cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neural and hormonal consequences of neonatal 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine may not be associated with serotonin depletion

The neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) is often used in neonatal rats to induce specific, rapid, and permanent depletion of brain serotonin (5-HT). One assumed benefit of using this drug in neonates is that it is well-tolerated, with pups exhibiting few side effects normally attributed to 5-HT depletion. Here, we present evidence that 5,7-DHT administered neonatally induces seizure-like behavior, decreases weight gain, and increases plasma corticosterone without depletion of brain 5-HT.
Transient behavior of cellular automaton rule 110

Abstract The transient behavior of the one-dimensional two-state three-input cellular automaton rule 110, one of the simplest “edge of chaos” cellular automata, is investigated numerically. The simulations show that the average transient time Tave increases algebraically with system size N, Tave∼Nα, with α≈1.08, and that the density of propagating objects (gliders) decays with time as ngl∼-γ with γ≈0.64.
Evaluation of Roadside Inspection Selection System for Commercial Vehicles

The development and testing of the roadside Inspection Selection System (ISS) have been in progress for more than 2 years. The ISS was developed as part of the Aspen roadside inspection software system in response to a 1995 congressional mandate calling for use of prior carrier safety data to guide in selection of commercial vehicles and drivers to undergo roadside inspections. The Aspen system includes software that helps conduct roadside inspections with portable microcomputers. Ten states were involved in the initial testing of the ISS, but a majority of states throughout the United States are now using the system. An analysis of almost 40,000 inspections conducted in 1996 revealed that the vehicle out-of-service (OOS) rate was 33.7 percent for those vehicles the ISS recommended for inspection versus 20.0 percent for those it did not. The driver OOS rate was 13.5 percent for those drivers recommended for inspection versus 9.9 percent for those not recommended. The ISS will thus help in targeting relati...
Stimulated emission from GaAs quantum well microcavities: toward laser emission from a few excitons

We report experimental studies of laser emission from a microcavity embedded with inhomogeneously broadened GaAs quantum wells. Extremely small lasing threshold is observed when the cavity resonance is tuned to the low energy tail of the inhomogeneous exciton distribution. Detailed experimental studies further show that the excitation level at the minimum lasing threshold is below the exciton Mott density and that the lasing process changes qualitatively when the excitation level is increased from below to above the exciton Mott density. A preliminary analysis indicates that the small lasing threshold observed is due to the enhanced dipole coupling rate in the microcavity as well as the very small number of localization sites resonant with the cavity when the cavity is tuned to the low energy tail of the inhomogeneous exciton distribution. The results also suggest the possibility of achieving laser emission from a few or even a single localized exciton by using cavities with higher Q-factor and greater dipole coupling rate.
Two Drugs Are Better than One—Modeling Drug Combinations in Cancer Therapy

Therapies that target specific mutations in tumor cells have transformed the standard of care for cancer: imatinib for chronic myeloid leukemia, erlotinib and gefitinib for EGFR mutant lung cancer, and vemurafenib and dabrafenib for BRAF mutant melanoma. Targeted inhibitors deliver dramatic responses, but resistance inevitably emerges. Strategies to generate more durable responses are needed. Bozic and colleagues tackled the question of how combinations of targeted agents might affect disease control. By following the responses of 21 melanoma patients treated with vemurafenib and calculating the changes in 68 individual tumors during therapy, Bozic et al. developed a mathematical model that predicts responses to combinations of targeted inhibitors. Using this model, the authors make several predictions that could guide how cancer therapies are developed. Their model predicts that, for targeted inhibitors, concurrent combinations of two (or three) drugs will be far more effective than sequential treatment with the same agents—and may in fact be the only strategy that can offer a cure. The model also highlights the liability of cross-resistance (in which resistance to one drug confers resistance to another) and supports the use of drug combinations that target distinct pathways. Both of these observations are supported by clinical experiences previously reported in the literature. Although there are inherent limitations to mathematical models, this study offers a new lens through which to view the advantages and limitations of targeted therapy. As the authors highlight, one type of cancer therapy that breaks the mold for their model is immunotherapy. Because the immune system is dynamic, it can evolve in response to changes in the tumor. Ways to incorporate immunotherapy into drug-combination cancer treatments, both in mathematical models and in the clinic, will be needed for the future. I. Bozic et al. , Evolutionary dynamics of cancer in response to targeted combination therapy. eLife 2 , e00747 (2013).[[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://elife.elifesciences.org/content/2/e00747
The effects of irradiation on the formation of guinier-preston zones

