cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
English Brushup. Kent R. Smith and Janet Goldstein

The TESOL Quarterly welcomes short evaluative reviews of print and nonprint publications relevant to TESOL professionals. Book notices may not exceed 500 words and must contain some discussion of the significance of the work in the context of current theory and practice in TESOL.
The Real Revolution in Political Science

past of the discipline has been imaged--or imagined. Gabriel Almond's Orwellian dictum that "whoever controls the interpretation of the past in our professional history writing has gone a long way toward controlling the future" (1988, 835) may be a bit over the top, but telling the story of political science has always been a crucial element in both the discipline's internal rhetoric of inquiry and its search for identity. And it has been tempting to apply Thomas Kuhn's imagery regarding scientific revolutions (1970 [1962]) to an interpretation of the history of the field and to a description of the conduct of inquiry. During the 1960s, APSA presidential addresses by David Truman
CT-revealed Choroidal Effusions as a Sign of Carotid Cavernous Fistula

Choroidal effusions may appear as subtle abnormalities on CT scans. Recognition of choroidal effusions, however, is critical because they may be an early sign of ocular pathologic abnormality. After detection, the various causes of choroidal effusions, such as carotid cavernous fistulas, ocular hypotony, tumors, and inflammatory conditions, should be considered.
Prolonged excretion of herpesvirus varicellae in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

An eight-year-old girl with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in remission presented with varicella. Zoster immune globulin was not given, but treatment with acyclovir was commenced the day after presentation and continued for five days. Many of the original vesicles ulcerated and persisted for periods in excess of three months, finally leaving residual scarring. Further new vesicles appeared at 80 days and 109 days, and virus was again visualised by electron microscopy. Seroconversion was not demonstrated, although the child has in the past responded serologically to other viruses. A series of other infections afflicting the child at about the same time is documented and the possible implications are discussed.
An Alternative Technique for Fabrication of an Occlusal Device

Several methods have been described for fabrication of occlusal devices, but many require complex and time-consuming laboratory procedures. In this article, an alternative fabrication method for a hard occlusal device while maintaining the articulation of the cast is described.
Aromatic hydrocarbon binding to cytochrome P450 and other enzyme binding sites: are hydrophobic compounds drawn into the active site or pushed from the aqueous phase?

Abstract The subject of hydrocarbon inhibition of cytochrome P450-dependent reactions as well as data on other enzyme-catalyzed reactions from the literature was examined to determine the relationship between the "hydrophobicity" of the hydrocarbons and their ability to act as inhibitors. The compounds used in these studies (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, n -propylbenzene, and n -butylbenzene) behave as competitive inhibitors, with the affinity increasing as the size of the inhibiting hydrocarbon increases. A similarity was seen in the size dependence for both hydrocarbon inhibition of cytochrome P450-dependent activities (−0.6 to −0.7 kcal/mol/methylene group) and transfer of these compounds between aqueous and organic phases (−0.68 kcal/mol/methylene group), suggesting that the active site of cytochrome P450, in some ways, is comparable to an organic solvent in its ability to accommodate hydrophobic compounds. A more detailed examination of this process was initiated to separate the "hydrophobic effect" into its two component processes: (i) hydration of the hydrocarbon ligand and (ii) transfer of the unhydrated hydrocarbon onto the enzyme active site. In other words, do larger hydrocarbons bind more avidly to the active site because they are drawn more effectively into that site (pull), or is the size-dependent increase in hydrocarbon binding the result of the larger compounds being more efficiently expelled from the aqueous medium (push)? The results indicate that the predominant force involved in binding is the ability of the active site of cytochrome P450 and an impressive number of other enzymes to draw the hydrocarbon from the aqueous medium. The hydration of the hydrocarbon is much less dependent on the size of the hydrocarbon, indicating that dehydration or partial dehydration of the hydrocarbon molecule (upon leaving the solution and combining with the enzyme) contributes to the overall binding process to a much lesser extent; hydrophobic binding in the most widely used sense (entropy driven) is not the primary driving force that is responsible for the observed size dependence effects. It is pointed out that not all types of binding would be expected to follow the law which describes the size dependence for simple hydrocarbons because of heat-entropy relationships. The different temperature dependence of these heat-entropy relationships further complicates the analogy between enzyme-ligand binding and ligand partitioning between aqueous and organic phases. The maximum contribution that can be attributed to entropy driven hydrophobic binding (in the most widely used sense) is −0.1 to −0.2 kcal/mol/methylene group for the aromatic hydrocarbons examined here.
Pediatric head and neck tumors: a study of 178 cases.

