cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HIV in pregnancy.

Human immunodeficiency virus is becoming increasingly common among childbearing women. Through federally recommended testing programs, obstetricians will soon be identifying pregnant women in their practices who are HIV infected. Hence obstetricians must be prepared to face the social, ethical, and medical dilemmas brought on by HIV infection in pregnancy.
Simulation of a Liquid-Propellant Rocket Engine Subsystem

From an engineering point of view, CFD is a tool for preliminary design, design improvement, risk analysis, mission planning and operations. In this chapter, we will present engineering aspects of CFD through a task where CFD has played a significant role in accomplishing the goal of a real mission.
Isolated Partial Intra-Articular Volar Ulnar Fractures of the Distal Radius: The Tetrahedron Variant

Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the treatment and complications of a distinct type of partial intra-articular distal radius fracture. Methods Seven patients treated by the senior author between 2008 and 2013 for a partial intra-articular distal radius fracture with isolated involvement of the volar lunate facet were included. All fragments had the distinctive shape of a triangular-base pyramid (tetrahedron) extending from the metaphysis distally. All fractures were preoperatively assessed with computed tomography (CT) scans. Patients underwent surgical treatment using a standard flexor carpi radialis approach (2 patients) or a volar ulnar approach (5 patients) and were followed postoperatively for a minimum of 12 months. Results Patient age ranged from 33 to 66 years. On average, fragments measured 34 ± 6 mm in length (range, 27–43 mm) and were 48% as wide as the distal radius (range, 40% to 56%) and 58% as deep as the anterior-posterior dimension of the lesser sigmoid notch (range, 33% to 83%). Loss of reduction requiring revision surgery occurred at 4 weeks in 1 patient who underwent internal fixation through the flexor carpi radialis approach. The remaining cases healed uneventfully. At the final follow-up, all, except the patient requiring revision surgery, had a painless wrist. Average total wrist motion measured 87% of the opposite side. Radiographic healing with anatomic wrist alignment was observed in all except the patient requiring revision. This patient had persistent joint subluxation. The remaining patients all achieved good or excellent functional outcomes. Conclusions Isolated tetrahedron volar lunate facet fractures of the distal radius are rare. In our experience, the use of a volar ulnar approach leads to satisfactory fixation and outcomes, yielding excellent radiographic and clinical outcomes. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic V.
The Case of Erik Quimby: A Disruptive Physician in Training

Although not a formal diagnosis, the term “disruptive physician” has become a common way to describe doctors behaving badly in the medical setting. Unprofessional, disruptive behavior often emerges during medical school or residency. Cluster B personality disorders, bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, and other diagnoses characterized by behavioral dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties (e.g., intermittent explosive disorder) should be considered when evaluating disruptive medical trainees. When treating a personality disorder in this context, acute interventions should address treatable symptoms and modifiable disruptive behaviors, but long-term therapy is often indicated for character pathology. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors and mood stabilizers are mainstays of pharmacological interventions for impulsive aggression and intermittent explosive disorder, but treating physicians must consider side effects that could impair the physician-patient’s work. When treating a disruptive trainee, one must remain mindful of institutional administrative policies for remediation that are often implemented in these cases.
Pest management by genetic addiction.

In the PNAS article “Cleave and Rescue, a novel selfish genetic element and general strategy for gene drive,” Oberhofer et al. (1) describe an exciting new mechanism for enabling a transgenic sequence to increase in frequency within a sexually reproducing population, even if the transgenic sequence causes individuals bearing it to have somewhat lower fitness than those without it. The authors liken the mechanism to the “gene addiction” that can maintain a useless plasmid in a bacterium. The work of Oberhofer et al. (1) adds substantially to a growing field within genetic engineering, often termed gene drive research, in which selfish genetic elements overcome the rules of Mendelian inheritance and push transgenes into a population. While no engineered gene drives have been released into wild populations, that is the ultimate goal, and both the technical and cultural roads toward that goal have been tortuous at times. Gene drive projects are categorized based on having one of two aims. The first is to physically link a desirable gene to a gene drive mechanism and engineer both into a viable strain of the target organism. If individuals of the strain are released into a sexually reproducing field population of that species, the DNA sequence of the drive mechanism is predicted to increase in frequency in the population and the linked, desirable gene should “hitchhike” along with it. If the population is a mosquito that transmits dengue virus, the desirable gene could be one that codes for an RNA interference molecule targeted to prevent the virus from replicating in the mosquito—thus interfering with its transmission to a person whom the mosquito subsequently bites. Projects with the second aim are designed to suppress or eliminate a pest species, be it a mosquito, rat, roach, or crop pest. Here, the gene drive mechanism itself or … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: fred_gould{at}ncsu.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
TCTAP C-101 A Severely Calcified Chronic Total Occlusion That Was Successfully Revascularized Using Retrograde Wiring and Anchor-Balloon Technique from the Retrograde Side

### Patient Initials or Identifier Number H.T. ### Relevant Clinical History and Physical Exam A 68-year-old man with old inferior myocardial infarction, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and atrial fibrillation (AF) with bradycardia underwent coronary angiography (CAG) and the
The Challenge of Innovation

Products are getting smarter. Business models are more volatile. Customers are connected and empowered. The pace of technical change and the volume of data pouring into companies are unprecedented. Innovative winners will harness these trends to become global icons. The losers will struggle to stay in business and many of them will fail. Welcome to the world of innovation management in the twenty-first century.
Tablet capping predictions of model materials using multivariate approach.

