cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethics and Systems Thinking in Biochemistry: A CRISPR-Based Activity for Undergraduate Students

This inquiry-based activity introduces students to the CRISPR method of genetic engineering and recent applications of CRISPR-editing. This activity was implemented in a nonmajors chemistry course for first-year students, during a 1 h 50 min laboratory period. However, the activity could easily be adapted, and it is useful for meeting scientific literacy learning goals of a college chemistry course for majors, an introductory college biochemistry course, or an advanced high school chemistry or biology course. For the activity, students self-selected into small groups and then researched a particular topic concerning CRISPR using a series of questions designed to guide their discovery work. Subtopics included both biochemical and application details of CRISPR, as well as social and ethical considerations concerning the genetic engineering of humans. The activity was designed to introduce students to this rapidly burgeoning biochemical method using a systems-based analysis in which social and ethical considerations are considered along with technical details. Groups prepared a short written and oral summary of their findings, and the instructor facilitated a class discussion on the topic following group oral presentations. Pre- and postactivity survey analysis indicated that students found the activity worthwhile and were able to reflect on the potential broader social and ethical implications of CRISPR-editing due to the research and discussions facilitated by the activity.
Stress, Burden, and Well-Being in Dementia and Nondementia Caregivers: Insights From the Caregiving Transitions Study.

Background and objectives Few population-based studies have directly compared caregivers of persons with dementia to caregivers of persons with other disabilities (nondementia caregivers). We enrolled dementia and nondementia caregivers who were providing substantial and sustained care and compared these groups on measures of caregiver stressors, appraisals of burden, and well-being. Research design and methods Caregivers (N = 251) who provided continuous care for at least 1 year and at least 5 h per week were recruited from the population-based REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. Caregivers reported on dementia caregiving status, stressors, burden, and well-being. Results Forty-seven percent (n = 117) reported caring for a person with dementia. Dementia caregivers reported more stressors, providing more care for self-care and behavioral problems than nondementia caregivers. Dementia caregivers also reported higher appraisals of stress and burden, and more depressive symptoms, but did not differ from nondementia caregivers on mental and physical health quality of life. In multivariable-adjusted models, adjustment for the total number of care recipient problems attenuated differences between dementia and nondementia caregivers on burden and depression measures. Discussion and implications Dementia and nondementia caregivers showed relatively few differences in indicators of overall well-being in this population-based sample, perhaps because both groups of caregivers in this study were providing substantial care. Dementia caregivers may require special assistance with dementia-specific problems such as behavioral problems. Clinical interventions and policy changes targeting highly burdened caregivers are needed to support them in allowing their care recipients to age in place at home.
pdm_utils: a SEA-PHAGES MySQL phage database management toolkit

SUMMARY Bacteriophages (phages) are incredibly abundant and genetically diverse. The volume of phage genomics data is rapidly increasing, driven in part by the SEA-PHAGES program, which isolates, sequences and manually annotates hundreds of phage genomes each year. With an ever-expanding genomics dataset, there are many opportunities for generating new biological insights through comparative genomic and bioinformatic analyses. As a result, there is a growing need to be able to store, update, explore and analyze phage genomics data. The package pdm_utils provides a collection of tools for MySQL phage database management designed to meet specific needs in the SEA-PHAGES program and phage genomics generally. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION https://pypi.org/project/pdm-utils/.
Nuclear myocardial perfusion studies do not predict vascular or myocardial architecture in advanced heart failure

Abstract Objectives To determine predictors of tissue that would benefit from improved blood flow in subjects with advanced heart disease. Background Advanced regeneration and percutaneous revascularization strategies including revascularization of chronic total occlusions (CTO) are being used to potentially restore myocardial function in the growing population of patients with advanced heart disease. Predictors of myocardial recovery in this population have not been established. Methods Cardiac tissue was collected from 27 subjects undergoing LVAD or cardiac transplantation who had nuclear perfusion imaging prior to procedure. Histologic analysis for fibrosis, vascular density and inflammation was performed and correlated with nuclear perfusion images from the same areas. In a subset of subjects, correlations of nuclear perfusion with TIMI flow by coronary arteriography was also performed. Results Areas of both normal and abnormal epicardial coronary blood flow had a large variation in radiotracer uptake. There were no statistically significant correlations between uptake of radiotracer at rest and degree of cardiac fibrosis, vascular density or inflammation and the matched area of myocardium. Fibrosis varied from 5-50% in areas with severe defects and areas of normal radiotracer uptake. Endothelial density correlated with inflammation in end-stage heart disease. Conclusions Radiotracer uptake poorly predicted both areas of severe fibrosis that will not benefit from increased blood flow and areas of minimal fibrosis that may recover. Correlation of inflammation and endothelial density support a hypothesis that inflammatory cytokines augment vascularity in myocardium. Novel strategies to improve function in advanced heart disease are in need of better markers of recovery.
Implosion dynamics of triple-nozzle gas-puff z pinches on COBRA

