cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Motility assay of human sperm by photon correlation spectroscopy

Microscopic methods of performing motility assays of spermatozoa are slow, subjective, and involve a small number of spermatozoa. Laser light-scattering methods can analyze the motility of many spermatozoa within minutes. The swimming speed distribution of human spermatozoa was investigated by photon correlation spectroscopy. The sperm was diluted in seminal plasma to avoid modifying the viscosity. The swimming speed distribution was reconstructed from the correlation data by Stock's method of splines. When compared with a videomicroscopic assay, the reconstructed swimming speed distribution accurately reflects translational motion between 0 and 80 micrometers per second, while for speeds greater than 80 micrometers per second the distribution is distorted by the effects of rotational motion.
Submaximal exercise testing after stabilization of unstable angina pectoris

To determine the prognostic value of exercise testing in patients with unstable angina pectoris, 125 hospitalized patients were prospectively evaluated soon after stabilization of their pain. Exercise testing was performed after exclusion of acute myocardial infarction and a painfree period of at least 3 days (mean ± SD 3.9 ± 1.4). No complications were noted during or immediately after exercise testing. A positive test (angina or ≥ 1 mm ST segment depression, or both) was noted in 60 patients (48%). During a 1 year follow-up period, 52 (87%) of these 60 patients had an unfavorable outcome (American Heart Association class III or IV angina, recurrent unstable angina, coronary artery bypass surgery, acute myocardial infarction or cardiac death) compared with 19 (29%) of the 65 patients with a negative test (p Thus, in patients with unstable angina which has been stabilized, the results of early submaximal exercise testing may be useful in predicting outcome in the first year after hospital discharge. Patients with a positive test result should be considered for further diagnosic studies.
Isolation of Lymphocytes from Mouse Genital Tract Mucosa

Mucosal surfaces, including in the gastrointestinal, urogenital, and respiratory tracts, provide portals of entry for pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria 1. Mucosae are also inductive sites in the host to generate immunity against pathogens, such as the Peyers patches in the intestinal tract and the nasal-associated lymphoreticular tissue in the respiratory tract. This unique feature brings mucosal immunity as a crucial player of the host defense system. Many studies have been focused on gastrointestinal and respiratory mucosal sites. However, there has been little investigation of reproductive mucosal sites. The genital tract mucosa is the primary infection site for sexually transmitted diseases (STD), including bacterial and viral infections. STDs are one of the most critical health challenges facing the world today. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are 19 million new infectious every year in the United States. STDs cost the U.S. health care system $17 billion every year 2, and cost individuals even more in immediate and life-long health consequences. In order to confront this challenge, a greater understanding of reproductive mucosal immunity is needed and isolating lymphocytes is an essential component of these studies. Here, we present a method to reproducibly isolate lymphocytes from murine female genital tracts for immunological studies that can be modified for adaption to other species. The method described below is based on one mouse.
Settlement promoted, settlement contested: the Shcherbina Expedition of 1896–1903

The Shcherbina Expedition of 1896–1903 was the Russian Empire's most concerted effort to gather the data necessary to facilitate peasant settlers’ migration to its largely nomadic steppe oblasts. Although this expedition was a massive exercise of imperial power privileging sedentary over mobile pastoralist lifeways, the oppositional views of its participants made matters more ambiguous. The civilizational hierarchies that emerged in its materials did not strictly privilege sedentary lifeways, and an effort was made to preserve mobile pastoralists’ lifeways and economic wellbeing. The project of objectively correct colonization that the expedition embodied was initially embraced by all interested parties as a certain solution to the clash of lifeways brought about by peasant migration to the steppe. After its work was published, however, contested use of its statistical norms made it clear that the idea of ‘correct colonization’ could not prevent the serious conflicts engendered by settlement in the steppe.
Memory in very young children: Exploitation of cues to the location of a hidden object

Two experiments investigated very young children's use of different kinds of stimulus information to encode and search for the location of a hidden object. Two age groups (21- and 27-month-old children) watched as a small object was hidden in one of four containers. After a 30-second delay, they were encouraged to retrieve the object. When the hiding places were visually distinctive, performance was excellent, and there were no age differences. However, when the same distinctive visual information was a less integral aspect of the hiding location, age differences appeared; older children were more successful than younger ones at using the distinctive cues that were associated with (but not intrinsic to) the hiding place. Cue salience was also shown to be important, with real-object cues facilitating performance more than picture cues. In addition, performance varied as a function of whether the cues remained stationary or not. The data indicate that very young children have difficulty integrating unrelated information. Information that is successfully exploited when it is intrinsic to the hiding place of an object may be ineffective when it is not intrinsic, that is, when the children must themselves integrate it with what must be remembered. In particular, young children have difficulty linking together separate relations among objects. The results from these studies are related to the existing literature on location memory in young children, and a general progression in the ability to integrate information in the service of memory is identified.
Regulation of the export of RNA from the nucleus