This report is based on 178 pediatric patients diagnosed with head and neck tumors in a 10-year period at the Children's Hospital Medical Center in Boston, Mass. A statistical comparison was made with two other publications limited to pediatric head and neck tumors, and the similarity in rank-order was clearly noted except in a few isolated instances. Malignant tumors of the neck occurred in 104 children. From newborn to six years, the most common neck tumors were neuroblastoma, lymphosarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma. From ages seven to 13 the most common neck tumors were Hodgkin's disease, lymphosarcoma, and thyroid tumors. From ages 14-21 the most common neck tumors were Hodgkin's disease, lymphosarcoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Malignant tumors of the head occurred in 74 children. Each anatomic site of the head was analyzed to determine what tumor cell was present when a mass lesion occurred. These data may help the physician to make more accurate clinical diagnoses. A general discussion of the methods of treatment are also presented, including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and a new modality, cryosurgery.
Mars Mariner IV - Identification of some Martian surface features.

Mars surface features identification from comparison of Mariner 4 and ground bases telescopic photographs
Determination of thiazopyr and its metabolite in Florida groundwater using graphatized carbon solid phase extraction and liquid chromatographic determination.

A study comparing two liquid-solid extraction methods for the analysis of thiazopyr and its monoacid metabolite in groundwater is reported. Method A is a modification of a method developed by the Monsanto Co. which is based on liquid-solid extraction with silica-based octadecyl (C 18 ) extraction disks followed by gas chromatographic (GC) determination. Method B was developed in our laboratory and is based on liquid-solid extraction with graphatized carbon black followed by high-performance liquid chromatographic determination. Using method B, the parent and acid metabolite of thiazopyr are analyzed simultaneously without the need for metabolite derivatization. Subsequent GC confirmation and quantification are achieved through solvent exchange and derivatization of acid metabolite using the same sample extract. Recovery studies at 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 ppb indicated excellent percent recovery for thiazopyr, 88 ± 13, 95 ± 3, and 92 ± 5; and for thiazopyr monoacid, 104 ± 10, 100 ± 6, and 101 ± 3, both respectively. Method detection for each compound is 1.0 ppb.
Strengths and weaknesses of reflection as a guide to action: pressure assails performance in multiple ways

The current status of Beilock and Carr's (2001) "execution focus" theory of choking under pressure in performance of a sensorimotor skill is reviewed and assessed, mainly from the perspective of cognitive psychology, and put into the context of a wider range of issues, attempting to take philosophical analysis into account. These issues include other kinds of skills, pre-performance practice, post-performance evaluation and repair, and integrating new and creative achievements into repertoires of heavily practiced routines. The focus is on variation in the demand for reflection versus automaticity across the full gamut of learning and experience, not just game-time performance. Though automaticity remains important and there are many circumstances in which being "in the zone" is good whereas “execution focus” can do harm, it appears that reflective action deserves just as much a place at the performance table as does unreflective action.
The relationship of cataract maturity to intraocular pressure in dogs.

Objective To determine the distribution of intraocular pressure, as measured by applanation tonometry, in dogs with cataracts, and compare these tonometric results to the different stages of cataract formation (incipient, immature, mature, and hypermature). Animals studied Retrospection study of canine clinical patients (86 dogs). Procedures All records of dogs presented from 1991 to 1996 to the university veterinary medical teaching hospital for diagnosis of cataracts and evaluation for cataract surgery were reviewed. The tonometric measurements from the initial ophthalmic examination were selected in cataractous and nonglaucomatous eyes either receiving no topical or no systemic medications. The stage of cataracts was based on the degree of opacification, tapetal reflection, clinical vision, and visibility of the ocular fundus by indirect ophthalmoscopy. The distribution of tonometric results were grouped by the cataract maturity, and compared by anova and Tukey’s general linear tests. Results Intraocular pressure with incipient cataracts ranged from 9 to 17 mmHg (mean 12.7 ± 1.2 mmHg). Intraocular pressure with immature cataracts ranged from 3 to 27 mmHg (mean 13.6 ± 0.6 mmHg). For the mature cataracts, IOP ranged from 5 to 22 mmHg (mean 11.9 ± 0.7 mmHg). For the hypermature cataract group, IOP ranged from 4 to 23 mmHg (mean 10.8 ± 0.6 mmHg). Comparison of the tonometric results among the different stages of cataract formation indicated a significant difference (P = 0.0086) between only the immature and hypermature groups. Conclusions Intraocular pressure in lens-induced uveitis (LIU) is lowered but the relationship to the stage of cataract maturity is less clear. Significant tonometric differences were present between the immature and hypermature cataract groups, but these differences are too small to be clinically useful. Decreased intraocular pressure of dogs with all stages of cataract formation suggests concurrent LIU during all stages of cataract formation, especially with the mature and hypermature stages. The average tonometric measurements in dogs with these cataracts were about two standard deviations below the mean IOP reported in normal dogs.
Fabrication of SiC–SiC composites for fuel cladding in advanced reactor designs