Experiments on the 1-MA, 220-ns COBRA generator at Cornell University [J. B. Greenly et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 79, 073501 (2008)] were conducted to provide detailed measurements of structured cylindrical gas-puff z pinches. In the experiments, a 7 cm diameter triple-nozzle gas valve assembly with concentric outer and inner annular nozzles and a central gas jet initialize the z-pinch load with various working gases, radial density profiles, and externally applied axial magnetic fields. Planar laser-induced fluorescence provides a measure of the initial neutral gas density of the load, while three-frame laser shearing interferometry and multi-frame extreme ultraviolet (XUV) cameras reveal the formation and propagation of a magneto-Rayleigh–Taylor (MRT) unstable shock layer. Implosion trajectories are compared to simple, experimentally informed models and found to be in good agreement. Differences in the structure of the accelerating plasma sheath and evolution of the MRT instability are observed for different gas species and axial magnetic field strengths, correlating with differences in pinch uniformity and x-ray emission. The average instability growth is compared to linear MRT theory predictions using the instantaneous acceleration of the best-fit implosion models and characteristic instability wavelength, with the effective Atwood number and seed perturbation size as fit parameters. For high density argon center jets, ionization prior to the arrival of the imploding plasma sheath suggests a heating mechanism consistent with photoionization by XUV self-emission.
Nongendered Childcare Parentage

American state childcare parentage laws merit reforms. New laws should not speak to maternity or paternity, or to wives, husbands, women or men as parents. Rather, new laws should reflect a sex-neutral concept of parenthood. Further, as in the 2017 Uniform Parentage Act and in recent American Law Institute pronouncements, new laws should better recognize that expecting legal parentage can arise either preconception or post-conception but pre-birth, and that existing legal parentage can arise long after birth, without formal adoptions or terminations of parental rights. Additionally, new childcare parentage laws should better anticipate that both expecting and existing legal parentage can vary over time for the same child. Finally, new childcare parentage laws should speak to the choice of law issues that increasingly arise where conduct relevant to parentage occurs in several jurisdictions.
Methodological considerations in analyzing synchronization of resting-state brain networks with the intrinsic electrical rhythm of the stomach: Advantages of weighted phase-locking

Purpose: To evaluate the amplitude-weighted phase-locking value (awPLV) as a measure of synchronization of brain resting-state networks (RSNs) with the gastric basal electrical rhythm (BER). Methods: A recent study combined rsfMRI with concurrent cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG), in a highly-sampled individual who underwent 22 scanning sessions (two 15-minute runs per session) at 3.0 Tesla. After excluding three sessions due to weak EGG signals, 9.5 hours of data remained, from which 18 RSNs were estimated using spatial independent component analysis. Previously, using the phase-locking value (PLV), three of the 18 RSNs were determined to be synchronized with the BER. However, RSN power fluctuations in the gastric frequency band could reduce sensitivity of PLV. Accordingly, the current reanalysis used awPLV to unweight contributions from low power epochs. Mismatched EGG and rsfMRI data (from different days) served as surrogate data; for each RSN, empirical awPLV was compared with chance-level awPLV using a Wilcoxon rank test. P-values were adjusted using with a false discovery rate of 0.05. Additionally, simulations were performed to compare PLV and awPLV error rates under settings with a known ground truth. Results: Simulations show high false-negative rates when using PLV, but not awPLV. Reanalysis of the highly-sampled individual data using awPLV indicates that 11 of the 18 RSNs were synchronized with the BER. Conclusion: Simulations indicate that awPLV is a more sensitive measure of stomach/brain synchronization than PLV. Reanalysis results imply communication between the enteric nervous system and brain circuits not typically considered responsive to gastric state or function.
Acquiescence Response Style

Acquiescence response style (ARS) is a response bias that reflects the tendency by a person to answer Yes/No questions affirmatively or to agree with attitude statements, regardless of the content of the question. There is evidence that this bias is a consistent aspect of an individual's response style across items and scales. Keywords: research; psychometric testing
Varying intensity of postremission therapy in acute myeloid leukemia.

