cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Erythropoietin Fusion Protein Comprised of Identical Repeating Domains Exhibits Enhanced Biological Properties

The hematopoietic growth factor erythropoietin (Epo) initiates its intracellular signaling cascade by binding to and inducing the homodimerization of two identical receptor molecules. We have now constructed and expressed in COS cells a cDNA encoding a fusion protein consisting of two complete human Epo domains linked in tandem by a 17-amino acid flexible peptide. On SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the Epo-Epo fusion protein migrated as a broad band with an average apparent molecular mass of 76 kDa, slightly more than twice the average apparent molecular mass of Epo, 37 kDa. Enzymatic N-deglycosylation resulted in an Epo-Epo species that migrated on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as a narrow band with an average apparent molecular mass of 39 kDa. The specific activity of the Epo-Epo fusion protein in vitro (1,007 IU/microgram; 76 IU/pmol) was significantly greater than that of Epo (352 IU/microgram; 13 IU/pmol). Moreover, secretion of Epo-Epo by COS cells was 8-fold greater than that of Epo. Subcutaneous administration of a single dose of Epo-Epo to mice resulted in a significant increase in red blood cell production within 7 days. In contrast, administration of an equivalent dose of conventional recombinant Epo was without effect. The pharmacokinetic behavior of Epo-Epo differed significantly from that of Epo. The results suggest that Epo-Epo may have important biological and therapeutic advantages.
The Influence of a Ductile Interphase on the Overall Elastoplastic Behavior of a Fiber-Reinforced Composite

While there exist various homogenization theories for the plasticity of a fiber-reinforced composite, no such theories have been explicitly developed to account for the influence of a ductile interphase. In this paper a simple scheme is developed for such a purpose. The theory evolved out of the work of Qiu and Weng (1992) and Hu (1996), and bears an identical structure to Ponte Castaneda's (1991) variational procedure and Suquet's (1995, 1996) modified secant moduli approach. An exact solution under the plane-strain biaxial loading is also developed to assess the accuracy of the theory. It is found that, with either a soft or a hard interphase and with or without work-hardening, the homogenization theory can produce sufficiently accurate results under this condition. The theory is then used to examine the influence of the interphase volume concentration on the anisotropic behavior of the composite under axial tension, transverse tension, axial shear, and transverse shear, with both a soft and a hard interphase. The results indicate that, while the axial tensile behavior is not sensitive to the interphase concentration, the behaviors under other types of loading are greatly affected by its presence, especially when the interphase is softer than the matrix.
Fluorine substitution in YBa2Cu3O7−x

Abstract Superconducting YBa2Cu3O6.94 is sealed with ZnF2 in 2:1 and 1:1 mole ratios in evacuated Vycor tubes, care being taken to keep the powdered materials physically separate. The ampules are heated at 280–290°C for several days. The ZnF2 is converted to ZnO and F- is introduced to produce YBa2Cu3OxFy. The composition of one preparation appears to be YBa2Cu3O6.6F0.4. The fluorinated phases are semiconductors. When they are heated to 600 °C BaF2 and CuO is produced as the lattice F- reacts. At 900 °C Y2BaCuO5 is also observed in an x-ray diffraction diagram in addition to a remaining superconducting oxide component that had Tc ≈ 85K.
Galectin-1 plays an essential role in intravenous tolerance induction in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

with altered immune responses in autoimmune diseases. Since in the mixed populations of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) cell-specific methylation is masked, determination of methylation profiles of distinct immune cell subsets is of most importance for studies of immune-mediated disease states. In this study, our goal was to characterize the relationship of expression and methylation profiles in four human immune cell subsets: B cells, monocytes, CD4 and CD8 T cells obtained from healthy donors. The cell subsets were purified from five healthy females by FACs sorting; RNA and DNA were extracted and hybridized to HumanHT-12 and HumanMethylation450 bead chips respectively. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between the four subsets were identified, and distinct methylation and expression profiles characterized. Classification of the DMRs based on their genomic position relatively to the transcription start site or CpG islands identified a strong enrichment of DMRs in genebodies and CpG shores. Combining our data of females with similar data of males from the public domain highlighted gender specific methylation in about 10% of the CpG sites shared by all cell subsets. However, the cell specific DMRs we identified in the male dataset highly overlap with the cell-specific DMRs identified in females, with hardly any gender effect. The correlation between methylation and expression profile was assessed in both datasets in each of the four subsets, revealing both positive and negative correlations, the latter being the most frequent in all subsets. Pathway analysis of the CD14 subset data showed that negatively correlated genes were enriched in a pathway of inflammatory response, while positively correlated genes were enriched in cell death. Our results provide data to study the complex relationships between methylation and gene expression. Furthermore, the obtained expression and methylation profiles may serve as control references for studies of immune-cell profiles in patients with autoimmune diseases.
DIMENSIONS OF INEFFECTIVE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP: THE TEACHERS' PERSPECTIVE

