cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxidation of thiol-proteases in the hippocampus of Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract The hippocampus of Alzheimer’s disease brain has been shown to be highly oxidized compared to age-matched controls. One of the most sensitive targets of oxidation is anionic sulfur which can be found within the active site of members of the cysteine-protease family. Thus, while members of the cysteine-protease family such as the calpains and caspases have been found to be in an active conformation in vulnerable brain regions in AD it is possible that their proteolytic activity is hampered due to the robust oxidative stress found at these locations. To address this issue, the amount of caseinolytic activity present in the hippocampus from post-mortem brain samples of AD and age-matched controls was determined. No difference in caseinolytic activity in the absence of exogenous reducing agent was observed between AD and control. However, after addition of the thiol-specific reducing agent, dithiothreitol (DTT), the amount of caseinolytic activity was significantly increased in AD compared to the DTT-mediated increase in control. This suggests that the cysteine proteases are more oxidized in AD brain and that latent proteolytic activity in AD brain can be released by antioxidants. Further testing revealed that the calcium-dependent caseinolytic activity was significantly lower in AD brain compared to controls. This is despite the fact that the major calcium-dependent thiol protease, calpain, is threefold more activated in AD brain based on autolytic activation measured by Western blotting. This calcium-dependent protease difference between AD and control brains was negated by addition of DTT. These data suggest that cysteine protease activity in AD brain is inactivated by oxidants, which is evident by the ability of thiol-specific reducing agents such as DTT to rescue and recover activity.
Popular culture and critical media literacy in adult education: Theory and practice

This chapter introduces the volume, provides an overview of the theory and literature on popular culture and critical media literacy in education, and discusses ways to use popular culture in adult education.
Defining the Fresnel zone for broadband radiation

The concept of the Fresnel zone is central to many areas of imaging. In tomographic imaging, the transverse spatial resolution can be limited by the size of the first Fresnel zone, usually defined only for monochromatic radiation. With the increasing prevalence of broadband tomographic imaging systems, a generalization of this concept is required. Here, a proposed generalization is described in the context of femtosecond optics, and experimentally verified using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. Based on this definition, a simple zone plate design is demonstrated.
Momentum conservation in the Aharonov-Bohm effect

In the Aharonov-Casher effect, the neutron exerts a non-vanishing force on a static line charge (a charged wire). The reaction of this force is the time rate of change of the electromagnetic momentum.
The effect of dideoxycytidine on lymphocyte subpopulations in nonhuman primates.

Abstract The Effect of Dideoxycytidine on Lymphocyte Subpopulations in Nonhuman Primates. Taylor, L. D., Binienda, Z., Schmued, L., and Slikker, W., Jr. (1994). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 23, 434-438. In the present study, 2′,3′dideoxycytidine (ddC), which has antiretroviral activity, was given chronically to uninfected nonhuman primates to determine whether it produces adverse immunological or hematological effects. Nine healthy adult male rhesus monkeys were divided into three groups and given the following doses of ddC in a gelatin vehicle; group A, 0.06, 6.0, 3.0, and 1.5 mg/kg; group B, 0.6 mg/kg; group C, 0 mg/kg. Blood samples were collected for hematologic analysis and flow cytometric analyses of lymphocyte subpopulations. Chronic ddC exposure did not cause significant changes in the number of red blood cells, monocytes, or reticulocytes. The number of white blood cells and neutrophils increased and these changes were observed only in group A animals at the 1.5 mg/kg dose. The most significant alterations observed were decreases in the number of T helper cells (CD4) and B cells (CD20). CD4 + and CD20 + lymphocytes exhibited dose-related shifts that were reversible over time and after drug withdrawal. The results indicate that ddC has few hematologic effects but it does have profound but transient effects on the number of cells in lymphocyte subpopulations in normal primates.
Finite deformations of an initially stressed cylindrical shell under internal pressure

Abstract This paper investigates the large deformations of an extended thick cylindrical tube under internal pressure, with emphasis on the static nonlinear behavior and instabilities of the shell. Thick elastic tubes that undergo large elastic deformations under internal pressure can exhibit novel instabilities. After some deformation, part of the tube becomes highly deformed taking the form of a bulge, while the remainder appears almost unchanged. This local instability phenomenon corresponds to a limit point along the nonlinear equilibrium path. After the onset of these highly nonuniform deformations, the local bulge initially grows with a marked decrease in internal pressure while the rest of the tube unloads. First, a detailed experimental analysis is carried out involving different geometries and initial axial forces and the influence of the axial force and of the internal pressure on the critical pressure is investigated. The shell used in the experiments is composed of an isotropic, homogeneous and hyperelastic rubber, which is modeled as a Mooney–Rivlin incompressible material, described by two elastic constants. These constants are obtained by comparing the experimental and numerical solutions for the shell under axial tension. The governing shell equations are solved numerically using the finite-element method, using the program ABAQUS. The experimental results are, as shown in the paper, in satisfactory agreement with the numerical analysis.
Impact of depression on quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) directly as well as indirectly through suicide