The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) conducted a randomized trial in patients less than or equal to 65 years old (median, 44 years) to determine whether increasing the intensity of postremission therapy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) would improve the outcome. After uniform induction therapy, patients in complete remission (CR) who were less than 41 years old and who had a histocompatible sibling underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (alloBMT) (54 patients). The remainder of patients in CR were randomized to receive either 2 years of continuous outpatient maintenance therapy with cytarabine and 6-thioguanine (83 patients) or a single course of inpatient consolidation therapy consisting of 6 days of high-dose cytarabine plus 3 days of amsacrine (87 patients). The median duration of follow-up is now 4 years, and patients are included in the analyses of outcome regardless of whether they relapsed before starting the intended treatment. Four-year event-free survival (EFS) was 27% +/- 10% for consolidation therapy versus 16% +/- 8% for maintenance therapy (P = .068) and 28% +/- 11% versus 15% +/- 9% (P = .047) in patients less than 60 years old. The outcome for patients receiving alloBMT was compared with the subset of patients less than 41 years old who received consolidation therapy (N = 29) or maintenance therapy (N = 21). Four-year EFS was 42% +/- 13% for alloBMT, 30% +/- 17% for consolidation therapy, and 14% +/- 15% for maintenance therapy. AlloBMT had a significantly better EFS (P = .013) than maintenance therapy, but was not different from consolidation therapy. In patients less than 41 years old, 4-year survival after alloBMT (42% +/- 14%) did not differ from consolidation therapy (43% +/- 18%), but both were significantly better than maintenance therapy (19% +/- 17%), P = .047 and .043, respectively. The mortality rate for maintenance therapy was 0%, consolidation therapy, 21%; and alloBMT, 36%. Consolidation therapy caused an especially high mortality rate in the patients greater than or equal to 60 years old (8 of 14 or 57%). The toxicity of combined high-dose cytarabine and amsacrine is unacceptable, especially in older patients, and alternative approaches to consolidation therapy such as high-dose cytarabine alone need to be tested. In AML, a single course of consolidation therapy or alloBMT after initial CR produces better results than lengthy maintenance therapy. Although EFS and survival of alloBMT and consolidation therapy do not differ significantly, a larger number of patients need to be studied before concluding that they are equivalent.
Growing random networks under constraints

We study the evolution of a random graph under the constraint that the diameter remain constant as the graph grows. We show that if the graph maintains the form of its link distribution it must be scale-free with exponent between 2 and 3. These uniqueness results may help explain the scale-free nature of graphs, of varying sizes, representing the evolved metabolic pathways in 43 organisms.
Nitrate Ion-Selective Electrode in Microbial Media

A nitrate ion-selective electrode has been used to follow the kinetics of the reduction of nitrate by a bacillus isolated from the rumen of a sheep. The electrode system and the microbial culture were found to be quite compatible, although the formation of nitrite limits the utility and precision of the measurement. The formation of nitrite was followed simultaneously by a colorimetric method. Nitrate was converted quantitatively to nitrite. The rate of the reaction was found to increase to a plateau value, then drop abruptly when the nitrate was exhausted.
Taxation of Financial Services (Including Insurance) Under a U.S. Value-Added Tax

Financial services and insurance pose unique challenges for the design of a VAT. They represented 8.3% of the U.S. GDP for 2008. An economically neutral VAT should be imposed on supplies of financial and insurance services to the extent that these services belong in a consumption tax base and the taxation of those services is administratively feasible. Most of the VATs around the world exempt some or all financial services and insurance. This exemption is presumed to cause several distortions, including the over-taxation of business and the under-taxation of consumers, the incentive for financial service providers to vertically integrate their operations, and the potential competitive advantage to an offshore financial service provider. This Article separates insurance from other financial services, concentrating on the latter.A VAT generally is imposed on explicit prices charged in market transactions. To the extent that banks impose explicit fees for some of the services they render, such as fees for twenty-four hour ATM machines, those bank charges can fit within the VAT system. On the other hand, the value of intermediation services provided by banks (and insurance companies), such as services to depositors and borrowers, is implicit in the margin between interest charged on loans and interest paid on deposits. Intermediation services do not fit easily in the VAT regimes used around the world.This article discusses the inclusion of financial services and insurance in a consumption tax base, and compares the taxation and exemption of these services in business-to-business and business-to-consumer transactions. The article explores the distortions created by exempting these services. It also looks at the approaches used in other countries or proposed to broaden the VAT base and reduce distortions. Finally, the article discusses how to treat these industries under a U.S. VAT, including reducing the scope of the exemption, reducing the cascading resulting from the exemption, and reducing the incentive for financial service providers to outsource abroad or self-supply some services they otherwise would acquire domestically.
Non-equivalence of cloned and clonal mice.

Cloning mice by nuclear transfer is conventionally performed using a one-step procedure. Recently an alternative two-step procedure has been proposed for generating mice that are clonally derived from a single somatic donor nucleus. Here, we demonstrate that such mice may not be clones of the original donor nucleus.
Uniform gold nanorod arrays from polyethylenimine-coated alumina templates.

Monolithic Au nanorod arrays can be grown by electrodeposition in Au-backed nanoporous alumina templates using polyethylenimine (PEI) as an adhesion layer, with excellent height control between 300 nm and 1.4 μm. The local height distribution can be extremely narrow with relative standard deviations well below 2%. The uniform growth rate appears to be determined by the adsorbed PEI matrix, which controls the growth kinetics of the grains comprising the nanorods. The nanorods can be retained as free-standing 2D arrays after careful removal of the AAO template. Reflectance spectroscopy reveals a collective plasmon mode with a maximum near 1.2 μm, in accord with recent calculations for 2D arrays of closely spaced cylindrical nanoparticles.
Predicting responses to sexually aggressive stories: The role of consent, interest in sexual aggression, and overall sexual interest