Abstract Resistivity measurements and small-angle scattering of X-rays were employed to study the effects of (10.5 MeV.) deuteron irradiation on the formation of spherical coherent Guinier-Preston zones (G.P. zones) in Al-5.3 at. % Zn. Specimens were irradiated at 77°K after different thermal treatments: asquenched from 300°C, as-reverted from 200°C, and as-reaged. Irradiation of the specimen quenched from 300°C has the effect of slightly retarding the rate of zone formation. For specimens reverted at 200°C and then irradiated with 0.5 to 1.9 × 10 15 deuterons / cm 2 , the initial part of the reaction is accelerated, the rate of zone formation increasing with dose. The later part of the reaction is not greatly influenced, the final zone sizes, as determined using small-angle scattering of X-rays, are only slightly larger. Irradiation of an alloy containing zones (as formed on reaging) does not result in enhanced growth. It is concluded that vacancies as generated by irradiation with deuterons can aid G.P. zone formation, hut the defect distribution as obtained by quenching is different from that resulting from irradiation. For the case of the present alloy, deuteron bombardment does not give rise to enhanced nucleation.
What has foreign exchange market intervention since the Plaza Agreement accomplished

We review the conduct and scale of official intervention by monetary authorities in the U.S.A., Japan, and West Germany since the Plaza Agreement. Relative to trading volume and the stock of internatonally traded assets denominated in foreign currencies, intervention is small-scale and sporadic, hence at best limited to transitory effects. It does not appear to reduce volatility of daily exchange rates. Monetary authorities gamble that they will not suffer losses on their foreign currency holdings. Evidence in favor of sterilized foreign exchange market intervention as a way of conveying information to the private sector is far from convincing. Since changes in relative monetary growth rates are sufficient to alter bilateral exchange rates, monetary authorities can achieve their exchange rate preferences with domestic monetary policy, but at the cost of possible distortionary effects on monetary growth rates, domestic interest rates, and international capital flows.
Feeding mechanisms: Hummingbird jaw bends to aid insect capture

The upper jaws of birds, unlike those in many tetrapods, move relative to the skull and are often flexible along their length, whereas the lower jaw (mandible) is usually a rigid structure formed by the fusion of several bones, flexing only where it meets the skull. Here we describe a previously unnoticed mandibular bending movement in hummingbirds, in which the distal half of the mandible is actively flexed downwards and the gape widens to catch flying insects. The hummingbird is thought to have developed a long narrow bill as it specialized in feeding on floral nectar, but the bird's need to supplement its diet with insects must have contributed to the surprising flexibility of its jaw.
United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica: History andProspects

The United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica was established by the General Assembly in 1980. Over the past two decades the university has explored a number of innovative approaches to peace education, including actively working to create a culture of peace throughout Central America. Unfortunately, inadequate funding has limited its ability to become a fully fledged academic institution. Once financial stability is achieved, the university has the potential to become a major center for graduate peace studies in the Americas.
Effects of pH on Heavy Metal Sorption on Mineral Apatite

The sorption of aqueous Pb, Cd, and Zn onto a mineral apatite from North Carolina was investigated in relation to a wide range of pH. The effects of pH on solid-phase precipitation were particularly emphasized. The heavy metals were applied as single or multiple species. Solution pH greatly affected metal sorption mechanism by apatite and metal−apatite reaction products. The sorption of aqueous Pb was primarily through a process of the dissolution of apatite followed by the precipitation of variable pyromorphite-type minerals under acidic condition or of hydrocerussite [Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2] and lead oxide fluoride (Pb2OF2) under alkaline condition. Otavite (CdCO3), cadmium hydroxide [Cd(OH)2], and zincite (ZnO) were formed in the Cd or Zn system, especially under alkaline condition; while hopeite [Zn3(PO4)2·4H2O] might precipitate only under very acidic condition. Alternative sorption mechanisms other than precipitation of the crystalline phases were important in reducing Cd and Zn concentrations by the apatit...
Intergenerational cultural conflicts in norms of parental warmth among Chinese American immigrants

This study examines the intergenerational cultural conflict experienced by Chinese adolescents from immigrant families, and its consequences for their adjustment. Intergenerational cultural conflic...
Relationship between admission data and pharmacy student involvement in extracurricular activities.

Objectives. To assess pharmacy student involvement in leadership and service roles and to evaluate the association between admissions data and student involvement. Methods. Doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students were invited to complete a 56-item online survey instrument containing questions regarding leadership and service involvement, work experiences, perceived contribution of involvement to skill development, and perceived importance of involvement. Responses were linked to admissions data to identify possible associations. Results. Five hundred fourteen (82.4%) pharmacy students completed the survey instrument. Students with higher admissions application and interview scores were more likely to be involved in organizations and hold leadership roles, while students with higher admissions grade point averages were less likely to be involved in organizations and leadership roles. Conclusions. Assessing students’ involvement in leadership and service roles can assist in the evaluation of students’ leadership skills and lead to modification of curricular and co-curricular activities to provide development opportunities. Student involvement in extracurricular activities may encourage future involvement in and commitment to the pharmacy profession.
CD40/CD40 ligand signaling in mouse cerebral microvasculature after focal ischemia/reperfusion.