Purpose To estimate quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) loss among US adults due to depression and QALE losses associated with the increased risk of suicide attributable to depression.
Characterization and regulation of H‐K ATPase in intercalated cells of rabbit cortical collecting duct

K-dependent H+ extrusion was investigated using fluorescence techniques in rabbit cortical collecting tubules (CCTs). Experiments were performed in split-open tubules from normal animals exposed to the intracellular pH indicator 2′,7′-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF). This preparation permitted the study of individual intercalated cells (Ics). In the Ics, partial recovery of pHi was observed in response to an acute acid load upon readdition of 5 mM K to the superfusate. This recovery was SCH 28080-inhibitable (10–5 M) and ouabain-insensitive suggesting the process is mediated by a gastric-type H-K ATPase. To see if H-K ATPase plays a role in acid secretion its function was evaluated under chronic metabolic acidosis (CMA) conditions. CMA was induced by replacing drinking water with 75 mM NH4Cl in 5% sucrose for 10–14 days. The SCH 28080-inhibitable K-dependent pHi recovery rate was three-fold higher in CMA ICs compared to controls. To determine the location of the H-K ATPase, CCTs were microperfused and individual peanut lectin binding (PNA) ICs studied. K-dependent pHi recovery was measured in response to an NH4Cl pulse. An apical SCH 28080-inhibited K-dependent pHi recovery process was observed in control and CMA Ics. Taken together these data confirm the existence of a gastric-type H-K ATPase in ICs of rabbit CCT. Based on our findings the H-K ATPase is found on the apical side of the cell and is stimulated under conditions of CMA. J. Exp. Zool. 279:443–455, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Finding Alternative Sources of Revenue

ABSTRACT As state support dollars shrink at public research institutions, the University of Arizona (UA) Libraries—like others—have had to seek revenue from other sources. Cafes, for-credit courses, grants, and partnerships with athletics departments are just a few of the ways libraries are supplementing their budgets. This article gives an overview of revenue-generation ideas and issues to consider. At the UA Libraries, a student fee has been a significant source of funding and tips are offered here for getting a student fee approved. Finally, since funding shortages are likely to be an ongoing challenge, the importance of training and instruction in fundraising is emphasized.
Factors Contributing to Ongoing Intimate Partner Abuse: Childhood Betrayal Trauma and Dependence on One’s Perpetrator

Identifying the factors that contribute to ongoing intimate partner abuse (IPA) among survivors of childhood abuse is essential to developing appropriate interventions. The current study assessed prospectively whether childhood betrayal trauma (BT) history and women's potential dependence on their perpetrators (unemployment, number of children below 13) increased women's risk of ongoing victimization, while controlling for trauma-related symptoms (PTSD, depression, dissociation). Women survivors of IPA (N = 190) from an urban U.S. city were recruited based on an IPA incident reported to the police. At the initial interview, women reported on childhood betrayal trauma experiences, their employment status, number of children, and current trauma-related symptoms. Women returned 6 months later and reported on ongoing events of victimization (physical, sexual, psychological aggression, and injury) in their relationships with the initial IPA perpetrator. Results showed that higher levels of childhood BT were associated with ongoing victimization over the course of 6 months. Women's unemployment status predicted greater physical and sexual aggression and injuries. Higher levels of depression and lower levels of PTSD symptoms were also associated with increases in physical, sexual, and psychological aggression, and bodily injury. The findings have important implications for interventions by demonstrating the need to process women's betrayal trauma experiences, target depression symptoms, and increase women's economic opportunities to prevent further victimization.
Using Artwork and Photography to Explore Adolescent Females' Perceptions of Dating Relationships

Approximately 75% of young people report being involved in dating relationships by the eighth grade (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2005). This indicates a significant need to understand how adolescents conceptualize dating relationships. More specifically, there is minimal literature on how adolescents define healthy and unhealthy relationships. This qualitative study used artwork and photography as stimuli for a focus group, exploring 7 adolescent females' perceptions of healthy and unhealthy aspects of relationships. Implications for practitioners are provided. Professional and cultural implications for practitioners are included.
A rule-based lens model

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel approach, called the rule-based lens model (RLM) to model human judgment of a probabilistic criterion. Our method is motivated by a shortcoming of an existing linear-additive model of judgment based on the lens model equation (LME) to adequately represent all rule-based relationships. Through the use of a simple example, we demonstrate the shortcoming of the additive model and set the context for our generalized rule-based formulation of Brunswik's conceptual lens model. To investigate the behavior of our model and the relationship to the traditional lens model based on the LME, we simulate human judgments and criterion values in a “drosophila” domain where the parameters of the problem in terms of the number of cues, organizing principle of the criterion, organizing principle of the judge and the extent of uncertainty within the system can be systematically varied. Our efforts represent a first step toward the formulation of a generalized lens model framework. Relevance to industry The findings of the proposed research would provide theoretical basis toward the design of decision-aiding and decision-training systems that are adapted to human decision strategies.
Risk assessment near uncontrolled hazardous waste sites: Role of monitoring data.

