyte primary cultures. When treated for 4 day periods on days 10 and 17, RA increased levels of an ∼70 kDa gelatinase activity. The N-terminal sequence of the first 20 amino acid residues of the purified enzyme was identical to that deduced from chicken MMP-2 cDNA. Time-course studies indicated that RA elevated MMP-2 activity levels in the cultures within 16 h. This increase was inhibited by cycloheximide and was enhanced by forskolin. The increase in MMP-2 activity induced by RA was accompanied by an increase in MMP-2 mRNA levels and was abolished by treatment with cycloheximide. This upregulation of MMP levels by RA in GP chondrocytes is consistent with its effects on osteoblasts and osteosarcoma cells and opposite its inhibitory effects on fibroblasts and endothelial cells. It may well be related to the breakdown of the extracellular matrix in the GP and would be governed by the availability of RA at the calcification front where extensive vascularization also occurs. J. Cell. Biochem. 68:90–99, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.