cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermochemical Study of Three Hindered Pyridine Derivatives

The present work reports the values of the gaseous standard (p° = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpy of formation of three pyridine derivatives substituted with one, two, and three tert-butyl groups, in positions para, ortho-ortho and ortho-para-ortho to the nitrogen, respectively. The standard molar energies of combustion of each compound, determined by static bomb calorimetry, yielded their standard molar enthalpies of formation in the condensed phase at T = 298.15 K, which together with the values of the standard molar enthalpies of vaporization or sublimation, measured by Calvet microcalorimetry, allowed the calculation of the standard gas phase molar enthalpy of formation of each compound studied. The enthalpies of combustion for 4-tert-butylpyridine (l), 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine (l) and 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylpyridine (cr) were found to be, respectively, −(5 370.1 ± 3.4) kJ mol−1, −(7954.2 ± 4.0) kJ mol−1, and −(10 542.9 ± 4.9) kJ mol−1. The molar enthalpies of vaporization were measured as (54.4 ± 1.3) kJ mol−1...
Packaging Effects on Growth of Listeria innocua in Shredded Cabbage

Freshly shredded white cabbage was treated with citric acid and sodium erythorbate, inoculated with Listeria innocua (in lieu of Listeria monocytogenes), and packaged in 230g lots in four types of retail bags with oxygen transmission rates (OTRs) of 5.6, 1,500, 4,000, and 6,000 cc O 2 /m 2 /24 hr, then stored 21 days at 11 o C. After 14 days, L. Innocua decreased in cabbage stored in three films. After 21 days, Listeria population increased in all packages, but the increase was less (p<0.05), for cabbage packaged in film with the highest OTR (commercial film)
Skin and bones: the bacterial cytoskeleton, cell wall, and cell morphogenesis

The bacterial world is full of varying cell shapes and sizes, and individual species perpetuate a defined morphology generation after generation. We review recent findings and ideas about how bacteria use the cytoskeleton and other strategies to regulate cell growth in time and space to produce different shapes and sizes.
An SIS epidemiology game with two subpopulations.

There is significant current interest in the application of game theory to problems in epidemiology. Most mathematical analyses of epidemiology games have studied populations where all individuals have the same risks and interests. This paper analyses the rational-expectation equilibria in an epidemiology game with two interacting subpopulations of equal size where decisions change the prevalence and transmission patterns of an infectious disease. The transmission dynamics are described by an SIS model and individuals are only allowed to invest in daily prevention measures like hygiene. The analysis shows that disassortative mixing may lead to multiple Nash equilibria when there are two interacting subpopulations affecting disease prevalence. The dynamic stability of these equilibria is analysed under the assumption that strategies change slowly in the direction of self-interest. When mixing is disassortative, interior Nash equilibria are always unstable. When mixing is positively assortative, there is a ...
Impact of additional cytoreduction following autologous SCT in multiple myeloma

Reported results of high-dose therapy (HDT) reflect the combined effect of initial therapy and HDT. The incremental contribution of HDT is often difficult to analyze with varying degrees of response pre-HDT. Here we analyze results of HDT in patients with measurable disease at transplant, defined as a serum or 24 h urine M protein of >1.0 g per 100 ml and >200 mg per day, respectively. Paraprotein responses were calculated using measurements prior to HDT and the lowest subsequent measurement. A total of 431 patients were studied; 264 (61.3%) transplanted within 1-year of diagnosis. An additional reduction in paraprotein by 50% following HDT was seen in 86% patients; with 129 patients (30%) obtaining a 90% reduction. Patients with at least a 90% reduction had longer time to progression with no overall survival advantage and this was independent of other prognostic factors for decreased risk of progression. This study provides an estimate of the degree of tumor reduction provided by HDT, in addition to that provided by the initial therapy. In this group of patients with measurable disease after initial therapy, HDT therapy leads to complete responses in nearly a quarter of the patients and a 90% reduction in another 7%, an outcome associated with better progression-free survival.
De novo design, synthesis, and pharmacology of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone analogues derived from somatostatin by a hybrid approach