Abstract Both advanced fission reactor concepts and fusion energy systems demand materials that can survive extremely harsh operating environments having persistent high temperature and high neutron flux conditions. Silicon carbide fiber/silicon carbide matrix (SiC–SiC) composites have shown promise for these applications, which include fuel cladding and reactor structural components. However, the composite fabrication process is time consuming and the fabrication of complicated geometries can be difficult. In this work, SiC–SiC and carbon fiber–SiC composite samples were fabricated using chemical vapor infiltration (CVI), and the mechanical and thermal properties of samples with a range of densities and total infiltration times were characterized and compared. Both sample density and the reinforcing fiber material were found to have a very significant influence on the composite mechanical and thermal material properties. In particular, internal porosity is found to have a significant effect on the mechanical response, as can be observed in the crack propagation in low density samples. In order to better understand the densification of the composites, a computer model is being developed to simulate the diffusion of reactants through the fiber preform, and SiC deposition on the fiber surfaces. Preliminary modeling has been correlated with experimental results and shows promising results.
A correlation for establishing solvolysis rates of aqueous Al(III) complexes: a possible strategy for colloids and nanoparticles.

Abstract We here examine whether rates of solvolysis for a range of aluminum complexes can be predicted semiempirically by correlating calculated values of Al–O bond lengths with rate coefficients. We focus on a series of mono- and bis-ligated aqueous aluminum monomers and three e-Keggin-like aluminum polyoxocations, and we make no attempt to simulate transition states. The Al–O bond lengths were calculated by performing ab initio geometry optimizations using the polarizable-continuum model to estimate solvation effects. Both Hartree–Fock and density functional methods (B3LYP) were tested using several basis sets up to 6-31+G(d). We find a strong correlation between rate coefficients for mono-ligated aluminum monomers and bond lengths to hydration waters. We cannot extrapolate the correlation, however, to large e-Keggin-like multimers or to bis-ligated complexes, which suggests that the activated equilibrium for exchange of a water molecule in these molecules is different than that in the simple monomers.
Reduction in intracellular calcium levels induces injury in developing neurons.

Abstract The neurotransmitter glutamate influences intracellular Ca2+ levels and plays an essential role in maintaining neuronal viability during early development. Blockade of NMDA receptors induces cell death in the neonatal forebrain via mechanisms that are not understood. Other neuromodulators that can influence intracellular Ca2+ levels include the nucleoside adenosine, which acts via A1 adenosine receptors subtypes (A1ARs). Because A1AR activation inhibits glutamate release and action, A1AR activation may also contribute to neonatal brain injury. To examine this possibility, we treated primary neuronal cultures with the A1AR agonist CPA, the NMDAR antagonist MK801, or CPA + MK801. Combined MK801 + CPA treatment resulted in profound cellular injury, exceeding that seen in other groups. In keeping with the hypothesis that altered Ca2+ signaling mediates CPA + MK801 injury, reduction of Ca2+ levels with EGTA, thapsigargin, or BAPTA-AM enhanced CPA + MK801-induced neuronal damage. In contrast, increasing intracellular Ca2+ using ionomycin reversed CPA + MK801 toxicity. Direct visualization of intracellular Ca2+ by confocal microscopy revealed that CPA + MK801 inhibited KCl-evoked increases in intracellular Ca2+. Supporting the concept that A1AR activation and NMDAR blockade results in brain injury, neonatal rats injected with A1AR agonists + MK801 showed widespread apoptosis in many brain regions. These observations show that A1AR activation and NMDAR blockade lead to early postnatal cell injury by mechanisms that involve inhibition of intracellular Ca2+ signaling.
Tensile Strength of Superheated n-Hexane Droplets

UNDER certain conditions a liquid can sustain large tensile stresses or degrees of superheat without vaporizing. This departure from the vaporization conditions described by the relation between vapour pressure and temperature for a given liquid is a result of the absence of a flat liquid–gas interface in the system under test; that is, vaporization occurs when a vapour cavity forms in the liquid.
Gamma Dose Distribution Evaluation Tool

Quantitative comparisons of dose distributions are an integral component of a medical physicist's responsibility of assuring high quality radiation therapy dose delivery. While overlays and other displays of multiple dose distributions are useful for such evaluations, quantitative evaluations require a mathematical comparison. The dose-difference is the most straightforward method for comparing two dose distributions, but it can show large differences in steep dose gradient regions, even for relatively small misalignments. A tool, termed y,was developed to take both dose and spatial difference into account. It does this automatically, evaluating distributions for dose difference and spatial discrepancies in regions of shallow and steep dose gradients, respectively. The tool has been used extensively in commercial dose measurement and evaluation software. This chapter describes the tool, some alternative techniques, and limitations of the tool.
Academic talk in American university classrooms: crossing the boundaries of oral‐literate discourse?