The study reported in this paper examines teachers' perspectives on ineffective school leadership. Unstructured and structured interviews, open‐ended questionnaires, and observations were used to collect data from teachers in one urban high school in the southeastern United States. Data were collected and analyzed according to guidelines for grounded theory research. This paper describes factors teachers identified with ineffective school principals and the impact of these factors on the teachers and their relationships with other faculty, students, and parents. Theoretical ideas derived from the data are discussed. These ideas focus on relationships between school principal factors and the sociocultural context of the school.
The Ring and the Gaze: Robert Browning's LOVE AMONG THE RUINS

According to Isobel Armstrong, the title of Robert Browning’s Men and Women (1855) “declares the absence of the woman’s voice. The conjunction gives men and women equal status and simultaneously subordinates women as a secondary category: men—and women” (287; italics in original). Like Armstrong, the majority of criticism concerning “Love Among the Ruins” (1855), the opening poem of Men and Women, sees masculine supremacy and feminine subjugation as the central design of gender power balance in this poem, a design pointing to “that fascination with women which is everywhere in Victorian poetry and to their historic function as subordinates” (Armstrong 287).1 Contrary to such trends, I would like to suggest that in this poem the feminine presence ultimately supersedes the masculine. Interpretations that tip the gender balance to the masculine tend to disregard the fact that it is the two female figures, the “girl” and the “Earth” (lines 55 and 80), who have the final say in the male/female relationship in this poem. On one level, this poem depicts the inevitable dissolution of patriarchal civilization into feminine nature, that is, “Earth’s returns” (80). Matching this design is the return of the man to the woman, represented by the male protagonist’s meeting with the “girl” (55). Although the alignment of women with nature is often interpreted in terms of feminine subordination, this poem attempts to show agency within what appears to be feminine passivity. The female figures of the poem circumvent their male counterparts—with their fleeting acts of materialistic pursuance—and ultimately take on a position of greater prominence, revealing a world where, in due time, patriarchal civilization falls subordinate to nature and women.
Rapid and widespread response of the Lower Mississippi River to eustatic forcing during the last glacial-interglacial cycle: Discussion

[Shen et al. (2012)][1] address critical issues related to fluctuating late Pleistocene sea levels, associated climate phases, and their likely impact during erosion and aggradation episodes in the Lower and Middle Mississippi River Valley. Nineteen new Pleistocene optically stimulated luminescence
The elastic stability of twisted plates

Since Coulomb's and Saint-Venant's fundamental work, many researches have studied the effect of twisting on elastic bodies. The work presented here investigates instabilities that can occur when thin bodies are subject to large twists and extends work by A. E. Green published in 1937. Because large twists are considered, a fully nonlinear plate theory is used. This theory predicts compressive lateral membrane stresses not predicted by Green's weakly nonlinear theory. These stresses can significantly alter the twist angle at which buckling occurs. Two conditions for the opposing twisted end supports are considered. In one case the supports are held a fixed distance apart and in the other case the force applied to the supports is held fixed during twist. The buckling modes and critical twist angles vary significantly depending on the support condition used.
Physicochemical Changes in Eggs Preserved in Water Glass

Abstract Observations made by Janke and Jirak (1934) indicated that changes occurred in the refractive index and phosphorus content of albumen and yolk in eggs stored in water glass for ten months at a temperature which was not designated. It is fairly well known that at low temperatures water glass has its maximum effectiveness as an aid in delaying deterioration in eggs. Certain physicochemical changes which take place in the aging egg can be used as indices to demonstrate this fact. Three lots of eggs were stored for six months in water glass at average temperatures of 35°F., 56.5°F., and 78°F., respectively. A sample of six eggs was then taken from each lot and tested for fluorescence of shell, hydrogen-ion concentration and refractive index of albumen and yolk, and coagulation point and foaming properties of albumen. The average results, summarized in table 1, show the progressively greater deterioration which occurs with . . .
The precautionary principle and risk–risk tradeoffs: a comment

We are pleased that Hansen, von Krauss and Tickner (2008) (hereafter ‘HKT’) found our risk–risk framework helpful in their analysis of 33 case studies of alleged instances where efforts to reduce a...
The Missionary Politics of Hugo Chávez

Through the application of an analytical model categorized as “missionary,” this article examines the cultural and political-religious frames that sustain the leadership of Hugo Chavez. It demonstrates that missionary politics is a forceful presence in today’s Venezuela, and should be understood as a form of political religion characterized by a dynamic relationship between a charismatic leader and a moral community that is invested with a mission of salvation against conspiratorial enemies. The leader’s verbal and nonverbal discourses play an essential role in the development of such a missionary mode of politics, which seeks to provide the alienated mass of underprivileged citizens with an identity and a sense of active participation in national affairs. This study argues that purely utilitarian and materialistic explanations of Chavez’s leadership fail to capture these soteriological dynamics in his movement.
Low Level Expression of Basic FGF Upregulates Bcl-2 and Delays Apoptosis, But High Intracellular Levels are Required to Induce Transformation in NIH 3T3 Cells