A number of alpha-melanotropin (alpha-MSH) analogues have been designed de novo, synthesized, and bioassayed at different melanocortin receptors from frog skin (fMC1R) and mouse/rat (mMC1R, rMC3R, mMC4R, and mMC5R). These ligands were designed from somatostatin by a hybrid approach, which utilizes a modified cyclic structure (H-d-Phe-c[Cys---Cys]-Thr-NH(2)) related to somatostatin analogues (e.g. sandostatin) acting at somatostatin receptors, CTAP which binds specifically to micro opioid receptors, and the core pharmacophore of alpha-MSH (His-Phe-Arg-Trp). Ligands designed were H-d-Phe-c[XXX-YYY-ZZZ-Arg-Trp-AAA]-Thr-NH(2) [XXX and AAA = Cys, d-Cys, Hcy, Pen, d-Pen; YYY = His, His(1'-Me), His(3'-Me); ZZZ = Phe and side chain halogen substituted Phe, d-Phe, d-Nal(1'), and d-Nal(2')]. The compounds showed a wide range of bioactivities at the frog skin MC1R; e.g. H-d-Phe-c[Hcy-His-d-Phe-Arg-Trp-Cys]-Thr-NH(2) (6, EC(50) = 0.30 nM) and H-d-Phe-c[Cys-His-d-Phe-Arg-Trp-d-Cys]-Thr-NH(2) (8, EC(50) = 0.10 nM). In addition, when a lactam bridge was used as in H-d-Phe-c[Asp-His-d-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-Thr-NH(2) (7, EC(50) = 0.10 nM), the analogue obtained is as potent as alpha-MSH in the frog skin MC1R assay. Interestingly, switching the bridge of 6 to give H-d-Phe-c[Cys-His-d-Phe-Arg-Trp-Hcy]-Thr-NH(2) (5, EC(50) = 1000 nM) led to a 3000-fold decrease in agonist activity. An increase in steric size in the side chain of d-Phe(7) reduced the bioactivity significantly. For example, H-d-Phe-c[Cys-His-d-Nal(1')-Arg-Trp-d-Cys]-Thr-NH(2) (24) is 2000-fold less active than 9. On the other hand, H-d-Phe-c[Cys-His-d-Phe(p-I)-Arg-Trp-d-Cys]-Thr-NH(2) (23) lost all agonist activity and became a weak antagonist (IC(50) = 1 x 10(-5) M). Furthermore, the modified CTAP analogues with a d-Trp at position 7 all showed weak antagonist activities (EC(50) = 10(-6) to 10(-7) M). Compounds bioassayed at mouse/rat MCRs displayed intriguing results. Most of them are potent at all four receptors tested (mMC1R, rMC3R, mMC4R, and mMC5R) with poor selectivities. However, two of the ligands, H-d-Phe-c[Cys-His-d-Phe-Arg-Trp-Pen]-Thr-NH(2) (9, EC(50) = 6.9 x 10(-9) M, 6.4 x 10(-8) M, 2.0 x 10(-8) M, and 1.4 x 10(-10) M at mMC1R, rMC3R, mMC4R, and mMC5R, respectively) and H-d-Phe-c[Cys-His(3'-Me)-d-Phe-Arg-Trp-Cys]-Thr-NH(2) (16, EC(50) = 3.5 x 10(-8) M, 3.1 x 10(-8) M, 8.8 x 10(-9) M, and 5.5 x 10(-10) M at mMC1R, rMC3R, mMC4R, and mMC5R, respectively) showed significant selectivities for the mMC5R. Worthy of mention is that neither of these two ligands is potent in the frog skin MC1R assay (EC(50) = 10(-7) M for 9 and EC(50) = 10(-5) M for 16). These results clearly demonstrated that binding behaviors in rodent MCRs are quite different from those in the classical frog skin (R pipiens) assay.
A Novel Brain Stimulation Technology Provides Compatibility with MRI

Clinical electrical stimulation systems — such as pacemakers and deep brain stimulators (DBS) — are an increasingly common therapeutic option to treat a large range of medical conditions. Despite their remarkable success, one of the significant limitations of these medical devices is the limited compatibility with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a standard diagnostic tool in medicine. During an MRI exam, the leads used with these devices, implanted in the body of the patient, act as an electric antenna potentially causing a large amount of energy to be absorbed in the tissue, which can lead to serious heat-related injury. This study presents a novel lead design that reduces the antenna effect and allows for decreased tissue heating during MRI. The optimal parameters of the wire design were determined by a combination of computational modeling and experimental measurements. The results of these simulations were used to build a prototype, which was tested in a gel phantom during an MRI scan. Measurement results showed a three-fold decrease in heating when compared to a commercially available DBS lead. Accordingly, the proposed design may allow a significantly increased number of patients with medical implants to have safe access to the diagnostic benefits of MRI.
Ectopically draining dysplastic kidney associated with genuine stress urinary incontinence: unusual combined cause of incontinence.

Abstract A thirty-two-year-old Samoan woman was referred for evaluation of “unstable bladder” and a history of continuous life-long urinary incontinence. A comprehensive radiographic and urodynamic evaluation demonstrated the unusual combination of a vaginal ectopic ureter draining a dysplastic kidney and genuine stress urinary incontinence. Appropriate treatment based on the recognition of both abnormalities resulted in restoration of continence.
Review: Rotations in Structural Response

