cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gene expression measurement technologies : innovations and ethical considerations

Knowledge of the overall gene expression profile within a cell can provide key insights into cellular physiology. Therefore, it is not surprising that a great deal of effort has been devoted to measuring the expression level of all of the genes in a cell. With the advent of DNA microarray technology, researchers now have the ability to collect expression data on every gene in a cell simultaneously. The vast datasets created with this technology are providing valuable information that can be used to accurately diagnose, prevent, or cure a wide range of genetic and infectious diseases. In this article, we describe the key technologies for measuring gene expression and discuss how these approaches can be used to identify the correlation between the observed expression patterns and disease. Additionally, we will highlight the key ethical considerations and discuss how these tremendously powerful technologies may impact society.
Hypersomnia in inter-episode bipolar disorder: Does it have prognostic significance?

Background Hypersomnia in inter-episode bipolar disorder has been minimally researched. The current study sought to document the prevalence of hypersomnia in a sample of inter-episode patients with bipolar disorder and to examine the relationship between hypersomnia and future bipolar depressive symptoms.
Experimental and analytical investigations on short GFRP composite compression members

Abstract Comprehensive experimental and analytical evaluations of 12 full-scale glass fiber-reinforced plastic composite columns are presented herewith. The pultruded columns had commonly utilized “Universal” and “Box” cross-sections with E-glass fibers in various forms as reinforcement and polyester and vinylester as binding matrices. The slenderness ratios ( L/r ) of the investigated columns were 5.69 and 32.7 for the “Universal” section and 9.38 and 53.9 for the “Box” section. The column lengths were 18 in. (0.46 m) and 8 ft. (2.44 m). All columns were tested in a vertical position and under compressive axial static loading and fixed-pinned and pinned-pinned end-conditions. The columns' compressive strains, buckling and crippling loads, lateral displacements, initial curvatures, and modes of failure were documented during the course of this investigation. The orthotropic mechanical properties of the composites were experimentally obtained utilizing 44 coupon specimens. Results from linear Finite Element buckling analyses conducted on full column models of the “Universal” section were compared to the behavior observed in the laboratory during the testing of specimens. In addition, the unstiffened flanges of the columns were analyzed with various boundary conditions using the classical orthotropic plate theory and the finite element method in order to establish the upper and lower bounds of the members' local flange and web buckling capacities. Based on experimental evaluations and analytical analyses results, conclusions were drawn and recommendations were made.
Polymorphism of HLA-B27: 105 Subtypes Currently Known

HLA-B27 has a high degree of genetic polymorphism, with 105 known subtypes, named HLA-B*27:01 to HLA-B*27:106, encoded by 132 alleles. The most common subtypes associated with ankylosing spondylitis are HLA-B*27:05 (Caucasians), HLA-B*27:04 (Chinese), and HLA-B*27:02 (Mediterranean populations). For Chinese populations, HLA-B*27:04 is associated with a greater ankylosing spondylitis risk than HLA-B*27:05. Two subtypes, HLA-B27*06 and HLA-B27*09, seem to have no disease association. These differential disease associations of HLA-B27 subtypes, and the recent discovery that ERAP1 is associated with ankylosing spondylitis for patients with HLA-B27, have increased attempts to determine the function of HLA-B27 in disease pathogenesis by studying hemodynamic features of its protein structure, alterations of its peptidome, aberrant peptide handling, and associated molecular events. However, after 40 years we still do not fully know how HLA-B27 predisposes to ankylosing spondylitis and related spondyloarthritis.
Correlation between the induction of mouse interferon and the amount of its mRNA.

Injection into Xenopus oocytes of polyadenylated cytoplasmic RNA from mouse C-243-3 cells induced with poly(rI) · poly(rC) and DEAE-dextran resulted in the production of biologically active interferon. The synthesis of interferon by oocytes is linearly related to the amount of mRNA injected. Thus a titre of 160 reference units/oocyte was obtained by injecting 250 ng of total cytoplasmic poly(A)-containing RNA. The kinetics of interferon production in mouse C-243-3 cells induced with poly(rI) · poly(rC) and DEAE-dextran are characterized by an initial lag of 3–4 h and a burst of interferon secretion between 5–8 h with a maximum accumulation at 7 h. Comparison of the relative amount of interferon mRNA at various time intervals of induction with the cellular synthesis of interferon showed a general correlation. At 9 h after induction, i.e. during the shut off phase of interferon production, the cells contained no detectable amount of interferon mRNA (< 20 units/ml). Attempts to superinduce interferon production in mouse C-243-3 cells by using the cycloheximide/actinomycin D protocol as in human fibroblast cells were not successful. α-Amanitin at concentrations similar to those required to inhibit cellular DNA-dependent RNA polymerase form II completely inhibited the interferon production when applied during the first 3 h of induction. Addition of α-amanitin at 3, 5 or 7 h after induction stimulated the subsequent interferon production by 2–4-fold.
The Stream of Consciousness: XXIX. Does Consciousness Exist? (Second Part)

