cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety and efficacy of encainide for malignant ventricular arrhythmias

Abstract The antiarrhythmic effect of encainide was evaluated in 140 patients with documented symptomatic ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation refractory to conventional agents. In 102 patients with reproducible spontaneous arrhythmia, noninvasive methods, including ambulatory monitoring and exercise testing, were used to evaluate drug efficacy, while in the remaining 38 patients electrophysiologic testing was performed. Side effects necessitated drug discontinuation in 10 patients before noninvasive evaluation. Of the remaining 92 patients 44 (48%) responded to encainide. Of the 38 patients who underwent electrophysiologic study, 1 discontinued encainide because of side effects and in 4 patients the spontaneous occurrence of sustained ventricular tachycardia precluded repeat study. Of the remaining 33 patients, 10 (30%) were rendered noninducible with encainide. The drug was more effective in those with a left ventricular ejection fraction >35% (p Side effects were reported in 53 of 140 patients (38%) and were primarily nausea, vomiting, headaches and tremors. Aggravation of arrhythmia occurred in 4% of patients with a history of nonsustained arrhythmia and in 25% of those with a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. Worsening of arrhythmia was not related to mean dose of drug, mean blood level or electrocardiographic changes; it was more likely to occur in patients with a markedly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (average 32%) and in those with a history of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmia (p Long-term encainide therapy was continued in 48 patients. After a mean follow-up of 25 months (range 2 to 74 months), 6 patients died suddenly (6% per year) and 3 patients had nonfatal recurrence. An additional 5 patients died from congestive heart failure unrelated to the drug and encainide was discontinued in 5 because of side effects. The remaining 29 patients have been maintained on encainide for an average of 36 months. It is concluded that encainide is an effective and well-tolerated drug that improves the survival in a selected group of drug-resistant patients at risk of sudden death. However, like other antiarrhythmic drugs encainide has the potential for cardiac side effects, especially aggravation of arrhythmia, and caution must be exercised in its use.
Inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis do not improve food intake or body weight of tumor-bearing rats.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) are immunoregulatory cytokines that mediate many aspects of the acute phase response to infection and injury. It has been hypothesized that these cytokines mediate the onset of the cachexia-anorexia syndrome with tumor growth. The anorexigenic effects of IL-1 are mediated in part by prostaglandins (PG). Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine if administration of ibuprofen (ibu) or indomethacin (indo), which inhibit PG synthesis, would affect the food intake and body weight of tumor-bearing rats. Rats were implanted with the Morris 7777 hepatoma, a tumor known to induce anorexia and weight loss in rats, and weight loss and leukocyte synthesis of IL-1 and TNF in mice. Treatment with indo or ibu did not improve food intake or body weight in the tumor-bearing rats. However, administration of ibu coincident with tumor implantation did result in smaller tumor mass compared to placebo-treated controls. The results of the present study suggest that PG synthesis is not a major factor in the onset of anorexia in this animal model of tumor-induced anorexia. However, further studies of the effects of inhibitors of PG synthesis on the kinetics of tumor growth are clearly indicated.
Paediatric salivary gland pathology

Abstract This review presents the authors' 17-year experience with 213 paediatric salivary gland specimens from Children's Hospital surgical pathology service. Of 173 non-tumours, 143 were cysts (137 mucocoeles), 26 were inflammatory lesions, 40 were tumours, with 4 miscellaneous lesions. Of the 36 benign tumours, the most frequent were 17 pleomorphic adenomas and 12 lymphangiomas. Of the four malignant tumours, only one was epithelial in origin, acinic cell carcinoma, with one neuroblastoma, lymphoma, and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Literature review supports that most diseases of adult salivary glands can occur in the paediatric age range.
Berkeley heterodyne interferometer

A prototype heterodyne stellar interferometer has been built in order to demonstrate the feasibility of heterodyne techniques in measuring angular diameters of bright infrared stars. The first system tests were performed in December 1972. Attention is given to investigations concerning the possibility that optical air turbulence within the structure of the solar telescope employed can possibly destroy the phase coherence of the fringe signals.
An inverse problem originating from magnetohydrodynamics

The magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium in a toroidal device (Tokamak) is ideally modelled by the so-called Grad-Shafranov equation [4, 6, 7]. This equa- tion is obtained by supplementing the classical Maxwell's equation for equilibrium with a single equation of force balance. In terms of the so-called poloidal flux, % the equation is
Stabilization of pelvic ring disruptions

Pelvic ring disruptions are challenging management problems for the orthopedic surgeon. Early hemorrhage, permanent nerve injury, and late pain caused by residual pelvic deformity are some of the many complicating factors. A variety of treatment alternatives are available to stabilize the disrupted pelvic ring. Each technique has inherent advantages and problems.
Retinal regeneration in the adult newt, Notophthalmus viridescens: Appearance of neurotransmitter synthesis and the electroretinogram