Abstract Measurements of point rotations in full-scale structures during earthquake excitation do not exist at present, but average rotations can be computed from pairs of parallel transducers. The examples presented illustrate rotations in the range from 10 -6 to 10 -3 rad and angular accelerations from 10 -4 to 10 -1 rad/sec 2 . Measurements of rotations in the structures for excitation by microtremors are also described. It is argued that recording the rotational components of motion contributes significantly to the overall volume and quality of information. It is recommended that the development and deployment of instruments to measure rotational components of motion in free-field conditions and in full-scale structures will open a new frontier for advanced experimental identification of structural properties and for structural health monitoring.
Influence of erythropoietin on transfusion requirements in patients receiving preoperative chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Perioperative homologous blood transfusion has been suggested to have an adverse effect on survival in patients undergoing resection of colorectal cancers. Preoperative therapy is being increasingly used for rectal cancer patients and has an adverse effect on erythropoietic capacity. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the feasibility and safety of administration of recombinant human erythropoietin to patients receiving preoperative therapy for rectal cancer and to assess the impact of such treatment on blood transfusion requirements. METHODS: The study was an open-label, Phase I and II, nonrandomized, two-center trial. All patients received 50.4 Gy of irradiation with 5-fluorouracil infusions. Ten patients diagnosed with rectal cancer received 250 U/kg of recombinant human erythropoietin subcutaneously three times per week during preoperative radiation and chemotherapy. Oral iron was given to patients receiving erythropoietin. Ten contemporaneously treated patients who received both radiation and chemotherapy were used as controls. RESULTS: Of the 20 patients 13 were males; mean age was 64 years. Surgical procedures that patients underwent were abdominoperineal resection (14 patients), low anterior resection (4 patients), coloanal anastomosis (1 patient), or none (1 patient). There were no significant differences between groups in age, gender, stage or hemoglobin levels before therapy. No adverse reactions to erythropoietin were encountered. Hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in the treatment group during Weeks 1,3, and 5 (P<0.02 for each). Transfusion requirements were significantly decreased in patients who received erythropoietin (0.4vs. 3.7 units;P<0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: The data showed that use of erythropoietin during preoperative therapy can prevent the decline in hemoglobin that commonly occurs during therapy. Further, this was not associated with adverse events and significantly decreased the need for perioperative blood transfusions. This suggests that the use of erythropoietin in support of a preoperative chemoradiotherapy regimen for patients with rectal cancer is safe and should be considered. Whether such transfusion avoidance will translate into a survival benefit in this setting will require a large, prospective, clinical trial.
Studies of the denaturation patterns of bovine alpha-crystallin using an ionic denaturant, guanidine hydrochloride and a non-ionic denaturant, urea.

Abstract The effects of non-ionic and ionic denaturation and denaturation/renaturation on the native structure of α-crystallin at room temperature were examined. Native α-crystallin, at concentrations above and below the previously reported critical micelle concentration (CMC) range, was denatured by varying concentrations of urea and guanidine hydrochloride. The resulting denatured samples were examined by gel filtration fast performance liquid chromatography (FPLC), circular dichroism spectropolarimetry (CD), and transmission electron microscopy. Elution peak samples from gel filtration chromatography with sufficiently high concentrations were examined for subunit composition by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The studies presented herein demonstrate that the denaturation and renaturation of α-crystallin via non-ionic urea denaturation results in different renaturation species, depending upon the initial concentration of α-crystallin which is denatured and the concentration of urea, including certain species which, by gel filtration FPLC, have an apparent molecular weight greater than the native 800 kD aggregate. Transmission electron microscopy has also demonstrated the existence of a high molecular weight aggregate form for denatured samples. Ionic dissociation, in contrast, proceeds much in the same manner above and below the CMC range, the major difference occurring at 2 m guanidine hydrochloride. αB-crystallin is preferentially removed from the native α-crystallin aggregate upon treatment with 2 m guanidine hydrochloride indicating, once again, differences between the two subunits. Above and below the CMC range, dissociation with guanidine hydrochloride appears to plateau after 4 m guanidine hydrochloride, as indicated by the presence of two apparent homotetrameric species and no further dissociation of these species with increasing guanidine hydrochloride concentrations. CD demonstrates that some secondary structure, which is lost with lower concentrations of α-crystallin, is still present when concentrations of α-crystallin, well above the critical micelle concentration range, are treated with high concentrations of urea at room temperature. In contrast, concentrations both above and below the CMC range demonstrate a significant loss of secondary structure upon treatment with 2 m guanidine hydrochloride. Finally, ionic denaturation and subsequent renaturation results in the formation of a species which is functionally incapable of protecting γ-crystallin from heat-induced aggregation.
Cronobacter sakazakii reduction by blueberry proanthocyanidins

Blueberry juice and blueberry polyphenols reportedly have antimicrobial properties against foodborne pathogens, without much currently known on their effects against Cronobacter sakazakii. This study evaluated the antimicrobial effects of blueberry proanthocyanidins (PAC) and commercial blueberry juice (BJ) against two strains of C. sakazakii, ATCC 29004 and 29544. BJ (pH 2.8), blueberry PAC (5 mg/ml) and controls (phosphate buffered saline (PBS), pH 7.2, and malic acid pH 3.0) were mixed with equal volumes of washed overnight cultures of C. sakazakii and incubated for 30 min, 1 h, 3 h and 6 h at 37°C. Reductions of ∼1 and 1.50 log CFU/ml were obtained for strains 29004 and 29544, respectively after 30 min with BJ or blueberry PAC. Both C. sakazakii strains 29004 and 29544 were reduced to undetectable levels from 8.25 ± 0.12 log CFU/ml and 8.48 ± 0.03 log CFU/ml, respectively with BJ (pH 2.8) or blueberry PAC after 1 h, while malic acid (pH 3.0) showed ∼1.3 log CFU/ml reduction for both strains. Scanning electron microscopy studies showed differences in cell membrane morphology with clumping and formation of blebs of the treated strains compared to untreated controls. These results warrant further in vivo studies with blueberry bioactives to determine potential for preventing and treating C. sakazakii infections.
NADPH oxidases: not just for leukocytes anymore!