Abstract “Is academic speech ‘more like’ casual conversation or academic writing?” [Swales, J. (2001). Metatalk in American academic talk. The cases of ‘point’ and ‘thing’. Journal of English Language , 29(1), p. 37]. Taking a corpus-based perspective to the analysis, this study compares the language of university classroom talk to academic prose and face-to-face conversation, positioning university classroom talk on the language continuum of speech and writing. More specifically, looking at a large number of linguistic features working together, I describe the language of 196 university class sessions (1.4 million words) collected at six universities across the United States. The analysis is based on Biber's multi-dimensional analytical framework [Biber, D. (1988). Variation across speech and writing . New York: Cambridge University Press]. Overall, the results indicate that in these classrooms language features associated with both informational focus (as in academic prose) and involved discourse (as in face-to-face conversation) are equally present. Hence, this evidence-based research supports the argument that North American university classrooms exhibit language that can be treated as an interface on an oral–literate continuum.
Herpetomonas megaseliae, Crithidia fasciculata, and Leptomonas collosoma (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) in feces of lizards fed culture forms of the flagellates

. Herpetomonas megaseliae, Crithidia fasciculata, and Leptomonas collosoma from culture survived gut passage in Anolis carolinensis following their ingestion by this lizard. Maximum persistence of H. megaseliae in lizards, as detected by fecal culture, was seven days. No invasion of tissues by H. megaseliae could be detected by means of sectioned material, stained impression slides, or cultures inoculated with material from organs. Crithidia fasciculata was evident in cloacal fluid for up to three days in wet mount preparations. Leptomonas collosoma was observed in feces 24 h after the organisms were fed to lizards. Both C. fasciculata and L. collosoma were cultured from feces of lizards fed the parasites 24 h earlier. Herpetomonas megaseliae was differentiated in lizard feces, with greater than 40% of the forms observed being paramastigotes or opisthomastigotes. Truncate, semispherical forms resembling choanomastigotes were seen, but the kinetoplast was posterior to the nucleus in some of these. Many forms showed extensive coiling of the axoneme within the body of the flagellate. Choanomastigotes and spheromastigotes of C. fasciculata and promastigotes, sphero-mastigotes and amastigotes of L. collosoma were also observed in the feces.
Clinical considerations regarding treatment of hypercholesterolemia in the elderly.

Abstract Therapy for hypercholesterolemia has been shown to reduce the risk for coronary heart disease in middle-aged men. Current guidelines for detecting and treating hype rcholesterolemia in adults render large numbers of elderly patients eligible for medical intervention. The elderly are a heterogeneous group of individuals who differ widely in their ability to function physically, behaviorally, cognitively and emotionally. Not all elderly patients qualify for cholesterol-lowering therapy. Decisions regarding diagnostic and therapeutic interventions should be based on the physiological age of the patient rather than the chronological age, and on the presence and severity of concomitant disease, mental status and cognitive ability, as well as on the patient's expectations from medical care. Suggestions for dietary therapy and drug therapy in the elderly are provided. The objectives and potential benefits of therapy are described. Based on the information currently available, it is concluded that the elderly are likely to benefit from cardiovascular risk factor modification and should not be denied cholesterol-lowering therapy simply on the basis of their chronological age.
Environmental testing of COTS components for space applications

Research and development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) has shown a significant promise for a variety of commercial applications. For example, accelerometers are widely used for air bags in automobiles, MEMS inkjet print heads are used for printers, gyroscopes for guidance and navigation and pressure sensors for various industrial applications. Some of the MEMS devices have potential to become the commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components. Aerospace requires more sophisticated technology development to achieve significant cost savings if they could utilize COTS components in their systems. A miniature gas chromatograph instrument designed as a space station project will provide onorbit detection, identification, and quantification of potentially toxic trace volatile organic compounds in the human-supporting environment. The instrument consists of several commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) valves, pumps and sensors. This paper describes the thermal environmental requirements and protoflight/qualification thermal test results for the COTS parts at cold and hot temperature extremes. The objective of this study is to qualify several COTS components for specific thermal/dynamic environments to assess their reliability. All COTS components life tested were believed to meet the 3x mission operational life requirements. Test results will be presented.
Smokeless tobacco: a potential hazard to infants and children

During the past several years, there has been a growing interest and concern relative to the increased use of smokeless tobacco, especially use among young people. Dentistry is concerned, in particular, with the oral hazards that are associated with smokeless tobacco. Accidental ingestion of poisonous substances is a significant problem among children. A case is reported illustrating the potential hazard of nicotine poisoning in an infant that resulted from an accidental ingestion of a smokeless tobacco-related product.
Terrane accretion, production, and continental growth: A perspective based on the origin and tectonic fate of the Aleutian–Bering Sea region