Abstract The removal or destruction of retina in the adult newt, Notophthalmus viridescens , leads to the formation of a new functional retina by metaplasia of the pigment epithelium. In order to understand the physiological and biochemical changes that occur during regeneration, we have examined the time-course of appearance and maturation of the electroretinogram (ERG) and correlated it with the synthesis of the neurotransmitters, acetylcholine (ACh) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In addition, we have also determined the pattern of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis in the regenerating retina. Our experimental results show that: (1) the major peaks of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis occur at different times during regeneration and that the synthesis of RNA precedes that of DNA which is followed by the protein; (2) synthesis and accumulation of ACh and GABA is lost by the fifth day following ocular devascularization and it reappears by day 23–24. ACh and GABA syntheses continue to increase until they attain plateau around day 35; (3) the appearance of choline acetyltransferase and glutamate decarboxylase activities parallel ACh and GABA synthesis; and (4) transmitter synthesis precedes development of the ERG. The first light evoked response is seen around day 29 by which time the transmitter synthesis is well advanced.
Effects of time, photoperiod, and pinealectomy on ocular and plasma melatonin concentrations in the chick

Pinealectomized and intact chicks raised under cyclic (14L:10D) and noncyclic (OL;24L) conditions of environmental lighting were sampled 60 hr and 6 weeks after pinealectomy to evaluate the effects of pineal ablation on plasma and ocular melatonin concentrations. Little or no immunoreactive melatonin was present in plasma 60 hr after pinealectomy, while appreciable amounts (38-70% of control values) were measurable 6 weeks later. We also found photoperiod to be an important variable in determining the relative amounts of melatonin present in the eyes and the pineal gland. At night or in continuous darkness, the eyes contain proportionately larger amounts of melatonin; by day, or in continuous light, they contain less. Finally, it was determined that pinealectomy significantly increases ocular melatonin concentrations (+ 62-80%) in chicks raised in the 14L:10D and 24L environments. These results show that compensatory mechanisms exist for maintaining circulating levels of melatonin in the absence of the pineal, and that they require some time to develop. Furthermore, there appears to be a dynamic interrelationship between the eyes and the pineal gland in terms of melatonin production. This is evidenced by the differential effects of environmental lighting on melatonin concentrations in these tissues and by the increased ocular concentrations of melatonin in pinealectomized animals.
The Practice Integrated Learning Sequence: Linking Education With the Practice of Medicine

The Practice Integrated Learning Sequence (PILS) is an office-based, practice-related Continuing Medical Education (CME) process that incorporates the practice of medicine into an educational program. In this research, the PILS process was used in an educational program for the management of hypertension involving 1,013 physicians. Program data suggest that the PILS process can help physicians assess their practice needs by evaluating their practice behaviors in comparison to objective criteria. The results suggest the importance of designing CME programs that facilitate physicians' use and development of self-directed learning skills, particularly self-evaluation.
Substrate melting during thermal spray splat quenching

During thermal spray processes, metallurgical bonding between the impinging particle and the substrate surface due to substrate melting during droplet-substrate interaction can provide substantial contribution towards coating adhesion strength. Understanding of melting and re-solidification of the substrate is thus essential for appropriate bond coat selection as well as avoidance of substrate damage. A numerical model has been developed to investigate the integrated effect of droplet solidification, and melting and re-solidification of the substrate during thermal spray. Various droplet and substrate pairs have been studied; the crater depth of the substrate has been measured and compared with the numerical prediction, and experimental results show that the material properties of both droplet and substrate play important roles on substrate melting. A dimensionless parameter, temperature factor, has been proposed and serves as an indicator for the potential of substrate melting. Based on the time scales of the droplet solidification and substrate melting and re-solidification, a substrate melting mechanism is proposed to explain the often-observed flower-like splat morphology.
High-frequency percussive ventilation in patients with inhalation injury

Inhalation injury complicated by bacterial pneumonia is now one of the primary causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with thermal injury. We have investigated the use of high-frequency percussive ventilation (HFPV) as a means of ventilatory support for these patients. We propose that high-frequency ventilation may decrease the incidence of pulmonary infection following inhalation injury and decrease the incidence of iatrogenic barotrauma caused by conventional ventilation. High-frequency ventilation was instituted initially as salvage therapy in a group of five patients. In each case, normocapnia or arterial pO2 saturation of greater than 90% on a FIO2 of 60% or less was achieved with high-frequency ventilation but not with conventional ventilation. A second group of ten patients was prospectively entered into a study on the use of HFPV in patients with inhalation injury. One patient was removed from the study, and one patient was unable to be ventilated because of severely noncompliant lungs. Eight patients with a mean age of 29 years and a mean burn size of 38% of the total body surface completed the protocol. All patients survived, two developed pneumonia, and one developed subcutaneous emphysema. These results suggest that HFPV is effective in the treatment of patients with severe inhalation injury.
Regulation of aldose reductase gene expression in renal cortex and medulla of rats.