Abstract In addition to their role in bacterial killing by leukocytes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been increasingly recognized as important components of signaling and host defense in other cell types. The formation of ROS in both phagocytic- and non-phagocytic cells involves membrane-localized NADPH oxidases (Noxs). Nox proteins show structural homology to the cytochrome b 558 of leukocytes but, until recently, their regulation has been poorly understood. Here, we describe our current understanding of Nox function, and discuss emerging paradigms for regulation of Nox activity by Rac GTPase and/or other cytosolic components.
Formation of self-arranging Mo cubes

Abstract Previous work suggested that 5 nm Mo cubes, formed from a supersaturated vapor, self-organize in the vapor into larger cubes which are 3 × 3 × 3 arrangements of the smaller cubes. Here new experimental results are described that provide an understanding of the narrow size distribution necessary for self-arrangement and the observed bcc structure of the particles. An explanation of the cubic shape of the particles and a calculation for the energy decrease due to self-arrangement are also presented.
Numerical investigation of saturated source area behavior at the small catchment scale

The objective of this research is to explore the relationship between small catchment properties and the temporal growth and decay of saturated source areas (SSA). A simple physics-based hydrologic model, which we call the Sandbox model, is developed for this purpose. A thorough sensitivity analysis is undertaken to evaluate model response to variations in model parameters. Sandbox model output is compared to that from the semi-distributed conceptual model, TOPMODEL, a model with a wide spread acceptance. Plotting the temporal evolution of the extent of saturated source area versus catchment average soil water content during a number of wetting and drying cycles shows a wide variety of trajectories or hysteretic loops. A parametric analysis was performed to quantify the impact of hypothetical catchment properties on the relationship between saturated area extent and basin-average soil water content, revealing hysteretic behavior. It is shown that this hysteresis is the result of changes in groundwater table slope, which is usually less than, and seldom equal to, the land-surface slope in non-saturated areas.
Sorption of benzene, toluene and chloroform by poly(styrene) at 298.15 K and 323.15 K using a quartz crystal balance

An isopiestic apparatus using the quartz crystal balance principle has been constructed for vapor sorption measurements on polymers. Isothermal solubilities of benzene, toluene and chloroform in poly(styrene) were measured in the concentrated polymer regime. Benzene results were obtained at 323.15 K. Toluene and chloroform results were obtained at 298.15 K and at 323.15 K. Solvent activities were represented with a modified Flory-Huggins activity model and compared with available literature data with favorable results. Comparisons were also made with predictions of three free volume activity models described in the literature. Details of the applicability and reliability of the quartz crystal balance for these sorption measurements are considered and discussed.
Thermal and optical performance test results for compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs)

Abstract The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the performance characteristics (thermal and optical) of a properly truncated CPC that could be used in two-stage solar thermal power generation systems. The CPCs selected for testing were the 5:1 cones with a 25° acceptance angle and an untruncated concentration ratio of 5.6×. Experiments were carried out at the Advanced Components Test Facility of the Georgia Tech Research Institute. Several cones of the same dimensions but with different shell materials, reflector surfaces, and employing various heat removal methods were tested. It has been demonstrated experimentally for the first time that the CPCs with high reflectivity surfaces can have optical efficiencies in the range of 90% and above. In order to verify these results, a computer ray-trace analysis was also performed. These tests have shown that passive cooling alone is adequate for small-scale, low-power systems.
Antitumor agents. 1771. Design, syntheses, and biological evaluation of novel etoposide analogs bearing pyrrolecarboxamidino group as DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors

Abstract Novel water-soluble 4 β -amino-4′- O -demethylepipodophyllotoxin derivatives (6–12) , designed to enhance minor groove binding ability, were synthesized and screened against NCI's in vitro disease-oriented human tumor cells. Among them, 4′- O -demethyl-4 β -[ N -(1‴-methyl-4‴-nitro-pyrrole-2‴-carbonyl)-4″-aminoanilino]-4-desoxypodophyllotoxin ( 10 ) and its HCl salt ( 11 ) were found to exhibit potent cytotoxic activities (average log GI 50 = −6.91, −7.00, and −5.01 for 10 , 11 , and etoposide, respectively). Compounds 10 and 12 were further tested for their inhibitory activities against DNA topoisomerase II. Compound 10 again exhibited a superior activity profile compared to that of etoposide, displaying increased cytotoxicity against KB and KB-7d cells ( ID 50 LD 50 = 0.04 0.15 and 0.2 0.25 for KB and KB-7d cells, respectively), topoisomerase II inhibitory activity (12.5 μM), and cellular protein DNA complex formation (225%).
Indomethacin increases bronchial reactivity after exposure to subthreshold ozone levels