Abstract Transport of macromolecules across the nuclear envelope is an essential activity in eukaryotic cells. RNA molecules within cells are found complexed with proteins and the bound proteins likely contain signals for RNA export. RNAs microinjected intoXenopusoocyte nuclei are readily exported, and their export can be competed by self RNA but not by RNAs of other classes. This indicates that the rate-limiting step in RNA export is the interaction of RNAs with class-specific proteins, at least when substrate RNAs are present at saturating levels. Export of host mRNAs is inhibited following infection by some animal viruses, while the export of viral RNAs occurs. The HIV-1 RNA-binding protein, Rev, mediates the export of intron-containing viral RNAs that would normally be retained in nuclei. This requires a nuclear export signal (NES) within Rev and an element within the RNA to which Rev binds. In yeast, heat shock causes accumulation of poly(A)+RNA within nuclei but heat-shock mRNAs are transcribed and exported efficiently. This requires elements within heat shock mRNA that probably interact with a cellular protein to facilitate RNA export. In these cases, the proteins that recognize critical sequences in the RNAs probably direct the RNAs to an RNA export pathway not generally used for mRNA export. This would circumvent the general retention of most poly(A)+mRNAs following heat shock in yeast and the need for complete splicing of viral mRNAs that travel through the normal mRNA export pathway.
Energy-Aware Computing

The introduction to the special issue discusses efforts in the area of energy-aware computing.
Using Tracer Tests to Assess Natural Attenuation of Contaminants along a Channelized Coastal Plain Stream

Tracer tests have been widely used in studies of solute transport, gas exchange, and nutrient cycling in streams. However, the use of tracer tests to assess natural attenuation of ground-water-derived contaminants in streams, particularly from point sources, has been limited. We used tracer tests in conjunction with stream gauging and contaminant analyses to study the fate of trichloroethene (TCE) and technetium-99 (99Tc), which seep from industrial contaminant plumes into a channelized, first-order stream in the Coastal Plain of western Kentucky. Six tests were conducted over a 20-month period along a 300-m reach downstream of contaminated springs. Bromide, rhodamine WT, and nitrate were introduced as slug tracers to assess dilution, sorption, and reduction, respectively. Propane was added as a continuous, volatile tracer. Tracer transport was modeled as one-dimensional, with transient storage and first-order mass loss. Results indicate that (1) TCE is attenuated by volatilization; (2) TCE sorption, TCE reduction, and 99Tc reduction are negligible or absent; and (3) dilution is negligible along the study reach.
Thermal Charge Conditioning for Optimal HCCI Engine Operation

This work investigates a purely thermal control system for HCCI engines, where thermal energy from exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and compression work in the supercharger are either recycled or rejected as needed. HCCI engine operation is analyzed with a detailed chemical kinetics code, HCT (Hydrodynamics, Chemistry and Transport), which has been extensively modified for application to engines. HCT is linked to an optimizer that determines the operating conditions that result in maximum brake thermal efficiency, while meeting the restrictions of low NO x and peak cylinder pressure. The results show the values of the operating conditions that yield optimum efficiency as a function of torque for a constant engine speed (1800 rpm). For zero torque (idle), the optimizer determines operating conditions that result in minimum fuel consumption. The optimizer is also used for determining the maximum torque that can be obtained within the operating restrictions of NO x and peak cylinder pressure. The results show that a thermally controlled HCCI engine can successfully operate over a wide range of conditions at high efficiency and low emissions.
Real-Time Observation of DNA Recognition by the RNA-Guided Endonuclease Cas9 using Single-Molecule FRET

The RNA-guided endonuclease Cas9 targets foreign DNA for degradation as part of an adaptive immune system in bacteria mediated by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR). Due in part to the ease of programmability, Cas9 is now being widely used in various organisms for site-specific genomic editing, genome-wide knockout screens, and transcriptional activation and repression. This system brings together three major classes of biopolymers (DNA, RNA and protein), but the specificity of different components for each other remains poorly understood. Perhaps most important, Cas9 has been shown to bind and cleave genomic DNA sequences with varying degrees of mismatches to the guide RNA, leading to potentially deleterious off-target effects. Previous methods to investigate the tolerability of mismatches have largely employed experimental methods that use Cas9-induced DNA cleavage as a readout of specificity and not direct binding. Recent ChIP-seq experiments suggest that off-target binding occurs at sites with complementarity in just a short 5-bp seed region, but the use of crosslinking obscures kinetic information and can potentially introduce artifacts. Here, we have used single-molecule FRET together with bulk biochemical assays to directly observe interactions between Cas9-RNA and DNA targets of varying sequence complementarity in real time. Using multiple distinct labeling geometries that report on both initial association and subsequent DNA unwinding, we develop a kinetic framework for the RNA-guided DNA interrogation process and provide insight into conformational changes that are required for target cleavage. Our findings resolve outstanding questions on the mechanism of DNA recognition by Cas9 and will facilitate improvements in genome engineering applications.
Trace Analysis of 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid, Its Glycineamide, and Their Alkaline Hydrolyzable Conjugates in Mouse Blood, Urine, and Feces

