cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An update on the genetics of HLA B27-associated acute anterior uveitis

The discovery of the association of HLA B27 with spondyloarthropathy led to more questions than answers about the role of this gene in disease susceptibility. The realization that HLA B27 was not responsible for all of the genetic effects helped to lay a foundation for further investigation into the genetics of uveitis. Over several decades, genetic findings have provided clues to advance the understanding of mechanisms of uveitis and to catalyze new research on diagnostics, animal models, and therapies. From the early candidate gene studies on immune mediators to the recent genome-wide investigations, much has been discovered. However, these discoveries have come with the caveat that a genetic finding does not automatically reveal the disease-relevant functional effect of the associated variant.
Correlation of X-ray and electron microscopic studies of fatigue

This paper concerns the clarification of substructural changes occurring during fatigue in Ni-Co alloys of different stacking fault energy. In particular the paper deals with how transmission and scanning electron microscopy might elucidate an earlier substructural study based on changes of X-ray particle size during fatigue.
Semiempirical modeling of cross-flow microfiltration with periodic reverse filtration

High-frequency reverse filtration is an effective method of improving membrane performance. Models based on blocking filtration laws have been successfully used for flux prediction during discontinuous semibatch processes. In this paper, we present two semiempirical models to predict the performance of a continuous cross-flow filtration system with back-pulsing. Parameters evaluated from batch cell experiments are shown to be useful in scale-up and design of such systems. Both models are applied to results obtained for this work and to published results and are shown to be effective tools for prediction of process variables. Methods of process optimization are also discussed.
Trends in ozone and temperature structure: Comparison of theory and measurements

Comparison of model calculated trends in ozone and temperature due to inferred variations in trace gas concentrations and solar flux, are made with available analyses of observations. In general, the calculated trends in total ozone and the vertical ozone distribution agree well with the measured trends. However, there are too many remaining theoretical and sampling uncertainties to establish causality. Although qualitatively in agreement, the observed temperature decrease in the upper stratosphere is significantly larger than that calculated. Theoretical results suggest a significant influence on stratospheric ozone from solar flux variations, but observational evidence is at best inconclusive. Overall, the trend comparisons tend to be consistent with the hypothesis that several different anthropogenic influences are affecting the present global atmosphere.
Magnetic properties of N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylideneiminato) copper(II)

Abstract This paper reports the electron paramagnetic resonance spectra and magnetic susceptibility data on N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylideneiminato)copper(II). The results show that the ground state of the complex is of triplet multiplicity with the first excited state being a singlet, at 18·5 cm −1 higher in energy. EPR measurements confirm the existence of spin-spin coupling, and a value of D = 0·0365 cm −1 was obtained from the low-field parallel lines. The g value obtained from the triplet state spectra were g ∥ = 2·244, g ⊥ = 2·025, and 〈g〉 = 2·098. Cryomagnetic measurements for the low-temperature range 3·7–61°K in conjunction with a best fitting procedure yielded the magnetic parameters 2 J = +18·5 cm −1 and π = −2·15°K. A superexchange mechanism based on both intraatomic and interatomic electron transfer is proposed to account for the experimental data.
BLOCKADE OF COCAINE-INDUCED CONDITIONED PLACE PREFERENCE : RELEVANCE TO COCAINE ABUSE THERAPEUTICS

Abstract Conditioned place preference/aversion testing is a behavioral method believed capable of measuring the affective (positive, neutral or negative) properties of psychoactive drugs. Cocaine injections in rats reliably produces a positive place preference. Drugs that attenuate or block this effect of cocaine have obvious potential for developing treatments to address cocaine addiction as well as to add to the scientific understanding of the mechanism of cocaine's action at the cellular level. To date, six drugs have been reported to block the expression of a cocaine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) and this review evidences the cocaine-induced CPP blockage by the two potent L-type calcium channel blockers, isradipine and nifedipine, the two serotonin-3 receptor antagonists, MDL72222 and ICS205–930, the delta opioid receptor selective antagonist naltrindole, and lastly, a mixed opioid agonist-antagonist buprenorphine. Additional evidence relating to the blockade of other cocaine behavioral effects by these putative blockers is addressed, where appropriate, from studies employing other procedures such as drug stimulus discrimination, self-administration, electrical brain stimulation and increases in locomotor activity. The significance of these findings is discussed in the context of their relevance to the development of treatment regimens to allow for cessation of cocaine abuse.
Optical properties (0.63-13 μm) of water fogs stabilized against evaporation by long-chain alcohol coatings

Abstract Evaporation of artificial water fogs can be retarded by the application of coatings of long-chain fatty alcohols to the droplets during generation. Measurements are described and droplet diameters and mass extinction coefficients are reported for water fogs coated with cetyl alcohol (1-hexadecanol) from a commercial generator. It is shown that droplet size is inversely proportional to the amount of alcohol used and that, while the coatings affect evaporation rate and droplet size, stabilized water fogs otherwise are spectrally similar to uncoated fogs.
South Atlantic Variability Arising from Air–Sea Coupling: Local Mechanisms and Tropical–Subtropical Interactions