Abstract We investigated the effects of indomethacin on bronchial reactivity after ozone exposure. Guinea pigs in groups of six were treated with indomethacin (30 mg/kg IP) and studied before and 2 h after a 2 h exposure to either 1.5 or 3.0 ppm ozone. These animals were compared to similarly exposed groups that were untreated.Reactivity was determined by measuring specific airway resistance (SRaw) upon intravenous acetylcholine infusion. Prior to ozone exposure, indomethacin had no effect on either SRaw or muscarinic reactivity. In all untreated guinea pigs (n = 12) exposed to 1.5 ppm ozone, there was no significant change in SRaw or muscarinic reactivity.In contrast, all treated animals exposed to 1.5 ppm showed a substantial increase in reactivity. Those treated animals exposed to 3.0 ppm showed significant elevations in SRaw, making interpretations of changes in their reactivity, difficult. We conclude that indomethacin treatment increases bronchial reactivity in guinea pigs exposed to subthreshold ozone levels.
Measuring Unsaturation in Milkfat and Other Oils by Differential Infrared Spectroscopy

Abstract Infrared absorbance at 3.3μ was directly related to the iodine value of milk-fat samples with unusual unsaturation when a totally saturated analog was a reference. Unsaturation was determined from differential infrared absorbance using a calibration curve. This technique was suitable for seven natural vegetable oils but not castor oil or cod-liver oil. The calibration curve was not applicable to hydrogenated oils because of the decrease in intensity due to isomeri-zation ( cis-trans ) of the olefinic bond.
Lipoma of the septum pellucidum: case report

Intracranial lipomas are relatively rare maldevelopmental lesions that most characteristically occur in the corpus callosum. Although their occurrence in many other locations has been described, no report can be found of lipomas occurring in the septum pellucidum. A case is presented to document the occurrence of a lipoma of the septum pellucidum and to describe the magnetic resonance image appearance of an intracranial lipoma.
Texture analysis microscopy: quantifying structure in low-fidelity images of dense fluids

Optical images are often corrupted by noise, low contrast, uneven illumination and artefacts, which may pose significant challenges to image analysis, particularly for dense fluids. Traditionally, noise removal and contrast enhancement are achieved by global arithmetic operations on the image as a whole, and/or by image convolution with various kernels. However, these methods work under very limited conditions and can compromise detail within the image. Here, we develop a new technique, texture analysis microscopy (TAM), to overcome these challenges based on the method of image correlation. TAM recasts an image by the statistical similarities between a raw image and a template feature (e.g. a Gaussian) that best approximates features in the image. We demonstrate the superiority of TAM by applying it to low-fidelity images under conditions where traditional methods fail or have deteriorative performance, for analyses including structural correlations, particle identification and sizing.
Cloning and sequence analysis of the human gene encoding steroidogenic factor 1

The orphan nuclear receptor steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) plays key roles in endocrine development and function. Initially identified as a positive regulator of the cytochrome P450 steroid hydroxylases, analyses of knockout mice deficient in SF-1 revealed that SF-1 is essential for adrenal and gonadal development, pituitary gonadotropin expression and formation of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. Although more limited in scope, analyses of SF-1 in humans similarly have suggested that SF-1 is important for differentiated function in adrenocortical and gonadotrope adenomas. In the hope of extending our understanding of SF-1 function by identifying possible roles of SF-1 in clinical endocrine disorders, we isolated the FTZ-F1 gene encoding human SF-1 and mapped it to chromosome 9q33. In this report, we characterize the sequence and structural organization of the human cDNA and gene encoding SF-1, providing new insights into comparative aspects of SF-1 structure that will facilitate efforts to study the role of this transcription factor in human endocrine disorders.
Overcoming Resistance to Change Theory and Practice Provide Some Insights

This research explores a model, based on the types of change proposed, for its contribution to understanding the source of resistance to change in federal organizations. The model is tested using a...
Eddy correlation fluxes of trace gases using a tandem mass spectrometer

Abstract This paper describes a field evaluation of a tandem mass spectrometer (TAGA) for use in measuring turbulence fluxes of trace gases. Measurements were made over a two-day period in a fallow farm field west of Columbus, OH. The results show that for weakly adsorbing species such as acetone, the effective time constant for the TAGA is
RELAXATION EFFECTS IN MAGNETITE (Fe3O4) USING SELECTIVE EXCITATION / DOUBLE MÖSSBAUER (SEDM) PROCEDURES

We have applied the SEDM technique to study the electron hopping time at the octahedral (B) sites in magnetite. We have found that this relaxation time is either zero or less than 10"11 s at room temperature and 125 K. At 112 K the SEDM results for the octahedral (B) sites are quite different from those at room temperature and 125 K. Relaxation may be occurring, but in the absence of a theoretical model no time estimate can be made. The most surprising result was the observation of relaxation at the A sites at all three temperatures.
Effectiveness of matched, mismatched, and package treatments of depression

The three purposes of this study were: (a) to determine if treatment that is matched to a depressed subject's problematic behavioral response class (irrational cognitions, social skills problems, few pleasant events) is more effective in alleviating depression than is mismatched treatment; (b) to determine if a package treatment is as effective as or more effective than a matched treatment and more effective than a mismatched treatment in alleviating depression; and (c) to determine if a specific treatment produces more changes in its logically-related response class than in logically-unrelated response classes. Nine depressed women were assigned to one of three multiple baseline designs across subjects; subjects in each design received, respectively, matched, mismatched, or a package treatment. Results strengthened two hypotheses, that matched treatment and package treatment are both effective in alleviating depression. Specific treatments did not, however, differentially affect their logically-related response classes.
When the Tide Turned: Immigration and the Delay of the Great Black Migration