Chemical methods were developed for the trace analysis of the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, its glycineamide, and their alkaline hydrolyzable conjugates in mouse blood, urine, and feces. The salient elements of the methods are extraction of the free acids with benzene, methylation, cleanup on a silica gel column, and quantification via electron-capture GLC. Any unextracted conjugates remaining in the substrates are then subjected to alkaline hydrolysis, and the liberated 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid is assayed. Data are presented concerning recoveries of the compounds from the three spiked substrates. The utility of the procedures is illustrated by a preliminary pharmacokinetic study employing parallel electron-capture GLC and radioassays of the three substrates from mice injected with a single intravenous dose of 14C-2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid. GLC characteristics and partition values of the compounds and hydrolysis of the glycineamide under various conditions also are discussed.
Molecular Profiling of Synchronous and Metachronous Cancers of the Pancreas Reveal Molecular Mimicry Between Samples from the Same Patient

Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is rarely a survivable disease. In rare cases, separate synchronous tumors are discovered at the time of resection, while in others, patients present with a metachronous cancer after prior surgical resection. Studying molecular markers of synchronous and metachronous lesions may aid to clarify the biology of this often deadly disease. Methods Two patients presented with synchronous tumors (each one with a tumor in the pancreatic head/neck and the other in the tail, designated patients A and B). An additional patient (patient C) underwent an R0 resection for PDA of the head and recurred 1.5 y later with PDA in the tail. Genomic DNA was laser capture microdissected (LCM) from the tumor and molecular analysis was performed. K-ras status and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) were determined from multiple specimens for each case. Results All samples from each patient harbored identical K-ras mutations. In patient A, the tumor at the head of the pancreas had more clonal genetic instability as reflected by LOH analysis over multiple LCM samples. Patient B had more genetic instability in the tail lesion compared with the neck. Patient C had virtually the identical molecular profile in both tumors, supporting the notion that both tumors were related. Conclusion We conclude that the synchronous and metachronous tumors likely are initiated from identical precursor lesions and/or events (i.e., K-ras mutations). Future studies will need to investigate if these tumors will respond similarly to adjuvant therapies targeted against the clonal molecular events in the tumor.
Two-dimensional parametric study of geosynthetic-reinforced column-supported embankments by coupled hydraulic and mechanical modeling

Abstract Geosynthetic-reinforced column-supported (GRCS) embankments have been increasingly constructed over soft soil. Current design methods were developed based on different assumptions and simplifications, which lead to great variations among them. Numerical studies have been conducted to improve the understanding of the GRCS embankment system. Most of the past numerical studies were limited to mechanical modeling only (i.e., not coupled with hydraulic modeling), which can be used to evaluate long-term or short-term behavior by using appropriate mechanical properties. However, the generation and dissipation of excess pore water pressure under GRCS embankments during and after construction make their behavior time-dependent. A two-dimensional (2D) parametric study based on coupled hydraulic and mechanical modeling was conducted to study the time-dependent behavior of GRCS embankments under various conditions. Special attention was paid to the influence of several key factors on the performance of the embankments indicated by maximum and differential settlements, tension in the geosynthetic, and degree of consolidation. The investigated key factors include modulus and permeability of the soft soil, modulus and spacing of columns, tensile stiffness of the geosynthetic, and average construction rate. The influence of these factors are compared and rated in terms of the degree of importance in this study.
1H NMR studies of molecular mobility in wheat starch

Abstract Pulsed 1H NMR was used to determine moisture content and molecular mobility of wheat starch suspensions at water activity (aw) values between 0 and 0.93. Moisture determination by NMR agreed well with gravimetric determinations (R2=0.99). Transverse proton relaxation (T2) of the systems were identified using single pulse and CPMG experiments. T2 associated with starch molecules increased linearly from 7.1 to 10.1 μs as aw increased from 0 to 0.93, due to plasticizing effects of water. T2 associated with water molecules showed a linear increase up to aw of 0.69. Results indicated that 1H NMR could be employed to determine moisture content of starch suspension and to identify and quantify the molecular motion of starch chains and water molecules of starch suspensions at low moisture levels.
Random transverse motion-induced spatial compounding for fiber bundle imaging

We propose and demonstrate a novel fiber bundle imaging based on spatial compounding induced by random transverse motion to remove the pixelation effect, to improve resolution, and to increase image quality. The experimental results using a USAF target and pyramidal neuron cell showed that 20-frame compounding improved image quality (contrast-to-noise ratio by >9 dB, global SNR by >6 dB, equivalent number of looks by >1.8 times, and 1/β by >1.5 times), resolution by better than 2 μm, and completely eliminated pixelation artifact.
Regenerator performance with sinusoidal flow

The ineffectiveness of regenerators with sinusoidal laminar flow through parallel plate, screen, and packed sphere matrices is evaluated in the limit of infinite matrix heat capacity. Increases in ineffectiveness of up to 23 percent over the constant flow values result for parallel plate regenerators.
Quantitative study of chemical equilibria by flow injection analysis with diode array detection