The traditional approach of coupling estimates of human exposures to individual chemicals with laboratory studies of the toxicity of the chemicals as the basis for quantitative assessments of risk is not adequate when considering problems near hazardous waste sites. For example, there are (a) too many chemicals and mixtures involved, (b) containment uncertainties, and (c) future exposure problems associated with groundwater and soil contamination. Among the items to be considered in expanding the dimensions of risk assessment methodologies of the past are (a) identification of chemical groups or of dominant toxic chemicals of principal concern and the likely man-made as well as natural pathways for environmental migration, (b) the role of biological monitoring in addition to traditional monitoring approaches, and (c) the coupling of monitoring data with past, current, and future population activity patterns and with epidemiological and other health data.
Treatment Decisions After Severe Stroke: Uncertainty and Biases

Stroke demands our attention because it is common, disabling, and deadly. One in 15 patients requires mechanical ventilation on admission, 1 in 20 patients is discharged from the acute care hospital with a feeding tube, and 1 in 5 patients requires institutional care at 3 months after stroke.1 Most patients with severe stroke who die, do so in the setting of withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (LST),2 and this decision is typically made by physicians who predict a poor outcome and surrogates who are asked to articulate the patient’s preferences3: "she would not want to live like that." When prognosis is certain and the outcome unacceptable, the decision to withdraw or withhold LST may be relatively straightforward, although emotionally challenging. In most severe strokes, however, decisions are made when prognosis is uncertain and when what constitutes an acceptable outcome is unknown. In this article, we explore the uncertainties and biases that influence these life-and-death decisions. Such biases can lead to errors in decision making and ultimately the overuse or underuse of LST. Hence, the need is urgent to understand better the factors that contribute to optimal -decision making.4 Surviving a severe stroke means living with disability. Treatment decisions, thus, frequently involve trade-offs.5 Three typical preference-sensitive decisions after severe stroke are mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, and surgical decompression for hemorrhagic or ischemic strokes with life-threatening mass effect. All of these LSTs reduce the risk of death but increase the chance of survival.6–8 Although one individual may choose life at all costs, even when evidence predicts severe disability, another may refuse LSTs despite a prospect of surviving with a modest deficit, trading off the possibility of survival in an undesirable health state for the more desirable outcome of death. In the acute setting, withdrawal …
Profiles of managerial activities in small firms

This paper addresses the contingency issues of managerial activities and reports the results of a study that configures such activities in small firms. In a survey of CEOs and top executives, data on planning, organizing, and controlling activities as well as entrepreneurial orientation and environmental turbulence were collected and used in the development of a taxonomy. Findings demonstrate that (1) small firms can be classified based on perceived differences in strategy, structure, and the environments they face, and (2) they display managerial and structural consistency when faced with similar contextual situations. The taxonomy developed in this study suggests that four distinct configurations describe the managerial profiles among small firms. Each profile and its corresponding contingency characteristics are discussed and managerial and research implications elaborated.
Studies of marked and persistent sodium retention in previously fasted and sodium-deprived obese subjects.

Abstract To further delineate the effects of fasting and sodium deprivation on the handling of sodium when sodium intake is resumed, balance studies were performed on seven obese female subjects. All subjects underwent a period of total fasting, which continued for 27 to 29 days prior to resumption of sodium intake. Natriuresis in the first week of fasting and continued sodium chloride deprivation resulted in cumulative deficits of 383 ± 47 mEq (SEM) and 371 ± 41 mEq of sodium and chloride, respectively. Chloride space decreased from 21.2 ± 2.7 L to 18.7 ± 2.5 L, and aldosterone secretory rates (ASR) increased from 43 ± 13 μ g 24 h to 597 ± 138 μ g 24 h . Following resumption of sodium intake and simultaneous refeeding on low calorie diets in studies on four subjects (group I), cumulative sodium balances during the first seven days ranged from +586 mEq to +1,109 mEq; sodium retained/previously existing sodium deficit = 2.4, 3.2, 2.0, and 1.6 in the four subjects, respectively. Continued sodium retention resulted in cumulative sodium balances ranging from +670 mEq to +1,249 mEq at the end of 19 to 22 days in studies on three subjects. In the subjects whose cumulative sodium balance was +1,249 mEq, sodium retained/sodium deficit = 3.6. During the first five days of sodium intake and refeeding ASR decreased to 74 ± 26 μ g 24 h . Sodium chloride administration without refeeding in studies on three subjects (group II) also resulted in retention of more than enough sodium to replenish previously existing sodium deficits. Cumulative sodium balances in two subjects who remained in positive sodium balance without resumption of caloric intake for 29 days were +820 mEq and +922 mEq, respectively. Subsequent refeeding, with only minor changes in sodium intake, resulted in additional sodium retention in all subjects. Cumulative sodium balances at the time of maximal sodium retention were similar to those observed in the studies on group I subjects. These studies identify two components to the sodium retention that occurs during refeeding and resumption of sodium intake after prolonged fasting and sodium deprivation, only one of which can be related to restoration of caloric intake. The magnitude and persistence of sodium retention are consistent with the possibility that “resetting” of sodium homeostatic mechanisms may also be a factor in sodium handling by previously fasted and sodium-deprived subjects.
Threshold for diagnosing prostate cancer over time

