cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hormonal breast cancer agents: implications for the primary care provider.

Purpose: Over 2 million breast cancer survivors are in the United States, making women with breast cancer the largest group of cancer survivors. The purpose of this article is to review the current knowledge regarding survivorship issues in women with early-stage, estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer, focusing on advances in hormonal therapies for reducing risk of recurrence. Data sources: Published research studies, clinical treatment guidelines, and ongoing clinical trials. Conclusions: Innovations in antiestrogenic and estrogen modulator therapies are an important aspect of ongoing care after primary breast cancer treatment. Primary care providers may play an important role in monitoring potential complications of antiestrogenic treatment. Implications for practice: This article reviews the current state of the science in hormonal breast cancer agents for breast cancer survivors. With the high incidence and prevalence of breast cancer, primary care providers need to be aware of the potential short- and long-term health risks and benefits of hormonal therapies for breast cancer survivors.
Use of syringaldazine for detection of laccase in sporophores of wood rotting fungi.

Fungal lacease can be detected with the nonautooxidizable laccase-specific compound, syringaldazine, in the presence of tyrosinase and peroxidase. Data are presented from tests with the azine deriv...
Lipolytic Activity of Microorganisms at Low and Intermediate Temperatures. III. Activity of Microbial Lipases at Temperatures Below 0°C

SUMMARY The lipolytic activity at -7, -18, and -29°C of strains of Pseudomonas fragi, Staphylococcus aureus, Geotrichum candidum, Candida lipolytica, Penicillium roqueforti, and an unidentified Penicillium sp. in emulsions of corn oil, coconut oil, and lard was determined. The action was measured by titratable acidity and by quantitative determination of the fatty acids by chromatography. The lipases from these microorganisms showed considerable activity within 2-4 days at -7°C and within a week at -18°C. Activity at -29°C was evident within 3 weeks by some of the cultures, particularly on corn oil. The rate of lipolysis in frozen substrates was directly related to their degree of unsaturation. However, there also were differences among genera. The lipase of G. candidum had considerably more specificity for oleic and linoleic acids than any of the others. P. fragi and C. lipolytica were least able to attack the β-esterified palmitic acid of lard. The ability of S. aureus to attack this position readily at 35° C was nullified by lowering the temperature to –18° C. A similar effect was observed on the mold lipase.
Review Essay: Meditations on First Neuroscience: Critical Notice of Mark Changizi's The Brain from 25,000 Feet

Neuroscience today is burdened by a massive accumulation of data, and a relative paucity of high-level theory relating brain to mind. One of the reasons for this may be the average neuroscientist’s conviction that the brain must be studied from the bottom-up. One must first uncover the structural and causal details of the mechanism at the molecular, cellular, and network level. Gradually this will reveal what the mechanism does – but we are only getting the first glimpses of this. In The Brain from 25,000 Feet, Mark Changizi argues that the average neuroscientist has it all bass-ackwards, or at least that this methodology is bound to miss something essential for understanding the brain. The mechanistic details, he suggests, won’t make any sense in the absence of a ‘‘high-level’’ understanding of the brain, by which he means an understanding of the principles and constraints that must apply to any brain-like object, i.e., any thinking thing. It would be lovely if Changizi could, in neo-Cartesian form, derive the function and structure of the fundamental cortical circuit from a priori mathematical truths. Of course, he does nothing of the sort, but I think he is successful in demonstrating how high-level understanding can enrich the sciences of the mind, often in surprising ways. I think he is less successful in illuminating neuroscience in particular, but that is perhaps the minor failing of a misleading title rather than a serious failure to support his main thesis. Chapter 1 is primarily neuroscientific, but the remainder of the book is about the brain only in the weak sense that any branch of cognitive science is ultimately about the brain, at least in part. Chapter 2 (on ‘‘perceiving the present’’ and optical illusions) could potentially be useful as a guide to
The energetic British

Bacterial Energy Transductlon. Edited by Christopher Anthony. Academic: 1988. Pp. 517. $98, £47.
Stop codon recognition by release factors induces structural rearrangement of the ribosomal decoding center that is productive for peptide release.

Summary Peptide release on the ribosome is catalyzed in the large subunit peptidyl transferase center by release factors on recognition of stop codons in the small subunit decoding center. Here we examine the role of the decoding center in this process. Mutation of decoding center nucleotides or removal of 2′OH groups from the codon—deleterious in the related process of tRNA selection—has only mild effects on peptide release. The miscoding antibiotic paromomycin, which binds the decoding center and promotes the critical steps of tRNA selection, instead dramatically inhibits peptide release. Differences in the kinetic mechanism of paromomycin inhibition on stop and sense codons, paired with correlated structural changes monitored by chemical footprinting, suggest that recognition of stop codons by release factors induces specific structural rearrangements in the small subunit decoding center. We propose that, like other steps in translation, the specificity of peptide release is achieved through an induced-fit mechanism.
Theory of Surface-Polariton Resonances and Field Enhancements in Light Scattering from Bigratings,