Controlled dispersion as generated in flow injection analysis permits essentially infinite known compositional variations. If carrier-sample compositions are appropriately chosen, reasonably accurate values of equilibrium constants are easily obtained in proton-ligand and metal-ligand systems with multidimensional spectral detection. Choice of an appropriate carrier-sample buffer system is critical in proton-ligand studies and is discussed in detail. Metal-ligand association constants are reliably obtained with both high and low conditional stability constants. 10 references, 4 figures.
Pushing SRAM densities beyond 0.13-μm technology in the year 2000

For any given technology in the logic foundry business it is highly desirable to offer a dense SRAM design which can be manufactured using the same mask and wafer toolsets as the base design. This paper discusses the lithographic issues related to imaging a pseudo-0.11 um technology within a 0.13 um ground rule, including optical proximity correction, design, mask making issues, and comparison of top-down SEM to simulation. To achieve a dense SRAM and quick turn around on design shrinks, simulation and experimental feedback are key. In this study, SRAM cells were redesigned, and a well calibrated resist and etch bias model, in conjunction with a fast micro lithographic aerial image simulator and mask model, were used to predict and optimize the printed shapes through all critical levels. One of the key issues is the ability to correlate and feedback experimental data into the resist simulation. Experimental results using attenuated phase shift masks and state-of-the-art resist process technology are compared to the simulation.
α-TOCOPHEROL β-OXIDATION LOCALIZED TO RAT LIVER MITOCHONDRIA

Approximately 40% of Americans take dietary supplements, including vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol). Unlike other fat-soluble vitamins, alpha-tocopherol is not accumulated to toxic levels. Rather tissue levels are tightly regulated, in part via increased hepatic metabolism and excretion that could, theoretically, alter metabolism of drugs, environmental toxins, and other nutrients. To date, in vivo subcellular location(s) of alpha-tocopherol metabolism have not been identified. The proposed pathway of alpha-tocopherol metabolism proceeds via omega-hydroxylation to 13'-OH-alpha-tocopherol, followed by successive rounds of beta-oxidation to form alpha-CEHC. To test the hypothesis that alpha-tocopherol omega-hydroxylation occurs in microsomes while beta-oxidation occurs in peroxisomes, rats received daily injections of vehicle, 10 mg alpha-tocopherol, or 10 mg trolox/100 g body wt for 3 days, and then microsomes, mitochondria, and peroxisomes were isolated from liver homogenates. Homogenate alpha-tocopherol levels increased 16-fold in alpha-tocopherol-injected rats, while remaining unchanged in trolox- or vehicle-injected rats. Total alpha-tocopherol recovered in the three subcellular fractions represented 93+/-4% of homogenate alpha-tocopherol levels. In alpha-tocopherol-injected rats, microsome alpha-tocopherol levels increased 28-fold, while mitochondria and peroxisome levels increased 8- and 3-fold, respectively, indicating greater partitioning of alpha-tocopherol to the microsomes with increasing liver alpha-tocopherol. In alpha-tocopherol-injected rats, microsome 13'-OH-alpha-tocopherol levels increased 24-fold compared to controls, and were 7-fold greater than 13'-OH-alpha-tocopherol levels in peroxisome and mitochondrial fractions of alpha-tocopherol-injected rats. An unexpected finding was that alpha-CEHC, the end product of alpha-tocopherol metabolism, was found almost exclusively in mitochondria. These data are the first to indicate a mitochondrial role in alpha-tocopherol metabolism.
Toward an Expert System for Development of Pest Simulation Models

Computer modeling of pest population dynamics has assumed an important role in many integrated pest management programs. This approach would perhaps see even wider application if the existing modeling expertise were either more readily available or less expensive. Expert systems is a recently emerging technology that promises to reduce the expense associated with human expertise for some restricted problem domains. In this report I discuss development of a computer program, motivated from expert systems approaches, that automatically assembles a model describing insect population phenology. The ultimate goal of this research is to provide a system that generates an independent model comprising a complete life system description. Therefore, the current system represents only a first step toward meeting this goal. The current system is further restricted to the relatively straight-forward case of building a phenological model based on laboratory data. Nevertheless, the system results in significant time saving for problems in this restricted domain, and its performance is judged to compare favorably with that of a human modeler.
Disruption studies of a Candida albicans gene, ELF1 : a member of the ATP-binding cassette family

A 3.6 kb gene (ELF1) with homology to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) gene family has been isolated from genomic libraries of Candida albicans. Members of this gene family include both membrane transport proteins which confer a drug-resistance phenotype, and proteins whose functions are associated with protein translation. ELF1 (Elongation Like Factor) showed greatest homology with a Saccharomyces cerevisiae ORF (YPL226W), whose function is unknown, and lower homology with fungal elongation factor 3 (EF-3) genes. In comparison, homology with a gene conferring a drug-resistant phenotype (CDR1) was low. To understand the function of ELF1 in C. albicans, gene-knockout experiments were conducted using the hisG-URA3-hisG disruption cassette. Both single-copy (heterozygote) and double-disrupted strains in ELF1 were isolated. Phenotypically, the disrupted strains grew more slowly than wild-type and produced a mixture of large, irregular cells and apparently normal cells.
Nitric oxide sustains nuclear factor kappaB activation in cytokine-stimulated chondrocytes.