Paralleling the detection of earlier prostate cancer over the last several years, there have been numerous efforts to educate practicing pathologists on the diagnosis of limited prostate cancer on needle biopsy via journal articles, Web sites, books, and educational courses. The current study was undertaken to assess whether the threshold for the diagnosis of prostate cancer on needle biopsy has lowered over time. One thousand twelve prostate needle biopsy cases obtained in consultation by 1 of the authors because of diagnostic concerns over a period of 12 weeks (November 15, 2001 to February 15, 2002) were reviewed. Cases referred by either the patient or clinicians were excluded. The final diagnoses in this series were compared with a previously published series of needle biopsy cases of the prostate seen in consultation by the same author in 1993-1994. The percentage of cancer in the 2001-2002 series was 55.1%, compared with 69.6% for the 1993-1994 series. The mean and median numbers of malignant glands in the 2001-2002 series (mean, 21.9; median, 14; range, 2 to 296) were significantly smaller than in the 1993-1994 series (mean, 31.0; median, 20; range, 2 to 300; P<0.00001). The incidence of atypical glands that were suspicious for but not diagnostic of carcinoma was 23.9% in the 2001-2002 series and was 10.7% in the 1993-1994 series. The mean and median numbers of atypical glands in the 2001-2002 series were 9.4 and 6, respectively (range, 1 to 70); these parameters were not available for the previous series. The percentage of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia diagnoses was similar in the 2001-2002 and 1993-1994 series (5.1% and 4.6%, respectively), as was the overall frequency of benign cases (15.8% and 15.1%, respectively). The percentage of cases that were accompanied by immunohistochemical stains for 34betaE12 in the 2001-2002 series was 44.4%, which was much more than the 2.5% seen in the 1993-1994 series; if anything, this should have resulted in a lower atypical rate in the current series. In more recent years, cases sent for consultation have more limited cancer, with a correspondingly higher percentage of cases that are diagnosed as atypical, yet not diagnostic of cancer. The number of atypical glands in the recent series was very limited, such that a change over time in the threshold for diagnosing cancer by the consultant is an unlikely explanation. It appears that pathologists are becoming more skilled at diagnosing limited prostate cancer and are referring predominantly cases with fewer cancer glands and more difficult atypical cases with few glands.
Home Literacy Exposure and Early Language and Literacy Skills in Children Who Struggle with Behavior and Attention Problems.

Research Findings: This study investigated the relationships between behavior and attention problems and early language and literacy outcomes for 4-year-olds who experienced varied early home literacy environments. Participants were 1,364 children enrolled in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Attention problems and early home literacy exposure both significantly predicted language and literacy outcomes when relevant covariates were controlled. There was also a significant interaction between behavior and attention problems and early home literacy exposure in predicting expressive language abilities. Specifically, early home literacy exposure was related to more advanced expressive language achievement for children with behavior problems. In contrast, children with attention problems performed below their peers on expressive language measures even when they received comparable early home literacy exposure. Practice or Policy: These...
SPEECH PRODUCTION: EVIDENCE FOR COROLLARY-DISCHARGE STABILIZATION OF PERCEPTUAL MECHANISMS

Warren (1961) reported that if one listens to a particular speech sound that is repeated over-and-over it will soon be heard as a different speech sound, a phenomenon that he has called the “verbal transformation effect.” 12 Ss participated in an experiment which demonstrated that a syllable one repeats aloud to himself will remain perceptually stable; nevertheless, if one then listens to a tape-recording of his own repetitions of the syllable, then he will hear it undergo transformations. Apparently, during the self-production of a speech sound, the perceptual mechanisms involved in its reception are alerted for that particular linguistic entity and as a consequence perceptual stability is maintained.
Shifts in certain optically-pumped stimulated emissions under multi-beam pumping

Abstract Recent studies have shown that the gain and the emission frequencies for certain optically-pumped stimulated emissions can be greatly modified during the interval of an excitation pulse through an interference effect. We show a novel means of producing two emission frequencies for a given stimulated transition through the use of bi-directional pump beams and we point to possible analytical applications of the phenomenon.
The relationships between edge localized modes suppression, pedestal profiles and lithium wall coatings in NSTX

