cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of relaxation responses to multiple vasodilators in TxA2‐analog and endothelin‐1‐precontracted pulmonary arteries

Background: Peri-operative pulmonary hypertension can lead to right ventricular dysfunction and to an increase in morbidity and mortality. Altered function of the pulmonary vascular endothelium and vasoconstriction play a crucial role in the development of elevated pulmonary vascular resistance. Because pulmonary artery vasoreactivity is dependent on many factors including the constricting agent that precipitated the event therefore the aim of the current study was to investigate the effectiveness of different classes of vasodilator agents to reverse endothelin-1 (ET-1) or thromboxane A2 (TxA2)-induced vasoconstriction in porcine pulmonary artery (PA) in vitro. Methods: Relaxation responses to vasodilatory drugs were studied in PA precontracted with ET-1 (1 × 10–8 M) or TxA2 analog (U46619, 1 × 10–8 M). All vasodilating drugs were added in a cumulative fashion and isometric tension measurements were obtained using an organ chamber technique. Results: In both groups relaxation responses to the vasodilators were dose dependent. When ET-1 was used as a constrictor nitroglycerin and milrinone caused nearly complete (80–100%) relaxation, whereas other agents were of limited effectiveness (40–50%). On the other hand, in the vessels constricted with U46619, olprinone, indomethacin, prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), nitroglycerin, milrinone and clevidipine induced complete (90–110%) vasodilatation but brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), l-arginine, and isoproterenol relaxed the vessels maximally by 45–60%. Conclusions: Nitroglycerin and milrinone are very effective in reversing ET-1 and U46619-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction in vitro. The effectiveness of other drugs studied was dependent on the type of constrictor used. BNP, l-arginine and isoproterenol were shown to have minimal vasodilatory effects in porcine PA.
3D modeling of silicon quantum dots

Abstract We present results of full 3D self-consistent simulations of the energy spectrum in silicon-based symmetric quantum dots. Numerically derived conductance peak dependence upon the depletion and top gate biases closely resembles the experimentally measured ones, suggesting that conductance peak is measured when some discrete energy level in the dot coincides with the Fermi level. Electron wavefunction mode mixing is observed when atomistic description of the impurity distribution in the semiconductor was used.
Coagulation in hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia: disturbances in even the least ill

Although previous studies of severe sepsis (SS) patients found coagulopathy quite common, little is known of coagulopathy in infection with lesser degrees of illness severity.
Synthesis and reactions of a novel chlorostannane resin: coupling with functionalized organozinc halides

Abstract A novel resin-bound chlorostannane has been developed from Merrifield resin for use in solid-phase organic synthesis. This polymer was coupled with functionalized aryl-, heterocyclic-, benzyl- and styrylzinc halides to afford resin-bound functionalized organostannanes with complete conversion as shown by gel-phase 13 C NMR analysis.
Growth Hormone (GH) Insensitivity Due to Primary GH Receptor Deficiency

As demonstrated in Table 2, the differential diagnosis of growth hormone insensitivity (GHI) includes a number of discrete disorders that can be broadly classified as primary or secondary forms. We have selected GHRD (Laron syndrome) as the prototypic disorder of GHI, in part because such dramatic and rapid progress has been made in this clinical condition over the last 6 yr. These advances represent the fortunate convergence of: 1) the cloning of the GHR gene and the identification of deletions and mutations of this gene in GHRD; 2) the development of assay methods for measurement of the GHBP, IGF peptides, and binding proteins; 3) the discovery of a larger number of affected individuals than had been previously suspected, including the recognition and description of a large genetically homogeneous population of GHRD patients in Ecuador; and 4) the production of recombinant IGF-I for therapeutic trials in GHRD. Although we are still in the early phases of clinical trials of recombinant hIGF-I in GHRD, preliminary results have been encouraging. Whether this promise translates into genuine improvements in height and body composition, without significant clinical toxicity, remains to be determined. Similarly, the suitability of IGF-I therapy for other, particularly secondary, forms of GHI is still uncertain, although the responsiveness of GHD-IA patients seems to parallel that seen in GHRD (66, 78). The next few years should provide exciting and potentially important new data on the clinical spectrum, biochemical and molecular characteristics, and responsiveness to therapy of syndromes of GHI.
Cloning and functional characterization of the mouse C3a anaphylatoxin receptor gene