Abstract The present study demonstrated the prediction of predominant root causes of capping behavior as a function of the powder rheological and the mechanical behavior of Acetaminophen (APAP) and Ibuprofen (IBU). The authors analyzed powder rheological properties for powder blend permeability, pressure drop, and cohesion. The measured deformation properties were compact porosity, internal air pressure, Brinell hardness, and tensile strength. The data were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively using multivariate techniques, such as principal component analysis (PCA) and principal component regression (PCR) models, respectively, to identify the effect of powder air entrapment efficiency and mechanical behavior on the tablet capping score. The PCA model indicated that pressure drop, cohesion, API amount, and compression pressure correlated positively, whereas permeability, porosity, internal air pressure, Brinell hardness, and tensile strength correlated negatively to the capping potential. APAP and IBU also showed two independent mechanisms as a function of their amount on the capping score at all compression pressures. APAP and IBU followed an exponential and linear relationship, respectively. Furthermore, the dominant powder rheological and deformation behavior affecting the capping score of each material was identified and quantified using two separate PCR models. These models showed that APAP capping was predominantly dependent on its powder properties, while that of IBU was predominantly based on its deformation properties. In conclusion, APAP and IBU compacts capping had respective air induced and deformation induced capping behavior. The proposed approach can aid in understanding the underlying mechanisms of capping and developing an effective, optimized strategy to ensure tablet quality.
Effects of intravitreal injection of human CD34+ bone marrow stem cells in a murine model of diabetic retinopathy

Abstract Human CD34 + stem cells are mobilized from bone marrow to sites of tissue ischemia and play an important role in tissue revascularization. This study used a murine model to test the hypothesis that intravitreal injection of human CD34 + stem cells harvested from bone marrow (BMSCs) can have protective effects in eyes with diabetic retinopathy. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice (C57BL/6J) were used as a model for diabetic retinopathy. Subcutaneous implantation of Alzet pump, loaded with Tacrolimus and Rapamycin, 5 days prior to intravitreal injection provided continuous systemic immunosuppression for the study duration to avoid rejection of human cells. Human CD34 + BMSCs were harvested from the mononuclear cell fraction of bone marrow from a healthy donor using magnetic beads. The CD34 + cells were labeled with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) using a lentiviral vector. The right eye of each mouse received an intravitreal injection of 50,000 EGFP-labeled CD34 + BMSCs or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Simultaneous multimodal in vivo retinal imaging system consisting of fluorescent scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (enabling fluorescein angiography), optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography was used to confirm the development of diabetic retinopathy and study the in vivo migration of the EGFP-labeled CD34 + BMSCs in the vitreous and retina following intravitreal injection. After imaging, the mice were euthanized, and the eyes were removed for immunohistochemistry. In addition, microarray analysis of the retina and retinal flat mount analysis of retinal vasculature were performed. The development of retinal microvascular changes consistent with diabetic retinopathy was visualized using fluorescein angiography and OCT angiography between 5 and 6 months after induction of diabetes in all diabetic mice. These retinal microvascular changes include areas of capillary nonperfusion and late leakage of fluorescein dye. Multimodal in vivo imaging and immunohistochemistry identified EGFP-labeled cells in the superficial retina and along retinal vasculature at 1 and 4 weeks following intravitreal cell injection. Microarray analysis showed changes in expression of 162 murine retinal genes following intravitreal CD34 + BMSC injection when compared to PBS-injected control. The major molecular pathways affected by intravitreal CD34 + BMSC injection in the murine retina included pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy including Toll-like receptor, MAP kinase, oxidative stress, cellular development, assembly and organization pathways. At 4 weeks following intravitreal injection, retinal flat mount analysis showed preservation of the retinal vasculature in eyes injected with CD34 + BMSCs when compared to PBS-injected control. The study findings support the hypothesis that intravitreal injection of human CD34 + BMSCs results in retinal homing and integration of these human cells with preservation of the retinal vasculature in murine eyes with diabetic retinopathy.
Prediction of a dimerization surface common to a new class of sequence-specific DNA binding proteins.