Measures of interest in sexual aggression and overall sexual interest were used to predict men s responses to consensual and nonconsensual stories that contained forceful sexual content. College males (N = 108) listened to these stories and completed questionnaires assessing self-reported sexual arousal and desire, their perceptions of the woman s enjoyment and sexual desire in the stories, their likelihood of acting like the man in the stories, and how likely they would be to read similar stories. Multiple regression analyses revealed that overall sexual interest variables were significant predictors of responses to both consensual and nonconsensual stories, while interest in sexual aggression predicted responses to only the nonconsensual story. The present study highlights the importance of considering overall sexual interest measures in sexual aggression research.
Regulation of the Cln3–Cdc28 kinase by cAMP in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae grows at widely varying rates in different growth media. In order to maintain a relatively constant cell size, yeast cells must regulate the rate of progress through the cell cycle to match changes in growth rate, moving quickly through G1 in rich medium, and slowly in poor medium. We have examined connections between nutrients, and the expression and activity of Cln3-Cdc28 kinase that regulates the G1-S boundary of the cell cycle in yeast, a point referred to as Start. We find that Cln3 protein levels are highest in glucose and lower in poorer carbon sources. This regulation involves both transcriptional and post-transcriptional control. Although the Ras-cAMP pathway does not appear to affect CLN3 transcription, cAMP increases Cln3 protein levels and Cln3-Cdc28 kinase activity. This regulation requires untranslated regions of the CLN3 message, and can be explained by changes in protein synthesis rates caused by cAMP. A model for CLN3 regulation and function is presented in which CLN3 regulates G1 length in response to nutrients.
The 6-hydroxymethyl group of a hexose is essential for the substrateinduced closure of the cleft in hexokinase

Yeast hexokinase B (ATP:-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) was crystallized in the presence of D-xylose and ADP, and its structure was determined at 7A, resolution. The enzyme is in the ‘open]rs conformation which is characteristic of the enzyme crystallized in the absence of glucose, rather than in the ‘aclosed’ conformation that is observed with the glucose complex. That is, the binding of xylose into the large cleft that separates the molecule into two lobes does not cause the cleft to close. We conclude, then, that the glucose 6-hydroxymethyl group (which binds to an aspartic acid and a serine) is essential for the hexose-induced conformational change.
Hepatitis B virus genotypes in the United States: results of a nationwide study

Abstract Background & Aims: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes may be related to severity of liver disease and treatment response. The aims of this nationwide study were to determine the prevalence of HBV genotypes in the United States and the association between HBV genotypes and patient demographics, mode of infection, and clinical status. Methods: A total of 694 consecutive chronic HBV-infected patients seen in 17 U.S. liver centers during a 1-year period were enrolled. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected. Sera were tested for HBV genotyping, precore, and core promoter variants by line-probe assays. Results: All 7 HBV genotypes (A–G) were found, with genotypes A and C the most common. The prevalence of HBV genotypes was different in different regions of the United States. A strong correlation was found between HBV genotypes and ethnicity. HBV genotype A was prevalent among white and black patients, whereas genotypes B and C were most common among Asian patients. The predominant genotype among patients born in the United States, Europe, the Far East, and Southeast Asia were A, D, C, and B, respectively. Genotypes A and C were associated with a higher prevalence of hepatitis B e antigen. Precore variant was detected in 27% of patients and core promoter variant in 44% of patients. Conclusions: Our study suggests that the epidemiology of HBV infection in the United States may have changed over time as a result of immigration from countries with a high prevalence of HBV infection. HBV genotypes may account for the heterogeneity in disease manifestations among patients with chronic HBV infection.
Migraine prevention and errors in living: Dr. Graham's lessons for patients and physicians.

John R. Graham, MD (1909-1990), the "father of headache management," left us and our patients with migraine with valuable advice ... advice based on extensive experience in headache management which, at the time of his retirement, spanned more than half a century.
Extraction and refining of edible oil from extrusion-stabilized rice bran

Rice bran oil extracted from extrusion-stabilized bran was processed to a high quality salad oil. Stabilization prevented free fatty acid formation in rice bran prior to solvent extraction of the oil and thus increased the yield of refined oil. The flake form of the stabilized bran allowed rapid solvent percolation and efficient lipid extraction. Degumming soon after extraction removed a larger proportion of the gums and waxes and resulted in a higher yield of refined oil than if this procedure was delayed. Alkali refining was found to be most efficient with a concentration of 16° Be (2.77M) NaOH and 0.5% NaOH excess. Acid activated clay was effective in removing color from the refined oil, and the addition of charcoal did not improve bleaching ability. Stabilization temperatures, within the range studied, did not appear to affect the bleached oil color. Color was measured spectrophotometrically at 537 and 612 nm.
SAR Patterns from an Interstitial Microwave Antenna-Array Hyperthermia System