Recently in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX), increasing lithium wall coatings suppressed edge localized modes (ELMs), gradually but not quite monotonically. This work details profile and stability analysis as ELMs disappeared throughout the lithium scan. While the quantity of lithium deposited between discharges did not uniquely determine the presence of ELMs, profile analysis demonstrated that lithium was correlated with wider density and pressure pedestals with peak gradients farther from the separatrix. Moreover, the ELMy and ELM-free discharges were cleanly separated by their density and pedestal widths and peak gradient locations. Ultimately, ELMs were only suppressed when lithium caused the density pedestal to widen and shift inward. These changes in the density gradient were directly reflected in the pressure gradient and calculated bootstrap current. This supports the theory that ELMs in NSTX are caused by peeling and/or ballooning modes, as kink/peeling modes are stabilized when the edge current and pressure gradient shift away from the separatrix. Edge stability analysis using ELITE corroborated this picture, as reconstructed equilibria from ELM-free discharges were generally farther from their kink/peeling stability boundaries than ELMy discharges. We conclude that density profile control provided by lithium is the key first step to ELM suppression in NSTX.
Quality of Fresh-cut Apple Slices as Affected by Low-dose Ionizing Radiation and Calcium Ascorbate Treatment

ABSTRACT: Although ionizing radiation effectively inactivates food-borne bacterial pathogens in fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, it may adversely affect product quality. In this study, the effects of calcium ascorbate (CaA) and ionizing radiation on quality of ‘Gala’ apple slices under modified atmosphere packaging were investigated. ‘Gala’ apple slices, treated with water or 7% CaA followed by either nonirradiation (0 kGy) or irradiation at 0.5 and 1.0 kGy, were stored at 10°C for up to 3 wk. The titratable acidity, pH, firmness, ascorbic acid content, color, and microflora population were measured weekly throughout storage. Irradiation did not affect titratable acidity and pH of sliced apples. Fruit slices softened during irradiation and storage, but this decrease in firmness during storage was reduced by the CaA treatment. Although the ascorbic acid content of apple slices treated with CaA decreased rapidly during storage, the ascorbic acid content was always higher in those treated samples than in the apple slices treated with water. Irradiation decreased both L* and hue values of apple slices. Hue values decreased during the entire storage period while L* increased during the 1st wk of storage, then decreased between 1 to 3 wk of storage. CaA increased L* and hue values of apple slices, suggesting CaA reduced browning, even in irradiated samples. The microflora population of apples slices was not affected by CaA, and CaA treatment did not alter the reduction in microflora by irradiation. The combination of CaA and irradiation enhanced microbial food safety while maintaining quality of fresh-cut apple slices.
Mono-Protected Diamines. N-tert-Butoxycarbonyl-α,ω-Alkanediamines from α,ω-Alkanediamines

Abstract We wish to report a convenient pathway to N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-α,ω-alkanediamines 2a-e [H2N(CH2)χNHBOC; χ=2, 3, 4, 5 and 6; (75–90% yields)] by treatment of the corresponding α,ω-alkanediamine with di-tert-butyl dicarbonate in dioxane as the solvent. Only small amounts of the bis-substituted N.N′-tert-butoxycarbonyl-α,ω-alkanediamines 3a-e were formed (2–9%) which were easily removed by an aqueous workup. The α,ω-alkane-aza-diamine 4 was also mono-protected (62% yield of 5) by the same methodology.
Dirac brackets for general relativity on a null cone

The Hamiltonian for the Einstein equations is constructed on a outgoing null cone with the help of the usual null tetrad. The resulting null surface constraints are shown to be second class in the terminology of Dirac. These second class constraints are eliminated by use of the “starring” procedure of Bergmann and Komar.
Water Spray and Immersion in Chemical Sanitizer to Lower Bacterial Numbers on Broiler Transport Coop Flooring

Broiler transport coops become soiled with feces during use. When this fecal matter contains Campylobacter, the result can be cross-contamination of subsequent flocks that were previously free of this important human pathogen. Because washing and sanitizing coops requires large amounts of water and is not always effective enough to justify the expense, few broiler companies wash and sanitize dump coops between flocks. In this lab-scale study, a tap water spray was effective in lowering the numbers of bacteria, including Campylobacter, associated with broiler transport coop flooring. Immersion in a chemical sanitizer after spray washing did not enhance the antibacterial effect. It is possible that sanitizing treatments could be made more effective by using higher concentrations of chemicals, high temperature treatment, or high pressure or repeated applications of water spray. However, such changes would come at a cost. Research is needed to find new and innovative ways to lower bacterial numbers in broiler transport coops without undue use of water and the associated expense.
Analysis of a distributed group technology methodology

Abstract Group Technology (GT) is a methodology that utilizes the similarity among parts or machine features. As such, the relevant features of the parts have to be considered in order to get the best grouping. This information is required in advance and has to remain constant. Contemporary manufacturing, on the other hand, advocates flexibility with less commitment to the features used for clustering. This paper analyzes the affect that information missing or arriving at a different order has on the grouping of parts. In order to evaluate the variations in information availability, the paper presents a grouping methodology that allows parts to be grouped as they arrive, in a piecewise manner. This article also compares the quality of the grouping when all the information is available at the beginning, to the quality of the grouping when the information is received gradually. The grouping methodology presented in this paper is distributed and asynchronous, utilizing intelligent agents. It is implemented using C++ on a PC computer.
Erythrocyte Pyruvate Kinase Activity in Patients with Haematological Malignancies