I continue to address W. James's intentions in his article of 1904 titled “Does ‘Consciousness’ Exist?” (DCE), and to raise critical questions concerning the direction his theory takes after The Principles of Psychology. Here, as in the preceding article of this series, I closely examine his article for what it tells us concerning his new conception of the stream of consciousness. James holds it to be constituted of “pure experiences,” which are neither mental nor physical but may be taken to be either mental or physical. An essential feature of this new conception is one's having a direct acquaintance with one's experiences. James considers consciousness, in this basic sense, to be a crucial part of how one knows anything one does know. Knowledge of the sun, for example, has a basis in direct acquaintance with certain experiences; that is, one takes some of one's experiences to be a certain physical object, the sun itself, because of their occurrence in a context consisting of certain other experiences t...
SPICE—Spectrometer and Instrument Control Environment

We have developed a data acquisition system for general neutron scattering instruments with the first application being the triple-axis spectrometer. We have employed a modular architecture which allows easy expansion to handle new instruments and new hardware. The triple-axis implementation includes an intuitive GUI, a simple command structure, capabilities for remote operation, and expanded experimental capabilities through the use of a UB matrix for handling sample orientation and manipulation.
A profile of Alaska's seniors. 2. Housing and its correlates.

This article examines aspects of housing among the elderly population in Alaska. Factors associated with housing type are examined, along with housing satisfaction. Most of the demographic variables, family relations variables, and health variables are found to be associated with type of housing.
Reducing the Risk of HIV Infection for Women: An Attitudinal Analysis of Condom‐Carrying Behavior1

While male homosexuals have overwhelmingly taken successful measures to contain the spread of HIV female heterosexuals have not. In fact only 12% of 3.5 million reproductive-age women least likely to be protected from HIV use condoms. It has been found that people who carry condoms are 2.7 times more likely to use them than those who do not. Despite the protective advantages of carrying condoms however women cite many reasons for not opting to do so. This paper reports findings from an exploration of the psychological correlates of carrying condoms among 917 sexually active heterosexual nonpregnant women in an HIV-endemic community in the Brooklyn New York City area. The women were considered to be sexually active if they had engaged in at least 1 episode of sexual activity within the 120-day period prior to the study. Participants were recruited from gynecology and family planning clinics at a municipal hospital a state university hospital and a community clinic and were aged 15-45 years; the median age was 27 years. 90.2% of the women were Black. Analysis of the data obtained in the study questionnaires and interviews found the potential for negative social reaction to figure most prominently among womens concerns and attitudes toward carrying condoms. Respondents overall attitude about condoms and concerns about the increase in preventive efficacy which comes from carrying them were also factors. The implications for intervention are considered in a closing section.
Uterine Luminal Proteins in the Cycling Mare

Qualitative changes in the protein content of mare uterine flushings were determined on Days 4, 8, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 postovulation. Acid phosphatase and leucine aminopeptidase enzymatic activities were also determined for these treatment days. All collections were obtained using a nonsurgical, transcervical technique. Sephadex C-200 column chromatography indicated that 5 distinct protein fractions existed for all days tested. The chromatographic mobility (Kay) of these fractions did not change during the estrous cycle. When expressed as percentage of the total protein, peaks I, IV and V were significantly affected (P<0.005, 0.05 and 0.025, respectively) by day of the estrous cycle, whereas, peaks II and III were not. Acid phosphatase activity was significantly affected P<0.05) by day of the estrous cycle and maximal values were found in the late luteal phase. Mean values ranged from 10 to 193 �zM of inorganic phosphate released per h on Days 4 and 18, respectively, followed by a rapid decline on Day 20. Sephadex G-200 studies indicated that the acid phosphatase enzymatic activity was associated with low molecular weight fractions III and IV and, therefore, was probably nonlysosomal in origin. Leucine aminopeptidase activity was maximal in the midluteal phase (Day 12) and was significantly affected (P<O.005) by day of the estrous cycle. Sephadex G-200 chromatography indicated that this enzyme was associated with high molecular weight fractions I and II. Over the course of this study a purple-colored protein was found in the uterine flushing of a pseudopregnant mare. Biochemical and immunological examinations indicated that similar properties existed for the equine purple protein and the porcine purple protein, previously described
Tactics of Waste, Dirt and Discard in the Occupy Movement

Both Occupiers and our opponents have used waste and discards—figuratively and literally—in strategies to create and cultivate a new social movement on one hand, and to maintain power and control over protesters on the other. This study will look at the roles trash, waste, filth and discards have played in tactical decisions by both sides of the movement from the point of view of a New York City Occupier. Overall, the examples examined of trash, filth, discards and their attendant transgressions make up an ongoing political debate about the ideal society by both Occupiers and its opposition. These are the terms over which contests about what counts as tolerable and intolerable conditions, right and wrong, citizenship and the Other, acceptable and unacceptable behavior and what constitutes ‘out of placeness’ have been waged.
Effects of boiling history on a microconfigured surface in a dielectric liquid