We investigated the roles of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the transformation and survival of NIH 3T3 cells. We constructed NIH 3T3-derived cell lines expressing human bFGF using retroviral gene transfer with an N2-based vector. Clonally derived cell lines containing a single copy of the vector overexpress bFGF mRNA and produce more immunoreactive protein (0.407 +/- 0.010-3.028 +/- 0.087 ng bFGF/10(6) cells) which is biologically active than nontransduced (0.151 +/- 0.013 ng bFGF/10(6) cells) or N2-transduced (0.211 +/- 0.029 ng bFGF/10(6) cells) NIH 3T3 cells. All cells producing excess amounts of bFGF achieve greater density at confluence, show delayed apoptosis and increased survival and have elevated intracellular levels of Bcl-2. However, only cells expressing from 8-15 times background levels of bFGF are phenotypically transformed. The transformed cells form dense foci at confluence, have decreased adherence to tissue culture plates and grow colonies in soft agar. Exogenous bFGF induces higher Bcl-2 levels in a dose dependent manner and recapitulates the antiapoptotic effects of the overexpressed species but fails to induce changes associated with the transformed phenotype. In this study, we demonstrate a dissociation between phenotypic transformation secondary to bFGF overexpression and upregulation of cellular Bcl-2 that correlates with a delay in programmed cell death. Although low level expression of bFGF or exogenous bFGF is sufficient to upregulate Bcl-2 and delay apoptosis, high intracellular levels are required for cellular transformation. These data suggest that overexpression of bFGF modulates cellular transformation and Bcl-2-mediated inhibition of apoptosis through alternate molecular mechanisms.
Fast Membrane H+ Binding in the Light‐Activated State of Chromatium Chromatophores

A fast and sensitive single-beam spectrophotometer and a variety of flash and steady-state illumination sources permit the resolution of bromcresol purple absorbancy changes from background absorbancy changes of Chromatium chromatophores, and identification of these fast absorbancy changes with rapid H+ binding by the chromatophores. A saturating light flash gives a rate several hundred times faster than that obtained in continuous light, the maximal rate being about 50 H+/chlorophyll μsec, with a magnitude of the H+: chlorophyll ratio of 1:30 and a duration for the H+ binding reaction, measured by absorbancy changes of bromcresol purple, of 2.2 msec (half-time, 800 μsec for a 200 μsec flash). A single turnover flash (10 μsec) yields an H+: chlorophyll value of 1:100, with a duration of the H+ change of 800 μsec and a half-time of 400 μsec. A double-flash technique shows the recovery for the fast H+ reaction to have a half-time of 60 msec. The effects of pH, temperature, uncouplers, and inhibitors are also reported. While the hydrogen ion binding would appear to be closely associated with the reduction of an electron acceptor, Y, particularly on the basis of the similar amounts of the two substances (roughly one each per hundred chlorophyll) the reduction time for Y of 27 μsec is over ten-fold shorter than the H+ binding time in single flash experiments. In addition, the pH sensitivities and activation energies of the two reactions differ. Thus, either an unidentified electron acceptor is involved in the fast H+ changes, or there is no direct relationship between electron transport and H+ binding. If the latter is the case, we propose that electron transport through the photosynthetic center produces in 800 μsec a state of the membrane (a “membrane Bohr effect”) in which hydrogen ion binding is considerably enhanced.
EFFECT OF SEVERAL EXPERIMENTAL PARAMETERS ON COMBINATION OF RED KIDNEY BEAN (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS) α‐AMYLASE INHIBITOR WITH PORCINE PANCREATIC α‐AMYLASE

Purified red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) amylase inhibitor forms a 1:1 stoichiometric complex with porcine pancreatic α-amylase leading to complete loss of enzyme activity on starch. Rate of complex formation is pH dependent and is maximal at pH 5. The rate constants for complex formation, as measured by loss of amylase activity, were 2.85 × 104 M-1 sec-1 at pH 6.9 (ionic strength of 0.918) and 2.55 × 105 M-1 sec-1 at pH 5 at 30°C. At pH 6.9, rate of complex formation was 4.8 times faster at 0.918 ionic strength as compared with the rate at 0.138 ionic strength. At 30°C, pH 6.9 and ionic strength of 0.168 the dissociation constant of the enzyme-inhibitor complex was determined to be 3.5 × 10-11 M. The rate constant for dissociation of the complex was calculated to be 8.7 × 10-8 sec-1 under the same conditions. The rate constant for complex formation, at ionic strength of 0.168, was 1.1 × 104 M-1 sec-1 at 370 and 9.77 × 102 M-1 sec-1 at 25.7°C. The calculated activation energy for complex formation is 39.5 kcal/mole suggesting a rate-controlling conformational change. Oxidation of the carbohydrate moiety of the glycoprotein inhibitor caused complete loss of activity. Maltose, a competitive inhibitor of α-amylase, bound as readily to the enzyme-inhibitor complex as to free α-amylase. Trypsinized α-amylase, although still able to bind to Sephadex, did not bind inhibitor. The experiments with maltose and trypsinized amylase suggest the inhibitor may not bind at the active site of α-amylase.
Hyaluronidase and sulfatase deficiency in Hurler's syndrome