Background— CD40/CD40 ligand (CD40L) signaling contributes to proinflammatory and prothrombogenic responses in the vasculature. CD40/CD40L expression is elevated in patients after a transient ischemic attack or stroke. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of CD40/CD40L signaling in cerebral microvascular dysfunction and tissue injury response to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and reperfusion. Methods and Results— Intravital fluorescence microscopy was used to visualize the cerebral microcirculation of wild-type (WT), CD40-deficient, and CD40L-deficient mice subjected to 1-hour MCAO and 4-hour reperfusion. The adhesion of platelets and of leukocytes and vascular permeability were measured in postcapillary venules after 4-hour and 1-hour reperfusions, respectively. Cerebral infarct volume was analyzed 24 hours after reperfusion. Platelet and leukocyte adhesion was elevated and blood/brain barrier function was compromised by MCAO in WT mice. Blood cell recruitment and increased perm...
Fluorescent microsphere-based readout technology for multiplexed human single nucleotide polymorphism analysis and bacterial identification.

Large-scale human genotyping requires technologies with a minimal number of steps, high accuracy, and the ability to automate at a reasonable cost. In this regard, we have developed a rapid, cost-effective readout method for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping that combines an easily automatable single-tube allele-specific primer extension (ASPE) with an efficient high throughput flow cytometric analysis performed on a Luminex 100 flow cytometer. This robust technique employs an ASPE reaction using PCR-derived target DNA containing the SNP and a pair of synthetic complementary capture probes that differ at their 3' end-nucleotide defining the alleles. Each capture probe has been synthesized to contain a unique 25-nucleotide identifying sequence (ZipCode) at its 5' end. An array of fluorescent microspheres, covalently coupled with complementary ZipCode sequences (cZipCodes), was hybridized to biotin-labeled ASPE reaction products, sequestering them for flow cytometric analysis. ASPE offers both an advantage of streamlining the SNP analysis protocol and an ability to perform multiplex SNP analysis on any mixture of allelic variants. All steps of the assay are simple additions of the solutions, incubations, and washes. This technique was used to assay 15 multiplexed SNPs on human chromosome 12 from 96 patients. Comparison of the microsphere-based ASPE assay results to gel-based oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA) results showed 99.2% agreement in genotype assignments. In addition, the microsphere-based multiplex SNPs assay system was adapted for the identification of bacterial samples by both ASPE and single base chain extension (SBCE) assays. A series of probes designed for different variable sites of bacterial 16S rDNA permitted multiplex analysis and generated species- or genus-specific patterns. Seventeen bacterial species representing a broad range of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria were analyzed within 16 variable sites of 16S rDNA sequence. The results were consistent with the published sequences and confirmed by direct DNA sequencing.
An exploration of double diffusive convection in Jupiter as a result of hydrogen-helium phase separation

Author(s): Nettelmann, N; Fortney, JJ; Moore, K; Mankovich, C | Abstract: Jupiter's atmosphere has been observed to be depleted in helium (Yatm~0.24), suggesting active helium sedimentation in the interior. This is accounted for in standard Jupiter structure and evolution models through the assumption of an outer, He-depleted envelope that is separated from the He-enriched deep interior by a sharp boundary. Here we aim to develop a model for Jupiter's inhomogeneous thermal evolution that relies on a more self-consistent description of the internal profiles of He abundance, temperature, and heat flux. We make use of recent numerical simulations on H/He demixing, and on layered (LDD) and oscillatory (ODD) double diffusive convection, and assume an idealized planet model composed of a H/He envelope and a massive core. A general framework for the construction of interior models with He rain is described. Despite, or perhaps because of, our simplifications made we find that self-consistent models are rare. For instance, no model for ODD convection is found. We modify the H/He phase diagram of Lorenzen et al. to reproduce Jupiter's atmospheric helium abundance and examine evolution models as a function of the LDD layer height, from those that prolong Jupiter's cooling time to those that actually shorten it. Resulting models that meet the luminosity constraint have layer heights of about 0.1-1 km, corresponding to ~10,-20,000 layers in the rain zone between ~1 and 3-4.5 Mbars. Present limitations and directions for future work are discussed, such as the formation and sinking of He droplets.
Effect of Swimming Activity on Relative Weight and Body Composition of Juvenile Rainbow Trout

Abstract Fisheries managers often assess body condition using relative weight (W r) because it provides a comparative measure of fish plumpness among individuals and populations. However, it is not known whether the morphological information that W r summarizes reflects physiological measures, such as relative lipid reserves, in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. The purpose of this study was to determine whether swimming activity affects either the W r or proximate body composition of juvenile (total length, 170–260 mm) rainbow trout. When rainbow trout from a hatchery were fed ad libitum for 147 d, inactive (no current) and active (15 cm/s current velocity) fish did not differ in Wr. However, inactive rainbow trout maintained relatively constant lipid levels, whereas active fish declined in lipid content. Relative weight may provide a comparable measure of body form, but it is not an accurate index of lipid content between active and inactive rainbow trout fed an excess ration. For assessing the physiol...
Assessment of tardive dyskinesia using the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale.

