cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stabilities of double- and triple-strand helical nucleic acids

In this selected literature survey, we have seen that the stabilities of duplexes and triplexes are governed by the vertical base stacking, the horizontal specific base-paired H-bonding and the environmental parameters. The entropic contribution in the solvation/desolvation process is important in driving the aggregation of NA strands and duplex formation, but base stacking and specific H-bonding maintain the helical order. Triplex formation shares most of the physical environmental prerequisites with those of duplex NAs. However, some additional environmental conditions are often needed. Only in low pH solution is the polycytidylic strand protonated and, thus, it is possible for the strand to bind to a G.C duplex sequence to give the C+(G.C) triplex. High ionic strength is often necessary for the screening of inter-phosphate repulsion due to the high linear charge density in triplexes. The presence of specific counterions is important for complexation. In the absence of negative supercoiling, existence of an intramolecular triplex is rare except under very acidic conditions for the formation of C+(G.C)-type intramolecular triplex. As expected, the stabilities of both inter- and intramolecular triplexes increase with sequence length. The thermodynamic principles of helix-coil transition of oligo-duplex may be described by the van't Hoff relationship, which assumes a two-state cooperative melting profile. Thus, the enthalpy, entropy and free energy of transition can be evaluated from the experimental melting curves (e.g. OD, DSC). For polynucleotides, because of the non-two-state nature of transition, the simple van't Hoff relationship is no longer valid, and direct calorimetry is needed to obtain reliable thermodynamic parameters. The pH and salt concentration dependence of duplex stability can be formulated and derived from a van't Hoff equation. Base-stacking patterns are simple in duplexes but not so in triplexes due to the diversity in triplet schemes. The sequence dependence of base stacking for duplexes has been characterized and employed to predict the stability of an arbitrary sequence. In conclusion, the stability of duplex is relatively well-characterized by thermodynamic data in terms of both base stacking and specific H-bonding. Thermodynamic studies of triplexes have been far fewer in number. Oligonucleotides have found application in the detection and localization of a mRNA or its gene, the detection of bacterial or viral sequences, and the inhibition of the translation of mRNA and the transcription and replication of DNA (Englisch and Gauss, 1991). In a different approach, oligonucleotides have been targeted directly to a DNA duplex motif of a gene in order to inhibit the expression at the beginning of the transcriptional process.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The Origin and Diffusion of AIDS: A View from Medical Geography

Abstract The integration of the history and geography of diseases is essential to understanding and revealing a true picture of epidemiology and disease patterns as they are today. This is particularly true for the current pandemic of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The complexity and capabilities of the disease agent, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I (HIV-I), generate increasing concern about this fatal disease. Thus far, treatment merely temporarily extends lives of the victims, and hope for a vaccine against infection remains remote. Understanding the mechanisms and patterns of the origin and diffusion of the infection and disease are central to developing appropriate intervention strategies for controlling its spread. In this paper an overview of AIDS is presented from the perspective of medical geography. Characteristics of the virus and the mechanisms of infection are described, and, using available evidence, an attempt is made to piece together the spatial-temporal patterns of...
Anharmonic partition functions for polyatomic thermochemistry

Abstract In quantum chemistry, the computation of anharmonic vibrational frequencies, instead of only harmonic frequencies, is now convenient and increasingly common. For thermochemistry, one ramification is that vibrational partition functions may be constructed using anharmonic manifolds. Practical issues are discussed here, and a few examples are provided. Evaluating the accuracy of the results is hindered by the lack of experimental data for ideal-gas heat capacities at high temperature.
Personnel resource distribution for nursing programs in Carnegie-classified Research I and II and Doctoral I institutions

Increasingly, nursing education programs, like other major institutions in the United States, are being charged to "do more with less." How to acquire sufficient human and material resources is a continuing challenge in an era of economic constraint. Benchmark data on the distribution of personnel resources within nursing programs is nearly nonexistent. To assess the personnel resources of nursing programs of major size and stature within the United States, a Personnel Resource Survey was mailed to the universe of all nursing programs located in Carnegie-designated Doctoral I, Research II, and Research I universities and/or colleges in the United States (n = 96). The return rate was 58 per cent, with a useable survey rate of 51 per cent (n = 49). Comparative numbers and ratios of administrators, faculty, students, and various levels and types of support staff by Carnegie-type institutions are presented. Findings indicate that, overall, nursing programs in Research I universities had 1.5 to 2 times as many personnel resources per student than programs in Doctoral I and Research II institutions. Doctoral I and Research II programs closely resembled each other. The details of the data, as well as its standardization into full-time equivalents, are useful to both university and nursing administrators, faculty, and staff in their comparisons and procurement of needed resources.
A Victorian experiment in economic efficiency in education