For the past several years we have studied a heat-stable, rat liver nuclear protein that we term C/EBP. This protein is capable of specific binding to the CCAAT homologies of a number of genes that are transcribed by RNA polymerase II (Graves et al., 1986). Surprisingly, this same protein also binds to the “core homology” common to many different viral enhancers (Johnson et al., 1987). We have used standard biochemical fractionation techniques to purify C/EBP. The purified protein was used to generate a partial amino acid sequence which, in turn, facilitated retrieval of a recombinant DNA clone of the gene encoding C/EBP. These reagents have allowed us to delineate the DNA binding domain of C/EBP and determine its amino acid sequence.
Reliability of screen-printed conductors and resistors during fatigue cycling on flexible substrate

Abstract Scalable printing of conductor and resistor components has revolutionized the field of flexible electronics by enabling a myriad of low cost highly conformable devices. Flexible electronic...
Limited correspondence in visual representation between the human brain and convolutional neural networks

ABSTRACT Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have achieved very high object categorization performance recently. It has increasingly become a common practice in human fMRI research to regard CNNs as working model of the human visual system. Here we reevaluate this approach by comparing fMRI responses from the human brain in three experiments with those from 14 different CNNs. Our visual stimuli included original and filtered versions of real-world object images and images of artificial objects. Replicating previous findings, we found a brain-CNN correspondence in a number of CNNs with lower and higher levels of visual representations in the human brain better resembling those of lower and higher CNN layers, respectively. Moreover, the lower layers of some CNNs could fully capture the representational structure of human early visual areas for both the original and filtered real-world object images. Despite these successes, no CNN examined could fully capture the representational structure of higher human visual processing areas. They also failed to capture that of artificial object images in all levels of visual processing. The latter is particularly troublesome, as decades of vision research has demonstrated that the same algorithms used in the processing of natural images would support the processing of artificial visual stimuli in the primate brain. Similar results were obtained when a CNN was trained with stylized object images that emphasized shape representation. CNNs likely represent visual information in fundamentally different ways from the human brain. Current CNNs thus may not serve as sound working models of the human visual system. Significance Statement Recent CNNs have achieved very high object categorization performance, with some even exceeding human performance. It has become common practice in recent neuroscience research to regard CNNs as working models of the human visual system. Here we evaluate this approach by comparing fMRI responses from the human brain with those from 14 different CNNs. Despite CNNs’ ability to successfully perform visual object categorization like the human visual system, they appear to represent visual information in fundamentally different ways from the human brain. Current CNNs thus may not serve as sound working models of the human visual system. Given the current dominating trend of incorporating CNN modeling in visual neuroscience research, our results question the validity of such an approach.
Assessment of the Impact of Fiber Types on the Performance of Fiber-Reinforced Hot Mix Asphalt:

This study aims to evaluate the impact of fiber types on the performance of hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures. Specifically, the impacts of fiber type on HMA mix design and laboratory performance are ...
Chapter 172 – Guanylyl Cyclases

Publisher Summary Humans express four soluble (α1, α2, β1, β2) guanylyl cyclase subunits and five single membrane-spanning (GC-A, GC-B, GC-C, GC-E, and GC-F) forms. The soluble forms exist as heterodimers and the transmembrane members exist as homeric structures containing at least two molecules per complex. The primary and best-studied endogenous activator of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) is nitric oxide (NO) originally described as endothelium-derived relaxing factor for its potent ability to relax blood vessels in response to vasodilators such as acetylcholine or bradykinin. The transmembrane guanylyl cyclases are homodimers that are activated by peptides. The best-characterized transmembrane guanylyl cyclase is NPR-A, which is also called GC-A or NPR1. It binds and is activated by atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). NPR-A is phosphorylated on four serines and two threonines within the amino-terminal portion of its kinase homology domain in the unstimulated state. The natriuretic peptide clearance receptor, which is also called NPR-C or NPR3, shares 35 percent amino acid identity with NPR-A and NPR-B in its extracellular domain, and binds all three known natriuretic peptides with similar affinities. It also binds osteocrin, which acts a decoy ligand to increase CNP levels in bone tissue. NPR-C is expressed in most tissues, usually at levels that are significantly higher than those of NPR-A or NPR-B. NPR-B, which is also called GC-B or NPR2, has a similar topology to NPR-A but is activated by CNP, which exists in 22 and 53 amino acid forms, neither of which are stored in granules. CNP does not circulate at high levels; rather, it signals in a paracrine manner.
At-home coronavirus testing: the next game-changer?

On 17 November 2020, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the first rapid SARS-CoV-2 assay that can be run entirely at home [1]. Created by Lucira Health, the All-In-One ...
Muddying the Waterfall: How Ambiguous Liability Statutes Distort Creditor Priority in Condominium Foreclosures

Intentionally or not, every state’s law regarding lien priority and post-foreclosure liability allocates risk between mortgage lenders and privately governed “common interest communities” (CICs), such as condominiums. When lenders secure their interests with mortgages on property within a CIC, the mortgages may compete against the CIC’s interests for primacy in the lien hierarchy. Modern state regimes typically delineate the respective rights of mortgagees and CIC associations according to lien-priority statutes. Older condominium-enabling statutes, however, do not address CIC lien priority directly and speak only to continuing joint and several liability for subsequent purchasers. These older and more ambiguous statutes do not indicate how state law intended to — or should — balance the competing interests of mortgage lenders and community associations. Today, these vague statutes present important and politically charged issues that merit legislative consideration and clarification. Furthermore, recent case law demonstrates that a plain-meaning construction of such an un-clarified statute can produce an outcome that is wrong as a matter of law and unwise as a matter of policy. This article examines the problems of vague statutory provisions regarding assessment obligations and their effect on lien priority. It advocates for judicial interpretations that focus on the purposes and intent of these provisions while upholding basic lien-priority law, and it urges legislative clarification of the existing language.
Biaxial Testing of Graphite/Epoxy Laminates with Cracks