Over a 10-month period, 33 patients with tardive dyskinesia (TD) were evaluated with the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) simultaneously and independently by two experienced and two inexperienced raters. The experienced raters generally had higher levels of agreement and their scores were
The magic of fairy tales: psychodynamic and developmental perspectives

The telling of fairy tales is one way to elicit a child's inner thoughts and feelings, expose conflicts and frustrations, reduce anxiety, and gain mastery over developmental tasks. This paper will review the meaning, usefulness, and importance of fairy tales by discussing three selections from the psychodynamic and developmental perspectives.
Vehicle/guideway Interaction For High Speed Vehicles On A Flexible Guideway

Abstract Dynamic interactions between the vehicle and guideway of a high speed ground transportation system based on magnetically levitated (maglev) vehicles were studied, with an emphasis on the effects of vehicle and guideway parameters. Two dynamic models for the vehicle are presented. In one model, the vehicle is considered a moving force travelling at various speeds on a simply supported single- or two-span beam(s). In the second model, the vehicle is considered to be one-dimensional, with two degrees of freedom, representing the primary and secondary suspensions of the vehicle with lumped masses, linear springs, and dampings. The Bernoulli-Euler beam equation is used to model the characteristics of a flexible guideway, and the guideway synthesis is based on a modal analysis method. Analyses have been performed to understand response characteristics under various loading conditions, and provide some benchmark data for verification of existing comprehensive computer programs and some basic design guidelines for maglev systems.
Intraventricular hemorrhage after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: pilot study of treatment with intraventricular tissue plasminogen activator.

OBJECTIVE Intraventricular (IVen) hemorrhage is considered a predictor of poor outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). This prospective study examines the feasibility and outcome of administration of IVen tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) after aneurysmal SAH. METHODS Ten patients with SAH who received IVen tPA after the aneurysm had been secured were compared with 10 age-, sex-, and Glasgow Coma Scale score-matched control patients. The primary end point was third and fourth ventricle clot resolution. IVen blood was quantified by use of the Graeb and Le Roux scales on admission and at an additional time (equal or longer for the control group) after the injection was terminated. RESULTS Six men and four women with a mean age of 52 years in each group were evaluated. On average, 3.5 mg tPA was injected 68 +/- 51 hours after admission without ensuing complications. Although the treated group had significantly more IVen blood on admission than control subjects (mean Le Roux scale +/- standard deviation, 11 +/- 3 versus 7.6 +/- 4.2, P = 0.055, and mean Graeb scale +/- standard deviation, 8.5 +/- 2.3 in tPA versus 5.3 +/- 3, P < 0.02), it also had a significant decrease in the amount of IVen blood (mean Le Roux and Graeb scale decrease +/- standard deviation, 6.7 +/- 3.3 and 4.8 +/- 2 in tPA patients versus 0.9 +/- 3.2 and 0.5 +/- 2.6 in control subjects, P = 0.002). The tPA group had a non-statistically significantly shorter length of stay, decreased mortality, and better Glasgow Outcome Scale and modified Rankin Scale scores at discharge. Treated survivors showed a decreased need for shunt placement (2 [22%] of 9 patients versus 5 [83%] of 6 control subjects, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION This pilot study shows that IVen tPA administration is feasible without complications after SAH and may be associated with better outcomes. These results warrant a randomized clinical trial.
Mitochondrial toxins in models of neurodegenerative diseases. II: elevated zif268 transcription and independent temporal regulation of striatal D1 and D2 receptor mRNAs and D1 and D2 receptor-binding sites in C57BL/6 mice during MPTP treatment

Abstract Sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) may arise from a defect in complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), transmitted through mitochondrial DNA mutations. The N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of experimental PD is believed to arise from loss of complex I activity in dopamine (DA) neurons after accumulation of MPP+, a potent complex I inhibitor and the two electron monoamine oxidase B oxidation product of MPTP. Acute MPP+ infusion into striatum, possibly mimicking the in vivo situation after MPTP treatment, increases release of DA and production of hydroxyl radical (⋅OH). We treated C57BL/6 mice with MPTP and followed the expression of the immediate-early gene zif268 in striatum as a marker of DA synaptic activity, determined the pharmacology of its activation during MPTP toxicity, and assayed the time course of MPTP effects on striatal DA transporter (DAT), and D1 and D2 DA receptor-binding sites and their mRNAs. MPTP (24 mg/kg b.i.d. for 4 doses) increased striatal zif268 expression, with peak effects observed 24 h after starting MPTP. Increased striatal zif268 was dependent mainly on DA D1 and to a lesser extent on non-NMDA glutamate receptors and was not altered by inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Our MPTP schedule resulted in a loss of about one-third of nigral DA neurons. We observed with [3H]mazindol autoradiography that loss of striatal DAT sites after starting MPTP was heterogenous and greatest in centromedial striatum, reached a maximum at 48 h and showed a slight recovery at 2 weeks. Striatal D1 and D2 receptor-binding sites (measured with [3H]SCH23390 and [3H]spiperone binding, respectively) and mRNA levels for D1 and D2 receptors (determined with quantitative in situ hybridization) were altered after MPTP treatment in temporally independent manners. MPTP toxicity to the nigrostriatal system likely induces substantial striatal DA release in vivo and stimulates transcription of at least one major IEG, zif268, in striatal neurons. Increased striatal zif268 expression after MPTP appears to derive mainly from DA released onto D1 receptors, not by a NO-dependent process which has been described in striatal neurons in vitro. The rapid loss of striatal DA terminals after MPTP treatment alters D1 and D2 receptor sites independently of changes in their mRNA levels. Increased D1 and D2 gene transcription in this model may depend on re-innervation by DA terminals of striatal neurons and likely is not related to the increased zif268 transcription observed after MPTP.
Photochemical Alkylation of Inorganic Selenium in the Presence of Low Molecular Weight Organic Acids