Abstract Interannual variability in the southern and equatorial Atlantic is investigated using an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) coupled to a slab ocean model (SOM) in the Atlantic in order to isolate features of air–sea interactions particular to this basin. Simulated covariability between sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and atmosphere is very similar to the observed non-ENSO-related covariations in both spatial structures and time scales. The leading simulated empirical coupled mode resembles the zonal mode in the tropical Atlantic, despite the lack of ocean dynamics, and is associated with baroclinic atmospheric anomalies in the Tropics and a Rossby wave train extending to the extratropics, suggesting an atmospheric response to tropical SST forcing. The second non-ENSO mode is the subtropical dipole in the SST with a mainly equivalent barotropic atmospheric anomaly centered on the subtropical high and associated with a midlatitude wave train, consistent with atmospheric forcing of the sub...
Suppression of a Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) Population with Concurrent Parasitoid and Sterile Fly Releases in Kula, Maui, Hawaii

Irradiated adult Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), were released at an average rate of 3 million per week for 5 mo in a sterile insect technique (SIT) program to suppress a wild C.capitata population in the 13-km2 area of Kula, Maui, HI. Concurrent with sterile fly releases, the braconid larval parasitoid Diachasmimorpha tryoni (Cameron) was released at an average rate of 388,000 per week. The average weekly overflooding ratio was 76.0 ± 4.8 sterile/wild flies. Mean number (±SEM) of male C. capitata trapped per day was significantly reduced to 0.15 ± 0.05 in Kula compared with 1.30 ± 0.17 in a nearby control area. The mean percentage of C. capitata eggs hatching was significantly lower in Kula (22.9 ± 4.2%) than in the control area (90.2 ± 0.9%). The overall mean percentage parasitism of C. capitata in fruit samples was significantly higher in Kula (47.2 ± 2.7%) than in the control area (20.3 3.1%). After the first month of parasitoid releases, D. tryoni became the dominant parasitoid present in Kula, representing 61.6 ± 6.3% of the parasitoids recovered from C. capita’s in fruit samples. The mean number of adult C. capita’s recovered per kilogram of fruit was significantly lower in Kula (9.8 ± 1.3) compared with the control area (92.6 ± 22.7). This field experiment suggests that the concurrent release of parasitoids and sterile flies represents a valuable approach to eradication of established Mediterranean fruit fly populations.
New strategies and treatment modalities for optimizing patient outcomes

In the postgenome era, development of novel targeted therapeutics is anticipated to accelerate, with the promise of specifically tailored strategies to treat specific molecularly characterized disease entities. Greater understanding of disease pathophysiology and pharmacologic actions at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels have provided the basis for expanding the clinical application of available therapies such as recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO, epoetin alfa). The role of epoetin alfa in anemic cancer patients receiving chemotherapy has grown as our understanding of the relationship between anemia and quality of life in this patient population has evolved. With anemia and tumor hypoxia associated with poorer outcomes in various solid tumors, the potential impact of epoetin alfa on outcomes, as well as quality of life, in patients undergoing radiation or chemoradiation is of considerable interest. Anemia occurs almost universally in critically ill patients, resulting in substantial transfusion requirements. In this setting, the anemia appears to be consistent with anemia of chronic inflammatory disease and is potentially treatable by epoetin alfa. Recent preclinical studies indicate that erythropoietin exhibits neuroprotective effects in models of central nervous system injury, suggesting additional potential novel clinical applications for epoetin alfa worthy of careful investigation. Advances in the understanding of the ras genes and their functional proteins in signaling pathways involved in the development of cancer, particularly hematologic malignancies, over the last decade have prompted development of a new class of agents, farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors (FTIs), designed specifically to inhibit the initial step in Ras protein activation. Initial clinical evaluation of FTIs is ongoing, and preliminary results demonstrate antitumor activity in hematologic malignancies. Further identification and understanding of the function and complex interactions of proteins involved in diseases holds the promise of targeted therapies and improved patient outcomes.
Exploiting diversity for answering questions

We describe initial experiments in combining the output of question answering systems using data from the 2002 TREC Question Answering task. We explore several distance-based combining methods, as well as a number of distance metrics involving both word and character ngrams.
Monodisperse Pt3Co Nanoparticles as a Catalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction: Size-Dependent Activity

Monodisperse Pt3Co nanoparticles with size controlled from 3 to 9 nm have been synthesized through an organic solvothermal approach and applied as electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. Electrochemical study shows that the Pt3Co nanoparticles are highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction and the activity is size-dependent. The optimal size for maximal mass activity was established to be around 4.5 nm by balancing the electrochemically active surface area and specific activity.
Parallelism and diversity in multiple origins of C4 photosynthesis in the grass family