This article uses state and city level data to evaluate empirically Brinley Thomas's immigrant-as-deterrent view of the relationship between black emigration from the South and European immigration to the North. The article suggests a Todaro-like interpretation of the Great Migration, which emphasizes the importance of job availability to blacks in determining their expected wages. The combination of mass European immigration and hiring practices that favored white immigrants over blacks may have delayed the Great Migration by decades. The empirical work supports this view.
A second type II restriction endonuclease from Thermus aquaticus with an unusual sequence specificity

A type II restriction endonuclease activity free of TaqI was prepared from Thermus Aquaticus YT. The fraction contains two endonucleolytic components with apparently different specificities, however the major activity is sufficiently dominant to allow partial digestion analysis of the position of recognition sites. A precise determination of the location of cleavage sites in pBR322 DNA and a computer-aided search for regions of homology in the vicinity of the cut sites indicate that this enzyme recognizes the nonpalindromic sequences GACCGA or CACCCA. Other related sequences are not cleaved, in particular, GACCCA and CACCGA, indicating that the enzyme requires the identity of nucleotides in the first and fifth positions, a type of specificity that has not been previously reported. The position of cleavage is located outside of the site and is represented as: (Formula: see text).
The frequency of human papilloma virus (HPV) is higher in premalignant and malignant oral mucosal lesions than normal mucosa.

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Progressive increase of human papillomavirus carriage rates in potentially malignant and malignant oral disorders with increasing malignant potential. Szarka K, Tar I, Feher E, Gall T, Kis A, Toth ED, Boda R, Marton I, Gergely L. Oral Microbiol Immunol 2009;24:314-8 . Reviewer Thomas B. Dodson, DMD, MPH Purpose/Question Among Eastern Hungarian adults (age ≥ 18 years), do premalignant and malignant oral mucosal lesions, when compared with normal mucosa, have increased prevalence of HPV? Source of Funding Information not available. Type of Study/Design Case-control study Level of Evidence Level 3: Other evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable
Merkel cell carcinoma metastatic to the thyroid gland: Aspiration findings and differential diagnosis

Clinically diagnosed metastasis to the thyroid gland is exceptionally rare and may present diagnostic issues on fine needle aspiration. The most common primary sites of metastases to the thyroid are cancers of the lung, breast, skin (especially melanoma), colon, and kidney. Herein, we report a case of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma to the thyroid presenting as a 2.1-cm solid nodule in a 50-year-old male with a previous history of Merkel cell carcinoma of the upper extremity. The aspirates were moderately to highly cellular featuring small to intermediate sized cells with scant to no cytoplasm, round-to-oval nuclei with finely dispersed chromatin, and predominantly arranged as scattered single cells. There was focal nuclear molding, numerous mitoses, and karyorrhectic nuclei. The differential diagnosis centered on the “small round blue cell” tumor group such as medullary thyroid carcinoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. However, in light of our patient's previous history, the FNA findings were most consistent with a metastasis of Merkel cell carcinoma. In patients with a known history of a primary neoplasm, the differential diagnosis of a thyroid nodule should always include potential metastasis. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010;38:754–757. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effect of processing on silk-based biomaterials: reproducibility and biocompatibility.

Silk fibroin has been successfully used as a biomaterial for tissue regeneration. In order to prepare silk fibroin biomaterials for human implantation a series of processing steps are required to purify the protein. Degumming to remove inflammatory sericin is a crucial step related to biocompatibility and variability in the material. Detailed characterization of silk fibroin degumming is reported. The degumming conditions significantly affected cell viability on the silk fibroin material and the ability to form three-dimensional porous scaffolds from the silk fibroin, but did not affect macrophage activation or β-sheet content in the materials formed. Methods are also provided to determine the content of residual sericin in silk fibroin solutions and to assess changes in silk fibroin molecular weight. Amino acid composition analysis was used to detect sericin residuals in silk solutions with a detection limit between 1.0% and 10% wt/wt, while fluorescence spectroscopy was used to reproducibly distinguish between silk samples with different molecular weights. Both methods are simple and require minimal sample volume, providing useful quality control tools for silk fibroin preparation processes.
The Effects of Intravenous Aminophylline upon the Coronary Blood-Oxygen Exchange

The effects of intravenous injections of aminophylline on the coronary blood flow, cardiac oxygen consumption, cardiac work, and cardiac rate were studied by catheterization of the right ventricle and coronary sinus in anesthetized dogs. There was no substantial increase in coronary flow when cardiac activity increased following injection of the drug; this suggested that the oxygenation of the myocardium in general was not improved. Further studies on coronary blood-oxygen saturations substantiated this concept as pertaining to the infarcted heart of dogs as well as the normal. Nitroglycerin however increased general myocardial oxygenation in normal hearts.
Chromosomal Translocation in a Child With SLI and Apraxia