Using a flow-through photochemical reactor and a low pressure mercury lamp as a UV source, alkyl selenium species are formed from inorganic selenium(IV) in the presence of low molecular weight organic acids (LMW acids). The volatile alkyl Se species were cryogenically trapped and identified by GC-MS and GC-ICP-MS. In the presence of formic, acetic, propionic and malonic acids, inorganic selenium(IV) is converted by UV irradiation to volatile selenium hydride and carbonyl, dimethylselenide and diethylselenide, respectively. Se(IV) was successfully removed from contaminated agricultural drainage waters (California, U.S.A.) using a batch photoreactor system Se. Photochemical alkylation may thus offer a promising means of converting toxic selenium salts, present in contaminated water, to less toxic dimethylselenide. The LMW acids and photochemical alkylation process may also be key to understanding the source of atmospheric selenium and are likely involved in its mobility in the natural anaerobic environment.
Phytochemical composition and thermal stability of two commercial açai species, Euterpe oleracea and Euterpe precatoria.

Abstract Acai fruit are native to the Amazon region of South America and two predominant species are commercially exported as fruit pulps for use in food and beverage applications. Detailed characterisation of the polyphenolic compounds present in the de-seeded fruits of Euterpe oleracea and Euterpe precatoria species were conducted by HPLC–ESI–MS n analyses and their thermal stability and overall influence on antioxidant capacity were determined. Anthocyanins were the predominant polyphenolics in both E. oleracea (2247 ± 23 mg/kg) and E. precatoria (3,458 ± 16 mg/kg) species, and accounted for nearly 90% of the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity in both E. oleracea (87.4 ± 4.4 μmol TE/g) and E. precatoria (114 ± 6.9 μmol TE/g) fruits. Various flavones, including homoorientin, orientin, taxifolin deoxyhexose and isovitexin; various flavanol derivatives, including (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, procyanidin dimers and trimers, and phenolic acids, including protocatechuic, p -hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic and ferulic acids, were also present in both species. Thermal stability of these compounds was evaluated, following a thermal holding cycle (80 °C for up to 60 min) in the presence and absence of oxygen. Both species experienced only minor changes ( E. oleracea and 10.3 ± 1.1% of anthocyanins in E. precatoria were lost under these conditions, regardless of the presence of oxygen. Proportional decreases (10–25%) in antioxidant capacity accompanied the anthocyanin changes. Results suggest that both acai species are characterised by similar polyphenolic profiles, comparable antioxidant capacities, yet only moderate phytochemical stability during heating.
The “Effects” of infant day care reconsidered

Evidence concerning the developmental correlates of nonmaternal care in the first year of life are examined with respect to infant-mother attachment and subsequent social development. Even though the evidence is somewhat inconsistent, a circumstantial case remarkably consistent with attachment theory can be made that extensive infant day care experience is associated with insecure attachment during infancy and heightened aggressiveness and noncompliance during the preschool and early school-age years. Several studies indicate that such later consequences may dissipate over time, but it is not evident that this is always the case. It is concluded that some nonmaternal care arrangement in the first year for more than 20 hours per week may be a risk factor in the emergence of developmental difficulties and that the ultimate consequences of such risk are best understood in the context of characteristics of the child, the family, and the caregiving milieu. It is emphasized that this reading of the literature carries with it no inevitable implications for public policy.
A review of human resource accounting measurement systems from a measurement theory perspective

Abstract Currently, a large number of diverse methodologies exist which apply to the measurement of human resources. This paper attempts to clarify and evaluate these methodologies by the application of a measurement theory frame of reference. The first two sections discuss the measurement theory perspective and then its application to human resource accounting. The last section focuses upon the operational steps necessary to apply measurement theory to the human resource accounting area.
Lymphotropic nanoparticle-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (LNMRI) identifies occult lymph node metastases in prostate cancer patients prior to salvage radiation therapy