The effects of pre-boiling history on a regularly microconfigured surface in FC-72 are reported. The test surface is configured with hexagonal dimples 9.4μm in diameter and 3.3μm deep. The density of the artificial sites is 3×1015 per cm2. Five experiments were conducted, after the surface had been immersed in the test fluid from 5 hours to 16 days. The wall-superheat at boiling initiation and the preceeding temperature overshoot are found to be independent of immersion time once the surface is degassed. In contrast to earlier measurements using enhanced surfaces, only a small temperature overshoot arose in the boiling curve over the flux range 0.2 to 13W/cm2. The surface superheat range was from 3 to 18°C.
Electron stimulated desorption of Kr from the tungsten (110) surface

Abstract Electron stimulated desorption of Kr from clean and oxygen covered W(110) surfaces has been investigated. Only neutral Kr is desorbed; the desorption threshold corresponds to the onset of Kr ionization, as seen from UPS data of Opila and Gomer. It is postulated that the excitation event is ionization to the attractive part of the M − +A + curve. This is followed by motion of the ion toward the surface and reneutralization. Only a small fraction of the reneutralized atoms have enough kinetic energy to escape. On the basis of this mechanism isotope measurements allow a determination of excitation cross section and escape probability. The former is 2 × 10 −16 cm 2 , close to the gas phase ionization cross section. The overal desorption cross section is ~ 4 × 10 −18 cm 2 for 84 Kr. An analysis of the escape probability in terms of the postulated model leads to an effective hole reneutralization life time of ~ 10 −14 s. Preadsorbed oxygen quenches Kr ESD. This is explained by assuming that oxygen reduces the hole lifetime via resonance tunneling from O 2p DOS. This conclusion is based on UPS results of Opila and Gomer, which show a marked broadening of Kr 4p hole states in the presence of O; the broadening is almost linearly proportional to O 2p DOS. At electron energies where O and O + ESD occurs, kickout of Kr by desorbing O and O + is seen, as with Xe. The kinetics of these processes are examined in some detail; the kickout cross section for Kr is ~ 10 −14 cm 2 . Prolonged ESD of Kr from clean W(110) leads to formation of a second Kr binding state, which can also be desorbed by electrons but with lower cross section. A kinetic model to explain the experimental findings is advanced and solved numerically.
Multiple-Spacecraft Reconfiguration Through Collision Avoidance, Bouncing, and Stalemate

We consider constrained multiple-spacecraft reconfigurations outside a gravity well in deep space. As opposed to the single-spacecraft scenario, such reconfigurations involve collision avoidance constraints that can be embedded in a nonconvex, state-constrained optimal control problem. Due to the difficulties in solving this general class of optimal control problems, we adopt a heuristically motivated approach to multiple-spacecraft reconfigurations. Then, we proceed to prove the convergence properties of the proposed approach for reconfigurations involving an arbitrary number of spacecraft.
The Emigration of German-Speaking Economists after 1933

Economists were among the many scholars uprooted following Hitler's rise to power in 1933. This article reviews a series of books edited by Harald Hagemann and others which provide extensive biographical information on 314 German-speaking economists whose professional opportunities were shattered by Nazi policies. It evaluates the impact of the massive emigration on economic research and teaching in Germany and Austria and in the nations to which most of the economists emigrated. An analysis of 1966-70 data reveals that the emigres' cited publication counts were equivalent to the citations of three leading U.S. economics departments.
Dry deposition of particles to wave surfaces: II. Wind tunnel experiments

Abstract Wind tunnel measurements of particle dry deposition to wavy and flat surfaces were made to estimate the enhancement of deposition rates due to waves on water surfaces. Measurements were made of 4.0 and 6.7 μm uranine particles at wind speeds of 5 and 10 m s−1 to sinusoidal waves with height to length ratios 2a/λ=0.1 and 0.03 and to flat surfaces. Results showed that deposition was greatest to the upslope portion of the wave, accounting for 40–45% of the total mass, followed by the trough (30%), downslope (15%), and crest (10–15%). These results generally agreed within experimental variability with modeling predictions ( Zufall et al., 1999 ). Deposition was enhanced at the upslope due to the effects of particle interception and impaction on the wave. Total deposition to the wave surfaces was greater than deposition to the flat surface for a large majority of the cases. The average increase in deposition to both wave surfaces for both particle sizes and wind speeds over deposition to the flat surface was 80%.
Gels of methyl siliconic acid I. Method of formation and energy of activation

Sodium methyl siliconate, CH3Si (OH)2ONa, forms gels, when mixed with solutions of acetic, hydrochloric, or tartaric acid. Compared to sodium silicate and acid sols, which set to form silicic acid gels over a wide range of pH, from about 0 to 11, the siliconate and acid mixtures gel only in the range of pH 10.5 to 11.2, and only in solutions of fairly high concentrations. The energy of activation of setting of siliconate gels varies between 19,000 and 20,000 cal., compared to 24,000 cal. for alkaline gels of silicate and phosphoric acid. Viscosity versus time curves resemble those with silicate. The electrical conductivity of the siliconate gels increases more as the gel sets than is the case with silicate gels, representing a structure of lower resistance. The siliconate condensation polymers are the type intermediate between the polysilicic acids and the polysiloxanes. The siliconate gels are softer and more cloudy than silicic acid gels.
The Tactility of Early Cubism