The mouse anaphylatoxin C3a receptor (mC3aR) gene was isolated using a human C3aR cDNA probe. The genomic fragment contains an open reading frame of 1431 base pairs that encodes a peptide of 477 amino acids. A cDNA with identical sequence was subsequently obtained from the mouse pre-B cell line 70Z/3 by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction based on sequence of the mC3aR gene. Northern blot analysis suggested expression of the mC3aR in lung and heart, and to a lesser extent, in brain, liver, muscle, kidney, and testis. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mouse C3aR is 65% identical to that of the human C3aR. Like the human receptor, mouse C3aR contains a predicted large extracellular loop of ∼165 amino acids (residues 161–325) between the fourth and fifth transmembrane domains. This loop, however, is the least conserved structure (45% identical sequence) of all the extracellular and intracellular domains between the mouse and human C3aRs. The mouse gene product bound 125I-labeled human C3a with a Kd of 2.54 nM when expressed in the stably transfected rat basophilic leukemic cell line RBL-2H3. Bound C3a could be effectively displaced by excess quantities of unlabeled C3a, but not by C4a or C5a. C3a induced dose-dependent calcium mobilization in the transfected cells, which could be blocked by pertussis toxin treatment. These results confirm that the cloned gene encodes a functional C3aR capable of coupling to a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. The sequence divergence of the large extracellular loop does not appear to affect C3a binding and transmembrane signaling.
Polymer-polymer interdiffusion during coextrusion

Polymer-polymer interdiffusion during coextrusion is considered theoretically from the point of view of interdiffusion between two melt streams flowing side by side in a film or sheet coextrusion die. It has been found that three factors, namely, molecular weight, the interaction parameter, and polydispersity have a profound influence on the interfacial layer thickness and adhesive bond strength of coextruded films and sheets. It is pointed out that when interdiffusion between two chemically dissimilar polymers takes place In stratified two-phase flow, the chain orientation in the flow channel greatly influences the rate of interdiffusion, and consequently the interfacial layer thickness and adhesive bond strength. Orientation factors for macromolecular chains in a steady shear flow field are expressed in terms of shear stress at the interface and the plateau modulus of each of the respective polymers being coextruded. As an illustration, we have used information on the self-diffusion coefficients for poly(vinylidene fluoride) and poly(methyl methacrylate) in the molten state, to estimate the interfacial layer thickness and adhesive bond strength of coextruded two-layer sheets, as affected by processing variables.
The market pricing of disability income insurance for individuals

Abstract Individuals' needs for disability income insurance dominate those for life insurance, yet relatively few buyers and sellers enter into disability contracts compared to life contracts. This phenomenon appears contradictory to the existence of a workably competitive market. This study examines the relation of disability income insurance prices to underlying contractual and insurer characteristics. Our results are supportive of a competitive market scenario. We observe a strong relation between prices and elimination periods, which is consistent with the presence of adverse selection. Our results have implications for how individuals should choose some policy and insurer characteristics, but they also suggest that buyers may need to be better informed about other pricing factors.
The Impact of Size and Inhomogeneity on Power Transmission Network Complex System Dynamics

With ever growing networks in critical infrastructure systems, the impact of network characteristics such as size and homogeneity on their complex system dynamics and risk of failure becomes crucial. In this paper we investigate the effect of highly inhomogeneous network structures, characteristic of some types of real world systems, on the robustness of the power transmission grid using a complex system model of the power transmission system (OPA). It is found that as the system structure is varied from homogeneous to heterogeneous and compared to multiple unconnected small networks with the same aggregate size, the risk can undergo large changes. The unit size of the homogeneous parts of the inhomogeneous system appears to be very important in determining whether large blackouts become more likely as the system becomes more homogeneous or inhomogeneous.
Scholar-Activism: A Twice Told Tale

What does it mean for individuals to intentionally see themselves as scholar-activists? Moreover, what does navigating a scholar-activist life mean for scholars in the early phases of their academic careers? As emerging scholar-activists the authors of this article are continuing to grapple with these questions, and in this article they present their distinct but overlapping stories of working through and overcoming the false separation of scholarship and activism. By sharing their stories the authors want to both provide readers an opportunity to find resonance in their experiences, and present some points to consider as we all define and live scholar-activism. Scholar-activism is historically situated with sights on the future. The authors have chosen to join the struggle of their predecessors in their scholar-activist work, exploring new possibilities sparked by the confluence of different generations.
Immune investment and sperm competition in a beetle

Individuals that invest more in immunity may not be able to invest as much in o\ther life history traits. The overall effects on fitness depend on the balance of investment in life history traits and unnecessary investment in immunity may lower fitness. Adult mealworm beetles (Tenebrio molitor L.) modulate their investment according to the perceived risk of infection as larvae; the amount of investment can be assessed by body coloration. This prophylactic investment in immunity can be used to assess the costs of investment when no immune challenge is present. Whether investment in immunity is traded off against sperm competitive ability, another important fitness trait in insects, was investigated. Males that had invested more in immunity (dark males) competed against males that had invested less (light males) for fertilization of offspring. Dark males did lose sperm precedence over time, whereas light males did not. However, this decrease in sperm offensive ability may not result in decreased fitness for darker males under normal female mating frequencies; the decrease in offspring did not occur for 1 week, but females that have constant access to males mate once a day, which would negate any long-term effects of male mating order. Thus, prophylactic investment in immunity does not produce immediate reductions in a male's ability to gain fertilizations. The costs to immune investment may be born by other fitness traits in T. molitor.
Ultrathin Films of Poly(ethylene oxides) on Oxidized Silicon. 1. Spectroscopic Characterization of Film Structure and Crystallization Kinetics

