cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antibody-secreting cell specificity in labial salivary glands reflects the clinical presentation and serology in patients with Sjögren's syndrome

Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic, autoimmune disorder characterized by severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia, which can occur as a primary manifestation (pSS) or secondary to other rheumatic diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SS/SLE). The inflammatory and lymphoproliferative components of SS primarily target exocrine glands, though extra-glandular manifestations are not uncommon. Hallmarks of SS include serum antibodies to Ro (or SSA) and La (or SSB) and focal lymphocytic infiltration of lacrimal and SGs. Glandular infiltrates are comprised of antigen-experienced CD4+CD45RO+ T cells, CD27+ B cells and plasma cells (1–4). The SGs contribute to mucosal autoimmunity by receiving antigen-specific cells from the nasal- and gastric-associated lymphoid tissue (5). Ro- and La-specific lymphocytes with a plasma cell-like morphology have been detected in glandular infiltrates, surrounding acini and along the basement membrane of salivary ducts of SS patients using biotinylated antigens and immunohistochemistry (6–8). Enriched levels of anti-Ro and/or anti-La in tears and saliva (IgG and IgA) correlate with higher titers of these Ab specificities (IgG and IgM) in SS patient serum (9–11). Thus, sites of mucosal immunity in SS patients could reveal critical features about development of the humoral immune response during disease progression. B cell recruitment and overexpression of survival factors lead to enhanced migration and accumulation of polyclonal memory CD27+ B and CD27high Ab-secreting cells (ASCs) in inflamed salivary glands of SS patients (12). The SG microenvironments in SS, composed of aggregated networks of B and T lymphocytes, follicular dendritic cells and activated endothelial cells promote the survival of autoreactive B cells and plasma cells (6, 12–14). Jonsson et al. found that 28% of 269 pSS patients had germinal center (GC)-like architecture in SG biopsy samples. These structures were associated with higher titers of anti-Ro and anti-La, as well as higher focus scores (15). Ro- and La-specific ASCs in SGs and peripheral blood of SS patients have been implicated in salivary gland dysfunction (16). Ab studies in SS patients have focused primarily on Ro and La because of their prominence in SS, whereas evaluation of other antigen specificities in glandular tissues has been limited. Besides anti-Ro and anti-La, antibodies to Sm and rheumatoid factor (RF) have been found in serum and saliva of SS patients (9, 17, 18), indicating that Abs secreted in saliva can be diverse. The purpose of our study was to interrogate the glandular ASC humoral immune response of a pSS and an SS/SLE patient by producing hmAbs, characterizing their molecular sequences, assessing clonal relatedness and determining their specificities. With this work, we show concordance between glandular and serum specificities, demonstrate that ASCs other than anti-Ro or anti-La are present in SS SGs and produce Ab in situ, and that the SGs are an active site of humoral memory.
A Review of “Knowing Darkness: On Skepticism, Melancholy, Friendship and God”: Addison Hodges Hart (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans., 136 pp. Paperback, $14, ISBN 978-0-8028-6344-7

When reading books with theological themes, seldom are the terms “mystery” or “drama” appropriate descriptors. Yet Addison Hodges Hart creates such a mystery by intersecting topics of divergent the...
ECMO and sepsis. If differences could be due to chance alone, are trends worth discussing?

In Reply.— We agree with Dr Weiss that from a purely statistical standpoint, our retrospective data do not offer proof that ECMO is superior to conventional medical therapy in improving the survival of neonates with overwhelming group B streptococcal sepsis. If this study had more power (ie, more patients), a statistically significant difference may have been noted. Of course, with this particular study design, we had no control over sample size. It is up to the reader to decide if there is a clinically significant difference between the two therapeutic strategies.
Abstract 313: Elucidation Of The Fibrotic Transcription Factors Gene Network Leading To Chagas Heart Disease

Background: Trypanosoma cruzi the causative agent of Chagas heart disease (CHD) remains incurable. The major pathology induced by the parasite is cardiac fibrosis leading to heart failure followed by death. The mechanisms of T. cruzi induced cardio-pathology remains largely unknown. We hypothesize that T. cruzi infection regulates the expression of profibrotic genes in human cardiac myocytes (HCM), tilting the heart towards a profibrotic phenotype seen in CHD patients. Methods and Results: To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of T. cruzi induced cardiac fibrosis, we challenged primary HCM with T. cruzi for two hours and purified total RNA for microarray. We investigated changes at the whole transcriptome level on an affymetrix platform. The arrays were done in triplicates at different time points; changes in gene expression greater than 2-fold and having a Benjamini and Hochburg false discovery rate corrected p-value <0.05 were considered significant. The microarray data was validated using real-time PCR followed by PCR array and immunoblotting, to evaluate changes in the protein expression levels of fibrotic transcription factors. Protein expression levels were evaluated in triplicate and analyzed by ANOVA. The fibrotic interactome induced by T. cruzi in HCM was elucidated using Cytoscape. Our results indicate that exposure of HCM to T. cruzi upregulates the transcript levels of two transcription factors associated with fibrosis, SNAI1 (more than 2 fold up-regulated) and Early Growth Response protein 1, EGR1, (about four fold up-regulated). SNAI1 and EGR1 were increased at the protein level. Furthermore, we identified the first interactome regulating fibrosis in primary HCM induced by T. cruzi . Conclusions: This is the first report showing that T. cruzi upregulates the expression of profibrotic transcription factors in HCM early during the process of cellular infection and the operational fibrotic interactome. Thus, abnormal sustained expression of SNAI1 and EGR1 upregulate the expression of genes essential for conversion of HCM towards a profibrotic phenotype in CHD. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms by which T. cruzi induces cardiac fibrosis will lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets for CHD.
Impact of a quality assurance program on gastrointestinal endoscopy