A role for aldose reductase-mediated production of polyol in the aetiology of diabetic nephropathy has been supported by both animal and clinical studies. In the renal medulla, the rate of polyol production is influenced in part by regulated changes in the level of aldose reductase gene expression. However, little is known about the expression of aldose reductase in the renal cortex. In this study, we evaluated the regulation of aldose reductase gene expression in the renal cortex and medulla in response to galactose feeding. Four groups of rats (n=6) were treated for 9 weeks with control or galactose diet in the presence or absence of sorbinil, an aldose reductase inhibitor. In the renal medulla, galactose treatment produced a significant (p<0.01) decrease in aldose reductase mRNA, to approximately 10% of control levels. Coadministration of sorbinil partially prevented the effect of galactose feeding on medullary aldose reductase mRNA (to 43% of control). Under basal conditions, the concentration of aldose reductase mRNA in the cortex was only 1% that of the renal medulla. Galactose feeding significantly reduced cortical aldose reductase mRNA by 29% relative to control (p<0.01), and this was completely reversed by addition of sorbinil. Sorbinil administration to rats fed a control diet also decreased aldose reductase expression in the renal medulla and cortex. These results demonstrate that galactose feeding results in dynamic, polyol-dependent regulation of aldose reductase gene expression in the renal cortex as well as the medulla. We also describe a method for quantitative analysis of low abundance renal cortical mRNA. [Diabetologia (1995) 38: 46–54]
State policy making and public school choice in Minnesota, from confrontation to compromise

School reform in Minnesota has not featured A Nation at Risk (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983) prescriptions, comprehensive legislation, or massive infusions of new money. State policy enactments since 1983 have consisted mostly of improvement initiatives in such areas as educational technology, school effectiveness, early childhood programs, and mastery learning. Much reliance has been placed on demonstration sites and inducements for district cooperation. On balance, the state's approach has been modest in scope, homegrown in origin, and local in orientation (Krupey, 1985; Mazzoni & Sullivan, 1986). Incremental reform has not been without its critics in Minnesota.
High resolution charged particle spectrometer combining a low dispersion magnet and Si(Li) drifted detectors

Abstract A new charged particle spectrometer has been developed utilizing cooled Si(Li) drifted solid state detectors and a low dispersion sector magnet. The spectrometer can be adjusted to select a predetermined region in a charged particle spectrum for analysis in a solid state detector. Particle identification is possible since a particle's energy and momentum are measured simultaneously. The energy resolution capability of a Si(Li) detector system is improved when it is used in conjunction with the sector magnet. Construction details are presented. A number of specific applications are suggested.
Computation of electron repulsion integrals involving contracted Gaussian basis functions

A computational procedure is outlined for efficient evaluation of four-center coulomb repulsion integrals using contracted Gaussian basis functions. By utilizing information common to a shell of basis functions (such as s, px, py, and pz) and by transforming to alternative axes within the contraction loops, this method achieves high efficiency. The technique has been incorporated into the GAUSSIAN-70 molecular orbital program.
Light-induced changes in the ultrastructure of a plasmodial myxomycete.

Abstract Light, required to induce sexual sporulation (fruiting) of the plasmodial myxomycete Physaruin polycephalum , causes the formation of electron-dense deposits in the intermembrane spaces of mitochondria and in cytoplasmic vacuoles. Such mitochondrial deposits are also present but to a much smaller extent in the dark. This deposition is nutritionally dependent on calcium. The deposits are rich in calcium as determined by EGTA treatment of sections and by X-ray spectroscopy. Light also induces the formation of these deposits in young plasmodia not yet competent to sporulate upon exposure to light. In addition, growing microplasmodia which are severely inhibited by light also form these characteristic deposits when illuminated. A basic part of the photometabolism appears to be an enhanced movement of calcium and possibly other ions into and within the plasmodium. The physiological response evoked by light, sporulation or growth inhibition, depends on the nutritional history and immediate environment of the plasmodium.
Mutations in EDM2 selectively affect silencing states of transposons and induce plant developmental plasticity

Mutations in EDM2 selectively affect silencing states of transposons and induce plant developmental plasticity
The Sturm-Liouville group

In several recent publications Everitt and Markus have developed a theory of ordinary and partial differential boundary value problems, through their novel methods of complex symplectic algebra. For instance, in the case of the regular Sturm-Liouville problem, the corresponding boundary complex symplectic space has four dimensions, and can be used to classify all the self-adjoint boundary conditions by means of two-dimensional Lagrangian subspaces. In this investigation the groups Auto(S), of all symplectic automorphisms, are analyzed for all finite-dimensional complex symplectic spaces S, say of dimension n ≥ 2; and these are demonstrated to be noncommutative, connected Lie groups of (real) dimension n2. This global topological analysis provides information on continuous families of canonical coordinates in S, and their deformations.
Final steps in exocytosis observed in a cell with giant secretory granules