We have characterized the structure, molecular orientation, and crystallization kinetics of isothermally crystallized thin (film thickness d < 500 nm) and ultrathin films (d < 100 nm) of poly(ethylene oxides) on oxidized silicon substrates by a combination of microscopic and spectroscopic methods. In situ hot stage atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals a preferred flat-on orientation of lamellar crystals in films thinner than ca. 300 nm. The mean orientation of the polymer molecules, as measured by transmission and grazing angle reflection FT-IR spectroscopy, fully agrees with the preferred orientation of the PEO helices parallel to the surface-normal direction, as inferred from the AFM data. In addition to a strong film thickness dependence of this preferred chain orientation, the FT-IR data indicate that the degree of crystallinity decreases steadily when the film thickness becomes smaller than ∼200 nm. The local environment of pyrene end-labels in derivatized PEO was characterized by steady-state fluor...
Mutation in TERT separates processivity from anchor-site function

Telomerase shows repeat-addition processivity (RAP): synthesis of multiple telomeric DNA repeats without primer dissociation. Leu14 mutants in the telomerase essential N-terminal domain of Tetrahymena thermophila telomerase reverse transcriptase retain full activity and anchor-site function but lose RAP, suggesting models for how this domain facilitates DNA translocation.
Teaching differential diagnosis to beginning clinical students

Beginning clinical students cannot construct differential diagnoses the way more experienced students and physicians do because students lack knowledge and experience. Beginning students need a systematic framework for constructing a differential diagnosis. Such a framework can be developed using a two-dimensional grid, one axis being anatomic (referring to organs or structures), and the other listing types of disease (e.g., congenital, metabolic, infectious). Possible diagnoses that can explain major symptoms can then be fitted into the resulting grid. Examples are shown in this report for abdominal pain, chest pain, and edema. Such formulations may seem overly complete, but completeness is actually advantageous for students who are just starting to learn clinical medicine. Then, as they learn more about disease patterns and likelihood of occurrence, and elicit additional information from their patients, they can narrow and refine the diagnostic possibilities.
Surgical Management and Results of 135 Tibial Nerve Lesions at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

Objective This retrospective study presents 33 years of clinical and surgical experience with 135 tibial nerve lesions to review operative techniques and their results and to provide management guidelines for the proper selection of surgical candidates. Methods Between 1967 and 1999, 135 patients with tibial nerve lesions at the knee level or below were managed surgically at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. We reviewed these cases. Results Of the 135 cases, traumatic injury accounted for 71, tarsal tunnel syndrome for 46, and nerve sheath tumor for 18. Of 22 lesions not in continuity, functional recovery of Grade 3 or better was achieved in 4 (67%) of 6 patients who required end-to-end suture repair and 11 (69%) of 16 patients who required graft repair. One hundred thirteen tibial nerve lesions in continuity underwent primarily external or internal neurolysis or resection of the lesions. A few received end-to-end suture or graft repair. Direct intraoperative recording of nerve action potentials guided case management decisions. Among the 113 patients with lesions in continuity, 76 (81%) of 94 patients receiving neurolysis, 5 (83%) of 6 receiving suture repair, and 11 (85%) of 13 receiving graft repair recovered function to Grade 3 or better. Repair results were best in patients with recordable nerve action potentials treated by external neurolysis. Results were poor in a few patients with very lengthy lesions in continuity and in reoperated patients with tarsal tunnel syndrome. Conclusion Surgical exploration and repair of tibial nerve lesions, including nerve sheath tumors and tarsal tunnel syndromes, achieved excellent outcomes.
Argument against frozen section analysis of distal ureters in transitional cell bladder cancer.

In this Viewpoint, Dr Donat presents the case against using frozen section analysis of distal ureters in patients undergoing cystectomy for transitional cell bladder cancer, arguing that division of the ureter at the level of the common iliac artery largely precludes the need for frozen sections in this setting.
A novel type of allosteric regulation: functional cooperativity in monomeric proteins.

Cooperative functional properties and allosteric regulation in cytochromes P450 play an important role in xenobiotic metabolism and define one of the main mechanisms of drugdrug interactions. Recent experimental results suggest that ability to bind simultaneously two or more small organic molecules can be the essential feature of cytochrome P450 fold, and often results in rich and complex pattern of allosteric behavior. Manifestations of non-Michaelis kinetics include homotropic and heterotropic activation and inhibition effects depending on the stoichiometric ratios of substrate and effector, changes in the regio- and stereospecificity of catalytic transformations, and often give rise to the clinically important drug – drug interactions. In addition, functional response of P450 systems is modulated by the presence of specific and non-specific effector molecules, metal ions, membrane incorporation, formation of homo- and hetero oligomers and interactions with the protein redox partners. In this article we briefly overview the main factors contributing to the allosteric effects in cytochromes P450 with the main focus on the sources of cooperative behavior in xenobiotic metabolizing monomeric heme enzymes with their conformational flexibility and extremely broad substrate specificity. The novel mechanism of functional cooperativity in P450 enzymes does not require substantial binding cooperativity, rather it implies the presence of one or more binding sites with higher affinity than the single catalytically active site in the vicinity of the heme iron.
The influence of surgical specialty and caseload on the results of carotid endarterectomy