The impact of a quality assurance committee on documentation and use of gastrointestinal endoscopy was assessed. The committee, fulfilling Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations criteria, performed retrospective (1984-1985) and prospective (1986-1988) reviews of all endoscopies. Criteria were developed from American College of Physicians and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guidelines. All reviews of procedures that were questioned were returned to physicians for clarification. After reconsideration of the response, procedures were judged either justified or unjustified. There has been significant improvement in the quality of endoscopy reporting and documentation. The rate of questioned procedures decreased from 21.6% (95% confidence interval (CI), 20.1-23.1) in 1984-1985 to 9.2% (95% CI, 7.9-10.4) (P less than 0.01) in 1988. Improvement in use was reflected in the significant decrease in the rate of unjustified procedures from 8.2% (95% CI, 7.2-9.2) in 1984-1985 to 1.5% (95% CI, 1.0-2.0) (P less than 0.01) in 1988. Most importantly, this process curtailed the previously noted 10% annual increase in the number of endoscopic procedures (P less than 0.01).
Reduced high-density lipoprotein level is linked to worse ankle brachial index and peak oxygen uptake in postmenopausal women with peripheral arterial disease

Women with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) have more limited physical function than men but the mechanisms involved are not clear. We determined whether alterations in lipid components, such as decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), are associated with worsening intermittent claudication (IC) in postmenopausal women with PAD. Our cross-sectional cohort study included 69 postmenopausal women with IC (Fontaine stage II). A treadmill test was used to measure initial claudication distance (ICD), absolute claudication distance (ACD), peak oxygen uptake, and ankle systolic blood pressure. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol correlated with ankle brachial index ([ABI]; R = .29, P = .019). No other lipid profile components were associated with exercise performance and hemodynamic measures. Among women with HDL-C 50 mg/dL (n = 26). Lower HDL-C levels are associated with worse ABI and decreased peak oxygen uptake in postmenopausal women with PAD.
Foodweb transfer, accumulation, and depuration of microcystins, a cyanobacterial toxin, in pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus)

Abstract Zooplankton accumulate microcystins (MC), a potent cyanobacteria toxin, and therefore may act as vectors of the toxin up the aquatic food web; however this transfer has not yet been quantified. In addition there is a lack of information regarding fish's ability to metabolize MC when administered a low dose over a longer period of time. We monitored MC concentrations in three levels of an aquatic food web: phytoplankton, zooplankton, and sunfish ( Lepomis gibbosus ). Bosmina appeared to be both a major accumulator of MC in zooplankton and the major vector of MC to sunfish. In an accumulation experiment, sunfish were brought into the laboratory and fed MC-rich zooplankton pellets (50 ng MC kg −1 d −1 ) for 9 days. Zooplankton directly transferred MC to sunfish, resulting in liver and muscle tissue accumulation. However, after 6 days of accumulation fish significantly decreased concentrations in their liver and muscle tissue, indicating the induction of a detoxification and excretion pathway. Sunfish retained MC in their liver and muscle tissue, showing no significant changes in toxin concentration over 2 weeks of fasted depuration.
YY1 DNA binding and interaction with YAF2 is essential for Polycomb recruitment

Polycomb Group (PcG) proteins are crucial for epigenetic inheritance of cell identity and are functionally conserved from Drosophila to humans. PcG proteins regulate expression of homeotic genes and are essential for axial body patterning during development. Earlier we showed that transcription factor YY1 functions as a PcG protein. YY1 also physically interacts with YAF2, a homolog of RYBP. Here we characterize the mechanism and physiologic relevance of this interaction. We found phenotypic and biochemical correction of dRYBP mutant flies by mouse YAF2 demonstrating functional conservation across species. Further biochemical analysis revealed that YAF2 bridges interaction between YY1 and the PRC1 complex. ChIP assays in HeLa cells showed that YAF2 is responsible for PcG recruitment to DNA, which is mediated by YY1 DNA binding. Knock-down of YY1 abrogated PcG recruitment, which was not compensated by exogenous YAF2 demonstrating that YY1 DNA binding is a priori necessary for Polycomb assembly on chromatin. Finally, we found that although YAF2 and RYBP regulate a similar number of Polycomb target genes, there are very few genes that are regulated by both implying functional distinction between the two proteins. We present a model of YAF2-dependent and independent PcG DNA recruitment by YY1.
“Hope” for the liver? Mechanistic insight into the role of the renin‐angiotensin system in hepatic fibrosis