A theory is presented of the diffraction of light of arbitrary polarization incident upon a doubly periodic grating on the surface of a dielectric medium characterized by a complex dielectric constant ∊(ω). We use Rayleigh’s method, together with the vectorial equivalent of Kirchhoff’s integral and the extinction theorem, to eliminate the field in the dielectric, thereby halving the size of the matrix to be inverted. The amplitudes of the diffracted orders have been calculated for a sinusoidal bigrating and for a square lattice of hemiellipsoids on a planar surface when the dielectric medium is silver. For a fixed wavelength (5145 A) of p-polarized incident light, the angles of incidence (polar and azimuthal) and grating parameters that maximize the coupling to surface polaritons and the electric-field enhancement are calculated. The enhancement of the square of the total field, calculated on and near the surface, is found to reach values of about 300.
Regulation and transfer of a murine model of thyrotropin receptor antibody mediated Graves' disease.

In order to replicate a recently described murine model of Graves' disease, we immunized AKR/N (H-2k) mice i.p., every 2 weeks, with either a clone of fibroblasts expressing both the human TSH receptor (hTSHR) and murine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules or with fibroblasts expressing the MHC class II molecules alone. Mice were bled, and their thyroid hormone levels measured, at 6, 12, and up to 18 weeks after the first immunization. Between 11-12 weeks after immunization, a significant number of mice began to die spontaneously and were found to have developed large goiters. Thirty to 40% of mice immunized with hTSHR transfected fibroblasts showed markedly increased serum T3 and T4 hormone levels by 12 weeks compared with controls, with the highest thyroid hormone levels being T3: 420 ng/dl (normal < 70) and T4: 16.5 microg/dl (normal < 5). The murine serum demonstrated the presence of antibodies to the TSHR, as evidenced by inhibition of labeled TSH binding to the hTSHR, and these sera had in vitro thyroid stimulating activity. Many of the hyperthyroid mouse exhibited weight loss and hyperactivity and, on examination, their thyroids had the histological features of thyroid hyperactivity including thyroid enlargement, thyroid cell hypertrophy, and colloid droplet formation--all consistent with Graves' disease. In contrast, a small number of mice (< 5%) developed hypothyroidism with low serum T4 levels and markedly increased TSH concentrations and evidence of thyroid hypoplasia. Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were successfully transferred to naive mice using ip cells of immunized mice. Surprisingly, hypothyroidism occurred in many recipient mice even after transfer from hyperthyroid donors. These results confirmed that immunization with naturally expressed hTSHR in mammalian cells was able to induce functional TSHR autoantibodies that either stimulated or blocked the mouse thyroid gland and induced hyperthyroidism or thyroid failure. Furthermore, both blocking and stimulating antibodies coexisted in the same mice as evidenced so clearly by the transfer of hypothyroidism from hyperthyroid mice. The addition of a Th2 adjuvant (pertussis toxin) caused approximately 50% of the animals to become hyperthyroid beginning early at 9 weeks, whereas a Th1 adjuvant (CFA) delayed the disease onset such that only 10% were hyperthyroid by 12 weeks. As with human autoimmune thyroid disease, the T cell control of this murine model may be critical and requires more extensive investigation.
Using Brief Assessments to Identify Effective Interventions for Individual Students

Abstract This study examined the utility of brief teaching probes as an assessment for students referred due to poor academic performance. Reading-decoding skills as assessed by students' oral reading rate on probes containing letters, words, or prose were examined. The brief assessment consisted of three phases: baseline and two instructional interventions. Each phase was presented twice during each brief assessment. Brief assessments were conducted across three levels of instructional materials for 4 students, resulting in 12 brief assessments. Ten of the 12 brief assessments identified one or both interventions as promising, based on a 20% or greater increase in reading rate over baseline. Following the assessment, an extended analysis was conducted for each student using a multiple baseline across curricular materials. In 83% of cases, interventions received the same classification as effective or ineffective across the brief assessment and extended analysis. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
Combination of LC3 shRNA Plasmid Transfection and Genistein Treatment Inhibited Autophagy and Increased Apoptosis in Malignant Neuroblastoma in Cell Culture and Animal Models

Malignant neuroblastoma is an extracranial solid tumor that usually occurs in children. Autophagy, which is a survival mechanism in many solid tumors including malignant neuroblastoma, deters the efficacy of conventional chemotherapeutic agents. To mimic starvation, we used 200 nM rapamycin that induced autophagy in human malignant neuroblastoma SK-N-BE2 and IMR-32 cells in cell culture and animal models. Combination of microtubule associated protein light chain 3 short hairpin RNA (LC3 shRNA) plasmid transfection and genistein (GST) treatment was tested for inhibiting rapamycin-induced autophagy and promoting apoptosis. The best synergistic efficacy caused the highest decrease in cell viability due to combination of 50 nM LC3 shRNA plasmid transfection and 25 µM GST treatment in rapamycin-treated SK-N-BE2 cells while combination of 100 nM LC3 shRNA plasmid transfection and 25 µM GST treatment in rapamycin-treated IMR-32 cells. Quantitation of acidic vesicular organelles confirmed that combination of LC3 shRNA plasmid transfection and GST treatment prevented rapamycin-induced autophagy due to down regulation of autophagy promoting marker molecules (LC3 II, Beclin 1, TLR-4, and Myd88) and upregulation of autophagy inhibiting marker molecules (p62 and mTOR) in both cell lines. Apoptosis assays showed that combination therapy most effectively activated mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis in human malignant neuroblastoma in cell culture and animal models. Collectively, our current combination of LC3 shRNA plasmid transfection and GST treatment could serve as a promising therapeutic strategy for inhibiting autophagy and increasing apoptosis in human malignant neuroblastoma in cell culture and animal models.
Minimizing the Effects of Temporal Aggregation on Event Data Analysis