Abstract Carotid endarterectomy is rapidly becoming one of the most commonly performed major surgical operations in the United States, in part because of the greater availability of noninvasive techniques to accurately diagnose extracranial carotid arterial disease and a low reported morbidity and mortality. We retrospectively reviewed the records for all carotid endarterectomies performed in the greater Cincinnati area for a recent 12-month period and examined the impact of surgical specialty and operative caseload on the results. Altogether, 750 operations were performed on 656 patients by 61 surgeons working in 16 general medical-surgical hospitals. Overall, strokes occurred in 5.1% of all patients; 2.3% of patients died. Symptomatic patients had a significantly higher risk of suffering a postoperative stroke compared with asymptomatic patients (6.5% vs. 3.7%), although the risk of death was virtually identical (2.4% vs. 2.1%). When the operating surgeons were classified into four types on the basis of their previous training, no statistically significant differences in either postoperative stroke or death could be identified. Furthermore, when the surgical caseloads of these physicians were grouped into three categories (i.e., less than 12 each year, more than 50 each year, and a group between these two extremes), no significant differences in outcome were seen. We concluded that our community-wide results for carotid endarterectomy were not comparable to those previously published from specialized centers and that these results did not appear to be influenced by the type of formal surgical specialty or operative caseload. (J VASC SURG 1986;3:911-6.)
The Hearing Aid Expert: Audiologist, Dealer, or Otolaryngologist?

Based on available data, audiologists have, by far, the best overall dispensing credentials and, in fact, the best credentials in each area evaluated. Unfortunately, the available data are somewhat...
Discovering Earth and space: Family fun at Exploration Station

The 2011 Fall Meeting started off with a bang (or at least a homemade construction paper rocket) at Exploration Station, a science exhibition geared toward children and families. This annual event, held on Sunday, 4 December, last year, featured members of the various AGU sections and focus groups who led interactive demonstrations on topics spanning the deep Earth to distant stars. The event was 4 hours long, free, and open to the public. Visitors made their way through 25 exhibits that offered a variety of easy, family friendly, and hands-on activities. Equally important, they had an opportunity to interact one-on-one with scientists and education specialists.
An empirical relationship for path diversity gain

Existing 15.3 and 16 GHz path diversity gain data for earth-space propagation paths are used to generate an empirical relationship for diversity gain as a function of terminal separation distance and single terminal fade depth. The agreement between the resulting closed form expression and the data is within 0.75 dB in all cases.
A combined FEM/genetic algorithm for vascular soft tissue elasticity estimation

Tissue elasticity reconstruction is a parameter estimation effort combining imaging, elastography, and computational modeling to build maps of soft tissue mechanical properties. One application is in the characterization of atherosclerotic plaques in diseased arteries, wherein the distribution of elastic properties is required for stress analysis and plaque stability assessment. In this paper, a computational scheme is proposed for elasticity reconstruction in soft tissues, combining finite element modeling (FEM) for mechanical analysis of soft tissues and a genetic algorithm (GA) for parameter estimation. With a model reduction of the discrete elasticity values into lumped material regions, namely the plaque constituents, a robust, adaptive strategy can be used to solve inverse elasticity problems involving complex and inhomogeneous solution spaces. An advantage of utilizing a GA is its insistence on global convergence. The algorithm is easily implemented and adaptable to more complex material models and geometries. It is meant to provide either accurate initial guesses of low-resolution elasticity values in a multi-resolution scheme or as a replacement for failing traditional elasticity estimation efforts.
X-Ray Emission from M32: X-Ray Binaries or a μAGN?

We have analyzed archival ROSAT PSPC data for M32 in order to study the X-ray emission from this nearest elliptical galaxy. We fitted spectra from three long exposures with Raymond-Smith, thermal bremsstrahlung, and power-law models. All models give excellent fits. The thermal fits have kT ≈ 4 keV, the Raymond-Smith iron abundance is 0.4−0.3+0.7 solar, the power-law fit has α = 1.6 ± 0.1, and all fits have NH consistent with the Galactic column. The source is centered on M32 to an accuracy of 9'', and unresolved at 27'' FWHM (~90 pc). M32 is X-ray variable by a factor of 3-5 on timescales of a decade down to minutes, with evidence for a possible period of ~1.3 days. There are two plausible interpretations for these results: (1) emission due to low-mass X-ray binaries; (2) emission due to accretion onto a massive central black hole. Both of these possibilities are supported by arguments based on previous studies of M32 and other old stellar systems; the ROSAT PSPC data do not allow us to unambiguously choose between them. Observations with the ROSAT HRI and with ASCA are required to determine which of these two very different physical models is correct.
Identifying barriers to and outcomes of interdisciplinarity in the engineering classroom