Abstract Deficiency of β-galactosidase and hyaluronidase have been observed in liver tissue of patients with mucopolysaccharidoses, types I, II, and III and sulfatase in type I. Soluble endogenous inhibitors are not responsible for lowered enzyme activities. Other lysosomal hydrolases, α- and β-glucosidase, β-xylosidase, β- N -acetylhexosaminidases, β-glucuronidase, α- mannosidase, cathepsins, A, B, C, and D, arylamidase, and acid phosphatase were increased 2- to 5-fold. The significance of hyaluronidase and sulfatase deficiencies is discussed.
Many-body perturbation theory applied to small germanium clusters

Abstract Accurate ab initio molecular-orbital calculations are performed for small germanium clusters. Many-body perturbation theory has been used to study the effects of electron correlation. Results have been compared with available theoretical and experimental data.
Adaptive timing of motor output in the mouse: the role of movement oscillations in eyelid conditioning.

To survive, animals must learn to control their movements with millisecond-level precision, and adjust the kinematics if conditions, or task requirements, change. Here, we examine adaptive timing of motor output in mice, using a simple eyelid conditioning task. Mice were trained to blink in response to a light stimulus that was always followed by a corneal air-puff at a constant time interval. Different mice were trained with different intervals of time separating the onset of the light and the air-puff. As in previous work in other animal species, mice learned to control the speed of the blink, such that maximum eyelid closure occurred at the interval used during training. Despite this, we found that maximum eyelid speed always occurred in the first 100 ms of the movement, indicating that speed is not uniformly adjusted throughout the duration of the blink. A new analysis, specifically designed to examine the kinematics of blinks in single trials, revealed the nature of the underlying control signal: the learned blinks are made up of oscillatory eyelid movements that are time-locked to the light stimulus at the beginning of the blink, becoming desynchronized later on. Furthermore, mice learn to blink at different speeds and time the movement appropriately by adjusting the amplitude, but not the frequency of the underlying eyelid oscillation.
61 Quantitative Aspects of Sensitivity in Allergic Children

Procedures were devised for quantitative chemical assay of histamine released by antigens from leukocytes separated from a 10-ml sample of blood. Nine concentrations of antigen can be utilized in each examination to find the amount required for maximum release of histamine or dose response. Studies have been conducted with a variety of antigens for comparison with clinical manifestations and wheal and flare dermal reactions to the antigens. Also the procedures have been employed to measure the capacity of the sera of sensitive persons to inhibit histamine release with specific antigens (presumably by antibodies) and to follow fluctuations in this capacity and in the sensitivity of leukocytes during injection therapy with antigenic extracts. Data have been accumulated from study of over 100 children, including 30 receiving injection therapy. Histamine is released from leukocytes of sensitive subjects by antigens specifically, in agreement with wheal and flare dermal reactions, and the leukocytes of normal non-allergic individuals are unaffected. Sera of normal persons enhance histamine release but the sera of allergic children inhibit histamine release by the antigens specifically involved. During injection therapy the sensitivity of leukocytes to release of histamine by antigen and the capacity of the patient's serum to inhibit histamine release may vary independently. The net effects are ascertained by determining the amounts of antigen required for release of 50 % of the total histamine in the cells in the presence of the subject's serum in contrast to normal serum. This comparison affords an objective index of any influence of injection therapy on sensitivity, and an objective means of grouping patients by immunochemical response before undertaking clinical appraisals. (APS)
Cylinder moving in pressure- and buoyancy-induced channel flow: A numerical study of transport due to three aiding/opposing mechanisms

The flow and heat transfer associated with the convective cooling of a heated cylinder moving in a channel with buoyancy- and pressure-induced flow has been numerically investigated. Three distinct transport mechanisms arise in this case due to material motion, forced flow, and buoyancy. Considered in this study are uniform flows at the inlet of the cooling channel in the same, as well as in the opposite, direction as the movement of the cylindrical rod. This problem is of interest in several manufacturing processes such as hot rolling, continuous casting, extrusion, wire drawing, and glass fiber drawing. The transport processes are time dependent at the initial stages, following the onset of motion, and usually attain steady state conditions at large time. The temperature distribution in the solid is of particular interest in materials processing. A detailed numerical study is carried out, assuming an axisymmetric, transient circumstance with laminar flow. The governing full, elliptic equations are solve...
A modular architecture for inverse robot kinematics

A modular architecture for general-purpose inverse robot kinematics is developed. The authors synthesize kinematic modules for the robot arm and wrist and develop computational blocks to describe their respective functions. They then present an analytical framework that defines the inverse kinematic problem in terms of the proper coordination of the kinematic modules to accomplish the desired robot task. In this general-purpose framework, the inverse kinematics problem is always solvable in the feasible regions of the robot workspace, irrespective of whether the solution is analytically tractable. The modular architecture is based upon a nonlinear equation solver for which the Banach fixed-point theorem provides the theoretical basis. The proposed framework allows for the mathematical definition of the region in the robot workspace where convergence to the correct solution is guaranteed. It is insensitive to the initial estimates and provides for the computation of multiple solutions. >
Notes on Kiki Smith's Fall/Winter