C4 photosynthesis is thought to be an adaptation to warm environments, involving complex changes in the expression of genes governing photosynthesis, intermediary metabolism, and leaf anatomy and histology. Such complexity should be difficult to evolve, yet the pathway has arisen multiple times in the history of the flowering plants and at least four times in the grass family alone. We have used immunolocalization techniques to compare photosynthetic gene expression across all four origins, to determine which genetic changes occur in parallel and which are unique to a particular lineage. The only gene expression patterns common to all origins of the pathway are up-regulation of PEP carboxylase and down-regulation of RuBisCO in mesophyll cells. Both NAD-malic enzyme and NADP-malic enzyme are expressed in bundle sheaths. Expression patterns of light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding proteins and pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase appear to be lineage specific, and may be localized to bundle sheaths or to mesophyll or expressed throughout the photosynthetic tissue of the leaf. We suggest that future studies of parallel origin of the C4 pathway concentrate on regulation of the two carboxylases, as well as the increased density of vascular tissue, which is the only histological characteristic common to all origins of the pathway.
On the Handling of Continuous-Valued Attributes in Decision Tree Generation

We present a result applicable to classification learning algorithms that generate decision trees or rules using the information entropy minimization heuristic for discretizing continuous-valued attributes. The result serves to give a better understanding of the entropy measure, to point out that the behavior of the information entropy heuristic possesses desirable properties that justify its usage in a formal sense, and to improve the efficiency of evaluating continuous-valued attributes for cut value selection. Along with the formal proof, we present empirical results that demonstrate the theoretically expected reduction in evaluation effort for training data sets from real-world domains.
A Comparison of Multiple-Strategy Methods: Effects on Fourth-Grade Students’ General and Content-Specific Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Development

Abstract In this study, we compared the effects of two experimental multiple-strategy approaches (content-area comprehension and vocabulary) to typical fourth-grade social studies instructional practices. An 18-week, cluster-randomized study was conducted to estimate effects measured by normative-referenced reading comprehension and vocabulary measures and researcher- and district-developed measures of social studies vocabulary and content. Forty-eight teachers and their respective 903 students from 15 schools were randomly assigned by school to one of three conditions: content vocabulary, content reading comprehension, or typical practice. Experimental teachers participated in 6 professional development sessions over 21 weeks. Structural equation modeling results indicated reliable differences favoring both experimental conditions over typical practice on the social studies content measure and substantively important effects on content and standardized vocabulary measures. Students in the vocabulary inte...
Therapeutic interventions to prevent delinquency in hyperactive boys.

Abstract Results of two prospective longitudinal studies of predelinquent hyperactive boys are presented. The first was a study of 80 Caucasian hyperactive boys treated with stimulant medication and the second a study of 50 Caucasian hyperactive boys treated with multimodality treatment (MMT). The two groups were well matched on before-treatment variables. Official teenage arrest and institutional rates were found to be significantly lower in the multimodality treated group. These findings demonstrate the importance of long-term evaluations in treatment studies of chronic handicapping childhood disorders and suggest that MMT in childhood is a cost-effective treatment approach for delinquency prevention in hyperactive boys.
Computer-Based Thermographic Displays and Real-Time Techniques

Nondestructive test methods have traditionally been involved in the detection of localized or point defects such as cracks, voids, and inclusions. However, there has been an increasing demand for meaningful NDT methods that characterize material properties over large surface areas or within the entire volume of a component or structure. Infrared techniques, which lend themselves to area and volume coverage, have been refined for this purpose to a high degree. Simultaneously, there has been a major effort to increase the effectiveness and utility of the large amounts of data resulting from IR scans. This paper concentrates on data enhancement methods, using both real-time and computer-treatment techniques. The data reduction methods covered are significant departures from present NDT data presentations and are aimed primarily at the major ``IR customers''-the materials and design engineers.
Evolutionary biology and the treatment of signs and symptoms of infectious disease

Abstract When viewed from an evolutionary perspective, manifestations of infectious diseases can be classified as (1) adaptations of the host to counteract harmful aspects of the disease, (2) adaptations of the pathogen to manipulate the host, or (3) “side effects” of the disease that do not serve adaptive functions for either the host or the pathogen. Although the functions of most manifestations are not known, support or rejection of these hypotheses should be readily derivable in many cases from analyses of existing data and relatively simple experiments. This approach should lead to improved medical treatment because preferred treatment depends on assessment of the validity of the three explanations. As an illustration, this perspective and its consequences for therapy are analyzed for fever, rhinorrhea and diarrhea.
Single-Molecule Studies of the ER Calcium Sensor STIM1