A case study is presented of a 5-year-old boy who was classified as preschool handicapped and was assessed as having a specific expressive language impairment with verbal apraxia. Chromosomal studies revealed a de novo (new) balanced translocation between first and second chromosomes. Results of the neurological, speech/language, cognitive, and play evaluations revealed a child with a severe expressive speech-language deficit but good nonverbal cognitive and communicative skills. The hypothesis of a relationship between a chromosomal translocation and speech/language disorders is explored.
Normal sphincter of Oddi motor function

With the introduction of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) manometry, the characteristics of sphincter of Oddi (SO) motor activity have been described. SO manometry is the only available method to measure SO motor activity directly and is usually performed at the time of ERCP. SO manometry is considered to be the gold standard for evaluating patients for sphincter dysfunction. This review reports the technique of SO manometry and normal values for SO manometry. SO motility is characterized by prominent phasic contractions superimposed on a tonic pressure. Elevated basal SO pressure is the most consistent and reliable criteria to diagnose SO dysfunction. Basal pressures obtained from the biliary sphincter are similar to the basal pressure obtained from the pancreatic sphincter. Abnormal SO manometric values are shown. Factors that influence SO pressures, and interpretation of SO manometric tracing are discussed. The most common and serious complication of SO manometry is post-manometry pancreatitis. In healthy volunteers with normal sphincter function, pancreatitis is almost never seen. However, in patients with SO dysfunction, the incidence of pancreatitis is high. The use of new nonperfused microtransducers may reduce this complication.
Effect of a Heart Failure Program on Hospitalization Frequency and Exercise Tolerance

Background Most patients with heart failure are currently managed by physicians with little specific expertise in heart failure. This management system has been associated with evidence of suboptimal care, such as high rates of hospital readmission and underuse of ACE inhibitors. The current study was undertaken to determine whether hospitalization rates and functional outcomes are improved when patients are managed by physicians with special expertise in heart failure working in a dedicated heart failure program. Methods and Results All patients with heart failure referred to the Vanderbilt Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation Program between July 1994 and June 1995 were identified. Annual hospitalization rates, medications, and peak exercise capacity before and after referral were compared in patients followed for >30 days. A total of 187 patients were referred during the index time period, of whom 134 (72%) were followed for >30 days. During the year before referral, 94% of the patients were hospita...
Drug Reactions Reported in a Survey of South Carolina

Abstract A survey of the membership of the South Carolina Ophthalmological Society revealed an average of 3 1/2 patient drug reactions per year per physician using topical diagnostic drugs in the office. The reactions to the drugs included topical allergic responses, acute glaucoma, cardiovascular collapse, and one death. All of the reactions had previously been attributed to these drugs in the literature. Suggestions are presented to prevent these reactions from occurring or to better prepare the ophthalmologist and his staff to manage these problems when they do arise.
Ecological economic modeling in a pluralistic, participatory society

Abstract This paper discusses the evolution of the role of the scientist and clarifies the demands on all scientists who wish to have their scientific results well represented in public debate. This evolution is traced, starting with the Progressive movement in the late 1800s—when the neutrality of scientists was taken for granted and the “facts” were believed to be sufficient to resolve most public policy questions; to the current situation marked by the increasingly tentative nature of scientific inquiry, disagreement among experts within a specific discipline, and interdisciplinary conflict reflected in competing paradigms and interest groups. Given this perspective on scientific inquiry and modeling, the process of convincing one's peers and the public-at-large is only partially separable. In spite of symptoms of information overload, rigorous analysis is a prerequisite to having anything persuasive to say to either group—easy to understand explanations are dependent on, not a short-cut around, such analysis. The paper discusses some specific recommendations on how scientists can contribute to the pluralistic policy formulation process.
Development of Robust Design Under Contaminated and Non-normal Data

The usual assumptions behind robust design are that the distribution of experimental data is approximately normal and that there is no major contamination due to outliers in the data. Under these assumptions, sample mean and variance are often used to estimate process mean and variance. In this article, we first show simulation results indicating that sample mean and variance may not be the best choice when one or both assumptions are not met. The results further show that sample median and median absolute deviation or sample median and interquartile range are indeed more resistant to departures from normality and to contaminated data. We then show how to incorporate this observation into robust design modeling and optimization. A case study is presented.
A Conceptual Framework for the Use of Illness Narratives in Medical Education

The use of narratives, including physicians' and patients' stories, literature, and film, is increasingly popular in medical education. There is, however, a need for an overarching conceptual framework to guide these efforts, which are often dismissed as "soft" and placed at the margins of medical school curricula. The purpose of this article is to describe the conceptual basis for an approach to patient-centered medical education and narrative medicine initiated at the University of Michigan Medical School in the fall of 2003. This approach, the Family Centered Experience, involves home visits and conversations between beginning medical students and patient volunteers and their families and is aimed at fostering humanism in medicine. The program incorporates developmental and learning theory, longitudinal interactions with individuals with chronic illness, reflective learning, and small-group discussions to explore the experience of illness and its care. The author describes a grounding of this approach in theories of empathy and moral development and clarifies the educational value that narratives bring to medical education. Specific pedagogical considerations, including use of activities to create "cognitive disequilibrium" and the concept of transformative learning, are also discussed and may be applied to narrative medicine, professionalism, multicultural education, medical ethics, and other subject areas in medical education that address individuals and their health care needs in society.
Bone marrow infusion in childhood; experiences from a thousand infusions.