We are increasingly sensitive to the traditional ground that prepared for modernism in the early years of the twentieth century, especially through general ideas of cognition and perception.1 Even ...
Calderas of the Marysvale Volcanic Field, west central Utah

Five calderas (Three Creeks, Big John, Monroe Peak, Mount Belknap, and Red Hills) have been identified and a sixth (Lion Flat) tentatively identified in the middle Tertiary Marysvale volcanic field of western Utah. The calderas are manifestations of separate magma bodies that worked their way to shallow depths between 27 and 19 Ma. No coherent ash flow field exists in the Marysvale volcanic field; instead, the ash flow units are interleaved at different places in the general volcanic sequence. The magma chambers that vented ash flows and collapsed as calderas formed discrete high-level plutons; they are probably underlain by a deep composite batholith consisting of many individual plutons from two distinct petrogenetic types, calc-alkalic and bimodal (mafic-silicic). The four largest calderas can be separated into two groups by contrasting structural behavior. The Three Creeks and Big John calderas are broad faulted downwarps that sagged into relatively deep magma chambers whose roofs were sufficiently strong to inhibit development of ring faults. In contrast, the Monroe Peak and Mount Belknap calderas are subcircular calderas that collapsed into shallow magma chambers with thin roofs, so easily breached that large volumes of lava were erupted within the calderas. Neither type shows strong postcollapse resurgence; roofs above the deeper magma chambers were too strong to be uplifted, and those above the shallow chambers were too weak to contain the magmatic pressures.
Tin-Based Organo-Zintl Ions: Alkylation and Alkenylation of Sn94−

Reactions of nine-atom deltahedral clusters (Zintl ions) of tin, Sn94−, with alkyl chlorides, RCl (R = tBu, nBu, sBu), and alkynes (Me3Si−C≡C−SiMe3, Ph−C≡CH) yielded the corresponding alkylated and alkenylated clusters [Sn9−R]3−. The triple bonds of the alkynes are hydrogenated to double bonds in the process. These are the first tin-based organo-Zintl ions, that is Zintl ions of tin that were subsequently functionalized with organic groups. They are analogous to the recently reported germanium-based derivatives. The tBu-, vinyl-, and styrene-functionalized clusters [Sn9−tBu]3−, [Sn9−CH=CH2]3−, and [Sn9−CH=CH−Ph]3−, respectively, were structurally characterized in the solid state with [K(2,2,2-crypt)]+ countercations and in solution by electrospray mass spectrometry. Crystal data: [K(2,2,2-crypt)]3[Sn9-tBu]·2py, triclinic, P1, a = 14.4259(3), b = 16.2725(4), and c = 22.5593(5) A, α = 86.092(1), β = 78.952(1), and γ = 65.114(1)°, V = 4714.48(7) A3, Z = 2; [K(2,2,2-crypt)]3[Sn9−CH=CH2]·2py, triclinic, P-1, a...
On the 2-primary v1-periodic homotopy groups of spaces

Abstract We develop foundations of a general approach for calculating p-primary v 1 -periodic homotopy groups of spaces using their p-adic KO-cohomologies and K-cohomologies with particular attention to the case p = 2 . As a main application, we derive a method for calculating v 1 -periodic homotopy groups of simply connected compact Lie groups using their complex, real, and quaternionic representation theories. This method has been applied very effectively by Davis in recent work. We rely heavily on the v 1 -stabilization functor Φ 1 from spaces to spectra. Roughly speaking, we obtain the p-primary v 1 -periodic homotopy of a space X from the p-adic KO-cohomology of Φ 1 X , which we obtain from the p-adic KO-cohomology and K-cohomology of X by a v 1 -stabilization process under suitable conditions.
Thermal performance of a five year lifetime superfluid helium dewar for SIRTF

The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) is a 1 m class cryogenically cooled observatory for infrared astronomy. The SIRTF cryogenic system has to satisfy the five year mission lifetime requirement as well as to provide sufficient cooling for the science instruments and optical system. A 4000 cu dm superfluid helium dewar has been selected for the current baseline cryogenic system which represents the largest superfluid helium dewar proposed to date for a long lifetime space-borne application. This paper discusses the design and predicted performance of the current cryogenic system, as well as its comparison with IRAS and other space-borne superfluid helium dewars currently under development.
Single-mode fiber with segmented core

Single-mode fibers with very low attenuation and dispersions in the 1.3-and 1.5-μm windows are essential for future long-distance telecommunications systems.
Recent trends in funding for the academic humanities & their implications