Twenty-six patients with prostate cancer status post-radical prostatectomy who were candidates for salvage radiation therapy (SRT) underwent lymphotropic nanoparticle enhanced MRI (LNMRI) using superparamagnetic nanoparticle ferumoxtran-10. LNMRI was well tolerated, with only two adverse events, both Grade 2. Six (23%) of the 26 patients, previously believed to be node negative, tested lymph node positive by LNMRI. A total of nine positive lymph nodes were identified in these six patients, none of which were enlarged based on size criteria.
Effects of N,N-dimethylformamide and extracellular matrix on transforming growth factor-β binding to a human colon carcinoma cell line

Alterations in the binding of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) to the MOSER human colon carcinoma cell line caused by N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) or extracellular matrix (ECM) were examined. DMF induced a more differentiated phenotype in the MOSER cells and resulted in a twofold increase in TGF-beta binding to the cells. This was due to an increase in receptor number with no significant alteration in the KD. The extent of increased TGF-beta binding was dependent on the dose and time of exposure to DMF. Upon removal of DMF, the receptor level returned to that of untreated cells within 6 hr. The binding of TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2 to the cells was increased equally. Despite this increase in TGF-beta binding in the presence of DMF, the sensitivity of the MOSER cells to the growth inhibitory effects of TGF-beta was unaltered. Growth of the MOSER cells on ECM derived from a well-differentiated colon cell line increased the TGF-beta receptor number twofold without altering the KD. No change was observed if the MOSER cells were grown on ECM derived from a poorly differentiated cell line. While no alteration in sensitivity to TGF-beta was observed on cells grown in the presence of DMF, MOSER cells grown on the ECM derived from well-differentiated colon carcinoma cell lines were twofold more sensitive to the growth inhibitory effects of TGF-beta. These results indicated that growth conditions which resulted in a more differentiated phenotype resulted in an increase in the cellular receptors for TGF-beta.
Frederick Douglass and the early social psychology of racial oppression

Abstract Frederick Douglass brought an extraordinarily logical mind, breadth of historical and social science knowledge, commitment to discovery and expression of truth, and keen observation to analysis of race and gender relations and scientific racism in the United States. Douglass's social psychology of racism and liberation is more insightful and modern than that of his American contemporaries, and not equaled until the middle of the 20th century. Similarities between the major turn-of-the-century African American sociologists and “students of sociology,” Anna Julia Cooper, W.E.B. DuBois, Kelly Miller, Mary Church Terrell, and Ida B. Wells and other evidence strongly suggests that Frederick Douglass had a strong influence upon certain aspects of their thought, that Douglass may be considered to be the anchor of the White racism emphasis in Afro-American sociological thought. Based upon this analysis it is recommended that Afro-Americanists take several steps to appropriately review and evaluate Douglass's thought in planning research and teaching.
A dark channel approach to quantify aerosol properties using a commercial digital camera

We show how a digital image restoration algorithm used for haze removal and a consumer camera can be used to measure aerosol optical thickness and aerosol particle size parameters.
Learning, expectations, and the cobweb model

The conclusions which may be drawn from this essay are modest, but they merit reiteration. There are two basic modifications of the simple cobweb model which appear to be useful. On the one hand, the learning-behavior hypothesis serves as a stabilizer. On the other, unilateral coupling provides a method of maintaining fluctuations in an otherwise stable model. When the two are combined, one obtains a modified cobweb which may be both a more useful empirical, and a more suggestive theoretical, model of individual markets. On these grounds, it seems reasonable to suggest that the cobweb may see thirty more years of useful service.
Simulation of electron transfer between cytochrome C2 and the bacterial photosynthetic reaction center: Brownian dynamics analysis of the native proteins and double mutants.

Electron transfer is essential for bacterial photosynthesis which converts light energy into chemical energy. This paper theoretically studies the interprotein electron transfer from cytochrome c2 of Rhodobacter capsulatus to the photosynthetic reaction center of Rhodobacter sphaeroides in native and mutated systems. Brownian dynamics is used with an exponential distance-dependent electron-transfer rate model to compute bimolecular rate constants, which are consistent with experimental data when reasonable prefactors and decay constants are used. Interestingly, switching of the reaction mechanism from the diffusion-controlled limit in the native proteins to the activation-controlled limit in one of the mutants (DK(L261)/KE(C99)) was found. We also predict that the second-order rate for the native reaction center/cytochrome c2 system will decrease with increasing ionic strength, a characteristic of electrostatically controlled docking.
New agents on the horizon in hepatocellular carcinoma

Despite the successful approval and extensive application of sorafenib, the prognosis for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains poor. Fortunately, there have been renewed and continued interests and active research in developing other molecularly targeted agents in HCC during the past few years. While there is early evidence of antitumor activity of several agents in phase I/II studies, phase III efforts with a few targeted agents have failed, highlighting the challenges of new drug development in HCC. This review summarizes the current status of other molecularly targeted agents under development in advanced HCC.
Long-period ground motions and dynamic strain field of Los Angeles basin during large earthquakes