The ER membrane (EM) protein STIM1 is the ER Ca2+ sensor that initiates store-operated Ca2+ entry through Orai channels in lymphocytes and many other cells. Communication of ER Ca2+ store depletion to Orai channels in the plasma membrane involves a transition of STIM1 dimers from an inactive to an active state, but the conformational changes underlying this transition remain poorly characterized. We have developed an in-vitro assay to study the conformation and dynamics of STIM1 at the single-molecule level. Purified STIM1 cytosolic fragments were labeled at single sites with Alexa555 and Alexa647 by site-directed mutagenesis and cysteine-maleimide chemistry. These served as donor and acceptor dyes for high-resolution intradimer distance measurements using single-molecule FRET. Labeled STIM1 fragments were encapsulated in 100nm diameter, surface-immobilized liposomes and imaged with a prism-based TIRF microscope.We identified three broad regions within the STIM1 fragments, defined by their characteristic FRET signatures. Within the ER-proximal N-terminal region containing the predicted coiled-coil 1 domain (aa274-339), we observed several transiently stable conformational states, ranging from closely apposed (FRET ∼0.8) to widely separated (FRET ∼0). The different FRET states occurred with similar probability, and transitions between them were frequent. In the region 363-449, encompassing the CRAC activation domain (CAD), stable intermediate to high FRET values (0.6-0.9) were dominant, indicating close apposition of paired sites in the dimer. Interestingly, low-FRET states (0.1-0.4) were also observed at several sites, suggesting the existence of an open conformation with relatively low probability. Finally, C-terminal to the CAD (aa512-660) we found stable, broad low-FRET signals, consistent with the predicted unstructured nature of this region. FRET ratios progressively declined from ∼0.2 to 0 towards the C-terminal end, indicating increasing separation. Further development of this approach will enable direct, high-resolution probing of STIM1 activation under controlled conditions.
Protein Kinase A activity is increased in mouse lumbar spinal cord but not brain following morphine antinociceptive tolerance for 15 days.

Abstract The present study investigated the effect of morphine antinociceptive tolerance on Protein Kinase A (PKA) activity in mouse brain (periaqueductal gray (PAG), thalamus, medulla) and lumbar spinal cord (LSC). A model was developed in which mice expressed a 21-fold level of morphine antinociceptive tolerance following implantation of a 75-mg morphine pellet for 15 days. Cytosolic and particulate PKA activity was measured directly in homogenates from the PAG, thalamus, medulla and LSC which studies have shown play a role in morphine-induced analgesia. In addition, a kinetic analysis of cytosolic and particulate PKA activity in homogenates from these regions was conducted and PKA V max and K m values were determined. Results demonstrated that chronic morphine treatment did not alter PKA activity or PKA kinetics in mouse brain. Moreover, particulate PKA activity/kinetics were not altered in LSC. However, cytosolic PKA activity was significantly increased in LSC following morphine treatment for 15 days. Furthermore, an increase in cytosolic PKA V max was observed in LSC. These results suggest that spinal and supraspinal PKA activity are differentially altered during morphine tolerance in mice. Thus, neurons in mouse brain and LSC that comprise the pain pathway descending from the brainstem and ending in the spinal cord respond differently to chronic morphine treatment.
Oxygen Distribution and Respiration by the Microcirculation

Longitudinal and radial oxygen gradients in the microcirculation due to oxygen release from arterioles show that in some tissues oxygen is primarily supplied by arterioles and secondarily by capillaries. In several tissues, the arteriolar rate of oxygen exit is too large to be explained by diffusion alone, indicating that in these tissues oxygen consumption of the arteriolar wall in vivo is much greater than that shown in in vitro studies of endothelium and vascular smooth muscle, a phenomenon that may be related to the synthesis autocoids by the endothelium in vivo. The functional significance of the high metabolic rate of the arteriolar vessels may be related to the need of providing a metabolic barrier for protecting the parenchymal tissue from high oxygen levels in arterial blood, thus reducing formation of oxygen free radicals in the perivascular tissue, a supposition supported by the finding that the radial oxygen gradient at the microvascular wall and therefore its rate of oxygen consumption are proportional to local blood oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)). Oxygen consumption by the endothelium and/or smooth muscle is also a factor in causing terminal lymphatic pO(2) to have the lowest oxygen level in the tissue, rendering this compartment most vulnerable in hypoxic conditions.
A monoclonal antibody that causes the heterotrimeric G‐protein Go to release its βγ subunits

Abstract Heterotrimeric (αβγ) guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G-proteins) dissociate into their constituent subunits in the course of signal transduction. Exposure of the G-protein G o to the α o -specific monoclonal antibody 3E7 results in recovery of α o alone. We identified the 3E7 epitope as ERSKAIEKNL (positions 14–23) using synthetic peptides and phage display. G o isolated with α o -specific monoclonal antibodies MONO and 3C2 dissociates and releases its βγ subunits when exposed to 3E7. Exposure to 3E7, but not MONO or 3C2, results in the displacement of βγ from trimers, in the absence of added activators of G-proteins (GTPγS, Mg 2+ AIF 4− ). We propose that stable binding of 3E7 to α o requires displacement of γγ and occurs in the absence of guanine nucleotide exchange.
Adherence to Antiretroviral Treatment and Correlation with Risk of Hospitalization among Commercially Insured HIV Patients in the United States