Abstract Objective In the current studies we have examined the effects of nitric oxide, and its redox derivatives peroxynitrite and S -nitrosothiol, S -nitrosocysteine, on nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) activation in cytokine-stimulated bovine chondrocytes. Methods The kinetics of NF-κB activation (p65 nuclear translocation) were assessed by immunofluorescence and immunoblot assays. Results We observed that the two nitric oxide redox species, peroxynitrite and S -nitrosocysteine, exert opposing effects on NF-κB activation. However, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/cytokine-stimulated chondrocytes (LPS, IL-1β and TNF-α (LIT)) in the presence or absence of the NOS inhibitor l-NG-monomethyl arginine citrate (l-NMMA), the results indicate that nitric oxide causes persistent activation of NF-κB, most likely via generation of the free radical derivative peroxynitrite. Conclusion The studies indicate that while nitric oxide is not required for immediate NF-κB activation in cytokine-stimulated chondrocytes, its effect is to sustain nuclear translocation of p65 and thereby provide a persistent "on signal" to NF-κB dependent gene transcription. Persistent activation of NF-κB may represent a mechanism by which nitric oxide sustains catabolic processes and promotes cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis.
Eigenvalues basic to diffusion in a hollow cylinder without azimuthal symmetry

Abstract The eigenvalues needed for the computation of transient heat or mass diffusion in a hollow cylinder without azimuthal symmetry are calculated. The first 10 eigenvalues are tabulated for the convection boundary condition at the outer and inner surfaces for several different values of the radius ratio, the Biot number and the separation constant associated with the azimuthal variation.
A web-based sensor monitoring system on a Linux-based single board computer platform

This paper describes a web based sensor monitoring system on two different platforms: a Linux based computer and an embedded Linux-based single board computer. In order to accomplish this, we have used a 'LabJack' hardware interface device and Technologic System's 'TS-7400' single board computer. The software design uses open source software packages including the MySQL database server, PHP sever side scripting and Debian based Linux 2.6. The aim of this project was to make a cost effective network-based sensor monitoring system which is portable for various applications.
Coronary Vascular Nitric Oxide Activity in Hypertension and Hypercholesterolemia Comparison of Acetylcholine and Substance P

Background Whether the abnormal responses of the human coronary circulation to acetylcholine in patients with hypertension and hypercholesterolemia extend to other, nonmuscarinic stimulators of the endothelium and whether this signifies a specific abnormality of NO is not known. Methods and Results We studied 26 patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries, 10 without risk factors, and 16 with either hypertension (n=9) and/or hypercholesterolemia (n=10). Dose-response curves were performed with acetylcholine, substance P, and sodium nitroprusside before and after NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (L-NMMA). Substance P produced predominantly epicardial coronary dilation, whereas the dilating effect of acetylcholine was mainly microvascular. There was no correlation between the responses to the two drugs. L-NMMA did not affect the response to sodium nitroprusside, but it suppressed dilation in response to both substance P and acetylcholine, suggesting that the latter promote bioavailability of NO from the...
MDA5 and MAVS Mediate Type I Interferon Responses to Coxsackie B Virus

Coxsackie B viruses (CVB) are enteroviruses that have been associated with a variety of human diseases, including myocarditis. In the present study, we found that MDA5 and its adaptor molecule MAVS are critical for type I interferon responses to CVB, since the absence of either MAVS or MDA5 leads to deficient type I interferon production and early mortality in mice infected with CVB. Pancreatic and hepatic necrosis were observed on histopathological examination of MAVS and MDA5 knockout mice infected with CVB. Inflammatory cytokine production in response to systemic CVB infection was independent of MAVS. Surprisingly, virus titers were not elevated in MAVS-deficient mice, despite significant reductions in type I interferon levels. These data highlight the importance of type I interferon in host defense and provide insight on the mechanisms of innate immune responses following coxsackievirus infection.
Selective stabilization of microtubules within the proximal region of developing axonal neurites

Abstract This study examined the distribution of labile and stable microtubules (MTs) during axonal neurite elaboration in NB2a/d1 cells using immunocytochemical markers of unmodified (tyrosinated; Tyr), modified (detyrosinated [Glu] and acetylated [Acet]) and total tubulin. Prominent total and Tyr tubulin immunoreactivity was relatively evenly distributed throughout axonal neurites. By contrast, Acet or Glu immunoreactivity was relatively concentrated within the proximal region of the neurite. Ultrastructural analyses demonstrated an array of longitudinal MTs that apparently span the entire neurite length. The observed differential localization of modified tubulin subunits in axonal neurites of these cells may therefore derive from selective stabilization of proximal regions of full-length axonal MTs. This was substantiated by the observation of Acet immunoreactivity on 30–50% of MTs within the most proximal axonal region, along with a proximal-distal decline to ≤5% of Acet-immunoreactive MTs, in immunoelectron microscopy (immuno-EM) analyses. Microinjected biotinylated subunits were initially detected in assembled form within soma and proximal neurites, indicative of ongoing tubulin subunit incorporation into MTs within, and/or MT translocation into, proximal neurites. Because acetylation and detyrosination are functions of MT age, their concentration in this region despite deposition and/or transport of biotinylated tubulin suggests that a subset of axonal MTs undergoes subunit turnover and/or translocation at rates vastly slower than that of the majority of axonal MTs. Selective stabilization of the proximal region of a subset of axonal MTs may serve to construct a relatively stationary scaffold against which other axonal elements could translocate to more distal axonal regions for continued axonal outgrowth.
Language embedding and optimization in mython