Event data remains one of the best means for evaluating reciprocity and triangularity in international politics. One difficulty with using this type of data has been its susceptibility to the statistical effects of temporal aggregation. This article examines the concept of the natural interval in event data analysis, specifies how a user-selected aggregation interval affects measured stimulus–response behavior, and proposes a method for calculating a minimum threshold for the natural interval. The article then examines how such a minimum threshold reduces the impact of misspecification on perceived relationships for the Amazon River Basin and the Jordan River Basin.
Global Thinking, Local Acting: Movements to Save the Planet.

Environmental and futurist movements have taken up the issue of managing global environmen tal change. They have transformed "thinking globally, acting locally" from its original use as cautionary caption to its new use as militant maxim for change. Rene Dubos coined thinking globally, acting locally to warn that global programs cannot be easily translated everywhere into local actions. Movements now use it as a maxim to encourage people to act locally to save the world. Thinking globally, acting locally has become a model for a future in which planet Earth is to be managed comprehensively as a living system, not centrally, through command from a global government, but polycentrically, up from the global grassroots. Globalizing en vironmentalist and futurist movements have thus reinterpreted thinking globally, acting locally because the changed interpretation helps its user to deal with two major contradictions: (a) the goals of managing comprehensively and integratively to serve global system interests v...
Regenerative Capacity of Old Muscle Stem Cells Declines without Significant Accumulation of DNA Damage

The performance of adult stem cells is crucial for tissue homeostasis but their regenerative capacity declines with age, leading to failure of multiple organs. In skeletal muscle this failure is manifested by the loss of functional tissue, the accumulation of fibrosis, and reduced satellite cell-mediated myogenesis in response to injury. While recent studies have shown that changes in the composition of the satellite cell niche are at least in part responsible for the impaired function observed with aging, little is known about the effects of aging on the intrinsic properties of satellite cells. For instance, their ability to repair DNA damage and the effects of a potential accumulation of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) on their regenerative performance remain unclear. This work demonstrates that old muscle stem cells display no significant accumulation of DNA DSBs when compared to those of young, as assayed after cell isolation and in tissue sections, either in uninjured muscle or at multiple time points after injury. Additionally, there is no significant difference in the expression of DNA DSB repair proteins or globally assayed DNA damage response genes, suggesting that not only DNA DSBs, but also other types of DNA damage, do not significantly mark aged muscle stem cells. Satellite cells from DNA DSB-repair-deficient SCID mice do have an unsurprisingly higher level of innate DNA DSBs and a weakened recovery from gamma-radiation-induced DNA damage. Interestingly, they are as myogenic in vitro and in vivo as satellite cells from young wild type mice, suggesting that the inefficiency in DNA DSB repair does not directly correlate with the ability to regenerate muscle after injury. Overall, our findings suggest that a DNA DSB-repair deficiency is unlikely to be a key factor in the decline in muscle regeneration observed upon aging.
Infrared spectral consequences of conformational heterogeneity in saturated alcohols

Abstract The best explanation for the doublet character of IR OH stretching absorptions of many saturated alcohols is conformational heterogeneity. According to this theory each C—O rotational isomer (rotamer) gives rise to a symmetrical OH absorption. Therefore, as predicted, molecules with only one minimum energy rotamer have symmetrical OH spectra. When the absorption frequencies of two or more rotamers are different, the experimentally observed summation spectra are ordinarily asymmetrical. The main class of compounds studied was cyclohexanol derivatives. Asymmetrical spectra were decomposed by digital computer into two symmetrical component bands, assumed to have Lorentzian band shapes, and these bands were remarkably constant for a given rotamer type and did not depend on whether the alcohols were secondary or tertiary. Absorption bands near 3624 cm−1 in tertiary axial cyclohexanols were assigned to a type of rotamer in which the OH bond lies over the cyclohexane ring. To rationalize the symmetrical OH absorptions of secondary axial cyclohexanol, it was previously suggested that this type of rotamer was absent due to steric repulsion of the OH hydrogen with the 3,5-diaxial hydrogens of the ring. We favor an alternative explanation: that the rotamers with the OH bond over the ring and with the OH bond pointing away from the ring are both present, but have about the same adsorption frequency.
A Description of Online Instructors Use of Design Theory