Purpose A lower daily pill burden may improve adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) and clinical outcomes in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study assessed differences in adherence using the number of pills taken per day, and evaluated how adherence correlated with hospitalization. Methodology Commercially insured patients in the LifeLink database with an HIV diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification code 042.xx) between 6/1/2006 and 12/31/2008 and receipt of a complete ART regimen were selected for inclusion. Patients were grouped according to their daily pill count and remained on ART for at least 60 days. Outcomes included adherence and rates of hospitalization. Adherence was measured as the proportion of days between the start and end of the regimen in which the patient maintained supply of all initiated ART components. Logistic regressions assessed the relationship between pills per day, adherence, and hospitalization, controlling for demographics, comorbidities, and ART-naive (vs. experienced) status. Results 7,073 patients met the study inclusion criteria, and 33.4%, 5.8%, and 60.8% received an ART regimen comprising one, two, or three or more pills per day, respectively. Regression analysis showed patients receiving a single pill per day were significantly more likely to reach a 95% adherence threshold versus patients receiving three or more pills per day (odds ratio [OR] = 1.59; P<0.001). Regardless of the number of pills received per day, patients were over 40% less likely to have a hospitalization if they were adherent to therapy (OR = 0.57; P<0.001). Patients receiving a single pill per day were 24% less likely to have a hospitalization versus patients receiving three or more pills per day (OR = 0.76; P = 0.003). Conclusions ART consisting of a single pill per day was associated with significantly better adherence and lower risk of hospitalization in patients with HIV compared to patients receiving three or more pills per day.
Proteomic Analysis of Saliva in HIV-Positive Heroin Addicts Reveals Proteins Correlated with Cognition

The prevalence of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remains high despite effective antiretroviral therapies. Multiple etiologies have been proposed over the last several years to account for this phenomenon, including the neurotoxic effects of antiretrovirals and co-morbid substance abuse; however, no underlying molecular mechanism has been identified. Emerging evidence in several fields has linked the gut to brain diseases, but the effect of the gut on the brain during HIV infection has not been explored. Saliva is the most accessible gut biofluid, and is therefore of great scientific interest for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. This study presents a longitudinal, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics study investigating saliva samples taken from 8 HIV-positive (HIV+), 11 −negative (HIV−) heroin addicts. In addition, saliva samples were investigated from 11 HIV−, non-heroin addicted healthy controls. In the HIV+ group, 58 proteins were identified that show significant correlations with cognitive scores, implicating disruption of protein quality control pathways by HIV. Notably, only one protein from the HIV− heroin addict cohort showed a significant correlation with cognitive scores, and no proteins correlated with cognitive scores in the healthy control group. In addition, the majority of correlated proteins have been shown to be associated with exosomes, allowing us to propose that the salivary glands and/or oral epithelium may modulate brain function during HIV infection through the release of discrete packets of proteins in the form of exosomes.
Expression of the glucocorticoid-induced receptor mRNA in rat brain

The glucocorticoid-induced receptor (GIR) is an orphan G-protein-coupled receptor awaiting pharmacological characterization. GIR was originally identified in murine thymoma cells, and shows a widespread, yet not completely complementary distribution in mouse and human brain. Expression of the mouse GIR gene is modulated by dexamethasone in the brain and periphery, suggesting that GIR function is directly responsive to glucocorticoid signals. The rat GIR was cloned from rat prefrontal cortex by our group and was shown to be up-regulated following chronic amphetamine. The physiological role of GIR in the rat is not known at present. In order to gain a clearer understanding of the potential functions of GIR in the rat, we performed a detailed mapping of GIR mRNA expression in the rat brain. GIR mRNA showed widespread distribution in forebrain limbic and thalamic structures, and a more restricted distribution in hindbrain areas such as the spinal trigeminal nucleus and the median raphe nucleus. Areas with moderate to high levels of GIR include olfactory regions such as the nucleus of olfactory tract, hippocampus, various thalamic nuclei, cortical layers, and some hypothalamic nuclei. In comparison with previous studies, significant regional differences exist in GIR distribution in mouse and rat brain, particularly in the thalamus, striatum and in hippocampus at a cellular level. Overall, the expression of GIR in rat brain more closely approaches that seen previously in human than mouse, suggesting that rat models may be more informative for understanding the role of GIR in glucocorticoid physiology and glucocorticoid-related disease states. GIR mRNA distribution in the rat indicates a potential role of this receptor in the control of feeding and ingestive behavior, regulation of stress and emotional behavior, learning and memory, and, drug reinforcement and reward.
A re-examination of the validity and reliability of the School-Age Temperament Inventory.