Abstract During a big earthquake along the San Andreas fault in southern California, high excitation and low attenuation of long-period (3 to 10 sec) strong ground motions will cause wave motions to propagate efficiently far from the epicentral area. These ground motions could potentially be destructive to large-dimension structures in the Los Angeles basin. We performed calculations using the surface-wave Gaussian beam method for a 3D southern California crustal structure. Displacement field as well as the associated dynamic strain field produced by large propagating ruptures along the San Andreas fault are evaluated. Results indicate that in the presence of lateral heterogeneity, focusing and multipathing interference contribute significantly to a complex pattern of the displacement field and the associated dynamic strain field. For a big event on the San Andreas fault with a seismic moment of 1.8 × 10 28 dyne-cm, long-period displacement in the Los Angeles basin could reach a maximum amplitude of meters in places. Since this calculation is fast, we have evaluated the displacement field for a dense grid of points; a differentiation gives the corresponding effective horizontal dynamic strain field. At times, the maximum effective dynamic strains may reach mid-10 −3 to even 10 −3 —high enough to be of engineering concern. This computational result probably gives the upper bound values due to the large source assumed. For events of smaller seismic moment release along less extensive ruptures, these results can easily be scaled down proportionally. Different scenarios are considered in this study with different slip distributions. It is found that with a given seismic moment, a more evenly distributed fault slip over the rupture surface will result in lower peak values on both displacements and dynamic strains. Our displacement results give similar values to those obtained by Kanamori using empirical Green9s functions but substantially higher than Bouchon and Aki9s results.
Introduction of Guest Peptides into Escherichia coli Alkaline Phosphatase EXCISION AND PURIFICATION OF A DYNORPHIN ANALOGUE FROM AN ACTIVE CHIMERIC PROTEIN

High relative mutability may be a common property of the surfaces of all or most proteins and may be exploited during evolution not only to alter molecular recognition but to modify catalytic functions as well. Conservative amino acid substitutions often can be expected to cause minimal structural alterations, but the properties of protein surfaces and the mechanisms of protein folding that accommodate length variation without loss of function are not understood. To begin to study these aspects of protein structure and folding, we have constructed short amino acid insertions in the Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase polypeptide by linker insertion mutagenesis of the phoA gene and have examined correlations between mutant protein function and position of the insertions relative to the x-ray map of wild type alkaline phosphatase determined by Wycoff and colleagues (Sowadski, J. M., Foster, B. A., and Wycoff, H. W. (1981) J. Mol. Biol. 150, 245-272). Mutant protein enzymatic function was generally tolerant of insertions in exterior loops, but was inactivated by insertion within alpha-helical or beta-strand structural elements. We further demonstrate that these tolerant surface loops can serve as vehicles for high level expression and stabilization of larger foreign peptide sequences, using a 15-residue analogue of dynorphin as an example. Insertion of the dynorphin "guest" peptide probably caused only a local structural perturbation of the alkaline phosphatase carrier since the hybrid protein retained enzymatic activity, was exported efficiently to the periplasmic space, and could be purified by anion-exchange chromatography using a protocol developed for alkaline phosphatase itself. The gust peptide was recovered from one of these fusion proteins intact and in high yield by protease digestion in vitro and was then purified by cation-exchange chromatography to near homogeneity in a single step.
Hippocampal Place Cell Instability after Lesions of the Head Direction Cell Network

The occurrence of cells that encode spatial location (place cells) or head direction (HD cells) in the rat limbic system suggests that these cell types are important for spatial navigation. We sought to determine whether place fields of hippocampal CA1 place cells would be altered in animals receiving lesions of brain areas containing HD cells. Rats received bilateral lesions of anterodorsal thalamic nuclei (ADN), postsubiculum (PoS), or sham lesions, before place cell recording. Although place cells from lesioned animals did not differ from controls on many place-field characteristics, such as place-field size and infield firing rate, the signal was significantly degraded with respect to measures of outfield firing rate, spatial coherence, and information content. Surprisingly, place cells from lesioned animals were more likely modulated by the directional heading of the animal. Rotation of the landmark cue showed that place fields from PoS-lesioned animals were not controlled by the cue and shifted unpredictably between sessions. Although fields from ADN-lesioned animals tended to have less landmark control than fields from control animals, this impairment was mild compared with cells recorded from PoS-lesioned animals. Removal of the prominent visual cue also led to instability of place-field representations in PoS-lesioned, but not ADN-lesioned, animals. Together, these findings suggest that an intact HD system is not necessary for the maintenance of place fields, but lesions of brain areas that convey the HD signal can degrade this signal, and lesions of the PoS might lead to perceptual or mnemonic deficits, leading to place-field instability between sessions.
Phosphoinositide 3-kinase activity controls the chemoattractant-mediated activation and adaptation of adenylyl cyclase.