Excerpt] Never abundant, financial support for the “academic humanities” is now scarce. How scarce it is, both in absolute and relative terms, and whether the humanities now confront particularly hard times, are the pressing questions. To piece together an answer, we ask first how much the government, foundations, and private donors provide for the humanities now compared to estimates John D’Arms made in 1995, when he completed his important review of “funding trends.” Then we probe expenditures universities and colleges make on the humanities. Is there evidence, for example, in institutional budget allocations that the humanities are holding their own, or have rising costs of other academic activities, such as scientific research, been accompanied by reduced support for the humanities? And last, because public universities are so large and numerous, and because many operate on conspicuously tight budgets, we ask how well the humanities in this class of institutions have fared in comparison with their counterparts at private universities. The answers to such questions are not mere matters of financial accounting. Although much can be achieved in the humanities with quite small investments, the pursuit of excellence in scholarship and teaching in these fields is not costfree. For relevant evidence, we draw on the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’s useful Humanities Indicators Prototype, as well as a variety of other available (but often imperfect) data sources.
Nonexistence of solutions for reverse radial stagnation flow with transpiration

In this note a proof for nonexistence of a solution for reverse radial stagnation flow on a cylinder is given. The results are valid for either suction or blowing on the cylinder wall.
Rod and cone contributions to the a‐wave of the electroretinogram of the macaque

The electroretinogram (ERG) of anaesthetised dark-adapted macaque monkeys was recorded in response to ganzfeld stimulation and rod- and cone-driven receptoral and postreceptoral components were separated and modelled. The test stimuli were brief (< 4.1 ms) flashes. The cone-driven component was isolated by delivering the stimulus shortly after a rod-saturating background had been extinguished. The rod-driven component was derived by subtracting the cone-driven component from the mixed rod–cone ERG. The initial part of the leading edge of the rod-driven a-wave scaled linearly with stimulus energy when energy was sufficiently low and, for times less than about 12 ms after the stimulus, it was well described by a linear model incorporating a distributed delay and three cascaded low-pass filter elements. Addition of a simple static saturating non-linearity with a characteristic intermediate between a hyperbolic and an exponential function was sufficient to extend application of the model to most of the leading edge of the saturated responses to high energy stimuli. It was not necessary to assume involvement of any other non-linearity or that any significant low-pass filter followed the non-linear stage of the model. A negative inner-retinal component contributed to the later part of the rod-driven a-wave. After suppressing this component by blocking ionotropic glutamate receptors, the entire a-wave up to the time of the first zero-crossing scaled with stimulus energy and was well described by summing the response of the rod model with that of a model describing the leading edge of the rod-bipolar cell response. The negative inner-retinal component essentially cancelled the early part of the rod-bipolar cell component and, for stimuli of moderate energy, made it appear that the photoreceptor current was the only significant component of the leading edge of the a-wave. The leading edge of the cone-driven a-wave included a slow phase that continued up to the peak, and was reduced in amplitude either by a rod-suppressing background or by the glutamate analogue, cis-piperidine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (PDA). Thus the slow phase represents a postreceptoral component present in addition to a fast component of the a-wave generated by the cones themselves. At high stimulus energies, it appeared less than 5 ms after the stimulus. The leading edge of the cone-driven a-wave was adequately modelled as the sum of the output of a cone photoreceptor model similar to that for rods and a postreceptoral signal obtained by a single integration of the cone output. In addition, the output of the static non-linear stage in the cone model was subject to a low-pass filter with a time constant of no more than 1 ms. In conclusion, postreceptoral components must be taken into account when interpreting the leading edge of the rod- and cone-driven a-waves of the dark-adapted ERG.
The Neuropsychological Effects of Electrical Injury: New Insights

Although electricity has been used for commercial purposes since the 19th century, surprisingly little is known about the pathogenesis of neuropsychological and psychiatric changes following electrical injury (EI). As first noted in our review of this area, there primarily have been single case studies and retrospective investigations of EI patients that have been limited by small sample sizes, lack of appropriate control group comparisons, nonrandom selection procedures, and methodological variability.1 Yet, these studies seem to suggest that EI patients can have diverse clinical presentations in both type of symptoms (i.e., ranging from significant cognitive and/or emotional) and time of onset (i.e., immediate vs. delayed). Since our review of the neuropsychological effects of electrical injury first published in this book series in 1994, several new case reports have appeared in the literature that have documented posttraumatic stress disorder following electric shock2 and the presence of parasomnia as a neuropsychiatric complication of electrical injury.3 Additionally, one study surveyed a large support group of lightning and electrical injury survivors for behavioral symptoms4 and several retrospective neuropsychological studies have been published by a group of University of Iowa neuroscientists based on their series of electrical injury patients.5,6 Unfortunately, in our view, the critical factors that influence the neurocognitive and psychiatric consequences of exposure to electricity have not been clearly identified. However, many assumptions about EI are made by mental health professionals despite the lack of empirical evidence. These assumptions include the following: (1) the worse the visible burn, the worse the psychological difficulties that someone will have; (2) low voltage exposures will not cause significant neuropsychological problems; (3) EI patients who experience changes are not premorbidly psychologically stable; or (4) electrically injured patients are faking their difficulties for secondary gain. The purpose of this article is to summarize the new insights gained into the neuropsychological effects of electrical injury based on a series of studies conducted by the University of Chicago Electrical Trauma Program over the past five years,7–11 emphasizing that much more work still needs to be done. The goals of our research program continue to be the clarification of the central nervous system effects of electrical injury as reflected by postinjury neurocognitive and psychiatric functioning as
Progesterone and 5α-Pregnane-3,20-Dione in Serum of Peripartum Rhesus Monkeys