Erythrocyte pyruvate kinase (PK) activity was decreased in patients with acute myelomonoblastic leukaemia (AML) and lymphosarcoma cell leukaemia (LSAL) but increased in patients with chronic myelocytic leukaemia (CML). There was no difference in the enzyme activity betwean controls and relatives of patients with AML. PK activity in patients with ALL during complete remission was higher than during untreated and relapsed stages. These data provided evidence that the altered enzyme activity is acquired rather than genetic. There was a positive correlation between PK activity and red cell creatine levels. The red cell creatine was low in patients with AML but high in patients with CML. This suggests that the altered enzyme activity in these patients is at least in part due to red cell age.
A cognitive map of the international business field

Abstract Within this paper, we examine the IB field and develop a generic cognitive map in order to better understand the field from an academic research point of view. In doing so, we first categorize the IB literature into research streams. We then examine difficulties encountered when unifying these streams into cognitive maps. Next, we discuss some broad-level, potential maps of the field. After this discussion, we present our more detailed generic map which encompasses some of the major traits of the previous maps along with the research streams identified in the literature review. We conclude by discussing implications of cognitive maps for future research.
ESTIMATING POPULATION PROPORTIONS

A FREQUENT problem in polling public opinion is to try to find from a sample the number or percentage of people in the country who hold differing attitudes on a particular issue. A common method is to use the answers to a single question on a poll to estimate the percentages of people in the nation who, for example, favor or oppose the given issue. The complexity of most social issues, however, makes this procedure of very limited value. One method of taking into account this complexity is to construct a battery of questions each closely related to the general issue we are trying to categorize. In the method here proposed we decide in advance the number of categories into which we are trying to divide the population. Each question is constructed in such a manner that there are the same number of possible responses as there are categories, indeed each of the possible responses to a given question is assumed to be characteristic of an individual who actually belongs to one of the categories. The purpose of this paper is to supply a method of estimating from the responses (in the sample) to several questions, the proportions of people in the country who belong to these categories.
Brain morphological changes associated with exposure to HSV1 in first-episode schizophrenia

Infectious agents have been proposed as one of the risk factors for schizophrenia. However, the data on the association of infectious agents with in vivo brain changes are scant. We evaluated the association of serological evidence of exposure to herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) with in vivo brain structural variations among first-episode antipsychotic-naive schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder patients and control subjects. We assayed HSV1 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody in serum samples from 30 patients and 44 healthy subjects and obtained structural magnetic resonance imaging scans from the same individuals. There were proportionately more patients with elevated HSV1 antibody ratios than healthy comparison subjects (chi2=3.98, 1 df, P=0.046) and patients had significantly higher HSV1 IgG antibody ratios compared with healthy subjects. Using optimized voxel-based morphometry, we examined diagnosis by HSV1 serological status interaction followed by within- and between-group comparison across the serological status. We observed a diagnosis by HSV1 serological status interaction and a significant main effect of HSV1 serological status in the prefrontal gray matter. Patients exposed to HSV1 had decreased gray matter in Brodmann area 9 (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and 32 (anterior cingulate cortex) compared with patients without serological evidence of exposure to HSV1. HSV1-associated differences in brain structure were not detected among healthy subjects. These findings suggest that HSV1 exposure in schizophrenia is associated with specific regional gray matter differences that may not be attributable to medications, illness chronicity or comorbid substance use. This study provides suggestive evidence for a link between HSV1 exposure and some of the cerebral morphological changes often reported in schizophrenia.
Engineering Meniscus Form and Function via Multi-Layer Cell-Seeded Nanofibrous Scaffolds With Circumferentially Aligned Fibers

The menisci are crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous tissues which function to transmit and distribute complex loading patterns between the femur and tibia of the knee joint. Meniscus function in tension arises from highly aligned collagen fibers which run in a circumferential manner between insertion sites on the tibial plateau (1,2). However, the meniscus is often injured, and partial removal of the meniscus represents the most commonly performed orthopaedic surgery, despite the fact that its removal increases the likelihood of osteoarthritis in the long-term (3). Tissue engineered scaffolds have emerged as a promising alternative to replace portions of the damaged meniscus (4). Toward replacement, we have developed aligned nanofibrous scaffolds that can recapitulate the mechanical anisotropy of the meniscus (5,6). More recently, we have developed an approach to replicate the circumferential macroscopic orientation of fibers using a novel electrospinning method (7). However, these organized scaffolds are relatively thin (<1 mm), and so multilayer scaffolds will be required to replicate the anatomic size of the native tissue. Moreover, cellular interactions will be crucial to the long-term function of these scaffolds. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological characteristics and mechanical properties of single layer and multilayer circumferentially aligned (CircAl) scaffolds seeded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and to compare them to scaffolds featuring linearly aligned (LinAL) fibers. We hypothesized that with increasing time in culture, matrix formed between layers would provide mechanical reinforcement, particularly in CircAl scaffolds where fiber rotation would be more likely to occur.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Comparing a customer-based brand equity scale with the Implicit Association Test in examining consumer responses to brands