Abstract There are numerous historical precedents for today's demands for economic efficiency and accountability in schools. In this paper I examine a comprehensive 19th century system of accountability, the Revised Code's “Payment by Results”, which endured in English and Welsh elementary schools from 1862 until 1897. Particular emphasis is focused on the economic market-driven aspect of this system whereby every pupil was examined annually by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors, the amount of the yearly governmental grant being largely dependent on the quality of the children's answering. I argue that “Payment by Results” was a narrow, restrictive system of educational accountability, though one totally in keeping with the age's pervasive utilitarian belief in laissez-faire and the law of supply and demand. I conclude by suggesting some lessons which this Victorian system of educational accountability might have for today's education, when calls for analogous schemes of payment by results are shrill.
Intra-atomic many-body effects in p-shell photoelectron spectra of Cr 3+ ions

A strict ab initio model of the many-body effects for the free ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$ ion is developed in order to provide a benchmark for intra-atomic effects in the XP spectra of ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$ compounds. The model contains no empirical fits or assumptions and incorporates all intershell and intrashell couplings and recouplings, relativistic orbitals, spin-orbital coupling, the core hole, and Boltzmann weighted averages for initial state spin-orbit split levels. Synthetic Cr $2p$ and $3p$ XP spectra are compared to an experimental spectrum of $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{Cr}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}.$ The theory for the free Cr ion accounts for important features of the experimental Cr $2p$ spectrum, including the spin-orbital splitting energy and the Cr ${2p}_{3/2}$ doublet. In contrast, the theory only accounts for the grossest features of the experimental Cr $3p$ spectrum. Comparing experiment with theory highlights the importance of both intra-atomic and inter-atomic effects on the XP spectra of ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$ compounds.
Combination Internal Resonances in Heated Annular Plates

Nonlinear modal interactions in the forced vibrations of a thermally loaded pre-buckled annular plate with clamped–clamped immovable boundary conditions are investigated. The mechanism responsible for the interaction is a combination internal resonance involving the natural frequencies of the three lowest axisymmetric modes. The in-plane thermal load acting on the plate is assumed to be axisymmetric and the plate is externally excited by a harmonic force. The nonlinear von Karman plate equations along with the heat conduction equation are combined to model the behavior of the system. An analytical/numerical approach is used to examine the plate vibrations to a harmonic excitation near primary resonance of one of the modes.
TREATMENT OF HYPERHIDROSIS WITH TOPICAL METHENAMINE

Idiopathic palmar and plantar hyperhidrosis is a relatively common disorder of eccrine sweat gland function. Treatment with glutaraldehyde of formaldehyde, although successful, may cause undesirable side effects. Methenamine is a polycyclic organic compound which release ammonia and formaldehyde at acid pH. Five per cent methenamine in a firm stick gel, applied daily to one palmar or plantar surface of 109 patients with hyperhidrosis, resulted in significantly less sweating after one month. No patients were sensitized to formaldehyde.
An ultrathin quarter-wave nano-plate based on detuned plasmonic nanoantennas

We analyze and experimentally demonstrate the design of an ultrathin quarter-wave plate based on detuned plasmonic nanoantennas. We explore the theoretical possibilities offered by thin metasurfaces to manipulate the polarization state of impinging light, and propose an optimal design to realize quarter-wave metasurface plates, analyzing their frequency and angular response. One of the most interesting features of our design is the large degree of linear polarization output for circularly polarized input over broad bandwidths in the visible, despite the extreme thinness. The geometry is implemented with one-step planar lithography, providing opportunities for integration in optical systems for polarization control, detection and sensing at the nanoscale.
Effect of chain rigidity on block copolymer micelle formation and dissolution as observed by 1 H-NMR spectroscopy

Amphiphilic copolymers poly(methyl methacrylate-b-acrylic acid), poly(methyl methacrylate-b-methacrylic acid), poly(methyl acrylate-b-acrylic acid) and poly(methyl acrylate-b-methacrylic acid) were prepared by reversible addition fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The hydrophilic polyacid blocks were either synthesized directly or formed by the hydrolysis of poly(tert-butyl acrylate) or poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) blocks. The hydrophobic blocks consisted of either the more rigid, high glass transition temperature (T g ) poly(methyl methacrylate) or more flexible, low T g poly(methyl acrylate) material. The hydrophilic blocks were either poly(methacrylic acid) (rigid, high T g ) or poly(acrylic acid) (flexible, low T g ). The micellization behavior of the polymers was studied by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy in mixtures of 1,4-dioxane-d8 and D2O. All four polymers were soluble in neat dioxane. In solutions of higher water content, the polymers with the more rigid hydrophobic blocks formed into micelles as was evidenced by broadening of the resonances resulting from the protons in those blocks. At moderate water concentration (25–50%), dissolution of the micelles was observed upon heating the solution. No micellization was observed in polymers containing the less rigid poly(methyl acrylate) hydrophobic block regardless of the identity of the hydrophilic block. As further evidence of micellization formation and dissolution, the spin-lattice (T 1) and spin-spin (T 2) relaxation times of protons in the hydrophobic and hydrophilic blocks were measured. Significant differences in the relaxation times as functions of temperature and solvent concentration were observed between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks of the micelle-forming polymers.
The Use of Carbonate Equilibrium Chemistry in Quantifying Algal Carbon Uptake Kinetics