Angiotensin II (AngII) is a pro-oxidant and fibrogenic cytokine. We investigated the role of NADPH oxidase in AngII-induced effects in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), a fibrogenic cell type. Human HSCs express mRNAs of key components of nonphagocytic NADPH oxidase. AngII phosphorylated p47phox, a regulatory subunit of NADPH oxidase, and induced reactive oxygen species formation via NADPH oxidase activity. AngII phosphorylated AKT and MAPKs and increased AP-1 DNA binding in a redox-sensitive manner. AngII stimulated DNA synthesis, cell migration, procollagen alpha1(I) mRNA expression, and secretion of TGF-beta1 and inflammatory cytokines. These effects were attenuated by N-acetylcysteine and diphenylene iodonium, an NADPH oxidase inhibitor. Moreover, AngII induced upregulation of genes potentially involved in hepatic wound-healing response in a redox-sensitive manner, as assessed by microarray analysis. HSCs isolated from p47phox−/− mice displayed a blunted response to AngII compared with WT cells. We also assessed the role of NADPH oxidase in experimental liver fibrosis. After bile duct ligation, p47phox−/− mice showed attenuated liver injury and fibrosis compared with WT counterparts. Moreover, expression of smooth muscle alpha-actin and expression of TGF-beta1 were reduced in p47phox−/− mice. Thus, NADPH oxidase mediates the actions of AngII on HSCs and plays a critical role in liver fibrogenesis.
Hexamethylmelamine (NSC-13875) in the treatment of primary cancer of the lung with metastasis

Seventy patients with primary pulmonary cancer with metastasis received a micronized form of hexamethylmelamine (HXM) (NSC-13875) at dosages of 8 to 12 mg/kg/day given orally. Most patients had some nausea or vomiting but were able to continue the treatment. Aluminum hydroxide and prochlorperazine alleviated the gastrointestinal reactions. At 12 mg/kg/day, one fourth of the patients had leukopenia or thrombocytopenia or both. These were much less frequent with the smaller doses. The counts always increased to normal when treatment was discontinued temporarily. There were no fatal reactions. In one patient with small-cell cancer, all evidence of the cancer completely disappeared. In 12 other patients the tumor decreased 50% or more in size. In 16 additional patients there was less than 50% decrease or no change in the objective evidence of cancer. Response to therapy could not be correlated with sex of the patients or cell type of the pulmonary cancer.
Geobarometers clarify crustal doubling

Two University of Chicago geochemists report what they believe is confirming evidence for the crustal-doubling theory. The theory, which could explain the great height of the Himalayas, says that parts of several continents were once buried to a depth of 35 km, the entire thickness of the earth's crust. Robert C. Newton, professor of geology, and Dexter Perkins III, a postdoctoral research associate, report in an article in the July 15 Nature that they have developed geobarometers, or formulas, that relate the compositions of minerals in rock to the pressure at which the rock crystallized. By determining the pressure, they can calculate the depth at which the rocks were formed. Newton and Perkins base their work on granulite rocks (found in Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia), which contain pyroxenes, plagioclase, garnet, and quartz. Thermodynamic measurements, taken over a period of years by Newton and Ole J. Kleppa, a physical chemist at Chicago, were used to derive the geobarometers.
Contaminated Fuel Testing of Engine Controls to MIL-E-5009B Using the USN Aeronautical Engine Laboratory Technique

Testing controls using fuel contaminated according to MIL-E-5009B has created problems in obtaining test equipment with satisfactory life — and also in obtaining good mixing and proper injection of the fuel contaminant mixture. The author’s company has taken the recommendations of the U. S. Navy Aeronautical Engine Laboratory in Philadelphia and developed a nonrecirculating contaminate method which has met with military approval. The method uses a concentrated fuel slurry and proportioned injection controlled by actual fuel flow rate.Copyright © 1963 by ASME
Quantum-mechanical phase locking in weak-link arrays

Quantum-mechanical descriptions of arrays of Josephson weak links often invoke electric-field-energy storage in the weak-link capacitors. However, such quantum-electrodynamic mechanism is by no means a requirement for the notion of macroscopic quantum-mechanical wave functions for the array as a whole. These statements are illustrated for the phenomena of quantum-mechanical phase locking'' in one- and two-dimensional arrays in electromagnetic fields.
New mindscapes for future business policy and management

Abstract Several traditional assumptions behind business policy and management are being replaced with new concepts, especially in business/government relations, management/labor relations, industry/ecosystem relations, and relations between business firms. Some industrial activities and byproducts enrich the ecosystem, including strip mining in some areas and heated water discharge from factories. Management/labor relations may emphasize mutually beneficial combinations of individual differences among workers instead of majority rule or consensus. New concepts are needed for multiindustry joint ventures between many types of industries. Instead of passive incentives such as detaxation, government must provide industries with various active incentives.
A comparison of the alterations in the velocity of growth of certain seedlings thru the action of rapid and slow electrons of the beta rays of radium, also a comparison of the role of chemical make-up and of physical factors in determining these alterations