In addition to developing deep knowledge of a single discipline, engineers must also be able to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries and develop interdisciplinary expertise to successfully address the complex challenges of the contemporary workplace. While numerous descriptions of interdisciplinary courses and projects appear in the literature, educators still lack rigorous research about learning barriers, outcomes, and concrete interventions to support this interdisciplinary development. This paper addresses that gap by pairing a review of the literature with a case study of students in a sustainable engineering program to identify the key challenges to success in interdisciplinary contexts. The findings suggest that students (1) lack the ability to connect interdisciplinary subjects to their own more narrowly defined fields of expertise, and (2) fail to identify and value the contributions of multiple fields to complex problems. This paper concludes with possible teaching interventions to address...
The consumer's demand for diversity

Abstract The consumer's demand for diversity is measured either by the entropy or by the Hirschman-Herfindahl index of the budget shares. This notion, including the income elasticity of the demand for diversity, is applied to per capita consumption data of 30 countries.
Sequential growth for lifetime extension in biomimetic polypyrrole actuator systems

Electroactive polymers (EAPs) present prospective use in actuation and manipulation devices due to their low electrical activation requirements, biocompatibility, and mechanical performance. One of the main drawbacks with EAP actuators is a decrease in performance over extended periods of operation caused by over-oxidation of the polymer and general polymer degradation. Synthesis of the EAP material, polypyrrole with an embedded metal helix allows for sequential growth of the polymer during operation. The helical metal electrode acts as a scaffolding to support the polymer, and direct the 3-dimensional change in volume of the polymer along the axis of the helix during oxidative and reductive cycling. The metal helix also provides a working metal electrode through the entire length of the polymer actuator to distribute charge for actuation, as well as for sequential growth steps during the lifetime of operation of the polymer. This work demonstrates the method of sequential growth can be utilized after extended periods of use to partially restore electrical and mechanical performance of polypyrrole actuators. Since the actuation must be temporarily stopped to allow for a sequential growth cycle to be performed and reverse some of the polymer degradation, these actuator systems more closely mimic natural muscle in their analogous maintenance and repair.
Determination of the energy of the σ level for CO adsorbed on Ni(001) using both Auger and direct photoemission

Abstract We have measured the energy of the σ shape resonance for a saturated (2 L) coverage of CO on Ni(001) by observation of both the carbon 1s direct emission and the carbon Auger emission. Both measurements were performed on the same sample at the same time with a carefully calibrated monochromator. Although a previous angle-resolved study of the carbon 1s direct emission set the σ resonance at 311 eV, it is clearly seen in both of our measurements near hv = 303 eV, in agreement with previous results using Auger emission. Since shape resonances may be used to determine bond lengths, resolution of this issue has important implications.
Optical measurements of the electric field and temperature distribution in photoconductive GaAs switches

The temporal development of electric field distribution and temperature distribution in photoconductive, gallium arsenide (GaAs:Si:Cu) switches was studied by means of absorption measurements near the bandedge of gallium arsenide. Regions of high absorption, corresponding to enhanced field strength, were recorded close to the cathode contact for low applied fields (E < 20 kV/cm), and at both contacts for higher fields. Breakdown was observed at voltages where the absorption patterns merged. For low intensity laser activation the absorption became temporarily (during laser activation) homogeneous over the switch area, but the pattern emerged again during the tail current phase and became even more pronounced than before. After turning the voltage off, the absorption in certain regions of the switch decayed only slowly, with a time constant of about hundred nanoseconds, indicating local heating of the switch. At high laser intensities the absorption pattern, generated through pulse biasing of the sample, disappeared completely during laser activation. The switch stayed homogeneous, where electric field and temperature are concerned, even during the following lock-on phase, and recovered right after the switch voltage was turned off. The results show that energies in excess of 1 mJ/cm2 are needed to eliminate field inhomogenetics in photoconductive GaAs:Si:Cu switches and to obtain nanosecond switch recovery.
Further evidence for flavor independence of the quark-antiquark potential

An inverse-scattering algorithm is used to construct the interquark potential from the masses and leptonic widths of vector mesons. There is substantial agreement between potentials constructed from the $1S$ and $2S$ levels of the $\ensuremath{\psi}$ family, and those based upon the $1S\ensuremath{-}4S$ levels of the $\ensuremath{\Upsilon}$ family. This agreement provides evidence that the quark-antiquark interaction is independent of heavy-quark flavor for interquark separations between about 0.1 and 1 fm. Self-consistency of the various determinations is explored at some length, and the uncertainties inherent in the method are investigated in detail. Predictions are made for electric-dipole transition rates in the $\ensuremath{\Upsilon}$ family, and the significance of future measurements for refining and extending present knowledge of the potential is discussed.
Vortices in the Near Field of Atomic Radiation Emitted Near an Interface

The energy flow pattern for radiation emitted by an atom near an interface exhibits numerous singularities and vortices in the near field. The optical vortices are of nanoscale dimension.
Evidence That the 11 β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase (11 β-HSD1) Is Regulated by Pentose Pathway Flux STUDIES IN RAT ADIPOCYTES AND MICROSOMES