Abstract Secretion by single mast cells was studied in normal and beige mice, a mutant with grossly enlarged secretory vesicles or granules. During degranulation, the membrane capacitance increased in steps, as single secretory vesicles fused with the cell membrane. The average step size was 10 times larger in beige than in normal mice, in agreement with the different granule sizes measured microscopically in the two preparations. Following individual capacitance steps in beige mice, individual granules of the appropriate size were observed to swell rapidly. Capacitance steps are frequently followed by the stepwise loss of a fluorescent dye loaded into the vesicles. Stepwise capacitance increases were occasionally intermittent before they became permanent, indicating the existence of an early, reversible, and incomplete state of vesicle fusion. During such "capacitance flicker," loss of fluorescent dye from vesicles did not occur, suggesting that the earliest aqueous connection between vesicle interior and cell exterior is a narrow channel. Our results support the view that the reversible formation of such a channel, which we term the fusion pore, is an early step in exocytosis.
Bifurcation and stability of homogeneous deformations of an elastic body under dead load tractions with Z2 symmetry

An analysis is given of bifurcation and stability of homogeneous deformations of a homogeneous, isotropic, incompressible elastic body subject to three perpendicular sets of dead-load surface tractions of which two have equal magnitude. A minimization problem is formulated within the framework of non-linear elasticity, which leads to a bifurcation problem with Z2 symmetry. Various bifurcation diagrams are deduced by using singularity theory, and stabilities of solution branches are examined.
Using morphology and associative memories to associate salt-and-pepper noise with OCR error rates in document images

For each scanned text image, we generate the morphological pattern spectrum which captures image object shape and size information. We use the spectrum to characterize the noise content of a text document image by considering only the region of the spectrum near the origin. Noise is known to affect many image processing operations and we chose to consider optical character recognition (OCR) in this experiment. We associate noise that is characterized by a partial pattern spectrum with OCR performance as measured by an error rate by using a linear distributed associative memory (DAM). The DAM is trained to recognize the spectra of three classes of images: with high, medium, and low OCR error rates. The DAM is not forced to make a classification every time. It is allowed to reject as unknown a spectrum presented that does not closely resemble any that has been stored in the DAM. The DAM was fairly accurate with noisy images but conservative (i.e., rejected several text images as unknowns) when there was little noise.
Using Fiction to Suggest Regional Differences in the Ways Selected Antebellum Rural Americans Experienced their Domestic Space

The research for this article was undertaken to demonstrate how fiction can be used as a source in the investigation of the ways in which people in the past have used and felt about their domestic environments. Although scholars have published many books and articles concerning the stylistic characteristics and construction techniques of early houses and their furnishings, much less is known about how people lived in these environments. To date, most studies focusing on people's use of, and attitudes toward, their domestic space are contemporary. This permits the inhabitants to be interviewed and observed. To achieve a proper historical perspective, the investigation of differing uses of domestic space must be extended to the past. However, the scarcity of surviving information requires unusual resourcefulness in locating and interpreting relevant data. Fiction published during the period under investigation is a valuable source. These fictional descriptions can be analyzed in a variety of ways. In this paper the author has chosen to focus on regional differences in the uses of domestic space. This approach was suggested by the many studies which have been undertaken to determine regional differences in the stylistic characteristics of architecture and the decorative arts.
Population differences in host use by a seed-beetle: local adaptation, phenotypic plasticity and maternal effects

For insects that develop inside discrete hosts, both host size and host quality constrain offspring growth, influencing the evolution of body size and life history traits. Using a two-generation common garden experiment, we quantified the contribution of maternal and rearing hosts to differences in growth and life history traits between populations of the seed-feeding beetle Stator limbatus that use a large-seeded host, Acacia greggii, and a small-seeded host, Pseudosamanea guachapele. Populations differed genetically for all traits when beetles were raised in a common garden. Contrary to expectations from the local adaptation hypothesis, beetles from all populations were larger, developed faster and had higher survivorship when reared on seeds of A. greggii (the larger host), irrespective of their native host. We observed two host plant-mediated maternal effects: offspring matured sooner, regardless of their rearing host, when their mothers were reared on P. guachapele (this was not caused by an effect of rearing host on egg size), and females laid larger eggs on P. guachapele. This is the first study to document plasticity by S. limbatus in response to P. guachapele, suggesting that plasticity is an ancestral trait in S. limbatus that likely plays an important role in diet expansion. Although differences between populations in growth and life history traits are likely adaptations to their host plants, host-associated maternal effects, partly mediated by maternal egg size plasticity, influence growth and life history traits and likely play an important role in the evolution of the breadth of S. limbatus’ diet. More generally, phenotypic plasticity mediates the fitness consequences of using novel hosts, likely facilitating colonization of new hosts, but also buffering herbivores from selection post-colonization. Plasticity in response to novel versus normal hosts varied among our study populations such that disentangling the historical role of plasticity in mediating diet evolution requires the consideration of evolutionary history.
Production of L-tryptophan by sulfonamide-resistant mutants.