Simple physical factors governing the amount of electrons absorbed such as presence or absence of testa and position of embryo toward or away from the source of radiation affect greatly the sensitiveness ofPanicum germanicum, Sinapis nigra, Nicotiana tobaccum, Amaranthus monstrosus, andPapaver somniferum. Eight milligrams metal radium in the form of pure bromide enclosed in a thin glass tube was used at a distance of one centimeter from the seeds for twenty-four hours. The seeds were exposed in the dry condition and the length of the irradiated and control seedlings compared after five days growth.
Preventing wound infection from distant endogenous sources in the rat

Abstract Surgical wound infection results not so much from exogenous bacterial sources as from endogenous sources. Endogenous bacteria produce wound infection by two mechanisms: by direct implantation of bacteria (primary lodgement) and by the wound serving as a locus minoris resistentiae. The efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics in preventing infection in wounds contaminated by primary lodgement, such as occurs during a colon resection, is well known. No study has shown the role or the timing of antibiotics in protecting a clean incision from infection when a known sustained source of bacteria is present distant from the wound. Abscesses containing 5 × 108 cephalosporin-sensitive Escherichia coli organisms/g of tissue were created in the hind leg of 101 Sprague-Dawley rats. Incisions were created on the rats' backs 24 hr after abscess formation. Serial relationships of quantitative bacterial counts were plotted between abscess, blood, and wound tissue. Three different antibiotic timing regimen groups were employed, and a final group of animals served as controls. Quantitative bacterial analyses of the abscesses, blood, and wounds indicate that wounds in the control group consistently became infected with 3 × 108E. coli organisms/g of tissue within 6 hr of operation. The group with antibiotic prophylaxis begun 2 hr prior to wounding and continued for 2 hr postoperatively showed complete protection to the wound with average bacterial levels reaching only 3.6 × 102. A single dose of antibiotic at the time of wounding protected 75% of the wounds, with mean bacterial levels at 3.6 × 103. These data will help one determine antibiotic prophylaxis in wounds with known sustained distant sources of bacteria.
Neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells is enhanced by an inhibitor of mechanical channels.

GsMTx4, a peptide inhibitor for mechanosensitive ion channels (MSCs), promoted neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells in the presence of NGF in a dose-dependent manner between 5 and 100 μM peptide. Enhanced neurite growth required >12 h of peptide exposure in cells grown with NGF. Adsorption of GsMTx4 to serum proteins in the media lowered the free peptide concentration of 100 μM to a free concentration of 5 μM, a concentration shown to completely inhibit MSCs in the patch clamp assay. Outside-out patches from PC12 cells grown in NGF had mechanically activated cation channels that were reversibly inhibited by GsMTx4. These results are similar to those observed by Gomez and co-workers [4] in Xenopus spinal cord. The inhibition of mechanosensitive channels by GsMTx4 may be a useful approach to accelerate regeneration of neurons in neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injury.
Vibratory loads reduction testing of the NASA/Army/MIT active twist rotor

Recent studies have indicated that controlled strain-induced blade twisting can be attained using piezoelectric active fiber composite technology, and that such advancement may provide a mechanism for reduced rotorcraft vibrations and increased rotor performance. In order to validate these findings experimentally, a cooperative effort between the NASA Langley Research Center, the Army Research Laboratory, and the MIT Active Materials and Structures Laboratory has been developed. As a result of this collaboration a four-bladed, aeroelastically-scaled, active-twist model rotor has been designed and fabricated for testing in the heavy gas test medium of the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. Initial wind tunnel testing has been conducted to assess the impact of active blade twist on both fixed- and rotating-system vibratory loads in forward flight. The active twist control was found to have a pronounced effect on all system loads and was shown to generally offer reductions in fixedsystem loads of 60% to 95%, depending upon flight condition, with 1.1o to 1.4o of dynamic blade twist observed. A summary of the systems developed and the vibratory loads reduction results obtained are presented in this paper.
The Frankenstein of the French Revolution: Nogaret’s automaton tale of 1790

Long before Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was published in 1818, an author penned a story that resembles it on more than one account: Francois‐Felix Nogaret, Le Miroir des evenemens actuels, ou la belle au plus offrant (The Looking Glass of Actuality, or Beauty to the Highest Bidder, 1790). Nogaret’s story about an inventor named Frankenstein who builds an artificial man is an astounding precursor, especially since the Revolution and its attempt to make a “new man” have long focused interpretations of Shelley’s work. Both texts ask whether technological innovation will help or hinder human progress, and provide answers reflecting their differing historical and ideological contexts. What seemed possible in 1790 was later viewed with skepticism, including by Nogaret himself in subsequent editions of Le Miroir (1795, 1800). The tension between enthusiasm and disdain for the project of improving upon nature or remaking mankind, prefigured in the changes between the two editions of Nogaret’s novella, resonates p...
The Response of Carbon Black Stabilized Oil-in-Water Emulsions to the Addition of Surfactant Solutions

We use carboxyl-terminated, negatively charged, carbon black (CB) particles suspended in water to create CB-stabilized octane-in-water emulsions, and examine the consequences of adding aqueous anionic (SOS, SDS), cationic (OTAB, DTAB), and nonionic (Triton X-100) surfactant solutions to these emulsions. Depending upon the amphiphile’s interaction with particles, interfacial activity, and bulk concentration, some CB particles get displaced from the octane–water interfaces and are replaced by surfactants. The emulsions remain stable through this exchange. Particles leave the octane–water interfaces by two distinct modes that depend on the nature of particle–surfactant interactions. Both happen over time scales of the order of seconds. For anionic and nonionic surfactants that bind to the CB through hydrophobic interactions, individual particles or small agglomerates stream away steadily from the interface. Cationic surfactants bind strongly to the carboxylate groups, reduce the magnitude of the surface pote...
Durational aspects of the oral-pharyngeal phase of swallow in normal adults.