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the behavior under biaxial tensile loading of graphite/epoxy plates with cracks and to determine the influence of crack length on failure. The specimens were 40 by 40-cm (16 by 16 in.) [0/′45/90] s laminates with cracks oriented at 30 deg to one side of the specimen. Four crack lengths, 2.54, 1.91, 1.27, and 0.64 cm (1.00, 0.75, 0.50, and 0.25 in.), were investigated. Deformations and strains were measured using strain gages, birefringent coatings, and moire grids. The specimens were loaded in biaxial tension in a specially designed loading frame. Results were presented in terms of the ratio of the normal to the crack stress and the unnotched tensile strength of the laminate. This ratio was found to be approximately 21 percent below that for uniaxially loaded plates with transverse cracks, indicating an appreciable contribution to failure of the shear stress. This percentage of strength ratio reduction remained nearly the same for all crack sizes. Experimental results were compared satisfactorily with those predicted on the basis of a tensor polynomial failure criterion for the lamina and a progressive degradation model.
Axon-target cell interactions in the developing auditory system.

Publisher Summary A number of significant developmental interactions between axons and their targets have been identified: for example, the role of afferent axons in shaping dendritic trees has been most clearly revealed for the Purkinje and basket/stellate neurons of the cerebellum, and the influence of target cells on neuronal survival has been studied most extensively in the chick spinal cord. Developmental regulation of the number of afferent axons converging on a target neuron has been most frequently examined in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), and the contributions of sensory experience to brain development have largely been revealed by work on the visual system of the cat. To obtain a more comprehensive view of these processes and their interrelationships, this chapter examines a variety of interactions between axons and their targets during the early life of certain auditory neurons in the avian brain stem. The striking structural and functional specializations of brain stem auditory neurons make them attractive subjects for studies of cellular interactions during the development of the central nervous system (CNS). The developing brain stem auditory nuclei of the chick embryo, in particular, are remarkable for the relative simplicity of their organization and their accessibility to the experimenter. The chapter presents the results of experimental studies involving the avian auditory system and summarizes recent work on its normal organization and development.
Dissecting the antimitotic activities and cellular actions of the natural product disorazole C1

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 3281 The disorazoles are a family of 29 macrocyclic polyketides isolated from the fermentation broth of the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum. Disorazole A1, the major component of the fermentation, was previously found to irreversibly bind to tubulin and have cytotoxic activity at picomolar concentrations, possibly due to the highly electrophilic epoxide moiety within its structure. To test this hypothesis, we synthesized disorazole C1, a minor component that lacks the epoxide moiety and examined its cytotoxic effects. We determined that disorazole C1 was able to inhibit polymerization of purified bovine tubulin in a concentration dependent manner with an IC50 of 11.8 ±0.4 µM, which was comparable to previous reports for disorazole A1. We examined the potential binding of disorazole C1 to purified tubulin by performing competitive inhibition assays against the binding of 10 µM [3H]vinblastine or [3H]dolastatin 10. We found that 5 µM vincristine and dolastatin 10 decreased [3H]vinblastine binding to tubulin by 65%. Colchicine, which does not interact with the vinca domain on tubulin, did not inhibit the binding of [3H]vinblastine, as expected. Disorazole C1 (5 µM) inhibited [3H]vinblastine binding by 50%. We also found that 5 µM vinblastine, vincristine, and disorazole inhibited the binding of [3H]dolastatin 10 by 5, 21, and 33 %, respectively. Colchicine did not disrupt [3H]dolastatin 10 binding. These results suggest that disorazole C1 does bind to tubulin and its binding site may overlap with the vinca domain. We then treated A549 cells with IC50 concentrations of disorazole C1 and found that, compared to vehicle control, cells treated with disorazole C1 had completely disrupted microtubules by 72 hours similar to that seen with IC50 concentrations of vinblastine. The multidrug resistant cell line DC3F-VCRd-5L was not cross-resistant to disorazole C1 relative to its wild-type counterpart DC3F. We attempted to develop a disorazole C1-resistant A549 lung cancer cell line using chronic treatment with low concentrations of disorazole C1. Although we were unsuccessful, we observed that the surviving cells exhibited an irreversible senescent phenotype. Studies with other microtubule disrupting agents support the hypothesis that microtubule disruption, like other mechanisms of cellular stress, can induce premature cellular senescence.
Taxation of Financial Services (Including Insurance) Under a United States Value Added Tax