Sulfaguanidine-resistant mutant S-225, derived from a tryptophan-producing 5-fluoro-tryptophan-resistant mutant of Brevibacterium flavum, accumulated 19 g/liter of L-tryptophan at maximum when cultured for 72 hr in a medium containing 13% glucose as carbon source, 1.8-fold higher than did the parent. Strain S-225 accumulated 17 g/liter of L-tryptophan in a medium containing 10% sucrose as carbon source (17% yield based on the sugar). It also accumulated 450 mg/liter of chorismate, an intermediate common to the biosyntheses of tryptophan and p-aminobenzoate. The accumulation was 1.7-fold higher than that by the parent, suggesting that the intracellular concentration of chorismate was increased through acquisition of the sulfaguanidine resistance. Sulfaguanidine-resistant mutants were also derived from a tryptophan-producing mutant of Corynebacterium glutamicum. The mutants showed 2.2-fold higher maximum tryptophan production than did the parent.
Clinical observations of ghetto four-year-olds: Organization, involvement, interpersonal responsiveness, and psychosexual content of play

This study attempted to refine the assessment of the effectance of four-year-old children through observation of their play. Two scales were developed; the first scale defined organization, involvement, and interpersonal responsiveness in play, and the second operationally defined psychosexual content of play. The validity and reliability of both scales and the inter correlations among the four major variables were explored. The results confirmed the validity and reliability of the instruments as measures of the children's effectance and important indicators of a child's capacity as a learner at age four.
A reduced frequency printed quasi-yagi antenna symmetrically loaded with meander open complementary split ring resonator (MOCSRR) elements

In this paper, a modified printed quasi-yagi antenna is presented. In particular, meander open complementary split-ring resonator (MOCSRR) elements are introduced to the design of a printed quasi-yagi antenna to reduce the operating frequency ƒ o . It is shown that ƒ o of the antenna can be reduced by 35% by designing the MOCSRR elements to resonate at approximately 2ƒ o . This lower operating frequency is achieved by taking advantage of the inductive properties of the MOCSRR elements and not increasing the size of the antenna layout. Furthermore, discussion on designing a printed dipole with MOCSRR elements embedded in the layout is presented.
Transferring Research to Endangered Species Management

In the natural resource and wildlife profession, we face difficulties in the production, diffusion, and transfer of rigorously tested science, especially when facing entrenched management paradigms. We present 3 case studies to illustrate the challenges in changing entrenched management paradigms for endangered species. Here we examine specifically what factors helped or hindered the adoption of management practices through the theoretical framework developed for the dissemination of technologies. An examination of 3 case studies suggests that active communication and advocacy of scientific findings, along with simple, visible results, will aid researchers in the acceptance and adoption of their research. Management agencies that increase openness and communication with outside experts, reduce bureaucratic procedures, and localize decision making increase the likelihood that new scientific ideas will be adopted by the agency. We also suggest adaptive resource management as a strategy for endangered species management may foster many of the characteristics that aid in the adoption of scientific ideas into management activities.
Low-T/|W| instabilities in differentially rotating protoneutron stars with magnetic fields

Recent hydrodynamical simulations have shown that differentially rotating neutron stars formed in core-collapse supernovae may develop global non-axisymmetric instabilities even when T/|W| (the ratio of the rotational kinetic energy T to the gravitational potential energy |W|) is relatively small (less than 0.1). Such low-T/|W| instability can give rise to efficient gravitational wave emission from the protoneutron star. We investigate how this instability is affected by magnetic fields using a cylindrical stellar model. Wave absorption at the corotation resonance plays an important role in facilitating the hydrodynamic low-T/|W| instability. In the presence of a toroidal magnetic field, the corotation resonance is split into two magnetic resonances where wave absorptions take place. We show that the toroidal magnetic field suppresses the low-T/|W| instability when the total magnetic energy, W B , is of the order of 0.2 T or larger, corresponding to toroidal fields of a few x 10 16 G or stronger. Although poloidal magnetic fields do not influence the instability directly, they can affect the instability by generating toroidal fields through linear winding of the initial poloidal field and magnetorotational instability. We show that an initial poloidal field with strength as small as 10 1 4G may suppress the low-T/|W| instability.
GeneCluster 2.0: an advanced toolset for bioarray analysis

Summary: GeneCluster 2.0 is a software package for analyzing gene expression and other bioarray data, giving users a variety of methods to build and evaluate class predictors, visualize marker lists, cluster data and validate results. GeneCluster 2.0 greatly expands the data analysis capabilities of GeneCluster 1.0 by adding classification, class discovery and permutation test methods. It includes algorithms for building and testing supervised models using weighted voting and k-nearest neighbor algorithms, a module for systematically finding and evaluating clustering via self-organizing maps, and modules for marker gene selection and heat map visualization that allow users to view and sort samples and genes by many criteria. GeneCluster 2.0 is a standalone Java application and runs on any platform that supports the Java Runtime Environment version 1.3.1 or greater. Availability: http://www.broad.mit.edu/cancer/software
Low-dimensional thermoelectric materials

The promise of low dimensional thermoelectric materials for enhanced performance is reviewed, with particular attention given to quantum wells and quantum wires. The high potential of bismuth as a low-dimensional thermoelectric material is discussed.
A variant of the Ca2+-activated Cl channel Best3 is expressed in mouse exocrine glands.