In the twenty years that Kiki Smith has been exhibiting her multimedia work, she has explored the body from inside to outside, constantly conflating the borders between the two. A Virgin Mary with flayed skin, a disembodied stomach, a wax figure with exposed muscles, a porcelain pelvis on a pedestal, truncated hands and feet—all are part of her extensive repertoire.
Calculations of bond angles in five-membered conjugated ring systems

Abstract We have calculated the bond angles in furan, pyrrole, imidazole and oxazole by minimizing the molecular energies with respect to the angles. The excellent agreement between theory and experiment confirms our assumption that bond distortion does not occur in these molecules.
‘Good mentorship is invaluable’ — An interview with Dr. Eugene P. DiMagno

Dr. DiMagno is internationally renowned for his contributions to almost all areas of pancreatology. He helped pioneer discoveries about normal pancreatic function, enzyme-based treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency as well as methods of diagnosing pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, including the development of function tests and endoscopic ultrasound. Answering Martin Fernandez-Zapico's questions, he stresses the importance of good mentorship and gives us a glimpse of his life and work.
Two new species of Undifilum, fungal endophytes of Astragalus (locoweeds) in the United States.

New species of Undifilum, from locoweeds Astragalus lentiginosus Vitman and Astragalus mollissimus Torr., are described using morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses as Un...
Refractory clays from the Balakovsk region

Composition chimique de ces argiles, granularite, proprietes physiques et ceramiques, caracteristiques des echantillons obtenus apres cuisson.
Bulk Specific Gravity Measurements of 25.0-mm and 37.5-mm Coarse-Graded Superpave Mixes:

The measurement of specific gravity for hot-mix asphalt (HMA) is critical to almost every activity pertaining to asphalt mixtures. During design and construction, the bulk specific gravity (Gmb) of HMA mixes is used to calculate many properties that indicate pavement quality. Thus, it is important to measure this property accurately and precisely. This study evaluated four methods for measuring Gmb, including the traditional saturated surface dry (SSD) method, the CoreLok method, the height-diameter method, and the CoreReader method. Four aggregate sources were used to create mix designs for 25.0-mm and 37.5-mm nominal maximum aggregate sizes (NMASs). In addition, the level of compactive effort was varied to assess the comparisons for a range of air voids. Results indicate that the traditional method exhibited the lowest levels of variability. Strong correlations were developed to relate the test methods on the basis of the large NMASs. The strongest and most practical relationship was developed between t...
Prescribed burning and productivity in southern pine forests: a review

Abstract Fire is an ancient tool but still widely used in the management of southern pine forests. Fire is a relatively inexpensive tool and has a number of beneficial uses such as removing logging debris, reducing wildfire risk, increasing the abundance of certain understory species, and maintaining or restoring certain ecological conditions. However, recent studies demonstrate that fire can play a significant role in regulating the productivity of certain ecosystems. Burning releases large quantities of carbon and essential nutrients to the atmosphere as gases and particulates. The adverse impact of these releases on air quality is widely recognized, but the potential impact of nutrient losses and changes in soil productivity have received less attention from southern pine managers. The effect of fire on nitrogen (N) pools is especially significant since N availability is one of the most common limiting factors in forest productivity. The amount of N lost during the burning of forest fuels is directly related to fuel consumption and ranges from 3 to 6 kg N Mg−1 of fuel consumed. The combined losses of N and other elements through harvesting and burning appear to exceed considerably the rate of replacement by natural processes, and may necessitate the regular application of fertilizer to maintain the nutrient capital of the site. Burning results in a short-term increase in soil available N and other nutrients immediately after burning, which stimulates the growth of understory vegetation; a desirable effect in some settings but also a source of competition for newly planted pine seedlings. A more thorough understanding of the biogeochemical effects of prescribed fire of varying frequencies and severities is needed to make optimum use of this tool in sustainable forest management.
The development of new biotechnologies using metalloprotein design

A variety of methodologies are under development to alter the behavior of existing metal centers or create entirely new sites within a protein framework in order to exploit the intrinsic chemical versatility of metals using the exquisite level of control that a protein matrix can exert to modulate their reactivity. Even at this relatively early stage, engineering of metal centers has led to the development of a number of emerging technologies with a wide variety of applications, including affinity purification of proteins, engineering of metal-mediated protein stability, control of protein activity, imaging and therapy, biosensors, and new catalysts.
The management of prenatally diagnosed choledochal cysts.

Abstract Background: Although congenital biliary tree abnormalities are uncommon in the United States, more are being diagnosed antenatally with improved imaging techniques. Methods: To determine the prognosis of prenatally diagnosed biliary disease, the authors reviewed the treatment of 3 children who had biliary cystic lesions found during routine prenatal ultrasonography. Results: All 3 children were born at term. They had elevated bilirubin levels, and postnatal ultrasound scans confirmed the presence of a biliary cystic mass. They underwent exploration within 2 weeks of life. At operation, 2 children were found to have biliary atresia with a cystic biliary lesion. They underwent Kasai procedures and are doing well at 5 and 9 months of age. The third child was found to have a type I choledochal cyst and malrotation at exploration. He underwent cystectomy with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy and a Ladd's procedure and is doing well at 3 years of age. Conclusions: Prenatally diagnosed biliary cysts represent a different spectrum of disease than those diagnosed later in life. The sequelae of biliary disease start before birth, and early operation may be necessary to achieve a good outcome. Because it is impossible to distinguish between choledochal cysts and biliary atresia on antenatal ultrasound scan or magnetic resonance imaging, children with presumed choledochal cysts should undergo early exploration to rule out potential biliary atresia. Excellent outcome is possible with early operation in the absence of severe associated anomalies. J Pediatr Surg 36:1241-1243. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Compliance among Adolescents during Drug Treatment.