The following paper was presented at an American Tax Policy Institute Conference on Structuring A Federal VAT: Design and Coordination Issues, on February 18-19, 2009. The papers for this conference assume that if the U.S. were to adopt a federal tax on consumption, it would be a credit-invoice value added tax (VAT) - called a Goods and Services Tax (GST) in some countries - similar to the VATs used by about 150 countries around the world. The financial services and insurance industries pose unique challenges for the design of a VAT. VAT generally is imposed on explicit prices charged in market transactions. In contrast, a bank renders many of its services as an intermediary. As a result, for example, the value of these intermediation services is implicit in the margin between the interest charged on loans and interest paid for borrowed funds. Under early VAT systems, supplies of financial services and insurance were exempt from VAT. While most exemptions under foreign VATs are granted for services rendered predominantly to consumers, the exemption for financial services and insurance applies both in consumer and in business-to-business (BTB) transactions. The exemptions in BTB transactions create many distortions.This paper discusses, among other topics - (1) the inclusion of financial services and insurance in a consumption tax base; (2) the differences between taxing and exempting midstream business-to-business transactions; (3) the economic distortions created when supplies of financial services and insurance are exempt from VAT; and (4) the possible ways to ameliorate the distortions associated with the exemption for these services.
Passive membrane properties of motorneurons and their role in long- distance signaling in the nematode Ascaris

In the motornervous system of the large parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum, the dorsal and ventral nerve cords are connected by a repeating pattern of single identified motorneuron processes, called commissures (Stretton et al., 1978). By making microelectrode penetrations of the commissures, we here report the first successful intracellular recordings of nematode neurons. These cells, like muscle cells of Ascaris, exhibit resting potentials of approximately -30 to -40 mV. Several tests indicate that these are the normal resting potentials of the cells and are not low due to damage. Using 2 intracellular microelectrodes (one for stimulation and one for recording), we have determined the input resistance and cable properties of commissural motorneurons. Over the physiological voltage range, the steady-state I- V plots are linear with little indication that voltage-sensitive conductances are contributing substantially to signaling. The membrane capacitance is comparable to that of single biological membranes (range, 0.4–0.9 microF/cm2) and the internal resistivity (range, 79–314 omega cm) is similar to that found in other cells. Because of unusually large membrane resistances (range, 61–251 k omega cm2), the space constants, lambda, are high (range, 4–10 mm). Such membrane properties produce cells that are well-designed for conducting passive signals over long distances. This long-distance signaling ability appears to be due to the intrinsic properties of the motorneuron membrane itself.
Estimating bacterial diversity from environmental DNA: a maximum likelihood approach

The ability to measure bacterial diversity is a prerequisite for the systematic study of bacterial biogeography and ecology. In this paper we describe a method of estimating diversity from an environmental sample of DNA and apply it to data taken from samples from the Sargasso Sea. Our approach combines the coverage depth method of Venter et al. [2] and the contig spectrum approach of Angly et al. [4], but uses maximum likelihood to recover the diversity rather than using hand-fit models as in [2]. We assume four species abundance distributions, then maximize the likelihood of fitting the coverage depth at different positions of the consensus sequence provided in the Sargasso Sea sample. The resulting estimates match well with those obtained using less mathematically rigorous approaches.
Transverse Cracking and Delamination in Cross-Ply GR/EP Composites under Dry, Saturated and Immersed Fatigue

Motivated by experimental observations, the finite element method is employed to model the competition between the transverse cracking and delamination modes of failure that occur in cross-ply AS4/3501-6 gr/ep coupons subjected to fatigue. The results explain the extensive delaminations and reduced crack densities that arise under immersed fatigue, as compared with fatigue in air.
Physical chemistry. Molecules at the edge.

Ultrafast observations of fluid interfaces show that the way molecules interact at these junctions is both structurally and dynamically different from interactions in the bulk liquid.
Multiframe information fusion for gray-scale and spatial enhancement of images

An imaging system produces a degraded measurement of a real-valued quantity that varies temporally, spectrally, and spatially. When there are multiple measurements of the same scene, it is possible to combine the nonredundant information in those measurements and produce an improved image that has more information than any of the measurements does alone. This type of reconstruction is known as image fusion. Depending on the diversity of information in the measurements, it is possible to achieve temporal, spectral, spatial, and gray-scale improvements with an image fusion algorithm. In this paper, we are proposing an image fusion algorithm that produces an image of higher spatial and gray-scale information from multiple measurements. The algorithm estimates the spatial and illumination correlation between multiple measurements, and employs a set-theoretic reconstruction technique.
The Site Gap Racial Inequalities in Early Voting Access

In both 2008 and 2012, about one third of the American electorate cast their votes early. While early voting programs are established by states, counties have considerable discretion with regard to...
Cloning and characterization of the gene encoding mouse mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase

The mitochondrial (mt) aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) in liver has been considered to play a major role in the detoxification of alcohol in humans. Using the human ALDH2 cDNA and synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotides (oligos) as probes, the mouse ALDH2 (mALDH2) gene was isolated and characterized. Nucleotide (nt) sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame (ORF) of 1560 bp encoding a protein of 519 amino acid (aa) residues. The gene is composed of 13 exons and 12 introns and spans approx. 26 kb of the mouse genome. The deduced aa sequence, when compared to the mtALDH2 of human, rat, horse and bovine, revealed 95.8, 99.0, 95.6 and 93.6% aa identity, respectively. Primer extension and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) experiments showed that the transcription start point (tsp) was 105 bp upstream from the start codon. The promoter region of mALDH2 is devoid of a TATA consensus sequence motif, but putative regulatory elements, including a CAAT box, Sp1-binding site and glucocorticoid-response element (GRE), are present in the promoter region. Northern blot hybridization demonstrated the existence of a high level of mALDH2 mRNA in mouse liver and a low level in mouse kidney.
Applying Dose Reduction to CT Colonography

There is increasing awareness of the radiation dose delivered to patients using computed tomography (CT). It is important to properly manage the radiation dose when performing CT colonography (CTC) for colorectal cancer screening since the test may be repeated several times over the lifetime of the individual. There must be a balance of the overall benefit of screening CTC versus any theoretical risk of radiation. Technically there must also be a balance of radiation dose with image quality. Efforts continue to lower the radiation dose as much as possible while maintaining diagnostic accuracy for CTC in conjunction with overall national efforts by professional organizations, providers of medical imaging services, and equipment manufacturers. This article reviews the strategies that may be used to reduce the radiation dose for CTC including practical methods, modifications of specific CT parameters, and the use of new iterative reconstruction techniques.
Overexpression of focal adhesion kinase, a protein tyrosine kinase, in ovarian carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a tyrosine kinase that is important to such key functions such as cell adhesion, motility, and invasion. A MEDLINE search of the years 1980–1998 found no previous reports of FAK expression in human ovarian carcinoma. The authors performed experiments to determine whether FAK expression is elevated in this disease. METHODS Ten normal human ovarian tissue samples and 26 cancer samples from patients with Stage I–IV ovarian carcinoma were obtained. Two ovarian carcinoma cell lines were also analyzed. FAK expression was determined by Western blot analysis with the V39 anti-human FAK polyclonal antibody. The level of FAK protein expression was determined using densitometric scanning of the 125 kD band on autoradiographs of Western immunoblots. RESULTS Serous cancers expressed fourfold-increased values of FAK relative to normal ovarian tissue (P < 0.0001), and nonserous adenocarcinomas expressed threefold- to fourfold-increased values of FAK (P < 0.0006). Ovarian carcinoma cell lines also expressed increased values of FAK. With a cutoff of 40, an elevated FAK level was associated with a sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 100%. There was no significant difference in FAK expression with regard to grade or stage of tumor. CONCLUSIONS FAK is significantly overexpressed in ovarian carcinoma, implying that FAK may play an important role in ovarian carcinogenesis. FAK expression may be useful as a screening tool to identify newly developed disease or as a tumor marker in confirmed cases of epithelial ovarian carcinoma. FAK may also serve as a potential target for therapeutic disruption of ovarian carcinoma progression. Cancer 1999;86:1551–6. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Structure of type II dehydroquinase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes opportunistic infections and is resistant to most antibiotics. Ongoing efforts to generate much-needed new antibiotics include targeting enzymes that are vital for P. aeruginosa but are absent in mammals. One such enzyme, type II dehydroquinase (DHQase), catalyzes the interconversion of 3-dehydroquinate and 3-dehydroshikimate, a necessary step in the shikimate pathway. This step is vital for the proper synthesis of phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine and other aromatic metabolites. The recombinant expression, purification and crystal structure of catalytically active DHQase from P. aeruginosa (PaDHQase) are presented. Cubic crystals belonging to space group F23, with unit-cell parameters a = b = c = 125.39 A, were obtained by vapor diffusion in sitting drops and the structure was refined to an R factor of 16% at 1.74 A resolution. PaDHQase is a prototypical type II DHQase with the classical flavodoxin-like α/β topology.
Negative group velocity Lamb waves on plates and applications to the scattering of sound by shells

Symmetric Lamb waves on plates exhibit anomalies for certain regions of frequency. The phase velocity appears to be double-valued [M. F. Werby and H. Uberall, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 111, 2686-2691 (2002)] with one of the branches having a negative group velocity relative to the corresponding phase velocity. The classification of the symmetric plate modes for frequencies appearing to have a double-valued phase velocity is reviewed here. The complication of a double-valued velocity is avoided by examining mode orthogonality and the complex wave-number spectra. Various authors have noted an enhancement in the backscattering of sound by elastic shells in water that occurs for frequencies where symmetric leaky Lamb waves (generalized to case of a shell) have contra-directed group and phase velocities. The ray diagram for negative group velocity contributions to the scattering by shells [G. Kaduchak, D. H. Hughes, and P. L. Marston, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 96, 3704-3714 (1994)] is unusual since for this type of mode the energy on the shell flows in the opposite direction of the wave vector. Circumnavigation of the shell is not required for the leaky ray to be backward directed.
Effect of dose and spray volume on early-season broadleaved weed control in Allium using herbicides