Fluid secretion by exocrine glands requires the activation of an apical Ca2+-dependent Cl channel, the molecular identity of which is unknown. We found that mouse exocrine glands expressed an alternately spliced variant of Best3, a member of the Bestrophin (Vmd2) Ca2+-activated Cl channel gene family, whereas the heart expressed full-length Best3. The spliced transcript lacked exons 2, 3 and 6 (Best3-Δ2,3,6) and is predicted to generate an in-frame protein missing the entire cytoplasmic N terminus, the initial two transmembrane domains and part of the first intracellular loop. In addition to exocrine glands, the Best3-Δ2,3,6 splice variant transcript was detected in lung, testis and kidney. The parotid gland and heart expressed proteins of the predicted size for Best3-Δ2,3,6 and full-length Best3, respectively, that targeted to the plasma membrane in HEK293 cells. HEK293 cells expressing Best3 displayed Ca2+-dependent Cl− currents that were sensitive to the Cl channel blocker DIDS. In contrast, no Ca2+-dependent Cl− currents were detected in cells expressing Best3-Δ2,3,6. Cotransfection of Best3-Δ2,3,6 with Best3 or Best2 (also expressed in salivary gland acinar cells) had no significant effects on the currents generated by either of these Ca2+-dependent Cl channels. Our results demonstrate that exocrine glands express a unique splice variant of Best3. Nevertheless, Best3-Δ2,3,6 does not produce Ca2+-dependent Cl− currents, nor does it regulate the activity of Best2 or the full-length Best3 channel.
A Cerenkov-like Maser Based on a Metamaterial Structure

Microwave and radio frequency (RF) sources have been a subject of intense research for nearly 100 years, with the advent of High-Power Microwave (HPM) sources based upon intense relativistic electron beams emerging in the 1970s. These sources act to transform kinetic energy in an electron beam into radiation through the interaction of the electrons with some form of external circuit. One form of HPM device, the Cerenkov maser, consists of a hollow cylinder loaded with a dielectric material. The dielectric forms a slow-wave structure with which the relativistic beam can interact. This paper considers a new design approach and interaction mechanism for a Cerenkov maser. For the first time, a dielectric Cerenkov maser formed using microwave metamaterials in the form of a concentric ring structure was considered in the study. The authors proposed that metamaterials provide a practical new opportunity for vacuum electron devices, opening the means for new sources operating in the RF and microwave to THz regimes.
Use of transgenic plants and mutants to study the regulation and function of lipid composition

Mutants and transgenic plants with altered expression of genes implicated in lipid metabolism are providing fresh insights into the regulation and function of lipid composition. To date, several genes encoding fatty acid desaturases, acyltransferases, a thioesterase, a lipid transfer protein and an isoform of acyl-carrier protein have been introduced into transgenic plants. Despite the fact that some of these transgenic plants had large alterations in lipid composition, they showed surprisingly little phenotypic variation from wild-type plants. Although detailed analyses of these plants are just beginning, several theories regarding the roles of particular genes in various plant processes, such as cold tolerance and transfer of lipids between membranes, have been either substantiated or discarded on the basis of the data already obtained. In addition, constructs that contain the promoter regions of genes implicated in lipid metabolism fused to reporter genes have been introduced into transgenic plants and are providing some clues as to how lipid composition is regulated.
Thin Film Stability of Melting Solid Fuels with Application to Hybrid Propulsion

In a hybrid propulsion system the oxidizer is stored as a liquid and the fuel as a solid producing a design with reduced mechanical complexity and minimimum chance of a chemical explosion. The hybrid enjoys many safety and environmental advantages over conventional systems however large hybrids have not been commercially successful. The reason is that traditional systems use polymeric fuels that evaporate too slowly, making it difficult to produce the high thrust needed for most applications. Research at Stanford University in the late 1990’s led to the development of paraffin-based fuels that burn at regression rates 3 to 4 times that of polymeric fuels. Heat transfer from the combustion zone and the action of the oxidizer flow over the melting fuel surface, leads to the formation of a thin, hydro-dynamically unstable liquid film. Entrainment of droplets from the liquid-gas interface substantially increases the rate of fuel mass transfer leading to much higher fuel regression rates than can be achieved with conventional polymeric fuels. To demonstrate these fuels, a series of scale-up tests using several oxidizers were carried out on intermediate scale motors. The data from these tests are in agreement with small scale, low pressure and low mass flux laboratory tests and confirm the high regression rate behavior of the fuels at chamber pressures and mass fluxes representative of commercial applications.
Field‐scale estimation of volumetric water content using ground‐penetrating radar ground wave techniques