ABSTRACT Research on adolescent drug treatment engagement is scarce; however, such research on adults suggests that successful engagement in treatment increases the likelihood of positive treatment outcomes. Compliance during drug treatment reflects treatment engagement. We examined self-assessed compliance (agreement with treatment goals, meeting treatment staff expectations, and following treatment staff instructions), behavioral compliance (staying for the duration of planned treatment), and their influences, among adolescents in treatment. Stepwise logistic regression showed that desire for help was significantly (p < 05) related to more compliance. Compared with those in residential treatment, those in inpatient treatment were more likely to agree with treatment goals, to follow instructions, and to stay for the planned duration of treatment; those in outpatient treatment were more likely to meet treatment expectations. Psychological maladjustment was related to less self-perceived compliance. We dis...
Multiplication of the Scrapie Agent

ALTHOUGH the transmission of scrapie by the inoculation of filtrates of tissue from affected animals suggests that the agent multiplies in the cells of the host, there is little published evidence of its propagation in cell cultures, Gustafson and Kanitz1 reported that cell cultures could be established more readily from scrapie-affected sheep or mice than from normal animals and that material from the twenty-third pass of one such cell line was infective for mice. Only two of seven mice reacted, however, so the titre was apparently low and it was not clear whether there had been actual multiplication of the agent or whether this activity was derived from the original tissue.
THE EFFECT OF FRESH AND EXPERIMENTALLY MODIFIEDANTERIOR HYPOPHYSIS OF CATTLE ON MITOTICACTIVITY IN THE ADRENAL CORTEX OF THE GUINEA PIG1

IN AN EXTENSIVE SERIES of investigations Loeb and his coworkers (i) have studied the effects of implantation of fresh and chemically treated cattle anteriorpituitary on the thyroid and sex glands of immature female guinea pigs. In thepresent paper it is our aim to report on an extension of these investigations to astudy of the influence of the same experimental procedures on mitotic activity in theadrenal cortex. The specimens on which these experiments are based were taken,for the most part, from the same guinea pigs used in the above mentioned work.The average mitotic count of 4.1, as determined by us in a previous investigation(2), was used here as a standard by which to measure any changes in proliferativeactivity in the adrenal cortex. The guinea pigs were weighed and the organs removedfor study 24 hours after their last meal; the variations in mitotic count due to changesin feeding time were thus eliminated. Counts were made in the manner describedpreviously.
A comparative study of RNA fractions mediating delayed sensitivity to a chemically defined antigen in vitro

Abstract Hot-cold phenol extracts of RNA prepared from guinea pigs sensitized to mono ( p -azobenzene-arsonate)- N -chloroacetyl- l -tyrosine (ARSNAT) contains limited but distinct fractions able to transfer ARSNAT or KLH sensitivity to guinea pig peritoneal exudate cells in vitro . Each of these fractions have been compared by oligo(dT) affinity chromatography and sucrose density gradient analysis. One RNA fraction initially obtained from a sucrose density gradient (designated as B fraction) possessed two separate peaks and contained polyadenylic acid sequences as evidenced by its ability to bind to an oligo (dT) column. Another fraction (Fraction II) initially isolated by oligo (dT) affinity chromatography possessed two peaks after sucrose density gradient analysis, contained poly-A sequences, and had an S-value range approximating the B fraction. RNA fractions prepared from the liver or skeletal muscle of sensitized guinea pigs fails to transfer ARSNAT sensitivity and all fractions are completely inactivated by bovine pancreatic RNase. The results suggest that portions of density gradient prepared B fraction and Fraction II binding to oligo (dT) cellulose may represent the same and/or similar moieties of immunobiologically active RNA.
Results of operation for atrial septal defect in patients forty-five years of age and older.

1. The results of closure of atrial septal defects in 155 patients over 45 years of age have been reviewed. 2. The over-all operative mortality rate was 6.5%; the operative mortality rate in the last 48 patients was 2.1%. 3. The late results of operation were considered excellent in 83% and good in 13% of the patients. 4. Long-term follow-up studies suggest that patients have significantly longer survival with closure of their defects. 5. It is concluded that operation for atrial septal defect in the older patient may be done at a low risk with an excellent prospect of a good, long-term result in almost all cases.
ISOTOPE SHIFT OF 47-day 203Hg.