We present durational data on normal oral-pharyngeal swallows in adults obtained using ultrasound imaging. The effects of normal aging on the oral-pharyngeal phase of swallowing were studied in 47 healthy adults. Timing of the oralpharyngeal phase of swallow was determined from frame-by-frame analysis of ultrasound videos of the motion of the tongue and hyoid bone from initial rest to final resting position. Duration of unstimulated (dry) swallows was compared to stimulated (wet) swallows across four age groups and by sex and age. For most subjects, dry swallows were longer than wet swallows; moreover, swallow duration was longest for older women than any other group. As age increased (55+), oral swallows were accompanied by extralingual gestures. Ability to produce a timed series of continuously dry swallows was somewhat influenced by age. Findings are suggestive of an age change more typical in women, with a pattern of multiple lingual gestures commonly seen after age 55 in both sexes. We suggest that subtle, subclinical, oral neuromotor changes occur with normal aging to cause these findings.
Antimycobacterial Naphthopyrones from Senna obliqua.

Bioactivity-directed fractionation of the methanolic extract of the stem and fruits of Senna obliqua led to the isolation of two known antimycobacterial natural products, quinquangulin (1) and rubrofusarin (2). Both compounds had minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 12.0 μg/mL against Mycobacteria tuberculosis in radiometric culture. This is the first report of antimycobacterial activity associated with naphthopyrone compounds. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic means including 1D and 2D NMR techniques and further confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.
Standing crop and aboveground biomass partitioning of a dwarf mangrove forest in Taylor River Slough, Florida

The structure and standing crop biomass of a dwarf mangrove forest, located in the salinity transition zone ofTaylor River Slough in the Everglades National Park, were studied. Although the four mangrove species reported for Florida occurred at the study site, dwarf Rhizophora mangle trees dominated the forest. The structural characteristics of the mangrove forest were relatively simple: tree height varied from 0.9 to 1.2 meters, and tree density ranged from 7062 to 23 778 stems ha−1. An allometric relationship was developed to estimate leaf, branch, prop root, and total aboveground biomass of dwarf Rhizophora mangle trees. Total aboveground biomass and their components were best estimated as a power function of the crown area times number of prop roots as an independent variable (Y = B × X−0.5083). The allometric equation for each tree component was highly significant (p<0.0001), with all r2 values greater than 0.90. The allometric relationship was used to estimate total aboveground biomass that ranged from 7.9 to 23.2 ton ha−1. Rhizophora mangle contributed 85% of total standing crop biomass. Conocarpus erectus, Laguncularia racemosa, and Avicennia germinans contributed the remaining biomass. Average aboveground biomass allocation was 69% for prop roots, 25% for stem and branches, and 6% for leaves. This aboveground biomass partitioning pattern, which gives a major role to prop roots that have the potential to produce an extensive root system, may be an important biological strategy in response to low phosphorus availability and relatively reduced soils that characterize mangrove forests in South Florida.
The Effect of Finasteride on Prostate Specific Antigen: Review of Available Data

AbstractPurpose: We reviewed the available data on the effect of finasteride on serum levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), PSA velocity and PSA density in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: To our knowledge all previously published analyses of PSA data from clinical trials of finasteride therapy for BPH and prostate cancer are reviewed.Results: The normal reference range of serum PSA levels in men with BPH and no evidence of prostate cancer who were treated with finasteride for 6 months or longer is half that in untreated men with BPH. The percent by which serum levels of PSA are suppressed after 6 months of treatment for prostate cancer does not tend to be greater than that for BPH.Conclusions: To interpret serum PSA levels in men with BPH treated with finasteride for 6 months or longer, the serum PSA level should be multiplied by 2 and compared to either age-independent or age-specific upper limits of normal for serum PSA in untreated men with BP...
When Racism Gets Personal: Toward Relational Healing

SUMMARY In a culture that stratifies human differences, it is inevitable that anxiety about difference would be the source of much suffering. The power distortions that lie at the root of this suffering are manifest in relationships, from the most tangential to those that are deeply intimate. Moreover, the anxieties endemic to a race-based culture have the potential to thwart our most earnest efforts to make and maintain good connection. To adopt the feminist perspective, that the personal is political, is to acknowledge that no relationship can remain unscathed when power and value are differentially accorded based on racial group membership. Three examples from clinical practice will be used to illustrate how racial anxiety impedes movement toward authenticity, mutuality, and empowerment in intimate relationships. In these examples, three biracial women who identify as black navigate the racial stratifications that contaminate the inevitable conflicts in their relationships with parents, mentors, and lo...
Day-of-the-Week Variation and Predicting Stock Returns: Taiwan and Thailand Stock Exchanges