In recent years, a number of groups have been investigating the use of interstitial microwave antenna-array hyperthermia (IMAAH) systems for the treatment of superficial and deep-seated tumors. A critical parameter in any hyperthermia system is the SAR (specific absorption rate) pattern, which gives information about the energy absorption in the tumor and surrounding tissue. In this paper, we compare the theoretical and measured values of the SAR distribution for an array of four 915-MHz antennas implanted on the corners of a 2-cm square array. The overall length of the antennas was assumed to be 7 cm theoretically and was either 6 or 7 cm for the measurements. In general, there was good agreement between the theoretical predictions and the experimental results. In particular, both theory and experiment demonstrated that the maximum SAR occurred in the junction plane of the antenna array and at the center of the square array. Similarly, both showed that the Iongitudinal extent of the heating pattern is about 5 cm for a single antenna, but closer to 3 cm for an array where the Iongitudinal extent is defined by the length in the longitudinal direction where the SAR is greater than 50 percent of the maximum. The experiments showed that the SAR patterns were quite reproducible, and that the use of double stub tuners to minimize the reflected power for each antenna resulted in poorer SAR patterns due to phase variations created by the tuners. However, the use of an attenuator with each antenna to equalize the maximum SAR from each antenna did improve the SAR distributions slightly.
Relationships among sodium current, permeability, and Na activities in control and glucocorticoid-stimulated rabbit descending colon.

Effects of a potent synthetic glucocorticoid, methylprednisolone (MP), on transepithelial Na transport were examined in rabbit descending colon. Current-voltage (I–V) relations of the amiloride-sensitive apical Na entry pathway were measured in colonic tissues of control and MP-treated (40 mg im for 2 days) animals. Tissues were bathed mucosally by solutions of various Na activities, (Na)m, ranging from 6.2 to 75.6mm, and serosally by a high K solution. TheseI–V relations conformed to the “constant field” flux equation permitting determination of the permeability of the apical membrane to Na,P Na m , and the intracellular Na activity, (Na)c. The following empirical relations were observed for both control and MP-treated tissues: (i) Na transport increases hyperbolically with increasing (Na)m obeying simple Michaelis-Mentin kinetics; (ii)P Na m decreased hyperbolically with increasing (Na)m, but was unrelated to individual variations in (Na)c; (iii) (Na)c increased hyperbolically with (Na)m; (iv) both spontaneous and steroid-stimulated variations in Na entry rate could be attributed entirely to parallel variations inP Na m at each mucosal Na activity. Comparison of these empirical, kinetic relations between control and MP-treated tissues revealed: (i) maximal Na current andP Na m were greater in MP tissues, but the (Na)m's at which current andP Na m were half-maximal were markedly reduced; (ii) (Na)c was significantly increased in MP tissues at each (Na)m while the (Na)m at half-maximal (Na)c was unchanged. These results provide direct evidence that glucocorticoids cause marked stimulation of Na absorption across rabbit colon primarily by increasing the Na permeability of the apical membrane. While the mechanism for the increased permeability remains to be determined, the altered relation betweenP Na m and (Na)m suggests possible differences in the conformation or environment of the Na channel in MP-treated tissues.
Partial Nucleotide Sequence of the Xanthomonas Maltophilia Chorionic Gonadotropin-Like Receptor

Abstract Xanthomonas maltophilia possesses a unique high-affinity binding site which binds human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), but not human luteinizing hormone (hLH) or other glycoprotein hormones. We designed primers from the known nucleotide sequence of the human LH/CG receptor, spanning an area extending from transmembrane region 2 to transmembrane region 6. Genomic DNA extracted from Xanthomonas maltophilia was used to obtain a PCR amplified product using the above primers. The primary amplification product was cloned in a pCRll TA cloning vector, and the partial nucleotide sequence of the gene determined. This determined sequence showed 73% identity with the human, as well as the rat LH/CG receptor. Comparison of the translated protein sequence with the human, rat and porcine receptor protein sequences showed a 52% similarity.
Distribution of nicotinic binding sites with respect to CRF and neurophysin immunoreactive perikarya within the rat hypothalamus

Abstract These studies determined the differential autoradiographic distribution of [ 125 I]α-bungarotoxin versus [ 3 H]nicotine relative to the histochemically defined perikarya for neurophysin and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF). Specific [ 3 H]nicotine binding sites occured in relatively greater density within the neuropil surrounding PVN and SON compared to within the nuclei. In contrast, the highest density of [ 125 I]α-BTX sites codistributed with neurophysin immunoreactive perikarya within these nuclei.
Lamotrigine-induced tourettism.

Background: Lamotrigine (LTG) has a broad spectrum of antiepileptic efficacy and generally benign side effects except for idiosyncratic rashes. Objective: Three children are described in whom LTG caused dose-related Tourette syndrome (TS) symptoms. Although undoubtedly rare, this interesting phenomenon supports the mounting evidence in favor of the multifactorial genesis of TS symptoms. Results: The main known antiseizure mechanism of LTG is to block excessive presynaptic release of excitatory amino acids (EAAs), which occurs when there are sustained neuronal burst firings, as happens within epileptogenic brain tissue. LTG does not prevent the spontaneous release of EAAs and thus does not affect their normal functions. Conclusions: Among the many proposed explanations for the pathogenesis of TS is the dopamine hypothesis: a dysfunction in dopamine uptake in the striatum. EAAs can also interfere with striatal dopamine uptake. Conceivably, LTG may cause TS symptoms by failing, at high doses, to regulate the presynaptic release of EAAs in the striatum properly.
Giant intracranial aneurysms of the anterior circulation: clinical characteristics and diagnosis by computed tomography