The binding of chemoattractants to cognate G protein-coupled receptors activates a variety of signaling cascades that provide spatial and temporal cues required for chemotaxis. When subjected to uniform stimulation, these responses are transient, showing an initial peak of activation followed by a period of adaptation, in which activity subsides even in the presence of stimulus. A tightly regulated balance between receptor-mediated stimulatory and inhibitory pathways controls the kinetics of activation and subsequent adaptation. In Dictyostelium, the adenylyl cyclase expressed during aggregation (ACA), which synthesizes the chemoattractant cAMP, is essential to relay the signal to neighboring cells. Here, we report that cells lacking phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity are deficient in signal relay. In LY294002-treated cells, this defect is because of a loss of ACA activation. In contrast, in cells lacking PI3K1 and PI3K2, the signal relay defect is because of a loss of ACA adaptation. We propose that the residual low level of 3-phosphoinositides in pi3k1-/2- cells is sufficient to generate the initial peak of ACA activity, yet is insufficient to sustain the inhibitory phase required for its adaptation. Thus, PI3K activity is poised to regulate both ACA activation and adaptation, thereby providing a link to ensure the proper balance of counteracting signals required to maintain optimal chemoresponsiveness.
A protease storm cleaves a cell-cell adhesion molecule in cancer: multiple proteases converge to regulate PTPmu in glioma cells

Cleavage of the cell–cell adhesion molecule, PTPµ, occurs in human glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor tissue and glioma cell lines. PTPµ cleavage is linked to increased cell motility and growth factor independent survival of glioma cells in vitro. Previously, PTPµ was shown to be cleaved by furin in the endoplasmic reticulum to generate membrane associated E- (extracellular) and P- (phosphatase) subunits, and by ADAMs and the gamma secretase complex at the plasma membrane. We also identified the presence of additional extracellular and intracellular PTPµ fragments in brain tumors. We set out to biochemically analyze PTPµ cleavage in cancer cells. We determined that, in addition to the furin-processed form of PTPµ, a pool of 200 kDa full-length PTPµ exists at the plasma membrane that is cleaved directly by ADAM to generate a larger shed form of the PTPµ extracellular segment. Notably, in glioma cells, full-length PTPµ is also subject to calpain cleavage, which generates novel PTPµ fragments not found in other immortalized cells. We also observed glycosylation and phosphorylation differences in the cancer cells. Our data suggest that an additional serine protease also contributes to PTPµ shedding in glioma cells. We hypothesize that a “protease storm” occurs in cancer cells whereby multiple proteases converge to reduce the presence of cell–cell adhesion molecules at the plasma membrane and to generate protein fragments with unique biological functions. As a consequence, the “protease storm” could promote the migration and invasion of tumor cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 115: 1609–1623, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Communications: LSI helps telephones go digital: Low-cost, high-density chips accelerate the digital design of switching systems, terminals, and networks

Considers the advent of LSI devices for applications in the telecommunication industry leading to the changeover from analogue to fully digital networks. The importance of microelectronics in terms of reliability, cost-effectiveness and operation are discussed.
Tear film, contact lens, and patient-related factors associated with contact lens-related dry eye.

Purpose To examine tear film, contact lens, medical, and patient-related factors associated with self-reported contact lens-related dry eye. Methods Four hundred fifteen contact lens wearers were recruited and enrolled in this phase of a larger cross-sectional study. A variety of tear film (e.g., interferometry, osmolality, phenol red thread, meibography, fluorescein, and lissamine green staining), contact lens (i.e., water content, refractive index, material), and patient-related (e.g., gender, sociodemographic, education, income, and medical health) factors were examined in relation to dry eye status. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the relation between these tear film, contact lens, and patient-related factors associated with dry eye status. Results Of the 415 enrolled, the data from 360 were used in the analyses. The average age was 31.1 +/- 11.5 years, 245 (68%) participants were female, and 55.3% were classified as having-contact lens-related dry eye via self-report. Overall, 327 (90.8%) were hydrogel lens wearers and 33 (9.2%) were gas-permeable lens wearers. Several factors were shown to be related to dry eye status in multivariate modeling, including female gender (P = 0.007), lenses with higher nominal water content (P = 0.002), rapid prelens tear film thinning time (P = 0.008), frequent usage of over-the-counter pain medication (P = 0.02), limbal injection (P = 0.03), and increased tear film osmolality (P = 0.05). Conclusions Contact lens-related dry eye may be explained mechanistically by increased tear film thinning times (evaporation or dewetting) resulting in increased tear film osmolality. Other contributing factors include the use of high-water-content lenses, which have traditionally been reported to be associated with less patient comfort than lower-water-content lenses, potentially due to spoilation and deposition. As found in other studies of dry eye, women are more likely to report contact lens-related dry eye than are men.