Abstract Field studies were conducted near Oakes, Absaraka, and Carrington, North Dakota to determine if bromoxynil and oxyfluorfen applied post-emergence at reduced doses and spray volumes to one-leaf onion would provide effective early-season broadleaved weed control without significant crop injury. Oxyfluorfen generally provided more effective early-season broadleaved weed control than bromoxynil when applied at reduced spray volumes and doses. Onion injury 1 week after treatment (WAT) was more severe with oxyfluorfen than bromoxynil applied post-emergence, but was not visible 3 WAT. Large-grade and total onion yields at Absaraka, where broadleaved weed pressure was the least, were similar in all treatments except the untreated check. At Carrington and Oakes, where broadleaved weed pressure was much greater, no treatments had large-grade or total onion yields similar to the hand-weeded check. However, large-grade and total yields from onion treated with reduced doses of bromoxynil or oxyfluorfen, regardless of the spray volume, were similar to those treated with almost a four-fold increase in herbicide dose, suggesting that a reduced bromoxynil or oxyfluorfen dose at lower spray volumes to one-leaf onion may provide sufficient early-season Chenopodium album and Amaranthus retroflexus control so that post-emergence applications of bromoxynil plus oxyfluorfen to larger onion provide more effective broadleaved weed control.
Arsenic Trioxide in Recurrent Urothelial Cancer: A Cancer and Leukemia Group B Phase II Trial (CALGB 99903)

Abstract Background Arsenic trioxide is highly active in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. There are also preclinical data to suggest that this drug might be active in nonhematopoietic malignancies, and transitional cell carcinoma cell lines are particularly sensitive to this agent. Patients and Methods Twelve evaluable patients with metastatic urothelial cancer were treated with arsenic trioxide in a phase II trial conducted by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B. Eligible patients were required to have measurable urothelial cancer and a maximum of 1 previous chemotherapy regimen. Arsenic trioxide was given at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg daily for 5 days every 28 days. Results No major responses were observed; 4 patients achieved stable disease. The median survival was 6.5 months (95% CI, 3.9–13.4 months). The most commonly observed toxicities included fatigue and malaise, anemia, nausea, emesis, and constipation. Conclusion Arsenic trioxide at this dose and schedule does not have significant activity in previously treated urothelial cancer and has substantial toxicity in this patient population.
Responsibility and Provenance of Human Remains

The question of human dignity has been a constant theme in lay and expert narratives that have emerged around BODY WORLDS and Gunther von Hagens since the exhibit's debut more than one decade ago. ...
PHOTOINDUCED OXIDATION OF HORSERADISH PEROXIDASE

Photoexcited [Ru(bpy)3]2+ (bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridine) can be quenched with [Co(NH3)5Cl]2+ to give [Ru(bpy)3]3+; this photogenerated oxidant (E0 = 1.25 V vs NHE) reacts with horseradish peroxidase isoenzyme c (HRPc) to produce oxidized protein species. Spectra and kinetics measured by laser-flash transient spectroscopy show that oxidation of the trivalent resting state, [PFeIII]+ (P = porphyrin dianion), to ferryl compound II, [PFeIVO], is preceded by generation of a π-cation porphyrin radical intermediate, [PFeIII]•2+. In the interval 7.8 < pH < 9.8, the rate-limiting step for the transformation of the radical intermediate to compound II is the binding of a water molecule to the five-coordinate heme iron, kobsd = (4.1 ± 0.9) s-1; this step is followed by fast proton and electron transfer to give the ferryl species. There is a burst in compound II formation in the pH region (10.3 < pH < 10.8) in which the heme iron changes from a five-coordinate, high-spin species to a six-coordinate, low-spin complex (pKa = 1...
‘It's called Girl Scouts, not, like, Woman Scouts’: emotional labour and girls' bodies

A key part of the American Girl Scouts organization is their iconic annual cookie sale, which is promoted as providing girls with invaluable business and leadership skills. We argue that it also trains girls in the gendered practice of emotional labour. By learning how to suppress or express certain feelings in public spaces in order to net more profit, girls are socialized to not only regulate their emotions, but also their bodies. This becomes complicated as girls become teens, as they receive mixed messages regarding their bodies. No longer considered to be ‘cute girls’, teens' bodies occupy a space between adolescence and adulthood, which often creates tension in public space. We explore this tension and teens' responses.
OXIDATIONS OF TRIETHYL α-PHOSPHONOACRYLATE. EPOXIDATION TO TRIETHYL α-PHOSPHONOACRYLATE OXIDE BY HYPOCHLORITE AND FORMATION OF TRIETHYL DIHYDROXYPHOSPHONOACETATE WITH RuO4-PERIODATE