The computed tomography (CT) characteristics and clinical features of giant (globoid) aneurysms of the anterior circulation are reviewed. These lesions appear on the CT scan as smoothly encapsulated ovoid masses, within which a partially patent lumen is seen after the infusion of iodinated contrast material. With careful analysis of the CT scan it may be possible to differentiate giant internal carotid artery, anterior cerebral artery, and middle cerebral artery aneurysms from other parasellar and hemispheric lesions.
Spatial monopolistic competition versus spatial monopoly

Abstract This paper compares the equilibrium firm output, market area, price of services, and level of net benefits in monopolistically competitive spatial equilibrium versus the multiplant monopolists spatial equilibrium. Through a computer simulation, it is found that the welfare comparisons depend on population density—the monopolists equilibrium is superior to the monopolistically competitive equilibrium in high density areas and vice versa, contrary to traditional economic theory in which distance is assumed costless.
Structure-release rate correlation in collagen gels containing fluorescent drug analog.

Abstract The paper examines the release properties of collagen gels that contain covalently bound fluorescent drug analogs. Collagen gels were prepared by fibrilogenesis. The gels were stabilized by cross linking with EDAC/NHS. SEM studies showed that increasing the cross-linking time with EDAC/NHS resulted in decreasing pore size and increasing gel density. Fluorescence spectroscopy measurements showed a clear correlation between decreasing pore size and increasing gel density, and lower release rate from the gels. Additives like chondrotitin-6-sulfate (CS) and amino acids altered the release properties of the cross-linked collagen gels. CS increased the stability of collagen gels to enzymatic degradation and non-enzymatic degradation. This was attributed to increasing gel rigidity due to carbohydrate–protein interactions. The amino acid lysine increased the stability of collagen gels which was attributed to increasing cross-linking level between the collagen fibrils and the primary amine group on the lysine side chain. The amino acid histidine decreased the stability of the gels, particularly to non-enzymatic degradation. These results correlated with increasing pore size following treatment with histidine. Our study shows, for the first time, a clear correlation between structure and release properties of collagen gels. It describes in detail the effect of additives on the structural and release properties of collagen gels. The study focused on gels that were prepared through fibrillogenesis and were therefore similar in structure to native collagen.
Distributions of unexpected services in a D-node Markov-renewal network distinguished by customer class

Customer units from any one of K distinct classes arrive at random but in a fixed, known order for processing in a D-node Markov-renewal network that contains at least one absorbing node and no proper closed subsets of nodes. The joint probability function of counts of units in nodes, distinguished by customer class, is derived for the transient case. A numerical method for routinely computing all possible marginal distributions is demonstrated for implementation on off-the-shelf spreadsheets or database systems. The model permits explicit computation of counts by units, by class and node, for arrivals that are not Poisson distributed. Populations of units arriving randomly in time, classes being arbitrarily mixed but in known order, represent a generic model applicable in many disciplines including biology, engineering, demography, and operations research.
Rapid High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Bleomycin A2 in Plasma

A rapid and specific method for the determination of bleomycin A2 is described. A 50-μl aliquot of 20% trichloroacetic acid was added to 200 μl of plasma. The sample was vortexed and centrifuged, and 50 μl of the clear supernate was injected into a liquid chromatograph equipped with a microparticulate reversed-phase column and a fixed wavelength detector. Elution was carried out using methanol–acetonitrile–0.0085 M heptanesulfonic acid–acetic acid. A linear calibration curve was found in the 0.05–5–μg/ml range with an estimated precision of ± 6% (CV). Preliminary pharmacokinetic data in the rabbit also are reported.
Story Identity and Story Type

The foundational claim underlying nearly all narrative theory is that a distinction can be made between the story and its telling. Indeed, Jonathan Culler calls this the "indispensable premise of narratology."1 The general distinction has been labeled in a variety of different ways, such as 'histoire' and 'discours,' 'histoire' and 'recite,' 'narrative' and 'narration,' 'story' and 'discourse,' and even 'plot' and 'story.'2 Most influentially, to mark the distinction, the Russian formalists supplied the labels fabula (story) and sjuzet (discourse).3 Leading narratologists as different as Seymour Chatman and David Bordwell may adopt different terms, but they accept roughly the same distinction. Bordwell describes the fabula as that which "embodies the action as a chronological cause-and-effect chain of events occurring within a given duration and spatial field," and the sjuzet as "the arrangement and presentation of the fabula."4 Chatman argues that the basis for thinking that such a distinction can be drawn is what he calls
A Study of the Relationship of Iq and Cognitive and Personality Rigidity To Performance On Concept Learning Tasks