Summary 1. Material is presented, on nearly 1,000 bone marrow infusions given to children, aged 0 to 4 years, chiefly to infants. The character of the material, frequency of infusions, and the fluids injected are shown in Tables I and II. The very simple technique is described in detail. 2. Histologic examination of the tibia, performed on eleven patients fromone to fourteen days after bone marrow infusion, showed no abnormality, especially no damage to the epiphyseal line. 3. X-ray examination of the tibiae, performed on thirty-six patients fromone to two years after bone marrow infusion, showed no abnormality of the bones. 4. According to our experiences from 686 infusions, ordinary simple bloodtransfusion via the bone marrow at one time is quite safe, as we never have seen it followed by any serious complication, let alone osteomyelitis. 5. Continuous infusion, or infusion of hypertonic solutions, implied a considerablerisk of osteomyelitis. Five instances of this complication are reported. 6. In our opinion, the failure to emphasize these facts in the literature is likely to place the employment of blood transfusion via bone marrow in infancy in a false position.
Total assignment of the proton NMR spectrum of dinaphtho[1,2‐B:2′,3′‐d]thiophene

Recently, there has been some question regarding the 1H-nmr spectrum of dinaphtho[1,2-b-2′,3′-d]-thiophene. A recent study has reported differences in some of the proton resonance positions from results of earlier work. We report the total assignment of the 1H-nmr spectrum of the title compound using a combination of 1H-COSY and one dimensional NOE-difference spectroscopy (NOEDS).
Treatment of Recurrent Idiopathic Priapism With Oral Baclofen

Case 1. A 41-year-old white male presented with a 3-year history of recurrent nocturnal priapism. Priapism episodes occurred several times a night and caused severe sleep deprivation. Medical history, physical examination and metabolic evaluation were unremarkable. Several trials of -adrenergic agonist therapy offered only temporary relief and caused further disruption of the sleep cycle. Treatment with digoxin required doses that caused bothersome side effects and offered only transient benefit. A trial of oral baclofen was initiated at a dose of 10 mg. taken at bedtime, with dose escalation in 10 mg. increments. Complete alleviation of symptoms was achieved with a dose of 40 mg. The response was durable through 12 months of followup. Priapism recurred in a dose dependent manner only with attempts at tapering or with inadvertent noncompliance. Normal erectile function was preserved. Adverse effects were restricted to mild, self-limited drowsiness. Case 2. A 35-year-old white male presented with a 2-year history of megalopenis related to recurrent episodes of idiopathic nocturnal priapism. Sexual function was impaired such that corporoplasty was required for reduction of penile girth. Postoperatively inhibition of erections was achieved with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) agonist. Discontinuation of Gn-RH agonist therapy resulted in recurrent episodic priapism that manifested up to 6 times a day and was especially bothersome at night. A history of hypertension precluded therapy with an -adrenergic agent. In the interest of preserving potency treatment with baclofen was elected. An initial dose of 10 mg. was increased until therapeutic effect was achieved. A 40 mg. dose at bedtime resulted in complete cessation of unwanted erections with preservation of normal sexual function. A dose-response relationship was observed and the effect was durable through 5 months of followup. Mild nausea and transient morning drowsiness were the only adverse effects experienced. DISCUSSION
Masking of tone bursts by modulated noise in normal, noise-masked normal, and hearing-impaired listeners.

Threshold of 4.6-ms tone bursts was measured in quiet and in the presence of a 100% sinusoidally amplitude-modulated speech-shaped noise. For the modulated-noise conditions, the onset of the tone b...
Mutagenesis of the Yeast Gene PRP8 Reveals Domains Governing the Specificity and Fidelity of 3′ Splice Site Selection

PRP8 encodes a highly conserved U5 snRNP protein required for spliceosome assembly and later steps of pre-mRNA splicing. We recently identified a novel allele, prp8-101, that specifically impairs recognition of the uridine tract that precedes most yeast 3' slice sites. We carried out extensive mutagenesis of the gene and selected for new alleles that confer a phenotype similar to that of prp8-101. The strongest alleles cause changes in one of two amino acids in the C-terminal portion of the protein. We also identified a second class of PRP8 mutant that affects the fidelity of 3' splice site utilization. These alleles suppress point mutations in the PyAG motif at the 3' splice site and do not alter uridine tract recognition. The strongest of these alleles map to a region directly upstream of the prp8-101-like mutations. These new PRP8 alleles define two separable functions of Prp8p, required for specificity of 3' splice site selection and fidelity of 3' splice site utilization, respectively. Taken together with other recent biochemical and genetic data, our results suggest that Prp8p plays a functional role at the active site of the spliceosome during the second catalytic step of splicing.
Formation control of nonholonomic mobile robots

In this paper, formation control of a group of nonholonomic wheeled robots was considered. By introducing a unified error of the formation and trajectory tracking, state feedback control laws are proposed for formation control with a desired trajectory. Graph theory and Lyapunov theory are used in the control design. After that, by introducing observers, output feedback control laws are also proposed for the formation control. Simulation study shows the proposed controllers are effective.