To determine whether there are qualitative or quantitative changes in placental steroidogenesis related to the time of day and onset of parturition in the rhesus monkey, systemic venous levels of progesterone (P) and 5α-pregnane- 3,20-dione (DHP) were measured by RIA at 0900 and 2100 h pre- and postpartum. To establish that these steroids were in fact secreted from the uterus and/or its contents, their concentrations were also determined at various stages of pregnancy in peripheral and uterine venous sera obtained during laparotomy. Throughout gestation, P and DHP were secreted from the uterus and/or its contents, as indicated by higher steroid levels in uterine than femoral veins. In prepartum monkeys, peripheral P and DHP concentrations were higher at 2100 than at 0900 h (P < 0.001), and in those animals sampled twice daily up to and including the day of parturition, P and DHP levels at 0900 h averaged 2.4 and 0.26 ng/ml, respectively, while at 2100 h, P and DHP were 5.9 and 0.61 ng/ml, respectively. No...
Are Successful Applicants to the Priesthood Psychologically Healthy

The current investigation evaluated psychological and personality profiles of successful applicants to a major Roman Catholic religious order. The MMPI-2 and 16PF were administered to 68 applicants between 1990 and 2004 who subsequently entered seminary. Results indicate that these applicants to the priesthood were generally well-adjusted as well as being socially responsible, interpersonally sensitive and sociable. Findings also suggest some tendency for defensiveness and repression. Furthermore, dealing with perceived negative impulses such as anger and hostility may also be a concern for many of these men.
OSNAC: An Ontology-based Access Control Model for Social Networking Systems

As the information flowing around in social networking systems is mainly related or can be attributed to their users, controlling access to such information by individual users becomes a natural requirement. The intricate semantic relations among data objects, different users, and between data objects and users further add to the complexity of access control needs. In this paper, we propose an access control model based on Semantic Web technologies that takes into account the above mentioned complex relations. The proposed model enables expressing much more fine-grained access control policies on a social network knowledge base than the few existing models. We demonstrate the applicability of our approach by implementing a proof-of-concept prototype of the proposed access control framework.
Dose conformity of gamma knife radiosurgery and risk factors for complications.

Abstract Purpose: To quantitatively evaluate dose conformity achieved using Gamma Knife radiosurgery, compare results with those reported in the literature, and evaluate risk factors for complications. Methods and Materials: All lesions treated at our institution with Gamma Knife radiosurgery from May 1993 (when volume criteria were routinely recorded) through December 1998 were reviewed. Lesions were excluded from analysis for reasons listed below. Conformity index (the ratio of prescription volume to target volume) was calculated for all evaluable lesions and for lesions comparable to those reported in the literature on conformity of linac radiosurgery. Univariate Cox regression models were used to test for associations between treatment parameters and toxicity. Results: Of 1612 targets treated in 874 patients, 274 were excluded, most commonly for unavailability of individual prescription volume data because two or more lesions were included within the same dose matrix (176 lesions), intentional partial coverage for staged treatment of large arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) (33 lesions), and missing target volume data (26 lesions). The median conformity indices were 1.67 for all 1338 evaluable lesions and 1.40–1.43 for lesions comparable to two linac radiosurgery series that reported conformity indices of 1.8 and 2.7, respectively. Among all 651 patients evaluable for complications, there were one Grade 5, eight Grade 4, and 27 Grade 3 complications. Increased risk of toxicity was associated with larger target volume, maximum lesion diameter, prescription volume, or volume of nontarget tissue within the prescription volume. Conclusions: Gamma Knife radiosurgery achieves much more conformal dose distributions than those reported for conventional linac radiosurgery and somewhat more conformal dose distributions than sophisticated linac radiosurgery techniques. Larger target, nontarget, or prescription volumes are associated with increased risk of toxicity.
Symptomatic response to antiarrhythmic drug therapy is modulated by a common single nucleotide polymorphism in atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: This study tested the hypothesis that response to antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) is modulated by 3 common loci associated with atrial fibrillation (AF).Background: Recent genome-wide assoc...
Temporal filtering in retinal bipolar cells. Elements of an optimal computation

Recent experiments indicate that the dark-adapted vertebrate visual system can count photons with a reliability limited by dark noise in the rod photoreceptors themselves. This suggests that subsequent layers of the retina, responsible for signal processing, add little if any excess noise and extract all the available information. Given the signal and noise characteristics of the photoreceptors, what is the structure of such an optimal processor? We show that optimal estimates of time-varying light intensity can be accomplished by a two-stage filter, and we suggest that the first stage should be identified with the filtering which occurs at the first anatomical stage in retinal signal processing, signal transfer from the rod photoreceptor to the bipolar cell. This leads to parameter-free predictions of the bipolar cell response, which are in excellent agreement with experiments comparing rod and bipolar cell dynamics in the same retina. As far as we know this is the first case in which the computationally significant dynamics of a neuron could be predicted rather than modeled.
Flowing afterglow studies of organic positive ions generated by penning ionization using metastable argon atoms