The present study is an attempt to objectively measure individual differences in concept in learning ability, and to study some personality and cognitive variables which may identify the successful concept learner when learning tasks are varied and require flexibility in approach. A concept learning test was administered to 113 college sophomores with an average to superior IQ range, who had been tested previously on two measures of cognitive rigidity, a measure of personality rigidity and the WAIS. The concept learning test included simple, disjunctive, and relational types of problems which were randomly presented and required subjects to vary their approach from task to task. Scores on the Alternate Uses Test of cognitive flexibility were significantly related to concept learning scores. The figural Adaptive Flexibility Test of cognitive flexibility, Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, and WAIS scores showed no significant relationship to concept learning on these tasks. It was hypothesized that cognitive flexibi...
Against all odds : An interesting foreign body problem and solution

Difficult airway foreign bodies can create perplexing problems for the bronchoesophagologist. Sometimes, creative skills are necessary to allow removal of foreign bodies without the need for an external procedure. This article presents the first reported case of the removal of a severely impacted air valve cap in the left main bronchus and discusses the creative and innovative techniques and instrumentation that are required for successful removal when standard foreign body instrumentation is ineffective for the task. The case demonstrates that sometimes, against all odds, the most difficult airway problem can have a solution, avoiding increased patient morbidity.
Axisymmetric Underflows from Impinging Buoyant Jets of Dense Cohesive Particle-Laden Fluids

AbstractUnderflows generated from the impingement of descending dense cohesive particle-laden buoyant jets on a horizontal bottom of a water body were investigated theoretically and experimentally. Laboratory experiments were conducted by discharging fluid mud (suspension of cohesive clay particles in water) at a constant volume flow rate from a submerged vertical pipe into a body of water. The experiments involved a wide range of initial parameters (e.g., height of the discharge pipe from the bottom, flow rate, and concentration of the fluid mud at the time of discharge). The discharged fluid mud descended as vertical buoyant jets and flowed away as axisymmetric underflows after impinging on the bottom. The underflows exhibited two well-documented propagation phases: (1) a radial momentum-driven wall jet phase near the impingement region, and (2) an inertial gravity current phase after the completion of the wall jet phase. Experiments revealed that, depending on the initial discharge parameters, underflo...
Effect of stress testing on left ventricular mechanical synchrony by phase analysis of gated positron emission tomography in patients with normal myocardial perfusion

Purpose There are limited data on whether differences exist in left ventricular (LV) mechanical dyssynchrony indices derived from stress versus rest gated positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with normal myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI).
The reproducible production of pure superconducting Ba2YCu3Ox

Abstract A systematic study involving the effects of temperature and different atmospheres on the formation of Ba 2 YCu 3 O x was performed. The gases used were oxygen, air, nitrogen, carbon-dioxide and carbon-monoxide. The solid state synthesis procedure employed gave an XRD pattern which indexed phase pure in the orthorhombic system. A narrow temperature range for calcining was found to be the most crucial parameter for obtaining reproducible and phase pure superconducting powder. The results of this work offer significant suggestions for the processing of Ba 2 YCu 3 O x .
Regulation of Tissue-Dependent Differences in CD8+ T Cell Apoptosis During Viral Infection

ABSTRACT Virus-specific CD8 + T cells in the lymphoid organs contract at the resolution of virus infections by apoptosis or by dissemination into peripheral tissues, and those residing in nonlymphoid organs, including the peritoneal cavity and fat pads, are more resistant to apoptosis than those in the spleen and lymph nodes. This stability of memory T cells in the nonlymphoid tissues may enhance protection to secondary challenges. Here, we show that lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)-specific CD8 + T cells in nonlymphoid tissues were enriched for memory precursors (expressing high levels of interleukin-7 receptor and low levels of killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 [IL-7R hi KLRG1 lo ]) and had higher expression of CD27, CXCR3, and T cell factor-1 (TCF-1), each a marker that is individually correlated with decreased apoptosis. CD8 + T cells in the peritoneal cavity of TCF-1-deficient mice had decreased survival, suggesting a role for TCF-1 in promoting survival in the nonlymphoid tissues. CXCR3 + CD8 + T cells resisted apoptosis and accumulated in the lymph nodes of mice treated with FTY720, which blocks the export of lymph node cells into peripheral tissue. The peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) expressed increased amounts of CXCR3 ligands, CXCL9 and CXCL10, which may normally recruit these nonapoptotic cells from the lymph nodes. In addition, adoptive transfer of splenic CD8 + T cells into PEC or spleen environments showed that the peritoneal environment promoted survival of CD8 + T cells. Thus, intrinsic stability of T cells which are present in the nonlymphoid tissues along with preferential migration of apoptosis-resistant CD8 + T cells into peripheral sites and the availability of tissue-specific factors that enhance memory cell survival may collectively account for the tissue-dependent apoptotic differences. IMPORTANCE Most infections are initiated at nonlymphoid tissue sites, and the presence of memory T cells in nonlymphoid tissues is critical for protective immunity in various viral infection models. Virus-specific CD8 + T cells in the nonlymphoid tissues are more resistant to apoptosis than those in lymphoid organs during the resolution and memory phase of the immune response to acute LCMV infection. Here, we investigated the mechanisms promoting stability of T cells in the nonlymphoid tissues. This increased resistance to apoptosis of virus-specific CD8 + T cells in nonlymphoid tissues was due to several factors. Nonlymphoid tissues were enriched in memory phenotype CD8 + T cells, which were intrinsically resistant to apoptosis irrespective of the tissue environment. Furthermore, apoptosis-resistant CD8 + T cells preferentially migrated into the nonlymphoid tissues, where the availability of tissue-specific factors may enhance memory cell survival. Our findings are relevant for the generation of long-lasting vaccines providing protection at peripheral infection sites.
From Schools to Community Learning Centers: A Program Evaluation of a School Reform Process.