Previously, researchers created a day-of-the-week anomaly in closing stock returns for firms listed on established financial markets. This article explores whether this line of argument is or is not satisfactory and does or does not aid in predicting daily stock returns. The article focuses on the performance of stock returns for two large Asian Stock Market exchanges, Taiwan and Thailand. The purpose is to determine if stock market returns (which include closing prices and dividends) are in part predictable and whether there are explanations for short-term predictability.
Evidence that the SSRI dose response in treating major depression should be reassessed: A meta-analysis

The limitations in design and analysis of currently available dose-response studies of SSRI treatment of major depression have led to the conclusion that dose response is flat. We applied concepts from our companion article to determine if currently available data is consistent with a "potential" and an "expressed" dose response. Using these concepts, we performed a meta-analysis on all identifiable published fixed-dose and dose-escalation studies that reported the effect of different SSRI oral doses on efficacy. "Potential" dose response in fixed-dose studies with categorical response outcomes equaled a significant meta-analyzed slope of 3.1%/100 SSRI mg equivalents (SMEs) (SE=1.2%) or 7.8% across the dose range. Similar analysis in dose-escalation studies that reported categorical response data yielded a non-significant meta-analyzed slope of 3.7%/100 SMEs (SE=2.3%) or 9.3% across the dose range. Analyses of the "expressed" dose response demonstrated in the studies indicated a slope statistically equal to zero. The current analysis suggests a "potential" dose response can be demonstrated for SSRIs in treating major depression. The analysis suggests an "expressed" dose response could exist in best clinical practice. Study designs better tailored to address the relevant clinical question would test these hypotheses more appropriately than previous studies.
DNA sequence of the att region of coliphage 434.

Abstract Phages λ and 434 are related phages that insert at the same site on the Escherichia coli chromosome. A 5.9-kb SalI-BamHI fragment derived from phage 434 was shown to hybridize to a 0.5-kb probe carrying attP of λ. A 0.8-kb BamHI-TaqI fragment subcloned into pBR327 was used for sequencing. The sequence of the 500 bp around the insertion site is given here. Comparison of the λ and 434 sequences shows that the following regions are conserved: the coding sequence for the integrase protein (only 162 bp have been sequenced corresponding to the carboxy terminus), the 15-bp common core at the insertion site, and the three integrase-binding sites flanking the insertion site. The λ and 434 sequences diverge radically to the radically to the left of base -197, suggesting that DNA to the left of that point plays no specific role in insertion or its regulation.
Potassium-dependent folding: a key to intracellular delivery of G-quartet oligonucleotides as HIV inhibitors.

Several groups have demonstrated that G-rich oligonucleotides forming G-quartet structures display activity as potential drugs, such as potent HIV inhibitors. The delivery of G-quartet oligonucleotides to their intracellular targets is a key obstacle to overcome for their clinical success. Here we have developed a novel system to deliver G-rich oligonucleotides into the cell nucleus, e.g., the site of HIV integration. On the basis of the property of potassium-induced formation of G-quartet structure, we explored the difference of K + concentrations inside (140 mM) and outside (4 mM) cells to induce the G-rich oligonucleotides to form different structures inside and outside cells. The key steps of this delivery system include the following: (i) First, the G-quartet structure is denatured to form a lipid-DNA complex, so that the molecules can be well delivered into cells. (ii) Then the delivered molecules are induced to form G-quartet structures by potassium inside cells since the G-quartet structure is the primary requirement for inhibition of HIV-1 HIV integrase (IN) activity. The molecules of a novel G-quartet HIV inhibitor, T40214, with the sequence of (GGGC) 4 were successfully delivered into the nuclei of target cells, which significantly decreased HIV-1 replication and increased the probability to target HIV-1 IN in infected cells.
Plasma methotrexate levels in patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia treated by two methotrexate regimens.

Abstract Plasma methotrexate levels were measured in six patients with nonmetastatic and three patients with “low-risk” metastatic gestational trophoblastic neoplasia who were treated by two different methotrexate regimens. Five patients were treated with 16 cycles consisting of methotrexate, 1 mg/kg (days 1, 3, 5, and 7) followed in 24 hours by citrovorum factor, 0.1 mg/kg (days 2, 4, 6, and 8). Cycles alternated between intravenous and intramuscular administration. Statistical differences in plasma levels were found at 1 and 48 hours between the two routes of administration but probably were not of clinical importance. The plasma levels at the time of citrovorum factor administration were below that necessitating citrovorum factor rescue. Four patients were treated with alternating cycles of intravenous or intramuscular methotrexate, 0.5 mg/kg for 5 consecutive days without citrovorum factor. A total of 15 cycles demonstrated no difference in plasma levels at 1, 12, and 24 hours between intravenous and intramuscular administration. Statistical differences in plasma methotrexate levels were noted between the two methotrexate regimens only with intramuscular administration but were not of clinical importance. The reduced toxicity of the methotrexate-citrovorum factor may be due to the scheduling of the methotrexate and not to the citrovorum factor.
Purification of large proteins using ion-exchange membranes