Mython is an extensible variant of the Python programming language. Mython achieves extensibility by adding a quotation mechanism that accepts an additional parameter as well as the code being quoted. The additional quotation parameter takes the form of a Mython expression. Unlike other user code, Mython evaluates the quotation parameter at compile-time. The result of the compile-time expression is a function that is used to both parse the quoted code, and extend the compile-time environment. By explicitly passing the compilation environment to compile-time quotation functions, Mython's parameterized quotation allows users to inject code into the language compiler. Injected code can extend the language by modifying the compilation phases, which are visible to the compilation environment. The Mython language is realized by the MyFront compiler, a tool for translating Mython into Python byte-code modules. This paper introduces the Mython language, describes the implementation and usage of the MyFront tool, and shows how MyFront can be used to implement domain-specific optimizations using a little rewrite language.
Arginylation and Methylation Double Up to Regulate Nuclear Proteins and Nuclear Architecture In Vivo

Protein arginylation and arginine methylation are two posttranslational modifications of emerging importance that involve Arg residues and their modifications. To test a hypothesis that posttranslationally added arginines can be methylated, we used high-precision mass spectrometry and metabolic labeling to find whether posttranslationally added arginines can serve as methylation sites. We identified a number of proteins in vivo, on which posttranslationally added Arg have undergone mono- and dimethylation. This double modification predominantly affects the chromatin-containing nuclear fraction and likely plays an important regulatory role in chromatin-associated proteins. Moreover, inhibition of arginylation and Arg methylation results in a significant reduction of the nucleus size in cultured cells, suggesting changes in chromatin compaction and nuclear architecture. Our findings suggest a functional link between protein regulation by arginylation and methylation that affects nuclear structure in vivo.
Morphological changes in spinal motor neurons giving rise to long-term regenerated sciatic nerve axons.

Morphological properties of rat spinal motor neurons were examined 14–16 months following unilateral sciatic nerve crush and compared to the properties observed in neurons contralateral to injury and in cord segments from age-matched control rats. Regenerated and control motor neurons were identified by retrograde labelling with HRP applied to sciatic nerves distal to the site of crush or at a comparable location in control nerves. Many of the experimental motor neurons were enlarged and had thickened dendritic processes compared to the finer dendrites seen in control cells. Mean cell area ipsilateral to the crush lesions was larger than mean control cell area (P-value < 0.001) despite representation of all control areas in the regenerated population. These data suggest that persistent or continued morphological abnormalities occur in mammalian motor neurons following simple sciatic crush injury when examined at extended times beyond the period of axonal regeneration and clinical recovery.
Matching moments to phase distributions: nonlinear programming approaches

We present a nonlinear programming (NLP) approach to the problem of matching three moments to phase distributions. We first discuss the formulation and implementation of a general NLP problem and then consider NLP problems for searching over two families of phase distributions: mixtures of two Erlang distributions and real-parametered continuous Coxian distributions. Restricting the search to select from a subset of phase distributions allows us to greatly simplify the NLP problem, resulting in more efficient and predictable search procedures. Conversely, the restriction also reduces the variety of distributions the search algorithm can select. Tradeoffs between the formulations and possible refinements and extensions are discussed.
A prospective study of botulinum toxin for internal anal sphincter hypertonicity in children with Hirschsprung's disease.

Background: Internal anal sphincter hypertonicity with nonrelaxation can cause persistent constipation and obstructive symptoms in children after surgery for Hirschsprung’s disease. Intractable symptoms traditionally have been treated with anal myectomy, which may be ineffective or complicated by long-term incontinence. The authors evaluated prospectively the use of intrasphincteric botulinum toxin for these patients. Methods: Eighteen children were studied (age 1 to 13; median, 4 years). Botulinum toxin was injected (total dose 15 to 60 U) into 4 quadrants of the sphincter. Resting sphincter pressure was measured in 14 patients before and after injection. Ten have had 1 to 5 additional injections (total dose, 30 to 60 U per injection). Results: Four patients had no improvement in bowel function, 2 had improvement for less than 1 month, 7 had improvement for 1 to 6 months, and 5 had improvement more than 6 months. Nine of those with symptomatic improvement longer than 1 month had pressures measured, with a documented decrease in 8. Five with no significant clinical improvement had pressure measurements, with a decrease in 3. There were no adverse effects associated with botulinum toxin injection. Four children had new encopresis postinjection, which was mild and resolved in each case. Conclusions: Intrasphincteric botulinum toxin is a safe and less-invasive alternative to myectomy for symptomatic internal sphincter hypertonicity. Persistent symptoms, despite a fall in sphincter pressure, suggest a nonsphincteric etiology. Repeat injections often are necessary for recurrent symptoms.
Interendocrine regulation of the corpora allata and prothoracic glands of Manduca sexta