Background: As a construct, temperament provides a framework for understanding differences among individuals in reaction to their life experiences. The measurement of the construct concerns both researchers and clinicians. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine whether the School-Age Temperament Inventory continued to demonstrate reliability and validity when retested with three existent samples of parent respondents. Method: Sample 1 was a sociodemographically and racially heterogeneous group of 200 children from New England in the United States. Data for Sample 2 was provided by 589 mothers and fathers from the state of Georgia in the United States. In Sample 3, data was provided by parents (principally, mothers) of 1,391 adolescents from Australia. Orthogonal Procrustes rotations were conducted to examine the underlying structure of the inventory when it was contrasted with the results obtained in the original standardization of the
Abnormal Motion of the Interventricular Septum in Right Ventricular Volume Overload Experimental and Clinical Echocardiographic Studies

Abnormal systolic motion of the interventricular septum has previously been noted using echocardiography in patients with atrial septal defect and has been ascribed to right ventricular volume overload. To evaluate the mechanism responsible for this abnormality, right ventricular volume overload was created in open-chest dogs by pumping blood from the left atrium to the right atrium. In seven of eight dogs changes in interventricular septum motion were produced acutely at shunt flow as low as 500 cc/min. When the shunt was decreased or stopped, interventricular septum motion returned to normal. Shunts producing left ventricular volume overload (aorta to left atrium and right atrium to left atrium) caused no change in interventricular septum motion. Clinical observations showed that six of seven patients with partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection and no atrial septal defect displayed abnormal interventricular septum motion on echocardiography. Twenty-one patients undergoing surgery for atrial septa...
Connection of discontinuous pulmonary arteries in patients with a superior or total cavopulmonary circulation.

Background Discontinuous pulmonary arteries (PAs) may develop in patients with single-ventricle heart disease from a variety of causes. We investigated factors associated with successful connection of nonconfluent PAs in patients with a cavopulmonary circulation. Methods We reviewed 49 patients who underwent connection of discontinuous PAs with or after a bidirectional Glenn (n = 29) or Fontan (n = 20) procedure at a median age of 7.9 years. PA continuity was established by direct anastomosis in 27, interposition graft in 19, and transcatheter recanalization in 3. Survival was 92% ± 4% at 1 year and 89% ± 5% at 5 years. Results Recurrent PA occlusion was documented in 7 patients, 5 within 10 days of PA connection. The only factor associated with shorter freedom from PA occlusion was sole supply of blood flow to 1 lung by systemic-to-PA collaterals before connection (66% ± 14% vs 95% ± 4% freedom from occlusion at 6 months, p = 0.03). Among the 45 early survivors, freedom from PA reintervention or occlusion was 83 ± 6% at 1 year and 55 ± 9% at 3 years. Conclusions Discontinuous PAs can be successfully connected in most patients with a cavopulmonary circulation, although nonconfluent PAs appear to increase the risk of poor outcome after Fontan. Recurrent PA occlusion was usually diagnosed in the early postoperative period. In patients with sole supply to 1 lung through collaterals, shunt placement before PA connection may optimize outcome. A low threshold for investigation of the reconnected PA is warranted.
iNKT-Cell Responses to Glycolipids

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are an unusual group of T lymphocytes that recognize glycolipid antigens presented by the major histocompatibility complex class I-related protein CD1d. Because iNKT cells play a regulatory role in the immune system, they are attractive targets for immunotherapy. The marine-sponge-derived glycolipid alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) potently activates iNKT cells. In vivo administration of alpha-GalCer to mice or humans results in rapid and robust cytokine secretion by iNKT cells, followed by the activation of a variety of cell types of the innate and adaptive immune systems. These potent immunomodulatory activities of alpha-GalCer are being exploited for therapeutic purposes. Preclinical studies in mice have demonstrated that alpha-GalCer and related glycolipids can protect mice against a variety of diseases, including cancer, infections, and several autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. Although alpha-GalCer treatment of mice is associated with unwanted side-effects, it has been proven safe in clinical trials with cancer patients. These studies have raised significant enthusiasm for the development of effective and safe iNKT-cell-based immunotherapies for a variety of human diseases.
Effects of added connective tissues on the sensory and mechanical properties of restructured beef steaks.

To quantify objectionable levels of connective tissues, restructured beef products were made with 2·5 and 5% added tendon; 5 and 10% added epimysium, gristle, or peri/endomysium; and a control. Initial tenderness (IT), residual connective tissue (CT), and overall texture (OT) were evaluated by a sensory panel. Panelists adversely scored IT, CT, and OT for 2·5 and 5% tendon and CT and OT for 10% epimysium and gristle. CT and OT scores correlated with hydroxyproline content and Lee-Kramer peak shear force for uncooked steaks with added tendon, gristle and epimysium but not peri/endomysium. Acceptable products can be made when raw materials are free of tendons and contain only limited amounts of epimysium.
Molecular characterization of biochars and their influence on microbiological properties of soil