Abstract Experimental characterization of a standard, commercially available ion-exchange membrane cartridge for purification of large protein molecules was carried out. Individual membranes within the cartridge was qualitatively analyzed for possible defects in morphology and/or sorption patterns. Analysis was based on observation of membrane morphology using scanning electron micrographs (SEM) and protein binding patterns using dye-binding experiments. SEMs show polydispersity in pore size distribution that is substantiated by non-uniform protein binding patterns in equilibrium adsorption. Adsorption under dynamic conditions showed dependence of binding on order of membrane in the cartridge, face of the membrane and flow rate of the experiment. These experimental findings point toward limitations involved in using ion-exchange membranes for purification of large proteins. Furthermore, these experiments also magnify limitations in current theoretical understanding of membrane separations.
Accuracy of Kirby-Bauer susceptibility tests read at 4, 8, and 12 hours of incubation: comparison with readings at 18 to 20 hours.

Disk diffusion antibiotic susceptibility tests as performed by the hospital diagnostic microbiology laboratory were read at 4, 8, and 12 h of incubation and compared to the traditional 18-h readings. Both the zone size in millimeters and a judgement of susceptible or resistant were recorded by the investigator at each time interval for each drug tested against the various clinical isolates. Considerable variation of zone sizes existed for certain organisms (e.g., staphylococci and Proteus ) and certain antibiotics (e.g., trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) when zone sizes in millimeters were examined. However, 8 to 60% of isolates demonstrated visible growth at 4 h of incubation and could be placed in susceptible or resistant categories with a fair degree of accuracy (74 to 95% agreement with 18-h readings). By 8 h of incubation, 83 to 100% of the cultures showed visible growth and almost all the organisms had accurate readings (89 to 98% agreement). The ability to determine antimicrobial susceptibility patterns early could influence favorably the prognosis in serious infections.
The Society for Scholarly Publishing Annual Meeting

The author gives an overview of the annual meeting of the Society of Scholarly Publishing and outlines the highlights of some of the sessions, including the keynote addresses on how the law and technology can affect scholarly publishing in the digital age, and research on how engineers communicate. Notes that the session on researcher perspectives on publishing was a personal highlight of the meeting, which was held in San Francisco.
The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations: Can Research Inform Practice?

In the four decades since the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka desegregation decision, social psychologists have generally avoided direct involvement in policy making in the arena of intergroup relations. A review of research and theory on the social psychology of intergroup relations since the 1960s is used to argue that it is time to renew such involvement. In recent years, policy making in the United States has shifted from assimilationism to various forms of pluralist or multicultural politics. This paper suggests that the route to multiculturalism may be perilous unless better informed by relevant social psychological research.
High-mobility electron systems in remotely-doped InSb quantum wells

Abstract We have achieved high-quality InSb/AlxIn1−xSb quantum-well structures which enable magneto-transport experiments that reveal phenomena unique to InSb. Multiple quantum-well structures exhibit mobilities as high as 380 000 cm2 V−1 s−1 at low temperature and 41 000 cm2 V−1 s−1 at room temperature. The integer quantum Hall effect is observed in structures containing a single quantum well. No magneto-resistance minima are observed at fractional Landau-level filling factors but the system remains metallic at filling factors at least as low as 1 2 .
Role of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ISA1 and ISA2 in iron homeostasis.

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster prosthetic groups play a key role in a wide range of enzymatic reactions, as well as serving as regulatory switches. Key enzymes containing Fe-S clusters include aconitase and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, the Rieske iron-sulfur protein in the respiratory chain, homoaconitase, which is required for fungal lysine biosynthesis, the nitrogenase iron protein involved in nitrogen fixation, and iron-responsive element binding protein 1, which regulates ferritin and transferrin receptor production in mammals (4, 22, 32, 36, 37). The formation of Fe-S clusters has been most thoroughly studied in the case of nitrogenase from the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii (56). The proteins responsible for the synthesis, maturation, and regulation of nitrogenase are encoded by genes present on the nif operon (19). Two proteins implicated in biosynthesis of the nitrogenase Fe-S cluster include NifS and NifU (19). NifS is a cysteine desulfurase that produces the inorganic sulfide for the cluster (57), whereas NifU is speculated to participate in Fe mobilization for the Fe-S cofactor (11, 54, 55). An additional protein encoded by nif, Orf6, may also be involved in assembly of the nitrogenase cluster, although its precise role is unknown. The recently identified iscSUA-hscBA-fdx operon from A. vinelandii contains genes exhibiting strong homology to nifS, nifU, and orf6 (55). Additionally, this operon encodes the molecular chaperones HscB and HscA, which may facilitate the folding of Fe-S proteins (41, 44, 49). The isc operon has been identified in both nitrogen-fixing and non-nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, suggesting that the isc genes function in the assembly or repair of Fe-S clusters for enzymes other than nitrogenase (55). Homologues of components of the iscSUA-hscBA-fdx operon have been noted in eukaryotic cells. For example, proteins exhibiting strong homology to IscS (sulfide donor), IscU (iron donor), HscB and HscA (molecular chaperones), and Fdx (ferredoxin) have been identified in baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and there is evidence supporting a role for these proteins in the assembly or repair of Fe-S clusters (13, 21, 25, 26, 38, 39, 45). Notably, all eukaryotic proteins implicated in the biosynthesis of Fe-S centers contain consensus sequences for targeting to the mitochondrion, suggesting that the mitochondrion is a principal location for assembly or repair of Fe-S clusters. In the study presented herein, we investigated proteins from S. cerevisiae that exhibit strong homology to the bacterial IscA product of the isc gene cluster. Two proteins, designated Isa1p and Isa2p, contain a C-terminal region exhibiting at least 50% similarity to bacterial proteins encoded by orf6 in the nif operon and by iscA in the isc operon, respectively. Both Isa1p and Isa2p are required for normal mitochondrial iron metabolism and appear to play an important role in the building or repair of mitochondrial Fe-S centers.
High-energy, high-contrast, double-confocal multipass amplifier.