In a recent dissertation study, research was conducted to evaluate online instructorsâ€™ characteristics and preferences concerning the use of a telementor, or online instructorâ€™s assistant, as a part on an online course. Those who participated in the anonymous survey came from a sample of two thousand online instructors from colleges and universities located across the United States. Of those contacted, 323 online instructors responded to the survey. Results presented in this article were produced using data from nine of the questions included in the survey. These Likert Scale questions specifically asked the instructors about their use of theory of multiple representation, Gagneâ€™s conditions of learning, instructional transaction theory, cognitive flexibility theory, three form theory, dual-coding theory, elaboration theory, theory of transactional distance, and theory of immediacy and social presence. Outcomes showed that a larger number of online instructors applied design theory when creating a course compared to the instructors who indicated that they did not apply design theory. Descriptive results presented illustrate how often the participants said that they utilized each of the different theories.
Calorimetric studies of lipid phase transitions in native and heat-denatured membranes of beef heart submitochondrial particles

Abstract The lipids in beef heart submitochondrial particles undergo a broad reversible endothermic phase change centered at about −10°C. Following protein denaturation, a new reversible transition centered at about 20°C appears. The extracted lipids from these membranes exhibit thermal behavior that is essentially identical to the lipid transition in the intact membrane after protein denaturation. A role for this latent pool of higher-melting lipids is proposed.
Viscosity and Density of Molten Salts Based on Equimolar NaCl–KCl

Aluminum scrap is melted under a cover of salt flux. During melting, the salt becomes progressively viscous and dense as the oxide film stripped from the metal is suspended in the flux. The increase in viscosity and density decreases the coalescence ability of flux and, hence, decreases the metal recovery. The viscosity and density of ternary molten salts relevant to recycling of aluminum scrap were measured in this study. The kinematic viscosity of the ternary salts varied between 0.71 x 10 -6 to 0.96 x 10 -6 m 2 /s at 1013 K. The density of the molten salts increased by the addition of fluorides.
Interval Newton methods and perturbed problems

This paper describes a straightforward implementation of a modified Newton algorithm which generates the best interval bounding the solution generated using interval Newton methods. This implementation addresses the issues described by Hansen and Greenberg for analyzing problems with data perturbations using interval analysis. It also indicates a new approach of potentially attractive methods for using interval Newton methods. While our focus is on perturbed problems (sensitivity analysis), the results are more generally applicable. The major difference in the point of view of perturbed problems versus the general use of interval methods is that in perturbed problems we are focused on the behavior of the function around an optimal solution. The more general approach seeks to identify all optimal solutions of the function.
Systematic review: the economic impact of irritable bowel syndrome.

Summary Background : Although little mortality is associated with irritable bowel syndrome, curative therapy does not exist and thus the economic impact of this disorder may be considerable. Methods : A systematic review of the literature was performed. Studies were included if their focus was irritable bowel syndrome, and direct and/or productivity (indirect) costs were reported. Two investigators abstracted the data independently. Results : One hundred and seventy-four studies were retrieved by the search; 11 fulfilled all criteria for entry into the review. The mean direct costs of irritable bowel syndrome management were reported to be UK£90, Canadian$259 and US$619 per patient annually, with total annual direct costs related to irritable bowel syndrome of £45.6 million (UK) and $1.35 billion (USA). Direct resource consumption of all health care for irritable bowel syndrome patients ranged from US$742 to US$3166. Productivity costs ranged from US$335 to US$748, with total annual costs of $205 million estimated in the USA. Annual expenditure for all health care, in addition to expenditure limited to gastrointestinal disorders, was significantly higher in irritable bowel syndrome patients than in control populations. Conclusions : Despite the lack of significant mortality, irritable bowel syndrome is associated with high direct and productivity costs. Irritable bowel syndrome patients consume more gastrointestinal-related and more total health care resources than non-irritable bowel syndrome controls, and sustain significantly greater productivity losses.
Environmental Values and the Social Amplification of Risk: An Examination of How Environmental Values and Media Use Influence Predispositions for Public Engagement in Wildlife Management Decision Making