Abstract Regulation of the haemolymph titres of ecdysteroids and the juvenile hormones (JH) during larval-pupal development of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta , involves the interendocrine control of the synthesis of each hormone by the other. Temporal relationships between the ecdysteroid titre peaks in the fourth and early fifth larval instar and the increases in corpora allata (CA) activity at these times suggests that ecdysteroids are evoking the increases. Incubation of brain-corpora cardiaca-corpora allata (Br-CC-CA) complexes and isolated CA from these stages with 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE) revealed that 20-HE stimulates CA activity and that it does this indirectly via the Br-CC. The resulting increase in the JH titre after the commitment (first) peak in the fifth instar stimulates the fat body to secrete a factor which appears to be the same as a haemolymph stimulatory factor for the prothoracic glands. This moiety acts as a secondary effector that modulates the activity of the prothoracic glands and thus the ecdysteroid titre. These findings together have begun to elucidate the mechanisms by which the principal developmental hormones in the insect interact to regulate postembryonic development.
On a conjecture of Gohberg and Rodman

Abstract Gohberg and Rodman in Linear Algebra Appl. 76:85–120 (1986) give an algorithm to construct a sequence of matrices supposedly satisfying certain conditions related to Conjecture 7.2 in that paper. Unfortunately, this construction fails to satisfy those conditions. We give a different sequence having the desired properties along with verifying the conjecture for another special case. Finally, we show that the conjecture, in its generality, is false.
Skeletal Muscle Ventricles in Continuity with the Bloodstream

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF STUDY The prevalence of end-stage congestive heart failure and limitation of clinical alternative treatments present the need for creative new solutions. Formation of a ventricle from skeletal muscle (SMV) has shown promise in the animal laboratory. Two modes of the SMV for cardiac assistance, the counterpulsation (CP-SMV) and the ventricular assist (VA-SMV), using the latissimus dorsi muscle were applied in a canine model. Ability to augment arterial pressure was assessed. The effect of stimulation delay on the degree of augmentation was also evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS Thirty-five SMVs were connected in continuity with the bloodstream in the two modes: (1) CP-SMV (aorta-to-aorta) (n = 12); and (2) VA-SMV (left ventricular [LV] apex-to-aorta) (n = 23). In the CP-SMV mode, designed to simulate the intra-aortic balloon pump, the SMV was simply interposed into the path of the descending aorta (DAo) without prosthetic valves in either the inflow or the outflow conduit. In order to obligate blood flow through the SMV, the DAo was ligated between the two grafts. In the VA-SMV mode, the connection was made with valved conduits from the LV apex (inflow) to the ascending aorta (outflow) (n = 11) or to the DAo (n = 12). The ascending aorta (AAo) was also ligated proximal to the outflow conduit for the same reason of obligating blood flow through the SMV. The SMV was timed to contract in diastole in both the CP-SMV mode and the VA-SMV mode. In the VA-SMV mode, the average systolic pressure without stimulation was 101.6 +/- 2.2 mmHg and with stimulation 118.21 +/- 4.78 mmHg (mean augmentation, 14.5 +/- 2.6 mmHg) (p < 0.01). In the CP-SMV mode, the average systolic pressure without stimulation was 97 +/- 32 mmHg and with stimulation, 122 +/- 26 mmHg (mean augmentation, 25 +/- 8.6 mmHg) (p < 0.001). We also extended earlier work on timing of stimulation of isolated SMV by evaluating the effect of stimulation delay on the degree of augmentation in continuity with the bloodstream with the SMV in the VA-SMV configuration. Delays of 50 msec to 225 msec were evaluated. SMV stimulation was via the thoracodorsal nerve at an amplitude of 1.5 V and a frequency of 25 Hz. The greatest augmentation occurred at a stimulation delay of 150 msec (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Both counterpulsation and assist configurations produced effective diastolic augmentation. Although diastolic augmentation occurred with all timing delays, the optimal delay was 150 msec. Complications in the survival animals include AAo problems, SMV rupture, respiratory insufficiency, intraoperative instability, and thrombosis (which occurred in 51% [18/35] of the animals). This high frequency of thrombosis in the canine model suggests the use of a less thrombogenic SMV lining, more aggressive or prolonged anticoagulation, or an alternative animal model.
Accuracy of percussion of the left cardiac border

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of percussion of the left cardiac border. Sixty-six adult patients were studied. The left cardiac border as determined by percussion and marked with a calibrated lead marker was compared with that obtained by a chest X-ray. The error in locating the left cardiac border by percussion ranged from underestimating by 5.0 cm to overestimating by 5.5 cm. The mean absolute error was 1.6 cm (SD = 1.6 cm). In 74% (4966) and 85% (5666) of the patients the percussed border was within 1.0 and 2.0 cm, respectively, of that established by X-ray. In 24 of the 66 cases, a second examiner also independently percussed the left cardiac border. The differences between the location determined by the two observers ranged from 0 to 4 cm with a mean difference of 1.2 cm (SD = 1.0 cm). Conclusion: Percussion can accurately locate the left cardiac border in the adult patient and is a reproducible technique.
Diabetes Mellitus and Heart Failure: Epidemiology, Mechanisms, and Pharmacotherapy