Orogenesis in the Aleutian–Bering Sea region would create an expansive new area of Pacific-rim mountain belts. The region itself formed about 55 Ma as a consequence of the suturing of a single exotic fragment of oceanic crust—Aleutia—to the Pacific's Alaskan-Siberian margin. A massive overlap assemblage of the igneous crust of the Aleutian Arc and the thick sedimentary masses of the Aleutian Basin have since accumulated above the captured basement terrane of Aleutia. Future closure of the Aleutian–Bering Sea region, either northward toward the continent or southward toward the Aleutian Arc, would structurally mold new continental crust to the North American plate. The resulting “Beringian orogen” would be constructed of a collage of suspect terranes. Although some terranes would include exotic crustal rocks formed as far as 5000 km away, most terranes would be kindred or cotetonic blocks composed of the overlap assemblage and of relatively local (100–1000 km) derivation. The Aleutian–Bering Sea perspective bolsters the common supposition that, although disrupted and smeared by transcurrent faulting, examples of kindred assemblages should exist, and perhaps commonly, in ocean-rim mountain belts.
Ferrocenylethynylbenzenes as Precursors to in Situ Synthesis of Carbon Nanotube and Fe Nanoparticle Compositions

Several ferrocenyl-aryl-acetylenic compounds were synthesized and thermally converted in situ to carbon nanotube−Fe nanoparticle compositions. Upon melting, the ferrocenyl compounds are cured to a shaped configuration through the acetylenic units. Further heating of the polymeric composition results in the decomposition of the ferrocene and the ultimate formation of Fe nanoparticles. During the carbonization process above 500 °C in an inert atmosphere, the Fe nanoparticles react with the developing carbon nanoparticles resulting in the formation of carbon nanotubes in high yield within the carbonaceous media. Various shaped carbonaceous forms (solid, fiber, and film) containing large amounts of carbon nanotubes can be readily formulated from the precursor ferrocenyl compounds. The polymeric and carbonaceous compositions were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetric analysis (DSC), X-ray diffraction, Raman, and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR...
Fetal and early postnatal environmental exposures and reproductive health effects in the female

This short review presents current research into the role of the environment in normal female reproductive function and pathogenesis, specifically focusing on the ovary and uterus.
CHRONIC MASTITIS AND CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST

Abstract 733 women in whom chronic mastitis had been diagnosed were followed for an average of 30·3 years. 49 died from breast cancer compared with an expected number of 18·8. The excess risk of dying from breast cancer persisted for at least 30 years after chronic mastitis was diagnosed.
Enzymatic degradation of blends containing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)

The enzymatic degradation of blends of poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-16% β-hydroxyvalerate) with polystyrene, and styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers was studied. Degradation has been measured by weight loss after exposures to the extracellular depolymerase from Penicillium funiculosum. Degradation rates of solution cast blends have been compared with injection molded strips. Blends prepared by injection molding showed a maximum in degradation rate for the 5050 blends. Blends prepared by solution casting exhibited higher rates for the higher P(HB-co-16% HV) content samples and faster degradation rates compared to those for injection molding.
Heroin Use in the Barrio: Solving the Problem of Relapse or Keeping the Tecato Gusano Asleep

The Chicano heroin addict or " tecato " belongs to a subculture that profoundly influences addict behavior and personality. Life-history interviews with a subsample of 18 Southern California ex- tecatos who were abstinent from 2.3 to 24.5 years revealed that tecatos employ the metaphor of an indestructable junkie worm or " tecato gusano " living in their vicera to explain heroin relapse, and abstinence in a manner essentially consistent with learning theories of opioid addiction. The study showed that ex- tecatos use a variety of coping mechanisms for maintaining abstinence and for avoiding "dangerous situations" which could trigger heroin craving and relapse. The research also revealed that being an ex- tecato does not necessarily imply living a crime free or nondeviant lifestyle, and that the process of working out of addiction involves two complementary social adjustment processes termed (a) extrication (from the tecato subculture) and (b) accommodation (to square society). Suggestions for utilizing these findings for treatment intervention purposes are offered.
Assessing and managing laser system stability for quantum control experiments

Stable laser operation, which is essential for quantum control experiments as well as many other phase dependent processes, is investigated with respect to the influence of amplitude and spectral phase noise. Simulations are first performed and an easy to implement experimental method is presented to monitor the amplitude and phase stability of an ultrafast laser system. As an illustration of this stability assessment technique, the data monitoring is used to guide the identification and elimination of fluctuations in the laser amplification process. Through a number of practical alterations of the amplifier configuration, the stability of the laser system was greatly and consistently improved. Fluctuations on different time scales were eliminated, with special emphasis given to maintaining a stable spectral phase.
Archaeology and politicism: Foucault's epistemic anarchism

L'examen attentif de la metaphysique sous-jacente et de l'epistemologie qui sont a la base de l'oeuvre archeologique de Foucault revele l'existence d'une position politique, claire et prescriptive. Dans son analyse, l'A. se penche surtout sur « The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences» (1973)
Regional influences on small-scale vegetational heterogeneity within grasslands in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