As human interaction with wildlife increases due to population growth and development, wildlife managers and risk professionals have increasingly recognized the importance of citizen participation in risk management decision making. Employing a general population telephone survey of upstate New York residents and using a structural equation model analysis, this study examines the roles that environmental values and media use play in promoting public engagement in wildlife management and risk decision-making processes. Placing the examination within the social amplification of risk framework, this study finds that environmental values directly impact concern, health risk perceptions, and engagement in wildlife management processes. Media use also impacts citizen participation by amplifying risk perceptions and concern while directly increasing the likelihood that citizens will participate in decision-making processes. The study's implications for how the social amplification of risk framework can be used t...
Gene alterations and intestinal mucosal changes following growth factor and omega-3 exposure in a rat model of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract Background We have previously shown that there is synergism between Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) and Omega-3 (OM-3) enriched feeds using an immunologic model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This combination decreased inflammation and cytokine levels and increased microvascular density and mucosal mass. This study evaluates the gene alterations that occurred using this same model. Methods Twenty adult female transgenic HLA-B27 rats were divided into four groups: Group 1: (Regular feeds, IV saline); Group 2: (OM-3 feeds, IV saline); Group 3: (Regular feeds, IV HGF 150 μg/kg/day); Group 4: (OM-3 feeds, IV HGF 150 μg/kg/day). Rats were sacrificed 14 days after pump placement. Bowel was harvested and RNA extracted. Microarray gene chips were used. Statistical analysis was done by analysis of variance using Partek Genomics Suite. Results were significant if fold change was more than 2 or less than − 2, with P Results In the ileum, HGF up- or down-regulated 34 genes, while OM-3 affected 60 genes. Together 68 genes were affected. Families with a synergistic effect included Solute Carrier Proteins, ATP Binding Cassette Proteins, and Matrix Metalloproteinases. In the colon, 23 genes were affected by HGF, while 66 genes were affected with OM-3. Combined exposure affected 32 genes, including a synergistic effect on solute carrier proteins, aquaporins, and immunologic factors. Conclusions There is a synergistic gene alteration effect of exposure of two (HGF and Omega-3 enriched feeds) agents on bowel mucosa. Of most interest was the synergistic effect on the solute carrier protein family, a previously identified gene family up-regulated in response to intestinal failure.
Proton polarization in 16O(p, p0)16O and states in 17F∗ (II)

Abstract The proton polarization in 16 O(p, p 0 ) 16 O has been measured for laboratory proton energies between 10.0 and 16.0 MeV. Measurements were made for 18 or more angles at 60 energies. In addition, excitation functions of polarization were measured at 6 angles in 50 keV steps from 12.8 to 16.0 MeV. Both optical-model and phase-shift analyses were performed using published cross-section data in conjunction with the polarization data. The energy dependence of the complex phase shifts yielded spin, parity, and width assignments for 10 levels in 17 F and possible assignments for 10 additional levels. A review of the energy levels of 17 F below 16 MeV is given.
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide immunoreactive neurons in the primary visual cortex of the cat

When cat visual cortex (area 17) is reacted with an antibody to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) a variety of neuronal types is labelled. Many of the labelled neurons are bipolar in form and are most common in layers II and III, although significant numbers of bipolar neurons are also encountered in layer V. Multipolar cells are also labelled. These are most frequent in layer IV and have a variety of shapes. In layer I, the labelled cells are of three varieties, i.e. horizontal bipolar cells, horizontal bitufted cells and multipolar neurons, while in layer VI the few VIP-positive neurons are horizontal bipolar cells. This suggests that all of the VIP-labelled neurons in cat area 17 are non-pyramidal in form, and this has been confirmed by electron microscopy. In these preparations, axon terminals are also labelled and under the light microscope it can be seen that these terminals occur both within the neuropil and around the cell bodies of some neurons, particularly neurons in layers II and III. Electron microscopy has shown that all of the labelled axon terminals form symmetric synapses and that those in the neuropil synapse with the shafts of smooth dendrites. These axodendritic synapses account for about 90% of the synapses formed by the labelled axon terminals. The remainder of the labelled axon terminals synapse with the cell bodies of pyramidal neurons. Parallels are drawn between these results and those previously obtained by examining those neuronal elements labelled with VIP antibodies in rat visual cortex.
Key Issues and Challenges for the 1999 World Trade Organization Agriculture Round

International trade negotiations continue to be a topic of great importance. In December 1993 negotiations for the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) came to a close after more than seven years. The next round of agricultural negotiations is scheduled to begin in late 1999. According to U.S. Trade Representative Barshefsky, agriculture is a field where the next World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations offer immense potential for direct, concrete benefits via further reduction of tariffs, export subsidies, and domestic supports linked to production (Barshefsky 1998). In addition, this round may be called the Green Round given the potential emphasis on global resource use and environmental issues. The
Assessment of the Reconstructed Aerodynamics of the Mars Science Laboratory Entry Vehicle

On 5 August 2012, the Mars Science Laboratory entry vehicle successfully entered the atmosphere of Mars, flying a guided entry until parachute deploy. The Curiosity rover landed safely in Gale crater upon completion of the entry, descent, and landing sequence. Preflight aerodynamic predictions are compared with the aerodynamic performance of the entry capsule identified from onboard flight data, including inertial-measurement-unit accelerometer and rate gyro information, and heat shield surface pressure measurements. From the onboard data, static force and moment coefficients have been extracted. These data are compared with the preflight aerodynamic database. The Mars Science Laboratory flight data represent the most complete and self-consistent record of a blunt capsule entering Mars collected to date. These data enable the separation of aerodynamic performance from atmospheric conditions. The comparisons show the Mars Science Laboratory aerodynamic characteristics have been successfully identified and ...
Debonding of a predeflected segment of layer from the wall of a contracting cavity

Abstract The problem of the debonding of an elastic layer from the wall of a uniformly contracting cavity is considered for the case where a segment of the layer is initially delarmnated and is predeflected due to the presence of a “knife edge imperfection” on the surface of the substrate or equivalently by a point load applied to the layer. A closed form analytical solution is obtained and numerical results are presented demonstrating the influence of the “imperfection” on the phenomenon of interest.
Light effects on oxygen evolution and phosphorylation in spinach chloroplasts.