Diabetes mellitus and heart failure (HF), both of which are associated with high rates of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, commonly coexist. Given the marked increases in diabetes prevalence in developed countries, the proportion of the population with both conditions is likely to increase substantially. This article reviews the epidemiology of HF and diabetes, the mechanisms whereby diabetes causes HF, and the pharmacotherapy of both HF and diabetes. Specific challenges in treating patients with both HF and diabetes are also addressed.
Evaluating an educational intervention on lateral violence.

OBJECTIVES Discuss an educational intervention to combat lateral violence in nursing. Describe the results and implications of the intervention. List the common behaviors associated with lateral violence. DISCLOSURE STATEMENT Neither the planners nor the authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose. BACKGROUND: Lateral violence involves disruptive behaviors that lead to toxic work environments. The purpose of this project was to determine the effects of an educational intervention to increase awareness and teach cognitive rehearsal to combat lateral violence. METHOD: A one-time pretest-posttest evaluation design was used to evaluate the effects of a 1.5-hour educational intervention. Participants were nurses on two nursing units; 29 respondents participated in the pretest, and 25 respondents participated in the posttest. RESULTS: Positive trends were related to the decreasing frequency of lateral violence behaviors experienced and observed after the intervention. Participants were better able to identify causes of lateral violence in their work units, suggesting the educational intervention was successful in creating a healthier work environment and decreasing the incidence of lateral violence behaviors. CONCLUSION: Further evaluation is needed to determine whether the intervention would be effective over time. This project was limited by design and sample size. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2014;45(8):344-350. Language: en
An Ecological Study of Hardwood Swamps in North-Central Florida

The hardwood swamps of north—central Florida may be divided into two groups: (1) mixed swamps and (2) bayheads. The former is characterized by deciduous species and the latter by evergreen species. Mixed swamps occupy sites which are usually higher in calcium, magnesium, calcium/magnesium ratios, calcium/potassium ratios, pH, and depth of maximum flooding. Sabal palmetto, Fraxinum caroliniana, Ulmus floridana, and Taxodium distichum are more restricted to the mixed swamp habitat, while Gordonia lasianthus, Persea palustris, and Magnolia virginiana are more confined to bayhead. Quercus nigra, Acer rubrum, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Nyssa sylvatica occupy both habitats. Though several species link the two communities, the two habitats can be effectively separated by certain edaphic variables. See full-text article at JSTOR
Oxygen effects on glucose measurements with a reference analyzer and three handheld meters.

Oxygen may affect glucose meter and reference analyzer measurements. We evaluated the effects of changes in blood oxygen tension (Po2) on Accu-Chek Comfort Curve (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN),™ Precision G,™ (Abbott Laboratories, Bedford, MA) and One Touch II® (Lifescan, Milpitas, CA) glucose meter measurements, and on Yellow Springs Instruments (YSI) (Yellow Springs, OH) reference analyzer measurements. Venous blood drawn from healthy volunteers was adjusted to three glucose levels of 80, 200, and 400 mg/dL, each tonometered with six different Po2 levels (40, 80, 160, 240, 320, and 400 torr). To quantitate oxygen effects on reference analyzer measurements, glucose differences between test sample (Po changed) and control (Po 80 torr) were calculated (YSItest-YSIcontrol). The threshold for determination of oxygen effects was ± 2 SD, where 2 SD was from YSI between-day precision evaluated with aqueous controls. To quantitate oxygen effects on glucose meter measurements, paired-differences between gl...
A Mechanistic Model for Countercurrent Steam-Water Flow

A one-dimensional model has been developed to describe the flow behavior of a liquid film draining down a heated wall, in the presence of countercurrent vapor flow. The effects of nonequilibrium void generation at the walls and condensation of countercurrent vapor on the penetrating liquid film interface, as well as on the bypassed liquid, have been considered. The momentum exchange is described by a correlation, assumed to apply at the entrance region, where the amount of liquid film flow is limited by the net vapor upflow. Theoretical predictions were compared with over 600 test results, obtained in 1/15- and 2/15-scale models of a PWR downcomer, over a wide range of test parameters. The comparisons exhibit a fairly good agreement.
Tandem Fourier-transform mass spectrometry☆

Advantages of the Fourier-transform mass spectrometer for tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) include the ability to perform consecutive mass separations (even MS superscript) in its one analyzer cell, unusually high resolution (1,000,000 at m/z 300) which is independent of ion kinetic energy, simultaneous (multichannel) detection of nearly all masses, sub-picomole sensitivity, high mass range (> 16000 daltons) without detector limitations, collisionally activated dissociation of ions of energies of volts to kilovolts with efficient daughter-ion trapping, and flexible capabilities for ion/molecule reactions and ion photodissociation.