11 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11 β-HSD1) catalyzes the interconversion of biologically inactive 11 keto derivatives (cortisone, 11-dehydrocorticosterone) to active glucocorticoids (cortisol, corticosterone) in fat, liver, and other tissues. It is located in the intraluminal compartment of the endoplasmic reticulum. Inasmuch as an oxo-reductase requires NADPH, we reasoned that 11 β-HSD1 would be metabolically interconnected with the cytosolic pentose pathway because this pathway is the primary producer of reduced cellular pyridine nucleotides. To test this theory, 11 β-HSD1 activity and pentose pathway were simultaneously measured in isolated intact rodent adipocytes. Established inhibitors of NAPDH production via the pentose pathway (dehydroandrostenedione or norepinephrine) inhibited 11 β-HSD1 oxo-reductase while decreasing cellular NADPH content. Conversely these compounds slightly augmented the reverse, or dehydrogenase, reaction of 11 β-HSD1. Importantly, using isolated intact microsomes, the inhibitors did not directly alter the tandem microsomal 11 β-HSD1 and hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme unit. Metabolites of 11 β-HSD1 (corticosterone or 11-dehydrocorticosterone) inhibited or increased pentose flux, respectively, demonstrating metabolic interconnectivity. Using isolated intact liver or fat microsomes, glucose-6 phosphate stimulated 11 β-HSD1 oxo-reductase, and this effect was blocked by selective inhibitors of glucose-6-phosphate transport. In summary, we have demonstrated a metabolic interconnection between pentose pathway and 11 β-HSD1 oxo-reductase activities that is dependent on cytosolic NADPH production. These observations link cytosolic carbohydrate flux with paracrine glucocorticoid formation. The clinical relevance of these findings may be germane to the regulation of paracrine glucocorticoid formation in disturbed nutritional states such as obesity.
IGF-I DOES NOT MEDIATE T-LYMPHOBLAST COLONY PROLIFERATION IN RESPONSE TO STEROID AND THYROID HORMONES: STUDIES IN CONTROL AND PYGMY T-CELL LINES. • 518

The mechanism by which steroid hormones {estradiol [E2], testosterone [T], and 1,25(OH)2 Vitamin D3[1,25(OH)2D3]} and thyroid hormones [triiodothyronine(T3)] promote tissue growth is unknown, although, for E2 (acting on bone and uterus) and T3 (acting on bone), a role for local IGF-I has been suggested. We previously showed that HTLV-II-transformed T-cell lines from healthy adults augmented basal colony formation in response to peptide(GH, PTH, and ACTH) and glycoprotein (TSH) hormones through stimulation of local IGF-I. T-cell lines from African Efe Pygmies, however, were resistant to the direct and indirect growth-promoting actions of IGF-I. We, therefore, used these cell lines to determine the mechanism of T-cell growth in response to steroid and thyroid hormones. We quantified colony formation of American control T-cell lines (n=7) in the presence and absence of αIR-3 antibody against the type 1 IGF receptor and Pygmy T-cell lines (n=8) in response to E2 (36.7-1835 pmol/L), T (34.7-17,350 pmol/L), 1,25(OH)2D3 (2.4-24,000 pmol/L), and T3 (1536-192,000 pmol/L). There were no statistically significant differences by ANOVA in overall response curves for any of the four hormones comparing control clonal responses in the presence or absence of αIR-3, and no statistically significant difference in overall responses between control and Pygmy T-cell lines. From these data, we conclude that: (1) normal T-cell lines grow in response to E2, T, 1,25(OH)2D3, and T3; (2) these responses are not mediated through local IGF-I since they are unaffected by pretreatment with antibody against the type 1 IGF receptor; and (3) Pygmy T-cell lines, which are genetically resistant to IGF-I, grow equivalently to control T-cell lines in response to E2, T, 1,25(OH)2D3, and T3, further underscoring the IGF-I independence of this stimulation in our system. These findings, combined with our previous observations, indicate that T-cell growth in response to certain hormones that bind to cell-surface receptors is mediated by local IGF-I, whereas specific steroid and thyroid hormones that bind to cytoplasmic/nuclear receptors act by an IGF-I-independent mechanism.
Democracy, privatization and public television

When the Carnegie Commission on the Future of Educational Television coined the term “public television” in its 1967 report, Public Television: A Program for Action, it did so with a belief that television and democratic processes were fundamentally intertwined. The spirit of the Carnegie Commission report, which led to the passage of the Public Broadcasting Act, is infused with both the urgency of the task and the importance of its success for an active citizenry. More than 30 years later, with debates focused more on the logistics of the appropriations process and the merits of specific public television programs, both the urgency of creating and financing a public television system and the importance of such a task for the quality of public life seem long gone. For most of us in the United States, it is as difficult to imagine life without public television as it is to imagine why it would matter. As both public television and the broader media environment have changed over the past three decades, disc...
Epothilones and the next generation of phase III trials for prostate cancer