The method of utilizing the principles of carbonate equilibrium chemistry to monitor the rate of inorganic carbon uptake by a variety of algal species is presented and discussed. The usefulness of this technique is demonstrated for both batch and chemostat algal culture. Data obtained from carbon limited batch and chemostat cultures suggest that the specific growth rate of a variety of algal species may best be represented as a Monod response to the free carbon dioxide concentration. The monitoring of carbonate equilibrium in the batch method provides a simple, rapid and inexpensive technique for obtaining rates of algal carbon fixation. This technique is well suited for obtaining the large volumes of detailed kinetic data necessary in building a basis for understanding the factors involved in algal productivity and algae species shifts, in both controlled and natural aquatic ecosystems.
An Integrated Dietary/Nutritional Approach to ADHD

Dietary and herbal interventions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been proposed by practitioners of Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. Children who are suspected to have nutritional deficiencies, insufficiencies, and/or food allergies should be evaluated and, if the suspicion is confirmed, treated with supplementation or specific food elimination as part of standard care. Limited research exists on the efficacy and safety of dietary intervention as an adjunct to conventional medication; thus, improvement and side effects should be closely monitored.
Differentiated product competition and the Antitrust Logit Model: an experimental analysis

This paper reports a laboratory experiment designed to begin a behavioral examination of the Antitrust Logit Model (ALM), a merger simulation device that U.S. antitrust authorities use to help determine when anticompetitive problems may arise from horizontal mergers in differentiated-product markets. We find that the ALM screens out non-problematic mergers rather well, even though the ALM predicts performance in specific markets imprecisely. Further examination of the data suggests that in this context, adjustments to pre-merger deviations from the underlying Nash equilibrium, rather than the exercise of market power drive post-merger performance.
Effects of post prandial interval and feed type on substrate availability during exercise

Summary The glycaemic and lipaemic effects of 3 feeding regimes and 2 post prandial intervals were determined at rest and during exercise using 6 Thoroughbred geldings on 6 testing days according to a Latin square design. Three feeding regimes consisted of a fasting regime and isoenergetic meals (4.1 Mcal) of either cracked corn or alfalfa. One or 4 h after feeding, a standardised exercise test (SET) was imposed on fed and fasted horses. Blood was sampled via jugular catheters every 15 min from 0630 to 1500 h, except during the 55 min SET in which 7 samples were drawn. The SET consisted of three 10 min bouts of saddling, walking to the arena and warm-up (walking and trotting), followed by 3 bouts of progressively more intense cantering at heart rates of 130–140 (10 min), 150–160 (10 min) and 170–180 (5 min) beats/min. There were no feeding regime effects on pre-feeding levels of glucose, insulin, lactate, glycerol or free fatty acids (FFA). However, glucose in corn fed horses fell below pre-feeding concentration during the SET but rebounded at the termination of cantering. Glucose in alfalfa fed and fasted horses gradually rose throughout the SET. Insulin levels closely followed glucose response. During the SET, corn fed horses had higher insulin concentrations (P<0.05) than fasted or alfalfa fed horses. During the onset of the SET one or 4 h post prandially, FFA levels in corn fed horses were less (P<0.05) than in alfalfa fed or fasted horses. Glycerol levels gradually increased during the SET; however, no differences were found between dietary treatments.
Developmental toxicity and pharmacokinetics of phenytoin in the rhesus macaque: an interspecies comparison.

Abstract The developmental toxicity and pharmacokinetic fate of phenytoin in the pregnant rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) were examined. Oral administration of 60 to 600 mg/kg phenytoin once daily from gestational day 21 to 50 resulted in dose-dependent maternal toxicity of the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract and an increase in embryonic loss, but no teratogenic insult. Sustained plasma levels as high as 40 μg/mL of total phenytoin occurred at the beginning of the treatment period. However, significant increases in the rate of elimination resulted in the reduction of total phenytoin exposure as treatment progressed. This was evidenced by large increases in phenytoin clearance, and decreases in elimination half-life and area under the time versus plasma concentration curve. Maternal toxicity, but not embryolethality, correlated with plasma phenytoin levels. Interspecies comparisons of these parameters from published data were evaluated in the mouse, rat, rabbit, rhesus macaque, and human.
Cross‐cultural collaboration: Whose culture is it, anyway?

By examining the cultural assumptions about what makes an effective team member, this essay argues that we typically design collaborative projects and evaluate student participants by using a Western model of how people should behave in groups. In order to enhance cross‐cultural understanding in collaboration, instructors can help students focus on cultural differences in group emphasis, achievement, decision‐making, and communication styles.
A Simulation Model for Chemical Spills in the Upper St. Lawrence River

Abstract A two-dimensional Lagrangian computer model to simulate the transport of chemical spills in the upper St. Lawrence River is developed. The model considers the spilled chemical to be transported in the river as a mixed layer over the depth of the flow and a bottom layer along the bed, with continuous exchange between the two layers. The transport and fate processes include advection/diffusion, sorption/desorption, settling, resuspension, diffusive exchange between sediment/water interface, and can include volatilization, photolysis, hydrolysis, and biodegradation. The model is an integrated part of contingency plan for containment, control and cleanup of possible chemical spills in the upper St. Lawrence River.
Dramatic Decline in Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and Peptic Ulcer Disease in an Endoscopy-referral Population