An improved value of the 203Hg–198Hg isotope shift in the 2537 A 3P1–1S0 line of mercury was determined from emission spectroscopy, with mass-separated samples, and from absorption spectroscopy with unenriched pile-produced isotope. The spectroscopic data were analyzed to yield the isotope shift by use of precise hfs interaction constants that we obtained previously from a level-crossing experiment. The new value for the 203Hg–198Hg isotope shift is IS(203–198) = 0.392 ± 0.006 cm−1; 203Hg lies at the lower-wave-number side. The experiment demonstrates the advantages of absorption spectroscopy for samples of low isotopic purity. The application of this technique to work with small samples is also discussed.
Stratifications of mapping cylinders

Abstract We characterize those maps between homotopically stratified spaces whose mapping cylinders are also homotopically stratified spaces. Two applications are offered. The first concerns locally flat submanifolds of topological manifolds, and the second concerns algebraic maps between algebraic varieties.
The effect of IR compensation on stationary and oscillatory patterns in dual-electrode metal dissolution systems

We report an experimental and model based study on the effect of negative coupling, induced by adding IR compensation, on bistability, and synchronization behavior of a dual-electrode metal dissolution electrochemical system. We show that, unlike the case of a single electrode, IR compensation cannot be used to remove bistability; with a large IR compensation the electrodes do not exhibit uniform steady states and patterned surface develops. In the case of oscillatory system, addition of IR compensation produces aperiodic time series that are characterized by switching between oscillations with 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1 entrainment ratios. For higher negative coupling strengths (i.e., larger magnitude of IR compensation) amplitude death occurs and either coexistence of oscillations with steady state or multiple anti-symmetric steady states are observed.
Kinetic analysis of the effects of monovalent cations and divalent metals on the activity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis α-isopropylmalate synthase

Abstract Mycobacterium tuberculosis α-isopropylmalate synthase (MtIPMS) is a member of the family of enzymes that catalyze a Claisen-type condensation. In this work we characterized the monovalent and divalent specificity of MtIPMS using steady-state kinetics. The monovalent cation dependence of the kinetic parameters of substrates and divalent metals indicates that K+ is the likely physiological activator. K+ acts most likely as an allosteric activator, and exerts part of its effect through the catalytic divalent metal. The divalent metal specificity of MtIPMS is broad, and Mg2+ and Mn2+ are the metals that cause the highest activation. Interestingly, Zn2+, first assigned as the catalytic metal, inhibits the enzyme with submicromolar affinity. The features of monovalent cation and divalent metal activation, as well as the inhibition by Zn2+ and Cd2+, are discussed in light of the kinetic and structural information available for MtIPMS and other relevant enzymes.
The Fusome Mediates Intercellular Endoplasmic Reticulum Connectivity in Drosophila Ovarian Cysts

Drosophila ovarian cysts arise through a series of four synchronous incomplete mitotic divisions. After each round of mitosis, a membranous organelle, the fusome, grows along the cleavage furrow and the remnants of the mitotic spindle to connect all cystocytes in a cyst. The fusome is essential for the pattern and synchrony of the mitotic cyst divisions as well as oocyte differentiation. Using live cell imaging, green fluorescent protein-tagged proteins, and photobleaching techniques, we demonstrate that fusomal endomembranes are part of a single continuous endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that is shared by all cystocytes in dividing ovarian cysts. Membrane and lumenal proteins of the common ER freely and rapidly diffuse between cystocytes. The fusomal ER mediates intercellular ER connectivity by linking the cytoplasmic ER membranes of all cystocytes within a cyst. Before entry into meiosis and onset of oocyte differentiation (between region 1 and region 2A), ER continuity between cystocytes is lost. Furthermore, analyses of hts and Dhc64c mutants indicate that intercellular ER continuity within dividing ovarian cysts requires the fusome cytoskeletal component and suggest a possible role for the common ER in synchronizing mitotic cyst divisions.
The Dynamic Impact of Product-Harm Crises on Brand Preference and Advertising Effectiveness: An Empirical Analysis of the Automobile Industry

Product-harm crises recalls carry negative product information that adversely affects brand preference and advertising effectiveness. This negative impact of product-harm crises may differ across recall events depending on media coverage of the event, crisis severity, and consumers' prior beliefs about product quality. We develop a state space model to capture the dynamics in brand preference, advertising effectiveness, and consumer response to product recalls; integrate it with a random coefficient demand model; and estimate it using a unique data set containing 35 automobile brands, 193 auto sub-brands, and 359 recalls during 1997-2002. Our results reveal that consumers respond more negatively to product recalls with greater media attention, more severe consequences, and higher perceived product quality. Furthermore, they show that sub-brand advertising effectiveness declines by a greater amount than parent-brand advertising and the decline in effectiveness of the recalled sub-brand's advertising spills over to other sub-brands under the same parent brand. This paper was accepted by Pradeep Chintagunta, marketing.
A discrete-time game-theoretic fault detection filter