This manuscript reports on a program evaluation of a school reform initiative conducted in an Ohio city. The paper describes, interprets, and evaluates this reform process aimed at transforming schools into community learning centers. The manuscript also describes and analyzes the initiative's program evaluation process. Elliot Eisner's [(1998). The enlightened eye: Qualitative inquiry and the enhancement of educational practice (2nd ed.). New York: Macmillan Publishing Company] work on educational connoisseurs and critics is the theoretical foundation for the analyses and recommendations. This manuscript targets reformers interested in creating community learning centers and agencies interested in evaluating complex school reform initiatives.
3D assessment of nuclear heating, dose rate, and structural damage in the generic ITER diagnostics upper port plugs and adjacent magnet coils

Abstract The USITER Project is responsible for providing a generic design of 18 diagnostics upper port plugs (UPPs). These plugs are designed to provide effective nuclear shielding, adequate nuclear heat removal capability, and allowance for personnel accessibility shortly after shutdown. In addition, the design limits for other parameters should not be exceeded during ITER lifetime. This includes the accumulative DPA and helium production in the UPP structure and the vacuum vessel, fast neutron fluence reaching the neighboring TF and PF magnets, and the accumulative local heating in their coil casings. In the present work, we assess these performance characteristics in three generic upper port plug (GUPP) designs of the in-plug shield and labyrinths that span possible configurations ranging from a conservative to worst case. The cases considered are: (1) Case A: “Visible-IR Camera diagnostic” with an intact port-attached blanket shield module (BSM), and (2) Case B: vis/IR system where the port-based BSM is replaced by overlapping adjacent vessel-attached BSM and (3) Case C: a “Large Aperture diagnostic” that is loosely resembles ECH style shielding plugs and aperture. These cases were modeled in a 20-degree sector of ITER. The 3D FEM Discrete Ordinates Code, ATTILA, was used in the analysis along with FENDL2.1 data and the FORNAX activation file.
Factors Influencing Catalysis of Lipid Oxidation by the Soluble Fraction of Mackerel Muscle

Analysis of a soluble fraction (press juice) from mackerel muscle indicated 8% of the iron and 7 to 38% of the copper was associated with fractions with molecular weights of 5 KD fractions indicated both low and high molecular weight components are required for maximal lipid oxidation in mackerel muscle.
Parental disruption and the labour market performance of children when they reach adulthood

This paper uses data from the age 33 wave of the British National Child Development Survey (NCDS) to analyze the effects of a parental disruption (divorce or death of a father) on the labour market performance of children when they reach adulthood. The NCDS is a longitudinal study of all children born during the first week of March 1958 in England, Scotland, and Wales. Controlling for a rich set of pre-disruption characteristics, the results indicate that a parental disruption leads to moderately less employment among males and considerably lower wage rates among females at age 33. If pre-disruption characteristics are not controlled for, larger effects are estimated for both males and females. Parental disruption also seems to cause substantial reductions in educational attainment for both males and females.
Bound state poles of the form factors in eikonal approximation and infinite component wave equations

Abstract We investigate the form factor in eikonal approximation for the whole region of momentum transfer t in electrodynamics and in φ 3 theory, and determine the poles in the time-like region below the threshold. A covariant mass formula is obtained similar to the one derived from four point functions in eikonal approximation. The mass formula does not become imaginary for large values of the coupling constant. The relation to positronium Regge trajectory and infinite component wave equations is discussed.
Muscarinic receptor occupation and receptor activation in the guinea-pig ileum by some acetamides related to oxotremorine.

Abstract The dissociation constants (KD values) and relative efficacies of seven acetamide analogues of oxotremorine, including two enantiomeric pairs, at muscarinic receptors in the guinea-pig isolated ileum were determined. The method used involved analysis of dose-response data before and after fractional inactivation of receptors with propylbenzilylcholine mustard. All of the compounds studied had lower affinities than oxotremorine, but some had substantially higher relative efficacies. Replacement of the pyrrolidine ring of N-methyl-N-(4- pyrrolidino -2- butynyl )acetamide(I), the parent compound in the series, by a dimethylamino or a trimethylammonium group decreased the affinity 32 and 4.5 fold, respectively, whereas the relative efficacy increased 5.7-8.3 times. There was no correlation between relative efficacies and affinities of the compounds. The structural requirements for high affinity and high efficacy appeared to be quite different.