[1] Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) ground wave techniques were applied to estimate soil water content in the uppermost ∼10 cm of a 3 acre California vineyard several times over 1 year. We collected densely spaced GPR travel time measurements using 900 and 450 MHz antennas and analyzed these data to estimate water content. The spatial distribution of water content across the vineyard did not change significantly with time, although the absolute water content values varied seasonally and with irrigation. The GPR estimates of water content were compared to gravimetric water content, time domain reflectometry, and soil texture measurements. The comparisons of GPR-derived estimates of water content to gravimetric water content measurements showed that the GPR estimates had a root mean square error of volumetric water content of the order of 0.01. The results from this study indicate that GPR ground waves can be used to provide noninvasive, spatially dense estimates of shallow water content over large areas and in a rapid manner.
RUNNING OFF-TACKLE THROUGH THE LAST BASTION: WOMEN, RESISTANCE, AND PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL

This article discusses the mechanisms that must be in place in order for women to successfully resist institutionalized gender norms. This research draws on over 200 hours of observations of and 20 in-depth interviews with women playing full contact football, a sport traditionally dominated by men and firmly planted in the culture of the U.S. as synonymous with masculinity. Following the work of recent calls by gender scholars to treat gender as a social institution, this research shows that at least four components must be in place for sustained, successful resistance to a social institution. First, resistance must be a conscious activity. Second, any resistance must involve engaging in an abnormal activity. Third, any deviant or abnormal activity must take place in an otherwise legitimate social context. Finally, as the creation and maintenance of a social institution is an inherently social enterprise, so, too, is institutional resistance. This research contributes to scholarship on gender and social i...
Summary report: Missing data and pedigree and genotyping errors.

Genetic epidemiology is faced with mapping complex traits to genes with relatively small effects whose phenotypes may be modulated by temporal factors. To do this, detailed and accurate data must be available on families, perhaps collected over time. The Framingham Heart Study data supplied to Genetic Analysis Workshop 13 (GAW13), along with its simulated counterpart, contain longitudinal measurements and genomic scan data on 2,885 individuals in 330 families, and offer an opportunity to examine data quality and completeness issues as they affect analytical conclusions. Six GAW13 contributions applied methods to deal with missing data, both phenotypic and genotypic, at a single time point and longitudinally, and with possible errors in pedigree structure and genotypes. The methods included missing phenotypic data imputation by Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling, propensity scoring, regression, and adjusted mean values, as well as the assessment of transmission-disequilibrium tests when missing marker data may be allele-specific. Pedigree structural errors were found by genome-wide allele-sharing probabilities, while Mendelian consistent genotype errors were evaluated through likelihoods of double-recombination events. Each of the methods reviewed here offered insights into how to better take advantage of large, time-dependent, familial data sets. However, no one of them dealt with the longitudinal and familial aspects simultaneously. Overall, more consideration needs to be given to the effects that missing data and data errors have on our ability to map complex traits efficiently and accurately.
Activation of NF-κB in airway epithelial cells is dependent on CFTR trafficking and Cl− channel function

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte-dominated airway inflammation is a major component of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease and may be associated with CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) dysfunct...
Fetal iron deficiency induces chromatin remodeling at the Bdnf locus in adult rat hippocampus

Fetal and subsequent early postnatal iron deficiency causes persistent impairments in cognitive and affective behaviors despite prompt postnatal iron repletion. The long-term cognitive impacts are accompanied by persistent downregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a factor critical for hippocampal plasticity across the life span. This study determined whether early-life iron deficiency epigenetically modifies the Bdnf locus and whether dietary choline supplementation during late gestation reverses these modifications. DNA methylation and histone modifications were assessed at the Bdnf-IV promoter in the hippocampus of rats [at postnatal day (PND) 65] that were iron-deficient (ID) during the fetal-neonatal period. Iron deficiency was induced in rat pups by providing pregnant and nursing dams an ID diet (4 mg/kg Fe) from gestational day (G) 2 through PND7, after which iron deficiency was treated with an iron-sufficient (IS) diet (200 mg/kg Fe). This paradigm resulted in about 60% hippocampal iron loss on PND15 with complete recovery by PND65. For choline supplementation, pregnant rat dams were given dietary choline (5 g/kg) from G11 through G18. DNA methylation was determined by quantitative sequencing of bisulfite-treated DNA, revealing a small alteration at the Bdnf-IV promoter. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed increased HDAC1 binding accompanied by reduced binding of RNA polymerase II and USF1 at the Bdnf-IV promoter in formerly ID rats. These changes were correlated with altered histone methylations. Prenatal choline supplementation reverses these epigenetic modifications. Collectively, the findings identify epigenetic modifications as a potential mechanism to explicate the long-term repression of Bdnf following fetal and early postnatal iron deficiency.
Formation of Pyrazines by Chitin Pyrolysis