An index of vegetational heterogeneity in 16 grassland communities in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, was calculated using mean percent distance (MPD) among spatially separated quadrats. To determine whether regional factors such as annual precipitation, fire, soil sodicity, herbivore utilization, or percentage of species having clonal growth patterns influenced the amount of heterogeneity measured in individual grassland communities, the index was related to these factors by an interactively constructed multiple-regression model. Community heterogeneity varied in a curvilinear manner along a north-to-south transect; maximum values occurred in the center of the park with lower values near the northern and southern borders. Subsurface concentrations of Na+ and the presence or absence of mound-building termites were incorporated into the model, which explained 55% of the variability in grassland heterogeneity.
Glutathione depletion reverses cisplatin resistance in murine L1210 leukemia cells

Little is understood about the mechanism of acquired resistance to the widely used antineoplastic drug, cisplatin. The cisplatin-resistant murine leukemia L1210 cell line L1210PAM has an elevated cellular glutathione content, as compared to its sensitive parent cell line, L1210/∗. Exposure to d,l-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine reduced L1210PAM cells' glutathione content to nearly that of L1210/∗ cells and abrogated the resistance to cisplatin.
Far red/near infrared light-induced protection against cardiac ischemia and reperfusion injury remains intact under diabetic conditions and is independent of nitric oxide synthase

Far red/near-infrared light (NIR) promotes a wide range of biological effects including tissue protection but whether and how NIR is capable of acutely protecting myocardium against ischemia and reperfusion injury in vivo is not fully elucidated. Our previous work indicates that NIR exposure immediately before and during early reperfusion protects the myocardium against infarction through mechanisms that are nitric oxide (NO)-dependent. Here we tested the hypothesis that NIR elicits protection in a diabetic mouse model where other cardioprotective interventions such as pre- and postconditioning fail, and that the protection is independent of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). NIR reduced infarct size dose dependently. Importantly, NIR-induced protection was preserved in a diabetic mouse model (db/db) and during acute hyperglycemia, as well as in endothelial NOS-/- mice and in wild type mice treated with NOS inhibitor L-NAME. In in vitro experiments NIR light liberates NO from nitrosyl hemoglobin (HbNO) and nitrosyl myoglobin (MbNO) in a wavelength (660-830 nm) and dose-dependent manner. Irradiation at 660 nm yields the highest release of NO, while at longer wavelengths a dramatic decrease of NO release can be observed. Similar wavelength dependence was observed for the protection of mice against cardiac ischemia and reperfusion injury in vivo. NIR-induced NO release from deoxymyoglobin in the presence of nitrite mildly inhibits respiration of isolated mitochondria after hypoxia. In summary, NIR applied during reperfusion protects the myocardium against infarction in an NO dependent, but NOS-independent mechanisms, whereby mitochondria may be a target of NO released by NIR, leading to reduced reactive oxygen species generation during reperfusion. This unique mechanism preserves protection even during diabetes where other protective strategies fail.
On the origin of microcracking behind a crack tip

Calculations based on both linear elasticity and small scale yielding in an elastic-plastic body indicate that large normal stresses exist behind the tip of the main crack and are related to the presence of microcracks which intersect a fracture surface. This concept is applied to the specific case of microcracks which intersect a mixed mode I/II fatigue crack in Ti-40 at. pct V alloy single crystals. The microcracks, which occur on {110} and {111} planes, are associated with the radial distribution of stresses normal to the observed microcrack plane. In the Ti-40V alloy examined, microcracking may occur by cleavage on rarely observed {110} and {111} planes because of the combination of large normal stresses and flow at the microcrack tip which is controlled by the stress field imposed by the main crack.
A distinctly regulated protein repair L-isoaspartylmethyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana.

Protein-L-isoaspartate (D-aspartate) O-methyltransferases (EC 2.1.1.77) that catalyze the transfer of methyl groups from S-adenosylmethionine to abnormal L-isoaspartyl and D-aspartyl residues in a variety of peptides and proteins are widely distributed in procaryotes and eucaryotes. These enzymes participate in the repair of spontaneous protein damage by facilitating the conversion of L-isoaspartyl and D-aspartyl residues to normal L-aspartyl residues. In this work, we have identified an L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase activity in Arabidopsis thaliana, a dicotyledonous plant of the mustard family. The highest levels of activity were detected in seeds. Using degenerate oligonucleotides corresponding to two highly conserved amino acid regions shared among the Escherichia coli, wheat, and human enzymes, we isolated and sequenced a full-length genomic clone encoding the A. thaliana methyltransferase. Several methyltransferase cDNAs were also characterized, including ones that would encode full-length polypeptides of 230 amino acid residues. Messenger RNAs for the A. thaliana enzyme were found in a variety of tissues that did not contain significant amounts of active enzyme suggesting the possibility of translational or posttranslational controls on methyltransferase levels. We have identified a putative abscisic acid-response element (ABRE) in the 5′-untranslated region of the A. thaliana L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase gene and have shown that the expression of the mRNA is responsive to exogenous abscisic acid (ABA), but not to the environmental stresses of salt or drought. The expression of the A. thaliana enzyme appears to be regulated in a distinct fashion from that seen in wheat or in animal tissues.
Structural mobility of the extracellular ligand-binding core of an ionotropic glutamate receptor. Analysis of NMR relaxation dynamics.