Understanding consumer responses to brands has become an important topic for both academicians and practitioners. The customer-based brand equity scale asks consumers to respond to a set of questions designed to determine brand loyalty, brand associations, perceived quality and awareness, and is generally an overall measure of the strength of a brand. Another option for examining brand valence is the Implicit Association Test (IAT). The IAT taps into consumer feelings about brands without using traditional ‘paper-and-pencil’ scale items. This research compares a standard brand equity scale with the IAT to determine instances when they may diverge in their measurement of brand attitudes. The findings suggest situations when the IAT may be a more sensitive tool for detecting variation in brand attitude.
Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid-induced hepatitis.

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to report a rare side effect of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid resulting in drug-induced hepatitis in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis. Methods This is a case report and literature review of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid–induced hepatitis in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis. A MEDLINE search of the published literature from 1966 to 2006 was performed using the term “amoxicillin-clavulanic acid + hepatitis.” Results We report a case of a 53-year-old man who developed drug-induced hepatitis after the use of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis. After a 4-week course of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, the patient developed pruritus and jaundice. Liver function tests revealed elevated aminotransferase levels. Serologic examination result for hepatitis A, B, and C was negative. The amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was discontinued and the patient was treated conservatively. The pruritus and jaundice gradually resolved and the patient had no long-term complications. The literature review revealed this is the first reported case of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid–induced hepatitis for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis. Conclusions Drug-induced hepatitis is a rare side effect of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Care must be taken in prescribing this drug to elderly patients and patients with liver disease. In general, the hepatitis is mild to moderate, rarely leads to liver failure, and can be managed conservatively.
Low-frequency infrared and Raman spectra of some adenine and uracil crystals

Abstract As a partial basis for future interpretation of the far-infrared and Raman spectra of biopolymers such as DNA, RNA and synthetic polynucleotides, the low-frequency infrared and Raman spectra, 30–230 cm−1, of 1-methyluracil, 1-methylthymine, 9-methyladenine and the 1:1 complex of the last two were determined in the crystalline state. The spectra were interpreted with the help of a normal-coordinate treatment based on two highly simplified models, one in which all intermolecular forces were neglected except those of hydrogen bonding and the other in which van der Waals forces between hydrogen atoms were also included. The latter model gave better results at the expense of introduction of an additional parameter. The hydrogen-bond stretching frequencies for these crystals lie in the range 125–70 cm−1 and show up only feebly in the Raman effect, whereas the out-of-plane molecular librations are quite intense. These librations and the translational lattice modes have frequencies below 100 cm−1. In addition to these lattice modes, intramolecular out-of-plane ring-deformation vibrations also appear in the far-infrared spectra in the range 220–135 cm−1.
The role of seed coats in seed viability

The seed coat is the seed’s primary defense against adverse environmental conditions. A hard seed coat protects the seed not only from mechanical stress but also from microorganism invasion and from temperature and humidity fluctuations during storage. Phenolic compounds in the seed coat contribute to seed hardness and inhibition of microorganism growth. During germination, the seed coat protects the seed from hydration stress and electrolyte leakage.
Perspectives on Stem Cell-Based Elastic Matrix Regenerative Therapies for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are potentially fatal conditions that are characterized by decreased flexibility of the aortic wall due to proteolytic loss of the structural matrix. This leads to their gradual weakening and ultimate rupture. Drug-based inhibition of proteolytic enzymes may provide a nonsurgical treatment alternative for growing AAAs, although it might at best be sufficient to slow their growth. Regenerative repair of disrupted elastic matrix is required if regression of AAAs to a healthy state is to be achieved. Terminally differentiated adult and diseased vascular cells are poorly capable of affecting such regenerative repair. In this context, stem cells and their smooth muscle cell-like derivatives may represent alternate cell sources for regenerative AAA cell therapies. This article examines the pros and cons of using different autologous stem cell sources for AAA therapy, the requirements they must fulfill to provide therapeutic benefit, and the current progress toward characterizing the cells' ability to synthesize elastin, assemble elastic matrix structures, and influence the regenerative potential of diseased vascular cell types. The article also provides a detailed perspective on the limitations, uncertainties, and challenges that will need to be overcome or circumvented to translate current strategies for stem cell use into clinically viable AAA therapies. These therapies will provide a much needed nonsurgical treatment option for the rapidly growing, high-risk, and vulnerable elderly demographic.
Novel palladium-catalyzed synthesis of 1,2-dihydro-4(3H)-carbazolones