We have developed a high-contrast, high-beam-quality Ti:sapphire amplifier producing pulses of 10 mJ in a single stage with 19% efficiency. The amplifier has a double-confocal multipass ring configuration that allows for a large mode volume by use of a collimated beam in the gain medium. We have designed the amplifier optics to correct for aberrations and for spatial gain narrowing. The compressed output beam has an M2 of 1.15. The use of an internal saturable absorber in the amplifier results in an intensity contrast of ~109. We anticipate this design will be useful to extend the multipass architecture to low-gain media and to still higher output energy.
Are Current Semiempirical Methods Better Than Force Fields? A Study from the Thermodynamics Perspective†

The semiempirical Hamiltonians MNDO, AM1, PM3, RM1, PDDG/MNDO, PDDG/PM3, and SCC-DFTB, when used as part of a hybrid QM/MM scheme for the simulation of biological molecules, were compared on their ...
A Lagrangian-Eulerian scheme for flow around an airfoil in rain

Abstract In the interest of assessing airfoil performance in rain, a Lagrangian particle tracking algorithm for a general body-fitted co-ordinate system has been developed and linked with a thin layer incompressible Navier-Stokes code. Non-deforming spherical particles are tracked through the two-dimensional, incompressible air flow field surrounding a NACA 64-210 airfoil section. Each tracked particle represents a distribution of raindrops. Impacts on the airfoil surface and the resulting splashback are modeled, and the steady state fluid field and droplet distribution are determined utilizing an iterative, two-way momentum coupled approach. Details of the splashback effect on the boundary layer are examined. A 1–2° rain-induced decrease in stall angle of attack is predicted.
The relations of effortful control and ego control to children's resiliency and social functioning

The relations of effortful control and ego control to children's (mean age = 137 months) resiliency, social status, and social competence were examined concurrently (Time 3) and over time. Adults reported on the constructs, and a behavioral measure of persistence was obtained. At Time 3, resiliency mediated the unique relations of both effortful and reactive control to social status, and effortful control directly predicted socially appropriate behavior. Negative emotionality moderated the relations of ego and effortful control to socially appropriate behavior. When levels of the variables 2 years prior were accounted for, all relations held at Time 3 except that effortful control did not predict resiliency (even though it was the stronger predictor at Time 3) and ego control directly predicted socially appropriate behavior.
1767 INCREASED NASAL POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE AND AMILORIDE SENSITIVITY IN NEONATES WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients have an increased nasal transepithelial potential difference (PD) which reflects an increased Na+ absorption across a relatively Cl− impermeable membrane. To evaluate respiratory epithelial function in CF neonates, the maximal PD and the voltage response to superfusion of 10−5M amiloride (Am), an inhibitor of Na+ transport, were recorded between a Ringer perfused bridge on the nasal mucosa and a reference electrode in the subcutaneous space. We studied two term CF neonates presenting with meconium ileus (MI) and compared the results to 15 term healthy neonates including 1 obligate heterozygote (OH) for CF, and 12 term disease control (DC) neonates including 2 with ileal atresia, 2 with meconium aspiration, 1 with pneumonia, and 7 with Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn. Both neonates with MI had raised sweat Cl− values (x = 110meq/l) at 2 mo. The CF neonates had higher PDs than normal or disease controls (fig). Superfusion with Am induced a 72% reduction in PD in the CF neonates as compared to healthy (40.0 ± 3.7%) and disease (41.0 ± 2.6%) neonates. Also the neonatal PDs are comparable to values in older infants (2-24mo) where a similar PD pattern is present (fig). Moreover, the PD and Am response in CF neonates are similar to older (>6yr) CF children and adults (-64.9.+9.3mV; 77.7±1.8%, n=51). These results suggest that: (1) nasal epithelial dysfunction is present in CF patients shortly after birth, and (2) the nasal PD may be a diagnostic adjunct to the sweat test in the early diagnosis of CF.