Abstract The coupling between O 2 evolution and phosphorylation (non-cyclic photophosphorylation) in spinach chloroplasts at rate-saturating and rate-limiting light intensities exhibits the following properties. The pH profile of O 2 evolution is similar to the pH profile of concomitant phosphorylation at rate-saturating intensities but differs from the pH profile of phosphorylation at rate-limiting light intensities. The addition of ADP stimulates the rate of O 2 evolution at rate-saturating intensities, but does not stimulate the rate of O 2 evolution at rate-limiting light intensities. Calculated values for P/O ratios approach unit at rate-saturating and rate-limiting intensities, indicating an obligate coupling between phosphorylation and electron flow (O 2 evolution) in the presence of the phosphorylating system. Ammonium salts uncouple phosphorylation from O 2 evolution at rate-saturating and rate-limiting intensities, but ammonium salts stimulate the rate of O 2 evolution only at rate-saturating intensities. This stimulated rate of O 2 evolution is independent of the concentration of phosphate ions. Also, the rate of O 2 evolution is not influenced by the presence or absence of phosphate ions at rate-limiting or rate-saturating light intensities. Quantum efficiency determinations of non-cyclic photophosphorylation are equivalent with either ferricyanide or NADP employed as oxidant.
The chemistry of ethylene propylene insulation. II

The basic chemistry of ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) insulation is reviewed. EPR polymer structure, diene cure site, crystallinity, molecular weight and distribution, branching, and polymer properties are discussed. Manufacture, applications, compounding, curing, processing, and performance are also discussed. The important effect that compounding has on EPR insulation properties and performance is emphasized. >
Mechanisms of Venous Leakage: A Prospective Clinicopathological Correlation of Corporeal Function and Structure

AbstractPurpose: We investigated the pathophysiology of structurally based corporeal veno-occlusive dysfunction.Materials and Methods: We prospectively evaluated 24 impotent patients (mean age plus or minus standard error 46 plus/minus 3 years) who had exposure to vascular risk factors and/or disorders inducing diffuse trabecular structure alterations and who underwent penile prosthesis insertion. Preoperative indexes of veno-occlusive function (flow to maintain, venous outflow resistance and pressure decay measurements using repeat dosing pharmacocavernosometry) were correlated with postoperative erectile tissue computer assisted color histomorphometry (percent trabecular smooth muscle to total erectile tissue area). To develop further study findings and correlate histomorphometric findings with molecular biological properties molecular biological studies (ribonuclease protection analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay for expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 messenger ...
Active optical range imaging sensors

Active, optical range imaging systems collect three-dimensional coordinate data from object surfaces. These systems can be useful in a wide variety of automation applications, including shape acquisition, bin picking, assembly, inspection, gauging, robot navigation, medical diagnosis, cartography, and military tasks. The range-imaging sensors in such systems are unique imaging devices in that the image data points explicitly represent scene surface geometry in a sampled form. At least six different optical principles have been used to actively obtain range images: (1) radar, (2) triangulation, (3) moire, (4) holographic interferometry, (5) lens focusing, and (6) diffraction. The relative capabilities of different sensors and sensing methods are evaluated using a figure of merit based on range accuracy, depth of field, and image acquisition time.
Assessment of Nutritional, Clinical, and Immunologic Status of HIV-Infected, Inner-City Patients with Multiple Risk Factors

Abstract Objective To evaluate the nutritional, clinical, and immunologic factors associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected, inner-city patients with multiple risk factors. Design Prospective cross-sectional nutrition evaluation of patients with HIV infection. Setting Patients were interviewed at the outpatient clinic at Mt Sinai Medical Center, New York City, NY. Subjects Our subjects were men and women older than 18 years of age and at all stages of HIV infection (n=56). Outcome measures Anthropometric measurements, history of weight changes (maintenance of preillness body weight or decrease from preillness weight status), 3-day food records, and clinical laboratory tests. Statistical analyses t Tests were used to compare patients who were at a stable weight with patients who had lost weight with regard to the anthropometric, dietary, and clinical variables. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and χ 2 tests were applied to examine correlations between pairs and differences in proportions, respectively. Results Patients were classified into groups according to whether they were at a stable weight (n=25) or had lost weight (n=31). All anthropometric measurements, CD4 lymphocytes, and CD8 lymphocytes were significantly lower in the patients who had lost weight. No differences were observed between the groups for absolute lymphocyte count or transferrin, hemoglobin, and albumin levels. The mean energy intake of the 56 patients was 74% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Forty-seven patients (84%) took vitamin and/or mineral supplements within a range of 2% to 50,000% of the RDA. No significant positive correlations were observed between nutrient intake, CD4 cells, and absolute lymphocyte count. Conclusions/applications All anthropometric measurements, CD4 lymphocytes, and CD8 lymphocytes were notably lower in patients with weight loss. The mean energy intake of the subjects was only 74% of the RDA. Megadoses of vitamin supplements were taken by a large number of patients, but no significant positive effects were observed for absolute lymphocyte count and CD4 cells. Although supplementation of micronutrients may influence the progression of HIV infection, a balanced, nutritious diet may be more beneficial in maintaining or improving the physiologic status of the patients. However, members of a high-risk population may benefit less from HIV-related social services and food or nutrition resources. With the growing number of injection-drug users in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome population, it will be essential to develop comprehensive strategies to address the interconnected needs for medical and nutrition care. Ensuring that patients have adequate meals during an extended course of treatment in the outpatient clinic or that dietitians have meals available in group settings or through home-delivery service may be the most appropriate nutrition intervention in these high-risk patients. J Am Diet Assoc. 1995; 95:655-660 .
Cover Picture: Surface Wrinkles for Smart Adhesion (Adv. Mater. 4/2008)