The broad spectrum of anti-neoplastic activity and the diverse clinical applications of taxanes have engendered significant interest in identifying mechanistically similar but structurally distinct compounds. Epothilones emerged as a new class of putative antineoplastic drugs based on in vitro assays designed to competitively inhibit the binding of paclitaxel to microtubules [12]. Epothilones are macrolides extracted from a variety of myxobacteria including Myxococcus xanthus or Sorangium cellulosum [13]. Like paclitaxel and docetaxel, the epothilones function by stabilizing the polymerized microtubule [14]; however, the epothilones are structurally distinct.
Identification of a Macromolecular Inhibitol of Glucocorticoid‐Receptor Complex Activation in Rat Liver Cytosol

We have identified and endogenous regulator of the glucocorticoid receptor following fractionation of dialyzed rat liver cytosol on DEAE-cellulose. The macromolecular regulator, purified approximately 20-fold as judged by Lowry-reactive material, inhibits activation of glucocorticoid-receptor complexes when assayed by DNA-cellulose binding and by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose minicolumns. In addition the active DEAE-cellulose fraction stabilizes the unoccupied glucocorticoid receptor against heat inactivation. Evidence is presented that the observed inhibition of activation by the active DEAE-cellulose fraction is not due to concentration of cytosolic proteases or RNA. The inhibitory molecule in the active fraction is not stable to heating at 90°C (15 min) and is partially inactivated at 45°C (15–60 min).
A T-matrix calculation for in-medium heavy-quark gluon scattering

Abstract The interactions of charm and bottom quarks in a quark–gluon plasma (QGP) are evaluated using a thermodynamic 2-body T-matrix. We specifically focus on heavy-quark (HQ) interactions with thermal gluons with an input potential motivated by lattice-QCD computations of the HQ free energy. The latter is implemented into a field-theoretic ansatz for color-Coulomb and (remnants of) confining interactions. This, in particular, enables to discuss corrections to the potential approach, specifically hard-thermal-loop corrections to the vertices, relativistic corrections deduced from pertinent Feynman diagrams, and a suitable projection on transverse thermal gluons. The resulting potentials are applied to compute scattering amplitudes in different color channels and utilized for a calculation of the corresponding HQ drag coefficient in the QGP. A factor of ∼ 2 – 3 enhancement over perturbative results is obtained, mainly driven by the resummation in the attractive color-channels.
Design and performance of "1.25-&#181;m" CMOS for digital applications

This paper presents a detailed approach for the design and performance analysis of 1.25-µm CMOS digital circuit technology based on relatively simple sets of fundamental device parametric and circuit equations. As a start, a topological and "in-depth" baseline is assumed for this 1.25-µm CMOS technology, based, in part, on a set of achievable lithographic feature sizes and alignment tolerances together with a set of reasonable process geometric parameters. The process baseline is TWIN-WELL CMOS using n-epi on an n+substrate as the host starting material. Two of the key geometric parameters defined are effective channel length, L e = 1 µm, and gate oxide thickness, t ox = 250 A. Other dimensions have been selected using quasi-scaling rules consistent with a 2λ of 1.25 µm. The design process starts with the selection of the average "well" doping levels from a consideration of some key short-channel effects: simple charge sharing and drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL). The selection of a suitable operating voltage, V DD , is considered during this process as it effects junction breakdown voltage, gate oxide fields, and more importantly, potential hot-electron injection. Additional process design analyses are presented with respect to the establishment of gate threshold voltages and field inversion voltages. A simple transient analysis procedure is developed for a basic inverter structure which yields results close to those obtained through more detailed SPICE simulations. A unit delay (single fan-out) analysis is performed yielding delays of 214 ps for a V DD of 5 V and 270 ps for a V DD of 3.3 V.
Specific Associations between Anxiety Sensitivity Dimensions and Fear and Distress Dimensions of Emotional Distress Disorders.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) comprises three lower-order dimensions, physical concerns, cognitive concerns, and social concerns, all of which are related to unipolar mood and anxiety disorders (emotional distress disorders). The pattern of these relations suggests that AS cognitive concerns might be best classified as associated with emotional distress disorders clustered together as distress disorders whereas AS physical concerns might be best classified as associated with emotional distress disorders clustered together as fear disorders. In contrast, AS social concerns appears to be generally associated with both fear and distress disorders. To test the specificity of lower-order AS dimensions, structural equation modeling was employed in a sample of 579 individuals (M age = 36.87 years, SD = 13.47; 51.6 % male) constituting a sample at risk for psychopathology as these individuals were seeking smoking cessation treatment. AS physical concerns was associated with the fear disorders dimension, even when controlling for negative affect (NA). AS cognitive concerns was associated with the distress disorder dimension, only when the effects of NA were not included. Finally, AS social concerns demonstrated non-specific relations with both the distress and fear disorders dimensions. Given that measures of AS and psychopathology were collected concurrently, these findings cannot address the role of lower-order AS dimensions as risk factors for specific psychopathology clusters. These results provide further support for the hierarchical model of emotional distress disorders as well as implicate AS cognitive and physical concerns as important variables at the intermediate level of this model.
Neoadjuvant therapy and breast cancer surgery: a closer look at postoperative complications.