Abstract Penning ionization of organic molecules has been used as a convenient, clean ion source for flowing afterglow studies of organic positive ion/molecule reactions. Ionization reactions of 36 compounds were investigated, including alkanes, alkenes, ketones, ethers, chlorides and silanes. In many cases the parent ion is produced solely, but a few compounds fragment to give a daughter ion as the only ion. Some of these ions were then studied in reactions with their parent neutral molecules and in hetero-ion/molecule reactions. The combination of mild ionization and rapid thermalization in helium buffer gas circumvents complications from excited reactants. The reactions between ethylene radical ion and ethylene were examined in detail and the results are compared with both low- and high-pressure results in the literature. Rate constants and branching ratios were measured and mechanistic implications are discussed. It was determined that the loss of metastable argon by diffusion and destruction at the walls is considerably slower than the comparable loss of ions and this must be taken into account in kinetic measurements. Other reactions, including proton transfer equilibria, were also studied briefly.
Detection of two essential sulfhydryl residues in Escherichia coli B glycogen synthase.

Abstract Results presented indicate that two distinct essential sulfhydryl residues are present in the Escherichia coli B glycogen synthase. One residue is modified by iodoacetic acid and can be protected by ADP or ADPglucose. The other site can be modified by 5,5′-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) and is protected by glycogen. Each reagent appears to be specific for a given site and thus allows the two sites to be distingushed.
Development of a reversible helical electromagnetic launcher

The first-ever reversible helical electromagnetic launcher (HEML) to both accelerate and decelerate a projectile is presented and discussed. The reversible HEML is a hollow-projectile geometry with a barrel length of 750 mm and a bore diameter of 40 mm. Power for the reversible HEML is provided by a 3-module capacitive pulse forming network (PFN) that has a total energy storage of 1 MJ. Projectile mass is approximately 700 grams. The largest measured acceleration is 8000 m/s2 immediately followed by a deceleration pulse of 15,000 m/s2. Pulse lengths for the acceleration and deceleration pulses varied from 5 ms to a maximum of 14.5 ms. An uncertainty analysis and repeatability study was also done with regard to the measured results. Opportunities for improvement in this new proven technology are also explored.
Mesolimbic dopaminergic supersensitivity following electrical kindling of the amygdala

Abstract Limbic seizures developed in rats following daily electrical stimulation of the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala. Animals were designated as "kindled" after five complete (stage 5) behavioral seizures were observed. A subgroup, designated as "superkindled," received three additional weeks of electrical stimulations. Kindled rats were significantly subsensitive to the stereotypy-inducing effects of apomorphine, a direct dopamine agonist, compared to controls. Superkindled rats were supersensitive to the effects of apomorphine. However, both kindled and superkindled rats demonstrated an increase in 3 H-spiperone β max values, reflecting dopamine D 2 -receptor densities, in the nucleus accumbens ipsilateral to the stimulating electrode. The number of interictal spikes recorded from the stimulating amygdaloid electrode during the last week of kindling was correlated with changes in apomorphine sensitivity in individual animals.
Existentialism, death, and caring.

Under the direction of the Rev. J. Don Corley, Th.D., hospital chaplain, I spent the summer of 1958 in a chaplain's extern program in Little Rock, Arkansas. I had been in training only a few weeks when a woman, quite agitated, came to the chaplain's office. She reported that her husband had just been told that he had a terminal illness. This was doubly disturbing to her because her husband, as she put it, "was not a Christian." What she wanted one of us to do was to go to his hospital room and "convert him." "Nothing else matters," she said. "That's really the only need he has now?the need to become a Christian." Having received our assurance that we would visit him, she departed. In discussing the situation, Corley asked me if I would be willing to see the patient. When I agreed, he inquired, "What do you think you can do for that man? What role can you play in his life at this point? What do you think his needs really are?" Corley used this and other experiences in leading me to see that regardless of what anybody else says a person has need of, only that particular person is in a position to reveal his needs. Corley thus convinced me that one of the cardinal principles of caring is that one should never enter into a relationship with another person with a set of presuppositions about the needs of that person. The first responsibility in any caring relationship is to be open to the other, in order that the other may freely reveal who he is and where he is in terms of his own genuine needs. Only then can an appropriate (and therefore responsible) response be made. My purpose in writing this paper is to reinforce this crucial principle of effective caring by referring to and drawing certain conclusions from the existential analyses of death of Martin Heidegger in his major work Being and Time, Jean-Paul Sartre in his short story "The Wall," and Paul Tillich in his essay The Courage to Be. Predating these analyses and prefiguring several of the insights of Heidegger, Sartre, and Tillich are the writings of Leo Tolstoy, especially his short stories "The Death of Ivan Ilych" and "Memoirs of a Lunatic." In what follows, I attempt to show the relation between Tolstoy and his successors by including within brackets excerpts from his writings that foreshadow several of the points of Heidegger, Sartre, and Tillich. Heidegger repeatedly reminds his reader that the ultimate object of his investigation is "the meaning of Being,"1 or more precisely "the meaning of Being in general."2 Given his overriding interest in this classical metaphysical
Mixed gas chemical ionization mass spectrometry of peptide derivatives