Abstract Purpose To determine if endoscopic Helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer disease prevalence has changed over an 11-year period in a rural region. Methods Current endoscopic records were reviewed and compared with similar data obtained over a time period 11 years earlier at the same institution with regard to H. pylori status, endoscopic findings, microscopic pathologic findings, and medication use. Results There were 251 records reviewed in the current study group (mean age 52.8 years, 59.0% female) and 263 in the previous group (mean age 60.1 years, 56.7% female). H. pylori was positive in 17 (6.8%) in the current study and 173 (65.8%) in the earlier study ( P P H. pylori was positive in 1 of the 14 PUD patients (7.1%) in the current study and in 78 of 102 (76.5%) in the previous study ( P Conclusions Endoscopic H. pylori prevalence in our rural locality has decreased substantially over the past decade and may reflect local overall prevalence trends, although underestimation is likely due to widespread prior noninvasive H. pylori diagnosis and treatment. Endoscopic PUD also has decreased precipitously, possibly related to changes in regional H. pylori characteristics and prolific use of antisecretory agents. Changing geographic trends regarding acid-peptic disease may prompt modification of diagnostic approach and treatment.
A new technique for calculating virtual photon spectra

Abstract A first-order matrix differential equation in energy is used to propagate radial matrix elements arising in DWBA of relativistic electron scattering from nuclei. Given an initial set of matrix elements at some value of the energy, this equation permits the evaluation of the radial matrix elements over the complete energy transfer range. A computer code has been written for this new procedure and the virtual photon spectra accompanying electron scattering from a point nucleus is calculated as a function of photon energy for various multipoles, nuclear charges, and incident electron energies.
Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Modulates Remodeling, Immune Cell Census, and Nerve Fibers in the Cervix of a Mouse Model for Inflammation-induced Preterm Birth

To determine whether a progestational agent can modify inflammation-induced preterm cervical ripening, mice on day 15 of gestation were given an intrauterine injection of (1) saline, (2) lipopolysaccharide, (3) an intramuscular injection of medroxyprogesterone acetate alone prior to lipopolysaccharide, or (4) medroxyprogesterone acetate alone. Cervices were obtained 6 hours later, then fixed, sectioned, and processed to stain collagen structure or to identify immune cells or nerve fibers. Cervical remodeling was induced by lipopolysaccharide treatment compared with that in saline controls, an effect blocked by medroxyprogesterone acetate pretreatment. Moreover, lipopolysaccharide reduced macrophages and enhanced neutrophils in the cervix, effects also forestalled by medroxyprogesterone acetate pretreatment. Although the density of nerve fibers was not altered by lipopolysaccharide, medroxyprogesterone acetate reduced innervation in the cervix. Thus, progestational treatment forestalls the inflammation-induced reduction in collagen structure and immune cell traffic through a mechanism that is independent of nerve fiber density. These findings raise the possibility that progestational treatment may regulate ripening of the cervix early in the process leading to preterm birth.
“Masks”;: Literacy, ideology, and hegemony in the academy

In the final chapter of Patterns of American Culture, anthropologist Dan Rose creates what he terms "a piece of fictional poetics" in which he attempts to describe life in America as "a total stranger to it might find it" (78). Generally speaking, his fictional poetics describes a young ethnographer's exploration of a strange people, all of whom are apparently masked. He, the ethnographer, believes the masks to be "in some way central to the cultural values" of the people who wear them (81). At one point, he decides to try on one of these masks. Once the mask is on, he comments that
Nonsingular multipole dispersion forces

Abstract First-principles, spherical, nonsingular, nonretarded multipole atomic dispersion interactions are developed to the order of e 4 ( e the proton charge) through a semi-classical field approach. The resulting potential has been tested successfully for a heterogeneous HHe system.
Arabs, Moors and Muslims: Sri Lankan Muslim ethnicity in regional perspective:

In the context of Sri Lanka's inter-ethnic conflict between the Tamils and the Sinhalese, the Tamil- speaking Muslims or Moors occupy a unique position. Unlike the historically insurrectionist Māppilas of Kerala or the assimilationist Marakkāyars of coastal Tamilnadu, the Sri Lankan Muslim urban elite has fostered an Arab Islamic identity in the 20th century which has severed them from the Dravidian separatist campaign of the Hindu and Christian Tamils. This has placed the Muslim farmers in the Tamil-speaking north-eastern region in an awkward and dangeruus situation, because they would be geographically central to any future Tamil homeland. The first part of this essay traces the historical construction of contemporary Muslim ethnicity and surveys their position in contemporary Sri Lankan politics. The second half of the essay provides an ethnographic portrait of a local-level Muslim com munity closely juxtaposed with their Hindu Tamil neighbuurs in the agricultural town of Akkaraipattu in the eastern Ba...
Short-Range Correlations and the Three-Body Binding Energy