Abstract Oxidation of the methylidene double bond in triethyl α-phosphonoacrylate 2 by O3, catalytic RuO4 (RuO2/NaOCI, RuO2/NaIO4) and stoichiometric RuO4 was investigated as a route to α-oxygenated phosphonoacetate derivatives. Ozonation of 2 gave a mixture of products containing, in one experiment, triethyl phosphonoglyoxylate 1 as a minor (<5%) component. Efforts to prepare ethylidene compounds analogous to 2 (as alternative ozonation substrates) using known routes for synthesis of corresponding diethyl oxomalonate derivatives were unsuccessful. Treatment of 2 in biphasic H2O/CCI4 with catalytic RuO4 using NaOCI as co-oxidant or with NaOCI alone produced a novel epoxide product, triethyl α-phosphonoacrylate oxide (7) in up to 79% isolated yield. When NaOCI was replaced with NaIO4 as the RuO2, reoxidant (H2O/CHCI3), the major reaction product in the aqueous phase was identified by 13C and 13P NMR as triethyl dihydroxyphosphonoacetate 8, the hydrate of the ketone 1. Reaction of 2 with stoichiometric RuO4...
Green algae (Chlorophyta) of desert microbiotic crusts: diversity of North American taxa

Green algae are present in desert soils as components of microbiotic communities that also include cyanobacteria and other prokaryotes, lichens, non-lichenized fungi, invertebrates, and other photosynthetic eukaryotes such as diatoms, eustigmatophytes, and xanthophytes. The green algae that occur in crusts are morphologically simple unicells, packets of cells, or weak filaments, yet represent a diverse assemblage of taxa spanning the classes Chlorophyceae, Trebouxiophyceae, and Charophyceae. As part of an ongoing study of the biodiversity of microbiotic crust communities in the western United States and Northern Mexico, a large number of green algae were isolated and characterized morphologically and genetically. Phylogenetic analyses using ribosomal RNA gene sequence data have greatly aided our understanding of the diversity and evolution of desert green algae. Our results indicate that desert green algae evolved from aquatic green algae at least five independent times. In addition, the desert green algae are derived from freshwater, not marine, green ancestors. Some lineages of green algae have a high proportion of desert taxa, while other lineages thus far have no known desert representatives. Many of the isolates are likely to be new taxa. These taxa represent independent lineages of green plants that have evolved to inhabit desert environments. Because they are distinct from but phylogenetically related to embryophyte taxa, these other "land plants" can offer important biochemical and physiological comparisons to desert-dwelling embryophytes.
Structural Conduciveness, Structural Strain, and the Occurrence of Race Riots

Abstract To ‘explain’ the oCCurrence of race riots in its proper perspective, a theoretical system was needed which was sufficiently abstract to encompass all violent outbursts and yet which allowed for the extraction of relevant independent variables. Smelser's value-added process provided just such a theoretical system. Although it is an attempt to ‘explain’ all collective behavior per se, just his theory of hostile outbursts wa.s used. The foregoing is especially true since a definition of hostile outbursts in general is a definition of race riots in particular. From Smelser's theory, structural conduciveness and structural strain emerged as the major independent variables which ‘explain’ the occurrence of race riots. To test the hypothesis, structural conduciveness was operationalized as ‘national political campaign atmosphere’ while structural strain was operationalized as ‘the Negro issue in party platforms.’ In employing a modified version of content analysis to peruse the New York Times Index's co...
Effects of a fluorescent Myosin light chain phosphatase inhibitor on prostate cancer cells.

Myosin light chain phosphatase is an enzyme important to regulation of cell cycle and motility that is shown to be upregulated in aggressive prostate cancer cells and tissue. We developed a fluorescent small molecule inhibitor of myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) using structure based design in recombinant PP1C. Several best fit compounds were synthesized and evaluated by their inhibition of MLCP/32P-MLC dephosphorylation, which resulted in the identification of novel MLCP inhibitors. Androgen dependent (AD) and independent (AI) prostate cancer cell lines were treated with the lead inhibitor resulting in decreased in growth rate, reduced DNA synthesis and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Moreover, AI cell lines showed an increased sensitivity to drug treatment having GI50 values four times lower than the AD prostate cancer line. This was reinforced by reduced BrdU DNA incorporation into AI cells compared to AD cells. Beta-actin disruption was also seen at much lower drug concentrations in AI cells which caused a dose dependent reduction in cellular chemotaxis of PC-3 cells. Since there are currently no clinical therapeutics targeting AI prostate cancer, MLCP represents a new target for preclinical and clinical development of new potential therapeutics which inhibit this disease phenotype.
Studies in Semen Coagulation.

Summary and conclusions1. Coagulation of rat semen seems to involve a diphasic reaction consisting of 1) flocculation and 2) gelation. 2. Velocity of the coagulation reaction can be timed with reproducible results, under the experimental conditions described. 3. The reaction is linear with dilution of the component secretions. 4. Optimum pH range for the reaction lies between 6.8 and 8.2. 5. Zn++ and Cu++ appear to inhibit the coagulation reaction. Blood clotting inhibitors have no effect. Na+ seems essential for clotting to occur. 6. Heating of the coagulating gland component destroys activity. 7. Slow freezing of the coagulating gland destroys activity, rapid freezing does not. 8. A crude preparation of the coagulating gland component has been obtained by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation. Further work is in progress on purification of this substance.