In chemical ionization mass spectrometry, the use of a noble reagent gas mixed with a proton transfer reagent gas is known to produce mass spectra which contain both protonated molecules and fragment ions. We have used a mixture of isobutane and argon to improve the mass spectra of peptides which have been derivatized to O-TMS-polyamino alcohols. The molecular weight is deduced from a prominent [M+H]+ ion; the sequence of amino acids is deduced from the usual A- and Z-series fragment ions. This technique enhances the sequence ions for lysine and glycine-containing peptides, and retains the ability to distinguish C-terminal leucine and isoleucine.
Reporter Expression Persists 1 Year After Adeno-Associated Virus-Mediated Gene Transfer to the Optic Nerve

Objective To determine the foci and duration of protein expression following virus-mediated gene transfer to the optic nerve. Methods A cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter was linked to a lacZ-SV40 polyA reporter gene or a humanized green fluorescent protein (hgfp) reporter gene, then inserted into a bacterial plasmid containing adeno-associated virus (AAV) terminal repeat sequences. The CMV-lacZ or the CMV-hgfp construct were injected into the vitreous cavity of strain-13 guinea pigs. Controls consisted of eyes injected with AAV without the promoter and reporter elements or eyes that received no injections. The eyes and optic nerves were processed for beta-galactosidase immunohistochemistry and hgfp fluorescence analyses. Cellular transduction at the messenger RNA (mRNA) level was evaluated by in situ reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Results Weekly fundus photography, done for 1 month, documented the absence of any ocular abnormality due to the viral injections. No in vivo hgfp fluorescence of the retina was visualized. Beta-galactosidase histochemical analysis of eye cups that received the lacZ gene construct showed blue lacZ staining of the optic nerve head at 2 weeks. Light microscopy revealed the blue beta-galactosidase reaction product in fibers, glial cells, and blood vessels of the optic nerve head and retrobulbar nerve. Histochemistry showed absence of beta-galactosidase in the optic nerve at 3 to 12 months, but immunochemistry showed the persistence of beta-galactosidase in fibers, glial cells, and blood vessels as late as 1 year after a single ocular injection. In the retina, histochemical staining showed evidence of lacZ at 3 months, but not later. In situ reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed brown lacZ mRNA reaction product in ganglion cells of the retina. Control eyes that received AAV without the promoter and reporter elements and the eyes that received no viral injections and were processed for beta-galactosidase showed no reporter gene expression in any ocular tissue or cell type. Conclusions Viral-mediated gene transfer can be successfully accomplished in the optic nerve. Further evaluation is needed to determine whether the level of protein expression at 1 year after injection, which is clearly reduced relative to shorter postinjection time, is sufficient for therapeutic purposes. Clinical relevance We have previously shown that gene therapy with catalase suppressed experimental optic neuritis at 1 month after injection. Viral-mediated gene transfer may be a powerful technique for the treatment of optic neuropathies, particularly for recurrences of optic neuritis, if long-term expression of transduced protein can be demonstrated in the optic nerve.
Characterization of cellular transport, subcellular distribution, and secretion of the neurotoxicant 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium in bovine adrenomedullary cell cultures.

Cultures of bovine adrenomedullary chromaffin cells accumulated l-[methyl-3H]methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ([3H]MPP+) in a time- and concentration-dependent manner with an apparent Km of 0.7 μM and a Vmax of 3 pmol/min/106 cells. The uptake was sodium dependent and sensitive to inhibitors of the cell-surface catecholamine transporter. At low concentrations of MPP+, the subcellular distribution was identical to that of endogenous catecholamines in the catecholamine-containing chromaffin vesicles. However, at a higher concentration of MPP+, a larger proportion of the toxicant was recovered in the cytosolic fraction, with less in the chromaffin vesicle fractions. When cells were prelabeled with [3H]MPP+, at 1 and 300 μM, and then permeabilized with digitonin in the absence of Ca2+, there was a proportionally greater release of MPP+ from the cells labeled at the higher concentration of the toxicant. In the presence of Ca2+, cell permeabilization induced a time-dependent secretion of catecholamines and a parallel secretion of MPP+. Under these conditions, the secretion of endogenous catecholamines was unaffected by the presence of MPP+. When the permeabilization studies were carried out in the presence of tetrabenazine, a massive release of MPP+ was observed in the absence of Ca2+ and was not further increased by Ca2+. In intact cells prelabeled with 300 μM [3H]MPP+, the secretagogues nicotine and veratridine elicited a Ca2+-dependent secretion of catecholamines and MPP+ from the cells in similar proportions to their cellular contents. Barium-induced release of both species was independent of external Ca2+. Collectively, these data reveal that MPP+ is a novel substrate for both the cellular and vesicular catecholamine transporters and that, in intact cells, vesicular transport may become limiting relative to the cell-surface transporter, leading to the cytosolic accumulation of the toxicant.