The separable-potential approach of Mitra is extended by introducing an additional interaction which yields two-nucleon $S$-wave phase shifts to 340 MeV. A calculation of the exact binding energy and wave function of a simplified three-body system is used to determine the role of short-range correlations and the associated off-energy-shell matrix elements of the interaction. We find that the three-body binding energy ranges from 9.33 to 8.40 MeV; the larger value is calculated using a two-body interaction fitting low-energy data only, while the smaller value results from including a hard-shell repulsion. A smooth repulsion, which is equivalent to the hard shell in the two-body problem, yields a three-body binding energy of 8.79 MeV.
Band broadening effects in capillary column recycle gas chromatography with valves

Sources leading to band broadening and peak distortion have been studied in a capillary column recycle system, based on a commercial microvalve. The ferrule system was a major contributor to band broadening. It was found that the quality of connections is very critical but the internal volume of the valve is not important. The pressure pulses resulting from each switching operation produced some band broadening with substances that had just been transferred through the valve but no adverse effects were noticed when they had travelled some distance into the column. Flow into valve cavities and through tees also produced a drop in efficiency. It is not clear whether this is solely due to problems in column connection or if changes in flow pattern also contribute. The activity of the valve toward polar substances was also assessed. No attempt was made to deactivate valve surfaces. The components of the Grob test mixture were almost unaffected but highly polar and acidic compounds such as nitrophenol showed severe losses. No evidence for catalysis was found.
Asymmetry in positive and negative facial expressions: sex differences.

Abstract Facial asymmetry (facedness) during posed emotional expression was correlated with measures of lateral dominance in 48 right- and left-handed normal adults. Positive and negative aspects of expression were refined by factor analysis. The finding for males that facedness for pleasant expressions was positively correlated with handedness and footedness may reflect linguistic factors. Discussion covers the nature of and laterality for positive/negative, communicative/reactive and approach/withdrawal dimensions of emotional expression.
THE WESTERN CHERRY FRUIT FLY, RHAGOLETIS INDIFFERENS (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE): 3. DEVELOPING A MANAGEMENT PROGRAM BY UTILIZING ATTRACTANT TRAPS AS MONITORING DEVICES

Attractant traps, such as Pherocon ICPY®-MAGO trap and Pherocon®-AM Standard trap, were effective in monitoring emergence of the western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran. Among the aerial traps tested, ICPY-MAGO, Pherocon-AM Standard, and Saturn yellow colored rectangles and spheres were equally effective. The ammonium carbonate traps were significantly inferior. A management program that utilized aerial traps as monitoring devices reduced the amount of spraying from 20 to 100%, depending on the fly population in the orchard, and resulted in a substantial saving of spray costs.
Health Promotion Messages in Entertainment Media: Crime Drama Viewership and Intentions to Intervene in a Sexual Assault Situation

Popular crime dramas have tackled sensitive issues such as sexual assault with increasing frequency over the past 20 years. These popular programs increasingly demonstrate the emotional and physical effect of sexual assault on its victims, and in some instances they depict individuals being rewarded for intervening to prevent or stop an assault in progress. It is possible that this content could affect attitudes related to sexual assault prevention. However, no previous research has examined this possibility. In the fall 2008 semester, 508 undergraduates at a large northwestern university completed a questionnaire about media use and bystander intervention in a sexual assault situation. Results from hierarchical regressions lend support for the integrative model of behavioral prediction in that instrumentality, rape myth acceptance, perceived social norms, perceived efficacy related to intervening, and exposure to primetime crime dramas were associated with participants' intentions to intervene in a sexual assault. The results suggest that crime dramas may be a useful venue for prevention messages as exposure to crime dramas uniquely contributed to intentions to intervene in a sexual assault.
Diversity of Antisense and Other Non-Coding RNAs in Archaea Revealed by Comparative Small RNA Sequencing in Four Pyrobaculum Species

A great diversity of small, non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecules with roles in gene regulation and RNA processing have been intensely studied in eukaryotic and bacterial model organisms, yet our knowledge of possible parallel roles for small RNAs (sRNA) in archaea is limited. We employed RNA-seq to identify novel sRNA across multiple species of the hyperthermophilic genus Pyrobaculum, known for unusual RNA gene characteristics. By comparing transcriptional data collected in parallel among four species, we were able to identify conserved RNA genes fitting into known and novel families. Among our findings, we highlight three novel cis-antisense sRNAs encoded opposite to key regulatory (ferric uptake regulator), metabolic (triose-phosphate isomerase), and core transcriptional apparatus genes (transcription factor B). We also found a large increase in the number of conserved C/D box sRNA genes over what had been previously recognized; many of these genes are encoded antisense to protein coding genes. The conserved opposition to orthologous genes across the Pyrobaculum genus suggests similarities to other cis-antisense regulatory systems. Furthermore, the genus-specific nature of these sRNAs indicates they are relatively recent, stable adaptations.
A rapid HPLC assay for voriconazole in human plasma