A patterned adhesive, based on surface wrinkling through swelling of a laterally confined polymer film, is presented by Alfred J. Crosby and co-workers on p. 711. The image highlights the interface between the wrinkles (bright cylinders) of the patterned adhesive separating from a glass substrate (circular region). Enhanced control of adhesion is attributed to contact line splitting, which is fundamental to adhesion control in numerous examples in nature, for example, the gecko.
Imaging of myocardial infarction for diagnosis and intervention using real-time interactive MRI without ECG-gating or breath-holding

Inversion-recovery (IR), gradient-recalled-echo (GRE), delayed hyperenhancement (DHE) imaging is a validated method for detecting the presence and extent of myocardial infarction (MI) (1,2). Breath-holding and ECG-gating for segmentation of k-space are employed to increase spatial resolution, temporal resolution, and contrast. However, ECG-gating can be problematic for patients with irregular heart rhythms, and breath-holding can be uncomfortable and difficult for ill patients. These difficulties may reduce patient compliance and ultimately limit the population that can be examined with current techniques of infarct detection using DHE. In addition, there is currently no established method to visualize infarcted myocardium with a real-time (RT) imaging sequence, which may be desirable during an interventional cardiovascular procedure. Switching between RT and ECG-gated pulse sequences during a sensitive interventional procedure is an unattractive alternative. RTMRI monitoring of cardiac function would be temporarily interrupted, which could increase procedural risks. A more desirable approach is to modify the pulse sequence interactively during RT imaging (3) in order to alter image contrast as needed. Toward that goal, we developed an interactive RT imaging method that produces images frequently enough to monitor cardiac function, and can optionally produce infarct-enhanced images every few frames. The technique is based on a high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), steady-state free precession (SSFP) pulse sequence (4) modified with intermittent preparation pulses (5,6). For diagnostic use, this method may facilitate the search for diseased myocardium by detecting abnormal wall motion and DHE in the same scan without ECG-gating and breath-holding, and by allowing the use of interactive slice positioning tools to locate abnormal myocardium. We compared DHE obtained from RT imaging with that from conventional IR-GRE by estimating infarct size and contrast in images from infarcted pigs and from patients with known infarcts. With minor parameter changes, the sequence also allows simultaneous observation of first-pass perfusion (7) and wall motion. For interventional use, infarcted tissue is visible in the myocardium-nulled images, and the view-shared images show device position relative to surrounding anatomy while they provide essential monitoring of cardiac function. The composite information from this image stream may facilitate navigation of an interventional device toward the target infarcted tissue. This multipurpose imaging technique can depict the position of a catheter-based receiver coil relative to infarcted myocardium in the left ventricle (LV) of an infarcted animal.
Translation and validation of arthritis outcome measures into spanish

Objective. To produce Spanish versions of common arthritis outcome measures: the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) Disability Scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Pain Severity Scale, the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale for Pain and Other Symptoms (with the addition of 2 new items), the Visual Analogue Pain Scale, the MOS Self-Rated Health Item, and a Physical Activities Scale that would be usable by most Hispanics living in the US. We tested these translated measures for reliability and, where appropriate, validity. Methods. Instruments were translated and back translated by bilingual persons from 5 different countries of origin. Translators met to resolve variations in translation. The instruments were then administered to Hispanic arthritis patients in 6 geographic locations (5 in the United States and 1 in Latin America). All instruments underwent standard psychometric testing. As appropriate, the sample was stratified by level of acculturation, nation of origin, and geographic location. Results. The translated instruments, with slight modification, met acceptable levels of reliability and validity. They are understood and easily usable by diverse Spanish-speaking populations. Conclusion. The availability of these translated outcome measures should enable investigators to include monolingual Spanish-speakers into their studies, and should facilitate study of cross-cultural differences with respect to these specific outcomes.
Trickster Strategies in Alain Mabanckou's Black Bazar