The tentative connection between the biochar surface chemical properties and their influence on microbially mediated mineralization of C, N, and S with the help of enzymes is not well established. This study was designed to investigate the effect of different biomass conversion processes (microwave pyrolysis, carbon optimized gasification, and fast pyrolysis using electricity) on the composition and surface chemistry of biochar materials produced from corn stover (Zea mays L.), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and Ponderosa pine wood residue (Pinus ponderosa Lawson and C. Lawson) and determine the effect of biochars on mineralization of C, N, and S and associated soil enzymatic activities including esterase (fluorescein diacetate hydrolase, FDA), dehydrogenase (DHA), β-glucosidase (GLU), protease (PROT), and aryl sulfatase (ARSUL) in two different soils collected from footslope (Brookings) and crest (Maddock) positions of a landscape. Chemical properties of biochar materials produced from different batches of gasification process were fairly consistent. Biochar materials were found to be highly hydrophobic (low H/C values) with high aromaticity, irrespective of biomass feedstock and pyrolytic process. The short term incubation study showed that biochar had negative effects on microbial activity (FDA and DHA) and some enzymes including β-glucosidase and protease.
Phenytoin removal by plasmapheresis in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Phenytoin removal was followed in a patient undergoing plasmapheresis for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. It was determined that 10% of total body phenytoin was removed with each two plasma volume exchanges, which is two to four times that reported with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. During each 4- to 5-hr apheresis, serum phenytoin levels fell an average of 3.2 micrograms/ml and the phenytoin clearance by plasmapheresis was 21.9 +/- 2.1 ml/min (equal to the patient's endogenous clearance of 20.8 ml/min). Adjustment in drug doses were necessary such that, at steady state, the patient required 600 mg/day phenytoin to maintain therapeutic serum levels. These data indicate that plasmapheresis can clear the body of a significant amount of phenytoin and that increased doses may be required to maintain serum phenytoin levels. The potential use of apheresis in phenytoin overdose warrants further examination.
Research on Welding Repair for Tee Joint Crack of Subcritical Power Station Boiler Platen Superheater Header

Through methods, such as microscope analysis, metallography examination, the causes resulting in tee joint crack of subcritical power station boiler platen superheater header have been analyzed. The result indicates the tee joint crack originated in the original defects, expanded to connect with reheat cracking and leaked finally. In repair crack, the measures of reducing residual stress, such as lower welding heat input, reducing thickness of welding layer, hammer blowing, assigning reasonably heat treatment power ,lengthening holding time and so on, were taken. The welding repair succeeded greatly.
Chromatin structure and function in proliferating cells

The conclusions that we would like to draw from this review are the following: (a) Chromatin structure and function are exceedingly sensitive to changes in the proliferative state of a cell. Differences can be detected between cells in mitosis, G1 and S, and even between G0 and G1 cells. (b)These differences are very unlikely to be artifactual, since similar changes can also be demonstrated in intact nuclei. (c) Some of these differences can be abolished by extraction of chromatins with low concentrations of salt. (d) Differences between chromatins of normal and neoplastic cells can also be detected, but they are largely related to differences in the extent of cell proliferation. (e) A number of laboratories have been very busy in trying to elucidate chromatin structure with different technologies. Sometimes a change in a macromolecule cause by a physiological stimulus can tell us as much about its structure as a thousand instruments. The changes occuring in chromatin of proliferating cells could perhaps be profitably used to know more about chromatin structure.
The Impact of Substance Use Disorders on Families and Children: From Theory to Practice

The effects of a substance use disorder (SUD) are felt by the whole family. The family context holds information about how SUDs develop, are maintained, and what can positively or negatively influence the treatment of the disorder. Family systems theory and attachment theory are theoretical models that provide a framework for understanding how SUDs affect the family. In addition, understanding the current developmental stage a family is in helps inform assessment of impairment and determination of appropriate interventions. SUDs negatively affect emotional and behavioral patterns from the inception of the family, resulting in poor outcomes for the children and adults with SUDs. Social workers can help address SUDs in multiple ways, which are summarized in this article.
A novel robust and accurate spectral testing method for non-coherent sampling

Spectral testing is one of the frequently encountered problems in signal processing and communications. It is a challenging task to obtain coherent sampling for accurate spectral testing. Windowing techniques are widely used to perform spectral testing when the sampling is slightly noncoherent. This paper proposes a new Fundamental Identification and Replacement (FIR) method. The proposed method can estimate the spectral characteristics accurately without requiring coherent sampling. The method is robust to any level of non-coherency, which makes on-chip spectral testing possible. The new method is computationally efficient and is applicable for high resolution spectral testing. Furthermore, the proposed method can perform both single tone signal test and multiple tone signal test accurately. The method gives accurate results even in situations when the windowing techniques cannot give correct results. Simulation results show the robustness and the computational efficiency of the proposed method. The method is also validated with the experimental data.
Read at your own risk shrinkage of privacy and interactive media

This article discusses how interactive media threaten informational privacy, especially in a legal environment that fails to protect individuals' right to receive and use content without being scrutinized by private and government institutions.The article observes that as information about media consumption habits make up an increasingly large share of the stock of data that institutions can use in order to make inferences about individuals, it becomes increasingly more difficult for individuals to determine which types of behaviors would cause them to be assigned to a high-risk category. In the light of this observation, the article concludes by proposing that in order to address the uncertainty that individuals face in trying to figure out how institutions use personal information to categorize them into different risk groups, a privacy protection scheme that increases the accountability of these automated and manual interpretation processes is needed.
A procedure for the measurement of intracellular deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools by thin layer chromatography.