The fault detection problem is approximated by a discrete-time disturbance attenuation problem which in turn is cast into a discrete minimax problem. Solving the game leads to a Riccati-based filter. As the sampling time decreases the discrete-time filter converges to the continuous-time game-theoretic fault detection filter. As the disturbance attenuation bound is taken to zero, the discrete-time fault detection filter exhibits different properties from its continuous-time counterpart. The solution to the Riccati equation in the limit exists and the nuisance fault direction appears as an invariant direction of the Riccati equation. The Riccati equation in the limit and the detection filter equations are projected orthogonally to the nuisance direction to obtain a reduced-order Riccati and filter equations. The reduced-order estimates remain naturally unbiased when any nuisance fault occurs.
Specificity of Hormone-Induced Responses of Testicular Cells in Culture

The morphological and biochemical (ABP secretion) effects of FSH, LH and TSH on cultured testicular explants were investigated. This approach did not involve exogenous enzymes and thereby allowed us to test the hypothesis that enzyme treatment (normally used to dissociate testicular tissue into Sertoli cell aggregates) induces deleterious alterations to these cells, allowing them to respond to TSH as well as FSH. Testicular explants were treated with rat or ovine FSH, LH or TSH for 7 days. Morphology was studied by phase and Nonarski optics. ABP was measured by equilibrium dialysis (Fritz et al., 1976). FSFI and TSH treatment induced branched and filamentous cytoplasmic processes in the testicular cells. ABP secretion into the culture medium from the FSH and TSH treated cultures was also significantly increased (P�0.05) No difference in morphology or ABP secretion was observed with LH when used at a 5-fold increase over FSH and TSH levels. These results indicate that FSH and TSH can produce morphological and physiological changes in testicular cells obtained without the use of exogenous enzymes.
Dendritic solidification of binary alloys with free and forced convection

Dendritic solidification with forced convection and free convection driven by contraction and thermo- solutal buoyancy is simulated in two-dimensional space using a sharp-interface model. Both pure substances and alloys are considered. The model is formulated using the finite element method and works directly with primitive variables. The coupled energy- and solutal concentration-equations, along with the Navier–Stokes equations for incompressible flow, are solved using different meshes. Temperature is solved in a fixed mesh that covers the whole domain (solid + liquid) where the solid–liquid interface is explicitly tracked using marker points. The concentration and momentum equations are solved in the liquid region using an adaptive mesh of triangular elements that conforms to the interface. The velocity boundary conditions are applied directly on the interface. The model is validated using a series of problems that have analytical, experimental and numerical results. Four simulations are presented: (1) crystal growth of succinonitrile with thermal convection under two small undercoolings; (2) dendritic growth into an undercooled pure melt with a uniform forced flow; (3) equiaxial dendritic growth of a pure substance and an alloy with contraction-induced convection; and (4) directional solidification of Pb–0.2 wt% Sb alloy with convection driven by the combined action of contraction, thermal and solutal buoyancy. Some of the simulation results are compared to those reported using other methods including the phase-field method; others are new. In each case, the effects of convection on dendritic solidification are analysed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transitions in time-dependent thermal convection in fluid-saturated porous media

Numerical simulations of single-cell, two-dimensional, time-dependent thermal convection in a square cross-section of fluid-saturated porous material heated uniformly from below reveal a series of transitions between distinct oscillatory dynamical regimes. With increasing Rayleigh number R, the flow first evolves from steady-state behaviour into periodic motion with a single frequency f which depends on R approximately according to . The two frequencies in the narrow transition regime may be locked to a rational ratio, in which case the flow is periodic, or they may be commensurate, in which case the flow is quasi-periodic. The spectral characteristics of numerical realizations of unsteady convection and the occurrences of transitions therein are highly dependent on truncation level in Galerkin schemes or resolution in finite-difference approaches.
Ultra-sensitive microwave detection of protein conformational changes

A coaxial driven planar slot antenna resonant in the microwave regime was used to detect changes in protein conformation induced by temperature modulation. Simultaneous dielectric and UV/VIS spectroscopy measurements were obtained by attaching the slot antenna to a fused-quartz UV/VIS sample holder. Similar thermodynamic parameters (midpoint temperature and enthalpy) were obtained from both techniques over a wide concentration range and under a variety of pH condition. Here we demonstrate that a near-field antenna can be used to detect changes in conformation at very low protein concentrations, and that the protein is not destabilized by the presence of microwave power.
Phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy in humans by spectroscopic imaging: localized spectroscopy and metabolite imaging

In in vivo phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), spectroscopic imaging (SI) can be used as a flexible localization technique, producing spectra from multiple volumes in a single examination. Presented here are phosphorus SI studies of human organs in which a selective-volume SI reconstruction was used rather than the usual array-format SI reconstruction. A linear predictor technique was used to estimate the initial points of the free induction decay missing because of the delay needed for phase-encoding gradients, significantly reducing the baseline artifacts which commonly complicate interpretation of SI spectra. In studies of heart, brain, liver, and kidney, the performance of SI was found to compare favorably with that of ISIS. SI phosphorus metabolite intensity images from a brain tumor patient were obtained at 2 X 2-cm in-plane resolution (with “slice” thickness of roughly 16 cm, determined by coil sensitivity) in 34 min, demonstrating the feasibility of obtaining clinically useful metabolite images in clinically reasonable examination times. © 1989 Academic Press, Inc.