This report describes a simple, rapid and reproducible method with a calibration range of 0.2-10 micrograms ml-1 voriconazole in human plasma which is more appropriate for routine clinical use than the authors previously published method. The method utilises protein precipitation with acetonitrile as the only sample preparation involved prior to reverse phase HPLC. No internal standard was required.
The degradation of Karenia brevis toxins utilizing ozonated seawater

Abstract Florida red tides impose both an economic and health impact on the state. The purpose of this research was to examine the effectiveness of ozone to reduce the numbers of Florida red tide organism ( Karenia brevis Davis) and its associated toxins in an artificial seawater environment. The results obtained in this experiment showed an approximate 1.25 log 10 unit reduction in the major toxin groups recovered after 10 min of ozone exposure (approximately 135 mg). In initial trials, K. brevis toxins were extracted and reintroduced into an artificial seawater (ASW) media. Subsequent experiments exposed whole cell K. brevis culture to ozone treatment. Samples from both experiments displayed approximately 1.10 log 10 unit reduction in total toxin and an approximate 1.25 log 10 unit reduction in three of the six major toxins associated with K. brevis (PxTx-1, -2, -9). The reduction in toxin concentration, as measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, displayed a positive correlation with the reduction of toxicity as determined by a fish ( Cyprinodon variegatus ) bioassay. Despite large total doses of ozone applied, as compared to levels that might be found at a commercial ozonation facility, some toxins were still recoverable by HPLC after ozone treatment.
Structural damage detection and localisation using multivariate regression models and two-sample control statistics

This paper presents model-free damage identification and localisation methods based on two-sample control statistics as well as damage-sensitive features to be extracted from single- and multivariate regression models. For this purpose, sequential normalised likelihood ratio test and two-sample t-test are adopted to detect the change in two families of damage features based on the coefficients of four different linear regression models. The performance of combinations of these damage features, regression models and control statistics are compared through a scaled two-bay steel frame instrumented with a dense sensor network and excited by impact loading. It is shown that the presented methodologies are successful in detecting the timing and location of the structural damage, while having acceptable false detection quality. In addition, it is observed that incorporating multiple mathematical models, damage-sensitive features and change detection tests improve the overall performance of these model-free vibr...
Replicative senescence: an old lives' tale?

One might imagine that cellular senescence could inhibit tissue repair. However, substantial numbers of proliferative cells can often be recovered from very old tissues, and wounds do heal even in very old mammals (although sometimes more slowly). Of course, senescent cells may comprise only a small fraction of aged tissue. Indeed, in situ staining for the senescence-linked β-galactosidase suggests that senescent cells are sparsely distributed in aged skin (Dimri et al. 1995xDimri, G.P., Lee, X., Basile, G., Acosta, M., Scott, G., Roskelley, C., Medrano, E., Linskens, M., Rubelj, I., Pereira-Smith, O., Peacocke, M., and Campisi, J. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 1995; 92: 9363–9367Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (3798)See all ReferencesDimri et al. 1995). Thus, the growth arrest of senescent cells may not be a major problem in aged tissues, although it could certainly compromise the organism by delaying repair.By contrast, the altered function of senescent cells may have a substantial impact in aged tissue. For example (seeCampisi et al. 1996xSee all ReferencesCampisi et al. 1996), senescent human skin fibroblasts overexpress collagenase and underexpress collagenase inhibitors. This may well cause or contribute to the collagen breakdown and thin dermis typical of aged skin. Senescent fibroblasts also underexpress interleukin-6 and overexpress interleukin-1, cytokines with pleiotropic inflammatory and immune effects. Thus, senescence-linked changes in differentiation could, at least in principle, have rather profound and far-ranging consequences for tissue function. Moreover, relatively few senescent cells would be needed for some of these effects.Finally, resistance to apoptotic death may explain why senescent cells are not cleared and thus accumulate with age. Indeed, it was recently proposed that caloric restriction, which delays many age-related changes, may do so by increasing the incidence of apoptosis (Warner et al. 1995xWarner, H.R., Fernandes, G., and Wang, E. J. Gerontol. 1995; 50A: B107–B109CrossrefSee all ReferencesWarner et al. 1995).Thus, age-related decrements in tissue function may, at least in part, derive from an accumulation of senescent cells—which cannot proliferate, which resist apoptotic death, and which have an altered phenotype.Evolutionary theories of aging have suggested that traits selected to optimize health during the period of reproductive fitness can have unselected deleterious effects later in life. Replicative senescence may have been selected, at least in mammals, to help ensure the relative freedom from cancer that characterizes early adulthood. However, this trait may be deleterious late in life because dysfunctional senescent cells accumulate. Moreover, because cancer incidence rises with age, it also appears that cellular senescence is an imperfect tumor suppressive mechanism that fails increasingly with age. In fact, it would seem that late in life replicative senescence wreaks havoc—whether it succeeds or fails.
MnSOD activity protects mitochondrial morphology of quiescent fibroblasts from age associated abnormalities