Abstract Background Neoadjuvant therapy is important in the treatment of advanced breast cancer. Methods Postoperative complications in neoadjuvant patients were analyzed. Results One hundred forty patients underwent 148 breast cancer surgeries after neoadjuvant therapy: 28% breast-conserving therapy procedures, 36% mastectomies, 28% mastectomies with immediate reconstruction, and 8% mastectomies with delayed reconstruction. Forty-seven patients (34%) suffered 59 complications: 18% of those undergoing breast-conserving therapy, 30% of those undergoing mastectomy, 44% of those undergoing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, and 67% of those undergoing mastectomy with delayed reconstruction. Major complications occurred in 18% of patients. Skin loss occurred in 6% of patients. One patient had partial nipple necrosis. Three patients suffered implant loss. One patient had deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap loss. Eleven hematomas and 5 infectious complications required reoperation. Conclusions Surgery after neoadjuvant therapy is safe, but careful counseling is warranted given that 18% of patients experienced major complications. Complications rates are higher with reconstruction, but feared complications of skin, nipple, implant, or flap loss were infrequent.
Transcriptional activator nuclear factor I stimulates the replication of SV40 minichromosomes in vivo and in vitro

Abstract SV40 DNA replication in vivo is greatly stimulated by cis -acting transcriptional elements. We studied a model viral chromosome containing a single binding site for the cellular transcriptional activator, nuclear factor I (NF-ICTF), located adjacent to the replication origin. The presence of the NF-I recognition site increased replication efficiency over 20-fold in vivo. Purified NF-I had little effect on the replication efficiency in the standard SV40 cell-free system when the template was introduced as naked DNA. However, NF-I specifically prevented the repression of DNA replication that occurred when the template was preassembled into chromatin. Our data support a model in which the binding of a transcriptional activator perturbs the local distribution of nucleosomes, thereby increasing the accessibility of the origin region.
House Rules: Institutional Choice and United States Trade Negotiations:

International bargaining depends not only on the negotiators but also on the domestic political system in which they find themselves. Knowing this, countries often change domestic political institutions to influence the outcomes of international negotiations and/or to shape the domestic distributional consequences of those negotiations. This institutional change generally occurs in an already-rich institutional environment, where many different actors must jointly agree to modify existing institutions. To examine these, this paper develops a thirteen-actor model of U.S. trade policy institutions over the past century. Whereas the existing literature emphasizes the role of the median legislator in delegating to or constraining the executive, I find that changes in nonmedian procedural actors drive institutional reform in trade policy. Some of these procedural actors do not have veto authority and yet they play decisive roles, taking this analysis beyond veto player theory. The president can sometimes prese...
The noise performance of an active, linear antenna array for reception

The noise performance of an active receiving antenna array with endfire pattern was studied using "noise wave analysis". Gallium arsenide, field effect transistors (GaAs FET's) were used. The array signal combining was accomplished with a series feed identical to the output transmission line of a distributed amplifier. A single stub tuner was simulated between each antenna element and active device (FET's in this case). System noise performance was simulated as the transformation due to the tuners was varied. The configuration giving best noise performance was found. Finally, two, four, six, and eight element active arrays were built and tested at 2 GHz confirming the analysis. >
CYTOGENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IN THE ETIOLOGY OF THE ACUTE LEUKEMIAS IN ADULTS

This review focuses on familial and cytogenetic factors and on environmental exposures that play a role in the etiology of the leukemias. Differential prognosis and treatment responses as well as new cytogenetic assays suggest that acute lymphocytic and acute nonlymphocytic leukemias are each comprised of different diseases with similar appearance. Risk factors, including exposure to ionizing radiations, benzene,cigarette smokes, electric currents, antineoplastic agents, petroleum products and pesticides are discussed. 149 references.
KAOLINS: SOURCES OF DIFFERENCES IN CATION-EXCHANGE CAPACITIES AND CESIUM RETENTION

Seven kaolins from Georgia (southeastern U.S.A.), ranging from high to low commercial grade, were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and chemical techniques to establish that the variation in quality was caused by impurities. The Ca and Cs cation-exchange capacities (CEC) varied from 2.67 to 8.17 and from 3.29 to 8.77 meq/100 g, respectively. Selective dissolution and correlation analyses strongly indicated that expandable 2:1 minerals, particularly smectite (1.2-5.9%), Were responsible for most of the observed variations in Ca CEC (r = 0.85*). The external surface CEC of kaolinite ranged from 0 to 1 meq/ 100 g. The positive significant correlation (r = 0.90**) between the Ca CEC and the K-mica content (0- 3.9%) suggested that Ca CEC may be related to the degree of mica weathering through an expandable mineral stage. The Cs-retention capacity (0.19-1.14 meq/100 g) was closely related to Cs-measured vermiculite content (r = 0.80"), and this content plus specific surface (R = 0.93**) or mica content (R = 0.86*). The Cs reten- tion appeared to be primarily related to the presence of interlayer wedges at mica/vermiculite XY interfaces.