Ionotropic glutamate receptors play important roles in a variety of neuronal processes and have been implicated in multiple neurodegenerative diseases. The extracellular ligand-binding (S1S2) core ...
Electrochemical Liquid Deposition of Ceria

Electrochemical liquid deposition (ELD) has been used to grow fully dense films of ceria on impervious gadolinia-doped ceria substrates of variable thickness. The process is similar to electrochemical vapor deposition (EVD) except that a liquid is used instead of a vapor to provide precursor material to the growing film. ELD film growth data have been analyzed in a manner similar to that for EVD demonstrated previously. Experimental results verify that the pertinent rate equation is obeyed phenomenologically. Rate constants for the film (CeO2) and the substrate (l-l-mol%-Gd2O3-doped CeO2) at 1200°C have been determined as Kf= 33.1 × 10−12 m2/s and Ks= 51.6 × 10−12 m2/s, respectively.
Hand selection for object grasping is influenced by recent motor history

Action selection processes such as those that underlie decisions about which hand to use for upcoming actions are fundamental to adaptive motor behavior. Previous research has shown that people grasp objects in ways that reflect anticipated task demands, as well as recent movement experience. However, very few studies have addressed the possible influence of recent motor history on hand selection. In the present study, participants grasped and placed objects using either their left or right hand. The results showed shorter response times to initiate successive actions when hand was repeated, even when those actions involved distinct grasp postures and object placement movements to distinct locations. Conversely, no such planning advantage was observed for repeated grasps for successive actions made with opposite hands. The findings are consistent with the idea that choices about which hand to use in the present are influenced by which hand was used in the recent past. When the same hand can be used for successive actions, planning is made more efficient, presumably because the motor parameters that specify which hand to use can be recalled from recent memory rather than formulated anew. The findings indicate that hand selection is sensitive to recent movement experience and provide novel support for computational efficiency accounts of motor history effects.
The Search for Universal Optical Molecular Imaging Probes for Tumors

We demonstrate the development and application of a broad spectrum near-infrared molecular probe for imaging primary and metastatic tumors in small animals, with a goal to clinical translation.
Global 30–240 keV proton precipitation in the 17–18 April 2002 geomagnetic storms: 1. Patterns

[1] Global 30–240 keV proton precipitation patterns during the 17–18 April 2002 magnetic storm events were generated using newly developed 3-hour data products of the medium energy proton and electron detector (MEPED) on board the NOAA-15 and -16 satellites. The observational data set was sorted in 1-degree corrected magnetic latitude (CML) and 8-min magnetic local time (MLT) bins. To achieve global coverage, the missing MLT data were filled by interpolation techniques in each 1-degree CML interval. The resulting global 30–240 keV proton precipitation maps, available on a 3-hour cadence, provide new information on the development and variability in the structure of incident high-energy protons on a timescale commensurate with the growth and decay of the plasma sheet and ring current. The change of energetic proton precipitation patterns in the April 2002 storms is quantified in terms of three aspects: hemispheric integrated total particle energy input, midnight proton oval equatorward boundary, and position of proton precipitation peak. In a general sense, as magnetospheric activity intensified, the midnight equatorward boundary tended to move to the lower latitude, while the precipitation peak moved equatorward and westward away from midnight, in agreement with ring current motion. It is well illustrated that energetic proton precipitation patterns can serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for investigating the inner magnetospheric activity.
The Webmarketer experiment: A rude awakening

Abstract This empirical research investigates the amount of traffic that can be drawn to a commercial Website using only the free promotion Websites known as Free Traffic Builders (FTBs are search engines, directories, newsgroups, listservs, bulletin boards, and chatrooms). An ancillary goal of this project was to collect demographic and psychographic data on some of the visitors to the Website who were drawn there by online-only promotions. The results suggest online-only promotions through FTBs are of little value to marketers.
Power on the margins: A new place for intellectuals to be

This paper is concerned with rethinking the nature of social life in terms of how it appears — not to us academics at the centre of it, as consisting in a system, or a plurality of systems -but how it might appear from a position more in on the margins, at those moments when ordinary people must relate themselves to each other, unsystematically and practically. To do this, we must also rethink the nature of language and thought as possessing within these moments, a formative or creative character — for it must have the ability to create practical connections between aspects of people's lives, as required, on the spot. This is to privilege the role of rhetoric in these regions over that of logic. This also leads to a rethinking of ideology and power: as being to do with, not ideas, but the practical shaping (or not) — in moments when in practical communication with others — of collective, sharable forms of life. Where it is in such moments, in which different people meet each other in socially constructing their lives together, that political struggles are their most intense, and where ideology can be detected at work.
Mucopolysaccharidosis, an unusual cause of cardiac valvular disease