Two sequential palladium-catalyzed reactions are the key steps in a novel synthetic route to carbazolones, an intermolecular Stille coupling followed by a recently developed palladium-catalyzed reductive N-heteroannulation. A number of functionalized 1,2-dihydro-4(3H)-carbazolones were prepared using this sequence.
Facile Synthesis of a Carboxylic Linker on Halofuginone: A Method to Derivatize Haptens Containing Both Amine and Hydroxy Functionalities

Abstract A succinic acid derivative of halofuginone was synthesized that could be easily bound to carrier proteins for halofuginone-specific antibody production. N-trimethylsilylimidazole was used to protect the hydroxyl group on halofuginone. Hydrolysis after treatment with succinic anhydride afforded the required derivative.
Studies on Transfer of Brightness Discrimination from Bar-Pressing to A Y Maze

(1961). Studies on Transfer of Brightness Discrimination from Bar-Pressing to A Y Maze. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 52, No. 2, pp. 411-422.
Chaperone-mediated autophagy: dedicated saviour and unfortunate victim in the neurodegeneration arena

The importance of cellular quality-control systems in the maintenance of neuronal homoeostasis and in the defence against neurodegeneration is well recognized. Chaperones and proteolytic systems, the main components of these cellular surveillance mechanisms, are key in the fight against the proteotoxicity that is often associated with severe neurodegenerative diseases. However, in recent years, a new theme has emerged which suggests that components of protein quality-control pathways are often targets of the toxic effects of pathogenic proteins and that their failure to function properly contributes to pathogenesis and disease progression. In the present mini-review, we describe this dual role as 'saviour' and 'victim' in the context of neurodegeneration for chaperone-mediated autophagy, a cellular pathway involved in the selective degradation of cytosolic proteins in lysosomes.
Rates of Beginning Teachers: Examining One Indicator of School Quality in an Equity Context.

ABSTRACTThe authors use national data to examine variation in the proportion of beginning teachers in school districts across the United States by poverty, race, and urbanicity. In addition to being a proxy for teacher quality, the proportion of beginning teachers in a district also speaks to teacher turnover and therefore broader school quality issues. Findings suggest that districts with high-poverty levels; greater proportions of Black, Hispanic, and American Indian populations; and located in rural areas tend to have high percentages of novice teachers. This research provides insight into the persistent disparities in opportunity that confront children of poverty, color, and rural environments.
Automatic occlusion removal from minimum number of images

We examine the problem of combining several images to remove occlusions that occur in one or more of a sequence of images. A sequence of digital camera images of a photo-worthy landmark may be occluded by passers-by walking between the photographer and the scene. As they move they occludes different regions in each image of the sequence. It is obvious that if two or more images coincide at each location an unoccluded image can be formed. We show that this is not necessary: in fact so long as at least one image is unoccluded at each location an unoccluded image can be formed automatically. This greatly eases the conditions under which an unoccluded image can be formed. We detail the algorithm and show results of occlusion removal.
Choice and Utility of Pacing Maneuver in Establishing the Mechanism of Supraventricular Tachycardia: A Single Center Experience

Background: To evaluate the choice and utility of pacing maneuvers in the electrophysiology (EP) laboratory in establishing supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) mechanism. Methods: We retrospectively examined a cohort of 160 consecutive patients with SVT presenting for invasive EP evaluation to a single center with 8 electrophysiologists. We analyzed the utility of the two most commonly used pacing maneuvers: (1) ventricular entrainment (VE) and (2) His-refractory premature ventricular stimuli (HRPVC) during SVT. Results: VE was performed in 96 patients: atrial tachycardia (AT) 12, atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) 66, and orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia (ORT) 18. During VE, AT patients were most likely to have ventriculo-atrial (VA) dissociation (AT 58%, AVNRT 18%, ORT 0%, P < 0.001) and had a tendency towards less SVT termination (AT 0%, AVNRT 9%, ORT 11%, P = 0.19). HRPVCs were delivered in 39 patients: AT 1, AVNRT 24, and ORT 14. Advancement of atrial signal with HRPVC was only observed in ORT (AT 0%, AVNRT 0%, ORT 79%, P < 0.001) and SVT termination was also mostly observed in ORT (AT 0%, AVNRT 4%, ORT 21%, P = 0.33). The overall diagnostic utility of VE was lowest in AT (AT 42%, AVNRT 71%, ORT 83%, P = 0.04), while HRPVC was rarely used in AT. Furthermore, the utilization of maneuvers varied extensively (0% to100%) among the 8 electrophysiologists. Conclusion: There is great variation in the utilization of pacing maneuvers and their utility in ascertaining the mechanism of SVT. Our results support the fact that discerning AT from AVNRT mechanism remains the most challenging task in SVT diagnosis. Cardiol Res. 2012;3(1):28-33 doi: https://doi.org/10.4021/cr135w