Throughout world folklore, tales of animal trickery such as the West African tales featuring Anancy the Spider showcase the use of cunning and thievery to overwhelm stronger foes. In several such tales, Anancy leads a liminal life on the edges of society, which provides him easy access to communities while allowing him to maintain a safe distance. He uses shape-shifting abilities to fool his opponents or his victims and manipulates language through Signifyin(g) processes to trick his prey or enemy and disrupt social practices. In Black bazar (2009), the Franco-Congolese writer Alain Mabanckou draws upon these three trickster strategies to illustrate the complexity of francophone migrant identities in Paris. In so doing, Mabanckou emerges as a master trickster himself who elaborates a new Francophone discourse of migrant identity.
Design and Simulation of Liquid Krypton as Gamma Ray Detector

Monte Carlo simulations were used to model gamma ray interactions at 1 MeV and 11 MeV within liquid krypton to understand geometry effects and energy containment. Two Monte Carlo codes were used in this work: Geant4 and MCNP5. The agreement of the two codes was shown by the comparison of the calculated average energy deposition and fraction of incident gamma energy deposited as a function of chamber lengths and gamma ray offsets. Modeling shows that good energy containment for 1 MeV gamma rays occurs for chamber depths of 20 cm. For gamma rays entering parallel to the central axis of the detector, 1 MeV showers are well contained up to approximately 1 cm of the detectors' edge. For 11 MeV gamma rays the acceptance plateau occurs at a depth of 40 cm and 20 cm from the detectors' edge.
Hydroxamic acids from the reaction of active acetaldehyde with aromatic nitroso compounds

Abstract α-Hydroxyethylthiamine ( 4 ) reacts with nitrosobenzene ( 5 ) to produce N -phenylacetohydroxamic acid (7). A mechanism for this reaction is proposed. The possibility that similar reactions can occur in vivo with the production of carcinogenic hydroxamic acids is discussed.
Probing the quark-gluon phase transition using energy and system-size dependence of long-range multiplicity correlations in heavy ion collisions from the STAR experiment

Long-range forward-backward multiplicity correlations have been measured in heavy ion collisions at RHIC. Results for short and long-range multiplicity correlations (forward-backward) are presented for several systems (Au+Au, Cu+Cu, and pp) and energies (e.g.\(\sqrt {s_{NN} } \) = 200 and 62.4 GeV). A strong, long-range correlation is seen for central heavy ion collisions at \(\sqrt {s_{NN} } \) = 200 GeV that vanishes in semi-peripheral events and pp collisions. There is no apparent scaling with the number of participants (Npart) involved in the collision. These correlations provide information about the longitudinal behavior of the system formed in heavy ion collisions. To access the transverse behavior, the clusters produced in the same heavy ion collisions have been characterized by a study of the energy and system size dependence of the percolation density parameter (ρ). The relationship between the long-range correlation and percolation has been explored to characterize the hadron-quark/gluon phase transition and rapid thermalization of the system.
Crystallization of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell-division protein FtsZ

Mycobacterium tuberculosis FtsZ (MtbFtsZ), an essential protein in bacterial cell division, has been crystallized in the presence of a new inhibitor of MtbFtsZ polymerization and GTPase activity, ethyl (6-­amino-2,3-dihydro-4-phenyl-1H-pyrido[4,3-b][1,4]diazepin-8-yl)carbamate (SRI-7614). Crystals of the MtbFtsZ–SRI-7614 complex (form I, 30% polyethylene glycol 4000, 0.1 M sodium citrate pH 5.6, 0.2 M NH4OAc, 293 K) belong to space group P61 or P65, with unit-cell parameters a = 88.78, c = 178.02 A, and diffract to 2.3 A resolution. A second crystal form, of the GDP complex, grows in the presence or absence of Mg2+ from PEG 4000 at 277 K or from (NH4)2SO4 at 293 K, respectively (form II, space group P6222 or P6422, with unit-cell parameters a = 135.02, c = 328.97 A or a = 129.30, c = 327.97 A, respectively). Complete data sets to ∼7 A resolution have been collected from both. Exceptional form II crystals diffract to at least 4.5 A resolution. Determination of the MtbFtsZ structure may advance the design of improved inhibitors of FtsZ polymerization.
Development and Testing of the OPLS All-Atom Force Field on Conformational Energetics and Properties of Organic Liquids

The parametrization and testing of the OPLS all-atom force field for organic molecules and peptides are described. Parameters for both torsional and nonbonded energetics have been derived, while the bond stretching and angle bending parameters have been adopted mostly from the AMBER all-atom force field. The torsional parameters were determined by fitting to rotational energy profiles obtained from ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the RHF/6-31G*//RHF/6-31G* level for more than 50 organic molecules and ions. The quality of the fits was high with average errors for conformational energies of less than 0.2 kcal/mol. The force-field results for molecular structures are also demonstrated to closely match the ab initio predictions. The nonbonded parameters were developed in conjunction with Monte Carlo statistical mechanics simulations by computing thermodynamic and structural properties for 34 pure organic liquids including alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, ethers, acetals, thiols, sulfides, disulfides, a...