Abstract A case of mucopolysaccharidosis with extensive cardiac valvular involvement is reported. The finding of cytoplasmic inclusions, the Alder anomaly, in the leukocytes in a peripheral blood smear suggested the correct diagnosis, which was confirmed at autopsy.
The LSP-2 gene and a 5′ flanking sequence are independently expressed in Drosophila melanogaster

The positions of nucleotide sequences involved in the stage-and/or tissue-specific expression of structural genes in higher organisms are largely unknown. One might predict, however, that closely linked genetic loci which are not coordinately controlled will contain regulatory sequences in close proximity to the respective coding regions. During the third instar of larval development in Drosophila melanogaster, the hormone ecdysterone augments the expression of several genes in fat body tissue, one of which is the structural gene coding for larval serum protein-2, LSP-21–5. Although LSP-2 transcripts are detected only in third-instar larval fat bodies, a genomic clone containing the LSP-2 gene (clone 104) hybridizes to poly(A)+ RNA prepared from other tissues. We have now analysed clone 104 for other coding regions. Three transcripts, designated T1, T2 and T3, hybridize within the 12.5 kilobases (kb) of DNA flanking the 5′ end of the LSP-2 coding region. The T1 coding region is separated from the 5′ end of the LSP-2 coding region by no more than 2.5–3.5 kb. In contrast to the dramatic increase in the level of LSP-2 transcript induced by ecdysterone in third-instar larval fat bodies, the T1 transcript remains below the detectable level, indicating that expression of the two coding regions is not coordinately regulated.
Audit of thermally injured children under 5 years of age.

One-third of all admissions to the Wessex Regional Burns Unit (WRBU) are children under 5 years of age. These patients constitute a disproportionately large part of the workload in terms of nursing and medical care. A review of children admitted to the WRBU over a 5-year period was undertaken. Information was stored in a computer database (dBASE-IV) to simplify data analysis and to develop a system of data collection which can be used for audit. Eighty-one per cent of injuries were due to scalds. The mean burn surface area (BSA) was 8 per cent, and 78 per cent of injuries were smaller than 10 per cent BSA. Skin grafting was required in 44 per cent of patients. The mean time to operation was 13 days after injury. Significant hypertrophic scarring occurred in 60 per cent of patients and 12 per cent of patients were readmitted for further surgical procedures. There was one death. In an extension to the main database, associations between clinical and physiological observations and morbidity were sought. The data suggest that behavioural changes, ‘shock’, profound lymphocytopenia and pyrexia greater than 39.5°C should be treated as strongly suggestive of the development of complications in the early stages after injury.
Double-Layer and Hydration Forces Measured between Silica Sheets Subjected to Various Surface Treatments

Force measurements between silica surfaces in aqueous solutions of NaCl are reported. Silica is prepared with one of three surface treatments: (i) flaming, (ii) exposure to steam for 150 h, and (iii) brief exposure to ammonia vapor. Analysis of electrical double-layer interactions indicates that the surface density of silanol groups increases with steam treatment, and that exposure to ammonia etches the surface slightly and renders it porous. The force at short range is dominated by a strong repulsion which is attributed to hydration of the surface. The hydration component of the force is not significantly affected by the surface treatments, nor by electrolyte concentration over the range investigated (up to 0.1 M).
ANTISENSE INHIBITION OF CAS, THE HUMAN HOMOLOGUE OF THE YEAST CHROMOSOME SEGREGATION GENE CSE1, INTERFERES WITH MITOSIS IN HELA CELLS

We have analyzed the effects on HeLa cells of reduction of the CAS protein, the human homologue to yeast chromosome segregation protein CSE1. Expression of CAS antisense cDNA decreases the amount of CAS protein in HeLa cells and perturbs progression from G2 (retards transition from G2) to G1 in the cell cycle. Increased levels of cyclin B in CAS antisense transfected cells correlated with an arrest in G2 phase or mitosis. This arrest upon CAS attenuation is consistent with observations that yeast with CSE1 mutations are defective in mitosis and cyclin B degradation.
On obtaining the forward phase functions of Saturn ring features from radio occultation observations

It is noted that the near-forward scattering functions of particles in Saturn ring features are related to 3.6 cm radio occultation power spectra by a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind. The equation reduces to an algebraic system of equation whose solution by usual inversion techniques (that is, least mean squares) is ruled out by the near singularity of the forward transformation matrix. A combination of constrained linear inversion and a filtering algorithm based on eigenvector decomposition of the matrix reduces the instabilities; this yields derived phase functions valid over the range of zero to about 12 mrad. It is noted that these functions represent the collective forward diffraction lobe of particles greater than about 1 m in radius. Since multiple scattering of the signal is a significant effect, the measured phase functions must be adjusted to obtain the singly scattered component. This single-scattering correction is examined for two physical models, namely the monolayer and the classical discrete random slab; in addition, the fraction of opacity in submeter particles for each model for particular ring features is estimated.