Previously, we have shown manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity protects quiescent human normal skin fibroblasts (NHFs) from age associated loss in proliferative capacity. The loss in proliferative capacity of aged vs. young quiescent cells is often characterized as the chronological life span, which is clearly distinct from replicative senescence. We investigate the hypothesis that MnSOD activity protects the mitochondrial morphology from age associated damage and preserves the chronological life span of quiescent fibroblasts. Aged quiescent NHFs exhibited abnormalities in mitochondrial morphology including abnormal cristae formation and increased number of vacuoles. These results correlate with the levels of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial morphology in MnSOD homozygous and heterozygous knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts. The abnormalities in mitochondrial morphology in aged quiescent NHFs cultured in presence of 21% oxygen concentration were more severe than NHFs cultured in 4% oxygen environment. The alteration in mitochondrial morphology was associated with a significant increase in cell population doubling: 54h in 21% compared to 44h in 4% oxygen environment. Overexpression of MnSOD decreased ROS levels, and preserved mitochondrial morphology in aged quiescent NHFs. These results demonstrate that MnSOD activity protects mitochondrial morphology and preserves the proliferative capacities of quiescent NHFs from age associated loss.
The jamming avoidance response in gymnotoid pulse-species: A mechanism to minimize the probability of pulse-train coincidence

Gymnotoid electric fish with pulse-type electric organ discharges (EODs) shorten (lengthen) their EOD intervals as pulses of a slightly slower (faster) train scan their EODs (Figs. 1, 2). They thus minimize the chance of pulse coincidence by transient accelerations (decelerations) of their EOD rate. Studies in curarized preparations demonstrate that this Jamming Avoidance Response (JAR) is controlled by electroreceptive input alone and without reference to an internal electric organ pacemaker-related signal (Fig. 8). A sufficient stimulus input consists of a train of strong, EOD-like stimulus pulses (S1), which mimic the animal's experience of its own EOD, and a train of small pulses (S2) of slightly different repetition rate, which mimic EODs of a neighbor. Correct behavioral responses require S1 pulses of sufficient intensity to recruit pulse-markertype receptors; also spatial and temporal patterns must closely resemble those of the animal's EOD. These features are of little significance for S2 pulses which, while scanning S1 pulses, only provide a small perturbation of electroreceptive feedback from S1 pulses. Inappropriate S1 stimulation impairs and sometimes reverses (Fig. 7) the behavioral discrimination of scan directions. The JAR is explained in terms of excitatory and inhibitory processes (Fig. 3) which are triggered by S2 stimulation, at specific phases within the S1 cycle (Figs. 4–6). The JAR in pulse species strongly resembles the JAR in wave-species (Bullock et al., 1972) and could be considered an evolutionary ancestor of the latter. It is a response to a particular novelty in electroreceptive feedback.
A shock tube study of the reaction of the hydroxyl radical with propane

The rate coefficient for the reaction of the hydroxyl radical, OH, with propane has been measured at 1220 K in shock tube experiments, and a value of (1.58 ± 0.24) × 1013 cm3/mol s was obtained. This measured value is compared with previous experimental results and a transition-state theory calculation.
Convergent Technologies, Custom Aesthetics

ABSTRACT The author anticipates how technological advances in the 21st century will give musicians the tools to further control their craft, while giving listeners the ability to personalize and share their aesthetic experience.
Critical Limb Ischemia and Stem Cell Research Anchoring Hope With Informed Adverse Event Reporting

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) represents a syndrome that is associated with a particularly adverse natural history. Although clinicians increasingly recognize that peripheral arterial disease (PAD) includes a broad range of clinical syndromes, CLI is associated with very adverse short-term limb and systemic cardiovascular outcomes.1 CLI is not a specific disease per se; rather, it represents a syndrome that may develop from many fundamentally distinct pathophysiological processes, including advanced atherosclerosis, thromboembolism or atheroembolism, in situ thrombosis, and the arteritides, such as thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO, or Buerger disease). Article p 2679 TAO is a form of PAD that is obliterative, thrombotic, and commonly progressive, especially in individuals who sustain exposure to tobacco products.2 Refractory ischemic leg pain, skin ulceration, and gangrene may ensue, with a high short-term risk of amputation. TAO is distinct from other diseases that can obliterate distal arterial beds. It is not adequate to offer a TAO diagnosis to individuals with distal arterial disease who are male and who smoke. Clinicians in practice and investigators should be advised to apply the diagnostic label carefully, such as via use of the Olin criteria.2 For most individuals with CLI attributable to atherosclerosis, the immediate therapeutic goal is reestablishment of limb perfusion via endovascular or surgical methods, with aggressive treatment of the causative risk factors. For individuals with TAO, distal arterial obstruction may obviate successful revascularization, and patency may not be easily maintained. Thus, beyond tobacco cessation, there are few therapeutic options that are evidence based and that can sustain real hope for either short- or long-term improvement. Despite past clinical investigation of potential pharmacotherapies, including prostaglandin analogues, vasodilator medications, and other interventions in limited clinical trials, outcomes remain poor.3,4 Because this form of PAD is, by definition, associated with distal arterial obstruction with an associated inflammatory response, …
Maternal Cigarette Smoking and Oral Clefts: A Meta-analysis:

Abstract Objective: A meta-analysis was performed to estimate the association between maternal cigarette smoking and the risk of having a child with a nonsyndromic oral cleft (NSOC). Design: Studies published from 1966 through 1996 were retrieved using MEDLINE, Current Contents, bibliographies, and other sources. MEDLINE and Current Contents search terms included “oral clefts,” “cigarette smoking,” “birth defects,” and “congenital malformations.” Cohort and case-control studies that enrolled oral cleft patients [cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P), cleft palate (CP), or both] and controls, and presented information on maternal cigarette exposure during pregnancy were included in the analysis. Descriptive and outcome data from each study were independently abstracted by two authors. Results: The overall odds ratio of the 11 studies satisfying criteria was 1.29 [95% confidence interval (Cl), 1.18 to 1.42] for CL/P and 1.32(95% Cl: 1.10 to 1.62) for CP, Indicating a small increased risk of having a...
Gonioscopy in primary angle closure glaucoma

Primary angle closure is a condition characterized by obstruction to aqueous humor outflow by the peripheral iris, and results in changes in the iridocorneal angle that are visible through gonioscopic examination. Gonioscopy in these eyes, however, can be difficult. This chapter discusses techniques that might help in the examination. These include beginning the examination with the inferior angle, methods to help in looking over the iris, cycloplegia, locating the corneal wedge, indentation, van Herick estimation, examining the other eye, and topical glycerin. Finally, there is a discussion about the pathology associated with the closed angle, with emphasis on the appearance of iris bombe, plateau iris, and the distinction between iris processes and peripheral anterior synechiae.
Blood Cell Markers

Cytochemistry and immunocytochemistry are important adjunctive technologies to the morphologic characterization of blood cells and hematopoietic neoplasms. Although cytochemistry is briefly discussed, the emphasis of this article is on the clinical application of flow cytometry and leukocyte monoclonal antibodies in veterinary medicine. Classification and significance of immunophenotyping in canine and feline lymphomas and immunodeficiencies such as feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus are discussed.
Isoflurane affects the cytoskeleton but not survival, proliferation, or synaptogenic properties of rat astrocytes in vitro

Background More than half of the cells in the brain are glia and yet the impact of general anaesthetics on these cells is largely unexamined. We hypothesized that astroglia, which are strongly implicated in neuronal well-being and synapse formation and function, are vulnerable to adverse effects of isoflurane. Methods Cultured rat astrocytes were treated with 1.4% isoflurane in air or air alone for 4 h. Viability, proliferation, and cytoskeleton were assessed by colorimetric assay, immunocytochemistry, or a migration assay at the end of treatment or 2 days later. Also, primary rat cortical neurones were treated for 4 days with conditioned medium from control [astrocyte-conditioned media (ACM)], or isoflurane-exposed astrocytes (Iso-ACM) and synaptic puncta were assessed by synapsin 1 and PSD-95 immunostaining. Results By several measures, isoflurane did not kill astrocytes. Nor, based on incorporation of a thymidine analogue, did it inhibit proliferation. Isoflurane had no effect on F-actin but reduced expression of α-tubulin and glial fibrillary acidic protein both during exposure ( P P P Conclusions Isoflurane decreased expression of microtubule and intermediate filament proteins in astrocytes in vitro , but did not affect their viability, proliferation, motility, and ability to support synapses.
Industry needs for embedded control education

The rapidly growing embedded control industry has created a need for engineers whose training extends across the traditional pedagogical boundaries. To address this challenge, courses in embedded control systems have been created at the University of Michigan and at Carnegie Mellon University. These courses have in common a hardware laboratory based on the MPC555 microcontroller used to implement force feedback algorithms to enable a human to interact with a computer through a haptic interface. In this paper we describe the pedagogical challenges posed by the embedded control field, the hardware laboratory used at Michigan and Carnegie Mellon, and the individual courses that use this laboratory.
selscan: An Efficient Multithreaded Program to Perform EHH-Based Scans for Positive Selection

Haplotype-based scans to detect natural selection are useful to identify recent or ongoing positive selection in genomes. As both real and simulated genomic data sets grow larger, spanning thousands of samples and millions of markers, there is a need for a fast and efficient implementation of these scans for general use. Here, we present selscan ,a n eff icient multithreaded application that implements Extended Haplotype Homozygosity (EHH), Integrated Haplotype Score (iHS), and Cross-population EHH (XPEHH). selscan accepts phased genotypes in multiple formats, including TPED, and performs extremely well on both simulated and real data and over an order of magnitude faster than existing available implementations. It calculates iHS on chromosome 22 (22,147 loci) across 204 CEU haplotypes in 353 s on one thread (33 s on 16 threads) and calculates XPEHH for the same data relative to 210 YRI haplotypes in 578 s on one thread (52 s on 16 threads). Source code and binaries (Windows, OSX, and Linux) are available at https://github.com/ szpiech/selscan.