Abstract Excellent separation of 32P-labeled deoxynucleoside triphosphates from other biological compounds has been achieved using continuous-flow thin layer chromatography on poly (ethylene) imine-cellulose layers. Large pools of ribose nucleotides are removed by periodate oxidation of the formic acid-soluble extract from labeled cells. This extract is directly spotted on the thin layer plates and developed in one direction with phosphoric acid. The plate is then reversed in an ammonium sulfate solvent. Several samples can be measured on a single plate. Pools from 106 cells (10−13 moles dNTP) can be measured quickly and easily. It should be possible to quantitate these results. The method is general and should be applicable to nucleotide pool studies in both bacterial and animal systems.
Edgeworth's Taxation Paradox and the Nature of Demand and Supply Functions

That a tax imposed on the seller of a monopolized article may lead to an actual lowering of the price to the buyer has been shown by F. Y. Edgeworth.2 His example was of a railway supplying two classes of passenger service at different prices and, unhindered by governmental interference, setting its rates so as to make its own profit a maximum. When the company is compelled to pay a tax on each first-class ticket, it finds it profitable, in Edgeworth’s example, to reduce rates on both classes of accommodations. Regarding this paradoxical conclusion, Professor Seligman writes:3 The mathematics which can show that the result of a tax is to cheapen the untaxed as well as the taxed commodities will surely be a grateful boon to the perplexed and weary secretaries of the treasury and ministers of finance throughout the world!
Prediction of diltiazem plasma concentration curves from limited measurements using compliance data.

This analysis illustrates the importance of compliance in understanding intrapatient variation in plasma drug concentrations during 2 weeks of repeated (4 times daily) administration. Plasma concentration data are presented from 4 illustrative patients enrolled in a dose-ranging randomised clinical trial comparing diltiazem with placebo for the prevention of painful vaso-occlusive crises in sickle cell disease. Nonlinear regression was used to fit a 1-compartment model (using 1 elimination constant for the first dose and another for subsequent doses) to the observed diltiazem concentration curves for individual patients, taking into account the time of administration of each dose. Actual dosage intervals were obtained from an electronic device (the Medication Event Monitoring System®). The parameters estimated from fitting the actual compliance curves were then used to predict the curves obtained if compliance had been as prescribed (perfect compliance curves). Comparison of the actual and perfect compliance curves shows that within-patient variation in plasma diltiazem concentrations over time can only be understood when the timing of drug administration is included in the analysis. We conclude that dynamic compliance data are important in those situations where close monitoring of treatment is required and may be important in population pharmacokinetic modelling when limited data are available from each patient.
Colorimetric Determination of Guanazole in Plasma and Blood

A simple colorimetric procedure is described for determination of guanazole (3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole), a new antileukemic drug. The test is based upon diazotizing guanazole in water or in trichloroacetic acid extract obtained from plasma or serum, coupling the diazonium salt with diphenylamine, and extracting the azo dye with isopentyl alcohol. The product has a λmax at 485 nm, is stable for several days, and obeys Beer's law over a wide concentration range. An amount as low as 5 nmoles in 2 ml can be determined under the conditions described. Under the same condition, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole gave a yellow product in isopentyl alcohol (λmax 450 nm) with a sensitivity 20 times less than that with guanazole, whereas 1H-1,2,4-triazole gave no color at all. Recoveries of guanazole added to fetal calf serum and dog plasma were within 95–105%. Following a single intravenous dose to a rat, blood levels of guanazole, evaluated by the colorimetric procedure, were comparable to those obtained measuring concurrently administered 14C-labeled compound by standard tracer techniques. A half-life of 68 min was thus observed by both methods. The sensitivity and reproducibility of the assay, together with the relative lack of interference from other substances like urea and amino acids, make the procedure suitable for the determination of plasma levels of drug in small samples.
Aèdes aegypti as a possible New Invertebrate Host for Frog Trypanosomes.

Abstract Frog trypanosomes are non-host specific, apparently highly adaptable, and widely distributed. The systematics of amphibian trypanosomes is in an unsettled state. Extensive life cycle data are needed. Developmental stages of a trypanosome (probably T. rotatorium) in A. aegypti are described from 18 hours to 60 hours after engorgement of the mosquito. These forms are chiefly crithidial and leishmanial. A tentative hypothesis is given to explain the sequence of development of the blood forms of T. rotatorium in the digestive tract of A. aegypti, and ingestion is suggested as a probable method of infection of unparasitized frogs by infected mosquitoes. The habitats and distributions of R. pipiens and A. aegypti plus experimental findings indicate that a life cycle involving the latter as intermediate host is probable.