Chitin, poly-β-(1–4)-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, was heated at 300-500°C for 5-60 min to examine the potential of pyrazine formation from chitin pyrolysis. 2-Methyl-, 2,3-dimethyl- and 2,3,5-trimethyl-pyrazine were formed at 300°C and additionally, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine was found with increasing pyrolysis temperature up to 500°C. During 60 min of pyrolysis more than twice as much 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine as 2,5-dimethylpyrazine was developed. Thus, altering time and temperature of chitin pyrolysis could be useful for the development of certain pyrazines that have food flavor applications.
A Quantitative Assay for Concanavalin A-mediated Cell Agglutination

SUMMARY A quantitative method was developed for measuring cell agglutination by the plant lectin, concanavalin A. The method, based on an assay for intercellular adhesion, determines the concanavalin A-stimulated rate of attachment of single cells to a cell layer. The rate depended on the number of single cells and the concentration of concanavalin A. Experiments on concanavalin A agglutinability of mouse BALB/c 3T3 cells agreed qualitatively with observations obtained with a visual method presently in use. For example, the concanavalin A-stimulated rate was low when EDTA was used to prepare the single cells, high when trypsin-dispersed cells were employed, and highest when the latter cells were assayed with trypsin-treated cell layers. The latter result was not explicable in terms of concanavalin A binding to the cell layer, since the same quantities of labeled lectin attached to untreated and to trypsin-treated cell layers. Concanavalin A attached to an untreated cell layer in such a manner that it retained high binding activity toward surface receptors on trypsin-treated single cells. Above a threshold density of concanavalin A bound to the cell layer, the stimulation of single cell attachment to the layer was directly proportional to the amount of concanavalin A bound to the layer. The concanavalin A-stimulated rate of attachment was specifically inhibited by methyl a-D-mannopyranoside. However, once single cells were attached to the cell layer in the presence of concanavalin A, they were not released by methyl a-mannoside. Agglutination is considered to be more complex than the simple binding of cells together through lectin bridges.
Review of Measurement Methods and Compositions for Ultrafine Particles

Impactor, virtual impactor/aerosol concentrator, and aerodynamic lenses are used to separate the ultrafine particle (UP) fraction from other particle sizes for chemical analysis. Cascade impactors, such as the Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor (MOUDI), are most commonly used in field studies, with sampling onto substrates amenable to different chemical analyses. Impactors need sufficient sampling flow rates and homogeneous deposits on the impaction surfaces for multiple chemical analyses. Mass, elements, ions, and carbon fractions can be measured on these substrates by several analytical methods. Specific organic compounds measured by solvent extraction require substantial mass loadings that can only be obtained by compositing samples from several measurement periods unless aerosol concentrators or highvolume sampling devices are used. Thermal desorption-gas chromatographic/mass spectrometry has potential to obtain organic speciation with small sample sizes. Studies of UP composition began in the late 1990s, with 25 ambient studies surveyed here. These are mostly from urban areas. Organic material, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), usually constituted the most abundant portion of UP, with high elemental concentrations found near industrial sites. Much of the UP < 50 nm appears to be semi-volatile, consistent with it being composed by organic materials such as hopanes from engine oils or condensed secondary organic aerosol such as organic acids.
Abstract 318: ApoE Modulates the Kinetics of HDL ApoA-I in Humans

Human HDL kinetic studies typically measure total apoA-I turnover, rather than partitioning by HDL size or apolipoprotein content. ApoE has potential roles in HDL metabolism by promoting enlargement and clearance. About 5-10% of plasma HDL apoA-I is associated with apoE. To determine whether apoE modulates the kinetics of apoA-I HDL, we compared the metabolism of apoA-I in HDL that has apoE with apoA-I in HDL that does not have apoE. We recruited 5 participants with low HDL-C (average 39 mg/dl, range 24-48 mg/dl) and BMI between 25-35 kg/m2. We gave the participants an intravenous bolus of d3-leucine, and collected blood at 14 time points to 70 hours. HDL was isolated from plasma by anti-apoA-I immunoaffinity chromatography, separated by anti-apoE chromatography into HDL that contain or do not contain apoE, and separated using ND-PAGE into 4 size fractions: alpha-1, alpha-2, alpha-3, and prebeta-1. ApoA-I was purified from the 8 HDL subtypes with SDS-PAGE, hydrolyzed into amino acids, and d3-leucine enric...
A scalable multi-user uplink for Wi-Fi

Mobile devices have fewer antennas than APs due to size and energy constraints. This antenna asymmetry restricts uplink capacity to the client antenna array size rather than the AP's. To overcome antenna asymmetry, multiple clients can be grouped into a simultaneous multi-user transmission to achieve a full rank transmission that matches the number of antennas at the AP. In this paper, we design, implement, and experimentally evaluate MUSE, the first distributed and scalable system to achieve full-rank uplink multi-user capacity without control signaling for channel estimation, channel reporting, or user selection. Our experiments demonstrate full-rank multiplexing gains in the evaluated scenarios that show linear gains as the number of users increase while maintaining constant overhead.
Remembering places: a phenomenological study of the relationship between memory and place

Janet Donohoe's Remembering places uses a hermeneutical approach to grapple with the complex interweaving of individual and collective memory, traditions, and places. Donohoe's exploration of the p...